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referring to the drawings , fig1 illustrates an example facing system 100 of the present invention , for use on a shelf or other display surface . the facing system includes an interior portion in which plurality of products can be positioned for alignment and face up positioning of the products on the support surface . in use , if the products at the front of the shelf have been removed , the facing system may be lifted at its front end and used to move the remaining containers from a retracted position on the support surface to the front of the support surface . the facing system is then pushed back to the retracted configuration leaving the products positioned at the front of the support surface . the facing system 100 is formed of a plurality of frame members including at least two side members 110 and at least one front member 120 and at least one back member 130 . the side frame members 110 attach to the front frame member 120 and back frame member 130 in any suitable manner , and may be fixed into engagement , or assembled into the desired configuration . in this example , connecting members 140 are used to assemble the side frame members 110 to the front frame member 120 and back frame member 130 . the facing system 100 is moved from a retracted position on the support surface and enables products to be moved toward the front of shelves or the like , simply by lifting the front frame member 120 and moving the system 100 outwardly along with any retracted product positioned therein . as shown in fig1 , each side member 110 is located on opposing sides and extends vertically at approximately a 90 degree angle from a support surface . the front frame member 120 and rear frame member 130 also extend vertically at approximately a 90 degree angle from a surface . the height of the frame members 110 , 120 and 130 may be any suitable height to facilitate retaining products therein , and to allow for the facing procedure , but as shown , may be low profile so as not to obscure or detract from proper visibility of products on the support surface . as shown in fig1 , the two side members 110 and front and back members 120 and 130 are connected to form an integrated unit . particularly , both ends of the side members 110 are connected to the ends of front member 120 and rear member 130 . any type of connecting techniques may be used to join the side members 110 to the front and rear frame members 120 and 130 . each side member 110 preferably functions as a divider between products in longitudinal rows , with multiple systems 100 adjacent one another to accommodate multiple rows of products on the shelf or other support surface . the systems 100 separate adjacent rows of products from one another , and allows any individual row of a product to be faced to the front of the shelf or support surface , while not interfering with any adjacent row of a product . in the example of fig1 , the system 100 is width adjustable by adjustment systems 135 . the system 135 includes first and second sections 131 and 132 that together make up the front frame member 120 and rear frame member 130 , and are adjustably arranged with respect to one another . the section 131 includes a transverse opening 133 with a stepped configuration having an outer diameter which is less than the diameter of the inner portion of the opening 133 . a button 134 is slidably received in the transverse opening 133 and is dimensioned to be substantially commensurate with the dimensions of transverse opening 133 , excepting that the outer end of the button is projectable beyond opening 133 . the transverse opening 133 comprises a stepped configuration as indicated , and the button 134 includes an inner portion which extends through the opening 133 and is connected to the section 132 . the button 134 may be pushed to slide into the inner portion of transverse opening 133 . the button 134 is spring biased outwardly and configured to only be partially received in the inner portion of opening 133 . the button 134 may be pushed to slide into transverse opening 133 by depressing the projecting portion of button . the button 134 may be mounted to bias against the walls of the outer portion of transverse opening 133 to thereby act to releasably retain the button in position in one of the steps of the stepped configuration of opening 133 . the locking mechanism provided by button 134 and transverse opening 133 may be released by merely depressing the button 134 so that it can then be slid to adjust the width of the frame members 120 and 130 , and the relationship between the sections 131 and 132 . upon release of the button the sections 131 and 132 are locked into the relative adjusted position . the mechanism 135 may be similar to mechanisms that allow extension and retraction of blades in some utility knives . in this way , the system 100 is width adjustable to allow different sized products to be arranged therein , aligned and to allow the facing procedure therewith . any other suitable adjustment mechanism 135 may be used and is contemplated in the invention . as also shown in fig1 , the frame members 110 , 120 and 130 may also be formed to have reinforcing ribs 106 to increase the strength thereof , and if the frame members include an adjustment mechanism 135 , the sections of the frame members may have the reinforcing ribs 106 engage in sliding relationship with one another to allow them to be slidably retained together . in this example , the front frame member 120 may also include a header portion 123 forming a space for positioning product information or other graphic or informational material . for example , the header portion 123 may include a clear cover that is slid into engagement with the header portion 123 to provide the space for a sheet of paper or other material having product information , price or any other desired information or graphics . fig2 illustrates another example of the facing system 100 providing for adjusting both the width and / or length of the system 100 . in this example , the side frame members 110 also include an adjustable mechanism 135 similar to that shown in the example of fig1 . this provides the significant advantage of not only allowing adjustment to accommodate different sized products by allowing width adjustment , but also allows for accommodating different sized shelving or other support surfaces , without replacing a whole facing system . the side frame members 110 may include first and second sections 111 and 112 that are adjustably engaged by an adjustment mechanism 135 , to slidably engage sections 111 and 112 together . the adjustment mechanism 135 allows each side frame member to have its length increased or decreased to a desired length . the length of each side frame member can be adjusted by pushing and holding the button 134 until the desired length is achieved , and the button is released to lock the sections 111 and 112 together . as shown in fig2 , the front and rear frame members 120 and 130 may also comprise the adjustment mechanism 135 as described with reference to the example of fig1 , or these may provide a fixed width while the length is adjustable via the mechanisms 135 associated with the side frame members 110 . again , any other suitable adjustment mechanism 135 may be used and is contemplated in the invention . referring to fig3 , there is shown a further example of the facing system in accordance with the invention , which allows the system 100 to be folded flat for packaging , shipping , handling and storage . this has the significant advantage because the size of the facing system can be reduced significantly , for example by up to seventy five percent . in this example , the facing system 100 comprises the two side frame members 110 and front and back frame members 120 and 130 , which are engaged with one another by hinges 150 . the hinges 150 allow connection between the frame members in a manner that allow each of the frame members to be folded against an adjacent frame member as shown in fig3 . any number of commonly available connecting methods can be used to provide rotatable connection including , but not limited to , hinges or bearings . referring to fig4 , there are shown side wall extensions 201 attachable to the facing system 100 . the bottom of the side wall extension 201 is applied with a magnetic strip 210 so that the side wall extension can be attached to one side of the side frame member 110 . any number of commonly available attaching methods including , but not limited to , a magnetic or velcro ™ strip can be used to attach the side wall extensions to the side members , or the side members 110 may include structure to engage the side wall extensions 201 . further , referring to fig4 , an end wall extension 202 can be assembled with two side wall extensions 201 , and / or the rear frame member 130 . for example , the end wall extension 202 may have protrusions 204 on its edges . the protrusions 204 can be inserted into the holes 205 located on the side wall extensions 201 . as shown in fig5 , when assembled , the side wall extensions 201 and back wall extension 202 allow support for products positioned in the facing system 100 , such as stacked products like cans or the like , both when positioned on the shelf or support surface , and during a facing procedure . referring to fig6 , another example of the facing system 100 may include one or more magnetic members 106 on the front frame section 120 , which allows the facing system 100 to be retained in its retracted position until a facing procedure is to be performed . this allows the facing system to be securely , but releasably attached on a shelf to ensure the products are properly aligned , and to prevent unwanted movement of system 100 . as many display shelves or other display systems are formed of metal , the magnetic member 106 will be magnetically attached to the shelf or the like when the front frame section 120 is laid flat on the shelf . if the support surface is not metal , a front lip member ( not shown ) may be separately attached to the front of the shelf or other support surface , to which the magnetic member 106 will be attracted to and retained with . such a front lip member may be adhesively attached to the shelf or other support surface , or in other suitable ways . another magnetic or metal member may be attached to the shelf or support surface at a position to mate with the magnetic member 106 on the frame member 120 . alternatively , or in conjunction with a magnetic member on the front frame member 120 , the side frame members 110 may include a magnetic member or strip 106 as shown in fig6 . if desired as an alternative , the tops of the frame members 120 and / or 110 may include a magnetic member or strip to engage another facing system 100 , to allow multiple facing systems 100 to be stacked and retained together . any other suitable retaining mechanism to allow simple and effective retention on a shelf or support surface may be used and is contemplated in the invention , such as a velcro ™ strip or the like to be used to securely attach the facing system to shelves . fig7 illustrates another example of a facing system 100 according to the invention , providing for adjustment of the width of the system 100 . in this example , the front and rear frame members 120 and 130 may comprise a mating c - channel configuration 136 , which allows width adjustment of the front and rear frame members 120 and 130 , and maintains a set width by frictional engagement of the c - channel members . the adjustment mechanism 136 is created by forming a c - channel slot in which the mating c - channel is insertable and frictionally engaged . width adjustment is performed simply by sliding the c - channels relative to one another to a desired width . though not shown in this example , the side frame members 110 could also include an adjustable mechanism 135 similar to that shown in the example of fig2 , or can be of fixed lengths . in this example , the system 110 again provides the ability to accommodate different sized products by allowing width adjustment . again , other suitable length or width adjustment mechanisms 135 or 136 may be used and are contemplated in the invention . as shown in fig8 , the systems 100 may allow for use with an array of products with varying widths , and on shelving of different depths by suitably sizing the systems 100 . fig9 illustrates another example of side wall extensions 201 attachable to the facing system 100 . the bottom of the side wall extension 201 is applied by using side panel slots 211 which can be inserted into the facing system 100 for support . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description , the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character , it being understood that only illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected . additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the description . modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 0 |
referring now to fig1 the apparatus comprises an electro - magnet winding defined by coils 1 to 6 , which are serially connected to carry a magnetising current . the coils 1 to 6 are symmetrically disposed about a central vertical axis 7 and a longitudinal axis 8 which is common to the coils 1 to 6 . in order to provide shielding from the magnetic field produced when the coils 1 to 6 are energised , shielding coils 9 and 10 are provided which are serially connected with the coils 1 to 6 and arranged to produce a field which substantially cancels the magnetic field produced by the coils 1 to 6 outside the assembly . electrical connection to the coils just before described , is effected in a known manner via a service turret 11 , which is arranged to communicate with the interior of a helium vessel 12 having an outer wall 13 . the helium vessel 12 is filled with liquid helium via the service turret 11 , whereby the coils 1 to 6 and 9 , 10 contained therein are maintained at a temperature of about 4 ° k . necessary to produce superconductivity . in order to reduce heat gain by the liquid helium , the vessel 12 is contained in a vacuum chamber 14 having an outer wall 15 . between the outer wall 15 of the vacuum chamber and the wall 13 of the helium vessel , two heat shields 16 and 17 are provided may be fabricated from aluminium and which serve to reduce heat gain by radiation . a cylindrical space 18 is provided within the apparatus , within which space 18 a patient 19 is positioned so that a portion of the patient to be examined lies within a spherical imaging volume 20 , wherein the magnetic field is highly homogeneous . in order to provide for magnetic resonance imaging , gradient coils 21 and rf coils 22 are provided . operation of the gradient coils and rf coils is well understood by those skilled in the art and so details of the imaging process , which is not central to the present invention , will not herein be described . as hereinbefore explained , one of the problems with mri apparatus is that in order to produce a desirable degree of magnetic field linearity within the imaging volume 20 , magnets having a relatively long longitudinal axial length are required which tend to produce claustrophobia in patients , due to the degree of enclosure . in the present arrangement , in order to reduce the possibility of claustrophobia , the coils 3 and 6 which constitute end coils , are shaped to provide chamfers 23 and those portions 24 , 25 , 26 and 27 of the vessel 13 , the shields 16 and 17 and the vacuum chamber outer wall 15 respectively , which are adjacent the chamfer 23 , are chamfered correspondingly to provide flaring at each end of the space 18 . the provision of this flaring affords to the patient 19 a feeling of reduced enclosure and accordingly provides for a reduced tendency to claustrophobia . various modifications may be made to the arrangement shown and for example , in alternative arrangements different chamfer angles and shapes may be provided . in order to fabricate the coils 3 and 6 , they may be wound on a suitably shaped mandrel , thereby to form the chamfers 23 , and thereafter impregnated with an epoxy resin impregnant which is cured so that it solidifies prior to the coil being removed from the mandrel . as shown in fig2 wherein parts corresponding to fig1 bear the same numerical designations , the coil 3 may be provided with an outer layer 28 , of impregnated glass beads or glass fibre , in which a step 29 is formed , which serves to facilitate fixing by means of ` l - shaped ` clamps 30 ( only one of which is shown ), which are held in place by means of screw threaded bolts 31 . in order securely to clamp the coils , a single clamp may be used or several clamps may be used , as in this embodiment , spaced equi - angularly around the outer cylindrical surface of the coil and engaging the step . the bolts 31 are arranged to pass through an aluminium support structure 32 on which the coils 1 to 6 and 9 , 10 are mounted . by providing this kind of fixing , the need for a clamp which embraces an end portion 33 of the coil 3 so as to extend its axial length , is obviated . this is particularly advantageous because it facilitates a reduction in the overall axial magnet length which in turn facilitates the provision of apparatus wherein the tendency to produce claustrophobia in patients is reduced . | 8 |
the process of the invention relies upon the rapid heating of nickel - coated polymer substrates to facilitate carbon removal . rapid heating of these nickel - coated structures quickly converts the polymer to gaseous decomposition products . these gases form a relatively large internal pressure within the nickel structure that bursts the outer nickel layer to provide gas escape holes . these newly formed holes allow efficient oxidation and removal of the polymers . furthermore , these holes reduce the shrinkage of the nickel foam during annealing . increasing the rate of heating the polymer trapped within the nickel coating increases the number of holes blown through the nickel skeleton . this results in less decomposition products exiting per hole and therefore leaves a thinner carbonaceous deposit on the outer surface of each hole piercing the nickel skeleton . in addition , increasing the polymer heating rate increases the fraction of gases in the decomposition products , further decreasing the amount of tar - like carbonaceous deposits . this rapid temperature increase is critical to effectively removing the carbon and reducing shrinkage . quickly exposing the nickel - coated polymer substrate from a condition where the outer nickel layer contains no holes to a temperature of at least about 600 ° c . creates sufficient internal pressure to form several holes . this quick temperature increase must occur in less than about twenty - five seconds to prevent the slow release of gases through a small number of holes . similarly , if the nickel coating contains burst openings prior to heating , the rapid heat - up process generates fewer holes and loses effectiveness . advantageously , exposing the nickel - coated substrate to a temperature of at least 700 ° c . in less than fifteen seconds further promotes polymer removal and reduces shrinkage . most advantageously , exposing the nickel - coated polymer substrate to a temperature of at least 800 ° c . in less than about ten seconds bursts a sufficient number of holes to quickly discharge the gases . exposing the nickel foam from temperatures below the decomposition temperature of the foam to increased temperatures in quicker times further increases effectiveness of the process of the invention . for example , exposing the nickel - coated polymer substrate from a temperature less than 200 ° c . to a temperature of at least 900 ° c . temperature in less than five , two or even one second further improves polymer removal , reduces the amount of tar - like deposits on the outer surface of the nickel skeleton and reduces shrinkage of the nickel foam . 1 ) using a physical barrier to shield the nickel - coated polymer from radiative heat and hot furnace gases ( convective heat ) at the furnace entrance ; 2 ) increasing foam speed to minimize exposure of the foam to intermediate temperatures that thermally decompose foam ; 3 ) increasing furnace temperature to increase the rate of radiative heat transfer to the nickel - coated polymer ; and 4 ) increasing furnace - gas - flow rate or changing furnace - gas composition to increase rate of convective heat transfer to the nickel - coated polymer . the upper limit of the furnace temperature is a temperature slightly below the melting temperature of nickel . most advantageously , the furnace exposes the nickel foam to a temperature sufficient to anneal the nickel structure in a single pass . for example , setting the furnace at a temperature between about 800 ° c . and about 1200 ° c . allows a belt furnace to sinter nickel foam in one pass . alternatively , using a rapid heat - up followed by a separate annealing process provides an acceptable , but more costly , procedure for forming nickel foam . the polymer structure may consist of a reticulated foam structure , closed cell structure , felt or any combination thereof . acceptable polymer substrates include : polyester , polyurethane , polystyrene , polyvinylchloride , polyethylene , polyisocyanurates , polyphenols and polypropylene . these polymers all thermally decompose on rapid heating to leave high purity nickel foam with minimal shrinkage . referring to fig1 a continuous belt furnace 5 most advantageously provides the means for heating the nickel - coated structure . the divider 12 separates the hot zone of furnace 10 from the cooling zone within water - cooled jacket 14 . during operation , nickel - coated polymer 16 continuously travels about 1 m through the hot zone of furnace 10 to the cooling zone . cooling insert 18 protects foam from gradual heating and premature burning before entry into the hot zone of furnace 10 . specifically , cooling gases 20 purge the atmosphere within the cooling insert 18 to maintain the polymer substrate below its decomposition temperature . most advantageously , an inert or reducing gas continuously purges cooling insert 18 . after the foam passes the cooling insert 18 , the furnace 10 rapidly heats the foam 16 to a temperature well above the decomposition temperature of the polymer . the hot zone of furnace 10 advantageously contains a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and water vapor 22 that is oxidizing to carbon and reducing to nickel . optionally , this gas may be diluted with an inert gas such as nitrogen or substituted for with an atmosphere of equivalent oxygen partial pressure such as that obtained by partially combusting natural gas . after removing the polymer substrate and annealing the resulting nickel structure within the hot zone , the nickel structure passes about 1 m through water - cooled jacket 14 . the water - cooled jacket 14 cools the nickel structure to a temperature where nickel is stable in an air atmosphere . introducing inert or reducing gases 24 into the cooling zone of cooling jacket 14 prevents oxidation of the nickel structure during cooling . most advantageously , nitrogen gases purge the cooling zone of any oxidizing gases . the following examples demonstrate the effectiveness of rapid heat - up for removing carbon , minimizing shrinkage and minimizing total processing time . all samples were processed in the furnace illustrated by fig1 using a nitrogen purge in the cooling zone , unless specifically stated otherwise . example 1 demonstrates the effect of rapid heat - up on carbon removal and shrinkage . the samples consisted of four 28 cm by 40 cm rectangular pieces cut from a roll of nickel - plated polyurethane foam . total densities of these samples varied from 597 g / m 2 to 615 g / m 2 . the polyurethane foam substrate accounted for approximately 58 g / m 2 of the nickel - plated foam , with the nickel accounting for the balance . the two - zone controlled atmosphere belt furnace of fig1 heated all samples . but the cooling insert was not present for the testing of example 1 . the starting polyurethane foam was approximately 2 . 2 mm thick and contained about 80 pores per inch ( ppi ) or 31 pores per centimeter ( ppcm ). the hot zone of the furnace exposed sample 1 to an atmosphere maintained at 800 ° c . the atmosphere in the furnace hot zone and the cooling zone consisted of flowing nitrogen . quickly sliding sample 1 into the middle of the furnace hot zone on a slider plate effected rapid heat - up . after 200 seconds , quickly sliding sample 1 to the cooling zone of the furnace effected cooling in a protective atmosphere . for the testing of sample 2 , the furnace belt speed was 30 cm / min , providing a hot zone residence time of approximately 200 seconds . thus , this test exposed sample 1 and sample 2 to essentially the equivalent atmosphere and temperature for the same length of time . the only significant parameter change was heat - up rate . the test parameters of samples 3 and 4 were identical to samples 1 and 2 , except for increasing the furnace hot zone temperature to 1000 ° c . analyses included dimensional changes , carbon assays , oxygen assays and visual observations . table 1 below provides data obtained from testing samples 1 to 4 . table 1__________________________________________________________________________ total density total density ( g / m . sup . 2 ) ( g / m . sup . 2 ) δ δsample temp . time as - an - length width c ono . (° c .) ( sec ) plated nealed (%) (%) ( ppm ) ( ppm ) __________________________________________________________________________1 800 200 615 545 0 . 50 0 . 18 2510 4902 800 200 * 601 563 - 2 . 11 - 2 . 32 5050 9803 1000 200 610 550 0 . 00 - 1 . 07 1950 2304 1000 200 * 597 553 - 2 . 11 - 1 . 79 4020 590__________________________________________________________________________ * furnace belt rate of 30 cm / min . as seen in table 1 , the rapid heating of samples 1 and 3 significantly reduces residual carbon for a specific time at temperature . in addition , increasing hot zone temperature to 1000 ° c . further decreased residual carbon . visual observations indicate that rapid heat - up leads to an increase in the number of holes blown through the nickel skeleton . numerous small spots covered sample 1 . these small spots consisted of carbon residue surrounding eruption sites . in contrast , sample 2 had a noticeably lower spot density , but the spots were of larger diameter and darker , indicating a thicker tar - like carbonaceous deposit at each eruption site . sample 3 was similar to sample 1 , except that there was a higher carbon spot density and the carbon spots were of smaller diameter and lighter . sample 4 had a lower density of large , dark carbon spots than sample 2 , but was still much worse than sample 1 . example 2 provides a direct comparison between the subject sintering method , two stage sintering and single stage sintering processes that use uncontrolled heat - up rates . samples 5 to 7 consisted of 28 cm by 40 cm rectangular pieces cut from a roll of nickel - plated polyurethane foam . these samples all had fine edge cracks introduced by the cutting process . total densities of these samples varied from 252 g / m 2 to 260 g / m 2 . the polyurethane foam substrate accounted for approximately 58 g / m 2 of the nickel - plated foam , with the nickel accounting for the balance . the starting polyurethane was approximately 1 . 7 mm thick and contained 90 ppi ( 35 ppcm ). the controlled atmosphere belt furnace of fig1 lacked the cooling insert for samples 5 and 6 . sample 5 was processed using conditions simulating traditional two - stage sintering methods . pre - burning was simulated by quickly sliding sample 5 into the furnace hot zone with an atmosphere of free flowing air and a temperature of 700 ° c . the polymer of sample 5 ignited in approximately 2 seconds and a flame persisted on the foam surface for approximately 19 seconds . sample 5 remained in the furnace hot zone for a total of 120 seconds . sample 5 grew 2 . 8 % in length and 2 . 9 % in width during pre - burning . after pre - burning , sample 5 was black , brittle and had some edge cracks . the pre - burned sample 5 assayed 400 ppm c and 6 . 96 % o . this level of oxygen represents oxidizing approximately 27 . 5 % of the nickel . the annealing portion of the two - stage processing of sample 5 was conducted in the belt furnace at a speed of 8 cm / min and a hot zone temperature of 1000 ° c . the atmosphere contained counter - currently flowing gas consisting of 15 % h 2 , 30 % h 2 o and balance n 2 . flow rates of 16 . 7 l / min h 2 , 25 ml / min h 2 o ( water ) and 61 l / min n 2 produced this atmosphere . on sintering , sample 5 shrank 4 . 3 % in length and 4 . 9 % in width , giving overall dimensional changes of - 1 . 5 % in length and - 2 . 1 % in width . sintered c and o assays were 360 ppm and 300 ppm respectively . final nickel density was 216 g / m 2 . no carbon residue was visible at polyurethane eruption sites . but fine edge cracks , present after pre - burning , extended on sintering , presumably due to the stresses associated with the dimensional changes . test conditions simulating single - stage polymer removal and annealing with slow initial heat - up treated sample 6 . for testing sample 6 , the furnace maintained a hot zone temperature of 1000 ° c . the furnace atmosphere was counter - currently flowing 15 % h 2 , 30 % h 2 o and balance n 2 . the belt was 4 cm / min for 9 minutes , then the belt speed was increased to 32 cm / min . this gave the same approximate hot zone residence time as setting the continuous belt speed at 8 cm / min . the muffle extended from the front of the furnace a sufficient distance to ensure that the foam was under the sintering atmosphere for heat - up . shrinkage of sample 6 on sintering was 8 . 2 % in length and 3 . 2 % in width . sintered carbon and oxygen assays of sample 6 were 360 ppm and 400 ppm respectively . final nickel density of sample 6 was 220 g / m 2 . no carbon residue was visible at polyurethane eruption sites . but fine edge cracks , present in the as - plated material , extended on sintering . single stage sintering with rapid heat - up conditions were used for sample 7 . the cooling insert of fig1 rapidly exposed the polymer to severe pyrolyzing conditions and prevented nickel foam from being gradually heated in the belt furnace . the insert diverted hot furnace gasses away from the foam surface and prevented premature exposure of the foam to radiative heat . furthermore , room temperature nitrogen was purged through the cooling insert to maintain the foam below temperatures of thermal decomposition and prevent inward flow of hot furnace gases . for testing sample 7 , the furnace temperature was 1000 ° c ., the sintering atmosphere was counter - currently flowing 15 % h 2 , 30 % h 2 o and balance n 2 , and the belt speed was 20 cm / min . the cooling insert maintained the temperature inside the insert below 150 ° c ., while immediately beyond the insert the furnace temperature was 1000 ° c . the transition zone was approximately 1 . 5 cm long , corresponding to approximately 4 . 5 seconds of belt travel time . dimensional changes on sintering were less than 0 . 1 % in both length and width . sintered c and o assays were 430 ppm and 460 ppm respectively . no residue was visible at eruption sites . importantly , none of the fine edge cracks present in sample 7 propagated . table 2 below provides dimensional changes and chemical assays for the three samples : table 2__________________________________________________________________________comparison of two - stage sintering , single - stage sintering andsingle - stage sintering with rapid heat - up . nickel density nickel density ( g / m . sup . 2 ) ( g / m . sup . 2 ) c osample sintering process as - plated annealed δ length (%) δ width (%) ( ppm ) ( ppm ) __________________________________________________________________________5 two - stage 202 216 - 1 . 5 - 2 . 1 360 3006 single - stage 198 220 - 8 . 2 - 3 . 2 360 4007 single - stage w rapid heat - up 194 196 0 . 0 0 . 0 430 460__________________________________________________________________________ example 3 demonstrates continuous sintering of low density nickel foam using rapid heat - up technology . the test sample consisted of a 20 m length of nickel - plated polyurethane foam . the polyurethane foam was approximately 1 . 8 mm thick and contained about 100 ppi ( 39 ppcm ). nickel density was approximately 300 g / m 2 for about the first 18 m and approximately 200 g / m 2 for the remaining 2 m . the furnace atmosphere consisted of 50 % h 2 , 25 % h 2 o and 25 % n 2 maintained at 1000 ° c . foam feed speed and belt speed were identical at 20 cm / min . trimming the foam to a uniform 28 cm width prior to removing the polymer allowed monitoring of any dimensional change . the single - step process of example 3 rapidly removed the polymer and annealed the nickel foam without cracking or leaving carbon spots . a 28 cm × 92 cm piece cut from the same roll of as plated polyurethane foam ( approximately 310 g / m 2 ni ) provided a comparative test sample . single stage sintering without rapid heat - up was conducted using the furnace described in fig1 with the cooling insert removed . the furnace atmosphere was 10 % h 2 , 20 % h 2 o and balance n 2 . furnace temperature was 1000 ° c . and the belt speed was 10 cm / min . despite the higher oxygen partial pressure and the longer residence time at temperature , the sample exited the furnace lightly spotted . furthermore , the sample shrunk approximately 5 . 5 % in length and 7 . 8 % in width . the above clearly demonstrates the advantage of rapid heat - up for improving carbon removal and reducing shrinkage . for all of the samples in the above three examples the changes in thickness were approximately the same as the corresponding changes in length and width . the new rapid heat - up process provides several advantages over the conventional two - step burn and anneal processes of the prior art . the rapid heat - up process improves the speed and effectiveness of carbon removal from nickel structures . in addition , the process of the invention provides a continuous one - step polymer removal and annealing process for producing ductile nickel structures from nickel - coated structures . finally , the rapid heating of nickel - coated foam reduces shrinkage of the nickel foam to maximize foam production . the reduced shrinkage maintains the high porosity of nickel foams . these high porosity foams increase battery capacity by allowing the loading of increased quantities of &# 34 ; active mass &# 34 ; to batteries for a specific volume . while in accordance with the provisions of the statute , this specification illustrates and describes specific embodiments of the invention . those skilled in the art will understand that the claims cover changes in the form of the invention and that certain features of the invention provide advantages without the use of other features . | 8 |
a tacan transmitter 1 generates , in a manner known per se , the signals to be fed to the tacan antenna . the transmitter can be of the kind described by m . kayton and w . r . fried in the book &# 34 ; avionics navigation systems &# 34 ;, john wiley & amp ; sons , inc ., new york , 1969 , pages 187 to 192 . it contains a control facility which causes the necessary pulse pairs and pulse groups to be transmitted . two signals e and f applied to the transmitter 1 cause the latter to transmit the main reference pulses and the auxiliary reference pulses at the correct instants . the control facility generates a trigger pulse about 6 μs prior to the delivery of each pulse pair or pulse group . this trigger pulse is applied to a synchronizing facility 4 . a power divider 2 divides the output signal of the tacan transmitter 1 into four signals which are applied to a first switch 28 , a first controllable phase shifter 25 , a second controllable phase shifter 26 , and a third controllable phase shifter 27 , respectively . the output of the first phase shifter is applied to the second switch 29 , and the outputs of the second and third phase shifters are applied to a third switch 30 . the first switch 28 and the second switch 29 are arranged to apply the signals fed to them to a first (+ 4 ) or a second (- 4 ) input , or to a third (+ 3 ) or a fourth (- 3 ) input , respectively , of a butler maxtrix 31 . the third switch 30 is arranged to apply one of the signals fed to it to a fifth input (+ 5 ) and the other of such signals to a sixth input (- 5 ) of the butler matrix 31 in its first position . in its other position , it applies the signals fed to it to the respective other inputs (- 5 and + 5 ) of the butler matrix 31 . the butler matrix 31 of the embodiment shown has six inputs and sixteen outputs , i . e ., the conventional butler matrix , in which the number of inputs is equal to the number of outputs , has been modified accordingly . each output is connected to a different radiating element 32 . the radiating elements 32 are equally spaced on a circle . the signal applied to an input of the matrix 31 is evenly distributed to the sixteen outputs , but the output signals differ in phase . the butler matrix 31 is presented with four signals at a time ; consequently , four signals are present at each of the sixteen outputs of the butler matrix 31 , which are superposed on each other vectorially . the butler matrix is designed to produce the desired phase shifts ( phase modes ) and power distributions . a clock generator 5 generates a 6 . 048 - mhz clock signal . this signal is fed to the synchronizing circuit 4 and to a divider 6 , whose output provides a 2 , 160 - hz signal . in the synchronizing circuit 4 , the trigger pulse from the tacan transmitter 1 is synchronized with the clock signal from the clock generator 5 . the frequency of the clock generator 5 is chosen to be so high that the synchronization causes only a short delay of the trigger pulse , so that between the actuation of the switches 28 to 30 and phase shifters 25 to 27 yet to be discussed by the synchronized trigger pulse and the delivery of the radio - frequency pulses , sufficient time (≦ 6 μs ) remains for completing the switching of the switches 28 to 30 and phase shifters 25 to 27 . thus , the instant of switching remains in a space beween pulse pairs or pulse groups and cannot overlap a pulse pair or pulse group . the output of the divider 6 is applied to a counter 7 , which is reset to zero after reaching a count of m = 143 . to accomplish this , the beacon includes a memory 9 , in which the number m = 143 is stored , and a comparator 8 , which resets the counter 7 . the beacon further contains read - only memories 10 to 14 , whose addreses are selected by means of the counts of the counter 7 . the trigger pulse causes the data present in the read - only memories 11 to 14 at the instant of its occurrence to be transferred into registers 15 to 18 . since the trigger pulse is synchronized with the clock pulse , it is insured that the data at the outputs of the read - only memories 11 to 14 are not changed at the very moment when the registers 15 to 18 are being set by the trigger pulse . at given counts of the counter 7 , a read - only memory prom 10 provides at its outputs e and f pulses which pass through driver stages 101 and 102 , respectively , and trigger the generation of the main reference - pulse group and the auxiliary reference - pulse group , respectively , in the tacan transmitter 1 . the outputs e and f are connected to the inputs e and f of the tacan transmitter 1 . the registers 15 to 17 that are respectively arranged behind the read - only memories ( proms ) 14 to 12 are followed by driver stages 24 to 22 , each of which controls a respective controllable phase shifter 25 , 26 or 27 . the phase shifters 25 , 26 and 27 are 4 - bit digital phase shifters . they are controlled via the proms 12 to 14 , registers 15 to 17 , and driver stages 26 to 24 in such a way as to alternately generate an upper sideband and a lower sideband of the carrier applied to them . the output of the first controllable phase shifter 25 is applied to the second switch 29 , and the outputs of the phase shifters 26 and 27 are fed to the third switch 30 . the output of the register 18 , which follows the fourth prom 11 , is applied to three driver stages 19 , 20 and 21 , whose output signals switch the switches 28 , 29 , and 30 . as mentioned , the signals at the outputs of the butler matrix 31 differ in phase at a sufficiently low amplitude . these phase shifts can also be produced by means of individual controllable phase shifters . such a solution is equivalent to the butler matrix , because in both cases signals differing in phase by different amounts are obtained at several outputs . the operation of the novel tacan beacon is as follows . to generate the 15 - hz coarse bearing signal and the 135 - hz fine bearing signal , the signal generated by the tacan transmitter 1 must be amplitude - modulated at 15 - hz and 135 - hz , with the phase depending on the azimuth . in the tacan beacon disclosed in the book cited above , this is accomplished by mechanical pattern rotation . in the novel tacan beacon of the present invention , the upper and lower 15 - hz sidebands are generated simultaneously by means of the controllable phase shifters 25 , 26 , and the upper and lower 135 - hz sidebands are generated successively by means of the controllable phase shifter 27 . in addition , different radio - frequency phase - rotation fields are generated during two states , which are described in the following . the first switch 28 applies the carrier signal to the first input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number + 4 is generated . the controllable phase shifter 25 is controlled to provide the upper 15 - hz sideband at its output . this side - band is applied to the third input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number + 3 is generated . the controllable phase shifter 26 is controlled to provide the lower 15 - hz sideband , which is applied to the fifth input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number + 5 is generated . the controllable phase shifter 27 is controlled to provide the upper 135 - hz sideband , which is applied to the sixth input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number - 5 is generated . the first switch 28 applies the carrier signal to the second input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number - 4 is generated . the controllable phase shifter 25 is controlled to provide the lower 15 - hz sideband , which is applied to the fourth input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number - 3 is generated . the controllable phase shifter 26 is controlled to provide the upper 15 - hz sideband , which is applied to the sixth input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number - 5 is generated . the controllable phase shifter 27 is controlled to provide the lower 135 - hz sideband , which is applied to the fifth input of the butler matrix 31 . a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number + 5 is generated . in the presence of a radio - frequency phase - rotation field with the ordinal number (±) 3 , the phase difference between the first output and the υth output of the butler matrix is (±) ( υ - 1 )· 67 . 5 degrees ; at the ordinal numbers (±) 4 and (±) 5 , the values are (±) ( υ - 1 )· 90 degrees and (±) ( υ - 1 )· 112 . 5 degrees , respectively . the switches 28 to 30 and thus the distribution of the output signals of the controllable phase shifters 25 to 27 controlled by the output signals of the driver stages 19 to 21 , as mentioned above . switching from one state to another takes place periodically at 540 hz . the switching rate must be so high as to permit averaging in the tacan - signal receiver . the necessary switch and phase - shifter positions are determined by the counter 7 , which counts from 0 to 143 in 1 / 15 s , and the proms 11 to 14 . each count (= address ) corresponds to a specified switch and phase - shifter position stored in the proms . if 4 - bit digital phase shifters are used , the information at the outputs of the proms 13 and 14 changes after every 9th address change of the counter 7 in accordance with the 15 - hz modulation of the carrier , and that at the output of the prom 12 changes after every address change in accordance with the 135 - hz modulation of the carrier . to generate the sidebands , the direction of rotation of each of the phase shifters 25 to 27 , which determines the phase gradient , must be controlled to obtain a conventional levorotatory tacan pattern . the changes in the directions of rotation of the phase shifters 25 to 27 for the two states i and ii are controlled by the contents of the proms 12 to 14 . with the single phase shifter 27 , both an upper sideband and a lower sideband are generated , as mentioned above . the direction of rotation of the phase shifter 27 is chosen depending on whether the upper sideband or the lower sideband is to be generated . the address changes of the counter 7 are also used to control the rf switches 28 to 30 . a switching frequency of 540 hz is achieved , for example , by changing the output of the prom 11 after every 4th address change . however , the necessary switch and phase - shifter positions are passed on to the switches 28 to 30 and phase shifters 25 to 27 only if the registers 15 to 18 are set by the clock - synchronized trigger pulse immediately before transmitter pulses . each of the proms 12 to 14 contains a number of addresses equal to the number of states required to control the controllable phase shifters 25 , 26 , and 27 in such a way that the desired sidebands are generated . the generation of sidebands by means of controllable phase shifters is known per se and , therefore , will not be explained here in greater detail . the sideband generation described results in an azimuthal rotation of the aperture current distribution produced in the radiating elements 32 by vectorial superposition of the phase modes . the rotating current distribution causes a far - field pattern rotating at the same speed . while we have described above the principles of our invention in connection with specific apparatus , it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of our invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims . | 7 |
the present disclosure is directed to a system and method for applying a fluid material to an article using a fluid distribution or rotary atomizing device , and to an apparatus that includes the device , and to a method of using the device and apparatus . the rotary atomizing device allows fluids of varying viscosities to be applied to a surface . regardless of the viscosity of the fluid , the rotary atomizing device is also useful for applying fluids that may include relatively large amounts of particulate material . the device has particular utility for applying batter to foods , especially relatively viscous batter , up to at least about 50 percent solids content . in a preferred embodiment , the device and method may be used to dispense a batter onto food products to coat the food products . the device and method allow an unexpectedly wide range of batter viscosities to be applied to the food products , as well as batters that include relatively large particles , without clogging the apparatus and minimizing contamination of the batter . one embodiment of a rotary atomizing device 10 according to the present disclosure is illustrated with reference to fig1 - 5 . fig1 illustrates device 10 in a perspective view including two spaced apart opposed discs 12 a , b . as shown in fig2 and 3 , spaced apart opposed discs 12 a , b are substantially symmetrical about plane “ p 1 ,” and each includes an inner surface 14 a , b , an outer surface 16 a , b , and a perimeter 18 a , b . in the present embodiment , the spacing s 1 between discs 12 a , b is preferably about 2 inches , and each disc 12 a , b preferably has a diameter d 1 of about 7 inches . a centrally disposed hub 20 having an outer surface 22 connects inner surfaces 14 a , b of discs 12 a , b . an axial bore 24 extends through hub 20 in coaxial alignment with axis “ a ,” which is substantially perpendicular to plane p 1 . preferably , bore 24 includes steps 24 a and 24 b , for engagement with bushing 26 and drive shaft 30 , as shown in fig3 the purpose of which will be explained in greater detail below . bushing 26 is preferably a quick - mount keyless bushing or transtorque bushing . a plurality of apertures 32 preferably may be disposed radially about bore 24 of central hub 20 to allow engagement of central hub 20 to each disc 12 a , b by fasteners 34 , which are illustrated herein as screws . as shown in fig2 - 4 taken together , outer surface 22 of central hub 20 includes two surfaces 22 a , b that intersect at plane p 1 . outer surfaces 22 a , b are substantially symmetrical with respect to plane p 1 , and extend from plane p 1 toward perimeter 18 a , b , respectively , to define an angle θ 1 , which is preferably less than about 90 degrees , more preferably in the range of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees . thus , outer surfaces 22 a , b provide central hub 22 with a substantially vee - shaped , or hourglass - shaped outer surface 22 . the angle θ 1 of outer surface 22 of hub 20 may be important for maximizing the amount of fluid that may be distributed from device 10 , as will be explained in greater detail below . as shown in fig5 in the present embodiment , central hub 22 preferably has a diameter d 2 of about 2 . 5 inches . referring back to fig2 and 3 , flanges 36 a , b extend substantially perpendicularly from each inner surface 14 a , b along perimeter 18 a , b . flanges 36 a , b may have a width w 1 ranging from about ¼ inch to about 2 inch , more preferably about ½ inch to about 1½ inch . in the present embodiment , width w 1 is about ½ inch . for ease of machining , the intersection of inner surface of each disc 12 a , b with flanges 36 a , b preferably has a radius of about ¼ inch . it is thought that the radius enhances the movement of fluid towards the end of the flange , where it becomes atomized . however , a perpendicular intersection of inner surface of each disc 12 a , b with flanges 36 a , b is also possible . in some embodiments , inner surface 14 a , b of each disc 12 a , b may include a recess 38 a , b into which shoulder 39 a , b of central hub 20 may be received . preferably , recess 38 a , b may have a diameter sufficient to allow friction fitment of central hub 20 therein . discs 12 a , b and central hub 22 may be unitary or integral , depending on the material of construction and the method of constructing the discs . preferably , when used in the food industry , device 10 is machined or molded from a food - grade material including plastics such as delrin or ultra - high molecular weight polyethylene ( umhw - pe ) and metal such as 304 / 316 grade stainless steel . those of skill in the art will recognize that the dimensions of device 10 may vary as needed depending on the particular application in which it is used . all surfaces of device 10 , in the present embodiment , are substantially smooth and flat . those of skill in the art will also recognize that it is possible for any or all of the surfaces of device 10 to include patterns or grooves machined therein , as is known in the art of rotary atomizing , if it will improve the performance of the devices . another embodiment of a rotary atomizing device 100 according to the present disclosure will now be described with reference to fig6 - 10 . device 100 includes a plurality of sequentially arranged discs 102 . in preferred embodiment , capping discs 104 may be positioned at opposing ends of the sequence of discs 102 . the structure of discs 102 allow them to be coupled together in sequential arrangement , which increases the amount of fluid that may be applied to a surface or allows the application of fluid to a larger surface area than may be possible with device 10 . a single disc 102 will be described now with reference to fig7 - 8 . as shown , disc 102 is substantially symmetrical in construction about plane “ p 2 .”. each disc 102 includes opposing side surfaces 106 a , b having a perimeter 108 . a centrally disposed frustum 108 a , b may be disposed on each side surface 106 a , b . frustums 108 a , b each have a top surface 110 a , b and an outer surface 112 a , b . an axial bore 114 extends through frustums 108 a , b in coaxial alignment with axis “ a 2 ,” which is substantially perpendicular to plane p 2 . flanges 116 a , b extend substantially perpendicularly from each side surface 106 a , b along perimeter 108 . preferably , a plurality of apertures 118 are formed in top surfaces 110 a , b of each frustum 108 a , b for receiving pins 120 , as explained in greater detail below . a single capping disc 104 will now be illustrated with reference to fig9 - 10 . as shown , disc 104 includes a perimeter 108 and two opposing sides 120 a , b . side 120 a is substantially similar in construction to side surface 106 a of disc 102 , whereas side 120 b is substantially planar . thus , side 120 a includes centrally disposed frustum 108 a having atop surface 110 a and an outer surface 112 a . an axial bore 114 extends through frustum 108 a in coaxial alignment with axis “ a 3 ,” which is substantially perpendicular to plane p 3 . bore 114 includes a step 122 for receiving a transtorque bushing . flange 116 a extends substantially perpendicularly from side surface 120 a along perimeter 108 . preferably , a plurality of apertures 118 are formed in top surface 110 a of frustum 108 a for receiving pins 120 . as in the previous embodiment , the dimensions of discs 102 and capping discs 104 may vary depending on the particular application in which they are used . in the present embodiment , each disc 102 and 104 has an outer diameter d 1 of about 7 inches . the diameter d 2 of the central hub is preferably about 2 . 5 inches , and the spacing s 1 between each sequential disc 102 and between disc 102 and capping disc 104 and is preferably about 2 inches . as in the previous embodiment , discs 102 and 104 may have a unitary or integral construction , depending on the material of construction and the method of constructing the discs . preferably , when used in the food industry , device 100 is machined or molded from a food - grade material including plastics such as delrin or ultra - high molecular weight polyethylene ( umhw - pe ) and metal such as 304 / 316 grade stainless steel . those of skill in the art will recognize that the dimensions of device 100 may vary as needed depending on the particular application in which it is used . all surfaces of device 100 , in the present embodiment , are substantially smooth and flat . those of skill in the art will also recognize that it is possible for any or all of the surfaces of device 10 to include patterns or grooves machined therein , as is known in the art of rotary atomizing , if it will improve the performance of the devices . fig1 - 14 illustrate another aspect of the present disclosure , which is an apparatus 150 for coating articles with a fluid material , preferably for coating articles of food with batter . an exemplary apparatus 150 is shown in perspective view in fig1 and 12 . as shown , apparatus 150 includes a frame 152 supporting a chamber 154 having an inlet end 156 and an outlet end 158 . chamber 154 includes a base 160 connected to a cover 162 . base 160 preferably has downwardly sloping sides 160 a , b that intersect at the lower end 162 of base 160 above a fluid reservoir 164 . cover 162 may be hingedly connected to base 160 in preferred embodiments . a control panel 166 may be suitably disposed on cover 162 to enable an operator to operate various controls . power to apparatus 150 may be supplied by any suitable means . a plurality of the previously described rotary atomizing devices 10 are disposed within cover 162 and base 160 . although illustrated herein with several rotary atomizing devices , those of skill in the art will recognize that only one may be necessary , depending on the particular application . similarly , any number of devices 10 may be included in an apparatus , if needed or desired . as shown best in fig1 , two devices 10 a , b are disposed in cover 162 . each device 10 a , b is supported on drive shafts 168 a , b that extend through cover 162 to connect to motor 170 a , b which drives shafts 168 a , b . base 160 includes a support member 172 for supporting several of the foregoing rotary atomizing devices . as best shown in fig1 and 14 when taken together , support member 172 has a drawer - like construction which allows it to be slidably removed from base 160 using , for example , handle 174 . two devices 10 a and two devices 10 b are disposed on opposites of drawer 172 . each of the four devices 10 a , b are supported on drive shafts 176 a , b extending through the wall of drawer 172 to connect to motors 178 a , b , which rotatably drive shafts 176 a , b . a fluid dispensing tube 180 ( not illustrated in each drawing ) may be disposed within each device 10 a , b proximate the outer surface of the central hub . dispensing tube 180 may have a diameter ranging from about ⅛ inch to about 1 inch , more preferably about ¼ inch to about ¾ inch . in the present embodiment , the diameter of dispensing tube 180 is about ½ inch . one exemplary arrangement of a fluid dispensing tube 180 between discs 12 a , b is illustrated in fig1 . fluid dispensing tube 180 may distribute a fluid drawn from fluid reservoir 164 containing a source of fluid to be dispensed by a variety of suitably connected fluid dispensing lines . as illustrated in fig1 - 13 , two motor driven pumps 182 , 184 are supported on frame 152 . pump 182 draws fluid from reservoir 164 through line 186 and dispenses the fluid through lines 188 which extends through the face of drawer 172 to fluidly connect to devices 10 a , b , as shown best in fig1 . similarly , pump 184 draws fluid from reservoir 164 through line 190 ( see fig1 ) and dispenses the fluid through lines 192 a , b which are fluidly connected to devices 10 a , b within cover 162 . the foregoing dispensing lines may have a diameter ranging from about ½ inch to about 2 inch , more preferably about ¾ inch to about 1½ inch . in the present embodiment , the diameter of the dispensing lines is about ½ inch . a conveyancing assembly indicated generally at 194 includes a motor 196 for rotatably driving a plurality of rollers 198 disposed at various locations within base 160 and about which a conveyor member 199 , which is illustrated herein as a belt . belt 199 is operably disposed for transverse movement within base 160 from inlet end 156 to outlet end 158 . such conveyancing assemblies are well known in the art and will not be described in detail herein . preferably , rollers 198 are disposed such that conveyor member 199 substantially conforms to the sides 160 a , b of base 160 . preferably , when used in the food industry , the components of apparatus 150 that come into contact with food may be constructed from a food - grade material including plastics such as delrin or ultra - high molecular weight polyethylene ( umhw - pe ) and metal such as 304 / 316 grade stainless steel . those of skill in the art will recognize that the dimensions of apparatus 150 may vary as needed depending on the particular application in which it is used . in operation , power to the system is provided , and articles to be coated , preferably food articles , are placed on the conveyor belt . the rotary atomizing devices 10 a , b may be set to rotate at a rate of about 1500 rpm to about 2000 rpm , with about 1725 rpm being optimal . generally , at slower rates of rotation , large droplets are dispensed from the discs instead of a fine mist of batter . moreover , the direction in which the batter is dispensed is narrower , resulting in build - up of thicker , more uneven coating on the food product . also generally , at high rates of rotation , the dwell time of the batter in the device is insufficient to allow it to acquire sufficient momentum to be atomized and thereby dispensed as a fine mist . batter may then be drawn from the reservoir and distributed to each rotating rotary atomizing device in both the cover and the base , while the conveyor belt begins moving . typical line speeds in the food industry range from about 50 rpm to about 100 fpm . the present methods provide expanded lines speed capability ranging from about 5 fpm up to about 200 fpm or more , in some instances . the increased line speeds that are possible with the present method are due in part to the increased capacity of the present rotary atomizing devices and systems , as well as the increased dwell time of the batter in the rotary atomizing devices . those of skill in the art will recognize that modifications may be required to operate at such line speed . for example , it may be necessary to use a different conveyor belts , or to change the rotation rate of the atomizers , to changing the number and position of the rotary atomizing devices , to change the spacing between the rotary atomizing devices and the conveyor belt . such modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and may be achieved using routine experimentation . batter from the food distribution tubes in both the cover and the base is sprayed onto the central hub of each rotary atomizing device . when the batter comes into contact with the outer surface of the central hub , the batter is deflected such that it impacts the flanges of discs . the flanges increase the dwell time of the batter in the disc , allowing the batter to gain the momentum necessary to be atomized as the batter leaves the disc . thus , the inclusion of the flange in the disc design allows more viscous batters to be dispensed . the increased momentum provide the necessary energy for the batter to be atomized into a fine mist , resulting in a uniform coating on the articles to be coated . the flanges prevent batter from being dispensed too rapidly from the disc which would result in , for example , large droplets of batter , drips of batter , and non - uniform coating generally . typically , fluids having a viscosity of up to about 12 - 14 seconds in a # 3 stein cup ( available from stein / dsi , which is a subsidiary of fmc food tech , located in sandusky ohio ), and / or a solids content of about 50 percent may be dispensed using the present devices and methods . thus , using the present method , articles of food may be coated substantially uniformly on all sides , with a relatively viscous fluid or batter , at a relatively high rate that is compatible with most food production lines . the design of the rotary atomizing device allows relatively viscous fluids , or batters to be atomized . the design of the rotary atomizing device also accommodates a relatively high volume of fluid or batter without dripping onto the food . fig1 - 19 illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a coating apparatus . as seen in the figures , apparatus 250 differs from apparatus 150 in size and shape , but otherwise includes substantially the same components , with the exception of the inclusion of rotary atomizing devices 100 rather than devices 10 . where possible , reference numerals indicating the same or similar components as in the previous embodiment have been changed by replacing the number “ 1 ” with the number “ 2 .” thus , 152 becomes 252 , and so on . utilization of rotary atomizing devices 100 in apparatus 250 provides increased fluid distribution capacity , allowing the coating of relatively large amounts of articles or alternatively , coating at faster speed . as shown in fig1 - 20 when taken together , cover 262 of apparatus 250 includes a plurality of devices 100 mounted for rotation on drive shafts 268 which are rotatably driven by motor 270 . devices 100 may be spaced apart from one another within cover 262 ( best seen in fig1 ), and staggered with respect to one another within cover 262 so as not to interfere with the fluid distributed by adjacent devices 100 ( best seen in fig1 ). similarly , base 260 of apparatus 250 also includes a plurality of sequentially arranged rotary atomizing devices 100 which are mounted for rotation on drive shaft 276 driven by motor 278 . as in the previous apparatus , the components of apparatus 250 that come into contact with food may be constructed from a food - grade material including plastics such as delrin or ultra - high molecular weight polyethylene ( umhw - pe ), and metal such as 304 / 316 grade stainless steel . those of skill in the art will recognize that the dimensions of apparatus 250 may vary as needed depending on the particular application in which it is used . fig2 - 25 illustrate another aspect of the present disclosure which is directed to an accessory 300 for use in cooperation with either of devices 10 , 100 and thus with apparatus 150 , 250 . as shown in fig2 , accessory 300 may include a substantially ring shaped portion 302 . as shown in isometric view in fig2 , ring shaped portion 302 includes two sections 306 , 308 connected by fasteners 310 which are inserted into apertures 308 . section 308 includes and aperture 312 into which the fluid distribution tube 180 may be fixedly attached . as shown in fig2 - 23 , section 306 , 308 each have a substantially flat inner surface 314 a , b from which sloped surfaces 316 a , b and 318 a , b extend outwardly . section 306 preferably has a substantially curved outer surface 320 , whereas section 308 has a substantially flat outer surface 322 . fig2 - 25 illustrate one exemplary arrangement using ring - shaped portion 302 in cooperation with disc 102 and capping disc 104 . as shown , discs 102 , 104 may be mounted on a rotatable hollow drive shaft 324 , which may be coupled to , for example , a fluid distribution manifold to receive fluid or batter in the hollow drive shaft 324 . discs 102 , 104 are connected by pins inserted into the apertures on each opposing side of discs 102 , 104 . before the pins are inserted , the ring - shaped portion 302 must be mounted about the frustoconical portion . of course , although not illustrated herein , accessory 300 may also be disposed between discs 12 a , b of device 10 . during operation of an apparatus , fluid is distributed directly from hollow drive shaft 324 to ring - shaped portion 302 , which acts as a gutter to collect and distribute fluid to the interior surfaces of the rotating discs of devices 10 , 100 . thus , any fluid that is distributed from the hollow drive shaft 324 and which is not immediately flung onto the cone or inner surfaces of the discs is collected . this prevents fluid that does not yet have the required momentum to be atomized from dripping onto the articles to be coated . thus , accessory 302 effectively increases the dwell time within devices 10 , 100 , of fluid dispensed from fluid distribution tubes 180 . while there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention , it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements 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 . | 0 |
the method and apparatus of the present invention convert a still panorama into a conventional rectangular panorama record suitable for use in selective display on a video display device . such a conventional rectangular panorama record is known , as exemplified by u . s . pat . no . 4 , 125 , 862 . such an arrangement has a user control which allows the user to select what portion of the rectangular panorama record that he wishes to have displayed on the video display device and for simulating moving within the panorama by adjusting the controls . the first step 2 of the method illustrated in fig1 requires recording of the panorama in a distorted form preferably as a ring or portion thereof on a film record , resulting in a circular mapping . this recording is accomplished , for example , by using a p - lens 3 and a conventional camera arrangement 5 to produce a record 50 as generally shown at the bottom of fig4 . each one of the ring shaped images 50 would represent the panorama at a single point in time or correspond to a still panorama . each record 50 provides a distorted recording of the panorama and is generally difficult to directly use by individuals or effectively use by means of a video display device . what is normally done with this type of recording is to project the image as set out in the second step 4 of fig1 which requires projecting the film record 50 in a manner to produce an undistorted projected image of the panorama suitable for viewing on a cylindrical screen . the projection of the film record 50 is illustrated in fig5 and , in this case , is shown for projecting of a series of film records 48 which would be used in conversion of a real time panorama . in the case of a still panorama , the film record 50 is merely projected generally using a similar optical system , as used in the recording , to remove the distortion and allow reproduction of the panorama on a cylindrical screen , labelled 26 in fig5 . panoramic lenses 3 , as shown in fig3 cause the image to be compressed at the narrow portion 52 and expanded at the wider portion 54 , illustrated in record 50 of fig4 . this compression of the image makes it important to have a high resolution capability in the initial recording . the use of p - lenses 3 and high resolution film photography is particularly suitable , although the invention is not limited by this combination . the high resolution is required to provide the accuracy in the projecting step 4 and determines to a large extent the accuracy of the recording step 6 of the projected image in the second stage of the method . the film records 50 , in the form of a circular map shown at the bottom of fig4 represent the entire panorama , with the innermost circular portion 52 representing the lower portion of the panorama scanned , and portion 54 representing the upper panorama scanned . the resolution required for recording of the lower portion of the panorama is higher due to the compression thereof . the degree of distortion and manner of distortion will vary with the type of panoramic lens 3 used or fish - eye lens . the next step 6 in the method requires recording of the undistorted projected image in a manner to record the panorama as a rectangular panorama 70 shown in fig6 . this step 6 is shown in fig5 where a camera 29 is rotated about the panoramic lens 25 for recording of the projected panoramic image . this then results in the panorama being converted to a rectangular panorama record which can use conventional techniques 8 , as shown in fig1 for viewing thereof . in a preferred embodiment , as illustrated in fig1 it is possible to further process the rectangular panorama record , or the subsequent display of that record , to adjust the rectangular panorama , as illustrated in step 10 , to artificially introduce two version of the image for separate eyes of a viewer to introduce a synthetic parallax effect . this step increases the realism of the produced image and uses the video glasses 99 generally shown in fig7 . these video glasses have separate screens 100 and 102 associated with each lens of the glasses and thus the image reproduced on each screen by step 12 would be slightly different to introduce this desired effect . the method , as generally set out in the first three steps of fig1 allows for the accurate recording of the panorama , albeit in a distorted form , followed by the projection of this initial record to remove the distortion whereafter the projected image is then used for recording in a conventional rectangular panorama record . the first step 2 is considered a first stage of the method , whereas the second and third steps 4 and 6 are considered a second stage of the method . the accuracy of the recording in the first step can be reproduced in the conventional rectangular panorama record . the time requirement for the first step is very short , whereas the time requirement for the second recording is much longer . by recording in this manner , the accuracy of the first recording flows through to the resulting rectangular panorama record . the initial recording occurs quickly due to known technology and the subsequent recording of the projected image to produce the conventional rectangular panorama record is time independent with respect to the recording of the actual panorama . the benefits of the method , generally set out in fig1 can further be realized for the various steps set out in the real time recording of a panorama exemplified in fig2 . the flow chart of fig2 still requires the recording 14 of the panorama in a distorted form , but in this case , a series of distorted records 48 are produced having a known timing interval . the second step 16 requires projection of each of these distorted records in a manner to remove the introduced distortion to produce an undistorted representation of the panorama . this undistorted representation of the panorama is then used for recording 18 of the representation of the panorama in a rectangular panorama record . the initial recording occurs in real time , whereas the projection and subsequent recording does not occur in real time . thus , a very accurate , but distorted record is first obtained , followed by the projection of the record to remove the distortion and the subsequent recording of the representation in a rectangular panorama record . to complete the method , it is necessary to introduce the required timing information by step 20 to result in the series of rectangular panorama records producing the desired representation of the real time panorama . as can be appreciated , there is timing information associated with the initial recording and this can be introduced into the sequencing of the series of rectangular panorama records once they have been recorded . fig3 illustrates various types of panoramic lenses 3 referred to as p - lenses , type a and type b . both types of p - lenses operate satisfactorily and are preferrably used in the initial recording of the actual panorama . fig4 shows the recording of a panorama using a p - lens and a conventional camera . this will produce the ring shaped image 50 stored on film . this is a distorted record of the actual panorama and would be difficult for an individual to effectively use . each record 50 of the series of records 48 of fig4 are used in the apparatus as generally shown in fig5 for projecting of the record by means of the p - lens 25 to reproduce , in this case , the panorama on the cylindrical screen 26 . each record 50 of the series of records 48 is brought into registration with the projecting arrangement 56 comprising a light source 58 and a focusing lens 60 . in this case , the series of records 48 is unwound from reel 62 and collected on reel 64 . camera 29 moves about track 31 a fixed radial distance from the panoramic lens 25 . in this case , a film record 33 of a vertical segment of the panorama is produced which , in combination with the other records produced as the camera 29 sequentially moves about the panoramic lens , results in a rectangular record of the panorama . as can be appreciated , whatever time is required to effect the accurate recording of the projected image is possible , as this step is not time dependent as the original record remains unchanging . timing of the changing panorama image is introduced once all conversion of the original distorted records to the rectangular panorama record has been completed . the method of recording the projected image need not use a cylindrical screen , as the recording can be made direct using a camera arrangement moved about the panoramic lens 25 or a ccd arrangement or other solid state recording device sequentially moved around the panoramic lens . if a solid state device is used , each recording position can be vertically scanned in a sequence of steps which collectively represent the vertical scanned portion . thus , the actual record format for recording of the projected image or for recording of the initial image can vary as long as the desired accuracy of the final recording is satisfactory . high resolution film for the initial recording is the most desirable today , although improvements in solid state recording may make it preferred in the future . direct recording of the projected image rather than recording from a screen may also improve accuracy . fig6 shows a preferred form of the rectangular panorama record 70 produced by the apparatus of fig5 . in this case , the first 0 ° to 180 ° 72 of the panorama are stored in an upper part of the record and portion 180 ° to 360 ° 74 are recorded in the lower part of the record resulting in the equal segments being stacked one atop the other in the buffer . this results in an approximate overall 3 : 5 image ratio ( when the vertical scan is about 55 °) which is easily stored using existing storage devices and existing buffers suitable for high definition television . such buffers or storage devices have sufficient capacity to permit only portions of the image to be displayed with good resolution . this is necessary , as typically only a portion of the panoramic record is being scanned at any point in time . this type of ratio is preferred , but other arrangements are possible for dividing the recorded panorama suitable for storage in common buffers having an overall image ratio of 3 : 5 . the exact storage arrangement will vary depending upon the number of degrees in the vertical direction scanned . different buffer arrangements can be designed based on particulars of the panorama recorded and the requirements of the overall system . fig7 shows the second stage of the method which is essentially time independent . it includes the projection 80 of the film record to produce an actual projection representation of the recorded panorama , which could be viewed on a cylindrical screen , and this projected representation is then rerecorded using a rotating optical slit scanner for producing a film record ( step 82 ) or a rotating optical slit scanner in combination with a ccd device ( step 84 ). after the rectangular records have been produced and the necessary timing information reintroduced into the resulting series , the record can be accessed using conventional technology such as a high density t . v ., vcr 86 , or optical disc player , depending upon the type of format used , in combination with a frame buffer 90 and various control arrangements for selecting which portion of the actual record the viewer wishes to consider . such variation can be imparted to the system by the joystick control 92 or the use of the video glasses 99 which are responsive to the head movement of the user , as but two examples . the selected portion of the panorama is displayed on video display device 106 . the recording of the projected representation has been described on the basis that the projected representation is stationary and the recording arrangement moves . it is possible to sequentially rotate the projected representation and have the recording arrangement stationary . an enhancement to the viewing of the series of rectangular panoramic records , either by this method or any other method , can be accomplished by processing the signal to produce a synthetic parallax effect similar to the parallax effect used by human eyes . as shown in fig8 the video glasses 99 have two screens 100 and 102 for viewing of a particular portion of the record . human eyes , as shown in fig9 have an overlapped field of view indicated by the crosshatching 91 of fig9 . to reproduce this effect , a portion 104 of the overall panoramic record 106 being sampled is used for each of the viewing screens 100 and 102 . one of the viewing screens would only look at a limited portion of 104 , indicated by the bracketed area 108 . the opposite viewing screen would receive the signal resulting from the bracketed portion 110 . this results in an overlapped area of the portion 104 of the record , indicated by 112 , and thus , synthetically produces an effect similar to the overlap illustrated in fig9 . in order to produce this , computer software merely selects the appropriate portion of the record to be displayed with respect to each of the video screens 100 and 102 , in accordance with the principles set out above . a further enhancement of the viewing of these types of records is illustrated in fig1 and 11 . fig1 illustrates a particular field of view 120 of the user 122 provided with the video glasses 99 . as long as the user does not tilt his head from side to side , the horizon in each of the viewing screens will remain horizontal fig1 b . however , if he tilts his head from side to side , this will result in an artificial tilt of the horizon which is an effect which would not be experienced if the user merely tilted his head in actual life . to overcome this deficiency , the video glasses 99 can include separate means 125 for maintaining the represented horizons of the image horizontal , as illustrated in embodiments of fig1 a , b and c . the glasses can be provided with their own motorized arrangement 125 for effecting this sympathetic movement of the screens to correspond with actual reality , or computer software can be used and the angle of the glasses sensed with the resulting view to be displayed merely shifted according to this sensed angle . in the mechanical arrangement of fig1 a , 10b and 10c , the viewing screens are mounted for rotation in a circle mount 126 having drives 125 provided at either side of the glasses . a further enhancement is shown in fig1 . in this case , as the user 122 tilts his head back to view the higher part of the image 128 , a reduced field of view is seen and the portion of the screen 130 outside of this image viewing area is blacked out , as illustrated in fig1 a . fig1 b illustrates when the viewer &# 39 ; s head is horizontal . fig1 c shows a view 132 of the lower part of the field . the portion of the viewing screen which is not in use is blacked out to increase the realistic effect . although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
we will describe here below the general principles of the method for the waterproofing of joints and / or cracks according to the invention , by means of a waterproofing membrane , referring as an example to a roller compacted concrete dam , without intending this example in a restrictive way , since the waterproofing method described can be applied to any concrete and / or masonry structure ; for the aims of this invention , “ waterproofing membrane ” means a strip of prefixed width , obtained from a synthetic , waterproofing and elastically yieldable material , such as pvc , pp , pe and similar synthetic material . fig1 shows a front view of the upstream face 10 of an rcc dam consisting of superimposed layers of roller compacted concrete ; during the construction of the layers , contraction joints 11 are formed , which extend vertically , parallel to the slope of the upstream face , for the whole height of the dam body . as shown in fig2 the contraction joint 11 prolongs inside the concrete body of the single layers 10 , so as to constitute a preferential line for cracking . as shown in the two above - mentioned figures , the method for the waterproofing of joint 11 foresees the use of a strip of waterproofing membrane 13 , of suitable width , obtained from a sheet of flexible and elastically yieldable material , with a low permeability , which is installed on the whole vertical development of joint 11 so that it entirely covers it , if needed prolonging it in correspondence with the dam heel in order to allow the connection with the waterproofing system of a curb or a foundation beam , as it will be further explained . strip 13 of waterproofing material is installed external to the upstream face 10 in order not to interfere with the construction of the dam . in order to adequately support the waterproofing membrane 13 and to avoid the membrane to be damaged by puncturing or intrusion in the crack , according to this invention it is foreseen to previously install a suitable support element for supporting the membrane 13 which prevents the intrusion of the same membrane 13 into the joint 11 under the thrust of the hydraulic load of the water impounded in the upstream reservoir , or due to any movement of the dam body . the support element for supporting the waterproofing membrane must be executed in such a way as to be able to follow the maximum allowed opening movements of the contraction joint 11 under the maximum foreseen hydraulic load , and the subsequent closing movements , without interfering with the strip of the waterproofing membrane . the support element can consist of one or more rigid plates in steel or another kind of material , connected to the concrete body of the upstream face , and placed across joint 11 so as to allow relevant movements . more precisely , in the example shown in fig1 and 2 , the support element consists of two plates 14 and 15 , partially overlapped ; each plate is fastened at spaced apart points , along only one lateral edge , by means of anchoring rods , respectively 16 and 17 , so as to allow free sliding of the two plates one over the other during the opening and closing movements of joint 11 , while allowing support of membrane 13 . the two supporting plates 14 and 15 consist of one or more shaped portions , axially aligned , which extend for the whole length of joint 11 . in order to prevent the waterproofing membrane 13 from any failures or puncturing actions caused by the supporting plates 14 and 15 , and in order to grant the independence of movement between the support plates and the same membrane , one or more protection and sliding substrates are interposed , between the supporting plates and the waterproofing membrane 13 , said substrates being fastened to the concrete body of the upstream face 10 , on both side of the supporting plates 14 , 15 . more precisely , as shown in fig1 and 2 , immediately over the supporting plates 14 and 15 , a transition substrate 13 of considerable thickness is provided , for examples having a weight from 0 . 5 to 3 kg / m 2 , comprising a synthetic sheet material , preferably a geotextile with great mass per unit area ; over the transition substrate 16 a second sliding substrate 19 is overlapped , in geosynthetic material , for example constituted by a strip of the same material used for the membrane 13 waterproofing the joint , in order to grant a free sliding movement of the same membrane in respect to the joint . both the protection substrate 18 and the sliding substrate 19 are fastened at spaced apart points to the concrete existing surface 10 by means of anchoring rods 20 . therefore the two substrates 18 and 19 have a double function , namely : the protection layer or layers 18 , in geotextile or other suitable material , avoid that the mutual sliding of the two supporting plates 14 and 15 interferes with the waterproofing strip 13 , damaging it for example because of the puncturing action of the edges of the plates themselves , while the sliding substrate 19 , besides constituting a further mechanical support and additional protection for strip 13 of the waterproofing membrane , allows also a free sliding of the membrane over substrates 18 and 19 and over the supporting plates 14 and 15 during the dilatation and contraction movements of joint 11 . as shown in the enlarged section of fig2 strip 13 of the waterproofing membrane is watertight fastened against the concrete existing surface of the facing , along its lateral edges , in a way totally independent from the substrates 18 and 19 and the supporting plates 14 and 15 . for this purpose , metal profiles 21 have been applied along the lateral edges of membrane 13 ; these profiles tightly press the edges 13 ′ of the membrane against the surface of the upstream face 10 , also foreseeing the interposition of a suitable watertight gasket 22 . the face or surface on which the watertight fastening is constructed is previously regularised by the application of proper material 22 ′, such as epoxy resins and similar . the metal profiles 21 are fastened by means of threaded rods 23 anchored in the concrete , on which the blocking nuts 24 are screwed with interposition of suitable washers . in this way a continuous watertight line is constructed along the two edges of the waterproofing membrane 13 . as previously described , the waterproofing method employs , as a waterproofing element , a flexible synthetic , elastically yieldable , in form of a strip comprising one or more sections suitably welded one to the other , which extends for the whole length of the contraction joint 11 ; the waterproofing membrane 13 is preferably composed by a geocomposite consisting of a low permeability synthetic geomembrane coupled to a geosynthetic material having different properties . therefore only the waterproofing geomembrane is exposed to the action of the reservoir , while the coupled geocomposite is suitably protected and constitutes a further antipuncturing and supporting layer which increases the dimensional stability of the geomembrane itself . the flexibility and the elasticity of the synthetic geomembrane and of the system by which it is fastened to the dam concrete face , over joint 11 to be protected , are such as to allow the membrane to elastically deform along its entire extension , following the opening and closing movements of joint 11 under the maximum foreseen hydraulic load , or due to other causes . as shown in fig2 over the waterproofing membrane 13 , slightly detached from it , it is possible to add an additional protection which substantially consists of a shield 25 which extends for the entire length of the waterproofing membrane and beyond its lateral edges , for example a steel slab separately and independently fastened to the upstream face by means of anchoring rods 26 , slab 25 being supported by means of spacers 27 and bolts 28 that can be screwed on the threaded end of the rods . in order to allow the protection shield 25 a sliding movement independent from the movement of the protection membrane , on one side of shield 25 the anchoring rods 26 are placed through holes 29 , which are oval - shaped or have larger dimensions , to allow a relative movement in transverse and / or longitudinal direction in respect to the protection shield 25 as seen in fig3 . as previously described , the membrane 13 for the waterproofing of the joint can be extended in correspondence of the dam heel so as to allow the connection with the waterproofing system of a curb or a foundation beam , as schematically represented in the example of fig5 and 6 of the attached drawings . the connection is executed by extending and positioning membrane 13 over the foundation beam 30 to which it is fastened by means of proper mechanical anchoring profiles . the flat 13 ″ of the membrane is extended on the beam 30 for a brief stretch of 30 - 40 cm , in any case so long as to be sufficient to overlap on area 31 where the waterproofing of a joint in the foundation beam may have been executed , for example by injection into a proper sump of epoxy resins or similar , or by waterstops in pvc or similar . as shown in fig5 and 6 , flap 13 ″ of the membrane is watertight anchored along its three edges by means of metal profiles 32 which are fastened by means of anchoring rods 33 . a ballast 34 can be placed on the folded part 13 ″ of the waterproofing membrane , upon previous interposition of further protection synthetic material 35 , in order to allow a close contact between the waterproofing membrane and the grout curtain . the flap 13 ″ of the membrane can be physically connected to material 31 waterproofing the beam joints , for example by means of an adhesive 36 or by welding , according to the material employed . with this configuration , the waterproofing of the joint is connected with the beam at the dam heel , achieving a continuity between the waterproofing of the joint on the upstream face , the waterproofing of the foundation beam , and the grout curtain that is generally provided in the foundation beam towards the underlying ground . the upper fastening of membrane 13 is similar to the lateral ones which have already been described . the waterproofing method for joints , previously described , beside being suitable for waterproof the contraction joints in rcc dams , can also be employed for restoring waterproofing in correspondence of deteriorated construction joints of concrete dams , or of cracks which should occur over time , for different causes , in the faces of concrete dams , or in the concrete face of embankment dams , or in the faces of other concrete or masonry structures . the waterproofing method results substantially identical to the previously described one and can be applied both at the end of construction of the dam , and as a rehabilitation intervention to waterproof joints of existing hydraulic structures , as well as cracks produced by the deterioration of concrete . should the waterproofing not be extended over the foundation beam , the perimeter fastening of the membrane at bottom is similar to the one adopted for watertight fastening the lateral edges . fig7 and 8 of the attached drawings show the perimeter anchorage 37 at the bottom of a waterproofing membrane 13 should this membrane not reach the foundation beam 30 or the heel of the hydraulic structure . in this case it is possible to connect the waterproofing obtained with membrane 13 in the above - mentioned way , to a pre - existing joint 39 which has deteriorated , or to a crack , by means of injecting a sealing material 38 into a hole which has been put in contact with the crack or the defective joint 39 . from what has been said and shown in the attached drawings , it will therefore be evident that we have provided a method for the waterproofing of joints for roller compacted concrete dams , concrete dams , or embankment dams with a concrete upstream face , and for the waterproofing of deteriorated joints and / or cracks in concrete and / or masonry structures . hence , what has been said and shown with reference to the attached drawings has been given as a mere example of the general principles of the invention and of some of its preferential constructive configurations ; other modifications or variants can be made without departing from what claimed . | 4 |
referring now to fig1 therein is shown a detailed block diagram of a circuit for generating video signals which , when applied to a raster scan display , will display alpha - numeric or other symbols on the screen of the display . the timing functions of the video signal generator shown in fig1 are generated by crystal oscillator 10 and a binary counter made up of dot counter 11 , character counter 12 , scan line counter 13 , character line counter 14 , and block blank counter 15 . these counters are used to divide the display screen of a raster scan display into a multiplicity of rows of character blocks in each of which a symbol may be displayed . in addition , each character block is subdivided into rows and columns of elemental spaces which are selectively illuminated to display a symbol . gate matrix 16 , read only memory ( rom ) 17 , rom 18 , rom 19 , are responsive to the contents of counters 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 to which they are connected to decode the count and provide the timing signals required to generate a standard composite video signal comprising character display information and vertical and horizontal blanking and synchronization signals . i also provide a character generator for generating video signals of the alpha - numeric information and symbols to be displayed on the display area of a raster scan display . this character generator is made up of memory mapping decoder 26 , memory 27 , line buffer 28 , character generator 29 , and video shift register 30 all of which cooperative in a manner well known in the art but are described in greater detail hereinafter . i also provide filter 21 , zero crossing detector 22 , mono - pulser 23 , and flip - flop 25 which , in accordance with the teaching of my invention are used to control counters 12 , 13 and 14 once per cycle of the alternating current ( a . c ) public utility power line or other source providing power to my raster scan display in order to operate my raster scan display in synchronization with the power line and thereby eliminate line frequency beating . crystal oscillator 10 in the video signal generator of fig1 is the one signal source from which all timing functions of the video generators are derived . oscillator 10 drives the binary counter made up of counters 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 and 15 . counter 11 is the lowest order stage at the binary counter and provides an output on lead 48 when subdivides a character block into columns of elemental spaces . gate matrix 16 is responsive to the output from counter 11 on lead 48 to provide a pulse train output on lead 34 . these pulses are referred to in the art as dot pulses and there is one dot pulses generated for each elemental space scanned by the scanning beam of the display device . output lead 34 from matrix 16 applies the dot pulses to video shift register 30 of the character generator . the dot pulses applied to video shift register 30 cause a video signal to be generated in direct synchronization with the scanning beam of the display device as will be discussed in greater detail further in this specification . dot counter 11 also provides an output which is connected via lead 49 to the lowest order counting stage of character counter 12 . the binary count in character counter 12 indicates which character block in a row of character blocks is presently being scanned on the display device . as the scanning beam of the display device finishes scanning one scan of a row of character blocks there is a pulse output from counter 12 on lead 51 . the binary count in character counter 12 is also output on lead 50 to rom 17 which is programmed to provide outputs on its output leads 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 and 39 which are described now and further in the specification . the output from rom 17 on lead 35 is input to memory mapping decoder 26 of the character generator and indicates when the scanning of the display device has finished scanning the last character block on one scan line . when the binary count in counter 12 indicates completion of each scan line on the display screen there is an output from rom 17 on lead 36 used to initiate generation of horizontal blanking and synchronization signals by rom 20 as described further in the specification . the output from rom 17 on lead 37 , an input to line buffer 28 indicates to buffer 28 which character blocks in a row of character blocks are bing scanned to allow characters shifting by the character generator . th output from rom 17 on lead 38 is applied to one of the three inputs of nand gate 24 and indicates completion of each scan line on the display screen . the output from rom 17 on output lead 39 is said to rest input r of character counter 12 and causes character counter 12 to be reset to a starting state concurrent with the initiation of each horizontal synchronization signal . character counter 12 then recounts keeping track of which character of a row of characters is being scanned on the next succeeding scan of the raster . as mentioned previously , the output from character counter 12 on lead 51 indicates when the scanning beam of the display device has completed one horizontal scan and causes scan line counter 13 to be incremented thereby indicating that the next scan line of the display device is being traced by the scanning beam of the display device . the outputs from scan line counter 13 on leads 52 are input to rom 18 which decodes the contents of counter 13 and provides outputs on leads 40 , 41 and 42 also used in timing circuit functions in the video signal generator shown in fig1 . there is a signal applied to output leads 40 by rom 18 indicating which scan line of a row of characters is being displayed . the signal on leads 40 is input to character generator 29 which cooperates with video shift register 30 , as detailed further in the specification , to generate the video signal for the particular scan line of a character presently being scanned by the scanning beam of the display device . there is a signal applied to lead 41 by rom 18 upon completion of scanning of all scan lines for a row of character blocks . the signal on lead 41 is input to rom 20 and is used to initiate the generation of a vertical blanking and synchronization signal at the proper time . rom 18 also applies a signal to lead 42 that is input to nand gate 24 indicating the end of scanning of each character line . the function of nand gate 24 is described further in the specification . rom 18 also applies a signal to lead 43 which is applied to the reset input r of scan line counter 13 after the last scan line of a row of character blocks has been scanned . this signal applied to input r of counter 13 resets scan line counter 13 to an initial count so that counter 13 may count the scan lines for the next row of character blocks to be displayed on the display device . there is an output from the highest order stage of scan line counter 13 on lead 53 which also indicates when the last scan line of a row of character blocks has been scanned . the pulse on lead 53 is input to character line counter 14 to increment counter 14 so that the binary count therein is indicative of the next row of character blocks on the display device to be scanned by the scanning beam . the binary counter stages of counter 14 are connected via leads 54 to r0m 19 which decodes the contents of counter 14 and provides a timing output signal on leads 44 , 45 , 46 and 47 . when the last row of character blocks on the display device has been completely scanned and character line counter 14 is again incremented by counter 13 , rom 19 applies a signal to lead 44 that is input to memory mapping decoder 26 which causes the next row of character blocks to be displayed as described further in the specification . rom 19 applies a signal to lead 45 following completion of scanning of the last row of character blocks displayed on the display device . the signal is input to rom 20 to initiate the generation of the vertical blanking and synchronization signals . rom 19 also applies a signal to lead 46 that is input to nand gate 24 indicating that the last scan line on the screen of display device has been scaned and , as will be described in greater detail further in the specification , causes scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 to cease counting . finally , rom 19 applies a signal to lead 47 which is applied to reset input r of character line counter 14 to reset counter 14 to an initial count . this prepares a counter 14 to count the character blocks scanned on the next succeeding vertical trace of the display device screen . when the count in line counter 14 indicates that the last scan line has been scanned during one vertical trace an output signal is applied to lead 55 which is input to field counter 15 . field counter 15 is a single stage counter whose binary content changes between its 0 and 1 state on odd and even interlaced scan fields respectively . the generation of interlaced fields is well known in the art and is not described here . accordingly , no output is shown from field counter 15 . in summary , crystal oscillator 10 and counters 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 and 15 cooperate to provide binary signal outputs used to control all functions of the video signal generator shown in fig1 . binary count in the counter comprising counters 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 and is are decoded by gate matrix 16 and rom &# 39 ; s 17 , 18 and 19 provide the exact control signals required by the video signal generator . in accordance with the teaching of my invention , i do not try to synchronize the frequency of crystal oscillator 10 with the frequency of the public power . instead , oscillator 10 causes a predetermined binary count of character line counter 14 to indicate that all character lines displayed on the display device have been completely scanned by one vertical scan of the scanning beam of the display device in a time period that is less than the period of any possible frequency of public utility power with which the display device may be powered . the predetermined binary count is sensed by rom 19 which provides an output via lead 46 to one of the three inputs of nand gate 24 . in addition , when the binary count in scan line counter 13 indicates that the last scan line of the last character line has been scanned , its associated rom 18 provides an output via lead 42 to the second input of nand gate 24 . finally , when the binary count in character counter 12 indicates that the last character of a line has been scanned by its associated rom 17 provides an output via lead 38 to the third input of nand gate 24 . thus , all three inputs of nand gate 24 are energized when the scanning beam has finished a complete scan of the display device . at that time there is an output from nand gate 24 which energizes set input s of flip flop 25 causing the flip flop to be placed in its 1 state . with flip flop 25 being in its 1 state there is a signal output therefrom via lead 71 which is applied to the enable input e of both scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 causing these counters to cease counting . counters 11 and 12 , however , are allowed to continue counting . as will now be described , flip flop 25 is returned to its zero state to reenable scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 in direct synchronization with a frequency of the public utility power line from which the display device is powered . counters 13 and 14 then cause generation of a vertical blanking and synchronization signal . in this embodiment of my invention my video signal generator is powered by 110 volts a . c . 60 hz source 58 . however , in accordance with the teaching of my invention , the frequency of the public utility power line may just as well be 50 hz which is found in many countries of the world . the public utility power line source 58 is applied to filter 21 , which is advantageously a low voltage winding of a power transformer in a power supply ( not shown ) powering my video signal generator . the output of filter 21 is a low voltage a . c . signal of the same frequency as the public utility power line which is input to zero crossing detector 22 . as is well known in the art , a zero crossing detector 22 provides an output signal once per cycle of the public utility power line . monopulser 23 is responsive to each output signal from detector 22 to generate a shaped pulse which is applied to reset input r of flip flop 25 . in accordance with the teaching of my invention monopulser 23 applies a pulse to reset input r of flip flop 25 several microseconds after flip flop 25 has been placed in its one state causing counters 13 and 14 to cease counting . the time difference between flip - flop 25 being placed in its one state and being reset to its zero state is longer when the public utility power line has a frequency of 50 hz than when power line frequency is 60 hz as is recognizable to one skilled in the art . when flip flop 25 is returned to its zero state , once per cycle of the power line , counters 13 and 14 are reenable to count from the last binary count . when character counter 12 indicates the scanning beam has finished a horizontal sweep it applies a signal via lead 51 which increments the count is scan line counter 13 which then causes character line counter 14 to be incremented . the higher binary count in counters 12 , 13 and 14 is sensed by rom &# 39 ; s 17 , 18 and 19 , respectively . r0m 17 applies a signal via lead 39 to reset input r of counter 12 returning it to a start count state . rom 18 applies a signal via lead 43 to reset input r of counter 13 resetting it to a start count state . rom 19 applies a signal via lead 19 to reset input r of character line counter 14 returning it to its start count state . in this manner , scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 are effectively synchronized with the frequency of the public utility power line powering the display device and line frequency beating seen on the display device is eliminated . before describing the generation of video signals for the display of alpha - numeric information or symbols on the display device i first describe the generation of horizontal and vertical synchronization signals . as previously described , rom 17 is responsive to the count in counter 12 to provide a signal on lead 36 indicating when the last possible character space in a character line on the display device has been scanned by a single scan line . at this time the scanning beam is deflected off - screen and does not commence another horizontal scan until horizontal blanking and sync signals are generated . the aforementioned signals output on lead 36 from rom 17 causes rom 20 to generate the horizontal blanking and sync signals on its output lead 56 to be amplified by amplifier 31 and mixed with the remainder of the video signal by network 33 as is described in greater detail further in the specification . more particularly , the binary count of character counter 12 is incremented several more counts in direct correspondence with the scanning beam sweeping from the last displayed character in a line of characters to an off - screen position . this higher binary count of counter 12 is sensed by rom 17 which then applies the signals to lead 36 to be input to rom 20 . upon being incremented to a still higher count than that to initiate generation of the horizontal blanking and sync signals rom 17 applies a signal via lead 39 to reset input r of counter 12 causing it to be reset to its start count . character counter 12 then recounts in synchronization with the next horizontal scan of the display device . generation of vertical blanking synchronization signals is controlled by the binary count in scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 . it is well known in the art to provide a buffer space at the bottom of the screen of the display device below the last line of characters displayed on the screen . following the last counter line of characters displayed on the screen , scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 continue to count until character line counter 14 is incremented a few more counts indicative of the scanning beam of the display device having finished scanning vertically to an off screen position . at this time , the binary counts in character counter 12 , scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 indicate that the scanning beam is at the lower right hand corner of the screen in an off screen position . output leads 38 , 42 and 46 of rom &# 39 ; s 17 , 18 and 19 respectively are all energized resulting in an output from nand gate 24 thereby causing flip flop 25 to be placed in its one state as described previously . also , as previously described , flip flop 25 being in its one state causes a signal to be applied via lead 71 to enable input e of counters 13 and 14 resulting in these counters being disabled from counting until flip flop 25 is reset to its zero state . upon flip flop 25 being reset to its zero state as described previously , scan line counter 13 and character line counter 14 commence counting from their last binary count . both counters 13 and 14 are incremented after being reenabled and the incremented counts therein are detected respectively by rom &# 39 ; s 18 and 19 . at this time rom 18 applies a signal via lead 41 to rom 20 and rom 19 applies a signal via lead 45 to rom 20 . there is also an input to r0m 20 directly from scan line counter 13 via lead 72 which also has a signal thereupon . with these signals present on leads 41 , 45 and 72 and input to rom 20 , the rom is programmed to output a vertical blanking and synchronization signal on lead 56 which is amplified to an appropriate level by amplifier 31 . the amplified blanking and synchronization signal is then input to summing networks 33 where it is mixed with the video display signal to create a composite video signal that is output from network 33 to drive a raster scan display ( fig . 2 ) which is described further in the specification . turning now to describe the generation of video signals for the display of alpha - numeric or other symbols . the video signal generator apparatus comprises memory mapping decoder 26 , memory 27 , line buffer 28 , character generator 29 , video shift register 30 , and amplifier 32 . elements 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 and 32 cooperate in a way that is well known in the art to generate video signals for the display of alpha - numeric information on a display device , so video signal generator is not described in great detail herein . the video signal generator apparatus is under control of the counters and associated decoding rom &# 39 ; s described heretofore to display information at the proper positions on the screen of the display device . memory mapping decoder 26 has two inputs thereto . the first input is from rom 17 via lead 35 which indicates the end of scanning of each scan line . the second input is provided by rom 19 via lead 44 and indicates when each line of characters has been completely scanned during either an odd or even interlaced field . at the end of scanning of the last scan line of a complete line of characters on the display device the signals on these two inputs via leads 35 and 44 to memory mapping decoder 26 causing coded information to be read out from membory 27 indicating the next succeeding line of characters to be displayed on the display device . this coded information is stored in line buffer 28 prior to commencement of scanning of the particular line of characters . line buffer 28 has a second input thereto from rom 17 via lead 37 indicating which character is presently being scanned by the scanning beam of the display device . the signal on lead 37 causes an ascii coded signal representing the character to be scanned to be input to character generator 29 . as is well known in the art , character generator 29 may comprise a commercially available integrated circuit which is preprogrammed for the alpha - numeric or other symbols to be displayed . character generator 29 has another input via lead 40 from rom 18 indicating which scan line is being scanned for a row of characters . in response to these inputs via leads 37 and 40 , character generator 29 provides an output in parallel format to video shift register 30 at the beginning of each scan line of each character . the output from generator 29 indicates which elemental spaces along the particular scan line are to be illuminated in order to properly display a character . video shift register 30 has an input thereto via lead 34 from gate matrix 16 . this signal on lead 34 is a stream of pulses synchronous with the scanning beam scanning each elemental space or dot on the face of the display device . these dot pulses cause the contents of register to be shifted out in serial formate to make up the video signal . the video signal output from video shift register 30 is amplified by amplifier 32 and input to summing network 33 where it is mixed with vertical and horizontal blanking and synchronization signals in a manner well known in the art to create a composite video signal . turning now to fig2 therein is shown a block diagram of a crt display used to display alpha - numeric or other symbol information in response to the composite video signal generated by the video signal generator of fig1 applied to input 59 of the display . the video signal at input 59 is amplified by video amplifier 60 and , in a well known manner , vertical sync separator 62 separates vertical sync pulses from the video signal and horizontal sync separator 64 separates horizontal sync pulses from the video signal . the video signal is further amplified by video amplifier 61 and applied to control grid 69 of cathode ray tube 66 to modulate the scanning beam of tube 66 . in accordance with the teaching of my invention , vertical and horizontal sweep oscillators and phase lock loop circuitry are not provided . instead , vertical sweep generator 63 and horizontal sweep generator 65 are one - shot ramp generators and are used to provide ramp deflections signals . horizontal ramp deflection signals generated by generator 65 are applied to magnetic deflection coils 68a and 68b around the neck of cathode ray tube 66 and vertical ramp deflection signals generated by generators 63 are applied to deflection coils 67a and 67b . horizontal sweep generator 65 generates one ramp signal at a time and each ramp signal causes the scanning beam to sweep across the face of crt 66 and remain off screen at full deflection until another horizontal sync pulse is detected by sync separator 64 . in response to a subsequent horizontal sync pulse , sync separator 64 generates a signal causing horizontal sweep generator 65 to generate another ramp deflection signal . vertical sync separator 62 and vertical sweep generator 63 operate in the same manner as previously described for horizontal sync separator 64 and horizontal sweep generator 65 . the ramp deflection signal generated by vertical sweep generator 63 causes the scanning beam of crt 66 to vertically sweep the display area of crt 66 in a time period less than the period of any possible frequency of public utility power that may be used to power the display . typically , the frequency of the public utility power will only be either 50 hz or 60 hz . the period of 50 hz power is 20 milliseconds while the period of 60 hz power is approximately 17 milliseconds and the slope of the vertical deflection signal generated by sweep generator 63 causes the scanning beam of crt 66 to scan the face thereof in 15 milliseconds . after a complete vertical scan the beam remains off screen until another vertical sync pulse is detected by sync separator 62 which then triggers sweep generator 63 to generate another vertical ramp deflection signal . as the sync pulses are generated in response to the public utility power the scanning beam of crt 66 operates in synchronization with the public utility power providing power to the display device and line frequency beating is eliminated without the use of synchronization circuits such as phase lock loop circuits . it is apparent that various modifications may be made to my invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 7 |
a fast , low - power automated test system is provided through the use of an improved formatter . the formatter may be implemented in cmos , or any other suitable technology , which allows the formatter to draw low power and to be integrated into the same semiconductor devices used to implement timing generators or other portions of a test system . the inventors have appreciated that fast test and low power operation may be achieved with simple and low power formatter circuitry that can combine multiple edge signals to generate a formatted output signal . in some embodiments of the invention , the formatter has multiple signal paths , each path providing a timed edge signal in the form of a narrow pulse . each pulse signal may be selectively coupled to either the set or reset port of an sr latch based on format data . the sr latch is set at times corresponding to the logical oring of the narrow pulse signals that have been selected for coupling to the set port . similarly , the sr latch is reset at times corresponding to the logical oring of the narrow pulse signals that have been selected for coupling to the reset port . by using simple circuitry to combine edge signals in this way , the formatted output signal may have multiple state transitions per cycle , allowing the tester to generate signal for testing high - speed devices yet the simple circuitry consumes low power . fig2 shows a portion of an ate system according to an embodiment of the invention . specifically , the portion shown is part of a channel 110 comprising timing generator 130 and driver 160 which may be as in a known test system . here formatter 150 ′ differs from a known formatter design . as in a known tester , timing generator 130 provides edge signals at programmed times . formatter 150 ′ combines edge signals into a signal of a desired format . driver 160 is connected to a test point of the dut associated with channel 110 . however , the output of formatter 150 ′ may be used to drive a comparator or used in any other suitable way . in the example of fig2 , channel 110 has a total of n signal paths , 10 - 1 to 10 - n . in the embodiment illustrated , the signal paths 10 - 1 to 10 - n are the same . however , the specific construction of each signal path is not critical to the invention and any suitable construction may be used for the signal paths . each signal path 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n has an input 21 - 1 . . . 21 - n connected to edge signal generator 70 , which is part of timing generator 130 . in the embodiment illustrated , each signal path 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n may receive and process an edge signal . these edge signals are combined , according to format data 43 - 1 . . . 43 - n and form inputs to sr latch 50 . outputs 42 - 1 . . . 42 - n from signal path 10 - 1 to 10 - n are connected to the set port 42 of sr latch 50 , and outputs 44 - 1 . . . 44 - n are connected to reset port 44 . in some embodiments , the connection of the plurality of outputs 42 - 1 to 42 - n to the set port 42 of sr latch 50 forms a wired or . a wired or connection allows outputs of signal paths 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n to be connected directly to input ports 42 and 44 of sr latch 50 without intervening buffers or logic gates . such a connection is possible even though the circuitry of fig2 may be implemented on a cmos integrated circuit because of the design of the output stage of signal paths 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n and the input stage of sr latch 50 . in the embodiment illustrated , the output stage of each signal path is implemented as a current steering element that may either sink current or present a high impedance , depending on the state of the signal in the signal path to be “ ored ” with outputs of other signal paths . also , the inputs to sr latch 50 , even though sr latch 50 may be implemented in cmos , are coupled to pull - up components . an example embodiment of cmos circuitry that can form a wired or connection is provided below in fig4 . similarly , in some embodiments , the connection of the plurality of outputs 44 - 1 to 44 - n to the reset port 44 of sr latch 50 forms a wired or . taking signal path , such as signal path 10 - i as representative , each signal path , may comprise circuit components that generate a set or reset control input to sr latch 50 . in the example illustrated , signal path 10 - i includes interpolator 20 - i , pulse shrinker 30 - i , and current steering circuit 40 - i . interpolator 20 - i may be an interpolator as is known in the art . an example implementation of pulse shrinker 30 - i and current steering circuit 40 - i is provided in conjunction with fig4 below . in other embodiments , different or additional components may be connected in the signal path or components may be connected in a different order . for example , the interpolator may follow the pulse shrinker . as another example , the interpolator may not be present in some signal paths . accordingly , the specific circuit components in each signal path are not critical to the invention and any suitable components may be used . in signal path 10 - i , the timing of an edge pulse is controlled by edge signal generator 70 and an interpolator 20 - i . each of these components may be cmos components as is known in the art , though any suitable components may be used . interpolator 20 - i selectively delays an edge signal received via signal path input 21 - i from edge signal generator 70 according to delay information received via delay input 23 - i . the delay information may be written to delay input 23 - i by pattern generator 120 ( fig1 ) or any other suitable source . in the embodiment illustrated , interpolator 20 - i outputs an edge signal in the form of a pulse . the rising edge of the pulse signal represents the timing edge and occurs at a time specified by information written to delay input 23 - i in conjunction with other timing data that may be applied to timing generator 130 . accordingly , the output of interpolator 20 - i may be regarded as a delayed edge signal , with the amount of delay being used to control the time at which the edge signal is input to formatter 150 ′. within formatter 150 ′, the delayed edge signal output by interpolator 20 - i may be coupled to pulse shrinker input 31 - i . pulse shrinker 30 - i outputs a short pulse in response to the delayed edge signal received via pulse shrinker input 31 - i . in some embodiments pulse shrinker 30 - i may be a monostable multivibrator as is known in the art . such a circuit has a stable output state . in response to an input , the output state may change from its stable state . however , once the output state changes , its state is no longer stable and the output state will quickly revert to the stable state . consequently , the output state pulses in response to an input . the duration of the pulse output by pulse shrinker 30 - i depends on the characteristics of pulse shrinker circuit 30 - i , allowing pulse shrinker circuit 30 - i to output a relatively narrow pulse , regardless of the duration of a pulse or other signal format output by interpolator 20 - i . the timing of the output of pulse shrinker 30 - i is driven by the timing of a signal input to pulse shrinker 30 - i . the width of the output pulse may be controlled by the design of pulse shrinker 30 - i . in some embodiments , the duration of the pulse will be long enough to ensure that a pulse , after propagation through current steering circuit 40 - i , is long enough to activate sr latch 50 . otherwise , the pulse may be as short as practical . however , pulse shrinker 30 - i may be implemented in any suitable way . in the embodiment illustrated , a “ pulse shrinker ” circuit is used because the output of interpolator 20 - i may be a pulse . however , a monostable multivibrator may respond to inputs of other types . the pulse shrinker may output a short pulse in response to a signal containing any suitable feature of the delayed edge signal . the feature may be a rising edge , a falling edge , the crossing of a threshold , or any other feature of the delayed edge signal . in some embodiments , the input delayed edge signal and output short pulse may have associated pulse widths . in some such embodiments , the pulse width of the short pulse is shorter than the pulse width of the delayed edge signal . the pulse shrinker output may be coupled to current steering circuit input 41 - i . current steering circuit 40 - i receives a short pulse from pulse shrinker 30 - i and may for a short time sink current at an output 42 - i or 44 - i , selectively depending on control inputs provided to current steering circuit 40 - i . the length of time that current steering circuit 40 - i sinks current may depend on the duration of the pulse output by pulse shrinker 30 - i . which output 42 - i or 44 - i sinks current may depend on the format data received via format input 43 - i . the format data specifies the effect on the output of formatter 150 ′ of an edge output by interpolator 20 - i . in the embodiment illustrated , the format data may indicate whether , at a time dictated by the edge output by interpolator 20 - i , the output of sr latch 50 should be set in a high output state or reset to a low output state . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , when format data 43 - i indicates that the edge produced by interpolator 20 - i should cause the output of formatter 150 ′ to transition to a high state , current steering circuit 40 - i briefly sinks a current pulse at its output 42 - i , causing a state at input port 42 that sets sr latch 50 . conversely , when format data 43 - i indicates that an edge output by interpolator 20 - i should cause the output of formatter 150 ′ to transition to a low state , current steering circuit 40 - i produces a current pulse at output 44 - i that places input port 44 into a state that resets sr latch 50 . when current steering circuit 40 - i produces a current pulse at its output 42 - i when sr latch 50 is already in a set state , the state of sr latch 50 does not change . sr latch 50 may be in a set state , either because of a prior pulse at output 42 - i or a prior output pulse at any of the corresponding outputs 42 - 1 . . . 42 - n in any of the signal paths 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n , all of which are similarly coupled to input port 42 through a “ wired or ” connection . conversely , if sr latch 50 is already in a reset state when current steering circuit 40 - i produces a current pulse at output 44 - i , sr latch 50 retains its reset state . sr latch 50 may be in a reset state because of a prior current pulse on output 44 - i or a corresponding output 44 - 1 . . . 44 - n in any of the signal paths 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n , all of which are similarly coupled to input port 44 through a “ wired or ” connection . in the embodiment illustrated , edge signal generator 70 and interpolator 20 - 1 . . . 20 - n may be programmed so that signals applied at set input port 42 and reset input port 44 of sr latch 50 are not simultaneously asserted . reducing the width of pulses produced by pulse shrinker circuits 30 - 1 . . . 30 - n decreases the likelihood that a pulse may simultaneously be applied to set input port 42 and reset input port 44 . however , in embodiments in which sr latch 50 exhibits a suitable behavior in response to signals asserted at both set input port 42 and reset input port 44 , it may not be necessary to program edge signal generator 70 and interpolators 23 - 1 . . . 23 - n to avoid overlapping pulses at set input port 42 and reset input port 44 . the format data received by current steering circuit 40 - i via format input 43 - i may be generated by pattern generator 120 or any other suitable source . format data may be encoded or transmitted in any suitable form . for example , in some embodiments format data may be transmitted serially as a binary code . in other embodiments , the information may be transmitted in parallel . in some embodiments the format data is transmitted as a differential signal . in yet other embodiments an analog signal may be used . regardless of the programming used in each signal path 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n , the set or reset state of sr latch 50 may be used to control the value output by channel 110 ′ at any given time . the output , q 52 , of sr latch 50 adopts the state associated with the asserted port , taking on a high state if set port 42 is asserted or a low state if reset port 44 is asserted . in the embodiment illustrated , the output of formatter 150 ′ controls a drive signal . the outputs q 52 and not q 54 of sr latch 50 are connected to driver 160 , which generates a drive signal corresponding to the state of the sr latch outputs . sr latch outputs driver output z_p 62 and z_n 64 , here shown as a differential signal , may be coupled to a dut or other test point . in the embodiment illustrated , driver 160 has a differential output . in some embodiments , a single ended driver may be used and only one of z_p 62 and z_n 64 may be connect to a dut test point . in some embodiments , only one of z_p 62 and z_n 64 may be generated . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , formatter 150 ′ provides an output that controls a signal driven to a device under test . in other embodiments , formatter 150 ′ may alternatively or additionally be coupled to a comparator . the comparator may measure a signal received from a device under test in a window defined by the output of formatter 150 ′. accordingly , the specific function controlled by the output of formatter 150 ′ is not a limitation of the invention . having provided an overview of the operation of the part of formatter 150 ′, an embodiment having four signal channels is used to illustrate an example of operation . fig3 is a timing diagram illustrating input signals , internal signals , and output signals of signal paths 10 - 1 . . . 10 - 4 during the operation of channel 110 ′. the signals are grouped into input signals s 31 , format signals s 43 , set signals ss 42 , reset signals ss 44 , and latch signals s 40 . the signals shown in fig3 may be observed on the inputs and outputs of similar reference designation of the signal channels in fig2 . for example input signal s 31 - 1 may be observed on input 31 - 1 of signal path 10 - 1 . each signal in fig3 may take an asserted “ high ” state , or an unasserted “ low ” state . the high state is indicated by a thick line raised above the thin guide line , while the low state is indicated by a thick line imposed over the guide line . such a representation may correspond to relative voltage levels . in the example circuit of fig2 , some signals are represented as differential signals . accordingly , a high signal may correspond to relative voltage levels on two conductors rather than an absolute voltage level . these signaling methods are exemplary , however , and any suitable signaling method may be used in embodiments of the invention , including , for example , using a lower voltage to represent a “ high ” state . in this example , input signals s 31 - 1 , s 31 - 2 , s 31 - 3 , and s 31 - 4 are generated by interpolators , such as interpolators 20 - 1 . . . 20 - n ( fig2 ) from signals produced by edge signal generator 70 . each input signal may contain multiple edge signals . in the embodiment of this example , the input signals contain relatively wide pulses , with the leading edge of each pulse , i . e ., the transition from the low state to high state , acting as a triggering edge . in the embodiment of fig2 , the output of pulse shrinker circuits 30 - 1 . . . 30 - n may similarly be in the format of a pulsed signal , but having a narrower width than the pulses indicated in signals s 31 - 1 . . . s 31 - 4 . for simplicity , output signals produced by pulse shrinker circuits 30 - 1 . . . 30 - n are not expressly shown . however , set signals s 42 - 1 . . . s 42 - 4 and reset signals s 44 - 1 . . . s 44 - 4 are shown with a narrower pulse width than input signals s 31 - 1 . . . s 31 - 4 , reflecting the operation of pulse shrinker circuits 30 - 1 . . . 30 - n . this type of edge signal is exemplary , and any other suitable edge signal or trigger signal formats may be used in embodiments of the invention . four edges are illustrated in input signal s 31 - 1 during the time period shown . similarly , three edges are illustrated in each of inputs s 31 - 2 , and s 31 - 3 . two edges are illustrated on input s 31 - 4 . format signals s 43 are shown as signals s 43 - 1 , s 43 - 2 , s 43 - 3 , and s 43 - 4 . pulses received at a current steering circuit 40 - i while the format signal is in a high state are “ steered ” within corresponding current steering circuits 40 - i to cause current to flow into the set output 42 - i . in contrast , pulses received while the format signal is in a low state are “ steered ” to the reset output 44 - i ( fig2 ). in the example , format signal s 43 - 1 transitions from high to low during the time period shown . edge signals received prior to the transition are steered to the set port 42 of latch 50 , while edge signals received after the transition are steered to the reset port 44 of latch 50 ( fig2 ). format signal s 43 - 4 transitions from low to high during the time period shown . edges received prior to the transition are steered to the reset port 44 of latch 50 , while edges received after the transition are steered to the set port 42 of latch 50 . format signals s 43 - 2 and s 43 - 3 do not charge during the time illustrated and are in the low state and high state , respectively , during the time period of this example . latch signals s 40 illustrates the signals received at the set ( 42 ) and reset ( 44 ) ports of the latch 50 ( fig2 ), labeled s 42 and s 44 , respectively . latch signals s 40 also include an output signal on latch output q 52 , labeled q s 52 . q s 52 may be regarded as a single - ended representation of the signal on outputs z_p 62 and z_n 64 ( fig2 ). each of the latch input signals s 42 and s 44 may represent the combination of set and reset signals , respectively , produced in the separate signal paths 10 - 1 . . . 10 - 4 . as illustrated , set signal s 42 includes a pulse 306 corresponding to pulse 302 . a similar correspondence exists between pulses in set signal s 42 and pulse 304 in set signal s 42 - 1 . additionally , set signal s 42 includes pulses corresponding to pulses in the other set signals . as illustrated , set signal s 42 contains a pulse corresponding to each of the pulses in set signal s 42 - 3 and s 42 - 4 . in this way , set signal s 42 is the combination of the set signals output in each of the signal paths 10 - 1 . . . 10 - 4 . in the example of fig3 , the pulses in the set signals s 42 - 1 . . . s 42 - 4 are combined through a logical or operation . reset signal s 44 is similarly a logical or of the reset signals output by each of the signal paths . for example , reset signal s 44 includes a pulse 312 that corresponds to a pulse in reset signal s 44 - 2 . reset signal s 44 includes other pulses , each corresponding to a pulse in a reset signal s 44 - 1 . . . s 44 - 4 . signal q s 52 indicates the output of the sr latch 50 ( fig2 ). the initial state of the sr latch may be established in any suitable way . in this example it is established as low . at the leading edge of each pulse on set s 42 , the output q s 52 rises to the high state , while at the leading edge of each pulse on reset s 44 , the output q s 52 returns to the low state . the signal q s 52 retains its state until another signal changes it . in the example illustrated , a first edge signal appears on input signal s 31 - 1 , with a triggering edge occurring at marker 300 . because format signal s 43 - 1 is high , current steering circuit 40 - 1 “ steers ” a pulse to the set port of sr latch 50 via output 42 - 1 . the steered pulse is observed on set signal s 42 - 1 as pulse 302 . in this example , pulse 302 is illustrated to be shorter than the input edge signal on s 21 - 1 beginning at marker 300 because of the operation of a pulse shrinking circuit . pulse 302 in turn appears as pulse 306 on signal set s 42 . the pulse 306 causes the output signal q s 52 of the sr latch 50 to switch states from low to high as indicated by marker 308 . notice that q s 52 maintains the high state even after pulse 306 has ended . the process continues with the next edge appearing in any of input signals s 31 , which in this example is on signal s 31 - 2 . the edge occurs at marker 310 while the corresponding format signal , s 43 - 2 , is in the low state ( steer to reset port ). in response to this edge , pulse 312 is created on the reset port signal s 44 , which causes output q s 52 to return low as indicated by marker 314 . in some embodiments where the simultaneous excitation of the set and reset ports of the sr latch is a restricted , the time between state changes of output q s 52 may be limited by the pulse width of the applied edges . the use of pulse shrinkers may provide narrower pulses than if input signals s 31 were used to trigger the sr latch directly and thus faster refire time for formatter 150 ′. having provided a description of aspects of channel 110 ′ and an illustration of a signaling method used to produce a channel output , an example implementation of the formatter 150 ′ is presented in fig4 . formatter 150 ′ comprises a pulse shrinker 30 , current steering circuit 40 , and sr latch 50 . driver 160 is also shown . for simplicity , only one signal path 10 is shown . in embodiments of the type shown in fig2 , multiple signal paths 10 - 1 to 10 - n in the form of signal path 10 would each be connected to the sr latch 50 at set port 42 and reset port 44 . the circuitry illustrated in fig4 may be implemented using cmos technology as is known in the art . however , any suitable implementation is possible . the components illustrated in fig4 may be implemented on a single cmos integrated circuit chip . in such an embodiment , other signal paths , such as 10 - 1 . . . 10 - n illustrated in fig2 forming a portion of formatter 150 ′ may similarly be implemented on the same integrated circuit chip . timing generator 130 ( fig2 ) may also be implemented in cmos technology and may be combined on the same integrated circuit chip with formatter 150 ′. because of the relatively simple design provided by formatter 150 ′, in some embodiments , timing generators and formatters for multiple channels may be integrated onto the same cmos integrated circuit chip . in some embodiments , driver 160 may be implemented in a separate integrated circuit chip from a chip containing the formatter and timing generators . however , in embodiments in which a driver is implemented using cmos technology , the driver may likewise be integrated onto the same integrated circuit chip . fig4 illustrates pulse shrinker 30 schematically as a block . any suitable circuitry may be used to implement pulse shrinker 30 . in some embodiments pulse shrinker 30 may be implemented as a monostable multivibrator . the current steering circuit 40 comprises buffer 49 . buffer 49 may be a buffer amplifier as is known in the art . buffer 49 serves to insure that signals at format data input 43 are applied with the appropriate levels to other components within current steering circuit 40 . in the embodiment illustrated , current steering circuit 40 is constructed from multiple transistors nm 1 . . . nm 7 . transistor nm 1 acts as a current source . voltage v mux is provided to the central input of transistor nm 1 to provide a suitable sinking current , i 1 . voltage v mux may depend on the exact circuit configuration and may be adjustable for different circuit and signaling conditions . for example , voltage v mux may be generated with a variable value by a circuit that tracks temperature variations and sets the voltage level to adapt for changes in signal delays caused by temperature variations . temperature compensated cmos circuitry is known in the art , and voltage v mux may be generated using techniques as known in the art . transistors nm 2 through nm 7 will each be “ on ” or “ off ” at different times during operation of current steering circuit 40 , depending on the signals applied to inputs 41 or 43 . depending on the values at those inputs , current steering circuit 40 will sink an amount of current i 1 through either set port 42 , reset port 44 or will draw current i 1 from the voltage rail v dd such that no current flows into current steering circuit 40 from either set port 42 or reset port 44 . when current is drawn through set port 42 or reset port 44 , the state of latch 50 may be set , with a current entering current steering circuit 40 through set port 42 causing latch 50 to enter or remain in a set state . similarly , a current flow into current steering circuit 40 through reset port 44 may cause latch 50 to enter or remain in a reset state . the switching transistor states of “ on ” and “ off ” refer to a substantially conducting state and a high impedance state , respectively . practical transistors may not form perfect open circuits and short circuits when in the off or on state . tolerances may exist for all components , which permit a leakage current and small voltage drop across a transistor in the off and on states , respectively . sr latch 50 comprises pull - up 58 , pull - up 59 , and transistors nm 8 through nm 10 . transistor mn 8 may act as a current source . voltage v j2 is provided to a central input of transistor nm 8 and may have a value that provides a suitable bias current , i 2 . voltage v j2 may depend on the exact circuit configuration and may be adapted for different circuit and signaling conditions , and , like voltage v mux , may be generated by a temperature compensation circuit . as illustrated in fig4 , transistors nm 9 and nm 10 are cross - coupled to create a bi - stable memory cell . in the stable states of that cell , one of transistors nm 9 or nm 10 will be in a conducting state conducting the current i 2 . which of the transistors nm 9 or nm 10 dictates the relative difference in voltage at output ports q 52 and not q 54 . accordingly , the state of latch 50 is determined based on which of the transistors nm 9 or nm 10 is conducting . as described below , this state may be altered when current flows into current steering circuit 40 through either set port 42 or reset port 44 . otherwise , the state is maintained by the voltages applied to transistors nm 9 and nm 10 through pull - ups 58 and 59 . here , pull - ups 58 and 59 may be implemented using transistors , resistors or other circuit components connected using known design techniques . voltages v dd and v ss provide a difference in electrical potential needed to drive formatter 150 ′. in operation , format data to control operation of current steering circuit 40 is received via format input 43 of the current steering circuit 40 and is buffered by buffer 49 . input 43 is represented as a differential signal with a pol input and npol input . if the differential signal on format input 43 is asserted ( pol having a greater voltage than npol ) set port 42 is selected to sink current in response to a pulse at input 41 . when the format input 43 is asserted , transistor nm 2 is turned on , and the bias current established by transistor nm 1 passes primarily to the differential pair of transistors nm 4 and nm 5 . conversely , transistor nm 3 is off and substantially no current flows through either of transistors nm 6 or nm 7 . if the differential signal on format input 43 is not asserted ( npol having a greater voltage than pol ) the reset port 44 is selected . in this state , transistor nm 3 is on and transistor nm 2 is off . accordingly , the bias current i 1 flows through differential pair of transistors nm 6 and nm 7 and substantially no current flows through either transistor nm 4 or nm 5 . thus , depending on the state of the format signal at input port 43 , either differential pair nm 4 and nm 5 or differential pair nm 6 and nm 7 will be active . the operation of the active pair will depend on the value of the signal at input port 41 . when no signal is asserted at input port 41 , either transistor nm 5 or nm 7 will be on , depending on which of the differential pairs is active based on the format data input . if differential pair nm 4 and nm 5 is active , transistor nm 5 will be active . as a result , transistor nm 5 will pass from v dd a current i 1 . substantially no current will flow through transistor nm 4 . accordingly , no current flows into current steering circuit 40 through reset port 44 . because differential pair nm 6 and nm 7 is inactive , no current flows into current steering circuit 40 through set port 42 . in this state , current steering circuit 40 does not change the state of sr latch 50 . if the format input data is in the opposite state such that transistor pair nm 6 and nm 7 is active , the effect of current steering circuit 40 on the state of latch 50 is the same when the signal at input port 41 is not asserted . namely , differential pair nm 4 and nm 5 is inactive . within the active differential pair of transistors nm 6 and nm 7 , transistor nm 7 will be on . the bias current i 1 will therefore flow through transistor nm 7 and substantially no current will flow into set port 42 because transistor nm 6 will be off . when pulse shrinker 30 outputs a pulse such that a signal is asserted at input port 41 , current steering circuit 40 will sink current through either set port 42 or reset port 44 , depending on the state of the format data input at port 43 . when the format data is such that differential pair nm 4 and nm 5 is active , a pulse at input port 41 causes transistor nm 4 to conduct . accordingly , current flows into current steering circuit 40 through reset port 44 . conversely , when format data at input port 43 causes differential pair nm 6 and nm 7 to be active , an input signal at port 41 causes transistor nm 6 to sink current through set port 42 . in the case the format data indicates the set port is selected , transistors nm 2 and nm 4 are on during a pulse asserted at input port 41 . transistors nm 3 , nm 5 , nm 6 and nm 7 are off . a low resistance path is created between v ss and reset output 44 . the voltage drop is primarily across pull - up 58 such that the voltage associated with reset output 44 is closer to v ss than v dd . because the central input of transistor nm 9 is connected to reset port 44 , transistor nm 9 is forced off . current is restricted through pull - up 59 since all drain paths ( 42 , nm 9 , and 52 ) exhibit a high impedance . thus the voltage associated with set output 42 is closer to v dd than v ss . in this state , transistor nm 10 is forced on . with transistor nm 10 on and nm 9 off , latch 50 is in one of its two stable states . even after transistor nm 4 stops drawing current , latch 50 may remain in this state . thus , the sr latch 50 has been “ set .” in the case the format data indicates the reset port is selected , transistors nm 3 and nm 6 are on during a pulse is asserted at input port 41 . transistors nm 2 , nm 5 , nm 4 and nm 7 are off . a low resistance path is created between v ss and set output 42 . the voltage drop is primarily across pull - up 59 such that the voltage associated with set output 42 is closer to v ss than v dd . transistor nm 10 is forced off . current is restricted through pull - up 58 since all drain paths ( 44 , nm 10 , and 54 ) exhibit a high impedance . thus the voltage associated with reset output 44 is closer to v dd than v ss . in this state , transistor nm 9 is forced on . in this state , with nm 9 on and nm 10 off , latch 50 is in a second of its stable states and will remain in this state even after current flow through transistor nm 6 stops . thus , the sr latch 50 has been “ reset .” fig5 illustrates a method of operating the test system of fig2 . in step 502 , a pulse signal is generated . the pulse signal has a series of pulses . the spacing between pulses may be programmed according to the desired timing of edge signals during a test of a semiconductor device . similarly , in step 504 a second pulse signal is generated . each of the first and second pulse signals may be generated in a signal path . the signals on inputs 21 - 1 . . . 21 - n ( fig2 ) may serve as examples of the pulse signals generated in steps 502 and 504 . in step 506 , the pulse signals generated in step 502 are selectively delayed . in some embodiments , the delay is determined by delay information as may be received by the delay input of an interpolator ( see delay input 23 - i of interpolator 20 - i in fig2 for example ). as shown pictorially in step 506 , each pulse in the pulse signal ( dashed ) may be uniquely delayed . in step 508 , the delayed pulse signals are each reduced in width . in some embodiments a pulse shrinker such as pulse shrinker 30 - i in fig2 produces the reduced pulse width signal . in some embodiments , pulse shrinking may be performed prior to the selective delay of pulses . in step 510 , it is determined which of the delayed and reduced width pulses in the first pulse signal are to be directed to the set port of the sr latch via the set output of the signal path . in some embodiments , pulses not directed to the set port are directed to the reset port . in other embodiments pulses may be directed to neither port . equivalently , it may be determined which of the delayed and reduced width pulses in the first pulse signal are to be directed to the reset port of the sr latch via the reset output of the signal path . pictorially , the second of the three pulses is indicated as being selected in step 510 . however , any or all pulses in the pulse signal may be selected and applied to set or reset an output . in some embodiments the selection is specified by format data . in step 512 , the outputs of the first and second signal paths are combined at the set ( or reset ) port . in some embodiments the combination is of the form of a wired or . in step 514 , the selected pulses from the first pulse signal are received at the set ( reset ) port of the latch . in step 516 , the latch output is set ( reset ) in response to receiving the pulse . having thus described at least one illustrative embodiment of the invention , various alterations , modifications , and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art . such alterations , modifications , and improvements are intended to be within the scope of the invention . for example , a cmos embodiment of the invention may provide a low power consumption , highly integrated ate construction . however , other technologies may be used . method and apparatus as described above may be applied in any suitable way . for example , in the manufacture of semiconductor devices , it is desirable to generate test signals applied to devices under test and measure responses produced by those devices to verify that the devices are operating properly . the circuitry and methods described may be used to test semiconductor devices . information obtained through testing can be used to identify and discard devices that fail to exhibit the expected performance . test results may alternatively or additionally be used to alter the steps in the process used to make the devices . for example , the devices may be calibrated or modified in subsequent process steps so that they do exhibit expected performance or the devices might be packaged for sale as parts that meet relaxed performance specifications . alternatively , the results of tests might also be used in a yield enhancement system to change parameters of processing equipment . accordingly , the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended as limiting . the invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and the equivalents thereto . | 7 |
the cascading concept has been applied in rssi circuits of mobile radios , where the transmitted power is controlled to the level that is needed so as to save battery lifetime . as already mentioned before , these rssi circuits may seem unsuitable for use in a field strength sensor , because they have a too high noise level for extreme low amplitude field strength . however , the applicant had the opportunity to measure that amplitude fields are medium in case of measuring rapid changing fields or measuring transfer functions . thus , unexpectedly , the use of rssi circuits in a field strength sensor may be adapted to these cases . the fig1 illustrates an exemplary series of n detectors referenced d 1 to dn . they are in connection with a cascade of n − 1 wide - band amplifier cells referenced a 1 to an - 1 , all the cells having a fixed gain , 8 decibels for example . the series of detectors are used to convert an rf - in signal to baseband . the outputs of the cells are summed together to generate a piecewise - linear approximation to a logarithmic function dc - out = l ( rf - in ) with a large dynamic range . the output is a dc voltage , whose amplitude is a measure of the rf - in voltage amplitude as illustrated by fig1 . several integrated circuits of this logarithmic detector are available on the market at a relatively low cost due to their widespread use in mobile phones . frequency ranges of some hundreds of kilohertz ( khz ) up to several gigahertz ( ghz ) are already available . the dynamic range is in theory unlimited , but due to crosstalk it will decrease at high frequencies , e . g . above 3 ghz , but we estimate that 90 decibels ( db ) can be reasonably achieved . recently , a comparable cascaded detector integrated circuit became available for measuring the root - mean , a measure for energy density , such a detector being hereinafter referred to as a rms module . according to an advantageous specificity of the current invention , such a rms module can be applied in parallel to the peak logarithmic detector , so that both peak and rms quantities can be measured ( root mean square ). using a logarithmic amplifier for the peak detection and a similar , but electronically different , logarhithmic amplifier for rms detection , these detections being realized simultaneously in all directions , allows measuring peak , rms , crest factor . an apparatus according to the current invention may further comprise means for averaging the dc output of the peak detector . by averaging the dc output of the peak detector , the average level of the rf signal is measured as well . the response time of these detector circuits is extremely short and a rapid changing field with changes in the order of 100 picoseconds shall be detected . thus , the peak levels of modern digital signals can be measured easily . thus an apparatus according to the current invention can be operational over wide - frequency ranges , and thus also capable to measure pulsed signals , such as those used in ultra wide band or high power microwave applications , and also capable of performing electromagnetic interference ( emi ) measurements . the antenna should be wide - band . a basic dipole is wideband , but has very high output impedance . this characteristic can be used advantageously in two different embodiments of the present invention . in a first embodiment illustrated by fig2 , a very wide band and still a large dynamic range field strength sensor comprises a high - input impedance field effect transistor ( fet ), the fet being used as an impedance transformer . in another embodiment illustrated by fig3 , a biological effect sensor uses the high output impedance for icnirp correction . the fig2 schematically illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a field strength sensor according to the invention . it is worth noting that the rssi circuits available on the market , which have not been developed for use in a sensor , do not comprise an antenna . the sensor comprises a 3 - directionnal antenna system including three antennas referenced 21 , 22 and 23 arranged orthogonally with respect to an x axis , a y axis and a z axis respectively . antennas 21 , 22 and 23 are wide - band antennas . they may be either short monopoles or patches or even inverted bowties . the sensor may also comprises three fets referenced 24 , 25 and 26 connected to the outputs of the antennas 21 , 22 and 23 respectively . the fets 24 , 25 and 26 are used as impedance transformers . the sensor also comprises three logarithmic detectors referenced 27 , 28 and 29 connected to the outputs of the fets 24 , 25 and 26 respectively . the logarithmic detectors 27 , 28 and 29 are capable of peak measurement . as described hereinbelow , the logarithmic detectors 27 , 28 , 29 can be put in parallel with logarithmic amplifiers allowing rms detection , nota shown on the figure . then both peak and rms measurements can be realized simultaneously . the electronics of the peak and rms detectors can advantageously be packaged in one single module . the sensor comprises also a plurality of analog readouts 30 a , 30 b and 30 c connected to the outputs of the three logarithmic detectors 27 , 28 and 29 respectively . logarithmic detectors 27 , 28 and 29 are core elements , which are being used in many mobile communication systems . as a result of this widespread use , the cost of a complete sensor according to the invention , including the antennas 21 , 22 and 23 , can be very low . this makes it possible to perform em field mapping measurements for all kind of applications . moreover , the output level is direct current and any rf interference coupled into the interference can be filtered out in a simple manner , which makes these sensors a very low cost solution for field strength measurements . thus , the present invention may be implemented as a professional 3 - directional electric and / or magnetic field sensor for measuring fast changing fields in a test environment . the present invention may also be implemented as a small 3 - directional sensor for measuring transfer function and evaluating shielding effectiveness or coupling of fields through windows or doors or feedthrough panels . the present invention may also be implemented as a small low - cost 3 - directional sensor for measuring field distribution inside a cavity . the fig3 schematically illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a biological effect sensor according to the invention . the sensor comprises a 3 - directionnal antenna system including three antennas referenced 31 , 32 and 33 arranged orthogonally with respect to an x axis , a y axis and a z axis respectively . antennas 31 , 32 and 33 are wide - band antennas . they may be either short monopoles or patches or even inverted bowties . the sensor may also comprise three icnirp converters referenced 34 , 35 and 36 connected to the outputs of the antennas 31 , 32 and 33 respectively . the icnirp converters 34 , 35 and 36 form a passive bio - compensation network to compensate for an icnirp curve c illustrated by fig4 . the protection levels for exposure to time - varying electric , magnetic and electromagnetic fields are published by icnirp , as illustrated by fig4 . the curve c shown in fig4 may be embedded in the passive bio - compensation network after said curve has been inverted , such that the output of the sensor gives a value relative to the curve c . indeed , the icnirp levels are frequency dependant but the sensor does not know which frequency it is measuring : the sensor converts any rf level to a corresponding dc level . for instance , the icnirp level may be 100 volts per metre ( v / m ) in some frequency range , while it may be 27 v / m in another range . the present invention proposes that the bio - compensation network corrects the rf level as a function of the frequency . the effect is that when an rf signal of 50 v / m is measured in the part of icnirp where the limit is 100 v / m , then the readout is 50 % ( actually − 6 db ). if an rf signal of 50 v / m is measured in the range where the icnirp curve is 27 v / m , then the readout is + 5 . 4 db ( i . e . 20 log ( 50 / 27 )). the sensor also comprises three logarithmic detectors referenced 37 , 38 and 39 connected to the outputs of the icnirp converters 34 , 35 and 36 respectively . the logarithmic detectors 37 , 38 and 39 are capable of peak measurement . as described hereinbelow , the logarithmic detectors 37 , 38 , 39 can be put in parallel with logarithmic amplifiers allowing rms detection , nota shown on the figure . then both peak and rms measurements can be realized simultaneously . the electronics of the peak and rms detectors can advantageously be packaged in one single module . the sensor comprises also an analog - to - digital converter referenced 40 ( adc ) connected to the outputs of the three logarithmic detectors referenced 37 , 38 and 39 . the sensor may also comprise a multichannel logging memory referenced 41 , allowing the dc level to be stored in a logging memory . in another embodiment , the multichannel logging memory 41 may be replaced by a network interface to transmit data to a computer , allowing the dc level to be transmitted via a network to a central computer . in addition of providing a broadband , fast , tri - axial , high - dynamic range and low - cost em field strength sensor , a further advantage of the present invention is that it can also be used as a biological effect sensor . embodied as a body - worn device the size of a usb stick , the resulting biological effect sensor may then be provided with a correction curve integrated within the antenna system , so as to measure levels with respect to the international limits . when provided with a digital logging memory for storing data or when connected to a network , the resulting biological effect sensor can make a readout periodically , so as to enable the creation of an em exposure map of the environment . distributed over a network , for instance inside a hospital or around primary schools , such biological effect sensor may also monitor the field strength . | 6 |
in the following description , several specific details are presented to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention . one skilled in the relevant art will recognize , however , that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details , or in combination with other components , etc . in other instances , well - known implementations or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of various embodiments , of the invention . fig1 depicts an example of a system 100 for validating a client at a server . in the example of fig1 , the system 100 includes a server 102 , a network 104 , and a client 106 . the server 102 includes a certificate request module 110 , a certificate verification module 112 , a cert database 114 , a pseudo - random number ( prn ) generator 116 , and an interface 118 . the client 106 includes a certificate generation module 120 , non - volatile ( nv ) memory 122 , and an interface 124 . the server 102 may be any applicable known or convenient computer . the network 104 may be any communications network including , by way of example but not limitation , the internet . the client 106 may be any applicable known or convenient computer that has secure storage . the nv memory 122 may include a secure key store and , in an embodiment , the nv memory 122 is on - chip memory . in the example of fig1 , in operation , a protocol for registration or activation is initiated by the server 102 . ( the client 106 may , in an alternative , initiate the registration or activation .) in an embodiment , the protocol serves to register a device identity and certificate into the cert database 114 . to do so , the prn generator 116 generates a prn , r , and the certificate request module 110 of the server 102 generates a request for a device certificate . r and the request for a device certificate are sent via the interface 118 to the network 104 . r and the request for a device certificate are received at the interface 124 of the client 106 . the certificate generation module 120 of the client 106 generates a certificate cert . an example of the algorithm used to generate cert is described with reference to fig7 , below . the certificate generation module 120 computes a signature sig , over random number r , using a device private key . operands are stored in the nv memory 122 , which may reside in , for example , a secure kernel ( see e . g ., fig5 ). in an alternative , the computation could include a device id , serial number , region code , or some other value . the interface 124 of the client 106 returns r , any optional data , cert , and sig to the network 104 . the interface 118 receives at the server 102 r , any optional data , cert , and sig . the certificate verification module 112 at the server 102 validates cert using a trusted certificate chain , validates sig using cert , and verifies that r is the same as the value , r , that was originally sent by the server 102 to the client 106 . if successfully validated and verified , the server 102 imports cert into the cert database 116 . at this point , the client 106 is presumably authorized to obtain from the server 102 — or some other location that can use the certificate to authorize the client 106 — digital licenses for rights managed content , and other operations . in another embodiment , the device could generate a new key pair { pvt 1 , pub 1 } using a rng , and a certificate could be created for the new public key pub 1 , using the device programmed private key as signer . this new key pvt 1 could be used to sign the message having the random r . it should be noted that secure networking protocols such as ssl and other services that require ephemeral secret keys typically make use of a source of a string of random numbers . a secure manufacturing process , such as is described by way of example but not limitation with reference to fig6 , below , can be used to seed a secret random number s in a device . a prn generating algorithm using cryptographic primitives such as the functions in aes or sha can be used to generate prns . the sequence should not repeat after power - cycle of the device . using a state - saving mechanism involving the chip non - volatile memory ensures a high level of security . the device uses a part of re - writeable non - volatile memory to store a sequence number . fig2 depicts a flowchart 200 of an example of a method for power up and power down of a device appropriate for use in the system 100 . in the example of fig2 , the flowchart 200 starts at module 202 where a device is powered on . in the example of fig2 , the flowchart 200 continues to module 204 where runtime state is initialized to 1 . since the runtime state is incremented over time , the runtime state should be stored in writable memory , such as on - chip writable memory . in the example of fig2 , the flowchart 200 continues to module 206 where the device increments the sequence number and computes key = fn ( s , sequence number ), where s = a programmed secret seed random number . since s is programmed , it can be stored in on - chip nv read - only memory ( rom ). at this point , the device is presumed to be “ up and running .” in the example of fig2 , the flowchart 200 continues to module 208 where , in response to a request for a random number , the device generates random = fn ( key , state ) and increments state : state ++. in the example of fig2 , the flowchart 200 continues to decision point 210 where it is determined whether another random number request is received . if it is determined that another random number request has been received ( 210 - y ), then the flowchart 200 returns to module 208 . in this way , module 208 may be repeated multiple times for multiple random number requests . when it is determined there are no other random number requests ( 210 - n ), the flowchart 200 continues to module 212 where the device is powered off , and the state is lost . thus , the flowchart 200 illustrates the state of the device from power on to power off . if the device is powered on again , a new key must be computed , and state initialized again . fig3 depicts a flowchart 300 of an example of a method for generating a device certificate only once . in the example of fig3 , the flowchart 300 starts at module 302 where a device certificate is generated at a secure device . the flowchart 300 continues to module 304 where the device certificate is stored in system external storage . this variation is notable because the device is secure , but the device certificate is public . accordingly , the certificate is still secure , even though it is not regenerated each time . fig4 depicts a computer system 400 suitable for implementation of the techniques described above with reference to fig1 - 3 . the computer system 400 includes a computer 402 , i / o devices 404 , and a display device 406 . the computer 402 includes a processor 408 , a communications interface 410 , memory 412 , display controller 414 , non - volatile storage 416 , and i / o controller 418 . the computer 402 may be coupled to or include the i / o devices 404 and display device 406 . the computer 402 interfaces to external systems through the communications interface 410 , which may include a modem or network interface . the communications interface 410 can be considered to be part of the computer system 400 or a part of the computer 402 . the communications interface 410 can be an analog modem , isdn modem , cable modem , token ring interface , satellite transmission interface ( e . g . “ direct pc ”), or other interfaces for coupling a computer system to other computer systems . although conventional computers typically include a communications interface of some type , it is possible to create a computer that does not include one , thereby making the communications interface 410 optional in the strictest sense of the word . the processor 408 may include , by way of example but not limitation , a conventional microprocessor such as an intel pentium microprocessor or motorola power pc microprocessor . while the processor 408 is a critical component of all conventional computers , any applicable known or convenient processor could be used for the purposes of implementing the techniques described herein . the memory 412 is coupled to the processor 408 by a bus 420 . the memory 412 , which may be referred to as “ primary memory ,” can include dynamic random access memory ( dram ) and can also include static ram ( sram ). the bus 220 couples the processor 408 to the memory 412 , and also to the non - volatile storage 416 , to the display controller 414 , and to the i / o controller 418 . the i / o devices 404 can include a keyboard , disk drives , printers , a scanner , and other input and output devices , including a mouse or other pointing device . for illustrative purposes , at least one of the i / o devices is assumed to be a block - based media device , such as a dvd player . the display controller 414 may control , in a known or convenient manner , a display on the display device 406 , which can be , for example , a cathode ray tube ( crt ) or liquid crystal display ( lcd ). the display controller 414 and i / o controller 418 may include device drivers . a device driver is a specific type of computer software developed to allow interaction with hardware devices . typically this constitutes an interface for communicating with the device , through a bus or communications subsystem that the hardware is connected to , providing commands to and / or receiving data from the device , and on the other end , the requisite interfaces to the os and software applications . the device driver may include a hardware - dependent computer program that is also os - specific . the computer program enables another program , typically an os or applications software package or computer program running under the os kernel , to interact transparently with a hardware device , and usually provides the requisite interrupt handling necessary for any necessary asynchronous time - dependent hardware interfacing needs . the non - volatile storage 416 , which may be referred to as “ secondary memory ,” is often a magnetic hard disk , an optical disk , or another form of storage for large amounts of data . some of this data is often written , by a direct memory access process , into memory 412 during execution of software in the computer 402 . the non - volatile storage 416 may include a block - based media device . the terms “ machine - readable medium ” or “ computer - readable medium ” include any known or convenient storage device that is accessible by the processor 408 and also encompasses a carrier wave that encodes a data signal . the computer system 400 is one example of many possible computer systems which have different architectures . for example , personal computers based on an intel microprocessor often have multiple buses , one of which can be an i / o bus for the peripherals and one that directly connects the processor 408 and the memory 412 ( often referred to as a memory bus ). the buses are connected together through bridge components that perform any necessary translation due to differing bus protocols . network computers are another type of computer system that can be used in conjunction with the teachings provided herein . network computers do not usually include a hard disk or other mass storage , and the executable programs are loaded from a network connection into the memory 412 for execution by the processor 408 . a web tv system , which is known in the art , is also considered to be a computer system , but it may lack some of the features shown in fig4 , such as certain input or output devices . a typical computer system will usually include at least a processor , memory , and a bus coupling the memory to the processor . the computer system 400 may be controlled by an operating system ( os ). an os is a software program — used on most , but not all , computer systems — that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer . typically , the os performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory , prioritizing system requests , controlling input and output devices , facilitating networking , and managing files . examples of operating systems for personal computers include microsoft windows ®, linux , and mac os ®. delineating between the os and application software is sometimes rather difficult . fortunately , delineation is not necessary to understand the techniques described herein , since any reasonable delineation should suffice . the lowest level of an os may be its kernel . the kernel is typically the first layer of software loaded into memory when a system boots or starts up . the kernel provides access to various common core services to other system and application programs . as used herein , algorithmic descriptions and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory are believed to most effectively convey the techniques to others skilled in the art . an algorithm is here , and generally , conceived to be a self - consistent sequence of operations leading to a desired result . the operations are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities . usually , though not necessarily , these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored , transferred , combined , compared , and otherwise manipulated . it has proven convenient at times , principally for reasons of common usage , to refer to these signals as bits , values , elements , symbols , characters , terms , numbers , or the like . it should be borne in mind , however , that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities . unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion , it is appreciated that throughout the description , discussions utilizing terms such as “ processing ” or “ computing ” or “ calculating ” or “ determining ” or “ displaying ” or the like , refer to the action and processes of a computer that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical ( electronic ) quantities within the computer system &# 39 ; s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage , transmission or display devices . an apparatus for performing techniques described herein may be specially constructed for the required purposes , or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer . such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium , such as , by way of example but not limitation , read - only memories ( roms ), rams , eproms , eeproms , magnetic or optical cards , any type of disk including floppy disks , optical disks , cd - roms , dvds , and magnetic - optical disks , or any known or convenient type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions . the algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer architecture . the techniques may be implemented using any known or convenient programming language , whether high level ( e . g ., c / c ++) or low level ( e . g ., assembly language ), and whether interpreted ( e . g ., perl ), compiled ( e . g ., c / c ++), or just - in - time ( jit ) compiled from bytecode ( e . g ., java ). any known or convenient computer , regardless of architecture , should be capable of executing machine code compiled or otherwise assembled from any language into machine code that is compatible with the computer &# 39 ; s architecture . fig5 depicts an example of a secure system 500 suitable for implementation of the techniques described above with reference to fig1 - 3 . a typical secure system 500 may include a game console , media player , an embedded secure device , a “ conventional ” pc with a secure processor , or some other computer system that includes a secure processor . in the example of fig5 , the secure system 500 includes a secure processor 502 , an os 504 , ticket services 506 , a calling application 508 , and protected memory 510 . in the example of fig5 , the os 504 includes a security kernel 514 , which in turn includes a key store 516 , an encryption / decryption engine 517 , and a security api 518 . it should be noted that one or more of the described components , or portions thereof , may reside in the protected memory 510 , or in unprotected memory ( not shown ). it should further be noted that the security kernel 514 is depicted as residing inside the os 504 by convention only . it may or may not actually be part of the os 504 , and could exist outside of an os or on a system that does not include an os . for the purposes of illustrative simplicity , it is assumed that the os 504 is capable of authentication . in an embodiment , the ticket services 506 may also be part of the os 504 . this may be desirable because loading the ticket services 506 with authentication can improve security . thus , in such an embodiment , the os 504 is loaded with authentication and includes the ticket services 506 . for illustrative simplicity , protected memory is represented as a single memory . however protected memory may include protected primary memory , protected secondary memory , and / or secret memory . it is assumed that known or convenient mechanisms are in place to ensure that memory is protected . the interplay between primary and secondary memory and / or volatile and non - volatile storage is known so a distinction between the various types of memory and storage is not drawn with reference to fig5 . the ticket services 506 may be thought of as , for example , “ digital license validation services ” and , in a non - limiting embodiment , may include known or convenient procedures associated with license validation . for example , the ticket services 506 may include procedures for validating digital licenses , pki validation procedures , etc . in the example of fig5 , the ticket services 506 can validate a ticket from the calling application 508 . in operation , the ticket services 506 obtains the ticket from the calling application 508 , which proceeds to validate the ticket . it is possible that the ticket is personalized . in that case , it could be decrypted using the device private key ( programmed as discussed before ) to compute a secret shared encryption key . the ticket may or may not be obtained using an internet download mechanism and stored on re - writable flash memory . in an embodiment , the security kernel 514 may be loaded at start - up . in another embodiment , a portion of the security kernel may be loaded at start - up , and the remainder loaded later . an example of this technique is described in application ser . no . 10 / 360 , 827 entitled “ secure and backward - compatible processor and secure software execution thereon ,” which was filed on feb . 7 , 2003 , by srinivasan et al ., and which is incorporated by reference . any known or convenient technique may be used to load the security kernel 514 in a secure manner . the key store 516 is a set of storage locations for keys . the key store 516 may be thought of as an array of keys , though the data structure used to store the keys is not critical . any applicable known or convenient structure may be used to store the keys . in a non - limiting embodiment , the key store 516 is initialized with static keys , but variable keys are not initialized ( or are initialized to a value that is not secure ). for example , some of the key store locations are pre - filled with trusted values ( e . g ., a trusted root key ) as part of the authenticated loading of the security kernel 514 . the private key in the non - volatile memory could be retrieved and stored in the keystore for future use . the encryption / decryption engine 517 is , in an embodiment , capable of both encryption and decryption . for example , in operation , an application may request of the security api 518 a key handle that the application can use for encryption . the encryption / decryption engine 517 may be used to encrypt data using the key handle . advantageously , although the security api 518 provides the key handle in the clear , the key itself never leaves the security kernel 514 . the security api 518 is capable of performing operations using the keys in the key store 516 without bringing the keys out into the clear ( i . e ., the keys do not leave the security kernel 514 or the keys leave the security kernel 514 only when encrypted ). the security api 518 may include services to create , populate and use keys ( and potentially other security material ) in the key store 516 . in an embodiment , the security api 518 also provides access to internal secrets and non - volatile data , including secret keys and device private key . for example , the device private key might be stored in the keystore and used by the security api . one api call could be used to return a device certificate ( using an algorithm discussed herein to generate the certificate ). another api call can be constructed to use the private key to compute a shared key for decryption , or use the private key to sign a message or certificate . depending upon the implementation , the security api 518 may support aes and sha operations using hardware acceleration . in the example of fig5 , the ticket services 506 and the security api 518 may execute in a separate execution space for system security . in order to validate data blocks , the ticket services 506 may validate the ticket using data in the header . the ticket may include an encrypted key . the ticket services 506 decrypts the key using services in the security kernel 514 ( e . g ., the encryption / decryption engine 517 ). in an embodiment , the encryption / decryption engine 517 uses secret common keys from the key store 518 to perform this decryption . in another embodiment , the ticket services 506 could use a device personalized ticket obtained from flash or network ( not shown ), validate some rights to content , and then return the key . in any case , this process returns the key . the personalized ticket could be encrypted by a key that is a function of the device private key , programmed in the non - volatile memory . an example of data flow in the system 500 is provided for illustrative purposes as arrows 520 - 528 . receiving the certificate request at the ticket services 506 is represented by a certificate request arrow 520 from the calling application 508 to the ticket services 506 . forwarding the certificate request from the ticket services 506 to the security api 516 is represented by a certificate request arrow 522 . within the security kernel 514 , the public key / device certificate construction engine 517 accesses keys / signature data from the key / signature store 518 . the access is represented by the private key / signature access arrow 524 . the security api 516 returns a device certificate to the ticket services 506 , as represented by the device certificate arrow 526 , which is forwarded to the calling application 508 , as represented by the device certificate arrow 528 . fig6 depicts a flowchart 600 of an example of a method for manufacturing a secure device . this method and other methods are depicted as serially arranged modules . however , modules of the methods may be reordered , or arranged for parallel execution as appropriate . in the example of fig6 , the flowchart 600 begins at module 602 where a device id is obtained . the device id may be a serial number or some other unique identifier for the device . in the example of fig6 , the flowchart 600 continues to module 604 where a pseudo - random number is provided for use as a small - signature private key for the device . to date , truly random numbers are not generable on a computer ; of course , a pseudo - random number generator or an external secured hardware true random number generator could work for the intended purpose . a small - signature private key may be , by way of example but not limitation , an elliptic curve private key , or some other private key with a relatively small footprint . in the example of fig6 , the flowchart 600 continues to module 606 where a public key is computed from the private key using common parameters . for example , a multiple of a base point may be computed , where a scalar multiple is the private key . in the example of fig6 , the flowchart 600 continues to module 608 where a fixed certificate structure is used to construct a certificate . the certificate is signed using a small signature algorithm such as elliptic curve dsa . in an embodiment , the fixed certificate structure may include at least the device id , issuer name , and device public key . a small - signature algorithm is used to minimize the size of the signature . by way of example but not limitation , an elliptic curve signature algorithm may be used . in the example of fig6 , the flowchart 600 continues to module 610 where { device id , private key , issuer id , signature } is programmed into the non - volatile memory of the device . this set includes these four items because the items provide sufficient security for most purposes , and the set has a relatively small footprint due to the relatively small size of the private key and signature . ( the device id and issuer id also , presumably , have relatively small footprints .) in an embodiment , any other data that is needed to construct the device certificate such as the public key may be generated programmatically on demand . however , more items could be programmed into the non - volatile memory , or fewer , as appropriate for a given embodiment or implementation . in the example of fig6 , the flowchart 600 continues to module 612 where a secret random number is programmed into the rom of the device . the secret random number may be pseudo - randomly generated or arbitrarily assigned . this secret random number can be used to support secure pseudo - random number generation . in an alternative , the rom may be replaced with some other known or convenient nv storage . fig7 depicts a flowchart 700 of an example of a method for construction of a secure certificate . advantageously , the method enables the device having the non - volatile programmed key and required software to construct a full device certificate that can be used to validate the device . in the example of fig7 , the flowchart 700 starts at module 702 where a request for a device certificate is received from a calling application . in the example of fig7 , the flowchart 700 continues to module 704 where { device id , private key , issuer id , signature } is read from non - volatile memory . in an embodiment , a security kernel module accesses and reads the non - volatile memory . an example of a security kernel module that is appropriate for this purpose is described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 360 , 827 entitled “ secure and backward - compatible processor and secure software execution thereon ,” which was filed on feb . 7 , 2003 , by srinivasan et al ., and / or in u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 586 , 446 entitled “ secure device authentication system and method ,” which was filed on oct . 24 , 2006 , by srinivasan et al ., both of which are incorporated by reference . however , any applicable known or convenient security kernel module could be used . in the example of fig7 , the flowchart 700 continues to module 706 where the public key is computed from the private key and common parameters , if any . in an embodiment , the computation makes use of the same algorithm that was used in a manufacturing process , such as the method described with reference to fig6 , above . the public key may be computed in a security kernel . in the example of fig7 , the flowchart 700 continues to module 708 where a device certificate is constructed from device id , issuer id , public key , signature , and common parameters . in an embodiment , a security kernel module is aware of the structure of the device certificate , as is used in a manufacturing process , such as the method described with reference to fig6 , above . advantageously , the device certificate can be constructed on demand . in the example of fig7 , the flowchart 700 continues to module 710 where the device certificate is provided to the calling application . the flowchart 700 ends when the device certificate is provided to the calling application . the method could be started again by another calling application ( or by the same calling application if , for some reason , the device certificate was needed again .) as used herein , the term “ content ” is intended to broadly include any data that can be stored in memory . as used herein , the term “ embodiment ” means an embodiment that serves to illustrate by way of example but not limitation . it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the preceding examples and embodiments are exemplary and not limiting to the scope of the present invention . it is intended that all permutations , enhancements , equivalents , and improvements thereto that are apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings are included within the true spirit and scope of the present invention . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims include all such modifications , permutations and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention . | 7 |
the present invention will be further described by means of the following preferred embodiments without restricting the scope of the invention . 0 . 90 kg of 2 , 6 - diacetylpyridine ( 99 %), 2 . 56 kg of phosphorus pentoxide ( p 2 o 5 ), and a solution of 2 . 14 kg of 2 , 4 - dichloro - 6 - methylaniline ( 100 %) were solubilized in 20 l of tetrahydrofuran . the mixture was stirred for 15 min and then heated under reflux for 18 hours at 70 ° c . after completion of the reaction , the obtained suspension was cooled to 20 ° c ., stirred for 30 min and then filtered and washed with 6 l of tetrahydrofuran . the filtrate , having a volume of 26 l , was concentrated under vacuum ( 250 mm hg , 55 ° c .). the volume was reduced by rotary evaporation up to a final concentrate of 3 . 5 l . 20 l of methanol were added so as to obtain crystallization . the resulting suspension ( 23 . 5 l ) was filtered and washed with 6 l of methanol , thus resulting in a volume of 27 l . the humid product ( 1 . 38 kg ) resulting from the filtration was set under drying condition in free air for one night . this gave a first fraction of 1 . 36 kg of 2 , 6 - bis [ 1 -( 2 , 4 , 6 - trimethylphenylimino ) ethyl ] pyridine in 51 % yield . the filtrate ( 27 l ) was concentrated as described above up to a final concentrate of 2 . 5 kg . 4 l of methanol were added . the resulting suspension was agitated for 1 hour at room temperature and washed with 0 . 4 l of methanol . a second fraction of 50 g was in this way obtained . thus , a total of 1400 g of 2 , 6 - bis [ 1 -( 2 , 4 , 6 - trimethylphenylimino ) ethyl ] pyridine in 53 % yield were obtained . a reaction with iron ( ii ) dichloride was carried out as described by qian et al ., organometallics 2003 , 22 , 4312 - 4321 . 140 kg sylopol 2107 , a spray - dried silica gel from grace , was calcinated at 600 ° c . for 6 hours . a mixture of 509 g ( 0 . 84 mol ) of 2 , 6 - bis [ 1 -( 2 , 4 - dichloro - 6 - methylphenylimino ) ethyl ] pyridine iron ( ii ) dichloride , prepared according to the above - mentioned procedure under a ), 4131 g ( 8 . 4 mol ) of bis ( n - butylcyclopentadienyl ) hafnium dichloride , commercially available from crompton , and 195 l of mao ( 4 . 75 m in toluene , 926 mol ) was stirred at 20 ° c . for 2 h and after cooling to 0 ° c . subsequently added while stirring to 140 kg of the pretreated support material b ). the solution was added with a flow rate lower than 100 kg / h . the obtained product was stirred for further 30 minutes and heated to 40 ° c . the solid was dried under reduced pressure until it was free - flowing . after sieving , 320 kg of catalyst were obtained ( residual solvent : 41 %). the polymerization was carried out in a fluidized - bed reactor having a diameter of 3 . 7 m in the presence of the mixed catalyst described above . the reaction temperature was 105 ° c ., the pressure in the reactor was 25 bar , the reaction gas had the following composition : 49 vol % ethylene , 5 . 1 vol % hexane , 0 . 6 vol % hexene , 45 vol % nitrogen , 1 . 5 kg / h trihexylaluminum ( 2 wt % in hexane ). the output was 5 . 5 t / h . the mdpe polyethylene so obtained had a density of 0 . 939 g / cm 3 and a mfr ( 190 / 21 . 6 ) of 28 g / 10 min . the mdpe , conveniently added with 700 ppm of a conventional processing additive , namely polybatch ® amf 705 ( available from a . schulman ) was used as a first polyethylene component , whose main properties are shown in table 1 below , while lupolen 3220 f , which is a ldpe commercially available from basell polyolefine gmbh having a density of 0 . 930 g / cm 3 , and a mfr ( 190 / 2 . 16 ) of 0 . 9 g / 10 min , was used as a second polyethylene component in an amount of 11 % by weight . in examples 2 - 4 a first and a second polyethylene components as those described in example 1 were used , except for the amount of ldpe , which was set to 20 %, 30 % and , respectively , 40 % by weight . density is the polymer density mfr ( 190 / 21 . 6 ) is the melt flow rate according to standard iso 1133 , condition g eta ( vis ) is the intrinsic viscosity as determined according to iso 1628 - 1 and eta ( gpc ) is the viscosity as determined by gpc according to din 55672 , with 1 , 2 , 4 - trichlorobenzene , at 140 ° c . m w is the weight average molar mass ; m n is the number average molar mass m z is the z - average molar mass gpc % at molar mass 1 mio is the % by weight according to gel permeation chromatography below a molar mass of 1 mio g / mol . — hc ═ ch 2 is the amount of vinyl groups total - ch 3 is the amount of ch 3 - groups per 1000 c including end groups . innovex ll6910aa , which is a conventional lldpe prepared by the use of a ziegler - natta catalyst commercially available from bp ( density equal to 0 . 936 g / cm 3 , mfr ( 190 / 2 . 16 ) of 1 . 0 g / 10 min ), conveniently added with 700 ppm polybatch ® amf 705 , was used as a first polyethylene component , whose properties are shown in table 2 , while lupolen 3220 f was used as a second polyethylene component in an amount of 11 %, 20 %, 30 % and , respectively , 40 % by weight . lupolen 3721 c , which is a mdpe prepared by the use of a chromium catalyst commercially available from basell ( density equal to 0 . 937 g / cm 3 , mfr ( 190 / 21 . 6 ) of 12 . 5 g / 10 min ), was used as a first polyethylene component , whose properties are shown in table 3 , while lupolen 3220 f was used as a second polyethylene component . the polyethylene compositions of example 1 - 12 were homogenized and granulated on a zsk 30 ( werner pfleiderer ) with screw combination 8a . the processing temperature was 220 ° c ., the screw speed 250 / min , the output of 20 kg / h . each polyethylene composition of the examples above was extruded into films by blown film extrusion on a weber film extruder equipped with a collapsing device with wooden flatted boards . the diameter of the ring die was 50 mm , the gap width was 2 / 50 and the angle along which the cooling air is blown onto the extruded film was 45 °. no filters were used . the 25d extruder with a screw diameter of 30 mm and a screw speed of 50 turns per min gave an output of 5 . 1 kg / h . the blow - up ratio was 1 : 2 and the haul - off speed 4 . 9 m / 10 min . the height of the frost line was 160 mm . films with a thickness in the order of 50 μm were obtained . the specific thickness of each film , as well as the processing properties and optical and mechanical properties of the different films , are summarized in tables 4 and 5 . nmr samples were placed in tubes under inert gas and , if appropriate , melted . the solvent signals served as internal standard in the 1 h - and 13 c - nmr spectra and their chemical shift was converted into the values relative to tms . the degree of branching in the individual polymer fractions was determined by the method of holtrup ( w . holtrup , makromol . chem . 178 , 2335 ( 1977 )) coupled with 13 c - nmr . the density [ g / cm 3 ] was determined in accordance with iso1183 . the determination of the values m n , m w , m z and of the molar mass distribution m w / m n derived therefrom was carried out by means of high - temperature gel permeation chromatography on a waters 150 c using a method based on din 55672 and the following columns connected in series : 3x shodex at 806 ms , 1x shodex ut 807 and 1x shodex at - g under the following conditions : solvent : 1 , 2 , 4 - trichlorobenzene ( stabilized with 0 . 025 % by weight of 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol ), flow : 1 ml / min , 500 μl injection volume , temperature : 140 ° c . the columns were calibrated with polyethylene standards with molar masses of from 100 bis 10 7 g / mol . the evaluation was carried out by using the win - gpc software of fa . hs - entwicklungsgesellschaft für wissenschaftliche hard - and software mbh , ober - hilbersheim . for the purposes of the present invention , the expression mfr ( 190 / 21 . 6 ), known also as “ high load melt flow rate ”, has been determined at 190 ° c . under a load of 21 . 6 kg in accordance with iso 1133 , condition g . for the purposes of the present invention , the expression mfr ( 190 / 2 . 16 ) has been determined at 190 ° c . under a load of 2 . 16 kg in accordance with iso 1133 , condition d . in order to determine the reflection properties of the films , gloss measurements were carried out according to iso 2813 on a reflectometer at impingement angles of 20 ° and 60 °, on at least 5 pieces of film with a thickness of 50 μm . the haze was determined by astm d 1003 - 00 on a byk gardener haze guard plus device on at least 5 pieces of film 10 × 10 cm with a thickness of 50 μm . the clarity was determined by astm d 1746 - 03 on a byk gardener haze guard plus device , calibrated with calibration cell 77 . 5 , on at least 5 pieces of film 10 × 10 cm with a thickness of 50 μm . in order to determine the puncture resistance of films under shock loading , the dart drop was determined by astm d 1709 , method a on 10 film samples having a thickness of 50 μm . in order to determine the strength of the films under dynamic loading , dynamic tests were carried out according to din 53373 , so as to obtain the fracture energy w s up to the first tear and the total fracture energy w tot for the penetration . the tensile strength test was performed according to iso 527 both in machine direction ( md ) and at right angle to the machine direction , known as transverse direction ( td ) the tear propagation test , otherwise known as elmendorf method , was performed according to iso 6383 / 2 . | 2 |
referring to the drawing in particular , the invention embodied therein comprises a circuit for a low power , high efficiency switching power supply which has been found to have an efficiency of 87 to 92 %. this results in additional functions and increased operating speed ( response time ) for microprocessor based smart ( the transmitter is monitored by a microprocessor while still on line ) transmitters which are used with a 4 - 20 ma current loop system . the circuit of the figure includes an input circuit assembly 10 which receives a primary voltage of between 12 and 42 volts d . c . the input circuit assembly 10 may be connected to the current loop of a known 4 - 20 ma process control system . the function of the input circuit assembly 10 is to provide a constant current and voltage to an isolating circuit assembly 12 . the isolating circuit assembly 12 receives the constant voltage and current signal from the input circuit assembly 10 and electromagnetically couples this signal to an output circuit assembly 14 . this provides electrical isolation between the input circuit assembly 10 and the output circuit assembly 14 . the output circuit assembly 14 consists of two ± 5 v dc power supplies connected to two known rc filtering circuits that filter the ± 5 v dc power outputs to establish an output signal that is filtered and isolated from the input circuit assembly 10 . the input circuit 10 receives the 12 - 42 volt d . c . signal from the proportional 4 - 20 ma process control loop on lines 16 and 18 . a resistor 20 is connected in parallel to line 16 and a feedback line 22 . an emitter 24 of a transistor 26 is connected in parallel to the feedback 22 and in series to the resistor 20 . a collector 28 of transistor 26 is connected in parallel to line 18 and to a base 30 of the same transistor 26 . the base 30 is connected to a driving circuit such as a microprocessor ( not shown ). a constant current source 32 is connected in parallel to resistor 20 and emitter 24 and in series to a zener diode 36 along a line 34 . the zener diode 36 is then connected in parallel to input line 18 . the isolation circuit 12 is connected to the input circuit 10 along line 38 which is connected in parallel from line 34 to a center tap 40 of a primary winding 41 of a low loss switching transformer 42 . opposite ends of the primary winding 41 are connected to sources 44 and 46 of a pair of mosfet &# 39 ; s 48 and 50 respectively . drains 52 and 54 of the respective mosfet &# 39 ; s 48 and 50 are connected into input line 18 . gates 56 and 58 of the respective mosfet &# 39 ; s 48 and 50 are connected to a low power oscillator 60 . a pair of secondary windings 62 and 64 are provided through a core 66 of transformer 42 . a pair of center taps 68 and 70 are connected to reference voltage points 72 , 73 chosen by the user . either side of the secondary windings 62 and 64 are connected to a pair of known schottky diode bridge rectifier circuits 74 and 76 respectively . a pair of known rc networks 106 and 108 are connected to the rectifier circuits 74 and 76 by lines 78 , 80 and 82 , 84 respectively . a pair of resistors 86 and 88 form the known resistor - capacitor filtering networks 106 and 108 with capacitors 90 , 92 and 94 , 96 respectively . the output circuit 14 provides two pairs of output lines 98 , 100 and 102 , 104 that are connected in parallel to their respective filtering circuits 106 and 108 respectively . in operation , input lines 16 and 18 of input circuit 10 are connected to a process control loop which provides a 4 - 20 ma signal proportional to a process variable . the input 4 - 20 ma current creates a voltage across the resistor 20 . since this current is proportional to the process variable the voltage created on resistor 20 is also proportional to the process variable and may be used to obtain a reading of the process variable . a known driving circuit ( not shown ) such as a microprocessor produces a signal which drives base 30 of the transistor 26 . this allows current to flow through emitter 24 to collector 28 of transistor 26 . this driving signal is also proportional to the process variable . as the base 30 of transistor 26 is being driven by the driving circuit a signal which is also proportional to the process variable flows back through feedback line 22 . the known constant current source 32 , which is a group of transistors and resistors that provide a current of constant magnitude regardless of load in a known manner , supplies the isolating circuit 12 with a nonvarying current along lines 34 and 38 . the zener diode 36 regulates the voltage across isolating circuit 12 and prevents any ac power from circuit 12 from going back through lines 38 and 34 into line 18 and hence back into the 4 - 20 ma current loop . the isolating circuit 12 receives the constant current from the constant current source 32 of the input circuit 10 along lines 34 and 38 at the center tap 40 of the switching transformer 42 . the transformer 42 has a core 66 which is preferably toroid coil to reduce primary to secondary leakage losses by improving winding distribution . the transformer 42 is specially designed in that it operates at low flux densities ( 100 - 500 gauss ) also to reduce core losses . the low power oscillator 60 alternately puts a signal on gates 56 and 58 of respective mosfet &# 39 ; s 48 and 50 . the signals turn on gates 56 and 58 alternately , allowing current to flow alternately from the center tap 40 , through the primary coil 41 , through the sources 44 and 46 to the respective drains 52 and 54 of the respective mosfet &# 39 ; s 48 and 50 . the low power oscillator 60 in most previously designed power supplies of this type would alternately drive a pair of regular transistors instead of mosfet &# 39 ; s 48 and 50 . by utilizing mosfet &# 39 ; s which have low power gate drive characteristics and fast switching characteristics instead of regular transistors , switching losses are greatly minimized . the oscillator should have a frequency of 10k hz or less to further reduce overall switching losses in the mosfet &# 39 ; s , the transformers , etc . this alternating current flowing through the primary coil 41 steps down to the two secondary windings 62 and 64 of the transformer 42 . each of the secondary windings 62 and 64 have center taps 68 and 70 respectively . these center taps are the common points for the two ± 5 v supply outputs of output circuit 14 . either end of both secondary windings 62 and 64 supply the input side of of known bridge rectifier circuits 74 and 76 respectively . schottky diodes are used in bridges 74 and 76 to minimize switching losses . these known bridge rectifier circuits 74 and 76 change the acv from the secondaries 62 and 64 to dcv in a known manner . the outputs of these bridge circuits 74 and 76 supply unfiltered dc volts to the output circuit 14 . the output circuit 14 has of two known rc filter networks 106 and 108 that filter the rough dcv from isolating circuit 12 into steady ± 5 v dc sources . the output lines 98 and 102 supply a dc signal 5 v below the chosen reference points 72 and 73 respectively , and lines 100 and 104 supply a dc signal 5 v above the chosen reference points 72 and 73 respectively . thus it is seen that the present supply provides an output supply signal along lines 98 , 100 and 102 , 104 that is a low power and high efficiency supply with an efficiency of 87 to 92 %. this results in increased response time for transmitters used in a 4 - 20 ma current loop . while a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention , it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles . | 7 |
research in automatic image annotation can be roughly categorized into two different ‘ schools of thought ’: ( 1 ) words and visual features are jointly modeled to yield compound predictors describing an image or its constituent regions . the words and image representations used could be disparate or single vectored representations of text and visual features . ( 2 ) automatic annotation is treated as a two - step process consisting of supervised image categorization , followed by word selection based on the categorization results . while the former approaches can potentially label individual image regions , ideal region annotation would require precise image segmentation , an open problem in computer vision . although the latter techniques cannot label regions , they are typically more scalable to large image collections . the term meta - learning has historically been used to describe the learning of meta - knowledge about learned knowledge . research in meta - learning covers a wide spectrum of approaches and applications , as has been reviewed in . here , we briefly discuss the approaches most pertinent to this work . one of the most popular meta - learning approaches , boosting is widely used in supervised classification . boosting involves iteratively adjusting weights assigned to data points during training , to adaptively reduce misclassification . in stacked generalization , weighted combinations of responses from multiple learners are taken to improve overall performance . the goal here is to learn optimal weights using validation data , in the hope of generalization to unseen data . a research area under the meta - learning umbrella that is closest to our work is inductive transfer / transfer learning . research in inductive transfer is grounded on the belief that knowledge assimilated about certain tasks can potentially facilitate the learning of certain other tasks . incrementally learning support vectors as and when training data is encountered has been explored as a scalable supervised learning procedure . in our work , we draw inspiration from inductive transfer and incremental / decremental learning to develop the meta - learner and the overall t / t framework . given an image annotation system or algorithm , we treat it as a ‘ black - box ’ and build a lightweight meta - learner that attempts to understand the performance of the system on each word in its vocabulary , taking into consideration all available information , which includes : here , we discuss the nature of each one , and formulate a probabilistic framework to harness all of them . we consider a black - box system that takes an image as input and guesses one or more words as its annotation . we do not concern ourselves directly with the methodology or philosophy the black - box employs , but care about their output . a ranked ordering of the guesses is not necessary for our framework , but can be useful for empirical comparison . assume that either there is ground - truth readily available for a subset of the images , or , in an online setting , images are being uploaded and collaboratively / individually tagged from time to time , which means that ground - truth is made available as and when users tag them . for example , consider that an image is uploaded but not tagged . at this time , the black - box can make guesses at its annotation . at a later time , user provide tags to it , at which point it becomes clear how good the black - box &# 39 ; s guesses were . this is where the meta - learner fits in , in an online scenario . the images are also available to the meta - learner for visual content analysis . furthermore , knowledge bases ( e . g ., wordnet ) can be potentially useful , since semantics recognition is the desiderata of annotation . let the black - box annotation system be known to have a word vocabulary denoted by v bbox . let us denote the ground - truth vocabulary by v gtruth . the meta - learner works on the union of these vocabularies , namely v =( v bbox ∪ v gtruth )={ w 1 , . . . , w k }, where k =| v |, the size of this overall vocabulary . given an image i , the black - box predicts a set of words to be its correct annotation . to denote these guesses , we introduce indicator variables g w ε { 0 , 1 }, wεv , where a value of 1 or 0 indicates whether word w i is predicted by the black - box for 1 or not . we introduce similar indicator variables a w ε { 0 , 1 }, wεv to denote the ground - truth tagging , where a value of 1 or 0 indicates whether w is a correct annotation for 1 or not . strictly speaking , we can conceive the black - box as a multi - valued function ƒ bbox mapping an image i to indicator variables g w i : ƒ bbox ( i )=( g w 1 , . . . , g w k ) similarly , the ground - truth labels can be thought of as a function ƒ gtruth mapping the image to its true labels using the indicator variables : ƒ gtruth ( i )=( a w 1 , . . . , a w k ). regardless of the abstraction of visual content that the black - box uses for annotation , the pixel - level image representation may be still available to the meta - learner . if some visual features extracted from the images represent a different abstraction than what the black - box uses , they can be thought of as a different viewpoint and thus be potentially useful for semantics recognition . such a visual feature representation , that is also simple enough not to add significant computational overhead , can be thought of as a function defined as : ƒ vis ( i )=( h 1 , . . . , h d ). here , we specify a d - dimensional image feature vector representation as an example . instead , other non - vector representations ( e . g ., variable - length region - based features ) can also be used as long as they are efficient to compute and process , so as to keep the meta - learner lightweight . finally , the meta - learner also has at its disposal an external knowledge base , namely the semantic lexicon wordnet , which is essentially a semantic lexicon for the english language that has in the past been found useful for image annotation . the invention is not limited in this regard , however , insofar as other and yet to be developed lexicons may be used . in particular , wordnet - based semantic relatedness measures have benefited annotation tasks . wordnet , however , does not include most proper nouns and colloquial words that are often prevalent in human tag vocabularies . such non - wordnet words must therefore be ignored or eliminated from the vocabulary v in order to use wordnet on the entire vocabulary . the meta - leamer attempts to assimilate useful knowledge from this lexicon for performance gain . it can be argued that this semantic knowledge base may help discover the connection between the true semantics of images , the guesses made by the black - box model for that image , and the semantic relatedness among the guesses . once again , the inductive transfer idea comes into play , whereby we conjecture that the black - box , with its ability to recognize semantics of some image classes , may help recognize the semantics of entirely different classes of images . let us denote the side - information extracted ( externally ) from the knowledge base and the black - box guesses for an image by a numerical abstraction , namely ƒ kbase ( i )=( ρ 1 , . . . , ρ k ), where ρ i εr , with the knowledge base and the black - box guesses implicitly conditioned . we are now ready to postulate a probabilistic formulation for the meta - learner . in essence , this meta - learner , trained on available data with feedback ( see fig2 ), acts a function which takes in all available information pertaining to an image i , including the black - box &# 39 ; s annotation , and produces a new set of guesses as its annotation . in our meta - learner , this function is realized by taking decisions on each word independently . in order to do so , we compute the following odds in favor of each word w j to be an actual ground - truth tag , given all pertinent information , as follows : note that here ƒbbox ( i ) ( and similarly , the other terms ) denotes a realization of the corresponding random variables given the image i . using bayes &# 39 ; rule , we can re - write : in ƒ bbox ( i ), if the realization of variable g w i for each word w i is denoted by g i ε { 0 , 1 } given i , then without loss of generality , for each j , we can split ƒ bbox ( i ) as follows : we now evaluate the joint probability in the numerator and denominator of l w j separately , using eq . 3 . for a realization a j ε { 0 , 1 } of the random variable a w i , we can factor the joint probability ( using the chain rule of probability ) into a prior and a series of conditional probabilities , as follows : the odds in eq . 1 can now be factored using eq . 2 and 4 : is a sanity check on the black - box for each word . for g w j = 1 , it can be paraphrased as “ given that word w j is guessed by the black - box for i , what are the odds of it being correct ?”. naturally , a higher odds indicates that the black - box has greater precision in guesses ( i . e ., when w j is guessed , it is usually correct ). a similar paraphrasing can be done for g w i = 0 , where higher odds implies lower word - specific recall in the black - box guesses . a good annotation system should be able to achieve independently ( word - specific ) and collectively ( overall ) good precision and recall . these probability ratios therefore give the meta - learner indications about the black - box model &# 39 ; s performance for each word in the vocabulary . in eq . 5 relates each correctly / wrongly guessed word w j to how every other word w i , i ≠ j is guessed by the black - box . this component has strong ties with the concept of co - occurrence popular in the language modeling community , the difference being that here it models the word co - occurrence of the black - box &# 39 ; s outputs with respect to ground - truth . similarly , for g j = 0 , it models how certain words do not co - occur in the black - box &# 39 ; s guesses , given the ground - truth . since the meta - leamer makes decisions about each word independently , it is intuitive to separate them out in this ratio as well . that is , the question of whether word w i is guessed or not , given that another word w j is correctly / wrongly guessed , is treated independently . furthermore , efficiency and robustness become major issues in modeling joint probability over a large number of random variables , given limited data . considering these factors , we assume the guessing of each word w i conditionally independent of each other , given a correctly / wrongly guessed word w j , leading to the following approximation : the problem of conditional multi - word co - occurrence modeling has been effectively transformed into that of pairwise co - occurrences , which is attractive in terms of modeling , representation , and efficiency . while co - occurrence really happens when g i = g j = 1 , the other combinations of values can also be useful , e . g ., how the frequency of certain word pairs not being both guessed differs according to the correctness of these guesses . the usefulness of component ratios of this product to meta - learning , namely can again be justified based on ideas of inductive transfer . the following examples illustrate this : some visually coherent objects do not often co - occur in the same natural scene . if the black - box strongly associates orange color with the setting sun , it may often be making the mistake of labeling orange ( fruit ) as the sun , or vice - versa , but both occurring in the same scene may be unlikely . in this case , with w i =‘ oranges ’ and w j =‘ sun ’ ( or vice - versa ), w i and w j will frequently co - occur in the black - box &# 39 ; s guesses , but in most such instances , one guess will be wrong . this will imply low values of the above ratio for this word pair , which in turn models the fact that the black - box mistakenly confuses one word for another , for visual coherence or otherwise . some objects that are visually coherent also frequently co - occur in natural scenes . for example , in images depicting beaches , ‘ water ’, and ‘ sky ’ often co - occur as correct tags . since both are blue , the black - box may mistake one for the other . however , such mistakes are acceptable if both are actually correct tags for the image . in such cases , the above ratio is likely to have high values for this word pair , modeling the fact that evidence about one word reinforces belief in another , for visual coherence coupled with co - occurrence ( see fig3 , box a ). highlighted in fig3 are cases interesting from the meta - learner &# 39 ; s viewpoint . for example , box a is read as “ when ‘ water ’ is a correct guess , ‘ sky ’ is also guessed .” for some word w j , the black - box may not have effectively learned anything . this may happen due to lack of good training images , inability to capture apt visual properties , or simply the absence of the word in v bbox . for example , users may be providing the word w j =‘ feline ’ as ground - truth for images containing w i =‘ cat ’, while only the latter may be in the black - box &# 39 ; s vocabulary . in this case , g w j = 0 , and the ratio will be high . this is a direct case of inductive transfer , where the training on one word induces guesses at another word in the vocabulary ( see fig3 , box c ). other such scenarios where this ratio provides useful information can be conceived ( see fig3 , box b , d ). for the term in eq . 5 , since we deal with each word separately , the numerical abstractions ƒ kbase ( i ) relating wordnet to the model &# 39 ; s guesses / ground - truth can be separated out for each word ( conditionally independent of other words ). therefore , we can write in eq . 5 can be simplified , since ƒ vis ( i ) is the meta - learner &# 39 ; s own visual representation ƒ vis ( i ), unrelated to the black - box &# 39 ; s visual abstraction used for making guesses , and hence also the semantic relationship ƒ kbase ( 1 ) therefore , we re - write which is essentially the ratio of conditional probabilities of the visual features extracted by the meta - learner , given w j is correct / incorrect . a strong support for the independence assumptions made in this formulation comes from the superior experimental results . putting everything together , and taking logarithm ( monotonically increasing ) to get around issues of machine precision , we can re - write eq . 5 as a logit : this logit is used by our meta - learner for annotation , where a higher value for a word indicates a higher odds in its support , given all pertinent information . what words to eventually use as annotation for an image i can then be decided in at least two different ways , as found in the literature : top r : after ordering all words w j εv in the increasing magnitude of log l w j ( i ) to obtain a rank ordering , we annotate i using the top r ranked words . threshold r %: we can annotate i by thresholding at the top r percentile of the range of log l w i ( i ) values for the given image over all the words . the formulation at this point is fairly generic , particularly with respect to harnessing of wordnet ( ƒ kbase ( i )) and the visual representation ( ƒ vis ( i )) we now go into specifics of a particular form of these functions that we use in experiments . furthermore we consider robustness issues that the meta - learner runs into , which is further discussed below . the crux of the meta - learner is eq . 10 , which takes in an image i and the black - box guesses for it , and subsequently computes odds for each word . the probabilities involving a w j must all be estimated from any training data that may be available to the meta - learner . in a temporal setting , there will be seed training data to start with , and the estimates will be refined as and when more data / feedback becomes available . let us consider the estimation of each term separately , given a training set of size l , consisting of images { i ( 1 ) , . . . , i ( l ) }, the corresponding word guesses made by the black - box , { ƒ bbox ( i ( 1 ) ), . . . , ƒ bbox ( i ( l ) )}, and the actual ground - truth / feedback , { ƒ gtruth ( i ( 1 ) ), . . . , ƒ gtruth ( i ( l ) )}. to make estimation lightweight , and thus scalable , each component of the estimation is based on empirical frequencies , and is a fully deterministic process . moreover , this property of our model estimation makes it adaptable to incremental or decremental learning . the probability pr ( a w j =| g w j = g j ) in eq . 10 can be estimated from the size l training data as follows : here , i (•) is the indicator function . a natural issue of robustness arises when the training set contains too few or no samples for g w j ( n ) = 1 , where estimation will be poor or impossible . therefore , we perform a standard interpolation - based smoothing of probabilities . for this we require a prior estimate , which we compute as where gε { 0 , 1 }. for g = 1 ( or 0 ), it is the estimated probability that a word that is guessed ( or not guessed ) is correct . the word - specific estimates are interpolated with the prior to get the final estimates as follows : where m = σ n = 1 l i { g w j ( n ) = g j }, the number of instances out of l where w j is guessed ( or not guessed , depending upon g j ). the probability pr ( g w i = g i | a w j = 1 , g w j = g j ) in eq . 10 can be estimated from the training data as follows : here , we have a more serious robustness issue , since many word pairs may not appear in the black - box &# 39 ; s guesses . a popular smoothing technique for word pair co - occurrence modeling is similarity - based smoothing , which is appropriate in this case , since semantic similarity based propagation of information is meaningful here . given a wordnet - based semantic similarity measure w ( w i , w j ) between word pairs w i and w j , the smoothed estimates are given by : where z is a normalization factor . when { circumflex over ( p )}{ circumflex over ( r )}(•|•,•) cannot be estimated due to lack of samples , a prior probability estimate , computed as in the previous case , is used in its place . the leacock and chodorow ( lch ) word similarity measure , used as w (•,•) here , generates scores between 0 . 37 and 3 . 58 , higher meaning more semantically related . thus , this procedure weighs the probability estimates for words semantically closer to w j more than others . the estimation of pr ( ρ j | a w j = a , ∪ i ≠ j ( g w i = g i ), g w j = g j ), aε { 0 , 1 } in eq . 10 will first require a suitable definition for ρj . as mentioned , it can be thought of as a numerical abstraction relating the knowledge base to the black - box &# 39 ; s guesses . the hope here is that the distribution over this numerical abstraction will be different when certain word guesses are correct , and when they are not . one such formulation is as follows . suppose the black - box makes q word guesses for an image i that has word w j as a correct ( or wrong ) tag , for a = 1 ( or a = 0 ). we model the number of these guesses , out of q , that are semantically related to w j , using the binomial distribution , which is apt for modeling counts within a bounded domain . semantic relatedness here is determined by thresholding the lch relatedness score w (•,•) between pairs of words ( a score of 1 . 7 , ˜ 50 percentile of the range , was arbitrarily chosen as threshold ). of the two binomial parameters ( n , p ), n is set to the number of word guesses q made by the black - box , if it always makes a fixed number of guesses , or the maximum possible number of guesses , whichever appropriate . the parameter p is calculated from the training data as the expected value of ρ j for word w j , normalized by n , to obtain estimates { circumflex over ( p )} j , 1 ( and { circumflex over ( p )} j , 0 ) for a w j being 1 ( and 0 ). this follows from the fact that the expected value over a binomial pmf is n · p . since robustness may be an issue here again , interpolation - based smoothing , using a prior estimate on p , is performed . thus , the ratio of the binomial pmfs can be written as follows : finally , we discuss pr ( h 1 , . . . , h d | a w j = a ), aε { 0 , 1 }, the visual representation component in eq . 10 . the idea is that the probabilistic model for a simple visual representation may differ when a certain word is correct , versus when it is not . while various feature representations are possible , we employ one that can be efficiently computed and is also suited to efficient incremental / decremental learning . each image is divided into 16 equal partitions , by cutting along each axis into four equal parts . for each block , the rgb color values are transformed into the luv space , and the triplet of average l , u , and v values represent that block . thus , each image is represented by a 48 - dimensional vector consisting of these triplets , concatenated in raster order of the blocks from top - left , to obtain ( h 1 , . . . , h 48 ). for estimation from training , each of the 48 components is fitted with a univariate gaussian , which involves calculating the estimated mean { circumflex over ( μ )} j , d , a and std . dev . { circumflex over ( σ )} j , d , a . smoothing is performed by interpolation with estimated priors { circumflex over ( μ )} and { circumflex over ( σ )}. the joint probability is computed by treating each component as conditionally independent given a word w j : here , n (.) is the gaussian pdf . so far , we have discussed the static case , where a batch of images are trained on . if ground - truth for some images is available , it can be used to train the meta - learner , to annotate the remaining ones . we experiment with this setting in sec . 4 , to see if a meta - learner built atop the black - box is advantageous or not . we now look at image annotation in online settings . the meta - learning framework discussed earlier has the property that the learning components involve summation of instances , followed by simple o ( 1 ) parameter estimation . inference steps are also lightweight in nature . this makes online re - training of the meta - learner convenient via incremental / decremental learning . imagine the online settings presented in the background of the invention ( see fig1 ). here , images are annotated as they are uploaded , and whenever the users choose to provide feedback by pointing out wrong guesses , adding tags , etc . for example , in flickr , images are publicly uploaded , and independently or collaboratively tagged , not necessarily at the time of uploading . in alipr , feedback is solicited immediately upon uploading . in both these cases , ground - truth arrives into the system sequentially , giving an opportunity to learn from it to annotate future pictures better . note that when we say of tagging ‘ over time ’, we mean tagging in sequence , temporally ordered . at its inception , an annotation system may not have collected any ground - truth for training the meta - learner . hence , over a certain initial period , the meta - learner stays inactive , collecting an l seed number of seed user feedback . at this point , the meta - learner is trained quickly ( being lightweight ), and starts annotation on incoming images . after an l inter number of new images has been received , the meta - learner is re - trained ( fig4 provides an overview ). the primary challenge here is to make use of the models already learned , so as not to redundantly train on the same data . re - training can be of two types depending on the underlying ‘ memory model ’: persistent memory : here , the meta - learner accumulates new data into the current model , so that at steps of l inter , it learns from all data since the very beginning , inclusive of the seed data . technically , this only involves incremental learning . transient memory : here , while the model learns from new data , it also ‘ forgets ’ an equivalent amount of the earliest memory it has . technically , this involves incremental and decremental learning , whereby at every l inter jump , the meta - learner is updated by ( a ) assimilating new data , and ( b ) ‘ forgetting ’ old data . our meta - learner formulation makes incremental and decremental learning efficient . let us denote ranges of image sequence indices , ordered by time , using the superscript [ start : end ], and let the index of the current image be l cu . we first discuss incremental learning , required for the case of persistent memory . here , probabilities are re - estimated over all available data up to the current time , i . e ., over [ 1 : l cu ]. this is done by maintaining summations computed in the most recent re - training at l pr ( say ), over a range [ 1 : l pr ] where l pr & lt ; l cu . for the first term in eq . 10 , suppressing the irrelevant variables , we can write therefore , updating and maintaining the summation values s ( g w i ) and s ( g w j & amp ; a w j ) suffices to re - train the meta - learner without using time / space on past data . the priors are also computed using these summation values in a similar manner , for smoothing . since the meta - learner is re - trained at fixed intervals of l inter , i . e ., l inter = l cu − l pr only a fixed amount of time / space is required every time for getting the probability estimates , regardless of the value of l cu . the second term in eq . 10 can also be estimated in a similar manner , by maintaining the summations , taking their quotient , and smoothing with re - estimated priors . for the third term related to wordnet , the estimation is similar , except that the summations of ρ j for a w j = 0 and 1 , are maintained instead of counts , to obtain estimates { circumflex over ( p )} j , 0 and { circumflex over ( p )} j , 1 respectively . for the fourth term related to visual representation , the estimated mean { circumflex over ( μ )} j , d , a and std . dev . { circumflex over ( σ )} j , d , a can also be updated with values of ( h 1 , . . . , h 48 ) for the new images by only storing summation values , as follows : owing to the fact that σ 2 ( x )= e ( x 2 )−( e ( x )) 2 . here , s ( h d 2 ) [ 1 : l pr ] is the sum - of - squares of the past values of feature h d , to be maintained , and e (.) denotes expectation . this justifies our simple visual representation , since it conveniently allows incremental learning by only maintaining aggregates . overall , this process continues to re - train the meta - learner , using the past summation values , and updating them at the end , as depicted in fig4 . in the transient memory model , estimates need to be made over a fixed number of recent data instances , not necessarily from the beginning . we show how this can be performed efficiently , avoiding redundancy , by a combination of incremental / decremental learning . since every estimation process involves summation , we can again maintain summation values , but here we need to subtract the portion that is to be removed from consideration . suppose the memory span is decided to be l ms , meaning that at the current time l cu , the re - estimation must only involve data over the range [ l cu − l ms : l cu ] let l old = l cu − l ms . here , we show the re - estimation of { circumflex over ( μ )} j , d , a . here , along with summation s ( h d ) [ 1 : l pr ] , we also require s ( h d ) [ 1 : l old - 1 ] . therefore , since l ms , and l inter are decided a priori , it is straightforward to know the values of l old for which s ( h d ) [ 1 : l old - 1 ] will be required , and we store them along the way . other terms in eq . 10 can be estimated similarly . putting things together , a high - level version of our t / t approach is presented in algorithm 1 , below . it starts with an initial training of the meta - learner using seed data of size l seed . this could be accumulated online using the annotation system itself , or from an external source of images with ground - truth ( e . g ., corel images ). the process then takes one image at a time , annotates it , and solicits feedback . any feedback received is stored for future meta - learning . after gaps of l inter the model is re - trained based on the chosen strategy . if (( l cu − l seed ) modulo l inter ) = 0 then re - train meta - learner on dat ( l cu − l ms : l cu ) we perform experiments for the two scenarios shown in fig1 ; ( 1 ) static tagging , where a batch of images are tagged at once , and ( 2 ) tagging over time ( online setting ) where images arrive in temporal order , for tagging . in the former , our meta - learning framework simple acts as a new annotation system based on an underlying black - box system . we explore whether the meta - learning layer improves performance over the black - box or not . in the latter , we have a realistic scenario that is particularly suited to online systems ( flickr , alipr ). here , we see how the seed meta - learner fares against the black - box , and whether its performance improves with newly accumulated feedback or not . we also explore how the two meta - learning memory models , persistent and transient , fare against each other . experiments are performed on standard datasets and real - world data . first , we use the corel stock photos , to compare our meta - learning approach with the state - of - the - art . this collection of images is tagged with a 417 word vocabulary . second , we obtain two real - world , temporally ordered traces from the alipr system , each 10 , 000 in length , taken over different periods of time . each trace consists of publicly uploaded images , the annotations provided by alipr , and the user - feedback received on these annotations . the alipr system provides the user with 15 guessed words ( ordered by likelihoods ), and the user can opt to select the correct guesses and / or add new ones . this is the feedback for our meta - learner . here , ignoring the non - wordnet words in either vocabulary ( to be able to use the wordnet similarity measure uniformly , and to reduce noise in the feedback ), we have a consolidated vocabulary of 329 unique words . two different black - box annotation systems , which use different approaches to image tagging , are used in our experiments . a good meta - learner should fare well for different underlying black - box systems , which is what we set out to explore here . the first is alipr , which is a real - time , online system , and the second is a recently proposed approach that was shown to outperform earlier systems . for both models , we are provided guessed tags given an image , ordered by decreasing likelihoods . annotation performance is gauged using three standard measures , namely precision , recall and f 1 - score that have been used in the past . specifically , for each image , ( harmonic mean of precision and recall ). results reported in each case are averages over all images tested on . the ‘ lightweight ’ nature of our meta - learner is validated by the fact that the re - training of each visual category in [ 2 ] and [ 1 ] are reported as 109 sec . and 106 sec . respectively . therefore , at best , re - training will take these times when the models are built ally in parallel . in contrast , our meta - learner re - trains on 10 , 000 images in ˜ 6 . 5 sec . on a single machine . furthermore , the additional computation due to the meta - learner during annotation is negligible . in [ 1 ], it was reported that 24 , 000 corel images , drawn from 600 image categories were used for training , and 10 , 000 test images were used to assess performance . we use this system as black - box by obtaining the word guesses made by it , along with the corresponding ground - truth , for each image . our meta - learner uses an additional l seed = 2 , 000 images ( randomly chosen ) from the corel dataset as the seed data . therefore , effectively , ( black - box + meta - learner ) uses 26 , 000 instead of 24 , 000 images for training . we present results on this static case in table i . results for our meta - learner approach are shown for both top r ( r = 5 ) and threshold r % ( r = 60 ), as described elsewhere herein . the baseline results are those reported in [ 1 ]. note the significant jump in performance with our meta - learner in both cases . effectively , this improvement comes at the cost of only 2 , 000 extra images and marginal addition to computation time . next , we experiment with real - world data obtained from alipr , which we use as the black - box , and the data is treated as a batch here , to emulate a static scenario . we use both data traces consisting of 10 , 000 images each , the tags guessed by alipr for them , and the user feedback on them , as described before . it turns out that most people provided feedback by selection , and a much smaller fraction typed in new tags . as a result , the recall is by default very high for the black - box system , but it also yields poor precision . for each trace , our meta - leaner is trained on l seed = 2 , 000 seed images , and tested on the remaining 8 , 000 images . in table ii , averaged - out results for our meta - learner approach for both top r ( r = 5 ) and threshold r % ( r = 75 ), as described earlier , are presented alongside the baseline performance on the same data ( all 15 and top 5 guesses ). again we observe significant performance improvements over the baseline in both cases . as is intuitive , a lower percentile cut - off for threshold , or a higher number r of top words both lead to higher recall , at the cost of lower precision . therefore , either number can be adjusted according to the specific needs of the application . we now look at the t / t case . because the alipr data was generated online in a real - world setting , it makes an apt test data for our t / t approach . again , the black - box here is the alipr system , from which we obtain the guessed tags and user feedback . the annotation performance of this system acts as a baseline for all experiments that follow . first , we experiment with the two data traces separately . for each trace , a seed data consisting of the first l seed = 1 , 000 images ( in temporal order ) is used to initially train the meta - learner . re - training is performed in intervals of l inter = 200 . we test on the remaining 9 , 000 images of the trace for ( a ) static case , where the meta - learner is not further re - trained , and ( b ) t / t case , where meta - learner is re - trained over time , using ( a ) top r ( r = 5 ), and ( b ) threshold r % ( r = 75 ) for each case . for these experiments , the persistent memory model is used . comparison is made using i and f 1 - score , with the baseline performance being that of alipr , the black - box . here a comparison of recall is not interesting because it is generally high for the baseline ( as explained before ), and it is anyway dependent on the other two measures . these results are shown in fig5 a to 5d . the scores shown are moving averages over 500 images ( or less , for the initial 500 images ). next , we explore how the persistent and transient memory models fare against each other . the main motivation for transient learning is to ‘ forget ’ earlier training data that is irrelevant , due to a shift in trend in the nature of images and / or feedback . because we observed such a shift between alipr traces # 1 and # 2 ( being taken over distinct time - periods ), we merged them together to obtain a new 20 , 000 image trace to emulate a scenario of shifting trend . performing a seed learning over images 4 , 001 to 5 , 000 ( part of trace # 1 ), we test on the trace from 5 , 001 to 15 , 000 . the results for the two memory models for t / t , along with the static and baseline cases , are presented in fig6 a and 6b . note the performance dynamics around the 10 , 000 mark where the two traces merge . while the persistent and transient models follow each other closely till around this mark , the latter performs better after it ( by up to 10 %, in precision ), verifying our hypothesis that under significant changes , ‘ forgetting ’ helps to produce a better - adapted meta - learner . a strategic question to ask , on implementation , is ‘ how often should we re - train the meta - learner , and at what cost ?’. to analyze this , we experimented with the 10 , 000 images in alipr trace # 1 , varying the interval l inter , between retraining while keeping everything else identical , and measuring the f 1 - score . in each case , the computation time is noted ( ignoring the latency incurred due to user waits , treated as constant here ). these durations are normalized by the maximum time incurred , i . e ., at l inter = 100 . these results are presented in fig7 a and 7b . note that with increasing gaps in re - training , f 1 - score decreases to a certain extent , while computation time saturates quickly , to the amount needed exclusively for tagging . there is a clear trade - off between computational overhead and the f 1 - score achieved . a graph of this nature can therefore help decide on this trade - off for a given application . finally , in fig8 , we show an image sampling from a large number of cases where we found the annotation performance to improve meaningfully with re - training over time . specifically , against time 0 is shown the top 5 tags given to the image by alipr , along with the meta - learner guesses after training over l 1 = 1000 and l 2 = 3000 images over time . clearly , more correct tags are pushed up by the meta - learning process , which improves with more re - training data . in this specification , we have disclosed a principled lightweight meta - learning framework for image annotation , and through extensive experiments on two different state - of - the - art black - box annotation systems have shown that a meta - learning layer can vastly improve their performance . we have additionally disclosed a new annotation scenario which has considerable potential for real - world implementation . taking advantage of the lightweight design of our meta - learner , we have set of a ‘ tagging over time ’ algorithm for efficient re - training of the meta - learner over time , as new user - feedback become available . experimental results on standard and real - world datasets show dramatic improvements in performance . we have experimentally contrasted two memory models for meta - learner re - training . the meat - learner approach to annotation appears to have a number of attractive properties , and it seems worthwhile to implement it atop other existing systems to strengthen this conviction . r . datta , w . ge , j . li j . wang ; “ toward briding the annotation - retrieval gap in image search by a generative modeling approach .” in proc . acm multimedia , 2006 . [ 2 ] j . li and j . wang ; “ real - time computerized annotation of pictures .” in proc . acm multimedia 2006 . | 6 |
the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure , its application , or uses . for purposes of clarity , the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify similar elements . as used herein , the phrase at least one of a , b , and c should be construed to mean a logical ( a or b or c ), using a non - exclusive logical “ or .” it should be understood that steps within a method may be executed in different order without altering the principles of the present disclosure . embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures , wherein like numerals reflect like elements throughout . embodiments of the invention may include several novel features , no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the invention described herein . the words proximal and distal are applied herein to denote specific ends of components of the instrument described herein . for example only , a proximal end refers to the end of an instrument nearer to an operator of the instrument when the instrument is being used . a distal end refers to the end of a component further from the operator and extending towards the surgical area of a patient and / or the implant . similarly , the words left and right , top and bottom , and upper and lower may denote opposite sides of a component . referring now to fig1 - 6 , an exemplary stand alone interbody fixation system 100 for spinal surgeries includes a cage 102 and an attachment member 104 . the cage 102 may include a substantially annular shape formed by an anterior wall 106 , lateral walls 108 and 110 , and a posterior wall 112 that form a substantially hollow interior 114 . a plurality of grooves 115 on upper and lower surfaces of the cage 102 may improve attachment of the cage 102 to the vertebrae . the attachment member 104 may include one or more fixation blades 116 a - b ( collectively blades 116 ) coupled to a shaft 118 at a hub 119 . the shaft 118 may extend through into at least one of the walls 106 - 112 . for example , in the present example , the shaft 118 extends through the anterior wall 106 , a portion of the hollow interior 114 , and into the posterior wall 112 . one or more of the blades 116 may be positioned exterior to the walls 106 - 112 . the blades 116 may rotate about the shaft 118 to engage vertebrae above and below the cage 102 . other typical stand alone interbody fixation systems may include interior blades within the hollow interior of a cage . because these interior blades must fit within the hollow interior of the cage , the dimensions must be limited to the dimensions of the interior sides of the various walls comprising the cage . further , because the interior blades fill a portion of the hollow interior , less volume is available for packing of bone graft material . the exterior blades 116 provide a larger radius of travel or arc length than prior stand alone interbody spacer systems having blades that deploy from the hollow interior 114 . for example , in the cervical region of the spine , vertebrae and intervertebral disc space are substantially smaller than in lower regions of the spine . therefore , spacers with internal blades are substantially limited in terms of arc length and engagement with the adjacent vertebrae . by positioning the blades external to the spacer / cage , the blades may include radial lengths greater than internal blades . although the exterior blades 116 of the present example are substantially formed in right angles , other blade configurations may include curved blades , helical blades , and additional toothed and spiked blades . fig6 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the system 100 showing additional features for coupling the cage 102 and the attachment member 104 . the anterior wall 106 of the cage 102 may include an anterior aperture 120 . the anterior aperture 120 may also include a keyed portion 122 that engages portions of the shaft 118 to lock the system 100 in one or more configurations . for example , the hub 119 may include posterior projections 123 configured to snap into the keyed portion 122 . the posterior wall 112 of the cage may include a posterior aperture 124 . the posterior aperture 124 may include a slot 126 for guiding the shaft 118 through the posterior wall 112 . the attachment member 104 may be rotated from a non - deployed first configuration to a deployed second configuration by rotating the shaft 118 as illustrated in fig7 a - 7c and 8 a - 8 c . for example , a deployment instrument ( not shown ) may engage a driving feature 127 of the hub 119 . the cage 102 may include nesting features for receiving the attachment member 104 within portions of the walls 106 - 112 in the first configuration . for example , in fig6 , the side walls 108 and 110 include recessed portions 128 and 130 configured to partially engage the attachment member 104 . the blades 116 of the attachment member 104 may comprise an anterior member 132 extending substantially parallel with the anterior wall 106 and including the hub 119 . a first arm 134 may extend posteriorly from the anterior member 132 and proximate to the first side wall 108 to form the first blade 116 a . a second arm 136 may extend posteriorly from the anterior member 132 and proximate to the second side wall 110 to form the second blade 116 b . first recessed portion 128 may permit nesting of the first arm 134 such that the outer surfaces of the first arm 134 and the side wall 108 are substantially flush with one another . likewise , second recessed portion 130 may permit nesting of the second arm 136 such that the outer surfaces of the second arm 136 and the side wall 110 are flush with one another . thus , the attachment member 104 may form a substantially unitary , u - shaped construction that surrounds the cage 102 . posterior ends of the blades 116 may include piercing members 138 such as spikes , claws , and the like for piercing the endplates of the vertebrae . referring now to fig7 a - 7c and 8 a - 8 c , the system 100 may be deployed by rotating the shaft 118 within the cage 102 . in fig7 a and 8a , the system 100 is in a first non - deployed configuration with the first and second arms 134 and 136 nesting within the first and second recessed portions 128 and 130 respectively . the system 100 includes a slim profile for insertion into the intervertebral space . the deployment instrument ( not shown ) may engage the recess 127 of the hub 119 and apply a torque to rotate the attachment member 104 and deploy the system 100 . as the shaft 118 rotates within the apertures 120 and 124 in fig7 b and 8b , the first arm 134 may disengage the first recessed portion 128 and the second arm 136 may disengage the second recessed portion 130 . rotation of the arms 134 and 136 positions the piercing members 138 closer to the endplates and begins engage the piercing members 138 with the endplates of the vertebrae . in fig7 c and 8 c , the system 100 is in a fully deployed configuration with the first and second arms 134 and 136 fully rotated and disposed at right angles relative to the cage 102 . the piercing members 138 may fully engage the endplates of the vertebrae . the exterior fixation blades 116 may include a radius r 1 of extension away from the shaft 118 that is greater than a radius r 2 of typical interior blades of the prior art . the larger radius r 1 provides greater encroachment and engagement within the endplates of the vertebrae . exterior blades also provide increased volume within the hollow interior 114 of the cage 102 . including blades that are exterior to the cage may present additional concerns regarding safety of the surgeon while handling the system 100 . the system 100 may further comprise sterile packaging conducive to both transport and loading into the insertion / deployment tools . the tools themselves may include a protective sheath , sleeve , or outer members that surround the system 100 to prevent contact with the exterior blades 116 . example embodiments of the methods and systems of the present invention have been described herein . as noted elsewhere , these example embodiments have been described for illustrative purposes only , and are not limiting . other embodiments are possible and are covered by the invention . such embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art ( s ) based on the teachings contained herein . thus , the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above - described exemplary embodiments but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents . the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms . therefore , while this disclosure includes particular examples , the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings , the specification , and the following claims . | 0 |
the block copolymers used herein are recognized as linear a - b - a triblock copolymers or radial - block copolymers , or as a - b - a - b - a - b multi - block copolymers where the a block is styrene and the b block is butadiene and wherein the copolymer contains 38 to 55 parts styrene per 100 parts copolymer . these copolymers may be prepared using methods taught , for example , in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 239 , 478 ; 3 , 427 , 269 ; 3 , 700 , 633 ; 3 , 753 , 936 ; and 3 , 932 , 327 . alternatively , they may be obtained from firestone under the tradenames stereon 840 a and stereon 845 , from shell under the tradename dx1150 and from enichem ( italy ) under the tradename sol t162 . the tackifying resins useful in these adhesive compositions can be hydrocarbon resins , synthetic polyterpenes , hydrogenated rosin esters , and the like . more particularly , the useful tackifying resins include any compatible resins or mixtures thereof such as ( 1 ) glycerol and pentaerythritol esters of modified hydrogenated rosins , such , for example as the glycerol ester of hydrogenated rosin , ( 2 ) copolymers and terpolymers of natural terpenes , e . g . styrene / terpene and alpha methyl styrene / terpene ; ( 3 ) polyterpene resins having a softening point , as determined by astm method e28 - 58t , of from about 80 to 150 ° c . ; the latter polyterpene resins generally resulting from the polymerization of terpene hydrocarbons , such as the bicyclic monoterpene known as pinene , in the presence of friedel - crafts catalysts at moderately low temperatures ; also included are ( 4 ) the hydrogenated polyterpene resins ; and ( 5 ) copolymers of aliphatic and aromatic monomers such as wingtack 86 available from goodyear tire and rubber company . while other known tackifying resins are not useful as the sole tackifier in the composition , it is possible to obtain satisfactory results utilizing a blend of tackifiers where a substantial portion of the blend is comprised of one of the tackifiers represented above . the selection of the particular tackifying agent is , in large part , dependent upon the specific block copolymers employed . generally the tackifier is present in the hot melt adhesive in an amount of 30 - 70 %, preferably 50 to 60 %, by weight . various plasticizing or extending oils are also present in the composition in amounts of 10 % to about 30 %, preferably 15 to 20 %, by weight in order to provide wetting action and / or viscosity control it is desirable that the amount of oil present in the adhesive not exceed the amount of the block polymer . the usual plasticizing oils such as paraffinic and naphthenic oils are preferred ; however , the invention also contemplates the use of the olefin oligomers and low molecular weight polymers as well as vegetable and animal oil and their derivatives . the petroleum derived oils which may be employed are relatively high boiling materials containing only a minor proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons ( preferably less than 30 % and , more particularly , less than 15 % by weight of the oil ). alternatively , the oil may be totally non - aromatic . the oligomers may be polypropylenes , polybutenes , hydrogenated polyisoprene , hydrogenated polybutadiene , or the like having average molecular weights between about 350 and about 10 , 000 . vegetable and animal oils include glyceryl esters of the usual fatty acids and polymerization products thereof . additionally , some or all of theoil or some portion of the tackifying resin may be replaced by a liquid tackifying resins such as wingtack 10 ( a low molecular weight liquid aliphatic synethetic polyterpene plasticizing resin ). various petroleum derived waxes may also be used in amounts less than about 15 % by weight of the composition in order to impart fluidity in the molten condition of the adhesive and flexibility to the set adhesive , and to serve as a wetting agent . the term &# 34 ; petroleum derived wax &# 34 ; includes both paraffin and microcrystalline waxes having melting points within the range of 54 - 110 ° c . as well as synthetic waxes such as low molecular weight polyethylene or fisher - tropsch waxes . among the applicable stabilizers or antioxidants utilized herein are included high molecular weight hindered phenols and multifunctional phenols such as suflur and phosphorous - containing phenols . hindered phenols are well known to those skilled in the art and may be characterized as phenolic compounds which also contain sterically bulky radicals in close proximity to the phenolic hydroxyl group hereof . in particular , tertiary butyl groups generally substituted onto the benzene ring in at least one of the ortho positions relative to the phenolic hydroxy group . the presence of these sterically bulky substituted radicals in the vicinity of the hydroxyl group serves to retard its stretching frequency and , correspondingly , its reactivity ; this steric hindrance thus providing the phenolic compound with its stabilizing properties . representative hindered phenols include : 1 , 3 , 5 - trimethyl 2 , 4 , 6 - tris ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxybenzyl ) benzene ; pentaerythrityl tetrakis - 3 ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl ) propionate ; n - octadecyl - 3 ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl )- propionate ; 4 , 4 &# 39 ; methylenebis ( 2 , 6 - tert - butylphenol ); 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- thiobis ( 6 - tert - butyl - o - cresol ); 2 , 6 - ditertbutylphenol ; 6 -( 4 - hydroxyphenoxy )- 2 , 4 - bis -( n - octyl - thio )- 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine ; di - n - octadecyl 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - benzylphosphonate ; 2 -( n - octylthio ) ethyl 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl -- 4 - hydroxy - benzoate ; and sorbitol hexa [ 3 -( 3 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl )- propionate ]; zinc di - n - butyl dithiocarbamate and zinc diethyl dithiocarbamate . the performance of these antioxidants may be further enhanced by utilizing , in conjunction therewith known synergists such , for example , as thiodipropionate esters and phosphites , particularly useful is distearylthiodipropionate . these stabilizers are generally present in amounts of about 0 . 1 to 2 weight percent , preferably 0 . 25 to 1 . 0 %. in formulating the hot melt adhesives of the present invention , the styrene - butadiene copolymer is used in an amount of 20 - 40 % by weight , preferably 25 to 35 %; with 30 - 70 %, preferably 50 - 60 %, of a tackifier ; 10 - 30 %, preferably 15 - 20 %, of a plasticizing oil and a small effective amount of an antioxidant . other additives such as plasticizers , pigments , dystuffs conventionally added to hot melt adhesives for the various end uses contemplated may also be incorporated in minor amounts into the formulations of the present invention . the adhesive compositions are prepared by blending the components in the melt at a temperature of about 130 - 200 ° c . until a homogeneous blend is obtained , approximately 2 hours . various methods of blending are known to the art and any method that produces a homogeneous blend is satisfactory . an exemplary procedure involves placing the block copolymer , antioxidants and a portion of the oil in a jacketed mixing kettle , for example in a jacketed heavy duty mixer of the baker - perkins type , which is equipped with rotors and thereupon raising the temperature to a range of from about 120 ° to 180 ° c . when the mixture has been masticated to a uniform consistency , the tackifying resin and the remainder of the oil are gradually added in order to avoid the formation of lumps . mixing and heating are continued until a smooth , homogeneous mass is obtained whereupon the remainder of the tackifying resin and the oil are thoroughly and uniformly admixed therewith . the resultant hot melt adhesives are generally produced in bulk form and packaged in release coated containers . the resulting hot - melt pressure sensitive adhesive , once it is heated to a temperature where it will flow readily , can be applied directly to the outer covering layer of the absorbent structure or article or it may be reverse ( transfer ) coated onto release paper using any of the techniques known in the art , including flow coating , roller coating , knife coating , or the like . the adhesive can also be extruded into place by using a hot - melt extruder or die face . in the following illustrative examples , all parts are by weight and all temperatures in degrees celsius unless otherwise specified . a series of adhesive formulations were prepared based on stereon 845 , a multi - block copolymer available from shell containing approximately 50 % styrene , varying the tackifying agent used . ______________________________________ formulation ( weight %) ingredient 1 2 3 4 5 6______________________________________stereon 845 27 . 5 27 . 5 27 . 5 27 . 5 27 . 5 27 . 5naphthenic oil 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5wingtack 10 ( 1 ) 10 10 10 10 10 10arkon m 100 ( 2 ) 55 -- -- -- -- -- permalyn 85 ( 3 ) -- 55 -- -- -- -- zonatac lite 105 ( 4 ) -- -- 55 -- -- -- escorez 5300 ( 5 ) -- -- -- 55 -- -- foral 105 ( 6 ) -- -- -- -- 55 -- wingtack 86 ( 7 ) -- -- -- -- -- 55irganox 1010 ( 8 ) 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25irgaphos 168 ( 8 ) 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25______________________________________ ( 1 ) wingtack 10 is a liquid tackifying resin available fromgoodyear tire and rubber company . ( 2 ) arkon m100 is a hydrogenated aromatic tackifying resinavailable from arakawa k . k . ( japan ). ( 3 ) permalyn 85 is a glycerol ester of resin available fromhercules chemical . ( 4 ) zonatac lite 105 is a aromatic modified terpene resinavailable from arizona chemical . ( 5 ) escorez 5300 is a hydrogenated dicyclopentadiene resinavailable from exxon corpration . ( 6 ) foral 105 is a hydrogenated rosin ester available fromhercules chemical . ( 7 ) wingtack 86 is an aliphatic - aromatic copolymer availablefrom goodyear tire and rubber company . ( 8 ) antioxidant system . another series of adhesive formulations was preparedvarying the block copolymers employed . formulation ( weight %) ingredient % styrene 7 8 9 10wingtack 86 -- 55 55 55 55kraton 1102 ( 9 ) 28 % 27 . 5 -- -- -- stereon 840a 40 % -- 27 . 5 -- -- dx 1150 ( 10 ) 38 % -- -- 27 . 5 -- sol t162 ( 11 ) 40 % -- -- -- 27 . 5naphthenic oil -- 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5wingtack 10 -- 10 10 10 10irganox 1010 -- 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25irgaphos 168 -- 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 0 . 25 ( 9 ) a block copolymer available from shell chemicalcontaining 28 % styrene . ( 10 ) a block polymer available from shell chemicalcontaining 38 % styrene . ( 11 ) a block copolymer available from enichem ( italy ). as a comparison , a formulation was prepared from 15 . 75 parts kraton g1650 ( styrene = 28 - 30 %), 25 parts oil , 59 - 25 parts wingtack 95 and an antioxidant according to the teachings of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 136 , 699 . samples were prepared for testing by coating a 1 . 75 - 2 . 25 mil thickness of the adhesive on a mylar substrate ( trademark of dow chemical corp .). after conditioning overnight , 1 inch by 3 inch ( 2 . 54 by 7 . 82 cm .) strips were cut in the x - machine direction . all tests were performed on samples as initially prepared and then repeated after subjecting the adhesives to heat aging at 175 ° c . for 24 hours . the coated samples were laminated to cotton knit fabric ( placed on glass ) using two passes with a 4 . 5 lb . ( 2 kg ) roller . immediately after lamination , the coated sample was pulled from the cotton knit using the shear mode on an instron tester at a crosshead speed of 20 inches ( 50 cm ) per minute . values shown are for an average of at least three samples and are expressed in grams per linear inch . the coated samples was laminated to cotton knit fabric by placing the knit on glass plates in an oven equilibrated to 40 ° c . and placing the sample on top of the knit with a load of 150 grams per square inch for a period of 60 minutes . the sample was then peeled away from the cotton knit in a 180 ° direction using an instron tester at crosshead speed of 20 inches ( 50 cm ) per minute . values shown are for an average of at least three samples and are expressed in grams per linear inch . the coated sample was laminated to cotton knit as for the dynamic shear test . then using a crosshead speed of 20 inches ( 50 cm ) per minute , the coated samples were pulled away from the cotton knit immediately and after 30 minutes conditioning at room temperature . values are shown in grams per linear inch for an average of at least three samples at each time interval . the coated sample was laminated to cotton knit fabric by placing the knit on glass plates in an oven equilibrated to 49 ° c . and laminating with a 800 gram per square inch load for 24 hours . the sample was then peeled away from the cotton knit in 180 ° direction on an instron tester at crosshead speed of 20 inches ( 50 cm ) per minute . values shown are for an average of at least three samples and are expressed in grams per linear inch . the adhesive residue left on the cotton knit is noted qualitatively . two hundred grams of the adhesive were placed in a clean glass jar , tightly covered with aluminum foil and placed in an oven equilibrated to 176 ° for 24 hours . the adhesive was then examined visually for stains , char , separation , gel , edge rim and color . the viscosity was measured and compared with the initial viscosity . test results for formulations 1 - 10 as well as the control are presented in table i . table i__________________________________________________________________________test formulation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 control__________________________________________________________________________cotton peel ( initial ) 170 468 213 43 240 255 400 317 125 132 225 ( after aging ) 155 600 218 45 295 268 415 270 107 125 257peel retention ( initial ) 297 699 245 8 666 932 1035 1041 518 890 932 ( after aging ) 327 611 218 21 690 950 1078 1171 690 775 869peel retention * ( initial ) 294 630 224 14 763 893 920 950 521 751 893 ( after aging ) 288 593 248 29 702 787 781 1111 490 572 412dynamic cotton shear ( initial ) 1233 2783 1000 83 2417 3567 4367 4083 2550 3567 3567 ( after aging ) 1100 2850 1233 67 1867 3367 4450 4050 3500 2967 3133transfer ( initial ) 1060 2467 2133 483 2125 1275 2583 2225 4313 867 1275 ( after aging ) 1067 2517 1342 433 1700 1050 2900 2217 1083 617 983qualitative transfer ( initial ) none moderate none none none none heavy none none none none ( after aging ) none moderate none none none none heavy none none none noneheat stability good good good good good good good good good good good__________________________________________________________________________ * test procedure repeated after conditioning at room temperature for 1 / 2 hour . the results presented above show that only when adhesives are formulated using the high styrene content block copolyer with the specific classes of tackifying agents described herein are compositions obtained characterized by a high degree of adhesion and low transfer as desired for commercial positioning adhesive applications . thus , formulations 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 and 10 prepared with block copolymers containing at least 38 % styrene and with tackifiers from the specified classes provided adhesive compositions which would be satisfactory for commercial application and in some cases , gave adhesive strength values greater than or equivalent to those achieved with the present commercially utilized product with little or no increase in transfer . in contrast , use of the high styrene polymers with other tackifiers in formulations 2 , 4 , and 7 exhibited substantially poorer adhesive strength values or undesirable transfer . | 0 |
fig1 is a perspective view displaying a multimodal resonant cavity for heating and polymerizing cylindrical rods . fig2 is a top view of an installation comprising a multimodal resonant cavity with a measuring system for controlling certain adjustments . fig3 is a polymerization line for cylindrical rods using three multimodal resonant cavities . fig1 illustrates a cell according to the invention , constructed of an aluminum sheet 1 . 5 mm thick , for operation at a frequency f = 2450 mhz . it is illustrated in the form of a parallelepipedal enclosure , the dimensions of which , perpendicular to the respective sides a , b , and c are determined according to the relationship length l =( 2k + 1 )× λ / 4 and are as follows : microwave energy is introduced through a rectangular opening 43 × 86 mm in one of the walls , for example wall b , of the enclosure . the microwave energy is conducted by means of a suitable wave guide 2 , for example a type rg 112 wave guide , affixed to the enclosure 1 by a flange 3 . the wall a and the opposed wall of the enclosure parallel to wall a , have a series of aligned orifices 4 . each orifice 4 carries a metallic tube 5 which permits the material 6 to traverse the cell while assuring effective shielding of microwave radiation from the enclosure . ducts 5 &# 39 ;, closely sized to the material 6 and formed of a suitable dielectric material such as polytetrafluoroethylene , extend between the tubes 5 and are provided to protect the interior of the enclosure from solvent vapors or the like that may escape out of the material 6 . in the interior of the enclosure , and parallel to the side opposite to that which supports the wave guide 2 , i . e ., facing the direction of incident energy , is a movable metallic plate 7 that may be formed of aluminum . the dimensions of the plate are length a - 20 mm ( i . e ., 438 mm ) and length c - 20 mm , that is 194 mm . this plate is mounted on posts 10 and is biased toward the interior of the enclosure by springs 11 . a threaded control spindle 9 is fixed to the center of the plate 7 . a rotatable threaded member 8 on the exterior of the enclosure coacts with the spindle 9 to provide for displacement of the plate 7 a distance on the order of 2 cm . a graduated knob 8 &# 39 ; engaging the threaded member 8 , marks the position of the plate . movement of the plate 7 provides for rough adjustment of the tuning of the enclosure to minimize reflected energy . on the wall c of the enclosure , is mounted a rotatable spindle 12 aligned with the axis of the wave guide 2 and disposed at a right angle thereto . the spindle 12 carries a planar member or plate 13 , the dimensions of which are 55 × 55 mm . the lower edge of the plate is approximately 70 mm from the wall c and is above the ducts 5 &# 39 ;. the spindle 12 is provided with a graduated knob 12 &# 39 ; for indicating the orientation of the plate 13 with respect to the axis of the wave guide 2 . referring to fig2 the wave guide 2 has mounted thereon a bi - directional connector of known type that provides for detection of incident and reflected energy passing through the wave guide . the incident and reflected energies are measured by milliwattmeters 16 and 16 &# 39 ; provided with standard bolometers . incident power is read from the meter 16 and reflected power is read from the meter 16 &# 39 ;. by observing the respective meter readings , the control knobs 8 &# 39 ; and 12 &# 39 ;, that allow for the displacement of plate 7 and the rotation of planar member 13 respectively , can be adjusted to minimize the reflected power with the stationary wave length ( tos ) near 1 . 1 , thereby providing optimum conditions for production . a differential measuring element 17 may be used to detect the differences between the readings of meters 16 and 16 &# 39 ; and generate a suitable control signal for changing the position of the plate 13 by appropriate means such as a servomotor with appropriate feedback circuitry . this provides for automatic regulation of optimum conditions . referring to fig3 there is shown a complete polymerization section for cylindrical rods . a microwave generator 18 supplies energy through wave guides 20 and power dividers 19a , 19b and fitting 21 to enclosures 1a , 1b , 1c respectively . the first cell 1a receives half the power from generator 18 by means of divider 19a . the other half of the power is supplied to divider 19b which in turn supplies a quarter of the total power to cell 1b and a quarter of the total power to cell 1c . this distribution permits the cell 1a to heat the treated material to the ideal polymerization temperature and the other cells merely need to supply sufficient heat to assure continuance of the reaction temperature . measuring systems 15a , 15b and 15c of the type previously discussed in connection with fig2 each having milliwattmeters 16 , 16 &# 39 ;, are utilized to assure the optimum conditions for each cell . between the cells 1a , 1b and 1c , are forming components , such as a carrier plate 22 with short metallic dies , as well as thermal insulation sleeves 23 that reduce heat loss between the heating cells . conventional components for forming and conveying the formed structure are placed upstream and downstream from the apparatus shown in fig3 and no further explanation of these components is believed necessary . by way of example , utilizing the apparatus illustrated in fig3 the simultaneous polymerization of four rods of polyester resin 20 mm in diameter , reinforced with glass fiber , was accomplished at a speed of 1 m / mn , using a 5 kw generator , supplying electromagnetic energy at a frequency of 2450 mhz . | 7 |
the medical bipolar coagulation instrument , as shown especially in fig1 and 2 , consists essentially of a hollow shaft 1 configured as a suction / flushing channel , a handle 2 mounted on the proximal end of the shaft 1 , and two electrode tips 3 and 4 that extend beyond the hollow shaft 1 on the distal end . as can be seen in particular from fig2 , the hollow shaft 1 is configured in several layers consisting of an inner tube 5 , an electrically insulating layer 6 that coaxially surrounds the inner tube 5 , an outer tube 7 that coaxially surrounds the inner tube 5 as well as the insulating layer 6 , and an electrically insulating layer 8 that coaxially surrounds the outer tube 7 . in the illustrated embodiment the insulating layers 6 and 8 , which on the one hand electrically insulate the tubes 5 and 7 with respect to one another and on the other hand electrically insulate the shaft 1 from the outside , are configured as shrink hoses that surround the tubes 5 and 7 in form - locked manner . it is also possible of course to obtain the electrical insulation of the tubes 5 and 7 with respect to one another and from the environment also by means of other electrically insulating layers , such as by coating the tubes 5 and 7 with electrically insulating layers made of plastic or ceramic material . the tubes 5 and 7 , in turn , are at least partly electrically conductive in configuration , so that the tubes 5 and 7 simultaneously constitute the electrodes of the bipolar coagulation instrument . to configure the actual electrode tips 3 and 4 , on the distal ends of the inner tube 5 and of the outer tube 7 , tubular sections are configured , protruding in finger - like manner , which extend beyond the distal end of the shaft 1 , as shown in fig1 and 3 . these finger - like protruding electrode tips 3 and 4 are positioned opposite one another on the distal end of the shaft 1 . the multi - layered structure of the hollow shaft 1 can be seen both from the explosion drawing in fig2 and in particular from fig3 and 4 , which show the distal end of the shaft 1 that includes the electrode tips 3 and 4 . the external insulating layer 8 has been omitted from fig3 to allow a clearer view of the configuration of the electrode tips 3 and 4 as a distal extension of the tubes 5 and 7 . it can also be seen from fig3 and 4 how the tubes 5 and 7 are geometrically configured in the area of the transition to the electrode tips 3 and 4 . to ensure a form - locked positioning and gapless insulation of the insulating layers 6 and 8 on the tubes 5 and 7 in the area of the distal free ends of the tubes 5 and 7 , beveled surfaces 5 a and 7 a , inclined diagonally inward , are configured on the free ends of the tubes 5 and 7 . the configuration of the tubes 5 and 7 , which constitute the hollow shaft 1 , as electrodes of the bipolar coagulation instrument has the advantage that the entire free cross - section of the hollow shaft 1 is available as a suction and / or flushing channel and no cabling is required inside the shaft 1 . to configure the hollow shaft 1 as a suction and / or flushing channel , the handle 2 comprises on its proximal end a suction and / or flushing connection 9 for coupling to an external suction and / or flushing line . the handle 2 in addition comprises a current connection 10 by which the tubes 5 and 7 configured as electrodes can be charged with current . to make it possible for the operator to be able easily and quickly to regulate the suction capacity via the hollow shaft 1 configured as a suction and / or flushing channel , the hollow shaft 1 in the area of the handle 2 comprises a throttle opening 11 that connects the interior of the suction and / or flushing channel with the ambient air . in the illustrated embodiment the throttle opening 11 is configured as a borehole running essentially radially . different - shaped throttle openings 11 , such as oval , rectilinear , or similarly configured openings , are also possible of course . as can be seen in particular from fig5 and 6 , the throttle opening 11 is configured and placed on the handle in such a way that the operator can open and close the throttle 11 again with one finger , for instance with a finger of the hand that is also being used for holding the handle 2 to guide the instrument . the throttle opening 11 here is advantageously of such dimensions that with the throttle opening 11 completely opened , the suction capacity essentially comes to a stop , because so much ambient air is drawn in by the opened throttle opening 11 that the suction capacity does not extend as far as the distal end of the shaft 1 . the farther the operator closes the throttle opening 11 with a finger , the stronger becomes the suction capacity inside the hollow shaft and thereby the suction capacity from the operating area by way of the distal end of the shaft 1 . to prevent the eventuality in the area of the throttle opening 11 of a short - circuit between the tubes 5 and 7 , which are constructed as electrodes , as a result of liquid or of shunting by the operator &# 39 ; s finger , in the area of the throttle opening 11 , in the outer tube 7 , a recess 12 is configured surrounding the throttle opening 11 at a distance on all sides , for instance in the form of a clearance milling , as can be seen from fig6 , in which the outer insulating layer 8 has been omitted to allow better visibility . as can be seen from fig2 , the outer insulating layer 8 in the area of the throttle opening 11 also comprises a recess 13 that surrounds the throttle opening 11 at a distance on all sides , in order to ensure complete closing of the throttle opening 11 by means of one of the operator &# 39 ; s fingers . a bipolar coagulation instrument as described above is differentiated in particular in that , on the one hand , it is composed in simple manner using only a few components and thus is configured so that it can be installed at reasonable price and , on the other hand , because of the configuration of the tubes 5 and 7 , which constitute the hollow shaft 1 , as electrodes of the bipolar coagulation instrument , the entire free cross - section of the hollow shaft 1 is available as a suction and / or flushing channel . in addition , the configuration of the throttle opening 11 allows for easy , rapid , and effective regulation of the suction capacity in the interior of the hollow shaft 1 , which is configured as a suction and / or flushing channel . | 0 |
fig2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention . elements which correspond to elements in fig1 are indicated by the same symbols and their descriptions are omitted . according to the present invention , an analog test system is designed so that it can calibrate both dc and ac levels . an analog switching device 27 is coupled between a precision power source 26 and an analog signal measuring unit 21 as a component of the ac level calibration circuit of the analog test system 10 &# 39 ; of the present invention . the analog switching device 27 is controlled by a digital signal generator 14 during ac level calibration , so that an ac level calibration signal is supplied to a waveform digitizer 23 in the analog signal measuring unit 21 . an output from the precision power source 26 is supplied to the digitizer 23 through a dc level calibration switch s 1 , and is also supplied to the analog switching device 27 , from which it passes through an ac level calibration switch s 2 to the digitizer 23 . further , an output from an analog signal generator 13 is supplied to the digitizer 23 through a signal generator calibration switch s 3 . all of these switches ( s 1 - s 3 ), and a test switch s 4 between an analog signal output terminal 18a in a dut 19 and the digitizer 23 , are controlled by the signal from the digital signal generator 14 . for testing the dut 19 , all the test switches must be open except the test switch s 4 , so that the analog signal outputs from the dut 19 pass directly to the digitizer 23 . in contrast , for dc level calibration , all the test switches except the dc calibration switch s 1 are open so that dc voltage v 1 of the precision power source 26 is supplied to the digitizer 23 . in addition , by closing the signal generator calibration switch s 3 , the signals from the analog signal generator 13 are directed to the digitizer 23 , which has completed its dc level calibration . since the waveform digitizer 23 has finished its calibration , a dc level calibration of the analog signal generator 13 will then be performed . according to the present invention , an ac level calibration is completed by closing only the ac calibration switch s 2 and controlling the analog switching device 27 , so that ac level calibration signals are directed to the waveform digitizer 23 . fig3 is a more detailed block diagram of the analog switching device 27 and its connection through the ac level calibration switch s 2 to the digitizer 23 of the present invention . a high quality direct current power source is utilized for the precision power source 26 , and its output voltage v 1 is supplied to an input terminal 31 in the digitizer 23 through a first analog switch 27a and a coaxial cable 29 via the ac level calibration switch s 2 . the signal supplied to the input terminal 31 then passes through a resistor 34 which is connected to an analog test system &# 39 ; s ground . the coaxial cable 29 is also connected to a second analog switch 27b which is controlled inversely from the first analog switch 27a and which is connected to ground . therefore , with this second analog switch 27b , the input terminal 31 can be connected to ground via the coaxial cable 29 . an outer conductor 38 of the coaxial cable 29 is also connected to ground and the input terminal 31 . both the first analog switch 27a and the second analog switch 27b are controlled by a control signal from the digital signal generator 14 , which alternately outputs signals &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; during the ac level calibration process . fig4 illustrates a waveform of the control signal . the digital signal generator 4 , for example , outputs a signal &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; for a time period t o and outputs a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; for the next time period t o . consequently , this control signal repeatedly outputs &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; then &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; ( fig4 a ). therefore , the digital signal generator 14 outputs a rectangular wave signal with a duty ratio of 50 percent . this control signal is provided to drive a switch circuit 39 , where first and second on / off signals ( fig4 b and 4c ) are generated . the first and second on / off signals , whose polarities are opposite to each other , are supplied to the first and second switches 27a and 27b , respectively . in this example , first and second analog switches 27a and 27b are open when their respective on / off signals are at h - level , and closed when their respective signals are at l - level ; that is , they are controlled oppositely to each other . for example , when first analog switch 27a is closed and second analog switch 27b is open for a time period t 0 , dc voltage v 1 is supplied to the input terminal 31 of the digitizer 23 . during the next time period to , both analog switches are oppositely controlled ; the first analog switch 27a is open and the second analog switch 27b is closed , so that a ground potential is supplied to the input terminal 31 of the digitizer 23 . then , dc voltage v 1 is supplied during the next time period t o . therefore in this embodiment , as an ac level calibration signal , a precise rectangular waveform is supplied to the digitizer 23 . in fig3 a capacitor c is set to exclude spikes from the first analog switch 27a . according to the present invention , the output from an a / d converter which forms the digitizer 23 is first fourier transformed in a digital signal processor 24 , using either a discrete fourier transform ( dft ), or a fast fourier transform ( fft ). then a fundamental wave level included in the ac level calibration signal measured . finally , the system is ac calibrated based on this fundamental wave level . the rectangular wave shown in fig5 is fourier transformed to produce : as shown in equation ( 1 ), the rectangular waveform is represented by the sum of the fundamental frequency component and the harmonic frequency components . therefore , if there is no ac level error in the digitizer 23 , the amplitude of the fundamental frequency component obtained by signal processor 24 should be 4v 1 / π . fig6 is a spectral map corresponding to the rectangular waveform of fig5 after fourier transformation . the amplitude of the fundamental component 4v 1 / π , in fig6 can be predetermined correctly from the dc voltage v 1 , and the duty ratio of the rectangular waveform in fig5 . thus , by comparing the predetermined value with the fourier transformed value , the ac level error is obtained , and the ac level error is stored in a calibration data file 41 . this data , together previously collected data for dc level error , is used for calibrating the digitizer 23 by adding or subtracting the appropriate error from the appropriate test data . in operation , the complete procedure for ac level calibration in the analog test system of the present invention is as follows : 1 . the dc offset voltage and dc voltage gain in the digitizer 23 is calibrated while a dc reference voltage from the precision power source 26 is supplied . the calibration data is stored in the calibration data file 41 . 2 . an ac level calibration signal is generated by switching back and forth between the reference voltage v 1 from the precision power source 26 and ground . this signal is provided to the digitizer 23 . the output signal from the digitizer 23 is then supplied to the digital signal processor 24 , where a fourier transform is performed on the signal . finally , the waveform digitizer 23 is ac level calibrated by compensating for the difference between the measured fundamental component level and the calculated fundamental component level . this data is also stored in the calibration data file 41 . 3 . the signal which tests the dut 19 is generated by the analog signal generator 13 and is supplied to the digitizer 23 which has completed calibrating steps 1 and 2 above . all the data collected through above steps 1 and 2 are used for calibrating test data , so that test data are compensated for any improper calibration in the analog test system . according to the above embodiment , dc level calibration and ac level calibration are performed using separate components , namely by passing their calibrating signals through a calibration switch s 1 and a calibration switch s 2 respectively . however , in an alternate embodiment , instead of controlling a dc level calibration switch s 1 for dc level calibration in step 1 above , the first analog switch 27a can be closed so that a voltage v 1 from the precision power source 26 is directed to the digitizer 23 before the on / off switching of the first and second analog switches 27a , 27b begins for the ac level calibration . also in the above embodiment , a rectangular waveform having a 50 percent duty ratio is used in ac level calibration as a calibration signal . however , the particular duty ratio of 50 % and the rectangular signal form are not essential for the calibration , i . e ., other duty ratios and waveforms may be employed . in the preferred embodiment , the precision power source 26 is a part of the system itself , but supplying power may be performed by an element outside the analog test system as well . also the driving circuit 39 which controls the first and second analog switches 27a , 27b can be placed outside the analog test system . finally , analog signal measuring unit 21 may be composed of a frequency selection level meter ( a band pass filter and rms meter ) as well as composed of the digitizer 23 and the digital processor 24 . a high precision analog switch control signal is easily generated with a precision power source and a digital signal generator driven by an accurate standard clock . this precision power source is an accurate input signal supply for a dc level calibration of an analog test system . therefore , highly accurate ac level calibration is available by simple modification of conventional analog test systems . the present invention has been described referring to one main embodiment , however , the present invention permits various modifications within the scope of the subject matter of the present invention . since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and applications shown and described and accordingly , all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to , falling within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 6 |
a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described , with reference to the figures , beginning at fig3 . fig3 shows two appliances ( 104 ), ( 120 ) which present virtual storage volumes ( 102 ) and ( 108 ) to hosts ( 100 ) and ( 116 ), respectively , in order to manage i / o for physical storage ( 112 ), ( 114 ), ( 128 ), ( 130 ). the presentation of storage to hosts ( 102 ), ( 116 ) is achieved using volume mappings , shown as vol ( 102 ) mapping ( 110 ) and vol ( 118 ) mapping ( 126 ) to map the physical storage ( 112 ), ( 114 ) and ( 128 ), ( 130 ), respectively . i / o between host ( 100 ) and storage appliance ( 104 ) is directed through host - scsi interface layer ( 106 ), and i / o between host ( 116 ) and storage appliance ( 120 ) is directed through host - scsi interface layer ( 122 ). i / o between storage appliance ( 104 ) and physical storage ( 112 ), ( 114 ) is directed through storage - scsi interface layer ( 108 ), and i / o between storage appliance ( 120 ) and physical storage ( 128 ), ( 130 ) is directed through storage - scsi interface layer ( 124 ). the storage administrator wishes to merge appliance ( 104 ) into appliance ( 120 ) in the sense that appliance ( 120 ) will present both volumes ( 102 ) and ( 108 ) without impacting access for hosts ( 100 ) and ( 116 ). it will be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that , though the description of the preferred embodiment is cast in terms of the small computer system interface or scsi protocols , any other set of system interface protocols may be substituted . the preferred embodiment of the present invention makes use of a spanning host scsi interface layer ( 132 ), as shown in fig4 . this interface layer ( 132 ) is created so as to facilitate linkage between the two appliances ( 104 ), ( 120 ) and to forward i / o either to storage managed by appliance ( 104 ) or appliance ( 120 ) as appropriate . in one embodiment , the spanning host interface layer receives and redirects i / o requests from a first storage appliance to a second storage application during a merge of the first and second storage appliance . similarly , in one embodiment , the spanning host interface layer receives and redirects i / o requests from the first and the second storage appliance to a third storage appliance during the merge of the first and second storage appliance in the third storage appliance . advantageously , no extra storage is required and the management action ( in this exemplary case , a merge ) is transparent to the host applications . the two appliances ( 104 ) and ( 120 ) are merged using the following sequence of operations , with reference to fig4 : 1 . extract the metadata for volume ( 102 ) from appliance ( 104 ). 2 . map physical storage ( 112 ), ( 114 ) of appliance ( 102 ) to appliance ( 120 ). 3 . using the metadata for volume ( 102 ) create a volume on appliance ( 120 ) that maps to the appropriate regions on the physical storage ( 112 ), ( 114 ) from appliance ( 104 ). 4 . start the spanning host scsi layer for volume ( 102 ) between the two appliances . this layer will forward all i / o received for volume ( 102 ) on appliance ( 120 ) to appliance ( 104 ). 5 . map the new volume from appliance ( 104 ) to host ( 100 ). host ( 100 ) will see the new volume as another path available to volume ( 102 ). the spanning layer is required because it is not sufficient to just allow both appliance ( 102 ) and appliance ( 120 ) to access the same physical storage at the same time . physical storage is usually managed by a redundant raid controller . many of these raid controllers require all i / o requests to a particular physical volume to be directed to the same half of the controller to avoid lun thrashing . therefore if two appliances need to share the same storage they would need to jointly decide which half of the controller to use for each physical volume . turning now to fig5 , the following sequence of steps is performed : 1 . flush any cached data in appliance ( 104 ) for volume ( 102 ). 2 . offline the path from appliance ( 104 ) to host ( 100 ). this causes host ( 100 ) to start using the paths to volume ( 104 ) through appliance ( 120 ). 3 . fail any outstanding i / o in appliance ( 104 ). 4 . quiesce i / o in appliance ( 120 ) for volume ( 102 ), instruct the spanning layer to stop forwarding i / o and start performing i / o for the physical storage ( 112 ), ( 114 ) through appliance ( 120 ) instead of appliance ( 104 ). the configuration of volume ( 102 ) in appliance ( 104 ) ( i . e . virtual mapping , host mapping , etc .) can now be removed as shown in fig6 , wherein all i / o for all the physical storage and for both mapped volumes ( 102 ) and ( 118 ) is performed using appliance ( 120 ). as will be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art , the sequence of steps to implement the method described above can be initiated by issuing a single command on either cluster instructing it to merge virtual storage onto one of the appliances . it will also be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that other methods of initiating the merge are possible ; such as by execution of a script , execution of a trigger event , or the like . the process of the preferred embodiment can be repeated for any number of volumes on any number of clusters . the process is independent for each volume and so can be done in parallel . an exemplary apparatus or arrangement of apparatus according to the preferred embodiment will now be described , with reference to the schematic diagram of fig7 . fig7 shows a storage appliance ( 700 ) having , in addition to the normal host and storage scsi interface layers ( not shown in this figure for ease of reading ), a spanning host scsi interface layer ( 702 ). the i / o handler ( 708 ) is adapted to send and receive i / os between the host and the storage and to present one or more volumes to the host using local volume mapper ( 704 ) in the conventional fashion , but is also adapted to present one or more volumes to the host using remote volume mapper ( 706 ). the apparatus or arrangement of apparatus in accordance with fig7 is thus adapted to perform the process as described above . the preferred embodiment of the present invention in the form of an apparatus or arrangement of apparatus thus advantageously addresses the problem of providing a technical means for managing storage systems having storage virtualization appliances . an exemplary method or logic arrangement according to the preferred embodiment will now be described , with reference to the schematic diagram of fig8 . the process of the preferred embodiment shown in fig8 starts at start step ( 800 ). at step ( 802 ), volume metadata is extracted and at step ( 804 ), the physical storage for the volume that is to be migrated from ( 104 ) is mapped to a new volume map at the new location . at step ( 806 ), the spanning host scsi layer ( 132 ) is started and the new volume map is presented to host ( 100 ). at step ( 808 ), the cached data at the appliance to be migrated from ( 104 ) is flushed and the path from the host ( 100 ) to the appliance to be migrated from ( 104 ) is offlined . outstanding i / o at the appliance to be migrated from ( 104 ) is failed at step ( 810 ). at step ( 812 ), i / o at the device to be migrated to ( 120 ) is quiesced and the spanning layer ( 132 ) is inhibited from forwarding i / o through the appliance to be migrated from ( 104 ). i / o is now performed via the appliance to be migrated to ( 120 ). at step ( 814 ), the appliance to be migrated from ( 104 ) is released from service and can be decommissioned , and at end step ( 816 ) the process completes . the preferred embodiment of the present invention in the form of a method or logic arrangement thus advantageously addresses the problem of providing a technology for managing storage systems having storage virtualization appliances . it will be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that all or part of the method of the preferred embodiments of the present invention may suitably and usefully be embodied in a logic apparatus , or a plurality of logic apparatus , comprising logic elements arranged to perform the steps of the method and that such logic elements may comprise hardware components , firmware components or a combination thereof . it will be equally clear to one of skill in the art that all or part of a logic arrangement according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention may suitably be embodied in a logic apparatus comprising logic elements to perform the steps of the method , and that such logic elements may comprise components such as logic gates in , for example a programmable logic array or application - specific integrated circuit . such a logic arrangement may further be embodied in enabling elements for temporarily or permanently establishing logic structures in such an array or circuit using , for example , a virtual hardware descriptor language , which may be stored and transmitted using fixed or transmittable carrier media . it will be appreciated that the method and arrangement described above may also suitably be carried out fully or partially in software running on one or more processors ( not shown in the figures ), and that the software may be provided in the form of one or more computer program elements carried on any suitable data - carrier ( also not shown in the figures ) such as a magnetic or optical disk or the like . channels for the transmission of data may likewise comprise storage media of all descriptions as well as signal - carrying media , such as wired or wireless signal - carrying media . the present invention may further suitably be embodied as a computer program product for use with a computer system . such an implementation may comprise a series of computer - readable instructions either fixed on a tangible medium , such as a computer readable medium , for example , diskette , cd - rom , rom , or hard disk , or transmittable to a computer system , via a modem or other interface device , over either a tangible medium , including but not limited to optical or analogue communications lines , or intangibly using wireless techniques , including but not limited to microwave , infrared or other transmission techniques . the series of computer readable instructions embodies all or part of the functionality previously described herein . those skilled in the art will appreciate that such computer readable instructions can be written in a number of programming languages for use with many computer architectures or operating systems . further , such instructions may be stored using any memory technology , present or future , including but not limited to , semiconductor , magnetic , or optical , or transmitted using any communications technology , present or future , including but not limited to optical , infrared , or microwave . it is contemplated that such a computer program product may be distributed as a removable medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation , for example , shrink - wrapped software , pre - loaded with a computer system , for example , on a system rom or fixed disk , or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over a network , for example , the internet or world wide web . in an alternative , the preferred embodiment of the present invention may be realized in the form of a computer implemented method of deploying a service comprising steps of deploying computer program code operable to , when deployed into a computer infrastructure and executed thereon , cause the computer infrastructure to perform all the steps of the method . in a further alternative , the preferred embodiment of the present invention may be realized in the form of a data carrier having functional data thereon , the functional data comprising functional computer data structures to , when loaded into a computer system and operated upon thereby , enable the computer system to perform all the steps of the method . it will be clear to one skilled in the art that many improvements and modifications can be made to the foregoing exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention . | 6 |
the following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments or the application and uses thereof . furthermore , there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background detailed description . fig1 a presents a system 2 for the metered dispensing of a fragrance in a toilet , in particular in a lavatory of an airplane . the system 2 comprises a fragrance container 4 , an odor measuring device 6 and a controller 8 , wherein a dispensing device is not shown on fig1 a in order to simplify the illustration . the fragrance container 4 is joined by the dispensing device ( not shown ) with a flushing pipe 10 , which leads to a spraying ring 12 installed in the bowl of a toilet 14 . the flushing pipe 10 is coupled upstream with a flushing valve 16 , which is connected by an actuator 18 with the controller 8 . another check valve 20 situated further upstream prevents liquids from flowing back to a reservoir ( not shown ), a supply line or the like . a discharge valve 22 is in in turn connected with a discharge 24 of the toilet 14 , and also comprises an actuator 26 joined with the control unit 8 . when flushing , the user presses a button , and a command from the control unit 8 correspondingly actuates the flushing valve 16 , guiding a flushing liquid into the spray ring 12 via the flushing pipe 10 . subsequently , at the same time and / or thereafter , a vacuum is applied to the inside of the toilet 14 by actuating the discharge valve 22 . all liquids or solids in the toilet 14 are conveyed out of the toilet 14 through the discharge 24 . odors arising in the toilet 14 may be masked by admixing a fragrance located in the fragrance container 4 , which in particular is a liquid fragrance comprising a scented oil or the like . establishing a connection with the flushing pipe 10 causes the fragrance to be dispensed only as needed , which limits the required supply of fragrance , and prevents both an excessive metering and too high a fragrance concentration . fragrance metering may further be adjusted based upon an odor detected by the odor measuring device 6 . as a result , more or less fragrance may be dispensed in the flushing process , as needed . stronger odors in the lavatory in which the toilet is located may in this way be better masked or balanced out . dispensing preferably takes place toward the end of the flushing process , in order to at least partially prevent the siphoning of liquid fragrance . fig1 b to ld show various dispensing devices . fig1 b depicts a fragrance container 4 with a fragrance situated therein , which is designed as a liquid fragrance 28 , which may be dispensed by a height difference through exposure to a gravitational force via a port 30 lying underneath the fragrance container 4 into the flushing pipe 10 . reference number 32 is used to label this dispensing device without active components , and points to the entire arrangement of the fragrance container 4 and port 30 . fig1 c shows a dispensing device 36 . the system 2 is modified in such a way that the fragrance container 4 holding the fragrance designed as a liquid fragrance 28 incorporates a piston 34 , which limits the expansion of the fragrance 28 in the fragrance container 4 at one surface via the overlying piston 34 . by applying a pressurized fluid , for example compressed air , to the side of the piston 34 lying opposite the fragrance 28 , the liquid fragrance 28 itself may be pressurized , so that it may thereby be dispensed . alternatively or additionally , an actuator or pre - loaded spring 35 may exert a force on the piston 34 , so that the liquid fragrance 28 is conveyed to the port 30 . the dispensing unit 38 shown on fig1 d is an injector in the form of a venturi nozzle , which is connected with the port 30 at a constricted location 39 . in particular a fragrance designed as a liquid fragrance 28 is siphoned out of the fragrance container 4 with flushing water as it flows through the venturi nozzle 38 , and admixed directly to the flushing water stream . all embodiments of the dispensing device may have allocated to them a valve 40 shown on fig1 e , which may be coupled with the control unit 8 via an actuator 42 , and only dispenses the flushing water as needed . fig2 depicts an exemplary function 42 for metering the fragrance . the concentration of the fragrance 28 may be selected depending on the strength of the determined odor . the vertical ( y ) axis shows a concentration of the fragrance 28 , while the horizontal ( x ) axis presents the chronological progression of fragrance dispensing . the lower curve includes the surface 44 , and represents the determined odor inside the lavatory . as the odor intensifies , the fragrance dosage may be increased , as represented by the upper curve , wherein the distance from the lower curve represents the dosage of the fragrance 28 . this area includes the surface 46 , which is preferably proportional to the consumed quantity of fragrance 28 . fig3 exemplarily depicts a lavatory 52 of a vehicle with a toilet 14 installed therein , along with a system 2 according to the embodiment . a fragrance container 4 is here exemplarily installed in a service module 50 , which is situated laterally inside the lavatory 52 . an odor measuring device 6 may be secured to a wall 48 of the lavatory 52 , and be connected with a control unit 8 not illustrated in this depiction . in addition , let it be noted that “ comprise ” does not preclude any other elements or steps , and that “ a ” or “ an ” do not rule out a plurality . let it further be noted that features described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments may also be used in combination with other features from other exemplary embodiments described above . reference numbers in the claims are not to be regarded as a limitation . while at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description , it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist . it should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples , and are not intended to limit the scope , applicability , or configuration of the embodiment in any way . rather , the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment , it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the embodiment as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents . | 0 |
reference is now made to fig1 of the drawing wherein there is schematically illustrated digital microcomputer 11 , of the type employed in modern multifunction electronic sport watches . microcomputer 11 includes a microprocessor , a read only memory ( rom ) for storing program and display instructions and a random access memory ( ram ) for storing at designated addresses data signals supplied to the microcomputer and values computed by the computer . the microprocessor in microcomputer 11 includes the usual elements , i . e ., an input / output buffer , a central processing unit and clock circuitry including an oscillator responsive to quartz crystal 12 . microcomputer 11 and the remaining circuitry illustrated in fig1 are powered by battery 13 of the type usually employed in electronic watches . the frequency of the oscillator in microcomputer 11 is controlled by crystal 12 , as well as by the capacitance of variable capacitor 14 , connected to the microcomputer . microcomputer 11 includes a multibit output bus 15 for supplying alpha - numeric representing digital signals to liquid crystal display 16 . liquid crystal display 16 is fabricated in the normal manner , but includes alpha and numeric indications associated with the age , weight , sex , and stride length of the subject , as well as indications of the number of steps taken by the subject during a walking , jogging or running exercise routine , the average speed of the subject during the exercise routine , the peak speed , instantaneous speed and calories consumed by the subject during the exercise routine . in addition , liquid crystal display 16 includes the usual displays associated with a sport watch , i . e ., time of day , day and month , stop watch functions , lap timer , and countdown functions . microcomputer 11 also supplies signals to beeper piezoelectric beeper crystal 17 by way of driver 18 . crystal 17 provides an aural signal to the subject every other time the subject takes a stride while the watch is in the stop watch operating mode . in addition , computer 11 can periodically supply a pacing signal to crystal 17 , i . e ., to provide the subject with a aural signal each time he should take a stride to maintain a particular speed or cadence in walking , jogging or running . microcomputer 11 also supplies signals to beeper crystal 17 for the usual alarm and countdown functions of an electronic sports watch . to enter data into microcomputer 11 , switches 21 - 23 are provided . switches 21 - 23 are normally spring biased to an open state , and are selectively closed by the subject pressing them in the usual manner of operating a sports watch . one contact of each switches 21 - 23 is connected in parallel to the positive electrode of battery 13 , while the remaining contacts of the switches are connected to separate input terminals of microcomputer 11 . the electronic watch of the present invention includes a fourth normally open spring biased switch 24 , connected between lamp 25 and the electrodes of battery 13 . lamp 25 is mounted in proximity to liquid crystal display 16 , to illuminate the display in response to switch 24 being closed by the user . switches 21 - 24 are located in the four corners of the watch , in the usual manner . the nomenclature for switches 21 - 24 are respectively &# 34 ; time &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; lap / reset &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; record data &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; light &# 34 ;. in response to switches 21 - 23 being closed different command signals are supplied to microcomputer 11 . the read only memory of the microcomputer responds to depression of the buttons in the usual manner to derive control signals for liquid crystal display 16 . however , the program is different from those usually included in microcomputer sports wrist watches to enale calculation of the various functions associated with calculation of calories and subject speed . basically , switch 21 is closed to enable the subject to select the type of data to be entered into the random access memory of microcomputer 11 . closure of switch 23 causes numeric values to be entered into the random access memory at addresses controlled by the read only memory . in general , a numeric value is incremented by a count of one each time switch 23 is closed . however , if switch 23 is closed for in excess of a predetermined time interval , such as one or two seconds and remains so depressed , the numeric indication and liquid crystal display 13 are incremented at high speed in response to pulses from the oscillator responding to crystal 12 until switch 23 is open . to provide the pedometer function , mercury switch 26 is mounted in the watch case . mercury switch 26 includes a dielectric , preferably glass , envelope 27 , a mercury globule 28 inside of envelope 27 , and a pair of contact leads 29 extending through the bottom of envelope 27 into the interior of the envelope , to be wetted and bridged by globule 28 . mercury switch 26 is positioned in the watch casing so that in response to each swing of the left arm of a subject maintaining the arm parallel to the ground , the globule moves from a position , at the bottom of envelope 27 , where it short circuits leads 29 , to a position adjacent the top of the envelope , where the globule does not wet the contact leads , whereby the leads are open circuited . mercury globule 28 functions as an inertia member to provide bounceless closure of leads 29 each time the arm of the subject moves through one cycle . since the arm is moved through a cycle each time the subject takes two steps , the number of times contacts 29 are opened is directly proportional to the number of steps taken by the subject . bounceless closure of leads 29 is provided by mercury globule 28 because mercury has very high internal cohesive forces , such that the mercury remains in globular form and does not separate into droplets . contact leads 29 of mercury switch 26 are connected to circuitry in microcomputer 11 which generates a pulse each time the contacts are opened by mercury globule 28 moving away from them . thereby , the circuitry within microcomputer 11 derives a pulse each time the left arm of the subject completes one movement cycle . the pulses derived in the microcomputer in response to contact leads 29 being open circuited from mercury globule 28 are counted during each cycle time of the computer . a signal indicative of the number of counted pulses during each computer cycle time is stored in a designated ram address . the stored count indicative of number of counted pulses is combined with preset signals stored in the computer indicative of subject stride length to provide the pedometer function , and with the computer computation cycle time to derive the aforementioned speed parameters . the pulses generated by the circuitry responsive to opening of contacts 29 are also combined with the subject stride length indications , the subject weight indications , the subject sex indication and the subject weight indication to derive an indication of calories consumed . reference is now made to fig2 of the drawing , a plane view of the exterior of a watch in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention . as illustrated in fig2 the watch includes a plastic , dielectric relatively thin case 31 having a generally square outline . secured to opposite edges of case 31 is strap 32 for enabling the watch to be placed around the wrist of a subject , in the normal fashion . in the four corners of case 31 are spring biased push buttons 33 - 36 which , when pushed inwardly , respectively , close switches 21 - 24 . push buttons 33 - 36 are of the type normally employed on conventional electronic sports watches . legends assigned to push buttons 33 - 36 are respectively &# 34 ; time &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; lap / reset &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; record data &# 34 ;, and &# 34 ; light &# 34 ;, respectively color coded with dots 37 as orange , blue , amber and white . extending across the top of the watch face is liquid crystal display 16 . below display 16 are s tripes 38 - 40 containing abbreviations for instructions associated with buttons 33 - 35 , and color coded in the same manner as the buttons . stripe 38 is color coded orange , to correspond with button 32 , and bears the nomenclature &# 34 ; stw timer pace maker entry &# 34 ;; stripe 39 is color coded amber to correspond with push button 33 , and bears the nomenclature &# 34 ; date alarm sta / stp advance &# 34 ;; and stripe 40 is color coded blue , to correspond with button 34 , and bears the nomenclature &# 34 ; cal dist speed step &# 34 ;. reference is now made to fig3 and 4 of the drawing wherein there are respectively illustrated front and back faces of dielectric printed circuit board 41 , mounted in watch case 31 so that the planar surfaces of the printed circuit board are parallel to the plane of the watch face containing liquid crystal display 16 . as illustrated in fig4 microcomputer 11 is surface mounted on the back face of printed circuit board 41 , i . e ., the face of the board adjacent liquid crystal display 16 . surface mounted microcomputer 11 is covered with protective , insulative coating 42 . leads 43 , coated or plated on the back face of board 41 , extend from microcomputer 11 to terminal pads 44 , engaged by pins ( not shown ) connected to liquid crystal display 16 . on opposite faces of printed circuit board 41 are coated or plated leads 45 for supplying to microcomputer 11 power from battery 13 and signals from crystal 12 , capacitor 14 , switches 21 - 23 , and mercury switch contacts 29 . leads 45 , on opposite sides of printed circuit board 41 , are connected to each other by plated through holes 46 in the printed circuit board . leads 43 and 45 and plated through holes 46 are covered with a dielectric coating ( not shown ), as is conventional in the art . however , terminals 44 and portions of conductive lands forming switches 21 - 24 are not covered by the dielectric coating , so that pads 44 and the conductive lands can engage metal contacts to provide electric connections . in fig3 watch case 31 is illustrated as it is mounted on the left wrist or lower forearm of a subject while walking , jogging or running with the left forearm parallel to the ground . the face of circuit board 41 illustrated in fig3 is adjacent the watch backing . in fig4 the face of circuit board 41 is illustrated in the position where case 31 is mounted on the left wrist of a person walking , jogging or running with the forearm parallel to the ground ; the circuit board face illustrated in fig4 is adjacent the watch face . as illustrated in fig3 and 4 , longitudinal axis 46 of elongated envelope 27 of mercury switch 26 is disposed at an angle of 30 ° from the horizontal when the watch is worn on the left wrist with the left forearm parallel to the ground . to provide this result , longitudinal axis 46 is displaced 60 ° from the axis of wrist watch strap 32 . envelope 27 is mounted in watch case 31 so leads 29 , at one end of the envelope , are below the end of the envelope where no leads are located when the watch is worn on the left wrist or forearm and the forearm is parallel to the ground . thereby , when the left forearm is in a stationary position , parallel to the ground , mercury globule 28 wets and bridges contacts 29 to short circuit the contacts together . globule 28 wets and bridges contacts 29 while the arm is cyclically moved , with the forearm remaining parallel to the ground , except immediately after the left arm has reversed direction immediately after being extended farthest in front of the body of the subject . the inertia of mercury globule 28 is such that at the time of arm reversal the globule moves forward relative to the rest of envelope 27 , toward the top end of the envelope 27 . at this time globule 28 is approximately at the position indicated by dotted lines 28 &# 39 ; where the globule no longer wets and bridges contacts 29 so the contacts are not connected to each other . at all other times during the cyclic movement of the left forearm during a walk , jogging or running exercise routine , the inertia of globule 28 is such that the globule wets and bridges contacts 29 . in response to globule 28 moving off of contacts 29 once during each arm movement cycle , a pulse is supplied by mercury switch 26 to microcomputer 11 , whereby the number of pulses supplied to the microcomputer is equal to one half the number of steps taken by the subject . hence , each time a pulse is derived by mercury switch 26 , which in essence forms a pedometer sensor , the subject has taken two steps ; thereby the number of steps and pulses are directly proportional to each other . while 60 ° has been found to be an optimal angle between the longitudinal axes of envelope 27 and watch strap 32 , this angle can vary considerably , by up to and even in excess of plus or minus 15 °. it is important for the longitudinal axis of envelope 27 not to be located in the vertical or horizontal plane while the pedometer including switch 26 is worn by the subject because globule 28 will not serve as an inertia member in these positions . therefore , the longitudinal axes of envelope 27 and strap 31 should not be in line with or at right angles to each other . for component mounting convenience , metal can 47 , containing crystal 12 , is positioned immediately adjacent envelope 27 , and the can and envelope longitudinal axes are parallel . envelope 27 and can 47 are mounted on parallel or planar edges 48 and 49 of printed circuit board 41 . battery 13 is mounted on printed circuit board 41 in a cavity having arcuate side walls 51 . the upper face of battery 13 , constituting one electrode of the battery , engages metal , spring - like tab 52 , while the lower battery face , which constitutes another electrode of the battery , abuts against metal tab 50 , connected to the plated metal land 53 on a face of board 41 . land 53 is connected by metal plated through - hole 54 to leads on the opposite sides of printed circuit board 41 , as illustrated in fig3 . metal tab 52 is pivotally mounted by rivet 55 on metal strap 56 that extends in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of strap 32 between opposite edges of printed circuit board 41 ; strap 56 is on the face of circuit board 41 illustrated in fig3 . tab 52 and strap 56 are connected to metal arms 57 and 58 that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of watch strap 32 along opposite edges of printed circuit board 41 . arms 57 and 58 are integral with strap 56 , being constructed as spring biased contacts having fingers 61 - 64 extending toward printed circuit board 41 . each of lands 65 - 68 is coated on both faces of printed circuit board 41 and includes a conducting plating along the edge of the circuit board opposite from fingers 61 - 64 . fingers 61 - 64 respectively engage the portions of lands 65 - 68 on the edges of circuit board 41 in response to buttons 33 - 36 being pushed inwardly . buttons 33 - 36 respectively include extensions 71 - 74 arranged so that extension 71 bears against a corner at the intersection of arm 57 and finger 61 , extension 72 engages a corner at the intersection of arm 58 and finger 64 , extension 73 engages a corner at the intersection of arm 58 and finger 63 , and extension 74 engages a corner at the intersection of arm 57 and finger 64 . in response to buttons 33 - 36 being pressed inwardly , switches 21 - 24 are closed by virtue of the contact between finger 61 and land 65 , between finger 62 and land 66 , between finger 63 and land 67 , and between finger 64 and land 68 . in response to buttons 33 - 36 being released , the spring bias of arms 57 and 58 opens contacts 21 - 24 and pushes buttons 33 - 36 outwardly . in response to buttons 33 - 35 being depressed , current respectively flows from one electrode of battery 13 through tab 32 and strap 56 to fingers 61 - 63 , thence to lands 65 - 67 and plated leads 45 on printed circuit board 41 to input terminals of computer 11 . in response to button 36 being pushed , current flows from battery 13 through tab 52 and strap 56 to finger 64 , thence to land 68 and bulb 25 to illuminate liquid crystal display 16 . to provide fine tuning for the oscillator in microcomputer 11 , including quartz crystal 12 and variable capacitor 14 , the value of the capacitor is adjusted by turning screw 81 , which controls the value of the dielectric between electrodes of capacitor 14 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art . at the time of initial installation , the assembler turns screw 81 until the quartz crystal oscillator is at the correct , predetermined frequency for time - keeping purposes . piezo - electric crystal 17 is formed as a coating on stainless steel watch backing 82 , fig5 and 6 . crystal 17 includes piezo - electric slab 83 that is deposited on aluminum coating 84 , in turn deposited on backing 82 . aluminum coating 85 is applied to the face of slab 83 opposite from coating 84 , whereby coatings 84 and 85 form electrodes on opposite faces of slab 83 for crystal 17 . electrical and mechanical contact is made between electrodes 84 and 85 and leads on printed circuit board 41 through metal compression springs 86 and 87 that respectively bear against coatings 84 and 85 and are connected to leads on printed circuit board 41 . the rom and ram in microcomputer 11 activate liquid crystal display 16 in the conventional manner in response to closure of switches 21 - 23 for the usual sport watch functions , namely display and adjustment of time , date , countdown timer , alarm timer and stopwatch . in response to pulses from the pedometer comprising mercury switch 26 and timing signals from the oscillator including quartz crystal 12 and input signals from switches 21 - 23 , the rom and ram of microcomputer 11 are arranged to derive digital signals which are supplied to liquid crystal display 16 to indicate the instantaneous speeds of the subject during an exercise period , the average speed of the subject during the exercise period , the total distance traveled by the subject during the exercise period , the number of steps taken by the subject during the exercise period and the number of calories burned by the subject during the exercise period . all of these functions are performed while microcomputer 11 is operating in the stopwatch mode . prior to calculating instantaneous , peak and average speeds , total distance traveled and calories , push button 35 is pressed until the indicia &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; appear in the upper right - hand corner of the liquid crystal display . in the normal , clock mode , the indicia &# 34 ; inavpk speed step dist and data &# 34 ; appear on the upper line of the liquid crystal display . in response to button 33 being pressed in sequence four times , causing switch contacts 21 to close four times , display 16 is activated by the rom so the bottom line of the liquid crystal display reads ( 1 ) &# 34 ; stw &# 34 ; ( for stopwatch ), ( 2 ) tmr ( for countdown timer ), ( 3 ) nothing i . e ., there are no alpha numeric characters on the bottom line of the liquid crystal display , and ( 4 ) nothing . in response to the fourth activation of button 33 , &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; appears in the upper right - hand corner of the display . when the &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; indicia appear on the upper line , the program in the rom addresses the ram to read out rom signals to the buffer so the center line of the liquid crystal display is activated to read either &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ( stored in a designated ram address ) followed by the letters &# 34 ; ut &# 34 ; ( signals for &# 34 ; ut &# 34 ; are stored in a designated rom address ). the numeric values 0 and 1 followed by the letters &# 34 ; ut &# 34 ; signify whether distance , weight and speed data entries via button 34 and numeric values on display 16 are to be in metric or english units ; 0 = metric and 1 = english . to change from english to metric units and vice versa , button 35 , associated with contact 22 , is pressed . in response to button 35 being pressed with the read only memory causing display 16 to be in state ( 4 ) a designated ram address changes state from one to zero and vice versa . the sex of the subject may then be changed by pressing button 34 , closing switch contact 23 . this causes the program in the rom to access designated addresses in the ram and rom to cause a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; value to appear on the middle line of the liquid crystal display followed by the letters &# 34 ; se &# 34 ;; 0 = female and 1 = male . to change the sex from male to female , button 35 is pressed , causing the designated ram address to change state . in response to the designated ram address indicating that the subject is a female , designated rom addresses for female coefficients are read out to the arithmetic logic unit ( alu ) of the computer during a computation interval for the subject calorie factor ; other designated rom addresses are read in response to the sex designated rom address having a value associated with a male subject . button 34 is then pressed to set the age of the subject , so that the program in the rom reads out designated ram and rom addresses to cause the display center line to display a numeric value followed by &# 34 ; ae &# 34 ;. to change the age of the subject stored in the ram designated address , button 35 is pressed . to increment age by a count of one , button 35 is pressed instantaneously and released . if , however , it is desired to change the age value significantly , button 35 is pressed for in excess of two seconds and remains pressed until a value slightly less than the age of the subject is displayed on display 16 , at which time button 35 is released . button 35 is then depressed and released for short intervals until the desired subject age numeric value is reached value in the center line of liquid crystal display 16 . in the preferred embodiment , the age sequences through a range from 5 through 99 years . after the age of the subject has been set , button 34 is again pressed , causing the program in the rom to address the ram and rom so the center line of display 16 displays a numerical value followed by the letters &# 34 ; wt &# 34 ; for weight change entries . the display numerical value is then incremented by pressing button 34 , for either step by step or high speed changes , as described in connection with the age display . the weight values can be set anywhere from 50 through 500 pounds , or 22 through 227 kilograms , depending upon whether a display 16 has been set to 1 or 0 while &# 34 ; ut &# 34 ; appeared in the center line . next , button 35 is pressed , causing the program in rom to address the ram and rom so the center line of display 16 has a numerical value , followed by the letters &# 34 ; sl &# 34 ;, enabling stride length of the subject to be entered . the stride length is entered by depressing button 34 , as described for the age setting . the stride length in the preferred embodiment , can be set anywhere from 30 to 200 centimeters , or 13 to 84 inches . after stride length has been entered , button 33 is pressed , causing time of day to be displayed again on the display center line . each time button 35 is depressed while the &# 34 ; ae &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; wt &# 34 ;, and &# 34 ; sl &# 34 ; indicia are displayed on the center line of the liquid crystal display while &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; is displayed in the upper right - hand corner of the display , a pulse is supplied by the oscillator including crystal 16 to the input of microcomputer 11 . each pulse increments by a count of one , count values stored in three different addresses in the microcomputer ram respectively associated with age , weight and stride length ; the appropriate ram address is accessed by the rom being at the address associated with display of data and one of age , weight or stride length . in response to button 35 being pressed for in excess of two seconds while the program in the rom is at an address causing data and ae , wt or sl to be displayed , a gate in microcomputer 11 responsive to pulses from the oscillator is opened to increment continuously the counts in the designated ram addresses associated with age , weight and stride length . the center line of the liquid crystal display 16 responds , through an input / output buffer of microcomputer 11 , to the ram accessed address to display the numerical values for age , weight and stride length , in a manner known to those of ordinary skill in the art . also , the designated ram addresses are incremental in an accumulator register of microcomputer 11 in a manner well known to those of ordinary skill . microcomputer 11 responds to the sex , units , age , weight and stride length signals to compute periodically , preferably once every six seconds , signals having numeric values indicative of subject distance traveled during the period , subject speed during the period , peak subject speed since the stop watch mode was entered , average subject speed since the stop watch mode was entered and calories consumed since the stop watch mode was entered ; the six second period is the computer cycle period . the distance traveled during the period is computed by microcomputer 11 counting the number of pulses derived as a result of globule 28 moving from and open circuiting contacts 29 during the period and multiplying the number of pulses by twice the subject stride length . to this end , microcomputer 11 derives a pulse each time globule 28 moves from contacts 29 and derives a digital signal indicative of the number of pulses during each computer cycle period . the digital signal is derived in a manner known to those skilled in the art , as disclosed , e . g ., in the aforementioned patent the digital signal indicative of the number of pulses is multiplied by two in the alu and stored in a designated ram address . at the end of the six second period , designated ram addresses where stride length and the number of pulses are stored are addressed and supplied to the alu . the microcomputer is programmed to multiply the number of steps by twice the subject stride length to derive an indication of distance traveled during the six second period . the stored indication of distance traveled is supplied to a designed ram address to enable &# 34 ; instantaneous &# 34 ; speed to be calculated during the six second interval , to update average and peak speeds since the beginning of the exercise period ( when the stop watch mode was entered ) and to compute calories consumed during the six second interval . &# 34 ; instantaneous &# 34 ; speed during the six second period is the distance traveled during the period divided by the length of the time interval of the period . the computed value of instantaneous speed is supplied by the alu to a ram designated address under the control of the program stored in rom . the designated address for instantaneous speed is updated after each six second interval . the instantaneous speed signal is combined with the previous accumulated value of average speed , as stored at a designated ram address . the previously accumulated value of average speed is combined in the alu under the control of a sub - routine program stored in the microcomputer rom in accordance with a known algorithm to compute average speed , as updated by the measurements taken during the previous six second interval . the thus computed average speed is returned to the ram designated address under the control of the program stored in the rom . the instantaneous speed during the six second interval is compared in the alu with the peak value signal stored in a designated ram address . if the instantaneous speed during the just completed six second interval is greater than the peak value previously stored in the designated ram address , the instantaneous value is returned to the designated address as a new peak value . if , however , the peak value previously stored in the designated ram address exceeds the value during the previous six second interval , the stored value is returned to the designated ram address . calories consumed during the previous six second interval are calculated by multiplying a previously determined factor r for the subject by the number of pulses generated during the six second calculation interval . for male subjects 26 years of age or older the value of r is calculated from equation 3 as : where x is the weight of the subject in kilograms , q is the subject stride length in centimeters , and z is the age of a male subject 26 years of age or older and the age of a female subject 21 years of age or older . the value of r is , in this instance , based upon equations 1 - 6 . the value of r is computed by microcomputer 11 in response to the values of units , subject age , weight , sex , and stride length initially entered into the microcomputer memory in response to activation of buttons , 33 - 35 . the entered values of age ( numeric ) and sex ( 0 or 1 ) are logically combined in the alu , to determine which expression for r , as stored in the rom , is to be used . the subroutine associated with calculating r is entered in response to button 33 being pressed . the entered value of units ( 0 or 1 ) determines whether appropriate coefficient changes will be made in the alu for the entered and read out values of distance , weight and speed . the initially calculated value of r for the particular subject is stored in a designated ram address and is read out into the alu once during each computation cycle interval time . the value of r supplied by the ram to the alu is combined with a stored value for the number of steps taken by the subject ( determined by counting the number of pulses generated in response to globule 38 opening contacts 29 ) during each cycle period to determine the number of calories consumed by the subject during the computer period . the calculated number of calories for the period is combined in the alu accumulator register with a previous indication of number of total consumed calories computed during the exercise regime , as stored in a designated ram address . the signal in the accumulator register is returned to the designated ram address for total calories computed . to read out the stored signals indicative of the number of steps taken during the exercise routine , peak speed during the exercise routine , distance traveled during the exercise routine , speed during the last computer period of the exercise routine , average speed during the exercise routine , and number of calories consumed during the exercise routine , button 35 is pressed after the routine has been completed . pressing button 35 terminates the stopwatch operation . button 33 is then pressed , causing the contents of the ram address where time of day is stored to be displayed . then , button 34 is pressed in sequence six times to provide sequential read out of the six aforementioned quantities . in response to the first depression of button 34 the program stored in the rom reads out the ram address where number of steps is stored through the microcomputer input / output buffer to liquid crystal display 16 ; a maximum of 999 , 999 steps can be displayed . in response to the second depression of button 34 , the contents of the ram address where instantaneous speed is stored , which corresponds to the subject speed during the last six second calculation period , are supplied to display 16 via the microcomputer input / output buffer . in response to the next four depressions of button 34 , the peak speed , average speed , distance and calorie indications stored in the designated random access memory addresses are sequentially supplied to display 16 . continued depressions of button 34 repeatedly sequence display 16 through the indications for number of steps , actual or instantaneous speed , peak speed , average speed , distance and calories consumed . the microcomputer rom stores signals to indicate what parameters are being displayed . thereby , in response to the first depression of button 34 the program stored in the rom addresses a designated rom address to read out signals to display 16 , causing the upper display line to read &# 34 ; step &# 34 ;, in response to the second depression of button 34 . the upper display line 16 responds to an address in the random access memory to provide indicia &# 34 ; in speed &# 34 ;, and the right side of the display middle line reads , either &# 34 ; m h &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; k h &# 34 ;, depending upon whether a 1 or 0 was displayed while the display middle line read &# 34 ; ut &# 34 ;. in response to the next two depressions of button 34 , the display top line responds to designated rom addresses to display indica &# 34 ; pk speed &# 34 ;, and &# 34 ; av speed &# 34 ;, while the rom address causes the display middle line to read &# 34 ; mh &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; kh &# 34 ;. in response to the fifth depression of button 34 , the top display line responds to a designated rom address to display &# 34 ; dist &# 34 ;, while the middle line of the display reads , on the right side , either &# 34 ; ml &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; km &# 34 ;. in response to the sixth depression of button 34 , display 16 responds to a designated rom address that causes the letters &# 34 ; ca &# 34 ; to be displayed on the center display line . as an auxiliary subroutine , instantaneous speed and number of steps can be determined while the subject is performing an exercise routine , while the stop watch mode is entered . to these ends , the rom is programmed so that in response to the computer being in the stopwatch mode , sequential depressions of buttons 35 , 33 and 34 cause the upper display line to respond to a designated rom address to display &# 34 ; step &# 34 ; while the display center line responds to a designated ram address to indicate the number of steps taken prior to depression of button 35 ; depression of button 35 activates the computer into the &# 34 ; lap timer &# 34 ; mode . the next depression of button 34 causes the top display line to respond to a rom memory address that causes : the top line to read &# 34 ; in speed &# 34 ;, the center display line to read either &# 34 ; kh &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; mh &# 34 ;, and the center display line to respond the ram designated address where subject speed during the previous six second calculation interval is stored . the pacer function involves providing the subject with a predetermined number of aural pulses ; the number of pulses per minute is settable from 5 to 160 in 5 pulses per minute increments . to set the desired number of aural pulses or beeps per minute for pacing purposes , button 33 is activated three times from the time display , whereby the center display line is supplied with a number indicating signal from the ram , followed by the letters &# 34 ; pm &# 34 ;, as supplied to the display from a designated rom address . the digital display is incremented in units of five each time button 34 is pressed for less than two seconds . in response to button 34 being pressed for more than two seconds the digital indicia on the display center line is incremented rapidly . pressing button 34 sets a count down factor in a count down register of the microcomputer alu . the count down register is responsive to pulses from the oscillator including crystal 12 , to control the frequency of pulses supplied by the oscillator to beeper piezoelectric crystal 17 by way of amplifier 18 . the countdown register setting is controlled by a designated ram address loaded with pulses from the oscillator in response to pressing key 34 being pressed . after the designated pacer pulse rate has been set and displayed on liquid crystal display 16 , the pacer function is instigated by pressing button 33 while the watch is in the pacer mode . the rom is programmed to respond to pressing of button 35 at this time by opening a gate in the microcomputer to supply pulses to amplifier 18 and crystal 17 , causing aural pulses to be derived from the piezoelectric crystal at the designated pacer rate . after the pacer rate has been set , button 33 is pressed , to return display 16 to the time of day indication . the pacer beep function is activated by pressing button 34 and then pressing button 35 . each time button 3 is thereafter pressed causes the pacer beep to be either turned on or turned off . when the pacer beep is on the rom activates display 16 so that in the lower right hand corner thereof a special pictorial representation appears . crystal 17 responds to pulses from microcomputer 11 to provide an aural beep in response to many different functions performed by the microcomputer ; amongst these functions are : ( a ) sensing open circuiting of contacts 19 , each time each of buttons 33 - 35 is pressed , responding to a count of zero being reached in the clock countdown mode , and responding to the time set for the alarm to go off being reached , provided that the alarm setting has been set . while there has been described and illustrated one specific embodiment of the invention , it will be clear that variations in the details of the embodiment specifically illustrated and described may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . | 0 |
referring now to fig1 there is shown generally at 10 an elevation , cross - sectional view of a cooling tower provided with the water treatment system in accordance with the present invention . although a cooling tower is shown on fig1 the present invention could be utilized with any type of evaporative cooling equipment such as evaporative condensers , closed - circuit fluid coolers , direct evaporative coolers , as well as others . also , cooling tower 10 is shown as a forced draft counterflow cooling tower , though the present invention could be utilized with other types of cooling towers such as induced draft counterflow , cross - flow , natural draft hyperbolic , among other types . cooling tower 10 comprises outside casing 12 and collection basin 14 . attached to casing 12 is fan 20 , which could be a centrifugal or squirrel cage fan , as shown , or an axial fan . cooling tower 10 also comprises drift particle eliminators 18 , which typically consist of a plurality of thin plastic or metal sheets arranged to prevent entrained moisture particles from passing through eliminators 18 and outside of cooling tower 10 . recirculated water spray header 32 passes through casing 12 into cooling tower 10 . spray header 32 typically is constructed of galvanized or polyvinyl chloride ( pvc ) piping . orifice nozzles 34 are attached to spray header 32 and are typically manufactured of a plastic material such as polypropylene , though other similar plastic materials are often utilized . positioned below spray header 32 is heat transfer media 16 . heat transfer media 16 generally comprises a plurality of thin plastic sheets over which the recirculated water passes . heat transfer media 16 is generally designed to maximize the heat transfer surface area between the air and recirculated water while minimizing the pressure drop of the air flow through cooling tower 10 . suction screen 40 is located in basin 14 . suction screen 40 is connected to circulating pump 28 via line 29 . suction screen 40 typically comprises a metallic screen , such as galvanized or stainless steel , and is intended to prevent debris from leaving basin 14 . circulating pump 28 is connected to line 30 which transports the recirculating water back to the process requiring cooling . blow down line 46 extends from basin 14 of cooling tower 10 to a drain not shown in the figure . the purpose of blow down line 46 is to provide a means for removing a portion of the recirculated water to control the level of dissolved solids within the system . valve 48 is positioned in blow down line 46 to control the amount of recirculated water that is bled from basin 14 . typically valve 48 is connected to conductivity meter 50 which measures the conductivity of the recirculated water via conductivity probe 52 which usually is located within line 30 . when the dissolved solids in the recirculated water increase , the electrical conductivity of the water also increases . when the conductivity of the recirculated water reaches a pre - set level , conductivity meter 50 typically transmits a signal to valve 48 to open and allow a portion of the recirculated water to escape from basin 14 . although it is preferred that an automatic blow - down system as that described above be utilized with the present invention , manual blow - down methods may also be utilized to control the dissolved solids &# 39 ; level in the recirculated water . as a result of the need to add additional water to the evaporative cooling system to replace the water lost from the system due to evaporation and blow down , a make - up water control apparatus is typically utilized . the make - up water control system in fig1 is shown as float ball 36 and mechanical valve 38 , although alternative make - up control devices , such as electronic level controllers and valves , could be utilized . float ball 36 is connected to mechanical valve 38 which , in turn , is connected to make - up water supply line 44 . located within the make - up supply line is canister 42 , in accordance with the present invention , which is filled with solid biocide chemicals . a close - up view of canister 42 is shown in fig2 . typically , canister 42 comprises a top housing 60 and a bottom container 62 . bottom container 62 and top housing 60 are usually connectable via screw type threads 70 , though other types of connection methods could be utilized . canister 42 is typically molded of polypropylene , though other similar plastic materials could be utilized . referring now to fig3 bottom container 62 is typically provided with top restraining screen 68 and bottom restraining screen 69 which are used to contain a solid form biocide chemical , shown generally as 72 . top restraining screen 68 and bottom restraining screen 69 are typically thin , perforated plastic or metallic sheets which are designed to allow water to flow through the screen while restraining biocide 72 within the confines of container 62 . initially , bottom container 62 is completely filled with biocide chemical 72 . as water flows through bottom container 62 , biocide chemical 72 is depleted and the level of biocide chemical will be reduced , as shown in the figure . in the preferred embodiment , biocide chemical 72 is in the form of round spheres , or particles , although other solid form shapes could also be utilized . the mesh size of top restraining screen 68 is critical to the proper operation of the present invention . in general , the mesh size must be small enough to confine biocide chemical 72 within container 62 . conversely , the mesh size must be large enough to allow water to pass through with minimal restriction . in addition , it is desired that the mesh size be large enough to pass the very small biocide chemical beads which become fluidized during operation of the device and would otherwise block the passageways of top restraining screen 68 if not passed through . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , biocide or treatment chemical 72 has a density significantly greater than that of water . accordingly , as the water flows up through biocide chemical 72 bed , the majority of biocide chemical 72 remains in the bottom of the container 62 . however , as biocide chemical 72 dissolves , the chemical beads become smaller in size until a point is reached where the drag on some of the biocide chemical particles created by flow of water through the bed is greater than the gravitational force on the particle . when this point is reached , the biocide chemical particle will become fluidized and will be carried to the top of container 72 . the mesh of top restraining screen 68 is preferably large enough to pass such particles through top restraining screen 68 and into the main stream of make - up water . in its preferred embodiment top restraining screen 68 will have a mesh with openings of about 0 . 020 inches . tube 74 is also included in bottom container 62 . tube 74 extends from a top side of bottom container 62 down through the center of bottom container 62 and through bottom restraining screen 69 . the purpose of tube 74 is to transport a flow of fluid from top housing 60 down to the bottom of bottom container 62 . when bottom container 62 and top housing 60 are connected , gasket 84 engages top housing 60 to provide a water tight seal . gasket 84 is preferably made of ethylene propylene dimonomer rubber or silicone rubber , though other similar rubber materials could be utilized . in fig2 it can be seen that the purpose of gasket 84 is to prevent the make - up water from bypassing the chemical bed and leaking from opening 78 directly into chamber 82 . referring now to fig4 top housing 60 is provided with inlet 64 for receiving incoming make - up water flow and with outlet 66 for passing the make - up flow out of top housing 60 and back into the make - up supply line . venturi 76 is positioned in the water flow path in top housing 60 between inlet 64 and outlet 66 . the purpose of venturi 76 is to accelerate the water flow through the top housing in order to create a side - stream flow of make - up which will be brought in contact with biocide chemical 72 contained within bottom container 62 . typically , venturi 76 will have a smooth , generally circular entrance and exit as is shown on the figure . this arrangement is preferred in order to minimize the turbulence of the flow through venturi 76 . however , a similar effect could be obtained if , instead of using smooth venturi 76 , an orifice plate or some other restriction to flow was utilized . referring back to fig2 the creation of the side stream flow of make - up water will be explained . the sidestream flow of water is created by positioning side stream inlet 78 in top housing 60 just prior to venturi 76 . in addition , side stream outlet 80 is positioned within venturi 76 . as the make - up water flows through top housing 60 , the majority of the flow passes through venturi 76 and outlet 66 . however , as the make - up water flows through top housing 60 , an area of low static pressure is created within and downstream of venturi 76 . accordingly , the static pressure of the water at side stream outlet 80 is less than the static pressure of the water at side stream inlet 78 . as a result of this difference in static pressures , a small portion of the make - up flow is split apart from the major flow stream and is forced through side stream inlet 78 . once the side stream has passed through side stream inlet 78 , the side stream is forced down through tube 74 , back up through biocide chemical 72 , through chamber 82 and side stream outlet 80 . as the side stream flows through side stream outlet 80 , it rejoins , and is mixed back into , the main make - up flow . in the preferred embodiment of the invention , the biocide chemical used in bottom container 62 is prilled elemental iodine . prilled elemental iodine is preferred for several reasons . first , elemental iodine has a relatively low solubility in cool water of approximately 300 mg / l . this low solubility coupled with the relatively long contact time of the side stream flow with biocide 72 allows the side stream flow to reach a constant , elemental iodine saturation concentration . preferably , the iodine concentration within the recirculating water should be held between 0 . 1 ppm and 0 . 5 ppm . it has been found that if the make - up water added to the recirculating water has an iodine concentration of about 3 . 0 ppm iodine , the level of iodine within the recirculating water will be within the 0 . 1 to 0 . 5 ppm range . accordingly , in order to achieve a 3 . 0 ppm iodine concentration in the make - up water stream , it is necessary that the side stream flow constitute about 1 % of the total make - up water flow through device 42 . when this side stream , having a constant 300 ppm iodine concentration , is re - mixed into the main make - up water flow stream , the resulting mixture will have a constant iodine concentration of about 3 mg / l . it is recognized , however , that differing iodine concentrations could be obtained , and may be preferred in certain instances , by varying the volume of the side stream flow . the low solubility of iodine also prevents excessive iodine from being dissolved and wasted during times when the addition of make - up water is not required . during such periods , the side stream will remain in contact with biocide chemical 72 within bottom container 62 . however , due to the low solubility of elemental iodine , the only iodine that will dissolve into the side stream is the amount which is necessary to saturate the side stream . once this saturation level is reached , no additional iodine will dissolve . this feature allows the supply of iodine in bottom container 62 to last for extended periods of time . in fact , it is possible to calculate an amount of iodine which , if placed within bottom container 62 , will last for an entire operating season . although prilled elemental iodine is preferred , the present invention could also be utilized with other oxidizing biocides such as chlorine or bromine compounds and other organic or inorganic biocides which are slightly soluble in water . however , the degree of solubility of alternative biocides will have to be considered if all the anticipated features of the present invention are to be realized . it is anticipated that the present invention will find most use in systems utilizing evaporative cooling equipment in the small to mid - size range , that is with equipment of up to about 350 to 400 tons . when used with equipment of this size , it is possible to provide sufficient iodine to last for an entire operating season within a canister of a reasonable size . in addition , systems in the small to mid - size range often are left untreated , or are treated using the slug - feed method , due to the high cost of installing automatic chemical feed equipment . as a result , the present invention will provide a much improved means for cost - effectively treating such systems . in typical applications , it is estimated that approximately 0 . 1 pound of iodine per ton of cooling will be required to supply iodine to an evaporative cooling system for an entire season . this amount of iodine is based upon the assumption that the evaporative cooling equipment will operate at about five cycles of concentration . of course , if the evaporative cooling equipment is operated at other than 5 cycles of concentrations , or if the operating season is longer or shorter than that assumed in this estimate , the amount of iodine that will be required to last an entire season may change . usually , the canisters used in accordance with the present invention will be approximately 3 to 8 inches in diameter and about 6 to 36 inches in length . with canisters of this size , passageway 75 will usually be about 0 . 63 to 1 . 0 inches in diameter . in order to create a side stream flow equal to about 1 % of the total flow in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the cross - sectional flow area of venturi 76 will generally need to be equal to about 50 % of the cross - sectional flow area of passageway 75 . generally , side stream inlet 78 is oversized and provides minimal restriction to the side stream flow . however , the size of side stream outlet 80 must be controlled and matched with the size of venturi 76 so that a sufficient restriction to flow will be provided in order to prevent excessive side stream flow . for example , if a venturi having a diameter of 0 . 59 inches is utilized , side stream outlet 80 will need to be about 0 . 09 inches in diameter . however , other combinations of venturi size and side stream outlet sizes could also be used . an important feature of the present invention is that the biocide chemical is added to the evaporative cooling equipment in proportion to the need for biological control within the system . as shown by fig1 this is accomplished by adding the biocide chemical contained in canister 42 via the make - up water supply 44 . it is known in the art that the growth rate of microbiological organisms in evaporative cooling equipment typically increases as the recirculating water temperature increases . in most evaporative cooling systems , the recirculating water temperature increases as the load on the equipment , or the amount of heat that must be rejected from the equipment , increases . it is also known in the art that as the load on evaporative cooling equipment increases , the amount of water that is evaporated from the equipment must necessarily increase to provide the required cooling . in addition , it is also necessary to increase the blow down rate from the tower as the evaporation rate increases in order to maintain the level of dissolved solids at a relatively constant level . due to the increase in the loss of water from the system from increased evaporation and increased blow down rate at high loads , it is necessary to correspondingly increase the amount of make - up water flow to the equipment in order to maintain sufficient water within the system . since the amount of make - up water added to the system is approximately proportional to the load on the evaporative cooling equipment , and since the load on the system is approximately proportional to the rate of microbiological growth within the evaporative cooling equipment , it logically follows that the rate of make - up water added to an evaporative cooling system is approximately proportional to the rate of microbiological growth within the system . the present invention utilizes this relationship to provide a method of biocidal water treatment that automatically , without expensive automatic chemical feed equipment and daily operator attention , adds biocide chemical in proportion to the need for microbial control within evaporative cooling systems . this minimizes the chemical waste which is present with most systems and is a significant advantage over prior art systems which typically add biocide chemical on a timed basis . for example , typical evaporative cooling equipment used on comfort cooling , or air conditioning , systems operate at their maximum capacity for less than 10 % of the time the equipment is in operation . accordingly , if , in a prior art time based , automatic biocide feed system , the rate of biocide addition is set based upon the maximum biological growth rate , the prior art system would overfeed biocide chemical approximately 90 % of the time . on the other hand , if the timed rate of biocide addition in such a prior art system were based on the average biological growth rate , the prior art system would overfeed and waste biocide chemical at times when the load on the equipment was small and the recirculating water temperature was low . similarly , such prior art system would underfeed biocide chemical at times of high load when the recirculated water temperature was high . if harmful pathogens are present within the system , this underfeed situation could allow the concentration of harmful pathogens in the system to increase to potentially dangerous levels . although the method and apparatus of the present invention has been described for the preferred embodiment , it is apparent that various modifications and alternatives can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention , which is defined in the following claims . | 1 |
according to the present invention , applicant presents a process for preparing n , n &# 39 ;- difluorinated diazoniabicyclo - alkane derivatives of the following formula i : ## str4 ## wherein n represents 0 , 1 or 2 ; each r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 and r 5 independently represents hydrogen , c 1 - c 6 alkyl , aryl , c 1 - c 6 alkyl - substituted aryl or aryl - substituted c 1 - c 6 alkyl ; and each x - represents a counterion or 2x - represents a single divalent counterion . the process for preparing the derivatives according to formula i comprises fluorinating the corresponding 1 - hydro - 4 - aza - 1 - azoniabicycloalkane salts of the following formula ii : ## str5 ## wherein n , r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 , and x - are as defined above , in the presence of an alkali metal salt m + x - , wherein x - is as defined above and m + is an alkali metal cation . when any of r 1 to r 5 is other than hydrogen , it is preferably benzyl , phenyl or , especially , c 1 - c 4 alkyl , particularly methyl . however , due to steric considerations it may not be possible to obtain compounds with all possible combinations of r 1 to r 5 values . usually no more than one r 1 at the 2 and 3 ring positions and no more than one r 1 at the 5 and 6 ring positions will be other than hydrogen . it is preferred that all r 1 are hydrogen . usually no more than one of r 2 , r 3 , r 4 and r 5 is other than hydrogen . it is preferred that all of r 2 to r 5 are hydrogen . it is especially preferred that n is 0 , and each r 1 is hydrogen ( i . e . that the compounds of formula ii are derivatives of 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane . thus , according to a preferred embodiment , the 1 - hydro - 4 - aza - 1 - azoniabicycloalkane salts of formula ii are of the following formula iii the counterion represented by x - in formulae i to iii can be any anion which can be a counterion to the quaternizing fluorine . usually , but not necessarily , the counterion will be weakly nucleophilic . suitable anions include halides , especially fluoride ( f - ); fluorosulfate ( so 3 f - ); alkanesulfonates , especially methanesulfonate ( ch 3 so 3 - ); alkyl sulfates , especially methyl sulphate ( ch 3 so 4 - ); perfluoroalkanesulfonates , preferably triflate ( cf 3 so 3 - ) and nonaflate ( c 4 f 9 so 3 - ); arenesulfonates , especially tosylate ( i . e . p - toluene - sulfonate ; ch 3 c 6 h 4 so 3 - ); alkanecarboxylates ; perfluoroalkanecarboxylates ; tetrafluoroborate ( bf 4 - ); tetraphenylborate ( ph 4 b - ); hexafluorophosphate ( pf 6 - ); hexafluoroantimonate ( sbf 6 - ); chlorate ( cio 3 - ); and sulfate ( so 4 - = 2x - ). the preferred anions are fluoride , triflate , tosylate and , especially , tetrafluoroborate . the fluorinations usually are carried out using a stirred - tank batch reactor into which the fluorine is admitted either as a single charge of the gas at sub - atmospheric pressure or as a continuous flow of fluorine blended with nitrogen or other inert diluent at about atmospheric pressure . in the first of said fluorination methods , fluorine , usually diluted with nitrogen , is passed into a stirred low temperature solution or suspension of the 1 - hydro - 4 - aza - 1 - azoniabicycloalkane salts of formula ii in a suitable organic solvent , for example trichlorofluoromethane or especially acetonitrile . usually , the temperature is in the range - 35 ° c . to - 78 ° c . and the fluorine pressure is below 20 mmhg ( 2 . 7 kpa ). in the second fluorination method , fluorine heavily diluted with an inert gas , usually nitrogen , is passed through said solution at about ambient pressure ( see u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 479 , 901 and 5 , 086 , 178 ). the fluorination is conducted in the presence of an alkali metal salt m + x - , wherein x - is as defined above and m + is an alkali metal cation , usually lithium . preferably , both the heterocyclic and alkali metal salts are triflates ( i . e . trifluoromethane - sulfonates ) and the reaction is conducted in acetonitrile under nitrogen . the 1 - hydro - 4 - aza - 1 - azoniabicycloalkane salts of formula ii can readily be prepared by treating in a suitable organic solvent the corresponding 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] alkane of the following formula iv ## str6 ## wherein n , r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 , and x - are as defined above , with the corresponding acid h + x - , wherein x is as defined above . usually , the 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] alkane is stoichiometrically titrated with acid in the solvent to be used for the subsequent fluorination and the 1 - hydro - 4 - aza - 1 - azoniabicycloalkane salts fluorinated in situ . the 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] alkanes of formula iv are known per se or can be prepared by analogous methods to those known per se . in particular , those compounds of formula iv in which n is 0 can be obtained by acid - catalyzed ring closure of the corresponding n -( hydroxyethyl ) piperazine . the n -( hydroxyethyl ) piperazines can be obtained by reaction of the corresponding piperazine with ethylene oxide or an appropriately substituted ethylene oxide . substituted piperazine reactants can be obtained by reaction of an ethanolamine , an ethylene oxide and ammonia with the ethanolamine and / or ethylene oxide being appropriately substituted . the diazabicyclononane derivatives in which n is 1 or 2 can be obtained by treatment of the corresponding piperazine or homopiperazine with an appropriate alkyldihalide . the fluorinating agents of formula i are used in manner know per se as electrophilic fluorinating agents ( see , for example , r . e . banks et al j . chem . soc . perkin trans . i , 1988 , 2805 ). they appear to be unstable in the presence of moisture and hence should be protected from atmospheric moisture by , for example , storage under dry nitrogen in polyalkene or similar containers resistant to hydrogen fluoride . 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane was stoichiometrically titrated in acetonitrile solution with neat trifluoro - methanesulfonic acid . the stoichiometric endpoint ( at ph = 5 . 851 ) was monitored by potentiometric methods . analysis of the resulting acetonitrile solution by 1 h and 19 f nmr spectroscopy was consistent with 1 - hydro - 4 - aza - 1 - azonia - bicycloalkane [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane triflate ( concentration 0 . 505 mmol cm - 3 ). all operations were performed under an atmosphere of dry nitrogen . an aliquot ( 50 cm 3 ) of the solution prepared in step a ( containing 25 . 25 mmol of 1 - hydro - 4 - aza - 1 - azonia - bicycloalkane [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane triflate ) was diluted to 550 cm 3 with anhydrous acetonitrile ( final concentration 0 . 046m ) in a jacketed glass reactor . to this solution was added 8 . 51 g ( 54 . 6 mmol ) of lithium triflate and the mixture was cooled to - 45 ° c . while being stirred . fluorine diluted with nitrogen ( ca . 6 % by volume of f 2 in n 2 ) was then introduced through a sparging dip - tube at the rate of 200 cm 3 per minute until a total of 70 . 4 mmol of f 2 had passed into the mixture ( ca . 2 . 5 hours ). the reactor was then purged with nitrogen for a period of 10 minutes , and the reaction solution allowed to stand to allow solid matter to settle . the clear supernatant liquid was then decanted into a polyethylene container , which was subsequently tightly sealed and cooled to - 78 ° c . the mixture was kept at this temperature for the duration of analysis and evaluation . the product in solution was characterized by iodometric analysis and low - temperature multinuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 h , 13 c , 19 f ) spectroscopy . the 1 h , 19 f and 13 c nmr spectra were recorded at - 42 ° c . and were fully consistent with 1 , 4 - difluoro - 1 , 4 - diazoniabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane bistriflate . thus the 1 h spectrum comprised a broadened 12h multiplet at 4 . 93 p . p . m . [ six equivalent ch 2 groups , each magnetically coupled ( partially resolved ) to two equivalent n + -- f groups ], and a singlet at 3 . 52 p . p . m . due to unreacted starting material . with cfcl 3 as reference , the 19 f spectrum showed two singlets of relative intensities 2 : 3 at 36 . 62 p . p . m . ( two equivalent n + -- f groups ) and - 79 . 12 p . p . m . ( cf 3 so 3 - ). the 13 c spectrum comprised a doublet - of - doublets , at 60 . 52 p . p . m . corresponding to the six ch 2 groups of the difluoro compound , a triflate quartet at 121 . 21 p . p . m ., and a singlet at 44 . 20 p . p . m . caused by the presence of some unreacted starting material . | 2 |
in an embodiment , the soft magnetic component may comprise an amorphous or a nano - crystalline material . in an embodiment , the soft magnetic component may comprise particles which are individually insulated with a surface layer . in an embodiment , the particle size can be less than 2 mm . in an embodiment , the particle thickness can be less than 0 . 5 mm . in an embodiment , the surface of the particles can be oxidized or plastic coated . in an embodiment , the plastic component may comprise thermoplastic or duroplastic which can be processed with a casting resin technology . in an embodiment , the antenna formed by the magnet core and winding may have a quality more than 50 in the frequency range from 20 khz to 150 khz . in an embodiment , the magnet core can be loaded with a magnetic flow of at least 20 μwb . in an embodiment , the antenna may comprise several windings on the same magnet core , wherein the longitudinal axes of the windings are arranged at an angle greater than 0 ° to one another . in an embodiment , the antenna may comprise several magnet cores that carry windings , wherein the radiation properties of the individual magnet cores are shaped and / or aligned differently . in an embodiment , at least one of the magnet cores may have a recess for accommodating electronic components . yet another embodiment is directed to a method of using an antenna for inductive power transmission , wherein the antenna comprises a magnet core and a winding for use in the inductive power transmission , wherein the magnet core contains a soft magnetic component made of finely divided particles and a plastic component as the composite material and wherein the magnet core has an effective initial permeability ranging from 20 to 200 as well as a saturation induction higher than 0 . 6 t . in an embodiment , the method may be used for inductive power transmission between a stationary device and a mobile device fitted with an inductive receiver . in an embodiment , the method may be used for charging the power stores in the mobile devices . in an embodiment , the method may be used for inductive power transmission from a mobile device to a stationary device . yet another embodiment is directed to a method for operating an antenna comprising a plurality of magnet cores each carrying at least one winding , wherein the radiation properties of the individual magnet cores are shaped and / or aligned differently , wherein each magnet core contains a soft magnetic component made of finely divided particles and a plastic component as the composite material and wherein each magnet core has an effective initial permeability ranging from 20 to 200 as well as a saturation induction higher than 0 . 6 t , wherein the method may comprise the step of controlling different windings in a simultaneously phased manner or in an alternating manner . yet another embodiment is directed to a method for operating an antenna comprising a magnet core having a plurality of winding for use in the inductive power transmission , wherein longitudinal axes of the windings are arranged at an angle greater than 0 ° to one another , and wherein the magnet core contains a soft magnetic component made of finely divided particles and a plastic component as the composite material and wherein the magnet core has an effective initial permeability ranging from 20 to 200 as well as a saturation induction higher than 0 . 6 t , wherein the method comprises the step of controlling different windings in a simultaneously phased manner or in an alternating manner . according to the invention , the magnet core contains a soft magnetic component made from finely distributed particles and a plastic component as the composite material ; the magnet core has an initial permeability between 20 and 200 and a saturation induction of & gt ; 0 . 6 t . an advantage is that , the soft magnetic component is made up of the flakes of a nano - crystalline material as mentioned above . this component has a saturation magnetization of approx . 1 to 1 . 6 t and permeability & gt ; 30 , 000 . by mixing a plastic component , the magnetic circuit is broken because of the microscopic gaps between the flakes and a lower effective permeability of 30 to 100 is achieved at a high quality and constancy of temperature . however , a high flow density is achieved , higher than 0 . 6 t , typically also higher than 0 . 9 t . a favorable property of the soft magnetic component of the magnet core is that the particles are electrically insulated with a surface layer . this can be , for example , a plastic layer or the result of surface oxidation . the particle size can be less than 2 mm , whereby the particle thickness can be less than 0 . 5 mm . because of this form of the particles , there are very little magnetic losses and thus , a very high quality of antennae is achieved . the mechanical properties — fracture toughness , flexibility and temperature dependability — can be adapted according to the type and proportion of plastic used . thermoplastics or duroplastics such as polyamide , polyacrylate , polyacetate , polyimide or epoxy resin processed with the casting resin technology can be used as the plastic component , depending upon the required mechanical and thermal properties . in the simplest design , the antenna arrangement has a bar or a plate with a winding as the magnet core . definite core cross - sections are necessary so that the arrangement can be used for an effective power transmission . if an average flow of at least 20 μwb is attained in the core , an induction of 400 mt is achieved for a cross - section of 0 . 5 cm 2 . this corresponds to approximately half of the cross - section required for the use of a soft ferrite . in this case , the coil length should be greater than the diameter of the winding so that the magnet core can be effectively used for increasing the flow . an important property of the material used as per this invention is the mechanical immunity to impacts and vibrations and flexibility in shaping during the production and / or subsequent flexibility . because of its magnetic properties , the material used as per this invention has a small size and can thus , be used in several areas of application due to cost , space and design reasons . for achieving the desired radiation properties and / or flow of the antenna arrangement , it can be advantageous if several windings are arranged on the same magnet core , whereby the longitudinal axes of the windings are at an angle of & gt ; 0 °, e . g . 90 ° to one another . the windings can be controlled simultaneously , in a phased manner or in an alternating manner , so that inductive power transmission to the receiver can take place in different positions . thus , power transmission becomes more reliable and immune as regards the relative positioning of the transmitter and receiver . this invention is based on different operating methods of the antenna arrangement with intermittent functioning of the different windings and / or the aforementioned dephased simultaneous control of the different windings . to achieve a high acceptance as regards the positioning of the transmitters and receivers , it is possible to have several windings on different magnet cores of the given type , whereby the radiation property of the individual magnet cores is shaped or adjusted differently . also , this helps in increasing the optimum positioning range of a receiver , to which the power is transmitted . since the antenna arrangement as per this invention can be space - saving , it might also be logical to provide for a recess within a magnet core , in which electronic components , e . g . the control circuit of the antenna arrangement , can be accommodated . the flow within the magnet core will hardly be influenced by such recesses , provided they are not too large . besides , the antenna arrangement can be pre - fabricated with the control circuit and easily incorporated as an integral unit in the device . fig1 shows a two - dimensional magnet core 1 with a winding 2 , whereby the dimensions of the magnet core can be , e . g . 20 × 10 × 0 . 2 cm . preferably , the area of the core is as big as the target place ( to be covered ) of the receiver . because of the design of the winding , e . g . a compaction / compression towards the ends , a strong homogenous flow density is generated as far as possible . for specially designing the flow orientation and the radiation properties , fig2 shows a combination of two perpendicular windings 3 , 4 on a magnet core 5 , which is almost designed as a quadratic plate . both the windings can be controlled alternately or in a simultaneously dephased manner . if the correct plastic component is selected , the entire arrangement can be flexible , as shown in fig1 or 2 . in any case , this component is more immune to fracture than e . g . an arrangement with ferrite core or a core made from any other material that is usually used . the arrangement with a bar - shaped magnet core as shown in fig3 is particularly suitable for the transmission of power to a mobile receiver , whereby the direction of movement as well as the antenna of the receiver is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the winding 7 . fig6 shows two different magnet cores 8 , 9 ; each has a separate winding and their longitudinal axes are perpendicular so as to allow different flow densities and radiation properties . this is an alternative to the design shown in fig2 , which has several windings on a single magnet core . fig4 shows an arrangement , in which the winding 10 is integrated in a magnetic body 11 , as if it is passing through the magnet core itself 11 and the lower part of the magnet core 11 shown in fig4 forms a yoke , which shorts the magnetic flow on the lower side . this along with the pole shoes 12 , 13 gives a screening effect in one direction ( downward ) as well as a good radiation in the upward direction . the casting method described in wo 0191141 a1 is particularly suitable for making such an arrangement , whereby the winding can also be cast while preparing the magnet core . fig5 shows a recess 15 in the magnet core 14 , where components of an electronic circuit , e . g . for controlling the winding 16 , can be accommodated . fig6 shows an example of application of the antenna arrangement with a mobile communication terminal unit as per this invention — such as a mobile phone or a cordless phone 17 , which has a receiver for inductive coupling with the antenna arrangement 18 ( not described in detail ). the antenna arrangement 18 has a housing 19 , which accommodates both the magnet cores 8 , 9 ; each of these magnet cores has a winding and enable inductive power transmission to the receiver in the terminal unit 17 . in addition to the receiver , a capacitor or accumulator is also integrated in the terminal unit 17 for storing the transmitted power . although the described antenna arrangement is specially meant for power transmission , the same arrangement can also be used for transmitting back information and / or a signal , which is possibly either transmitted in an inductive manner ( whereby a changeover must take place between transmission and reception ) or by evaluating the power drawn by the receiver . the invention can also be used for power transmission from a mobile device to a stationary device , e . g . in the track system for transmitting signals and / or power from a device fixed on a vehicle to a stationary sensor in a control room / signal cabin for monitoring the traffic . | 7 |
as a general comparison between barium titanate - based and strontium titanate - based ceramics , a sufficiently large dielectric constant is readily obtained with the former type of ceramics though with a relatively large dielectric loss whereas the strontium titanate - based ceramics have rather smaller dielectric constant than the barium titanate - based ceramics but a much smaller dielectric lass factor of 0 . 5 % or smaller or , in particular , 0 . 06 % or smaller than in the barium titanate - based ones is readily obtained with the strontium titanate - based ceramics depending on the composition . the key factor for the improvement of the high frequency performance and extended durability of a ceramic capacitor is the small dielectric loss whereas the requirement for the dielectric constant has been found to be so high that a value of 1000 or larger is sufficient in strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitors for the dielectric constant in most applications . since strontium titanate - based ceramics having a dielectric constant of at least 1500 or at least 1800 are readily available in the present status of the art , the dielectric constant is no longer the critical parameter limiting the performance and durability of the ceramic capacitor or the electric power source units built by use of the ceramic capacitors . the present invention is characteristic in the high - performance electric power source unit with a high - speed pulse - forming circuit or a high - frequency rectifying circuit in which the dielectric loss is minimized by the use of capacitors made of a strontium titanate - based ceramic . as a benefit accompanying the reduced dielectric loss , the temperature rising of the ceramic capacitor during application of a voltage is decreased so that the serviceable life of the capacitor is extended with retardation of the aging phenomenon of the capacitor . on the other hand , the impedance of a circuit is inversely proportional to the product of the frequency and the capacitance so that the impedance can be decreased at a higher frequency and the capacitance can be reduced at a higher frequency . the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitors are advantageous also in this respect . on the contrary , conventional barium titanate - based ceramic capacitors exhibit particularly large dielectric loss at a frequency higher than 1 mhz resulting in large temperature rising with considerable disadvantages in comparison with the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitors . further , the oil - impregnation type polymer film and paper capacitors are satisfactorily usable at low frequencies owing to their large capacitance but quite unsuitable for high frequency uses due to the large inductance . when the proportionality between the applied voltage and the power output of the source unit is desired to be maintained over a range as wide as possible , it is a requirement that the voltage dependency and the temperature characteristic of the capacitance should be minimized . strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitors are advantageous also in this respect since the voltage dependency of them can be as small as 10 % or smaller per 1 kv / mm thickness of the dielectric material and the temperature characteristic of the capacitance can be such that the decrease of the capacitance at 85 ° c . from the value at 20 ° c . is 40 % or smaller . accordingly , the electric power source unit of the present invention with the highest performance is manufactured by use of the capacitors of strontium titanate - based ceramics having a dielectric constant of at least 1000 , dielectric loss factor of 0 . 5 % or smaller , voltage dependency of the capacitance of 10 % or smaller at 1 kv / mm thickness of the dielectric material and decrease of the capacitance at 85 ° c . is 40 % smaller from the value at 20 ° c . strontium titanate - based ceramic materials satisfying the above requirements can be prepared with the formulations , for example , given below in four classes ( 1 ) to ( 4 ). ( 1 ) a ceramic composed of 20 to 51 % by weight of strontium titanate , 5 to 30 % by weight of a bismuth titanate having a molar ratio of bi 2 o 3 : tio 2 of 2 : 3 to 1 : 5 , and 15 to 70 % by weight of barium titanate with addition of a small amount of at least one additive ingredient selected from the group consisting of oxides of manganese , niobium , chromium , nickel , cobalt and iron , clay materials and oxides of rare earth elements . ( 2 ) a ceramic composed of 60 to 75 % by weight of strontium titanate , 5 to 25 % by weight of bismuth oxide , 5 to 30 % by weight of a titanium oxide and up to 5 % by weight of magnesium oxide with addition of a small amount of at least one additive ingredient selected from the group consisting of oxides of manganese , niobium , chromium , nickel , cobalt and iron , clay materials and oxides of rare earth elements . ( 3 ) a ceramic composed of 40 to 80 % by weight of strontium titanate , 15 to 40 % by weight of a bismuth titanate having a molar ratio of bi 2 o 3 : tio 2 of 2 : 3 to 1 : 5 , and 3 to 20 % by weight of lead titanate with addition of a small amount of at least one additive ingredient selected from the group consisting of oxides of manganese , niobium , chromium , nickel , cobalt and iron , clay materials and oxides of rare earth elements . ( 4 ) a ceramic composed of 30 to 60 % by weight of strontium titanate , 0 . 5 to 30 % by weight of calcium titanate , 5 to 35 % by weight of lead titanate and 5 to 30 % by weight of a bismuth titanate having a molar ratio of bi 2 o 3 : tio 2 of 2 : 3 to 1 : 5 with addition of a small amount of at least one additive ingredient selected from the group consisting of oxides of manganese , niobium , chromium , nickel , cobalt and iron , clay materials and oxides of rare earth elements . in each of the above four classes of the ceramic formulations , the rare earth oxide is added in order to further decrease the dielectric loss . suitable rare earth oxides , for example , are ceric oxide , lanthanum oxide and the like used usually in an amount of 0 . 01 to 10 % by weight . the oxides of manganese , niobium , chromium , nickel , cobalt and iron as well as the clay materials serve as a mineralizing agent to give a sintered body with further densified structure . the amount of their addition is usually in the range from 0 . 1 to 0 . 5 % by weight . among the above given four classes of the ceramic materials , those belonging to the first class are characterized by their relatively large dielectric constant for a strontium titanate - based ceramic . those belonging to the second class of the ceramic materials are characterized by the small voltage dependency of the capacitance . thus , it is a matter of option to select and use any one or more of the additive ingredients according to the particular object of the use of the ceramic capacitors . a typical example of the ceramic capacitors used in the inventive electric power source unit is illustrated by the cross section in fig1 . in this figure , the sintered ceramic body 1 is provided with electrodes 3 , 3 &# 39 ; on the opposite surfaces , to which the terminals 2 , 2 &# 39 ; are bonded by soldering or other suitable means . the body of the capacitor is as a whole encapsulated in a synthetic resin 5 such as an epoxy resin with the end surfaces of the terminals 2 , 2 &# 39 ; being exposed and a connector 4 being bonded thereto . the inventive electric power source unit is assembled and constructed with the above described ceramic capacitor or capacitors as a component or components of a high - speed pulse - forming circuits or a high - frequency voltage - multipler rectifying circuit . the pulse - forming circuit may be a marx circuit as illustrated in fig2 a capacitor bank circuit as illustrated in fig3 a l - c inversion circuit as illustrated in fig4 or a pfn circuit as illustrated in fig5 . further , an example of the circuit diagram of the high - frequency voltage - rectifying circuit is illustrated in fig6 . in these figures , c 1 to c 5 each denote a ceramic capacitor , g 1 to g 4 each denote a spark gap and d 1 to d 5 each denote a diode . in the next place , the unique characteristics of the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitors used in the inventive electric power source unit are well illustrated in comparison with conventional barium titanate - based ceramic capacitors with reference to fig7 in which curves a and a &# 39 ; are for an inventive strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitor and curves b and b &# 39 ; are for a conventional barium titantate - based ceramic capacitor . the figure is a graphic showing of the relationship between the applied voltage per unit thickness of the ceramic body in kv / mm and the output of the power source in kv . the chain line indicates the ideal proportionality between the parameters . curves a and b are for the ambient temperature of 20 ° c . and curves a &# 39 ; and b &# 39 ; are for 85 ° c . as is clear from the figure , the curves for the conventional ceramic capacitor level off irrespective of the ambient temperature as the applied voltage increases and the leveling - off temperature is lower at 85 ° c . than at 20 ° c . on the contrary , the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitors used in the inventive power source unit are free from the phenomenon of leveling off and exhibit almost satisfactory proportionality at both 20 ° c . and 85 ° c . by further increasing the voltage applied to the capacitors , the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitor exhibited a much higher , say about 1 . 5 times higher , break - down voltage than the conventional barium titanate - based ceramic capacitor . in this regard , the inventive power source unit is advantageous in the wide versatility in its use . further , fig8 illustrates the temperature characteristic of the capacitance of the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitor ( curve a ) and the barium titanate - based ceramic capacitor ( curve b ) by plotting the relative changes in the values at varied temperatures taking the values at 20 ° c . as the base . as is clear from the figure , the capacitance of the barium titanate - based one decreases about 55 % at 85 ° c . while the decrease in the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitor is only about 15 % at 85 ° c . further illustration of the characteristic difference between the strontium titanate - and barium titanate - based ceramic capacitors is given by fig9 in which the relative changes in the capacitance with aging are plotted as a function of the lapsed time in a logarithmic scale . as is clear from this figure , the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitor ( curve a ) exhibited only a few % of decrease in the capacitance even after 10 5 hours when the barium titanate - based one exhibited a decrease of 25 % or more . fig1 is a graph showing the voltage dependency of the capacitance with the relative changes in the value of the capacitance in % taken as the ordinate plotted as a function of the applied voltage in kv divided by the thickness d in mm of the dielectric ceramic body . as is clear from this figure , the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitor ( curve a ) has very small voltage dependency in comparison with the barium titanate - based ceramic capacitor ( curve b ), the decrease at v / d = 1 being only a few % for the former and about 20 % for the latter . as is readily understood from the above given comparison of the characteristics of the capacitors , the electric power source unit of the invention constructed with a strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitor is capable of producing a higher power output as a power source than with a similar unit with the barium titanate - based ceramic capacitor , and the stability of the power output is greatly improved over a long period of continued use . in summarizing , the electric power source unit of the present invention has advantages , by virtue of the use , as a component of the circuit , of one or more of the strontium titanate - based ceramic capacitors with much smaller , say , a half , of tolerance than in the conventional ceramic capacitors as a result of the use of stable materials and much higher working voltage and dielectric strength than in the conventional ceramic capacitors , that a well - controlled power output is obtained as calculated and designed , that the number of stages in a multi - stage circuit can be reduced permitting a more compact design of the power source unit and the stability of the power output is improved and that a power source unit of a large power output can readily be designed . in the following , the present invention is further described in detail by way of examples . in the examples , the characterization of various parameters of the capacitors were undertaken as below . ( a ) the values of the dielectric constant and tan δ are those obtained at 20 ° c . at a frequency of 1 mhz . ( b ) the temperature characteristic is expressed in the relative decrease in % of the capacitance of the capacitor at 85 ° c . in comparison with the value at 20 ° c . ( c ) the voltage dependency is expressed by the relative decrease in % of the capacitance at an electric field of 1 kv / mm of the thickness of the dielectric ceramic body . strontium titanate , a bismuth titanate , barium titanate in proportions indicated in table 1 and other necessary additive ingredients were uniformly blended with admixture of a suitable amount of a binder and the mixture was shaped by compression molding into a disc of a 16 . 5 mm diameter and 1 mm thickness , which was sintered at about 1200 ° c . for 2 hours into a ceramic body . these sintered bodies were each provided with electrodes to be a ceramic capacitor of the form as illustrated in fig1 . the characteristics of these capacitors are shown in table 1 . table 1______________________________________ sample no . 1 2 3______________________________________compo - srtio . sub . 3 50 . 9 36 . 4 29 . 1sition , 2bi . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 . 3tio . sub . 2 19 . 1 % by bi . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 . 3tio . sub . 2 13 . 6 10 . 9weight batio . sub . 3 30 50 60______________________________________pro - dielectric constant 1200 1780 2580perties temperature charac - teristic , % - 20 . 5 - 30 - 36 tan δ , % 0 . 4 0 . 1 0 . 1 voltage dependency , % - 2 - 2 . 5 - 4 . 8______________________________________ as is shown in the table , all of the ceramic capacitors prepared in this example had a dielectric constant of at least 1200 , temperature characteristic of the capacitance of 36 % or smaller , dielectric loss of 0 . 4 % or smaller and voltage dependency of the capacitance at an electric field of 1 kv / mm thickness of the dielectric ceramic body of 5 % or smaller . the ceramic capacitors prepared in the same formulation as in sample no . 2 above were used for building an electric power source unit having a marx circuit as shown in fig2 . the relationship between the voltage applied to each of the capacitors and the output of the power source unit is plotted in fig7 to give the curves a and a &# 39 ; for the ambient temperatures of 20 ° c . and 85 ° c ., respectively . three kinds of ceramic capacitors were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 each with the formulation composed of strontium titanate , bismuth oxide , titanium oxide and magnesium oxide in the proportion as indicated in table 2 below as well as other necessary additive ingredients . the characteristics of these ceramic capacitors are also given in table 2 . table 2______________________________________ sample no . 4 5 6______________________________________compo - srtio . sub . 3 72 . 3 63 . 3 62 . 4sition , bi . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 7 . 1 11 . 9 11 . 7 % by tio . sub . 2 20 . 6 23 . 9 23 . 5weight mgo 0 0 . 9 2 . 4______________________________________pro - dielectric constant 1050 1310 1215perties temperature charac - teristic , % - 19 - 12 . 3 - 8 . 5 tan δ , % 0 . 3 0 . 1 0 . 1 voltage dependency , % - 0 . 9 - 0 . 8 - 1 . 0______________________________________ as is shown in the table , all of the ceramic capacitors prepared in this example had a dielectric constant of at least 1000 , temperature characteristics of the capacitance of 20 % or smaller , dielectric loss of 0 . 3 % or smaller and voltage dependency of the capacitance of 1 . 0 % or smaller . three kinds of ceramic capacitors were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 each with the formulation composed of strontium titanate , either one of 2 kinds of bismuth titanates and lead titanate in the proportion as indicated in table 3 below as well as other necessary additive ingredients . the characteristics of these ceramic capacitors are also given in table 3 . table 3______________________________________ sample no . 7 8 9______________________________________compo - srtio . sub . 3 69 . 4 65 . 9 61 . 6sition , bi . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 . 2tio . sub . 2 20 . 0 % by bi . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 . 3tio . sub . 2 25 . 9 23 . 2weight pbtio . sub . 3 4 . 7 14 . 1 15 . 2______________________________________pro - dielectric constant 1060 1380 1880perties temperature charac - teristic , % - 15 - 26 . 2 - 20 . 5 tan δ , % 0 . 06 0 . 5 0 . 1 voltage dependency , % - 0 . 8 - 9 . 0 - 5 . 4______________________________________ as is shown in the table , all of the ceramic capacitors prepared in this example had a dielectric constant of at least 1000 , temperature characteristic of the capacitance of 27 % or smaller , dielectric loss of 0 . 5 % or smaller and voltage dependency of the capacitance at an electric field of 1 kv / mm thickness of the dielectric ceramic body of 10 % or smaller . three kinds of ceramic capacitors were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 each with the formulation composed of strontium titanate , either one of 2 kinds of bismuth titanates , calcium titanate and lead titanate in the proportion as indicated in table 4 below as well as other necessary additive ingredients . the characteristics of these ceramic capacitors are also given in table 4 . table 4______________________________________ sample no . 10 11 12______________________________________compo - srtio . sub . 3 31 . 0 40 . 4 36 . 4sition , bi . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 . 2tio . sub . 2 26 % by bi . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 . 3tio . sub . 2 28 . 6 30weight catio . sub . 3 15 . 9 13 . 6 18 . 6 pbtio . sub . 3 24 . 5 20 15______________________________________pro - dielectric constant 1250 1800 1170perties temperature charac - teristic , % - 2 . 0 + 20 . 0 - 10 . 0 tan δ , % 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 1 voltage dependency , % - 1 . 8 - 4 . 4 - 0 . 8______________________________________ as is shown in the table , all of the ceramic capacitors prepared in this example had a dielectric constant of at least 1100 , temperature characteristic of the capacitance of 20 % or smaller , dielectric loss of 0 . 2 % or smaller and voltage dependency of the capacitance at an electric field of 1 kv / mm thickness of the dielectric ceramic body of 5 % or smaller . | 2 |
in the accompanying drawing which forms a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views : fig1 is a side elevational view of a typical reciprocating chain drive mechanism in which the chain of the present invention is employed , the broken away portions indicating continuous chain length ; fig2 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale illustrating one of the disengaging links of the chain having reached one of the sprocket teeth ; fig3 is a fragmentary elevational view , partially in cross section , taken generally along line 3 -- 3 of fig2 in the direction of the arrows ; and fig4 is a perspective view on a still larger scale illustrating one of the disengaging links included in the chain . referring now to the drawing in detail , fig1 illustrates a typical reciprocating chain drive mechanism in which an endless chain 10 constructed according to the invention is employed . the chain drive mechanism includes a pair of sprockets 11 and 12 around which chain 10 is tightly trained . sprockets 11 and 12 are mounted on shafts 13 and 14 , respectively , and one of the shafts is normally rotatively driven by a motor or other means ( not shown ) in order to advance the chain . in the chain drive illustrated , shaft 14 is the driven shaft while shaft 13 and sprocket 11 are idlers . of course both shafts 13 and 14 could be driven shafts . in reciprocating chain drives , reversal controls , ( not shown ) are provided which operate conventionally to reverse the direction of rotation of shaft 14 periodically in order to reciprocate chain 10 back and forth . stop controls ( not shown ) are also provided to stop the movement of the chain completely . ordinarily , a second chain ( not shown ) parallel to chain 10 will be mounted on a second pair of sprockets ( also not shown ) which are mounted on shafts 13 and 14 at locations spaced to the side of sprockets 11 and 12 . reciprocating equipment ( not shown ) of any type such as a trolley , carriage , scraper , or the like is mounted to the two parallel chains , usually extending between the upper runs of the chains . this equipment will be driven back and forth in reciprocating motion between sprockets 11 and 12 as the reversal controls periodically reverse the direction of rotation of shaft 14 . each sprocket 11 and 12 is constructed conventionally with thin peripheral teeth 16 extending outwardly from the sprocket body . the teeth 16 act to engage the links of chain 10 in order to advance the chain as the sprockets rotate . referring now more particularly to the construction of chain 10 , a plurality of drive links 18 and connector bars 19 are connected end to end in alternative fashion , with a bar 19 between each pair of links 18 . as best illustrated in fig3 each link 18 comprises a pair of flat side plates 20 which are spaced apart in parallel relationship by a pair of pins 21 which extend between each pair of plates 20 near the opposite ends thereof . the spacing between plates 20 is slightly greater than the thickness of sprocket teeth 16 so that the teeth will fit between the side plates . each connector bar 19 is a flat plate member of lesser thickness than the distance between side plates 20 . each bar 19 is pivoted near its ends to the pins 21 of successive links 18 . the pivotal connection between links 18 and bars 19 permits chain 10 to flex as required about each pin 21 . the ends of each bar 19 fit between side plates 20 , and the sprocket teeth 16 act against the end portions of the bars 19 in order to advance the chain as sprockets 11 and 12 rotate . chain 10 further includes a pair of disengaging links which are designated by numeral 22 . as best shown in fig1 the links 22 are connected between selected pairs of connector bars 19 in place of the links 18 that would normally be at these locations in an ordinary chain construction . links 22 act to disengage the chain from sprockets 11 and 12 if they should reach the sprocket teeth , and the two links 22 are therefore spaced apart from one another half the entire length of the chain . the link 22 on the lower run of chain 10 is illustrated in detail in fig4 . a flat plate 23 forms one side of each link 22 . a channel shaped member 24 having flanges 25 on its ends is secured to plate 23 by a pair of the pins 21 . pins 21 extend between each flange 25 and the corresponding end of plate 23 to space the plate 23 from flanges 25 . the spacing between plate 23 and flanges 25 is equal to the spacing between the side plates 20 of the links 18 so that identical pins 21 may be used throughout the chain . the central portion of each member 24 is offset or recessed inwardly of flanges 25 . integral legs 26 extend toward plate 23 at right angles from the ends of flanges 25 , and a flat central web 27 extends along the surface of plate 23 between the ends of legs 26 . the web 27 of each member 24 is thus recessed inwardly of flanges 25 . a flat plate 28 is welded in the recess area of each member 24 at an inclined angle . in the link 22 shown in fig4 which is the link on the lower run of chain 10 , plate 28 is welded to legs 26 at its side edges and to the upper edge of web 27 at its upper edge . as plate 28 extends downwardly , it also extends outwardly or away from web 27 at an inclined angle . the angle of inclination of plate 28 relative to web 27 is preferably in the range of from 20 ° to 40 ° for the most effective and reliable results . the link 22 on the upper run of chain 10 is constructed identically to the lower link 22 but is inverted from the orientation shown in fig4 for the lower link . in other words , the plate 28 on the upper link 22 extends outwardly or away from web 27 as it extends upwardly , as best shown in fig3 . one end of each pin 21 is preferably threaded , and a nut 29 ( fig4 ) is threaded onto this end of the pin to secure the components of each link 18 and 22 together and to attach the connector bars 19 to the links . the pins 21 of links 22 pivotally connect to the ends of bars 19 , with one end of the connector bar located between plate 23 and flange 25 . the central portion of each pin 21 is preferably reduced in diameter in a smooth manner as shown at 21a in fig4 in order to facilitate the pivoting of bar 19 . in use , chain 10 drives the reciprocating equipment ( not shown ) back and forth in response to the periodic reversal of the rotational direction of sprockets 11 and 12 . in fig1 the directional arrow indicates the direction of rotation of sprocket 12 , and it is noted that the two disengaging links 22 have not reached sprockets 11 and 12 . when the chain reaches the approximate position shown in fig1 the direction of rotation of sprocket 12 will ordinarily be reversed from that indicated by the directional arrow so that the upper run of chain 10 will begin moving to the right and the lower run of the chain will begin moving to the left . when the chain has moved in this direction to a position where the upper link 22 is near sprocket 12 and the lower link 22 is near sprocket 11 , the direction of rotation of sprocket 12 will again be reversed before either link 22 reaches either sprocket . in this manner , the equipment carried on chain 10 will reciprocate back and forth without either link 22 engaging a sprocket in normal operation . however , if the reversal or stop controls should malfunction and fail to reverse or stop the rotation of sprocket 12 as intended , the respective links 22 will come into engagement with the teeth 16 on sprockets 11 and 12 shortly after the ordinary extreme position of the chain has been passed . this is shown in fig2 where the upper run of the chain has moved excessively to the left due to failure of the reversal or stop controls . when this occurs , one of the sprocket teeth 16 initially engages the inclined plate 28 at a location approximately midway of the height of the plate . due to the inclined angle of plate 28 and the tension of chain 10 , the plate slides off of the tooth 16 in a camming manner until it has been diverted completely off to the side of the tooth , as best shown in fig3 . this has the effect of disengaging the entire chain from sprocket 11 since the following drive links 18 will follow the path of link 22 and pass to the side of the sproket teeth . as a result , chain 10 will not advance further , and the chain drive and the reciprocating equipment will not be subjected to damage despite the failure of the controls and the continued rotation of the sprocket . at the same time , the camming action of plate 28 on the lower link 22 against one of the teeth of sprocket 12 diverts the lower link 22 to the side of sprocket 12 and disengages the chain from this sprocket in the manner described above . accordingly , the chain will be stopped even if both sprockets continue to rotate . of course , if chain 10 should move excessively in the opposite direction , the upper link 22 will effect disengagement of the chain from sprocket 12 , and the lower link will disengage the chain from sprocket 11 . while the chain has been illustrated and described as having two disengaging links 22 , it is contemplated that in some cases only one link 22 will be included in the chain since this single link would eventually reach either sprocket 11 and 12 to disengage the chain therefrom in the event of a control malfunction . in addition , in cases where the sprockets are of different construction or size than the sprockets illustrated and have teeth that are spaced more closely together , it may be necessary or desirable to provide two or more of the disengaging links 22 as adjacent links of the chain so that the adjacent disengaging links 22 will be able to disengage the chain from adjacent sprocket teeth simultaneously . drive chains are commonly employed in various configurations such as being trained around a large number of sprockets or rollers that are mounted at various offset locations . this allows a single long chain to be used to drive equipment such as two or more scrapers in different work areas . the present invention contemplates this and is intended to include within its scope drive chains that are trained around any number of sprockets and / or rollers in any configuration . of course , the location and number of the disengaging links 22 that will be included in the chain will depend on the configuration of the chain and the number and location of the sprockets from which the chain is to be disengaged . from the foregoing , it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure . it will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations . this is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims . since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof , it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . | 8 |
to a stirred solution of 514 mg . ( 1 . 0 mmole ) of the cephem benzhydryl ester 3 in 30 ml . of methanolmethylene chloride ( 1 : 1 ) was added 147 mg . ( 1 . 1 mmole ) of n - chlorosuccinimide ( ncs ) and the solution was stirred for 3 hours at room temperature . the reaction was diluted with 30 ml . of methylene chloride , washed with 5 % bicarbonate and two portions of 100 ml . of water . the organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate , filtered and evaporated to dryness affording 546 mg . ( 100 %) of 4 as yellow foam , which was pure enough for further reactions . an analytical specimen was obtained , by recrystallizing from methylene chloride and n - pentane , as white prisms , m . p . 132 °- 133 ° c . anal . calc &# 39 ; d for c 30 h 28 n 2 o 6 s : c , 66 . 25 ; h , 5 . 15 ; n , 5 . 15 . found : c , 66 . 60 ; h , 5 . 30 ; n , 5 . 46 . nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 1 ( s . 3h ), 3 . 45 ( s . 3h ), 4 . 56 ( s . 2h ), 5 . 15 ( d . j = 5 . 0 hz 1h ), 5 . 90 ( q , j = 5 . 0 , 12 hz , 1h ), 6 . 8 - 7 . 8 ( m . 16h ). to a cooled (- 20 ° c .) solution of 5 . 40 g . ( 10 . 0 mmole ) of the 2 - methoxycephem 4 in 80 ml . of dry methylene chloride was added dropwise a solution of 1 . 57 g . ( 22 . 0 mmole ) of chlorine in 15 ml . of carbon tetrachloride over a 10 minute period and the slightly yellow solution was allowed to stir at - 20 ° c . for 60 minutes under nitrogen . the reaction was poured into 120 ml . of ethyl acetate and shaken vigorously with 100 ml . of ice - cold water for 10 minutes . the organic layer was washed with brine , dried over magnesium sulfate , filtered and evaporated to dryness affording 5 . 9 g . ( quantitative yield ) of yellow oil which was a mixture of cis 5b and trans 5a ( α - chloro / β - chloro = 1 / 9 ). this oily material was chromatographed over 200 g . of silica gel and elution with 10 % ethyl acetate in methylene chloride giving 4 . 3 g . ( 75 %) of a pure mixture of 5a and 5b as a white foam . anal . calc &# 39 ; d for c 29 h 25 n 2 o 6 cl · h 2 o : c , 63 . 30 ; h , 4 . 92 ; n , 5 . 10 ; cl , 6 . 45 . found : c , 63 . 84 ; h , 4 . 64 ; n , 5 . 31 ; cl , 6 . 04 . nmr ( cdcl 3 ) of 5b δ2 . 2 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 62 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 70 ( q , j = 4 . 2 , 11 . 5 hz , 1h ), 6 . 3 ( d , j = 4 . 2 hz , 1h ), 6 . 8 - 7 . 5 ( m ) 10 . 0 ( s , 1h ). nmr ( cdcl 3 ) of 5a δ2 . 15 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 56 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 10 ( q , j = 1 . 2 , 10 hz , 1h ), 6 . 20 ( d , j = 1 . 2 hz , 1h ), 6 . 8 - 7 . 5 ( m ) 9 . 95 ( s , 1h ). to a cooled ( 0 ° c .) solution of 1 . 13 g ( 2 . 0 mmole ) of 5b and 5a ( 9 : 1 ) in 15 ml . of dry methylene chloride was added at once 487 mg . ( 2 . 5 mmole ) of silver fluoroborate and 800 mg . ( 2 . 5 mmole ) of silver oxide and stirred vigorously at 0 ° c . for 60 minutes under nitrogen . the reaction was filtered and the filtrate was treated with 10 ml . of brine . the mixture was filtered again through &# 34 ; celite &# 34 ; under suction . the organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate , filtered and condensed to 5 ml . of volume which was then poured into 150 ml . of n - pentane to give 895 mg . ( 85 %) of 8 as a white powder . anal . calc &# 39 ; d for c 29 h 24 n 2 o 6 : c , 70 . 15 ; h , 4 . 87 ; n , 5 . 31 . found : c , 69 . 29 ; h , 5 . 09 ; n , 5 . 75 . nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 15 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 75 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 40 ( d , j = 4 . 5hz , 1h ), 6 . 3 ( d , j = 4 . 5 hz , 1h ), 6 . 8 - 7 . 5 ( m , 15h ), 9 . 85 ( s , 1h ). to a cooled ( 0 ° c .) solution of 2 . 11 g . ( 4 . 0 mmole ) of 8 in 50 ml . of dry methylene chloride was bubbled hcl gas slowly for 2 minutes . no starting material was detected by tlc . the reaction was washed with ice - cold 5 % bicarbonate and dried over magnesium sulfate . the dried solvent was evaporated to dryness affording 2 . 2 g . ( almost quantitative yield ) of 5a as a slightly yellow foam . nmr of this material was identical with the minor component in the ring opening products of 2 - methoxycephem 4 by chlorine . to a cooled ( 0 ° c .) solution of 564 mg . ( 1 . 0 mmole ) of 5b and 5a ( 9 : 1 ) in 9 ml . of thf and 1 ml . of acetic acid was added 100 mg . ( 1 . 6 mmole ) of sodium cyanoborhydride ( nacnbh 3 ) and the mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 30 minutes under nitrogen . the reaction was poured into ice cold 50 ml . of ethyl acetate - 30 ml . of 5 % bicarbonate solution . the organic layer was then washed with brine , dried over magnesium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was evaporated to a colorless oil which gave 510 mg . ( 91 %) of 9b and 9a ( ca 9 : 1 ) as amorphous solids upon trituration with n - pentane - ether ( 5 : 1 ). anal . calc &# 39 ; d for c 29 h 27 n 2 o 6 cl : c , 65 . 01 ; h , 5 . 05 ; n , 5 . 23 . found : c , 64 . 67 ; h , 4 . 69 ; n , 5 . 69 . ir ( kbr ) 3400 ( broad ), 1785 , 1730 , 1690 and 1530 cm - 1 . nmr ( cdcl 3 ) of 9b δ2 . 35 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 2 ( d , j = 12hz , 1h ), 4 . 4 ( d , j = 12hz , 1h ), 4 . 51 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 6 ( q , j = 3 . 9 , 9 . 5 hz , 1h ), 5 . 9 ( d , j = 3 . 9hz , 1h ), 6 . 7 - 7 . 5 ( m , 15h ). nmr ( cdcl 3 ) of 9a ( only following peaks could be observed in the spectrum of 9b and 9a mixture . δ2 . 34 ( s ), 5 . 0 ( q , j = 1 . 5 , 10hz ), 5 . 8 ( d , j = 1 . 5hz ). | 8 |
the polymer backed non - slip products , of the present invention , may be prepared by girt coating preferably a polyvinyl chloride backer material with an inorganic mineral particles . the preferred polyvinyl chloride material may be any commercially available polyvinyl chloride , but preferably is sheeting or film , and should be preferably of a thickness which will enable sufficient structural integrity for handling , but which is also sufficiently flexible and pliable to be continuously fed through radiation curing equipment , e . g ., electron beam curing equipment , adapted to produce non - slip sheet products . the preferred polyvinyl chloride backing material , preferably sheet or film , is preferably about 10 mils or less in thickness , more preferably about 6 mils or less in thickness , although the present invention is not limited to applications wherein the polyvinyl chloride backing , or other backing material , is 10 mils or less in thickness . a variety of mineral particles may be employed which will provide adequate frictional contact in use to prevent , or aid in the prevention of , slippage or skidding . examples of suitable mineral particles are aluminum oxide and silicon carbide fumed silica and silica gel ; other mineral materials which are adaptable to radiation curing , in particular electron beam curing , may also be utilized . a maker and size coating comprising at least one resin system which is radiation curable , preferably electron beam curable , and provides a durable size coating for the intended use of the product is utilized . a maker coat is the resin coat onto which the particles are deposited . a size coat is the coat which is placed over the particles to aid in holding them onto the substrate during flexing and wear applications , usually in combination with some form of pressure or other applied physical force . a second size coat , sometimes referred to as an &# 34 ; over &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; super size &# 34 ; coat , may also be applied , if desired , although in many cases this is not necessary . the amount of the maker and size coats applied are whatever is sufficient to adequately hold and secure the to the polyvinyl chloride substrate , of the present invention , in subsequent use , i . e ., as a stand - alone product or by bonding and / or lamination to some other substrate , and in final application , e . g ., a floor or a floor mat surface , a hand tool grip or other non - slip applications , as are well known to those skilled in the art . the methods of applying the coatings of the present invention may be selected from those which are conventionally used with the electron beam curing methods of forming coated abrasive products . among typical methods , for examples , are knife coating , roll pressure coating , transfer roll coating and doctor blade coating . the preferred method of coating used for the present invention is pressure roll coating . the resin system is chosen to match , in its preferred electron beam cured form , certain physical properties of the preferred polyvinyl chloride backer . the properties of the systems which are deemed to be significant are those described above , i . e ., such as flexibility , stretchability , yield , tensile , elongation , deformability , rate of softening , melt point , corrosion resistance , durability , capability of securely bonding to both the mineral particles and the preferred polyvinyl chloride backer of the present invention and , of course , the capability of being readily radiation cured , preferably electron beam cured , as applied to a preferred polyvinyl chloride backer . it is quite important to ensure that the physical properties of the preferred electron beam cured resin system ( s ), bonded to both the preferred polyvinyl chloride backer and to the mineral particles , is ( are ) capable of being deformed and bonded and / or laminated , in unison with the preferred polyvinyl chloride backer of the present invention , to substrates , either of polyvinyl chloride material or otherwise . to ensure this , it is important that the flexibility of the resin system ( s ) is ( are ) generally complimentary to that of the backer material being used . a resin system ( or systems ) which is ( or are ) deemed complimentary , within the scope of the present invention , is one ( or more ) which produces a linear tensile strength , in the product of the present invention , which is at least as great as that of the backer used , and which reduces ( or reduce ) the elongation potential of the product of the present invention to no less than 25 % of that of the backer material , as such , which is being used , but in no case produces an elongation capability of less than 125 % of the original dimension of that product , in any given direction , on stretching , before tearing . in particular , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , it is important that the resin system ( s ), in its ( their ) preferred electron beam cured form , is ( are ) capable of a bonding strength , in respect to both the preferred polyvinyl chloride backer and the mineral particles of the present invention , which is at least as great as the bonding and / of lamination strength between the preferred polyvinyl chloride backer of the present invention and the substrates to which that polyvinyl chloride substrate is to be bonded , as the case may be . the preferred resin system or systems to be used is ( are ) a unique combination of resin components , made from commercially available resins , with diluents and other components , which re notable for their ability to be blended together . more specifically , the resin system ( s ) preferably comprise a blend of two or more grades of urethane oligomers , both of which are polyester urethane acrylates , and these are further blended with a combination of ethoxyethoxyethyl acrylate and stabilized n - vinyl - 2 - pyrrolidone monomers , this latter combination being radiation curable and comprising a diluent . in addition , one or more surfactants , preferably containing fluorocarbon material , may be added as wetting agents . diluents are added to adjust the viscosity of the coating mixture , adjusting that viscosity , and the sag resistance of the resin system ( s ), to best suit the application method thereof , such as , e . g ., knife coating , roll pressure coating , transfer roll coating or doctor blade coating , techniques which are well known to those skilled in the art of making coated abrasive products . further , the diluents may be used to modify the radiation curing properties of the resin system ( s ) and the flexibility of both the radiation , e . g ., electron beam , cured resin system ( s ) and of the products of the present invention . among suitable diluents for the electron beam curable resins are the vinyl pyrrolidones and the multifunctional and mono - functional acrylates , including , but not limited to , n - vinyl - 2 - pyrrolidone ; 1 , 6 hexanediol diacrylate ; tetraethylene glycol diacrylate ; and trimethylolpropane triacrylate . the preferred diluent material is n - vinyl - 2 - pyrrolidone monomer , in a stabilized form . these materials , in addition to adjusting viscosity , tend to modify flexibility and reduce the energy level of the preferred electron beam radiation energy required for curing . the preferred product of the present invention , in the form of an electron beam cured coated abrasive with mineral particles on a polyvinyl chloride backer , may be readily co - extruded with a polyvinyl chloride compound , as normally used to form floor mating material , as that compound is being formed into floor matting ; the standard floor mating then acts as a substrate , having the same composition as the grit coated polyvinyl chloride backer . alternatively , the application of sufficient heat and pressure can be utilized to laminate the two together . once in a formed state the mineral particles should remain thoroughly secured in and to the stretched film . furthermore , the product is tough and flexible enough to offer good slip - resistance , skid - resistance and durability , in the form of wear - resistance , to heavy pedestrian traffic normally encountered in restaurants , kitchens , service stations , checkout counters and the like . the following example illustrates the preferred embodiment and best presently known mode of the present invention and is in no way intended to be limiting . it is understood that many other embodiments may be readily devised , by those skilled in the art , without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . two different grades of polyester urethane acrylate resin were used in forming the preferred resin system of the present invention , the first being uvithane ® uv - 782 nd the second being uvithane ® uv - 783 , both as supplied by morton thiokol , inc ., morton chemical division of moss point , miss ., u . s . a . the uv - 782 resin grade , having cas number 64060 - 30 - 6 . the uv - 783 resin grade , having cas number 64060 - 31 - 7 . both of these resin grades , in their respective shipping containers , were placed into and oven at 160 ° f . and held at that temperature for 24 hours to preheat them . concurrent with the latter period of the preheating of the two grades of polyester urethane acrylate resin , a mixing and blending kettle was preheated with hot water to 90 ° f ., in a manner , and using equipment , common to the coated abrasive manufacturing industry . initially added to the kettle , at 90 ° f ., was 192 lbs . of stabilized n - vinyl - 2 - pyrrolidone monomer , specifically v - pyrol ®/ rc as supplied by gaf corporation of new york , n . y ., u . s . a ., having cas number 88 - 12 - 0 , and containing at least 98 . 5 weight percent of c 6 h 16 o 4 . while holding the stabilized n - vinyl - 2 - pyrrolidone monomer in the kettle at 90 ° f ., 192 lbs . of ethoxyethoxyethyl acrylate was added , mixed , and blended into that n - vinyl - 2 - pyrrolidone monomer . specifically rc - 20 ethoxyethoxyethyl acrylate was used , being supplied by the same source as the uv 782 and uv 783 . the rc - 20 bears cas number 7328 - 17 - 8 and with essentially the formula c 6 h 16 o 4 . care was taken in adding the rc - 20 material to the v - pyrol ®/ rc in the kettle to ensure that the mix temperature did not drift below 85 ° f . after the rc - 20 and the v - pyrol ®/ rc were thoroughly mixed and blended together , and the temperature was stabilized at 90 ° f ., 450 lbs . of uv - 782 , at a temperature of 160 ° f ., were added , being mixed in and blended in such a manner that the kettle contents temperature did not exceed 95 ° f . then , likewise , 450 lbs . of uv - 783 , also at a temperature of 160 ° f ., were added , being mixed in and blended in such a manner that the kettle contents temperature did not exceed 95 ° f . finally . 3 lbs . of fluorocarbon surfactant , namely fc - 171 , were added in , mixed and blended , and the temperature of the batch in the kettle was stabilized at 90 ° f . the mixing and blending were accomplished using a variation of mixer speeds , as is quite common in the art , and the batch mixture was circulated into and out of the kettle to further assure fully mixed and blended uniformity and a stabilized uniform batch temperature , also as is quite common in the art . thus , the preferred resin system was formulated and prepared . in the example described herein , the preferred resin system was applied to the dull side of 6 mil thickness polyvinyl chloride film , 40 inches wide , weighing the equivalent of 13 . 7 lbs ./ ream , and processed through the electron beam curing equipment , in accord with the equipment and procedures specified in the above published references which have been specifically incorporated herein by reference , using a radiation energy range of 1 to 10 mrad , preferably 3 mrad ( used for the present example ), within a range of 250 to 325 kv , preferably at 285 kv ( used for the present example ), in an inerting atmosphere of nitrogen , having an oxygen content of less than 2000 ppm . the polyvinyl chloride film used in the present example was product no . 39 - 44 - 0001 - 00 - 4 , vinyl film , as supplied by rjf international corporation ( formerly the b . f . goodrich company , engineered products group ), akron , ohio ., u . s . a . the application of the resin , in the example , to the 6 mil thickness polyvinyl chloride film was accomplished by use of a standard transfer roll coating system for both the make and the size coats ; the make coat and size coat were both identical , being of the preferred resin system as described above . the weight of the electron beam cured end product of the example was the equivalent of 43 . 5 lbs ./ ream , ± 4 . 0 lbs ./ ream . the mineral particles used were standard aluminum oxide grits , having a standard grit size of 100 . the applied grit may be within the weight range of about 10 to 25 lbs ./ ream , and in the present example , comprised the overall preferred equivalent weight of 20 . 0 lbs ./ ream , ± 2 . 0 lbs ./ ream , while the overall weight of electron beam cured resin in the final product may be within the range of about 4 to 5 lbs ./ ream , and in the present example comprised the preferred equivalent of 10 . 5 lbs ./ ream , ± 1 . 0 lbs ./ ream . the amount applied is described above in terms of &# 34 ; lbs / ream &# 34 ; and this term is understood to refer to the pounds applied per ream of surface area . the &# 34 ; ream &# 34 ; used in the content of coated abrasives is understood to be a &# 34 ; sandpaper - markers reams &# 34 ;. it corresponds to the surface area of 480 9 × 11 inch sheets . the finished non - slip sheet product was bonded to an otherwise standard ribbed polyvinyl chloride floor mat material , as produced by rjf international corporation of akron , ohio , u . s . a . under the keroseal ® trademark , by co - extrusion during the otherwise normal production of that floor mat material . the bonded floor mat material exhibited excellent bonding between the coated abrasive product of the present invention and the floor mat material , without use of any separate bonding agents or adhesives . the finished product of the instant example was tested for tensile strength and elongation by an instron ® tensile tester , using a sample size of 1 &# 34 ;× 8 &# 34 ; with a 6 &# 34 ; gauge length , a cross - head speed of 1 &# 34 ; per minute and a chart speed of 1 / 2 &# 34 ; per minute ( full chart scale = 20 lbs .). the results of those substantially all of the abrasive particles remained firmly bonded to the test pieces after being subjected to the foregoing tensile and elongation tests . as a general proposition for the products of the present invention , the tensile strength , in lbs ./ linear inch , should be at least as great as that exhibited by the particular backer material used , as measured in its uncoated state . also , as a general proposition for the non - slip product of the present invention , the elongation , in inches , should not be less than 25 % of that which is exhibited by the particular backer material used , as measured in its uncoated state , however , at the same time , the product of the present invention should be capable of being linearly stretched ( elongated ), in any given direction , to a dimension which is at least 110 % of the original unstretched ( unelongated ) dimension , in that same direction , before tearing occurs . observation has indicated that the limitations of the foregoing general propositions are necessary to ensure the desired physical properties , in particular , flexibility , as discussed above , of the non - slip sheet product of the present invention . because the sheet material of the invention is thermoformable , the thermal softening and decomposition temperatures of the backing and the radiation curable urethane polymer used to bond the abrasive particles to the backing should be such as to permit thermoforming of the finished sheet product and lamination to a desired substrate . the preferred embodiment of the product of the present invention has been carefully examined in comparison to the virgin 6 mil thick polyvinyl chloride sheet on which it is preferably formed , and both were noted to exhibit the desired physical properties as set forth and discussed above . in use , the preferred embodiment of the coated abrasive product of the present invention , as bonded to a standard ribbed polyvinyl chloride floor mat material , appears to exhibit good wear characteristics as well as providing relatively outstanding resistance to slipping and skidding . while the invention has been described with specific embodiments , there are modifications that may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention . the scope of the invention is not to be limited by specific illustrations or by the preferred embodiment and best mode , but is defined by the claims . | 8 |
the present invention consists of a sanding wheel 21 which utilizes a removable and replaceable contoured abrasive strip 31 positioned thereon to facilitate use with workpieces requiring different contours . fig1 is a perspective view showing the sanding wheel 21 in position on a processing machine 10 . the processing machine 10 includes a set of rollers 12 designed to hold a workpiece 11 in proper orientation as it moves along the path indicated by arrow f . the sanding wheel 21 is mounted on motor 20 so that sanding wheel 21 turns when motor 20 is operated . during operation , a movable support 17 upon which motor 20 is positioned pivots on hinge 15 and is adjusted by adjustment means 18 , which in this embodiment consists of a screw or other adjustment means . with proper use of adjustment means 18 , the angular position of sanding wheel 21 with respect to workpiece 11 may be adjusted as indicated by arrow b to precisely orient sanding wheel 21 to workpiece 11 as desired . sanding wheel 21 is raised and lowered by adjustment of slidable support 16 , to which movable support 17 is attached , up and down on track 14 as indicated by arrow a . lateral movement of sanding wheel 21 is achieved by means of a slide arrangement which allows motor 20 to slide laterally along movable support 17 as indicated by arrow c . fig1 a and 1b of the drawings show the structure of the tracks utilized in raising and lowering and laterally moving sanding wheel 21 . fig1 a , which is taken along line 1a of fig1 shows the structure utilized in raising and lowering sanding wheel 21 . specifically , track 14 has a slot 38 provided therein and a slidable support 16 which includes an extension 39 of substantially the same shape as slot 38 so that slidable support 16 is held in substantially rigid orientation with respect to track 14 . when slidable support 16 is set to the desired vertical position , a locking device such as screw 46 extending through threaded hole 50 in track 14 as shown and butting against extension 39 of slidable support 16 is tightened to hold slidable support 16 in position . fig1 b of the drawings shows the track arrangement utilized to allow lateral movement of sanding wheel 21 in the direction indicated by arrow c . movable support 17 includes a slot 44 positioned therein defining a track very similar to that shown in fig1 a . the motor 20 is mounted to a sliding block 43 by means of fastening means 41 and 42 . fastening means 41 and 42 consist of screws in this embodiment , but any other acceptable and reliable fastening means could be employed . sliding block 43 includes an extension 45 the shape of which is substantially the same as the shape of slot 44 in movable support 17 . as a result , motor 20 is held in a substantially rigid orientation with respect to movable support 17 . a locking device such as screw 47 extending through threaded hole 49 in movable support 17 and butting against extension 45 of sliding block 43 is provided to lock the lateral position of sanding wheel 21 once the desired position is achieved . fig2 of the drawings is a perspective view of sanding wheel 21 . the basic structure of sanding wheel 21 consists of a substantially cylindrically shaped body 48 having a top surface , a bottom surface and a cylindrical surface . a hole 22 is provided substantially concentrically positioned in body 48 to facilitate attachment to an armature or shaft . two substantially circumferential rings 23 and 24 are attached to body 48 at the top and bottom surfaces by fasteners such as screws 100 and 101 as shown . the circumferential rings 23 and 24 each have a small section removed to form slots 25 and 26 and shown . a slot 28 and plate 27 are provided in body 48 . the operation of slot 28 and plate 27 is disclosed more fully in fig3 of the drawings . during preparation of sanding wheel 21 for operation , a contoured abrasive strip 31 as shown in fig4 is slid through slots 25 and 26 into a slot formed between circumferential rings 23 and 24 and the cylindrical surface of body 48 along the path shown by arrow d . as the contoured abrasive strip 31 is pushed around the cylindrical surface of body 48 to approach plate 27 , it butts against plate 27 and is held in position by plate 27 during sanding operations . the operator can remove contoured abrasive strip 31 by depressing plate 27 and removing as indicated by arrow e . fig3 is a cross - sectional view of the sanding wheel 21 taken along lines 3 -- 3 of fig2 . a slot 28 is cut into the outer surface of body 48 to provide for the positioning of plate 27 therein . further , a hole 29 is provided within which a coil or other type of spring 30 is positioned so that force is exerted therefrom upon plate 27 to keep plate 27 in position to stop movement of contoured abrasive strip 31 with respect to body 48 during operation . plate 27 and spring 30 are shown with plate 27 pushed toward the center of body 48 as far as possible . with plate 27 released , it assumes the position shown as 27 &# 39 ;, but is prevented from moving farther by circumferential rings 23 and 24 . circumferential rings 23 and 24 are formed so that they provide a lip extending circumferentially about body 48 , thereby providing the slot into which contoured abrasive strip 31 is slid . fig4 of the drawings shows the structure of the contored abrasive strip 31 in greater detail . contoured abrasive strip 31 consists of a flat piece 32 with raised sections 33 extending outward therefrom and leaving slots 38 between raised sections 33 . slots 38 between raised sections 33 are important because , without them , sawdust , chips and other abrasive dust will build up during sanding of a workpiece . slots 38 prevent loading of the surface of contoured abrasive strip 31 by creating air turbulence and providing an avenue of escape for the abrasive dust so that sanding wheel 21 is self - cleaning , with less wear as a result . when wear does occur , contoured abrasive strip 31 is simply removed from sanding wheel 21 and replaced with a new strip . fig5 is a cross - sectional view of contoured abrasive strip 31 taken along lines 5 -- 5 of fig4 . contoured abrasive strip 31 is constructed of a single sheet of plastic or other formable material , together with abrasive material such as sandpaper . when the sheet of plastic from which contoured abrasive strip 31 is constructed is formed , it results in a base 32 with raised sections 33 as shown . the top surface 34 may be shaped to any desired contour to match the contour of a piece of molding or other material to be sanded . abrasive material 36 is cut to match the size and shape of the top surface area 34 of raised sections 33 and is attached thereto by adhesive 35 . the resulting contoured surface of abrasive material 36 matches the contoured surface of workpiece 11 . fig6 is a cross - sectional view of contoured abrasive strip 31 of fig4 taken along lines 5 -- 5 of fig4 and showing an alternative contoured surface which may be utilized . the top surface of raised section 33 is designated 37 , but all other numbers remain as in fig5 . the contoured abrasive strip 31 may be vacuum - formed and , whether the contour of the surface of abrasive material 36 is concave , as shown in fig5 or convex , as shown in fig6 the contoured abrasive strip 31 works equally well . the key to the operation of contoured abrasive strip 31 and its usefulness is that contoured abrasive strip 31 may be produced inexpensively with extreme accuracy , and may be removed and replaced as desired , depending upon the needs of an operator of sanding wheel 21 . because plastic and / or other formable and somewhat flexible material is utilized in constructing the contoured abrasive strip 31 , a certain degree of flexibility is inherent in the strip ; this results in less likelihood of damage to the sanding wheel 21 , contoured abrasive strip 31 and the workpiece 11 being sanded . while the foregoing description of the invention has shown a preferred embodiment using specific terms , such description is presented for illustrative purposes only . it is applicant &# 39 ; s intention that changes and variations may be made without departure from the spirit or scope of the following claims , and this disclosure is not intended to limit applicant &# 39 ; s protection in any way . | 1 |
fig1 illustrates an embodiment of the tire inflation system 10 for a trailer axle on a trailer 13 . the rotary air chamber 28 of a tire inflation system 10 is shown affixed to a hub cap 24 of a tire 11 . two pressure gauges 32 indicate the current pressure for both the outermost tire 11 and the tire behind it . the tire inflation system 10 maintains the tire 11 pressure between adjustable predetermined values . typically , the operating air pressure for tires 11 on a trailer 13 is maintained between 100 and 110 psi . for situations where the trailer 13 load requires different air pressures in the tires 11 , the lower and upper values of the desired tire 11 air pressure range can be adjusted . an embodiment of the tire inflation system 10 is shown in fig2 . a rotary air chamber 28 is fastened to a bracket 26 . the bracket 26 is fastened to a hub cap 24 . the hub cap 24 is fastened to the rim or wheel ( not shown ). an air shaft 40 extends from the axle 20 through the hub cap 24 , the bracket 26 and into the rotary air chamber 28 . high speed bearings 38 are affixed between the air shaft 40 and the hub cap 24 . the air shaft 40 is inserted into the axle 20 via an axle plug 22 , so that the air shaft 40 remains stationary , thus allowing air to flow through the passage while the wheel and the hub cap 24 rotate . as discussed further below , the rotary air chamber 28 also contains high speed bearings between the rotary chamber 28 and the air shaft 40 . two pressure gauges 32 allow visual inspection of the operating air pressure in the tires . fittings 42 on either end of the rotary air chamber 28 allow for connection to tires 11 ( see fig1 ) through air hoses 44 . two pressure relief valves 30 will release air pressure from the respective tire 11 when the tire 11 air pressure exceeds a preset upper limit . as a non - limiting example , the tire 11 air pressure could exceed the preset upper limit during hot weather . this preset upper limit may be adjusted to accommodate changing load and temperature conditions . air pressure flows to the tire 11 from a pressurized air tank 12 through an air line 18 . a shut off valve 14 and an air pressure regulator 16 are inserted into the air line 18 between the air tank 12 and the axle 20 . the pressurized air tank 12 is typically available to service air brakes and other similar equipment on the tractor and / or trailer . the air pressure regulator 16 sets the desired pressure for the tire inflation system 10 independently of other air pressure systems that may be present . as a non - limiting example , if it is desired to operate the tires 11 at 100 psi , then the air pressure regulator 16 is set for 100 psi . air pressure will then flow through the air line 18 at 100 psi . the air line 18 extends through the axle 20 and continues to the air shaft 40 . the air shaft 40 extends through the hub cap 24 and the bracket 26 and into the rotary air chamber 28 . of course , the air line 18 may extend in both directions to air shafts 40 at both ends of the axle 20 . it should be noted that the shut off valve 14 and the air pressure regulator 16 could be operated manually or remotely . additionally , the shut off valve 14 and the air pressure regulator 16 could be operated automatically or could even be computer controlled . the air flow for the tire inflation system 10 operates on a positive pressure if small leaks occur in a tire 11 as , in a non - limiting example , when a bolt or nail becomes stuck in the tire 11 . the tire inflation system 10 will increase flow rate to maintain the predetermined tire pressure . again , the predetermined air pressure may be changed by adjusting the air pressure regulator 16 . an alternative embodiment of the tire inflation system 10 would allow for adding a coolant such as nitrogen to the pressurized air . a coolant could be added to the pressurized air by , for example but not limited to , providing a fixed bleed into the air line 18 . further details of the tire inflation system 10 are illustrated in fig3 . as noted above , the air line 18 extends through the axle 20 and continues to the air shaft 40 . the air shaft 40 extends through the hub cap 24 , the bracket 26 and into the rotary air chamber 28 . high speed bearings 38 are affixed between the air shaft 40 and the hub cap 24 . additionally , the rotary air chamber 28 has high speed bearings 34 affixed between the inside of the rotary air chamber 28 and the air shaft 40 . thus , the air shaft 40 remains stationary while the hub cap 24 , the bracket 26 and the rotary air chamber 28 rotate with the wheel and tire 11 . air flows through the air line 18 into an air chamber 35 inside the rotary air chamber 28 . a high pressure air seal 36 is affixed between the air line 18 and the air chamber 35 . pressure relief valves 30 operate to release air pressure from the tires 11 when the tire 11 air pressure exceeds an adjustable predetermined value . the predetermined value may be set for an appropriate maximum tire 11 air pressure dependent upon weather and / or load conditions . check valves 41 operate to cause air to flow into the tires 11 when the tire 11 air pressure drops below the desired pressure as set by the air pressure regulator 16 . additionally , the check valves 41 operate to prevent loss of pressure in one tire 11 in the event of a catastrophic failure of the other tire , as in for example a blow - out . if the check valve 41 detects an increased air flow rate , it will close off air flow through the check valve 41 . the check valve 41 will prevent air from flowing back into the air chamber 35 from the still operable tire 11 in an attempt to equalize the pressure with the failed tire . the rotary air chamber 28 prevents trailer tires from loosing air pressure due to “ non air back flow technology .” the rotary air chamber 28 causes air transfer to each tire 11 as needed . as the tire 11 air pressure increases to unsafe levels , air is released via the relief valves 30 . a pressure gauge 32 corresponds to each tire and the rotary air chamber 28 is equipped with a non flow - back check valve 41 , which also prevents air flow from one tire to another due to catastrophic failure of a tire . the rotary air chamber 28 also includes auxiliary inlet air fill valves ( not shown ) through which nitrogen or other coolants can be introduced if desired . arrows representing air flow 15 in fig4 illustrate the passage of air through the tire inflation system 10 . air flows from the air tank 12 through the air line 18 . typically a shut off valve 14 and an air pressure regulator 16 are present in the air line 18 between the air tank 12 and the axle 20 . air flow 15 continues through the air line 18 to the end of the axle 20 , and then continues through the air shaft 40 and into the rotary air chamber 28 . air hoses 44 are connected to the fittings 42 on either end of the rotary air chamber and air flow 15 continues through the air hoses 44 to the tires 11 . an alternative embodiment of the tire inflation system 15 allows the rotary air chamber 28 to be secured directly to the hub cap 24 as shown in fig5 . the intervening bracket is not used in this embodiment . aside from the bracket not being present the tire inflation system 15 operates as in previous embodiments . as noted above , the air line 18 extends through the axle 20 and continues to the air shaft 40 . the air shaft 40 extends through the hub cap 24 and into the rotary air chamber 28 . the high speed bearings 34 ( not shown in fig4 , see fig3 ) are affixed between the inside of rotary air chamber 28 and the air shaft 40 , such that the air shaft 40 , which is secured to the axle 20 via an axle plug 22 , remains stationary while the hub cap 24 and the rotary air chamber 28 rotate with the wheel and tire 11 . pressure relief valves 30 operate to release air pressure from the tires 11 when the tire 11 air pressure exceeds an adjustable predetermined value . the predetermined value may be set for an appropriate maximum tire 11 air pressure dependent upon weather and / or load conditions . check valves 41 ( not shown , see fig3 ) operate to cause air to flow into the tires 11 when the tire 11 air pressure drops below the desired pressure as set by the air pressure regulator 16 . as above , the check valves 41 operate to prevent loss of pressure in one tire 11 in the event of a catastrophic failure of the other tire , as in for example a blow - out . the check valve 41 and air seal 36 prevent air from flowing back into the air chamber 35 ( not shown , see fig3 ) of the rotary air chamber 28 from the still operable tire 11 in an attempt to equalize the pressure with the failed tire . it should be noted that the pressure gauges 32 , as shown in fig2 , fig3 , fig4 and fig5 could include sensors and / or transmitters equipped to indicate the air pressure in tire 11 . the transmitter could send tire 11 air pressure to a monitoring system in a vehicle or to other wireless connection points and could thus provide air pressure measurements to the monitoring system . in this way the driver could monitor the tire 11 air pressure from inside the vehicle . fig6 shows a flowchart 50 illustrating the operation of the tire inflation system 10 . step 54 shows that the air flows through an air line , through the axle , and into a rotary air chamber secured to a hub cap . the tire inflation system continuously monitors the tire air pressure as in step 56 . if the air pressure is below a predetermined minimum value , air is injected into the tire in step 58 . the tire inflation system also continuously monitors the tire air pressure as in step 60 . if the air pressure is above a predetermined maximum value , air is released from the tires in step 62 . the nature of steps 56 and 60 is such that the order of the steps may be switched or occur simultaneously . it should be emphasized that the above - described embodiments are merely examples of the disclosed system and method . many variations and modifications may be made to the above - described embodiments . all such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure . | 1 |
fig1 illustrates the hardware configuration for one 62 user system hardware set , e . g ., basic single base station system configuration . each hardware set is comprised of one base station 10 and up to 62 handsets 11 - 1 , 11 - 2 . . . 11 - n with cradle . the system defines a star network configuration with the base station as the center of the star . the base station 10 contains one transceiver 12 for each individual user handset in the operating system . polarization diversity is provided in the system by using dual cross polarized antennas 11a1 and 11a2 in each handset . a single antenna 13 is used in the base station 10 . only one antenna is required because the communication channel is symmetrical with respect to direction , to and from the base station , so that dual cross - polarized antennas at the handset are sufficient to provide diversity in the system . transceivers 12 are coupled by up / down converter and distribution amplifiers 14 to antenna 13 and served by a common reference oscillator 15 clock , logic 16 and telephone system ( telco ) interface 17 . the handset hardware configuration is shown in fig2 . the handset cradle 18 serves two purposes . it provides a place to physically store the handset 19 when not in use , and it provides a charging capability to replenish the charge on the handset batteries as required . red and green alarm lights 20 are provided on the handset 19 . these lights 20 serve to indicate the adequacy of the physical location of the cradle . if the received signal strength is adequate , a green light will illuminate . if the received signal strength is not adequate a red light will illuminate and the handset 19 can be moved a few inches . since the handset contains polarization diversity , the need to relocate the cradle location will almost never occur . the primary purpose of the system in this embodiment is to provide voice traffic capability to the potentially mobile user community . in order to provide this capability , a telephone system ( telco ) support and interface capability is provided . this telco support functions consists of 1 ) call establishment operations support , 2 ) user information data base support and update , 3 ) multicall programming operations capability , and 4 ) peripheral support functions . this comprises interfacing with the telco , providing and interpreting all signaling operations required to establish both incoming and outgoing calls . this includes such things as dialing , a busy signal , and a phone ringing operation . all these functions are handled by the order wire ( ow ) channel and described in later herein . a typical multiple base station system configuration is illustrated in fig3 . a system of n base stations bs # 1 . . . bs # n each with 62 voice traffic channel capability is shown . also shown is that each base station may be required to support up to 128 ( not all in use at once ) users ( hs # 1 . . . hs # 128 ) part time . for these assumed conditions the telco ( this telco unit is sometimes referred to as a mobile telecommunications switching office ( mtso ) base station system must have the capability to recognize and properly route calls to 128n different phone numbers ( different users ). this establishes that there are a minimum of four pieces of data required for each user as follows : 1 ) a serial number unique to a particular handset . this is a fixed , manufacturer assigned number and identifies the handset as an authorized system user . 2 ) an identification number identifies a handset as one of the 128 members of a particular user community associated with a base station . this is a number arbitrarily assigned by the base station when a handset becomes a member of its user community . 3 ) a channel number identifies one of the 62 voice traffic channels which are assigned for use arbitrarily each time a call is established . 4 ) the set of phone numbers are the phone numbers assigned uniquely by the telco to the set of system users . a number of operations such as &# 34 ; three - way calling &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; call waiting &# 34 ; require the processing of multiple calls simultaneously while a call is in process . this demands the existence of a two - way control channel within the voice traffic channel . such a control channel is provided and is described later . there are also a number of support , or convenience , functions which may be provided . these are functions which are not critical to the basic system but which make the telephone more convenient to the user . this includes such things as &# 34 ; speed calling &# 34 ; or speed dialing , which permits the dialing of frequently called numbers by pushing only two buttons on the handset . so long as users are confined to operate through only one particular base station , operations are well defined and the equipment need concern itself only with maintaining signal timing and appropriate transmitter power level . if the system is defined to consist of many base stations over an extended geographical area , or covering multiple floors in a multi - floor building , the user must be able to roam , or execute a handover operation from one base station to another . thus , in a multiple base station system it is assumed that any user can roam from the cell area serviced by his original base station to the cell area covered by any other compatible base station . the importance of a cell pattern is threefold : 1 ) it defines a minimum range between two cells sharing the same frequency thereby defining co - channel interference effects , 2 ) it can define the exclusive neighbors of any given cell thereby reducing the search time for a new cell when attempting a roaming / handover operation , and 3 ) it defines whether a multifloor building can be serviced without suffering significant interference between like cells on adjacent floors . a twelve pattern is very desirable for all these reasons . a hexagonal 12 cell pattern has six uniquely defined neighbors per cell and provides a 6 cell radii separation between like cells . for multifloor operation , this provides 3 cell radii separation plus the attenuation between floors . for indoor operation it is likely that a square pattern may be used since a square , or rectangular , pattern may lend itself better for use within a building . as a user roams about his cell , he will at times reach the boundary of good coverage . as the handset realizes it is reaching the limits of its operating range , it will identify the cell area he is about to enter . the handset will constantly search for signals from other adjacent user groups which are members of the total system but outside his present cell . this will be done by searching for other ow signals than the ow of his own cell group . in order to minimize the search time and minimize the likelihood of losing the presently in use voice channel before he can establish a new one with the next base station , a handset maintains a data base defining relative timing between all adjacent base stations . the details of this operation are presented later . once the ow of the &# 34 ; next &# 34 ; cell is contacted , the handset must now require admission to the cell as a new user . if admitted , the handset is assigned an identification number as an authorized user of the group . at this time all pertinent data on the handset , i . e ., handset serial number , identification number , and telephone number must be relayed to and stored in the base station database . the local telco data base must also be updated so that it knows where , i . e ., to which base station , to direct calls intended for that particular telephone number . if a call is in progress , handover now involves the local telco intimately . the local telco must now not only have its data base updated , it must re - route a call in progress from one base station to another in real time . the system is limited by fcc rule to operating with no more than 1 watt ( 30 dbm ) transmitted power from either the handout or the base station . based on this , the base station is clearly the limiting factor . however , according to the invention , a very viable system can be set up while satisfying the 1 watt total maximum power limitation . in general when servicing a densely populated user community high capacity base stations capable of servicing a large number of users can be employed and will operate over a relatively short range . alternately , when servicing a sparsely populated user community , lower capacity base stations capable of servicing a smaller number of users can be utilized operating over a greater communication range . each base station incorporates a fixed reference signal level against which all estimates of received handset signal levels are compared . on the basis of these comparisons , the transmit power bias term in each handset is adjusted as described later . the power control system can maintain the power received at the base station from each handset to within an accuracy of about 1 db without the need for agc circuitry in the base station . the base station transmit power level is held fixed at the maximum power setting . as a handset is transported throughout the cell , its received signal level will vary over a maximum dynamic range of about 90 db . in order to maintain the input voltage to the main signal path analog - to - digital converter in the user unit at nominally half of full scale , and thereby avoid clipping and loss - of - resolution problems , an agc function is implemented prior to the analog - to - digital . the system rf frequency plan for the disclosed embodiment is illustrated in fig4 . the fcc rule 15 . 247 band intended for this type of application extends from 902 mhz to 928 mhz , providing a 26 mhz total system bandwidth . each subgroup signal is allocated a 1 . 0833 mhz bandwidth such that a total of 24 subgroups can be accommodated . the frequency spacing between adjacent subgroup carrier frequencies is set to 1 . 0833 mhz . the 3 db bandwidth of each subgroup signal is set to approximately 1 mhz , or about 80 % of the signal spectrum central lobe bandwidth . in order to minimize adjacent channel interference , two adjacent subgroup channels will not be assigned to any given base station . only alternate subgroups will be assigned for operation within a given base station . fig4 b shows a typical subgroup assignment for a four subgroup system . the advantage of using only alternate subgroup bands within a given system , or cell , is that it permits realization of a significant excess attenuation on possible adjacent channel and co - channel interference signals . the system provides the feature that different pn sequences may be used in different cells . the use of different pn sequences in like cells minimizes co - channel interference . different pn sequences would be used in like cells when a given cell configuration forces like cells to be placed closer to each other than desired . antenna polarization diversity at the user handset is selected , in the preferred embodiment , as the most effective method to reduce multipath fading . implementation of polarization diversity at the handset requires two antennas at the handset and a single switch to select between them . channel sounding is performed in order to select the best antenna , in each 10 ms time subframe . studies conducted indicate that polarization diversity provides an improvement in signal reception capability as good as or better than any other diversity technique . the use of polarization diversity does not impact system capacity as some techniques do and , the additional hardware complexity required to add polarization diversity is minimal . the system implements the use of dual cross polarized antennas at the handset . a typical handset antenna configuration is illustrated in fig5 . the antenna configurations shown in fig5 makes use of a whip 11a1 and an alford loop 11a2 . separation of whip 11a1 and loop 11a2 may compromise polarization diversity performance but will then provide spatial diversity . in the preferred embodiment , the loop should be approximately 3 inches square to have the same sensitivity as whip antenna 11a1 . the base station antenna pattern should be appropriate to the area to be served . if the base station is located in the center of the service area its pattern should be omnidirectional in the horizontal plane . in most cases , the user will be distributed over a narrow vertical span and the base station antenna can have a narrow vertical pattern . such patterns are ordinarily obtained by the use of vertical linear arrays . a convenient element for such an array is the lindenblad radiator invented in 1936 for use at 120 mhz . it is an assembly of four dipoles spaced around a center support post ; tilted at 45 degrees , and fed in phase . this antenna provides a circular polarized wave . an array of these elements can easily be assembled to narrow the vertical pattern , with a practical limit imposed by the space available for mounting . this assembly has been used commercially . the advantage of the lindenblad design is that it is simple and very tolerant of implementation variations . it has been used in many applications up to frequencies in x - band . in constructing the array due attention must be given to the mutual impedance between array elements . the practical limit for array gain is somewhere around 10 db where the 3 db beam width becomes about 20 degrees . in the event the user distribution is wide in the vertical direction -- as for several floors in a tall building , a less directive antenna would be desired . then a single element or short array would be preferred . when two handsets operating in two mutually adjacent cells ( served by different base stations ) find themselves near each other and at the cell boundary , an adjacent channel interference ( aci ) ratio of i / s = 80 db or more can result . if the two cell systems are not synchronized , and if one handset is transmitting while the other is receiving , operations at both handsets will be disrupted . this can be avoided by making adjacent base stations mutually synchronous to an accuracy of ± 8 μs . this is so because there is a 16 . 6 μs minimum gap time between successive receive / transmit time intervals in each subframe . the preferred timing approach in this disclosed embodiment is to provide input from a precision timing source to a central site ( one of the base stations ( fig3 ) is designated to be master base station ). this timing signal can then be distributed to a constellation of base stations along with the other telco interface lines . this approach applies to both indoor and outdoor base station systems . in an indoor system there would be one master base station or central site . in an outdoor system there could be many depending on the extent of the system and its configuration . synchronization for a limited system , for example , a system intended to service one building , is not a problem . one base station can be designated as the master station and it would distribute timing to all other base stations . the timing signal can be distributed along with the telco interface wiring . alternatively , the gps , local telephone company central office time source , etc . can be used . in this embodiment of the invention , the signal structure for the system is predicated on two underlying objectives : ( 1 ) to operate synchronously with 20 - msec frames of a 16 kbps voice encoder / decoder , and accordingly , the preferred signal structure is a sequence of 10 - msec subframes , as shown in fig6 each consisting of four distinct periods , two for inbound and two for outbound signalling , and each being one of 64 subframes composing a 640 - msec frame as shown in fig7 . the inbound signals are spread with a different pn code than the outbound signals but with the same code length and chipping rate . the voice channel data consists of 16 kbps bidirectional digital voice , plus a 400 bps bidirectional control link . the data modulation is differentially encoded qpsk , transmitted at a burst rate of 20 . 72 kps . the data signal is bi - phase modulated with a spreading code at 32 times the burst symbol rate ( 663 khz ). the spreading code is the modulo - 2 sum of a length - 255 pn sequence and a length - 32 rademacher - walsh ( r - w ) function . the all - ones r - w function is used as an order - wire channel within each 32 - channel subgroup ; the remaining 31 functions are each associated with a different voice channel in that subgroup . from the perspective of a handset already associated with a particular base station , the four time periods within each subframe may be viewed as follows : throughout this discussion , the term &# 34 ; symbol &# 34 ; is used to mean &# 34 ; voice channel symbol duration &# 34 ;, i . e ., 32 chip times , even when the activity is on the order wire channel . the term &# 34 ; voice channel &# 34 ; means one frequency channel and non - unity rademacher - walsh code combination . ( 1 ) ( sound ) the base station transmits a 121 / 4 symbol allones sounding pattern ( i . e ., no data transitions ) on each order wire channel , at a level 15 db higher than for individual bs → hs voice channels ; each handset receives the first six symbols on one antenna a1 , switches to the other antenna a2 during the next 1 / 8 symbol , receives the next six symbols on a2 , compares the power between a1 and a2 , chooses the antenna with the higher power , and switches to that antenna during the next 1 / 8 symbol . the power level from the chosen antenna is used by the handset to determine transmit power during the following hs sync and hs → bs portions of the signal , and also as a code sync error measure to be input to its delay lock code tracking loop . ( 2 ) ( bs → hs ) on each active voice channel , the base station transmits a voice data burst of 91 qpsk symbols , followed by a guard time of 11 chips . the handset receives this data on the antenna selected during the sounding period . the voice channel data is constructed as follows : ( 3 ) ( hs sync ) on an automatic cyclic time division multiple access ( tdma ) basis , one member handset in each 64 member subcommunity ( i . e ., one per order wire channel ) transmits a continuous all - ones ranging signal ( i . e ., no data transitions but pn chip transitions ) to the base station on its associated order wire channel for a duration of 121 / 8 symbols , followed by a 1 / 8 - symbol guard time . the base station order wire channel performs a delay lock loop error measurement on this signal , and prepares and queues a timing correction command , if required , to be sent to that handset at the next opportunity . each transmitting handset transmits using the antenna it selected during the sounding period , at a power level determined from the power ( 4 ) ( hs → bs ) on each active voice channel , the handset transmits a voice data burst of 91 symbols , followed by a guard time of 11 chips , on the antenna selected during the sounding period . this inbound burst is of the same format as the bs → hs burst of period ( 2 ). thus the time - division duplex signal is symmetrical , with respect to format and content , its inbound and outbound portions being essentially identical to each other , of the total time available , 77 . 2 % is used for voice data , 10 . 6 % for related overhead and spare capacity , 5 . 8 % for channel sounding , 5 . 8 % for handset timing synchronization , and 0 . 6 % for various switching and guard times . 1 ) one dedicated bidirectional order wire channel ( for link control ) for each 31 voice channels . 2 ) no voice channel activity during sounding burst ( at 15 db higher than individual voice channels , allows very accurate measurements of received power , time offset , and frequency offset . 3 ) dedicated handset sync per channel allows accurate measurement of handset power and time offset with no interference due to timing errors in other channels . 4 ) bidirectional 400 bps control link incorporated into each voice channel ( for handset power and timing control , as well as link control ). the order wire channel signal structure is shown in fig8 . four periods of the overall time - division duplex structure are superimposed on an order wire signal structure consisting of ( in each direction ) two ow symbol periods followed by ten actual ow symbols plus a 7 voice channel symbol frame sync / parity check signal and a 31 - chip guard time . each half subframe is exactly 13 ow symbol periods in duration . the order wire signal structure has been designed so as to maximize signal search effectiveness , i . e ., to minimize expected search times . each ow symbol period = 255 pn chips = one pn code sequence length , thus by taking energy measurements over one ow symbol period , we are integrating over one pn code sequence length and taking full advantage of the pn code &# 39 ; s autocorrelation properties . also , the choice of an exact integer number of pn sequence lengths per half subframe both 1 ) greatly simplifies the pn coder design and the search algorithm , and 2 ) is critical to avoiding code phase ambiguities which would increase typical and worst - case initial search times by more than ten fold . during the two sounding periods , the switching times allotted at the end of each , and the reference phase period ( i . e . for a total of ( 192 + 4 ) * 2 + 118 = 510 chips = 2 ow symbol periods ), the base station is transmitting a continuous ( spread ) tone corresponding to an all - ones data modulation ( i . e . no , data transitions ). the next 10 ow symbols contain order wire data , as described below . the outbound order wire channel frame sync field contains 7 voice channel symbols ( 14 bits ) organized as 6 bits parity check on the 20 ow bits , 6 bits subframe number within frame ( 0 - 63 ), and 2 bits parity check on the subframe number . thus 12 / 13 = 92 . 3 % of the base station order wire channel transmit lime ( i . e ., 46 . 1 % of the total time ) is available to handsets for signal acquisition purposes . the inbound order wire signal format consists of two segments . during the first , on a cyclic basis , one handset out of each community of 64 transmits a continuous ( spread ) tone corresponding to an all - ones data modulation ( i . e . no data transitions ), for a duration of 388 chips , for the purpose of allowing the base station to measure that handset &# 39 ; s transmit code synchronization , power , and quality during a period wherein there is guaranteed to be no interference from other handsets on the same channel . four chips guard time later , if the current order wire time slot is assigned , the handset assigned to this slot transmits first a 118 - chip phase reference symbol , then 10 ow symbols , and finally a 7 - voice - channel - symbol ( 14 - bit ) field containing a parity check of the 20 order wire bits ; the last 31 chips of the inbound order wire signal segment are merely guard time . if the current order wire time slot is not assigned , it may be accessed by roaming handsets seeking membership in a new base station community , or by handsets which have just been switched from standby to active mode and are seeking a voice channel assignment . the signal structure for such accesses is identical to that for assigned accesses . each outbound order wire burst contains a 10 - symbol ( 20 - bit ) order wire command , formatted as shown in fig9 . the 5 - bit function field specifies which of the various command or broadcast functions is being invoked . for most command functions , a 7 - bit handset id field is also included to specify to which of up to 128 handsets in the local base station community the command is directed . the remaining 8 bit ; ( or in some cases , all remaining 15 bits ) are defined as required by the specific command or broadcast function . the response to any outbound ( i . e ., to a handset ) command or inbound request which requires a response will be provided in the third half subframe following that command or request . failure to receive a valid response at that time shall be considered an error and shall cause recovery measures to be taken . thus , each third half sub - frame following a base station command requiring a response is defined as being assigned , and is not available for use by handsets attempting to initiate communication . a handset &# 39 ; s response to a base station command requiring - one is to echo the received command &# 39 ; s function and handset id fields , and follow with whatever additional meaningful information is required for that command . thus a handset response generally constitutes a specific acknowledgement of the received command , plus an implied request for the next step in the dialog leading to the end objective . similarly , a base station &# 39 ; s response to a handset request both acknowledges the request and provides the next step in the dialog toward the desired objective . the example diagrammed in fig1 and described below serves to illustrate this : ( 1 ) a base station detects that an incoming call from the telco interface is directed to a handset with the corresponding telephone number . it then schedules a ring alert command to be sent to the handset , addressed to it via its 7 - bit handset id . ( 2 ) on recognizing its id , the handset responds by echoing the ring alert command and enabling a local &# 34 ; ring &# 34 ; function . ( 3 ) when the user picks up the handset and switches it from standby to active mode , the handset disables the local ring function and attempts to reestablish the dialog by issuing an allocate channel request in the next available csma slot . ( 4 ) assuming for the moment that the csma allocate channel request is received properly at the base station ( recovery from collisions and other errors is discussed in sections later herein ), the base station echoes the allocate channel request to the requesting handset , ( 5 ) which then resubmits it in the now implicitly assigned ( i . e ., &# 34 ; guaranteed &# 34 ; collision - free tdma slot 15 msec later . ( 6 ) having thus confirmed the allocate channel request , the base station then allocates a voice channel and issues a channel assignment command to the handset , ( 8 ) having thus confirmed that the handset has correctly received the channel assignment information , the base station connects the corresponding telco line to the allocated voice channel and issues a make link command to the handset , for calls originating at the handset , essentially the same procedure would be followed , except for steps ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), which of course would be eliminated . at the end of any call , the user would switch the handset from active back to standby mode , and the handset would signal a deallocate channel request to the base station via its in - band order wire ( or channel control ) path ( see section 3 . 6 ). this request would be acknowledge by the base station , via the same path , prior to releasing the channel on either end . approximately 15 specific order wire channel commands are necessary or very useful . some are &# 34 ; broadcast &# 34 ; by the base station on the order wire channel to indicate network status . others are involved in initiating communication with a handset , terminating communication , and adjusting timing . these include : 6 ) base station memberships available broadcast . the 8 - bit data field of the broadcast contains the number of memberships currently available in this base station community . this broadcast will occur at least once every 200 msec on each order wire channel . 7 ) membership enrollment request . submitted on a csma basis by roaming handsets seeking membership in a new community . 8 ) enrollment interview commands . eight different commands , actually : three to get the 24 - bit handset serial number , three to get the 24 - bit handset telephone number , one to identify the previous membership cell , if any , and one to assign a 7 - bit id number to the handset , thereby completing its acceptance into the new cell community . 9 ) adjacent cell map broadcast . the 12 lease significant bits of this broadcast indicate , for each of 12 possible frequency cells , whether that cell is ( 1 ) adjacent to the current cell or ( 0 ) not adjacent to the current cell . 10 ) adjacent cell time offset report . three different reports , actually : one to indicate pn code phase offset , one to indicate symbol offset within a subframe , and one to indicate subframe offset within a frame . the 8 - bit data field of these reports indicates the particular offset , relative to the current cell , of the adjacent cell base station identified in the handset id field . these reports are submitted , initially on a csma basis , by any scouting or roaming handset , and are then confirmed on an assigned tdma basis . 11 ) adjacent cell time offset broadcast . three different broadcasts , actually : one to indicate pn code phase offset , one to indicate symbol offset within a subframe , and one to indicate subframe offset within a frame . the 8 - bit data field of these broadcasts indicates the particular offset , relative to the current cell , of the adjacent cell base station identified in the handset id field . 12 ) voice channels available broadcast . the 8 - bit data field of this broadcast contains the number of currently unassigned voice channels within this base station . this broadcast will occur nominally once each second . 13 ) csma statistics broadcast . the 15 least significant bits of this broadcast contain csma slot capacity , loading , and collision statistics for the previous 1 - second period . 14 ) adjust transmit code phase command . the 8 - bit data field of this command is a two &# 39 ; s complement number indicating the handset transmit code phase adjustment , in sixteenths of a chip to be advanced ; thus a value of - 3 would indicate to retard the transmit phase of the handset identified in the handset id field by 3 / 16 of a chip . data values outside the range of - 4 to + 4 are ignored . 15 ) adjust transmit power level command . the 8 - bit data field of this command is a two &# 39 ; s complement number indicating the handset transmit power adjustment , in units of db gain ; this value is essentially added to the transmit power control bias term ( see section 4 . 3 ) of the handset identified in the handset id field . data values outside the range of - 4 to + 4 are ignored . handsets seeking entry to a cell ( i . e ., a base station ) are unknown entities to the base station , thus the invention provides for the handset to access the base station . also , in order to accommodate other asynchronous events ( e . g ., handset transition from standby to active mode and requesting allocation of a voice channel ) and avoid the delays inherent in a purely cyclical or polling approach , again , some other means is desirable . a carrier sense multiple access ( csma ) approach seems well suited to supporting these relatively infrequent demands , but it brings with it the requirement to manage the csma resources intelligently . several design features have been incorporated in this regard . first , the fraction of slots available for csma use will be arranged to provide a suitable probability of no collision on the first access attempt . second , the base station will maintain statistics of the use of available csma slots and will broadcast these statistics to the handsets for use in making intelligent choices of initial access and backoff strategies . third , the powerful parity check code included in inbound order wire transmissions minimizes the possibility that when collisions do occur they would not be recognized as such , thus the likelihood of the base station erroneously interpreting the demodulated results of collided transmissions is extremely low . any csma access attempt which is not acknowledge within 35 msec will be considered to have failed , the appropriate backoff strategy will be selected , and a retry will be scheduled accordingly . each voice channel burst contains a 2 - symbol field allocated for channel control , i . e ., inband order wire functions such as handset transmit power control , handset transmit code phase control , and other functions to be identified . this provides a capacity of : 400 bits / sec = 256 bits / frame in each direction , inbound and outbound , for these purposes , so that handsets with calls in progress still have access to full order wire functionality as described earlier . outbound channel control data is organized into 16 - bit commands and acknowledgements formatted as shown in fig1 and frame synchronized to provide 16 such commands per frame ( 25 per second ) per voice channel . each command is composed of a 6 - bit function field and a 10 - bit data field . unlike the order wire channel , no handset id field is required since the handset being addressed is implicit in he voice channel assignment . inbound channel control data is organized into 16 - bit requests and acknowledgements formatted identically to outbound commands and synchronized with them but offset by half a subframe . inbound responses to outbound commands commence three half - subframes after the command transmission is complete , and outbound responses to inbound requests commence in the burst following completion of the request . the following describes the signal processing operations and sequences utilized by the system to acquire and track the signal , maximize its quality , demodulate data from it , determine when to transfer to an adjacent cell , and accomplish such transfers . when a handset is first powered on , it is assumed to have a priori knowledge of its &# 34 ; home &# 34 ; base station pn code and frequency channel , but to have no knowledge of its time offset from that base station , and to know to within only 9 khz its frequency offset from nominal for that channel . ( the frequency offset from nominal at the base station is assumed to be less than 100 hertz .) the initial search resolves these time and frequency uncertainties by seeking to acquire the base station order wire signal at each of 255 * 2 = 510 pn code phase uncertainty states and 19 frequency bins spaced 1 khz apart . each of the resulting 19 * 510 = 9690 composite uncertainty states is examined for 398 . 44 μsec (= one 255 - chip pn sequence length ), and since there are 3 correlators per receiver , a total of 9690 * 398 . 44 μsec / 3 = 1 . 29 sec would be required to complete the search if the signal were constantly present . since the base station order wire signal is present only half the time , however , ( the inbound signal being spread with a different pn code ), each uncertainty state must be searched at least twice , once at time t and again t +( 2n + 1 )* 5 msec , so the total time required to acquire pn chip sync ( to within 0 . 25 chip or so ) and resolve frequency offset ( to within 500 hz or so ) is at least twice this , or 2 . 6 seconds . if the peak power measure of all the uncertainty states is not at least tbd db greater than the average of all the non - peak states , then it is assumed that the first attempt failed due to an antenna null , and the search process is repeated on the other antenna , for a worst case total of 5 . 2 seconds . note again that subsequent acquisitions will in general be essentially instantaneous , because the initial acquisition and carrier pull - in will have removed all frequency uncertainty , and adjacent cell time offset broadcasts will have eliminated most code phase and other time uncertainties . note too that acquiring pn code phase sync automatically also achieves ow symbol sync , but an additional several frames will be required to achieve frame sync and carrier pull - in prior to being able to demodulate data . these processes are described in the sections following . 1 ) return the coder and the carrier frequency to the code phase and frequency corresponding to the initial acquisition energy peak ( with the order wire signal still selected ). 2 ) observe 3 subframes of ( i , q ) measures from the correlator , each integrated over one ow symbol ; in particulars , observe the power profile of the data ( modulo 26 ow symbol times per subframe ), determine the peak power measure , and verify that it is at least 9 db above the average of the others . this corresponds to the onset of the outbound sounding burst at the start of each subframe . this observation is accomplished by constructing a 26 - element histogram , clearing all elements to zero , then adding to each the power measure of the corresponding ( i , q ) sample ( that is , sample number i mod 26 , for i = 0 to 77 ), where the measure of power is defined as i 2 + q 2 . represents the delay , in ow - symbol increments , of the actual frame start relative to the postulated frame start ( i = 0 ). if no such index j exists , then repeat steps ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) using the other antenna . 4 ) set ow symbol count =( 26j ) mod 26 . ( ow symbol count will be incremented by 1 ( modulo 26 ) on each subsequent ow symbol ). this completes the frame sync process , so it may be disabled and the carrier and code tracking functions enabled . during each of the two sounding bursts at the start of each subframe ( one burst received on each antenna ), a power measurement is made and projected to the midpoint of the inbound signalling period . the antenna corresponding to the larger projected power measure is selected to be used during the remainder of the subframe ( both outbound and inbound portions ). the larger projected power measure itself , plus a bias correction term determined by the base station over a longer time frame , is used to set the power level for the inbound transmission ( if any ). reference is made to the elements shown in fig1 . the power is measured for each sounding burst as follows : ( i , q ) samples are input from the correlator and integrated in integrators coherently over 6 voice symbols ; total power is then computed from these burst - coherent ( ij , qj ) measures as the antenna selected algorithm is the same independent of whether a call is in progress on the handset . the transmit power pxmit for this subframe is then computed as this bias correction term for each handset is determined at the base station once each 64 frames as follows : prcv = pp from base station code phase tracking function ( see section 4 . 5 . 2 ). = ip 2 + qp 2 , ip and qp integrated coherently over a 121 / 8 symbol handset sync period pref = reference receive power level and k1d is chosen to provide a loop bandwidth of 0 . 10 hz . the transmit power control algorithm is the same independent of whether a call is in progress on the handset . carrier pull - in and tracking are achieved using the afc function described in the following , which is enabled on the first ow symbol count of 0 following subframe sync . fig1 exemplifies the frequency discriminator and afc carrier tracking loop subsystem used in the invention . base on the power measurements taken during the sounding bursts , if pwr1 & gt ; pwr2 , then let k = 1 ( else k = 2 ) and compute the discriminator dafc as and the subscripts 1 and 2 denote samples taken during the first and second halves of each sounding burst , respectively . and output df + nominal , scaled appropriately , to the carrier nco . the loop is iterated at the subframe rate , i . e . 100 hz and k1a is chosen to provide a loop bandwidth of 6 hz . the discriminator operates only on outbound order wire sounding bursts and has a range of ± 3450 hz . carrier pull - in will be essentially complete within three loop time constants , or about 0 . 15 sec , so at that time the data demodulation function is enabled . the carrier tracking function is the same , independent of whether a call is in progress on the handset . code phase tracking is performed both at the handsets and at the base stations , but it is done differently in either place . this following describes the code phase tracking algorithms both for handsets and for base stations . code phase tracking is accomplished at the handsets using the delay lock loop function described following , which is enabled on the first ow symbol count of 0 following subframe sync . base on the power measurements taken during the sounding bursts , if pwr1 & gt ; pwr2 then let k = 1 ( else k = 2 ), and compute the discriminator dco as and the subscripts e , l , and p denote measures taken with the reference code displaced 1 / 2 chip early and 1 / 2 chip late relative to nominal , and at nominal , respectively , and the subscripts 1 and 2 denote samples taken during the first and second halves of each sounding burst , respectively . dco is then input to a first order delay lock loop and the loop output dp is used to adjust the code phase in units of 1 / 16 of a chip . the loop is iterated at the subframe rate , i . e . at 100 hz , and k1b is chosen to provide a loop bandwidth of 6 hz . note that the code phase tracking function is the same at each handset , independent of whether a call is in progress on that handset . in order to maximize the synchronicity of the inbound signals at each base station , the code phase at arrival is measured for each handset in each community at the base station associated with that community . this process , illustrated in fig1 , is implement as follows : each handset has an associated 7 - bit id number which it receives from the base station at the time it joins that base station community . handsets with id numbers from 0 to 63 are implicitly associated with order wire subgroup 0 of that base station ; those with id numbers from 64 to 127 are implicitly associated with order wire subgroup 1 . each order wire channel must thus support up to 64 handsets . during the handset sync portion of each inbound half subframe , the handset whose id number modulo 64 equals the number of the current subframe within the frame transmits a 121 / 8 symbol all - ones sync burst . the base station receives this burst and computes the discriminator dco2 as and the subscripts e , l , and p denote measures taken with the reference code displaced 1 / 2 chip early and 1 / 2 chip late relative to nominal , and at nominal , respectively , and each of the i and q inputs have been coherently integrated over the full 121 / 8 symbol ( 388 - chip ) measurement period . dco2 is then input to a first order delay lock loop and the loop output dp is used to adjust the handset transmit code phase in units of 1 / 16 of a chip . this function is iterated at the subframe rate , i . e . at 100 hz , so for each handset , it &# 39 ; s at the frame rate ( 640 msec , or 1 . 56 hz ), and klc is chosen to provide a loop bandwidth of 0 . 02 hz . the loops are actually closed via communication with each handset , using the order wire channel for handsets with no call in progress or using the voice channel control field for handsets with calls in progress . other than this difference , the code phase tracking function at the base station is the same for each handset , independent of whether a call is in progress on the handset . once its afc loop has settled , a handset may begin to demodulate order wire data and engage in order wire dialogs with the base station in order to subscribe to and participate ill the cell community as described earlier . once it has subscribed to a particular community or cell , it may then receive and originate calls , initially via the order wire channel but predominantly via a voice channel , which of course requires voice channel data demodulation as well . the algorithm used to demodulate this data is a combination of block phase estimation , which adjusts the phase of the received symbols for optimum detection in the presence of phase and frequency offsets , and differential data decoding of the receive symbols . this algorithm is applied straightforwardly to the voice channel and with minor modifications to the order wire channel . for the voice channel , the algorithm operates as shown in fig4 . 6 . 1 and described as follows : for each of the 91 symbols ( ij , qj ) following the sounding bursts ( in the handset ) or the handset sync burst ( in the base station ), compute the equivalent symbols ( 14j , q4j ) ( with the date removed ) as for the next 75 symbols ( ij , qj ), j = 8 , 82 , update the block integrators and phase estimate and rotate the symbol accordingly : where ntrack = 0 , 1 , 2 or 3 such that abs ( phi - phio ) is a minimum , i . e ., so as to produce minimum rotation relative to the previous rotation . next , rotate the final 8 symbols ( ij , qj ), j = 83 , 90 , by the final value of phi : finally , quantize the rotated symbols to 00 , 01 , 10 , or 11 according to the sign of ij and qj and input the result to the differential decoder as shown in fig1 . symbols 1 through 90 of the decoder output are the demodulated data for this burst . ( date to be transmitted are first differentially encoded as shown in fig1 . for the order wire channel , the algorithm is essentially the same except that the block length is 2 ow symbols rather than 16 voice channel symbols , and the phase reference symbol is shorter than the other ow symbols . also , the frame sync portion of each order wire burst is handled differently , namely as 7 voice channel symbols . thus the algorithm becomes : for each of the 11 symbols ( ij , qj ) following the sounding bursts ( in the handset ) or the handset sync burst ( in the base station ), compute the equivalent symbols ( i4j , q4j ) with the data removed , as for tile next 10 symbols ( ij , qj ), j - 1 , 10 , update the block integrators and phase estimate and rotate the symbol accordingly : ntrack = 0 , 1 , 2 , or 3 such that abs ( phi - phi0 ) is a minimum , i . e . so as to produce minimum rotation relative to the previous rotation . next , rotate the 7 frame sync symbols ( ij , qj ), j = 11 , 17 , by the final value of phi : finally , quantize the rotated symbols to 00 , 01 , 10 , or 11 according to the sign of ij and qj and input the result to the differential decoder . symbols 1 through 10 of the decoder output are the demodulated ow data for this burst . symbols 11 through 17 of the decoder output are the demodulated frame sync data for this burst . ( ow data to be transmitted are also first differentially encoded .) the system implements certain features to support rapid cell transfer . one of these is the maintenance and broadcast of a database of the relative time offsets of adjacent cell base stations . the information in the database is supplied by handsets which acquire adjacent cell order wire signals on a scouting or roaming basis . again , scouting activity is essentially roaming activity , but with the intent of gathering data about the surrounding environment , rather than of actually transferring cell membership . scouting handsets relay time offset information regarding adjacent cells back to the base station of their currently assigned cell ; roaming handsets which transfer to an adjacent cell impart this information regarding previous cell timing to the base station of the new cell . the information so gathered is verified and broadcast by each base station via the order wire channel and via the channel control portion of each active voice channel . scouting and roaming searches differ from initial searches primarily in that they are more focussed , that is , they search at only a single frequency , namely the handset &# 39 ; s current carrier tracking frequency within the current cell , and , at least initially , they search only a few chips of pn code phase uncertainty ( proportional to data staleness ). the other main difference is that carrier frequency , pn code phase , and power level tracking operations are maintained on the original signal during scouting and roaming searches . for scouting , if the more focussed search fails on both antennas , it is then broadened to include all 255 pn chips code phase uncertainty . if even this broader search fails on both antennas , the current scouting effort is terminated and normal operation within the current cell is resumed , without a scouting report ( adjacent cell time offset report ) being submitted to the base station . if any of the searches succeed , however , subframe and frame synchronization are also performed and a scouting report submitted . received power is measured once each subframe . a filtered average of this measure is also maintained so as to provide a 2 - second time constant . whenever this filtered average falls below a threshold defined by the signal level at which transfer to another cell becomes desirable , a roaming search is initiated , which searches first for the adjacent cell order wire signal most recently acquired . if this focussed search fails on both antennas , a similar search is conducted on both antennas for the next most likely adjacent signal to be acquired , and so on , until all adjacent signals have been searched . for each adjacent signal acquired , if the measured power level on that signal is greater than on the current signal , then the handset listens for a base station memberships available broadcast . if memberships are available ( and , if a call is in progress on the handset , if voice channels are also available ), then the handset issues a membership enrollment request . on verification of the enrollment request , the base station conducts an enrollment interview with the handset , and the transfer of the handset membership , to the adjacent cell base station is completed , along with any call in progress on the handset . in order to detect those situations in which a handset signal can reasonably be assumed to be lost , especially if it is currently assigned a voice channel and voice channels are currently in high demand , a filtered average of the received power from each of the handset sync periods is maintained as : prcv ( j )= ip 2 + qp 2 , ip and qp integrated coherently over 121 / 8 symbols , and where klf is chosen to provide a time constant of 2 seconds . whenever the fp value for any handset j falls below a specified lower threshold , the handset is noted as being off - line : whenever its fp value returns above an upper threshold , it is noted as being on - line . any call in progress on a handset determined to be off - line is terminated . incoming calls whose destination handset is off - line are given a busy signal . in order to minimize the dynamic range requirements ( and thus the power and cost ) of the signal - path a - to - d converter used in handsets , some form of automatic gain control ( agc ) of the a - to - d input signal is required . fig1 depicts the agc approach selected for this system . the concept is as follows : during each sounding burst , the analog input signal is correlated with the reference pn waveform and coherently integrated over 6 symbols , then dumped to square - law devices sld whose outputs are summed and log - amplified , then converted to digital . this digital log - domain power measure is read by software at the end of each sounding burst . at the end of the second burst , the larger of the two power measures ( pmax ) is selected by software to get the signal - path attenuation for the remainder of the current subframe and the sounding period of the following subframe . the attenuation is determined as : where kpow is a function of the log amplifier gain and attenuator gain . the attenuator setting is also used in the determination of the handset transmit power setting for the current subframe . for signal acquisition , the attenuator is set ( separately for each antenna and for each new code phase and carrier frequency uncertainty range scan ) so that the rms noise level p0 is 18 db below the maximum a - to - d converter input level , thus : an embedded microcontroller or microprocessor can be used to control not only the operational sequences involved in command handling , but there are decided advantages to incorporating not only the sequence control functions but much of the signal processing as well into a programmable device such as a digital signal processor . these advantages include : increased flexibility to modify or fine - tune algorithms once the system is already built and in test . while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described , it will be appreciated that various modifications and adaptations of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and still be within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto . | 7 |
fig1 shows an example situation in which a remote control acts as a reader of a passive device . a credit card with an nfc communication interface is illustrated , but it should be appreciated that any portable device can be used . according to an embodiment , an nfc component is integrated into an electronic wallet and used in this context . another application is responsible for transferring access rights to the receiver . these rights are loaded on to the nfc device . other example passive devices can be e . g ., tags , books , tickets , etc . thus , according to disclosed principles , a movie or airplane ticket can be provided with a passive nfc component , and the embodiment disclosed herein will be able to access additional services of the movie theater / airline via a connected television receiver . for example , the remote control reads the code from the airplane ticket and sends it to the receiver . this code contains at least one address and identification information . the receiver may e . g ., transmit the identification information to an address contained in the code , this identification information allows the identification of the details of the ticket . the user can thus e . g ., access his / her mileage account , take part in a competition or state his / her opinion on the service to earn additional miles , etc . fig2 shows an example situation in which the remote control communicates with another active device . each device creates an electromagnetic field that enables a data exchange at a higher speed and at a longer communication distance . as discussed above , it should be noted that even though the nfc device has its own energy source it does not mean that the device must operates in the active mode . for example , a smartphone can operate in the passive mode when used with the remote control . in order to limit power consumption , a button for activating the nfc function is provided on the remote control . by pressing the button , the electromagnetic field emitter is activated and a response from an nfc device is expected . once the nfc device is detected , the code is read by the remote control and the emitter is disabled . if no device is detected during a predefined time , the emitter will be disabled . once the code is received by the remote control , it is transmitted to the receiver according to several possible methods . according to a first embodiment , the code is simply transmitted via the infrared emitter . a message comprising a header and the code is composed . a marking information is added to inform the receiver , upon reception of the message , that it has to re - route the received code to the application that is waiting for the arrival of the identification information ( also referred to herein as information data ). according to a particular embodiment , the information data received by the nfc device is encrypted by a key . this key is loaded into the receiver and into the remote control during initialization . the encrypted information data will then be transmitted to the receiver via the infrared channel . the receiver will use the same key to decrypt the information data . according to a second embodiment , a bidirectional channel is created between the receiver and the remote control . preferably , a radio emitter / receiver will be used for the remote control such as , for example , a bluetooth emitter / receiver . the information data can also be encrypted according to the above described technique . alternatively , it is possible to generate a session key by using a protocol such as diffie - hellmann for encrypting the information data . the receiver then decrypts the information data and transmits it to the application that can use this data . as mentioned above , this application can be an on - line trading site , a secured voting platform ( i . e ., one single person can vote , as identified by the code of the portable device ), or a generic application that will react to an address contained in the code and connect the receiver to the identified distant application . in the voting example , a voting application can be loaded into the smartphone and be identified by the voting site in a particular way , which means that the user has registered with this site and has received such an identifier . during a program allowing television viewers to cast a vote , the viewers will be prompted to use a smartphone to cast a vote and thus , identifier will be transmitted to the remote control and to the receiver . as the receiver is connected to the internet , it can transmit the voter &# 39 ; s identifier along with an identifier of the current program . another application is used for the other side of the transaction ( i . e ., in the opposite direction of e . g ., the vote ). during the vote , the receiver extracts , from the metadata of the program , a code identifying the current program . this code is unique for each program and not predictable ( for example , a random number ). this code is transmitted to the remote control via the bidirectional channel and to the smartphone via the nfc communication . the vote application loaded in the smartphone can then add the user &# 39 ; s identifier , the result of the user &# 39 ; s choice and send a message to the voting site containing the identifier of the program , the user &# 39 ; s identifier , and the choice . this prevents someone who has not followed the program from voting and also prevents third parties from voting without having initially registered . according to one embodiment the receiver includes an nfc reader that contains the parameters enabling the remote control to communicate with the receiver . in fact , an in particular with radio frequency remote controls , a programming step is necessary to pair the remote control with the receiver . a setup parameter is transferred from the receiver to the remote control due to the nfc connection . this parameter will serve to identify the remote control while sending commands via a radio frequency channel and will thus allow the receiver to filter the instructions that are addressed to it . this parameter can be the frequency or frequencies to be used , or an identification code placed in the header of the transmitted data . an alternative to this embodiment loads the setup parameters into a passive nfc device provided with the receiver . it is sufficient to use this nfc card to set the remote control and thus , enable communications with the receiver . this mechanism prevents one device from interfering with another one . the devices to be paired , for example , the receiver and the remote control , are placed next to each other . when the devices detect each other , pairing may be initiated , i . e ., the receiver detects the remote control and determines if an identifier of the remote control is already stored in a setup memory of the receiver or not . if not , a message may be displayed to the user to initiate the pairing by pressing e . g ., an “ ok ” button or “ exit ” button if pairing is not desired . when the user approves the pairing , a pairing request message containing an identifier of the remote control is sent to the receiver , which returns an acknowledgement message containing parameters of the receiver that are necessary for pairing . the pairing data of the receiver and remote control are stored in both devices so that the receiver recognizes the remote control to which it is paired to when communicating via the radio frequency channel . the pairing may further comprise , in addition to identifiers , a cryptographic key or pairing key that is exchanged by the devices . the pairing key is then used to encrypt data transmitted by the remote control and the receiver . the devices can further be authenticated with a key pertaining to the user or to a home network . the pairing can be permanent , but , according to a desired embodiment , the pairing is temporary . this means that , for example , a remote control paired with a specific television set can be paired with another television set , simply by placing the remote control next to another television set within the range of an nfc data transmission . in this case , the former pairing data ( e . g ., identifier , key , parameters ) are deleted and replaced by new pairing data . this embodiment thus provides a very flexible pairing process . according to a further embodiment , a remote control may be paired with several devices in a multi - pairing mode . in this case , when a device is placed next to another device in order to be paired , the former pairing data is not erased ; instead , the prior pairing data is kept . this embodiment may be used e . g ., for forming a home network . the pairing could be applied to a remote control and television set as mentioned above , but may also be applied to any similar device having nfc capabilities ( e . g ., set - top - boxes , hi - fi installations , doors or gates , heating or air conditioner , or any device that can be controlled by a remote control ). a remote control may be e . g ., a smartphone , tablet , personal digital assistant , or any similar portable device . the same pairing principle could also be applied to a wireless mouse or keyboard paired with a personal computer or a tablet . | 7 |
while the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms , there are shown in the drawings and will described herein , in detail , the preferred embodiments of the present invention . it should be understood , however , that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and / or the claims and embodiments illustrated . referring now to fig1 , in accordance to a first embodiment , there is illustrated an interactive gaming device 10 that includes an external housing 15 and a plurality of response units 30 that further include a plurality of button mechanisms 25 . the button mechanisms 25 are preferably made up of a light emitting diode ( led ), a lens and a switch positioned at the base of the response units 30 . these leds may have any number of different colors , or , as in the first embodiment , include a white led with a colored lens . the external housing 15 may take on several different three - dimensional geometric shapes , such as a cube , sphere , or pyramid . virtually any three - dimensional shape may be used . an aspect of the external housing 15 is that the faces defined by the three - dimensional shape each include a plurality of tiles 17 that may surround the response units 30 . referring now to fig2 , the exploded view of fig1 is shown . as illustrated , the housing 15 , which may also be viewed as a polyhedron housing , has a number of external faces 16 . each face includes the plurality of tiles 17 and includes one or more openings 19 that are surrounded by two or more tiles depending upon its location . by placing the opening 19 in between tiles 17 , the location of the button mechanism that needs to be pressed during game play is not visible from all lines of sight and increases the challenging aspects of the game . referring also to fig3 a - 3 d , distributed throughout each opening 19 is the response unit 30 . in one embodiment , each response unit 30 includes a recessed chamber 20 and a button mechanism 25 . the button mechanism includes a lens 35 , a switch 40 , and an led 45 . the switch 40 and the led 45 may be mounted to a switch plate 50 . the response units 30 are further mounted to a mount plate 55 positioned within the housing 15 . the response unites 30 are separately positioned in the openings 19 such that an edge 21 of the recessed chamber 20 is substantially flush with a surface plane of the surrounding tiles 17 . thus , when the button mechanisms 25 are positioned at the base of the recessed chambers , the button mechanisms 25 and the leds 45 are not visible from all lines of sight , which increases the level of difficulty of the game . the button mechanisms 25 , which are located at the base of the recessed chambers 20 , are in communication with an integrated circuit ( ic ) 60 ( described below ) by an electrical connection that permits the transfer of power and information . the lens 35 would be positioned at the base of the recessed chamber 20 above the switch and led , such that when the lens 35 is pressed by a user , the switch 40 is triggered . the processor ( described below ) accesses game content ( such as preprogrammed signals or audio content ) stored on a memory internal or external to the ic 60 . further , the ic 60 , amplifier ( described below ), switches 40 and led drivers ( described below ) are in communication with a power source such as a battery pack . in the first embodiment , the interactive gaming device 10 includes a means to trigger game play and responses . an example of the triggered game play and responses is included in a “ play pattern ” example and game play examples below . further , in accordance to the first embodiment , to play with the gaming device a user manually rotates and maneuvers the interactive gaming device to locate button mechanisms 25 , which appear illuminated by activated leds 45 in accordance to gaming content . the gaming content is considered interactive or evolving with a play pattern designed in the programming . the gaming content may include audio information and / or data or led activation . the audio information may be generated or converted into any type of signal or format needed for playing or transferring the gaming content , such as but not limited to digital , analog , wav , etc . as such , when a switch is triggered , the interactive gaming device responds based on the programming contained within the gaming content enabling a user to interact with the interactive gaming device in a variety of different capacities . referring now to fig4 , there is shown a block diagram provided for an embodiment of the interactive gaming device 10 . the ic 60 communicates with a plurality of led drivers 65 via an electrical connection 70 . utilizing the electrical connection 70 , data ( such as preprogrammed audio content , preprogrammed responses and / or randomly generated signals , etc .) can travel between the ic 60 and the plurality of led drivers 65 . the plurality of led drivers 65 also receives an appropriate amount of power from the power source via an electrical connection 70 . utilizing control signals ( such as randomly generated or preprogrammed ) the ic 60 then directs the led driver 65 to transfer the appropriate amount of power to the plurality of leds 45 to activate a desired state . examples of a desired state include a “ light on ,” a “ light off ,” or a varying level of illumination for an led 45 . the power is obtained from a power source 75 while the data is obtained from a processor ( s ) 80 . the processor ( s ) 80 is designed to run the program ( s ) stored on a memory 85 . when one of the plurality of switches 40 is triggered in response to a user &# 39 ; s input , a signal is sent via an electrical connection 70 to the ic 60 . the ic 60 contains the processor ( s ) 80 and may include a memory 85 . the ic 60 receives signals from the plurality of switches 40 . the ic 60 further includes programming and electronic components to facilitate and direct audio content , control signals , and data within the interactive gaming device 10 . the ic 60 is also in communication with the power source 75 and an amplifier 90 . the memory 85 contains gaming content . the processor ( s ) 80 in the ic 60 accesses the gaming content based on a program and / or in accordance to the generated control signals received from the plurality of switches 40 . the processor ( s ) 80 then generates a response that includes signals and may be in the form of audio or control signals . while the interactive gaming device 10 is preprogrammed to respond , the selection of the type of response may be randomly selected . from the processor ( s ) 80 , audio signals are transferred to the speaker 95 while control signals are transferred to the plurality of led drivers 65 via an electrical connection 70 . the led drivers 65 then direct the plurality of leds 45 to change to a desired state , based on a program and / or in accordance to a user &# 39 ; s input or preprogrammed response . one illustrative example can be described in the following “ play pattern ” as show in fig5 a - 5 c . power switch 100 is turned on to activate the interactive gaming device 10 . once a game is selected , the processor 80 begins to change one or more of the plurality of leds 45 to a “ light on ” state , prompting the user to press one or more of the corresponding button mechanisms 25 illuminated by a the lit led 45 . activating or trigging one of the switches 40 sends a signal to the processor 80 . the processor 80 then accesses the gaming content to retrieve audio data to transfer to the speaker 95 and signals to control the state of the leds 45 . for example and as illustrated in 5 a , an led 45 on the c - side will receive a control signal from the ic 60 , directing the led 45 on the c - side to change to the “ light on ” state , thus illuminating the button mechanism 25 . when a user is looking at the interactive gaming device 10 from the a - side , they will not be able to see the button mechanism 25 illuminated on the c - side . a rotation of the interactive gaming device 10 in the direction of the arrow in 5 a will also not place the led 45 on the c - side in view as illustrated in 5 b . however , another rotation of the interactive gaming device 10 in the direction of the arrow in 5 b will take the user to the view in 5 c . at this point , the user will be able to see the button mechanism 25 illuminated on the c - side . the user then presses the corresponding button mechanism 25 on the c - side , sending a response signal to the ic 60 . the ic 60 receives this response signal and changes the state of a different , or the same led 45 . since the leds 45 may be positioned at the bottom of the recessed chambers 20 , a user must manually rotate and maneuver the interactive gaming device 10 to permit a user &# 39 ; s line of sight to view the led 45 in the “ light on ” position . this creates a challenging interactive element because the leds 45 are not at the surface of the external housing 15 , where they are easily visible and do not require additional user rotation of the external housing 15 . the ic 60 will continue to receive input signals from the switches 40 , and direct output signals to the speaker 95 and the leds 45 . the resulting play pattern will direct a user to continuously rotate and manipulate the interactive gaming device to follow the ic &# 39 ; s 60 direction , preferably with a time pattern variation to increase the difficulty of play as a user progresses through the play pattern . numerous games may be played with the interactive gaming device 10 . these games are selected by a user pressing the appropriate button mechanisms 25 . several games are described below , however , the ic ( described below ) may be programmed to play any number of games . in a first example of game play , the object of the game is for a user to fully illuminate all of the leds 45 by pressing the button mechanisms 25 as the light begins to fade out . at the start of game play , each of the six leds 45 are in a lights out state . the processor 80 accesses the gaming content to retrieve audio data to transfer to the speaker 95 to emit a sound notifying a user of the start of game play . the processor 80 sends control signals to one or more of the led drivers 65 which direct the corresponding led 45 to illuminate . the processor 80 then directs the led driver 65 to gradually decrease the level of illumination ( essentially , a fade out ). the user then presses the illuminated button mechanism 25 which appears to fade to increase the level of illumination back to the maximum level . the corresponding switch sends a control signal to the processor 80 . the processor 80 sends audio data to the speaker 95 to emit a corresponding audio sound . as the user presses the first button mechanisms 25 to illuminate , the other leds 45 subsequently switch to the light on position and begin to fade as described above . if an led 45 fades to the light out state , game play ends . if the user is able to get all six leds 45 to their full light on state , game play ends . the processor 80 may be programmed to generate a “ game over ” or “ winner ” audio signal when the user reaches either scenario . also , the processor 80 may be programmed to increase the speed of the fading effect to make the game play more challenging . further , the processor 80 may be programmed to time out or end game play after a predetermined length of time has expired . after the conclusion of game play , the user has the option to start a new game by pressing the corresponding button mechanisms 25 or selecting one of the other games included in the interactive gaming device . in a second example of game play , the object is to press a button mechanism 25 illuminated by an led 45 in the light on state before the led 45 switches to a light out phase . the processor 80 may be programmed to flash the leds 45 between a light on or light out phase , prompting a user to respond in accordance to the game play . the processor 80 includes programming to provide multiple levels of game play , preferably increasing in the difficulty of play as a user advances in the game play . the processor 80 is programmed to time out game play after a predetermined length of time has elapsed for each level of game play . for example , when the first led 45 is switched to the light on state , a timer begins a countdown scheduled to last thirty seconds during which time the user needs to press as many button mechanisms 25 illuminated by the leds 45 as possible before the programming directs the led 45 to switch to the light off position in accordance with game play . once the countdown time is reached , the processor 80 determines a performance rating of the user , such as a percentage of button mechanisms 25 correctly pressed versus corresponding leds 45 lit . if the user achieves the required percentage of hits , the user advances to the next level . as the user advances in levels , the speed in which the leds 45 flash between the light on state and light off state increases . the programming may also include audio commands to emit through the speaker 95 , signaling completion of a level and the advance to the next level . in a third example of game play involving multiple users , the object of the game is similar to the game known as “ hot potato .” at the start of game play , the processor 80 directs an audio command to emit from the speaker 95 , requesting one of the users to input the desired number of players . a user responds by pressing a button mechanism 25 corresponding to the number of players . an led 45 switches to the light on phase to signal the start of play . simultaneously , the processor 80 tracks time while directing audio signals to emit from the speaker 95 , such as a simulated clock ticking sound . since the button mechanisms 25 are at the base of the recessed chambers 20 , players do not have a direct line of sight to the button mechanism 25 now illuminated . the first player maneuvers the interactive gaming device 10 to locate the corresponding illuminated button mechanism 25 and presses the button mechanism 25 before passing the interactive gaming device 10 to the next user . pressing the illuminated button mechanism 25 with an led 45 in the light on state triggers the associated switch 40 and sends a signal to the processor 80 . the processor 80 responds by randomly triggering another led 45 to switch to the light on state . the next user then maneuvers the interactive gaming device 10 to locate the next illuminated button mechanism 25 . upon locating and pressing the illuminated button mechanisms 25 , the user passes the interactive gaming device 10 as above , prompting the processor 80 as above . these steps are repeated as the interactive gaming device 10 is passed to subsequent players until the processor 80 determines that the time of play has expired . scoring may be recorded according to gaming content , or a user may simply be eliminated . this interaction and game play may continue until a winner is determined . in a fourth example of game play , the object of the games is to determine a randomly generated led 45 illumination sequence to fully illuminate all the leds 45 by pressing the corresponding button mechanisms 25 with the fewest number of attempts . at the start of game play , all of the leds 45 are in the lights off state . the processor 80 directs an audio signal to the speaker 95 to emit an audio sound to notify the users to start play . a user presses one of the button mechanisms 25 in an attempt to find the first correct button mechanism 25 in the randomly generated sequence . once the button mechanism 25 is pressed by the user , a signal is sent to the processor 80 . the processor 80 determines if it is the correct signal ( corresponding to the button mechanisms 25 ) according to the randomly generated sequence . if the button mechanism 25 selected is not the first in the sequence , no leds 45 will switch to the light on state and the processor will send an audio signal to the speaker 95 to notify the user that the selection was incorrect . if the button mechanism 25 selected is the first button mechanism 25 in the sequence , the processor 80 will direct the corresponding led 45 to illuminate and send an audio signal to the speaker 95 to notify the user that the selection is correct . the user then selects another button mechanism 25 in an attempt to find the subsequent button mechanism 25 in the sequence . if the second button mechanism 25 selected is incorrect , the processor 80 sends an audio signal to the speaker 95 to notify the user that the selection was incorrect . simultaneously , the processor 80 will reset the game play to the initial button mechanism 25 in the sequence . game play proceeds accordingly until the user selects all six button mechanism 25 according to the randomly generated sequence . once the user is able to press the button mechanisms 25 in the correct sequence , the leds 45 will all be in the light on state and the processor 80 will send an audio signal to the speaker 95 indicating completion of the game play . further , the processor 80 may record the correct and incorrect presses to provide an accuracy and timing rating . in a fifth example of game play , the object is to locate leds 45 subsequently switched to the light on state and press the corresponding button mechanisms 25 before a predetermined time expires . the leds 45 may be subsequently switched to the light on state in a randomly generated sequence . to start game play , the processor 80 sends a signal to one of the leds 45 to switch to the light on state . the user maneuvers the interactive gaming device 10 to locate the corresponding button mechanism 25 . since the button mechanism 25 and leds 45 in this embodiment are located at the base of the recessed chambers 20 , a user will typically not have a direct line of sight to the button mechanism 25 when illuminated by the leds 45 , creating a challenging scenario requiring a user to maneuver the interactive gaming device 10 quickly to locate the illuminated button mechanism 25 before time expires . game play continues while the user continues to locate and press the correct button mechanism 25 corresponding to the led 45 in the light on state in the randomly generated sequence within the allocated time . to increase the difficulty , the time allotted to locate each button mechanism 25 will decrease with each correct selection . the processor 80 sends an audio signal to the speaker 95 indicating a correct selection and further sends an audio signal to the speaker 95 when there is an incorrect selection signaling the end of the game play and indicating a user &# 39 ; s score . at the conclusion of game play , the user has the option to start a new game by pressing the corresponding button mechanism 25 or selecting one of the other games included in the interactive gaming device 10 . in a sixth example of game play , the object is to follow a randomly generated color pattern according to audio signals . to start play , the processor 80 sends an audio signal to the speaker 95 as a voice command and the user presses the corresponding button mechanism 25 . for example , the speaker 95 will emit the word “ red ” as a voice command . if the user presses the button mechanism 25 on the red side , the processor 80 sends an audio signal to the speaker 95 to continue the sequence , such that the voice will then say “ red , yellow .” the user must select and press the correct button mechanisms 25 according to the color sequence to repeat the pattern . with each correct selection , the processor 80 will direct the sequence to repeat and add one or more colors to the sequence for the subsequent rounds . the processor 80 may be programmed to increase in difficulty as a user advances in game play . for example , when a user correctly presses a five button sequence , the processor 80 resets the round and randomly generates a color sequence requiring the user to follow a six button sequence . an incorrect selection will prompt the processor 80 to send an audio signal indicating the end of game play . after the conclusion of game play , the user has the option to start a new game or select one of the other games included in the interactive gaming device 10 by pressing the corresponding button mechanisms 25 . there is a virtually unlimited amount of play patterns that can be included in the gaming content . the examples above are meant to be but a few of the many and are not meant to limit the invention in any manner . from the foregoing and as mentioned above , it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention . it is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred . | 0 |
hereinafter , the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . [ 0032 ] fig2 is a view showing a basic structure of an image projection apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig2 an image projection apparatus 200 according to the present invention comprises a light source 210 , a first light transmit unit 220 , a light switch unit 230 , a second light transmit unit 230 , a quadrangular beam generating unit 250 , a single panel ( or one panel ) 260 and a projection lens unit 270 . in the present embodiment , the image projection apparatus 200 has the light switches arranged in the matrix structure of ( 3 × 3 ). light paths of respective r . g . b . laser beams in the light switch unit 230 are respectively illustrated . for example , a light path of the r laser beam , which is deflected from a predetermined light switch 230 a and inputted into a first output port 232 a , is indicated by a dotted line . the light source 210 emits a plurality of monochromatic color beams having different wave - lengths . the light source 210 uses a laser beam , an arc lamp , a metal halide lamp , a halogen lamp or a xenon lamp , or any such light source suitable for performing as required for the present invention . the present invention uses the laser beam by way of an example . the plurality of monochromatic color beams ( hereinbelow , called “ laser beams ”) are , for example , red ( r ), green ( g ), and blue ( b ) laser beams . the first light transmit unit 220 has a plurality of first optical fibers 222 a , 222 b , 222 c and a plurality of first collimating lenses 224 a , 224 b , and 224 c . the first optical fibers 222 a , 222 b , and 222 c allow the respective r . g . b . laser beams to pass therethrough , and the first collimating lenses 224 a , 224 b , and 224 c concentrate the laser beams transmitted through the optical fibers 222 a , 222 b , 222 c . the first collimating lenses 224 a , 224 b , and 224 c are disposed at output ends of the first optical fibers 222 a , 222 b , and 222 c . the laser beams concentrated at the first collimating lenses 224 a , 224 b , and 224 c are transmitted to the light switch unit 230 . the light switch unit 230 comprises a plurality of light switches for deflecting the respective r . g . b . laser beams at a predetermined angle or allowing the r . g . b . laser beams to pass therethrough . the light switch unit 230 has a matrix structure of ( n × n ), wherein n is a positive number . in other words , the light switch unit 230 has the light switches 230 a through 230 i as many as ( n × n ). in this embodiment , the light switch unit 230 has nine ( 9 ) light switches 230 a through 230 i arranged in the square matrix of ( 3 × 3 ). the light switches 230 a through 230 i use high reflective mirror embodied by utilizing micro electro mechanical system ( mems ) technology . the light switches 230 a through 230 i output the r . g . b . laser beams directly as the light signal without the process of converting an input light signal into an electric signal . accordingly , the switching speed is faster than in the conventional method which requires the process of converting the light signal into the electric signal . each of the light switches 230 a through 230 i has a deflection mirror a and a drive unit b ( fig3 ). the deflection mirror a has a deflection surface formed on a side thereof , for deflecting the laser beams , and is fabricated by utilizing the mems technology . the position of the deflection mirror a is varied from a first position ( on - position ) to a second position ( off - position ) by the drive unit b . the first position ( on - position ) allows a laser beam ( among the r . g . b . laser beams ) to be deflected from the deflection mirror a to any one portion of upper , mid , and lower portions of the dmd panel 260 , while the second position ( off - position ) allows the r . g . b . laser beams to go straight and not be directed toward the panel 260 . that is , the first position ( on - position ) is the state where the light switches 230 a through 230 i are inclined to deflect the laser beams to desired output ports 232 a , 232 b , and 232 c . the second position ( off - position ) is the state where the light switches 230 a through 230 i are in parallel relation to the direction of the laser beams passing through the light switches 230 a through 230 i . also the light switch unit 230 is operated such that only one light switch in a row and a column is positioned at the first position . the light switch unit 230 is operated such that the three light switches are simultaneously positioned at the first position or the ( 3 × 3 ) light switches 230 a through 230 i are positioned at the first position by a predetermined order . for example , if a light switch 230 a is positioned at the first position ( on - position ), the other light switches 230 b , 230 c , 230 d , and 230 g disposed in the same row and column as the light switch 230 a are positioned at the second position ( off - position ). at this time , if another light switch 230 e is positioned at the first position , the light switch unit 230 sets another light switch 230 i to be positioned at the first position . one image is realized when each of the ( 3 × 3 ) light switches 230 a through 230 i is positioned at the first position at least one time . at the output terminal of the light switch unit 230 are provided a plurality of output ports 232 a , 232 b , and 232 c . the output ports 232 a , 232 b , and 232 c output the laser beams deflected from the light switches 230 a through 230 i of the light switch unit 230 into the second light transmit unit 240 . the second light transmit unit 240 has a plurality of second collimating lenses 242 a , 242 b , and 242 c and a plurality of second optical fibers 244 a , 244 b , 244 c . the second collimating lenses 242 a , 242 b , and 242 c concentrate the respective r . g . b . laser beams received through the output ports 232 a , 232 b , and 232 c to the respective second optical fibers 244 a , 244 b , and 244 c . the second optical fibers 244 a , 244 b , and 244 c transmit the concentrated r . g . b . laser beams to the quadrangular beam generating unit 250 . the quadrangular beam - generating unit 250 has a plurality of first lenses 252 a , 252 b , and 252 c , a plurality of light tubes 254 a , 254 b , and 254 c , and a second lens 256 . the quadrangular beam generating unit 250 is disposed at output ends of the second optical fibers 244 a , 244 b , and 244 c , for converting the respective laser beams to a quadrangular beam . the first lenses 252 a , 252 b , 252 c disperse the respective r . g . b . laser beams such that the respective r . g . b . laser beams can be incident on the light tubes 254 a , 254 b , and 254 c corresponding to the first lenses 252 a , 252 b , and 252 c . the light tubes 254 a , 254 b , and 254 c are shaped as a hexahedron and have passage holes formed therein . the respective light tubes 254 a , 254 b , and 254 c consist of four surfaces made of mirrors . when the laser beams dispersed from the first lenses 252 a , 252 b , and 252 c are incident in the passage hole defined in the light tube 254 a , 254 b , and 254 c , the laser beams are converted to quadrangular beams that have a predetermined ratio of width to height . the second lens 256 disperses the quadrangular beams such that the beams are incident on the single panel 260 . the single panel 260 consists of one digital micromirror device ( dmd ) panel or one liquid crystal display ( lcd ) panel . hereinafter , the present invention using the dmd panel will be described . the dmd panel 260 receives the monochromatic color beams i . e . the respective r . g . b . laser beams converted into the quadrangular beams to form the r . g . b . color bars on the upper , mid and lower portion thereof as shown in fig2 . as shown in fig2 r color bar is illustrated in an oblique line , g color bar in a vertical line , and b color bar in a reverse oblique line . the dmd panel 260 has a plurality of drive mirrors . the drive mirrors digitalize the respective r . g . b . color bars formed on the dmd panel 260 and deflect them at a predetermined angle . the image deflected from the dmd panel 260 is projected onto a screen through the projection lens unit 270 . the projection lens unit 270 is disposed opposite the dmd panel 260 . according to another embodiment of the present invention , the lcd panel can be used instead of the dmd panel . while dmd panel is a deflection type panel , the lcd panel is a projection type panel . when the lcd panel is used , the position of the projection lens and the screen can vary . [ 0051 ] fig4 a through 4c are views showing a process of realizing one image by a certain order of manipulation according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention . one image is realized by performing a series of processes as illustrated in fig4 a through 4c . these processes can be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention . referring to fig4 a and 4c , the r laser beam transmitted through the first light transmit unit 220 is incident on any one of the light switches 230 a through 230 c arranged in the first column , the g laser beam on any one of the light switches 230 d through 230 f arranged in the second column , and the b laser beam on any one of the light switches 230 g through 230 i arranged in the third column . also , the laser beams deflected from the light switches 230 a , 230 d , 230 g of the first row form a color bar on the upper portion of the dmd panel 260 through the first output port 232 a , the laser beams deflected from the light switches 230 b , 230 e , and 230 h of the second row form a color bar on the mid portion of the dmd panel 260 through the second output port 232 a , and the laser beams deflected from the light switches 230 c , 230 f , and 230 i of the third row form a color bar on the lower portion of the dmd panel 260 . these three monochromatic color bars are formed on the upper , mid , and lower portions of the dmd panel 260 by manipulating the light switch unit 230 . when the nine ( 9 ) light switches 230 a through 230 i of the light switch unit 230 are operated according to the following table 1 , the color bars are formed on the dmd panel 260 as shown in fig4 a . in the table 1 , ‘ on ’ corresponds to the first position that allows the laser beams to be deflected , and ‘ off ’ corresponds to the second position that allows the laser beams to pass through the light switches . reference numerals 230 a through 230 i indicate the light switches . if the light switch unit 230 manipulates the light switches 230 a through 230 i according to table 1 , the color bars are formed on the dmd panel 260 as shown in fig4 a . that is , the r color bar is formed at the upper portion , the g color bar at the middle portion , and the b color bar at the lower portion . also , when the nine light switches 230 a through 230 i of the light switch unit 230 are operated according to the following table 2 , the color bars are formed on the dmd panel 260 as shown in fig4 b in the table 2 , ‘ on ’ corresponds to the first position that allows the laser beams to be deflected , and ‘ off ’ corresponds to the second position that allows the laser beam to pass through the light switches . reference numerals 230 a to 230 i indicate the light switches . if the light switch unit 230 is operated according to the table 2 , the color bars are formed on the dmd panel 260 as shown in fig4 b . that is , the b color bar is formed at the upper portion , r color bar at the mid portion , and g color bar at the lower portion . also , when the nine light switches 230 a through 230 i of the light switch unit 230 are operated according to the following table 3 , the color bars are formed on the dmd panel 260 as shown in fig4 c . in the table 3 , ‘ on ’ corresponds to the first position that allows the laser beams to be deflected , and ‘ off ’ corresponds to the second position that allows the laser beam to pass through the light switches . reference numerals 230 a through 230 i indicate the light switches . if the light switch unit 230 is operated according to the table 3 , the color bars are formed on the dmd panel 260 as shown in fig4 c . that is , the g color bar is formed at the upper portion , b color bar at the mid portion , and r color bar at the lower portion . according to the image projection apparatus , by forming monochromatic color bars on the panel sequentially using the light switches that utilize the mems technology , the use of light on the panel can be improved . that is , the light switches make it possible to achieve the efficient use of light of the three panels . accordingly , the brightness of the formed image can be improved . also , since the light switches output the light signal directly without the process of converting the light signal into the electric signal , the on / off switching speed increases . the foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention . the present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses . the description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative , and not to limit the scope of the claims . many alternatives , modifications , and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . in the claims , means - plus - function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures . | 6 |
set forth below is a description of what are believed to be the preferred embodiments and / or best examples of the invention claimed . future and present alternatives and modifications to this preferred embodiment are contemplated . any alternatives or modifications which make insubstantial changes in function , in purpose , in structure , or in result are intended to be covered by the claims of this patent . referring now to fig6 - 9 , the subject of the present invention is the “ undulating ” brush 24 . undulating brush 24 may be effectively used in a device such as shown in fig1 - 2 . in contrast to known prior art rotating brushes , undulating brush 24 includes a repeating pattern of a “ peak ” portion 24 a , and a “ valley ” portion 24 b , in which the peak and valley portions preferably have dimensional ranges as specified here for cleaning the ( automobile and small truck ) tire sizes addressed here . ( in order to clean larger tire sizes than those mentioned here , this will of course require undulating brushes with larger dimensions .) using an “ undulating ” rotating brush as described here , it was surprisingly discovered that superior cleaning characteristics were obtained , as opposed to prior known rotating brushes as described above . ( it is noted that satisfactory cleaning also requires the use of an appropriate chemical formulation that is properly applied to the entire outside surface of the outside tire portion and wheel surfaces to be cleaned .) it was found that the use of an undulating rotating brush with a curvilinear intermediate edge between the peak and valley portions works particularly well . it appears that rotating brushes with squared - off intermediate portions do not clean as well . it was also found that the density of the cleaning elements of the undulating rotating brush , as well as the pressure they apply on the surfaces to be cleaned , also facilitate superior cleaning , as described below . referring to fig1 a - 10e , typical tire od / ids ( in inches ) are shown , of : 24 / 16 ( fig1 a ); 25 / 20 ( fig1 b ); 16 / 8 ( fig1 c ); 28 . 5 / 16 . 5 ( fig1 d ); and 32 / 19 ( fig1 e ). for wheels in this size range , it was found that the following diameter ranges for a brush diameter measured at the peak and valley portions of the undulating brush 24 of the present invention are preferred : for tire sizes for automobiles and small trucks in the tire outside diameter range of 24 - 32 inches , preferred diameter ranges for diameter dp ( see fig7 ) measured at peak portion 24 a are about 14 - 18 inches , while preferred diameter ranges for diameter dv ( see fig7 ) measured at valley portion 24 b are about 9 - 14 inches . ( if dp is 14 , dv is preferably about 9 ; if dp is 18 , dv is preferably about 14 ; other corresponding dp and dv numbers may be proportionally derived .) the undulating brush of the present invention may take various shapes and sizes , such as sinusoidal ( fig7 ) or modified sinusoidal waves , flattened sine waves ( fig8 ), sawtooth waves ( fig9 ), etc ., provided that there is an “ undulating ” characteristic to the brush length ( i . e ., peak portions followed by valley portions ). the common characteristic of these undulating brush shapes is that the cleaning element peak and valley diameters and lengths should be sufficient to provide desirable cleaning . the cleaning surface of the rotating brush may be made of filaments , cloth , or closed cell foam . if filaments are used , they may be “ x - shaped ” in cross - section , have a thickness in the range of about 15 - 50 thousandths of an inch , and are made of low density polyethylene . ( polypropylene or nylon could be used , but these are harder materials which may scratch the vehicle exterior and nylon may not be economical to use .) the shaft carrying the rotating brush preferably has a smaller diameter conventional such shafts ( about 1½ - 1⅞ inches , for example , instead of 2¼ - 2½ inches ). ( as the shaft diameter decreases , longer filaments may be used for the same outside brush diameter .) the present invention is currently believed to preferably use a filament density of about one - half pound / linear inch of length measured at the core / shaft , whereas prior art brushes are believed to employ lower filament densities of roughly about one - half or three - quarters of this preferred density . in other words , for an 8 - foot long brush , the undulating brush of the present invention may have about 48 pounds of polyethylene filament . this density may vary depending upon the type of material and the length of cleaning elements ( e . g ., filaments ) selected . sufficient force must also be exerted on surfaces to be cleaned by the rotating brush to provide sufficient penetration into the surfaces of the tire and wheel to be cleaned . this force is a function of the distances of the shaft from the wheel / tire to be cleaned , as well as the shaft rpm . a faster shaft rpm actually results in less brush penetration into the surfaces to be cleaned . a preferred range is currently believed to be about 100 - 175 rpms , with about 15 - 40 pounds of force exerted over the ( e . g .) 8 - foot rotating brush length . shaft rotational speed and overall brush diameter can substantially influence the distance between the brush cleaning element ends and the surfaces to be cleaned . ( the higher the rpm or the larger the overall brush diameter , the greater the force needed , i . e ., the brush can be “ tuned ” by varying the shaft distance and / or the rpms for best cleaning results .) referring to fig7 , in a particularly preferred embodiment , it was found that satisfactory cleaning was achieved when using about 15 - 50 thousandths of an inch , x - shaped polyethylene filaments with a peak wave diameter dp at peak 24 a of about 18 inches and a valley height diameter dv at valley 24 b of about 14 inches , that exerted about 15 - 35 pounds of force exerted on the 96 - inch long brush as measured by a grainger push - pull gauge scale . based on visual observation , assuming adequate cleaning chemical coverage , satisfactory cleaning was achieved over roughly 90 - 99 percent of the exterior surfaces of the tire and wheel , as compared to about 70 percent for a comparable uniform - width brush and about 80 percent for a comparable poodle brush . referring to fig8 , in a particularly preferred embodiment , the length of the peak portion lp is preferably longer than the length of the valley portion lv , such as in about a 1 - 2 : 1 ratio . in alternative , less - preferred embodiments , lv may be about equal to or less than lp . while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been discussed above with regard to undulating , rotating brush elements made of filaments , those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing inventive principles may be applied with brush elements made of cloth or closed cell foam , as is well known in the art to be used . it will also be understood that the undulating , rotating brush of the present invention may include parallel strips , or a spiral wound strip , and may include individually drawn brush elements or tufts , or stapled brush elements . the above description is not intended to limit the meaning of the words used in the following claims that define the invention . persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that a variety of other designs still falling within the scope of the following claims may be envisioned and used . it is contemplated that future modifications in structure , function , or result will exist that are not substantial changes and that all such insubstantial changes in what is claimed are intended to be covered by the claims . | 1 |
embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the architecture of a 3g network . however , it will be understood that it can be applied to any other suitable form of network . [ 0015 ] fig1 depicts the architecture of an all - ip ( internet protocol ) umts ( universal mobile telecommunications system ) system . boxes and ellipses in fig1 indicate network elements , which are annotated by their standard abbreviations . the network elements are connected by interfaces indicated by lines , whose types are indicated by their standard abbreviations next to the lines . network elements whose abbreviations carry the suffix “*)” in fig1 are duplicated in the figure for ease of layout , but belong to the same logical element in the umts reference model . in the system of fig1 items of terminal equipment ( te ) 1 can communicate with the umts network 2 via radio ( r ) interface 3 . by this means the tes can communicate with other tes that are connected directly to the umts network or are connected to other networks 4 that are connected to the umts network . the tes can also receive applications and services from application / service platform 5 . the core network section of the network includes a ggsn ( gateway support node 7 , an sgsn ( serving gprs support node ) 6 , and an s - cscf ( serving call state control function ) 10 . in addition the network has a ccf ( changing control function ) 8 , otherwise known as an online charging function ( ocf ). the general functions of most of the units in fig1 are well known and will not be described in detail here . the ccf 8 is responsible for collecting data on charges for the subscriber of terminal network 2 . in a preferred embodiment of the invention the ccf 8 is also responsible for generating a global charging identifier ( icid ). this feature of the invention will be explained in more detail herein after . each network may include a number of ccfs each of which serves a subset of subscribers to that network . a ccf can be a logical function that is part of the cps ( call processing server ) or service creation environment ( sce ). in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 the charging control information for generating charges for separate services provided to support a connection or call can be generated from a number of entities : 1 . the applications and services unit 5 ( scp or otherwise ): for example to make a charge to a user for the use of a supplementary or value - added service ( e . g . call forwarding , call transfer or recommendation of a restaurant local to the user ). 2 . the access network ( the sgsn 6 or ggsn 7 ): for provision to the user of access for his terminal to the umts network . 3 . the multimedia ip network ( 4 a ): for provision of access to a network and / or for access to specific data from the network and optionally for guaranteeing the quality of service in the network . 4 . legacy networks such as legacy mobile communication network 4 b and legacy pstn network 4 c : for provision of access to those networks . 5 . core network ( cps — a physical element which includes the s - cscf ( serving call control service function ) 10 and optionally the mgcf too ): for use by the umts core network for transfering of data . the charging means described herein makes use of charging data records ( cdr ) which are generated in the entities that levy charges and allow the charging control information to be passed in a coherent way . there are several forms of cdr , depending on the unit that generates the cdr . however , all the cdrs include an icid which allows the cdrs that have been generated in response to a single communication to be matched up . the icid provides a unique identifier for each connection / call . each cdr includes a global charging id field which includes the icid of the call to which the information in it relates . the generation of the global charging id in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described . fig2 is a signaling diagram that shows the signaling process for setting up a call from an initiating terminal ( te ) 1 to another terminal ( not shown ) via an s - cscf 10 , an application server ( as ) 5 and a ccf 8 . in order to set up a call , the session initiation protocol ( sip ) can be used . the sip has been developed to perform call / session control functions including assisting in establishing ip ( internet protocol ) sessions between subscribers . the sip protocol provides a number of standardized requests and responses by means of which the session control functions may be performed between terminals . the sip protocol is published as ietf rfc 2543 ( and revisions ), currently available from www . ietf . org . s - cscf receives an invite message from terminal equipment 1 when a call is placed . in response to receiving the invite message , the s - cscf 10 sends an accounting request ( acr ) ( start_record ) message to the ccf 8 . this message starts accounting session in ccf and in this case causes the generation of an icid . the message may contain information relating to the identity of the subscriber . the s - cscf may access a home subscriber server ( hss ) ( not shown ) to determine the identity of the ccf associated with the subscriber of te 1 . since the acr ( start_record ) message does not contain an icid , when the ccf receives the acr ( start_record ) message from s - cscf , the ccf will generate the icid for the call which is being set up . the ccf will then send an accounting answer ( aca ) message to the s - cscf which includes the generated icid . the s - cscf may then send an invite message with the icid for the call , together with the identity of the ccf to an as 5 . the icid is included in with the session initiation protocol ( sip ) signaling . 4 . as performs a one time event . this may be any service that uses event method charging . for example , the service may be such that data is added to session initiation protocol ( sip ) signaling that is made available to the called party . on performing the chargeable event , the as sends an acr ( event_record ) message to the ccf that includes the icid for the call . the ccf detects that the icid is included in the message and therefore does not generate a new one . in response to the acr message , the ccf sends an aca message to the as . the invite message is routed back from the as to s - cscf . the as may add information to the invite message . the invite message is sent towards the terminating party with the icid included in the sip signaling . the identity of the ccf may also be included in the invite message . by virtue of the method described above , the generation of the icid is therefore centralized at the ccf . once an icid has been generated in relation to a call that same icid is used by all the entities that generate charges for the call . the same icid included as the charging id field for each of their cdrs for the call . to allow this to happen the s - cscf causes the icid to be made available to other entities that may need to generate cdrs for the call . this can be done by including the icid in the invite message sent from the s - cscf , as described above . this may require the addition of an element to such protocols as they are presently formed , including the protocols that are used for communication with legacy networks such as global systems for mobile communicating ( gsm ) networks that may also need to generate cdrs . however , support for this feature allows the s - cscf to send the icid in an invite message to the other entities that may need to generate cdrs for the call , once it has received the icid from the ccf . when the call is complete the entities that need to generate charges for the call each generate cdrs that include the icid of the call . these are sent to the ccf of the subscriber who is bearing the charges . for an as that performs one time event , the cdr is sent when the call is complete or when the event is complete . when the ccf receives a cdr it checks whether it has previously received a cdr having the same icid as the newly received cdr . if it has not , the system forms a new transaction on the account of the user to whom the newly received cdr indicates a charge should be made . the new transaction is initially assigned to have value indicated in the cdr . when any more cdrs having the same icid are received their value is added to the same transaction . the total value of the transaction is debited from the user &# 39 ; s account . the transaction may be debited from the user &# 39 ; s account as a single item so that the charges derived from different sources for a single call are transparent to the user . the transaction may be itemized so that the user can see how the total charge is made up . the elements of the network that generate charges and that modify or use charging information support the transfer of charging information . in general , the protocols that are used between charge - generating network elements and between network elements that modify charging information may also support the transfer of the charging id . embodiments of the present invention have been described with specific reference to the umts and gprs systems . however , it is not limited to these systems . the applicant draws attention to the fact that the present invention may include any feature or combination of features disclosed herein either implicitly or explicitly or any generalization thereof , without limitation to the scope of any of the present claims . in view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention . | 7 |
this invention involves a device and procedure for solving the problem of stabilizing the structure and placement of vaso - occlusive devices when they are placed in an aneurysm . these retaining devices prevent the migration of one or more occlusion devices such as coils from a target occlusion site , by forming a barrier at the entrance zone to the target site from a feeding vessel . the remainder of the retainer device which is remote from the mouth generally provides stability to the portion of the device which is in the mouth of the aneurysm . fig1 a and 1b show typical but simple variation of the device in which the retainer assembly ( 100 ) has a shape which approximates that of the aneurysm into which it is placed . specifically , the retainer device ( 100 ) has a plurality of array elements ( 102 ) or “ interior ” array elements ( 102 ) which extend from an electrolytic joint ( 104 ) and form a loop which comes around to join itself back in the vicinity of electrolytic joint ( 104 ). it is , of course , permissible to use joints other than electrolytic joints in place of ( 104 ), e . g ., joints which rely upon mechanical joining for structural certainty . however , joint ( 104 ) is desirably electrolytically severable because such joints are very functionally flexible in their deployment . that is to say , that should the aneurysm retainer somehow be malplaced , the fact that core wire ( 106 ) can be used to withdraw this device back into its delivery catheter or other suitable delivery tubular member , is a very big benefit . fig1 a , a side view of the inventive retainer ( 100 ), shows another aspect of this invention which is significant . in this variation , array member ( 102 ) has a proximal end ( 108 ) and a distal end ( 110 ). similarly , as a convention here , core wire ( 106 ) has a distal end ( 112 ) which is just proximal of the electrolytic joint ( 104 ). now as may be seen from fig1 a , joint ( 104 ) and core wire distal end ( 112 ) are both distally placed from the proximal end of the retainer assembly ( 108 ). this configuration has at least two benefits . first of all , the joint itself is not placed in the feed artery and should not cause the creation of an embolus in that vessel with the danger of subsequent blockage . furthermore , the plurality of array wires ( as may be shown from the top view in fig1 b ) form what might be characterized as a skeletal funnel a the top of the retainer device ( 100 ) and consequently in the aneurysm itself , placement or re - placement of the catheter in the retainer device so to permit introduction of the vaso - occlusive member ( not shown ) into the interior volume of the aneurysm retainer device is simplified . this variation of the invention as well as the others discussed below , are delivered through a tubular member such as a catheter . the shape of the device shown in fig1 a is the so - called secondary shape found after the retainer device ( 100 ) has been pushed from the distal end of the delivery . the retainer device ( 100 ) generally has a relatively linear shape as is pushed through catheter . this primary or delivery shape is essentially the shape of the interior of the catheter during the delivery step . after deployment , the device assumes its secondary shape as is seen in fig1 a . to undergo such massive changes in shape , it is usually preferable that the interior array elements ( 102 ) be produced of material such as a superelastic alloy . superelastic or pseudoelastic shape recovery alloys are well known in this art . for instance , u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 174 , 851 ; 3 , 351 , 463 ; and 3 , 753 , 700 each describe one of the more well known superelastic alloys , also known as nitinol . these alloys are characterized by their ability to be transformed from an austenitic crystal structure to a stress - induced martensitic ( sim ) structure at certain temperatures and then return elastically to the austenitic shape when the stress is removed . these alternating crystal structures provide the alloy with its superelastic properties . the alloy mentioned in the three patents just above , is a nickel - titanium alloy . it is readily commercially available and undergoes the austenitic - sim - austenitic transformation in a variety of temperatures between − 20 ° c . and + 30 ° c . these alloys are especially suitable because of their capacity to recover elastically — almost completely — to the initial configuration once the stress is removed . typically , in these services , there is little plastic deformation even at relatively high strains . this allows the retainer device ( 100 ) to undertake substantial bends both as it is collapsed to enter the tubular delivery device and as it undertakes further bending in passing through turns in the vasculature . in spite of this bending , it returns to its original shape once the bend has been traversed without retaining a kink or a bend . of the superelastic alloys currently available , we consider a preferred material to be nominally 50 . 6 ± 2 % nickel and most of the remainder , titanium . up to about 5 % of the alloy may be another member of the iron group of metals , particularly chromium and iron . the alloy shouldn &# 39 ; t contain more than about 500 parts per million of oxygen , carbon , or nitrogen . the transition temperature of this material is not particularly important , but it should be reasonably below the typical temperature of the human body so to allow it to be in its austinitic phase during use . the diameter of the wires or ribbons making up the array elements preferably are smaller than about 0 . 010 inches in diameter . as will be discussed below in conjunction with fig1 , the typical superelastic alloy is not always completely visible under fluoroscopy . consequently , it is often desirable to add some type of a covering to improve the radio - opacity of the device . radio - opaque metals such as gold and platinum are well known . although we have discussed the concept that these devices are desirably made from superelastic alloys , other metals may in certain circumstances be appropriate . such metals include a number of the stainless steels and other highly elastic , if not superelastic alloys . furthermore , it is within the scope of this invention that the array elements ( 102 ) be of polymeric material . polymeric materials are somewhat easier to work with in forming the device and may also suitable for maintaining the vaso - occlusive devices at an appropriate site within the aneurysm . such materials as polyethylene , polypropylene , polytetrafluoroethylene , various of the nylons , and the like would be easily chosen by one having ordinary skill in this art for the purposes shown herein . the electrolytic severable joint ( 104 ) may also be called a sacrificial link . core wire ( 106 ) is typically coated with an electrical insulator which is not susceptible to dissolution via electrolysis in blood or other ionic media . suitable coatings for core wire ( 106 ) include such insulating materials as the polyfluorocarbons ( e . g ., teflon ), polyurethane , polyethylene , polypropylene , polyimides or other suitable polymeric materials . sacrificial joint ( 104 ) is not coated with such an insulator and is of a material which is susceptible to electrolytic dissolution in blood . joint ( 104 ) may be a simple un - insulated continuation of , e . g ., stainless steel core wire ( 106 ), which has been insulated proximally of the joint . it should also be apparent that the sacrificial joint ( 106 ) is more susceptible to electrolysis than are the array elements ( 102 ). further discussion of construction of , placement of , and other physical details of such a joint may be found in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 122 , 136 to guglielmi et al . ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 354 , 295 to guglielmi et al . ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 624 , 449 , to pham et al ., and others . although the array elements ( 104 ) are generally shown to be regular and of the approximate same shape on each of the axis through the retainer device ( 100 ), such obviously need not be the case . it is within the scope of this invention that the retainer assembly be irregular in shape so to fit the shape of an irregular aneurysm . placement of such devices must be done with some care , but it is within the purview of one having ordinary skill in the art with some instruction . fig2 a shows another variation of the inventive retainer assembly ( 120 ) in which the array elements are of two different types . array element ( 122 ) is of the same general shape as those shown in fig1 a and fig1 b . array element ( 122 ) extends directly into the aneurysm . array elements ( 124 ) are paired to extend axially from the region of the joint ( 104 ). these axially extending loops ( 124 ) are also intended to fit within the aneurysm and provide directional stability to the placement of the retainer device ( 120 ). only a single axial array element ( 122 ) is shown in fig2 a and 2b . the invention is , obviously , not so limited . the generally perpendicular array elements ( 124 ) may have larger loops than those shown as well . again , this device is situated in its secondary form so that the remainder ( 126 ) of any element attached formerly joint ( 104 ) after dissolution by electrolysis of joint ( 104 ), will not extend into the feeder vessel for this aneurysm . this retainer assembly ( 120 ) may be used to help close an aneurysm which is of substantial length but nominal width . fig3 a and 3b show still another variation of the inventive device ( 140 ). this variation shows one internal array member ( 142 ), although multiple array members may be used . in addition , fig3 a and 3b show a number of external array members ( 144 ) which are intended to remain outside of the aneurysm when the aneurysm is deployed . these exterior or outer array members ( 144 ) are of the same general makeup and material as those shown in the earlier discussed figures . although the overall configuration of this device ( 140 ) as shown in fig3 a and 3b may be indented at the top in the same manner as the variations shown in fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a , and 2 b , this neck configuration is shown for purposes of completing the variations of this invention . the exterior array members ( 144 ) and the interior array member ( 142 ) may be attached to core wire ( 150 ) via a ferrule ( 146 ) perhaps by crimping or perhaps by welding the devices components together . an electrolytic joint ( 148 ) on core wire ( 150 ) is also shown . this variation of the invention is less desirable because of the possibility that the ferrule member ( 146 ) can be present in the flowing artery . fig4 a and 4b show another variation of the inventive device ( 160 ) having another number of exterior array members ( 162 ). it should be noted out that in some instances where the back wall of the aneurysm is determined to be especially weak and the neck of the aneurysm is considered to be the strongest retention point , that device such as is shown in fig3 a , 3 b , 4 a , and 4 b is quite useful . the presence of a single loop array element ( 164 ) within the aneurysm may be of benefit . fig5 a and 5b show a very simple variation ( 170 ) of the inventive device . this variation is a simple pair of array members ( 172 ) to be placed within the aneurysm . it too has a joining element ( 174 ) which may be the site from which interior elements ( 174 ) extend . the core wire ( 176 ) extends inward from the joining element ( 174 ) much as in the other arrangements discussed above . fig6 a and 6b show an very simple variation ( 180 ) of the inventive device . in this variation ( 180 ), the array elements ( 182 ) extend away from the region of the joint ( 184 ) and perhaps the joining element ( 186 ) and do not form a loop extending to the bottom of the aneurysm . this device is shown as having a small surface coil ( discussed in more detail with regard to fig1 below ). in this variation , it may be typical that the ends of the array arms ( 182 ) farthest away from joint ( 184 ) form the contact regions with the aneurysm wall and therefore provide stability to this retainer device ( 180 ). that is to say that unlike the retainers discussed above , wherein the retainer is kept from movement by contact with multiple sites inside the aneurysm , this device may merely contact the farther - most walls of that aneurysm . fig7 a and 7b show another variation of , generally , both features of the fig6 a and 6b device as well as those shown in fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a , and 2 b . that is to say that the inventive device ( 190 ) utilizes loops as array members ( 192 ) which may extend to the bottom of the aneurysm . the joint for electrolytic dissolution ( 194 ) is recessed into the proximal end of the device ( 190 ). the upper portions of the array wires ( 192 ) are covered with a radio - opaque wrap ( 196 ). it should be understood that the secondary shapes of the devices shown in fig1 a through 7b are secondary shapes which occur when the retainer device is placed in the open air — that is to say not within aneurysm . any placement of these devices in a human body will likely cause the secondary shape to distort . the shape which these devices actually take within an aneurysm , although preferably those shown in the drawings noted above , may not be as depicted . fig8 shows a close - up partial sectional view of desirable electrolytic joint configuration . in fig8 , the core wire ( 200 ) has over it , a plastic sleeve ( 202 ) which is cut at a bias or angle ( 204 ). the electrolytic joint ( 206 ) is small , discrete area which concentrates the flow of current into that area so to accelerate the dissolution of that joint . preferably the region just proximal of the joint ( 208 ) is also covered with an insulator . electrolytic joint ( 206 ) is placed as far distal as is reasonably possible during assembly so to prevent jagged edges and points after dissolution . in this variation , the joining block ( 210 ) is a plastic joint into which both the element ( 212 )— distal to joint ( 206 )— is embedded . array members ( 214 ) are also shown and they are , as well , embedded in plastic junction member ( 210 ). this arrangement may provide some benefit , in that when an electric current is applied to core wire ( 200 ), there is no tendency for the current to flow into the array elements ( 214 ) because they are insulated by junction block ( 210 ). this is believed to accelerate the dissolution of joint ( 206 ). fig9 shows another close - up partial sectional view of the distal end of core wire ( 200 ) with joint ( 206 ) and proximal covering ( 208 ). the major difference between the variation shown in fig8 and that shown in fig9 is that the array members ( 214 ) are crimped onto distal member ( 212 ), using a ferrule ( 220 ). such a ferrule ( 220 ) may simply mechanically attach array members ( 214 ) to core wire ( 200 ) or additional joining arrangements , e . g ., welding or the like may be employed . although soldering is not typically desirable because of the potential creation of a ragged joint on the proximal end of distal element ( 212 ), in some circumstances it may be permissible to solder it as well . fig1 shows a partial cut - away of an array arm ( 220 ) having an interior wire ( 222 ) and a radio - opaque coil ( 224 ) wrapped about its exterior . exterior wire ( 224 ) may also be an exterior ribbon or the like , if such is a more pleasing variation to the designer using the teachings of this invention . coil ( 224 ) is merely a radio - opacifier for the overall device ( 220 ). this device may be deployed in the following manner . fig1 a shows a berry aneurysm ( 200 ) emanating from the wall of an artery ( 202 ). a catheter ( 204 ) is shown having radio - opaque band ( 206 ) at its distal end . the distal end of catheter ( 204 ) extends into the mouth ( 208 ) of the aneurysm ( 200 ). fig1 b shows a retainer device ( 212 ) having a shape similar to those discussed above . this variation of the inventive retainer ( 212 ) has interior array members ( 214 ) and exterior array members ( 216 ). it should be also noted that the exterior array members ( 216 ) are exterior to the aneurysm ( 200 ) and the remaining array members ( 214 ) are interior to aneurysm ( 200 ). it should probably be apparent that the various array members should not pinch the aneurysm in any very meaningful or deleterious way , lest some type of rupture occur . in fig1 c , it can be seen that the voltage has been applied to core wire ( 218 ), and the electrolytic joint has been dissolved . the core wire ( 218 ) is then withdrawn from catheter ( 204 ) and discarded . it may be also seen in fig1 c that the region of the joint adjacent the retainer device ( 212 ) is recessed out of the flow of artery ( 202 ). in fig1 d , catheter ( 204 ) has been re - introduced into the neck of aneurysm ( 200 ) and a number of vaso - occlusive devices — in this case , coils ( 220 )— have been introduced into the volume formed by retainer assembly ( 212 ). fig1 e show the withdrawal of catheter ( 204 ) from the feed vessel with the implantation of vaso - occlusive coils ( 220 ) and their stabilizing retainer ( 212 ) complete . many alterations and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in this art , without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention . the illustrated embodiments have been shown on for purposes of clarity and the example should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined in the following claims , which are intended to include all equivalents , whether now or later devised . | 0 |
as used herein the terms “ formed essentially of tantalum ” or “ consisting essentially of tantalum ” means that the fibers comprise at least 99 . 0 percent by weight tantalum . referring to fig1 and 2 , the process starts with the fabrication of valve metal filaments , such as tantalum , by combining shaped elements of tantalum with a ductile material , such as copper to form a billet at step 10 . the billet is then sealed in an extrusion can in step 12 , and extruded and drawn in step 14 following the teachings of my prior pct applications nos . pct / u . s . 07 / 79249 and pct / u . s . 08 / 86460 , or my prior u . s . pat . nos . 7 , 480 , 978 and 7 , 146 , 709 . the extruded and drawn filaments are then cut or chopped into short segments , typically 0 . 15875 to 0 . 63500 cm inch long at a chopping station 16 . preferably the cut filaments all have approximately the same length . actually , the more uniform the filament , the better . the chopped filaments are then passed to an etching station 18 where the ductile metal is leached away using a suitable acid . for example , where copper is the ductile metal , the etchant may comprise nitric acid . etching in acid removes the copper from between the tantalum filaments . after etching , one is left with a plurality of short filaments of tantalum . the tantalum filaments are then washed in water , and the wash water is partially decanted to leave a slurry of tantalum filaments in water . the slurry of tantalum filaments in water is uniformly mixed and is then cast as a thin sheet using , for example , in fig2 a “ doctor blade ” casting station 22 . excess water is removed , for example , by rolling at a rolling station 24 . the resulting mat is then further compressed and dried at a drying station 26 . it was found that an aqueous slurry of chopped filaments will adhere together and was mechanically stable such that the fibers could easily be cast into a fibrous sheet , pressed and dried into a stable mat . notwithstanding , as long as the filaments are less than 5 microns diameter , more preferably 0 . 5 to less than 5 microns , they are quite flexible , and yet easily adhere together , forming a mechanically stable mat that can be handled and shaped . the filaments also have an extremely high surface area to mass ratio , making them ideally suitable for use as scaffolding for promoting both soft tissue growth and hard tissue growth . in choosing fiber size , the distinction between hard and soft tissue use of ta fibers is important . hard tissue bone implants are stressed membranes while soft tissue such as nerves , veins , heart and bladder and tissues , etc . are not . because specific surface ( ssa ) of a powder , i . e . the surface area of a powder expressed in square centimeters per gram of powder or square meters per kilogram of powder varies as at sizes , especially below 1 μ , specific surface ( ssa ) can increase extremely rapidly . see fig4 . take our example of 0 . 5 to 5 μ , the smaller fibers are 10 times higher in surface area . thus , the smaller sizes would require less ta overall , and is in the higher range in the nanometer scale at 500 nm . this is extremely important since ta is a permanent scaffold and is less intrusive which is important for soft flexible tissue such as nerves , veins , heart and bladder tissues , etc . preferably the filaments are below 1 micron diameter . to ensure an even distribution of the filaments , and thus ensure production of a uniform sheet - like structure , the slurry preferably is subjected to vigorous mixing by mechanical stirring and vibration . the porosity of the resulting tantalum fibrous sheet can be varied simply by pressing the sheet further . also , if desired , multiple layers may be stacked together to form thicker sheets . the resulting fibrous structure ( fig3 ) is flexible but has sufficient integrity so that it can be handled and shaped , without any binders , into an elongate scaffolding where it can then be used . the fibrous structure product made according to the present invention forms a porous surface of fibers having minimum spacings between fibers of approximately 100 to 500 microns having an extremely large surface area - to - volume , which encourages healthy ingrowth of bone or soft tissue . numerous other arrangement by carding the fibers , meshes , braids and other type arrangement can also be constructed . | 0 |
a method and system for specifying variable accuracy inter - picture timing in a multimedia compression and encoding system with reduced requirements for division operations is disclosed . in the following description , for purposes of explanation , specific nomenclature is set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required in order to practice the present invention . for example , the present invention has been described with reference to the mpeg multimedia compression and encoding system . however , the same techniques can easily be applied to other types of compression and encoding systems . fig1 illustrates a high - level block diagram of a typical digital video encoder 100 as is well known in the art . the digital video encoder 100 receives an incoming video stream of video frames 105 at the left of the block diagram . the digital video encoder 100 partitions each video frame into a grid of pixelblocks . the pixelblocks are individually compressed . various different sizes of pixelblocks may be used by different video encoding systems . for example , different pixelblock resolutions include 8 × 8 , 8 × 4 , 16 × 8 , 4 × 4 , etc . furthermore , pixelblocks are occasionally referred to as ‘ macroblocks .’ this document will use the term pixelblock to refer to any block of pixels of any size . a discrete cosine transformation ( dct ) unit 110 processes each pixelblock in the video frame . the frame may be processed independently ( an intra - frame ) or with reference to information from other frames received from the motion compensation unit ( an inter - frame ). next , a quantizer ( q ) unit 120 quantizes the information from the discrete cosine transformation unit 110 . finally , the quantized video frame is then encoded with an entropy encoder ( h ) unit 180 to produce an encoded bitstream . the entropy encoder ( h ) unit 180 may use a variable length coding ( vlc ) system . since an inter - frame encoded video frame is defined with reference to other nearby video frames , the digital video encoder 100 needs to create a copy of how each decoded frame will appear within a digital video decoder such that inter - frames may be encoded . thus , the lower portion of the digital video encoder 100 is actually a digital video decoder system . specifically , an inverse quantizer ( q − 1 ) unit 130 reverses the quantization of the video frame information and an inverse discrete cosine transformation ( dct − 1 ) unit 140 reverses the discrete cosine transformation of the video frame information . after all the dct coefficients are reconstructed from inverse discrete cosine transformation ( dct − 1 ) unit 140 , the motion compensation unit will use that information , along with the motion vectors , to reconstruct the encoded video frame . the reconstructed video frame is then used as the reference frame for the motion estimation of the later frames . the decoded video frame may then be used to encode inter - frames ( p - frames or b - frames ) that are defined relative to information in the decoded video frame . specifically , a motion compensation ( mc ) unit 150 and a motion estimation ( me ) unit 160 are used to determine motion vectors and generate differential values used to encode inter - frames . a rate controller 190 receives information from many different components in a digital video encoder 100 and uses the information to allocate a bit budget for each video frame . the rate controller 190 should allocate the bit budget in a manner that will generate the highest quality digital video bit stream that that complies with a specified set of restrictions . specifically , the rate controller 190 attempts to generate the highest quality compressed video stream without overflowing buffers ( exceeding the amount of available memory in a video decoder by sending more information than can be stored ) or underflowing buffers ( not sending video frames fast enough such that a video decoder runs out of video frames to display ). in some video signals the time between successive video pictures ( frames or fields ) may not be constant . ( note : this document will use the term video pictures to generically refer to video frames or video fields .) for example , some video pictures may be dropped because of transmission bandwidth constraints . furthermore , the video timing may also vary due to camera irregularity or special effects such as slow motion or fast motion . in some video streams , the original video source may simply have non - uniform inter - picture times by design . for example , synthesized video such as computer graphic animations may have non - uniform timing since no arbitrary video timing is imposed by a uniform timing video capture system such as a video camera system . a flexible digital video encoding system should be able to handle non - uniform video picture timing . as previously set forth , most digital video encoding systems partition video pictures into a rectangular grid of pixelblocks . each individual pixelblock in a video picture is independently compressed and encoded . some video coding standards , e . g ., iso mpeg or itu h . 264 , use different types of predicted pixelblocks to encode video pictures . in one scenario , a pixelblock may be one of three types : 1 . i - pixelblock — an intra ( i ) pixelblock uses no information from any other video pictures in its coding ( it is completely self - defined ); 2 . p - pixelblock — a unidirectionally predicted ( p ) pixelblock refers to picture information from one preceding video picture ; or 3 . b - pixelblock — a bi - directional predicted ( b ) pixelblock uses information from one preceding picture and one future video picture . if all the pixelblocks in a video picture are intra - pixelblocks , then the video picture is an intra - frame . if a video picture only includes unidirectional predicted macro blocks or intra - pixelblocks , then the video picture is known as a p - frame . if the video picture contains any bi - directional predicted pixelblocks , then the video picture is known as a b - frame . for the simplicity , this document will consider the case where all pixelblocks within a given picture are of the same type . an example sequence of video pictures to be encoded might be represented as : i 1 b 2 b 3 b 4 p 5 b 6 b 7 b 8 b 9 p 10 b 11 p 12 b 13 i 14 . . . where the letter ( i , p , or b ) represents if the video picture is an i - frame , p - frame , or b - frame and the number represents the camera order of the video picture in the sequence of video pictures . the camera order is the order in which a camera recorded the video pictures and thus is also the order in which the video pictures should be displayed ( the display order ). the previous example series of video pictures is graphically illustrated in fig2 . referring to fig2 , the arrows indicate that pixelblocks from a stored picture ( i - frame or p - frame in this case ) are used in the motion compensated prediction of other pictures . in the scenario of fig2 , no information from other pictures is used in the encoding of the intra - frame video picture i 1 . video picture p 5 is a p - frame that uses video information from previous video picture i 1 in its coding such that an arrow is drawn from video picture i 1 to video picture p 5 . video picture b 2 , video picture b 3 , video picture b 4 all use information from both video picture i 1 and video picture p 5 in their coding such that arrows are drawn from video picture i 1 and video picture p 5 to video picture b 2 , video picture b 3 , and video picture b 4 . as stated above the inter - picture times are , in general , not the same . since b - pictures use information from future pictures ( pictures that will be displayed later ), the transmission order is usually different than the display order . specifically , video pictures that are needed to construct other video pictures should be transmitted first . for the above sequence , the transmission order might be : i 1 p 5 b 2 b 3 b 4 p 10 b 6 b 7 b 8 b 9 p 12 b 11 i 14 b 13 . . . fig3 graphically illustrates the preceding transmission order of the video pictures from fig2 . again , the arrows in the figure indicate that pixelblocks from a stored video picture ( i or p in this case ) are used in the motion compensated prediction of other video pictures . referring to fig3 , the system first transmits i - frame i 1 which does not depend on any other frame . next , the system transmits p - frame video picture p 5 that depends upon video picture i 1 . next , the system transmits b - frame video picture b 2 after video picture p 5 even though video picture b 2 will be displayed before video picture p 5 . the reason for this is that when it comes time to decode video picture b 2 , the decoder will have already received and stored the information in video pictures i 1 and p 5 necessary to decode video picture b 2 . similarly , video pictures i 1 and p 5 are ready to be used to decode subsequent video picture b 3 and video picture b 4 . the receiver / decoder reorders the video picture sequence for proper display . in this operation i and p pictures are often referred to as stored pictures . the coding of the p - frame pictures typically utilizes motion compensation , wherein a motion vector is computed for each pixelblock in the picture . using the computed motion vector , a prediction pixelblock ( p - pixelblock ) can be formed by translation of pixels in the aforementioned previous picture . the difference between the actual pixelblock in the p - frame picture and the prediction pixelblock is then coded for transmission . the coding of p - pictures typically utilize motion compensation ( mc ), wherein a motion vector ( mv ) pointing to a location in a previous picture is computed for each pixelblock in the current picture . using the motion vector , a prediction pixelblock can be formed by translation of pixels in the aforementioned previous picture . the difference between the actual pixelblock in the p - picture and the prediction pixelblock is then coded for transmission . each motion vector may also be transmitted via predictive coding . for example , a motion vector prediction may be formed using nearby motion vectors . in such a case , then the difference between the actual motion vector and the motion vector prediction is coded for transmission . each b - pixelblock uses two motion vectors : a first motion vector referencing the aforementioned previous video picture and a second motion vector referencing the future video picture . from these two motion vectors , two prediction pixelblocks are computed . the two predicted pixelblocks are then combined together , using some function , to form a final predicted pixelblock . as above , the difference between the actual pixelblock in the b - frame picture and the final predicted pixelblock is then encoded for transmission . as with p - pixelblocks , each motion vector ( mv ) of a b - pixelblock may be transmitted via predictive coding . specifically , a predicted motion vector is formed using nearby motion vectors . then , the difference between the actual motion vector and the predicted is coded for transmission . however , with b - pixelblocks the opportunity exists for interpolating motion vectors from motion vectors in the nearest stored picture pixelblock . such motion vector interpolation is carried out both in the digital video encoder and the digital video decoder . this motion vector interpolation works particularly well on video pictures from a video sequence where a camera is slowly panning across a stationary background . in fact , such motion vector interpolation may be good enough to be used alone . specifically , this means that no differential information needs be calculated or transmitted for these b - pixelblock motion vectors encoded using interpolation . to illustrate further , in the above scenario let us represent the inter - picture display time between pictures i and j as d i , j , i . e ., if the display times of the pictures are t i and t j , respectively , then d i , j = t i − t j from which it follows that note that d i , j may be negative in some cases . thus , if mv 5 , 1 is a motion vector for a p 5 pixelblock as referenced to i 1 , then for the corresponding pixelblocks in b 2 , b 3 and b 4 the motion vectors as referenced to i 1 and p 5 , respectively would be interpolated by note that since ratios of display times are used for motion vector prediction , absolute display times are not needed . thus , relative display times may be used for d i , j inter - picture display time values . this scenario may be generalized , as for example in the h . 264 standard . in the generalization , a p or b picture may use any previously transmitted picture for its motion vector prediction . thus , in the above case picture b 3 may use picture i 1 and picture b 2 in its prediction . moreover , motion vectors may be extrapolated , not just interpolated . thus , in this case we would have : such motion vector extrapolation ( or interpolation ) may also be used in the prediction process for predictive coding of motion vectors . the variable inter - picture display times of video sequences should be encoded and transmitted in a manner that renders it possible to obtain a very high coding efficiency and has selectable accuracy such that it meets the requirements of a video decoder . ideally , the encoding system should simplify the tasks for the decoder such that relatively simple computer systems can decode the digital video . the variable inter - picture display times are potentially needed in a number of different video encoding systems in order to compute differential motion vectors , direct mode motion vectors , and / or implicit b prediction block weighting . the problem of variable inter - picture display times in video sequences is intertwined with the use of temporal references . ideally , the derivation of correct pixel values in the output pictures in a video codec should be independent of the time at which that picture is decoded or displayed . hence , timing issues and time references should be resolved outside the codec layer . there are both coding - related and systems - related reasons underlying the desired time independence . in a video codec , time references are used for two purposes : to establish an ordering for reference picture selection , one may simply send a relative position value . for example , the difference between the frame position n in decode order and the frame position m in the display order , i . e ., n - m . in such an embodiment , time - stamps or other time references would not be required . to interpolate motion vectors , temporal distances would be useful if the temporal distances could be related to the interpolation distance . however , this may not be true if the motion is non - linear . therefore , sending parameters other than temporal information for motion vector interpolation seems more appropriate . in terms of systems , one can expect that a typical video codec is part of a larger system where the video codec coexists with other video ( and audio ) codecs . in such multi - codec systems , good system layering and design requires that general functions , which are logically codec - independent such as timing , be handled by the layer outside the codec . the management of timing by the system and not by each codec independently is critical to achieving consistent handling of common functions such as synchronization . for instance in systems that handle more than one stream simultaneously , such as a video / audio presentation , timing adjustments may sometimes be needed within the streams in order to keep the different streams synchronized . similarly , in a system that handles a stream from a remote system with a different clock timing adjustments may be needed to keep synchronization with the remote system . such timing adjustments may be achieved using time stamps . for example , time stamps that are linked by means of “ sender reports ” from the transmitter and supplied in rtp in the rtp layer for each stream may be used for synchronization . these sender reports may take the form of : wherein the wall - clock rate of the reference timestamps is known , allowing the two streams to be aligned . however , these timestamp references arrive both periodically and separately for the two streams , and they may cause some needed re - alignment of the two streams . this is generally achieved by adjusting the video stream to match the audio or vice - versa . system handling of time stamps should not affect the values of the pixels being displayed . more generally , system handling of temporal information should be performed outside the codec . as set forth in the previous section , the problem in the case of non uniform inter - picture times is to transmit the inter - picture display time values d i , j to the digital video receiver in an efficient manner . one method of accomplishing this goal is to have the system transmit the display time difference between the current picture and the most recently transmitted stored picture for each picture after the first picture . for error resilience , the transmission could be repeated several times within the picture . for example , the display time difference may be repeated in the slice headers of the mpeg or h . 264 standards . if all slice headers are lost , then presumably other pictures that rely on the lost picture for decoding information cannot be decoded either . thus , with reference to the example of the preceding section , a system would transmit the following inter - picture display time values : d 5 , 1 d 2 , 5 d 3 , 5 d 4 , 5 d 10 , 5 d 6 , 10 d 7 , 10 d 8 , 10 d 9 , 10 d 12 , 10 d 11 , 12 d 14 , 12 d 13 , 14 . . . for the purpose of motion vector estimation , the accuracy requirements for the inter - picture display times d i , j may vary from picture to picture . for example , if there is only a single b - frame picture b 6 halfway between two p - frame pictures p 5 and p 7 , then it suffices to send only : where the d i , j inter - picture display time values are relative time values . if , instead , video picture b 6 is only one quarter the distance between video picture p 5 and video picture p 7 then the appropriate d i , j inter - picture display time values to send would be : note that in both of the preceding examples , the display time between the video picture b 6 and video picture video picture p 7 ( inter - picture display time d 6 , 7 ) is being used as the display time “ unit ” value . in the most recent example , the display time difference between video picture p 5 and picture video picture p 7 ( inter - picture display time d 6 , 7 ) is four display time “ units ” ( 4 * d 6 , 7 ). in general , motion vector estimation calculations are greatly simplified if divisors are powers of two . this is easily achieved in our embodiment if d i , j ( the inter - picture time ) between two stored pictures is chosen to be a power of two as graphically illustrated in fig4 . alternatively , the estimation procedure could be defined to truncate or round all divisors to a power of two . in the case where an inter - picture time is to be a power of two , the number of data bits can be reduced if only the integer power ( of two ) is transmitted instead of the full value of the inter - picture time . fig4 graphically illustrates a case wherein the distances between pictures are chosen to be powers of two . in such a case , the d 3 , 1 display time value of 2 between video picture p 1 and picture video picture p 3 is transmitted as 1 ( since 2 1 = 2 ) and the d 7 , 3 display time value of 4 between video picture p 7 and picture video picture p 3 can be transmitted as 2 ( since 2 2 = 4 ). alternatively , the motion vector interpolation of extrapolation operation can be approximated to any desired accuracy by scaling in such a way that the denominator is a power of two . ( with a power of two in the denominator division may be performed by simply shifting the bits in the value to be divided .) for example , where the value p is a power of two and z 5 , 4 = p * d 5 , 4 / d 5 , 1 is rounded or truncated to the nearest integer . the value of p may be periodically transmitted or set as a constant for the system . in one embodiment , the value of p is set as p = 2 8 = 256 . the advantage of this approach is that the decoder only needs to compute z 5 , 4 once per picture or in many cases the decoder may pre - compute and store the z value . this allows the decoder to avoid having to divide by d 5 , 1 for every motion vector in the picture such that motion vector interpolation may be done much more efficiently . for example , the normal motion vector calculation would be : but if we calculate and store z 5 , 4 wherein z 5 , 4 = p * d 5 , 4 / d 5 , 1 then but since the p value has been chosen to be a power of two , the division by p is merely a simple shift of the bits . thus , only a single multiplication and a single shift are required to calculate motion vectors for subsequent pixelblocks once the z value has been calculated for the video picture . furthermore , the system may keep the accuracy high by performing all divisions last such that significant bits are not lost during the calculation . in this manner , the decoder may perform exactly the same as the motion vector interpolation as the encoder thus avoiding any mismatch problems that might otherwise arise . since division ( except for division by powers of two ) is a much more computationally intensive task for a digital computer system than addition or multiplication , this approach can greatly reduce the computations required to reconstruct pictures that use motion vector interpolation or extrapolation . in some cases , motion vector interpolation may not be used . however , it is still necessary to transmit the display order of the video pictures to the receiver / player system such that the receiver / player system will display the video pictures in the proper order . in this case , simple signed integer values for d i , j suffice irrespective of the actual display times . in some applications only the sign ( positive or negative ) may be needed to reconstruct the picture ordering . the inter - picture times d i , j may simply be transmitted as simple signed integer values . however , many methods may be used for encoding the d i , j values to achieve additional compression . for example , a sign bit followed by a variable length coded magnitude is relatively easy to implement and provides coding efficiency . one such variable length coding system that may be used is known as uvlc ( universal variable length code ). the uvlc variable length coding system is given by the code words : another method of encoding the inter - picture times may be to use arithmetic coding . typically , arithmetic coding utilizes conditional probabilities to effect a very high compression of the data bits . thus , the present invention introduces a simple but powerful method of encoding and transmitting inter - picture display times and methods for decoding those inter - picture display times for use in motion vector estimation . the encoding of inter - picture display times can be made very efficient by using variable length coding or arithmetic coding . furthermore , a desired accuracy can be chosen to meet the needs of the video codec , but no more . the foregoing has described a system for specifying variable accuracy inter - picture timing in a multimedia compression and encoding system . it is contemplated that changes and modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art , to the materials and arrangements of elements of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention . | 7 |
after considering the following description , those skilled in the art will clearly realize that the teachings of the present invention can be readily utilized in induction machines , such as motors , in order to apply biasing preloads of any desired magnitude and direction to their active magnetic or lubricated shaft support bearings without external energy sources . for example , the passive magnetic bearings of the present invention do not need external electrical power sources to generate magnetic fields as is required for known active magnetic bearings . similarly , auxiliary pressurized lubrication systems are not needed to create lubricated bearing preload biasing forces , as is required in known “ oil jacking ” solutions for hydrodynamic and rolling element bearings or known hydrostatic bearings . the permanent magnetic bearings may be substituted for or supplement secondary support lubricated bearings that are used in tandem with primary active magnetic support bearings in case of failure of or loss of electrical power to the active magnetic primary support bearing . fig1 schematically depicts an induction machine motor 20 , having a motor housing 22 , a stator 24 and a horizontally oriented rotor 26 . the rotor 26 is rotatively mounted in the motor housing by rotor shaft 28 , captured within a pair of bearing housings 30 . each bearing housing 30 has a shaft support bearing assembly 32 , which may incorporate a known active magnetic bearing and / or a known lubricated bearing . henceforth in this description reference will be made to lubricated support bearings , but it should be understood that active magnetic bearings may be substituted for them . the lubricated bearing may be a known radial journal bearing , an axial thrust bearing or both . the lubricated bearing 32 may be any known lubricated bearing , including by way of example rolling element anti - friction bearings , hydrodynamic bearings or hydrostatic bearings . a plurality of radially oriented permanent magnet bearings 40 are incorporated as part of the motor 20 . as shown , the permanent magnet bearings 40 are located within the bearing housings 30 in tandem with the lubricated bearings 32 , and exert magnetic force directly on the rotor shaft 28 . permanent magnet bearings 40 are also incorporated within the stator 24 and exert magnetic force on the rotor 26 laminations . the rotor 26 laminations are affixed to and transfer magnetic force to the rotor shaft 28 . in either magnetic bearing 40 location , resultant magnetic forces generated by the permanent magnet bearings are imparted on the rotor shaft and in turn into the lubricated bearings 32 , whether those magnetic bearings are incorporated in the bearing housing 30 or stator 24 or both . fig2 and 3 show an exemplary permanent magnetic bearing 40 mounted in a bearing block housing 30 that circumscribes the rotor shaft 28 . the bearing 40 includes a sector - shaped permanent magnet 42 that has a radial circumference of less than 180 ° , and preferably between approximately 40 ° and 60 ° . the magnet 42 is mounted within the stationary bearing block 30 a spaced distance from the spinning rotor shaft 28 . the permanent magnet 42 may be composed of known permanent magnet materials , including but not limited to neodynium iron boron , samarium cobalt , alnico , ferrite , ceramics , as well as other metal alloys or composite materials . permanent magnet material 42 must be selected for the appropriate operating temperature and may be selected from any of the known grades of magnets . the permanent magnet 42 may be more compact where using stronger magnets , which would be indicated by a high maximum b - h product . a sector - shaped stationary ferromagnetic core of electrical steel 44 envelops the outer diameter of the permanent magnet 42 , also within the bearing block 30 a spaced distance from the spinning rotor shaft 28 and with a radially - spaced gap 43 flanking both sides of the permanent magnet 42 , in order to assist with directional orientation of the magnetic field flux lines generated by the permanent magnet . the ferromagnetic core 44 is preferably constructed of a lamination stack oriented parallel to the axial ends of the permanent magnet 42 . the ferromagnetic core 44 axial and radial dimensions may be altered at the discretion of one skilled in the art . for example , while the core 44 is shown as semi - circular , it can be constructed as a full annular shaped core of 360 ° . similarly , the axial length of the core 44 can be less than or greater than the length of the permanent magnet 2 . fig4 - 6 show application of the permanent magnet bearing 40 to provide different preload orientations on rotor shaft 28 that in turn will cause the same preload orientations on the lubricated bearings ( or alternatively active magnetic bearings ) that are supporting the shaft . for simplicity of these figures , the lubricated bearings and other structural components of the induction machine are not shown . in fig4 , the magnetic field flux lines ( and hence the magnetic force orientation ) of the sector shaped permanent magnet 40 are radially outwardly directed by circumferential angle α , in an upwardly direction relative to the rotational axis of rotor shaft 28 ( denoted by radius r ). due to the orientation of the flux lines , the flux density is greatest in the upper region . hence as shown in fig4 the preload force ( denoted by the arrows f mu ) is upwardly directed . in contrast the magnetic field flux of the permanent magnet 40 of fig5 is downwardly directed , ( i . e ., attracting the rotor shaft ) the pre - load forces however remain unchanged ( denoted by the arrows f mu ). in fig6 a pair of opposed permanent magnets 42 a , 42 b generate opposing preload forces denoted by f mu and f md . the resultant force ( f mu + f md ) can be tuned by selection of respective field intensities and directional orientation , though generally in a horizontally oriented rotor shaft induction machine the upward preload is greater than or equal to the downward preload . additionally , since the forces generated are inversely related to their proximity between the rotor and stator , each magnet contributes a negative stiffness at this region to the rotordynamic operation of the system . the direction and magnitude of this negative stiffness can be tuned to counterbalance that of the primary bearing system , approaching a free - free condition . this effect can be positively applied to a system to attain higher rotor lateral critical speed . while two opposed magnetic bearings with permanent magnets 42 a and 42 b are shown in fig6 , a plurality of two or more such bearings can be combined at the discretion of one skilled in the art , depending on the desired preload force to be generated and the physical dimensional constraints of the induction machine . fig7 and 8 show a permanent magnet bearing 50 embodiment that generates axially oriented magnetic flux and attractive ( upwardly directed ) preload forces on a rotor shaft 26 . for simplicity of fig7 the bearing mounting block 30 is shown in phantom lines . the permanent magnet bearing 50 has a stationary permanent magnet 52 that has a generally rectangular block shape , and generates magnetic force in an axial direction relative to the shaft 26 . however , the permanent magnet 52 may also be constructed of any other desired shape , including the sector shape of that shown in fig2 . the magnet 52 is spaced a distance away from the spinning rotor shaft 28 . a pair of electrical steel cores 54 flank the axial ends of the permanent magnet 52 and are affixed in a stationary position within the bearing block , spaced from the spinning rotor shaft 28 . the cores 54 shape the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 52 , and are preferably constructed of a lamination stack oriented parallel to the axial ends of the permanent magnet . additional magnetic field shaping may be accomplished by placement of an electrical steel core 56 in a fixed position directly on the rotor shaft 28 , and thereby rotating with the shaft . if the axial preload permanent magnetic bearing is located in the induction machine stator 24 , the rotor 26 laminations may serve as the rotating steel core 56 . in fig9 a pair of permanent magnet axially oriented magnetic field preload bearings 50 are incorporated in an induction machine to impart tandem upwardly directed preloads f mu on the rotor 26 through use of a pair of opposed permanent magnets 52 a and 52 b . as in the case of radially oriented preload permanent magnetic bearings 40 of fig2 , the number and location of bearings and resultant preload force ( here in fig9 the resultant of f mu on each side of the shaft ) may be selected by one skilled in the art . in fig1 the vertical shaft induction machine 120 has a machine housing 122 including stator 124 and vertically oriented rotor 126 having a rotor shaft 128 that is rotatively captured in bearing housings 130 and 130 a . each of the bearing housings 130 , 130 a have lubricated journal bearings 32 , as well as radially oriented permanent magnet bearings 40 , such as those shown in fig2 . the bearing housing 130 a also includes axial thrust bearings to support the weight of the spinning rotor 126 that are shown as lubricated thrust bearing 132 a of known construction , and permanent magnet thrust bearing 150 . as shown in fig1 the rotor shaft 126 includes a thrust flange 127 that abuts against and provides a journal surface for the lubricated thrust bearings 132 and the lubricated journal bearings 32 . the rotor thrust flange 127 as shown also includes an optional electrical steel flange - like insert 156 . the permanent magnet axial thrust bearing embodiment 150 is shown in fig1 , and includes a mounting bracket formed in the bearing housing 130 a . an annular shaped permanent magnet 152 circumscribes the rotor shaft 128 and generates an upwardly directed magnetic field that is shaped by electrical steel core 152 and the electrical steel core 156 that is affixed to the rotating shaft 128 . the electrical steel core 156 is formed with a hub portion 155 a that is concentric with and spaced away from the inner diameter of the permanent magnet 152 and a flange portion 155 b radially projecting from the hub portion and in abutting contact with an axial face of the permanent magnet . the permanent magnet axial thrust bearing 150 can be used in applications other than to support weight of a vertically oriented rotor shaft . for example , they may be applied to horizontally oriented shaft rotors directly on the shaft as a substitute for the embodiment 50 shown in fig7 and 8 . alternatively they may be applied to the rotor laminations as is shown in the induction machine embodiment of fig1 by orienting the mounting bracket proximal and parallel to one or both ends of the rotor 26 lamination stack . in such an application the rotor laminations substitute for the electrical steel core 156 . fig1 schematically depicts the magnetic fields and resultant magnetic forces f r , f u that are imparted on the vertically oriented rotor 126 . as with other embodiments described herein , the resultant preload forces magnitudes and directions imparted on the vertical rotor shaft 128 can be selectively chosen for any given application . although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein , those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings . | 5 |
a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail hereinbelow by reference to the drawings . fig1 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention . an illustrated image processing apparatus roughly includes an image inputting section 1 , an image processing section 2 , a data accumulating section 3 , a search condition specifying section 4 , and a text searching section 5 . the image inputting section 1 is for inputting an image . for instance , the image inputting section 1 can be configured by use of an image reading apparatus , such as a scanner , for optically reading an image of an original . an image input by means of the image inputting section 1 may be any of a color image , a black - and - white image , and an image containing both color and black - and - white images . the color image may include two colors having black and one color other than black ( e . g ., red ), three colors including one other color in addition to the two colors , or full colors of four colors or more . when the image inputting section 1 is configured by the image reading apparatus , the data format of an image input from the image inputting section becomes a bit map format . however , when the image inputting section 1 is configured from a device which inputs image data received by a transceiving section having a network communication function , a card reader which reads image data from a compact storage medium such as a memory card , or means for reading image data from a large - capacity storage section , such as a hard disk drive or the like , provided internally or externally , the data format is not limited to a bitmap format but may be another data format . the present embodiment describes , as an example , a case where the image inputting section 1 is constituted of a color image reading apparatus including a color scanner . particularly , when the image inputting section 1 is configured by the image reading apparatus , a text part printed on a paper medium is converted into an electronic format , and the thus - converted text part can be utilized for a text search . the image processing section 2 subjects the image data input from the image inputting section 1 to predetermined image processing . by way of an example of a specific image processing function section , the image processing section 2 includes a t / i separating section 21 , an ocr processing section 22 , a division processing section 23 , a compression processing section 24 , and a file generating section 25 . the t / i separating section 21 separates the image input from the image inputting section 1 into a text part ( a text ) and a picture part ( an image ). the ocr processing section 22 subjects to ocr processing the text part of the image input from the image inputting section 1 . the division processing section 23 groups the text part of the image converted into text data by means of ocr processing according to the color of a text , to thus divide the text part . the color information of the text can be acquired from the attribute information of individual texts constituting the text part included in the image input from the image inputting section ( an image reading apparatus ) 1 . division processing involving grouping operation is carried out on a per - text basis in relation to the text part that has been converted into text data as mentioned previously . in connection with the color classifications of the texts used for grouping , provided that the color of the text is expressed in a ycbcr color space , plural threshold values are set for a y value , a cb value , and a cr value for color classification . on the basis of these threshold values , the ycbcr color space is classified into plural color domains , for example , a black color domain , a red color domain , a blue color domain , a yellow color domain , and a green color domain . the t / i separating section 21 divides the image input from the image inputting section 1 into a text part and a picture part , and the compression processing section 24 compresses these parts individually . the file generation section 25 generates single files from the text part and the picture part , which have been compressed by the compression processing section 24 , in accordance with a predetermined file format . the data accumulating section 3 accumulates the data that have been subjected to image processing in the image processing section 2 . this data accumulating section 3 is formed from , e . g ., a hard disk drive . the search condition specifying section 4 is for specifying conditions of a text search , and is formed from , e . g ., a user interface ( ui ) having a display section and an input section . this search condition specifying section 4 can specify the color of a text in addition to being able to specify a keyword ( word ) as conditions for the text search . the color of the text , which can be specified as a search condition , corresponds to the color classifications of the text made by the division processing section 23 . for instance , as mentioned previously , provided that the ycbcr color space is classified into the black color domain , the red color domain , the blue color domain , the yellow color domain , and the green color domain , the search condition specifying section 4 can specify any one or more colors ( a maximum of four colors in this embodiment ) from among the five colors , that is , black , red , blue , yellow , and green . when the color of the text is not specified as a condition of the text search , all colors , i . e ., five colors , become objects of a search . the text searching section 5 is for performing text search processing according to the conditions of the text search specified by the search condition specifying section 4 . a file including data , which are to become an object of a search , is specified by means of additionally specifying a filename through use of a user interface or indicating search execution with an image of the data contained in the file being displayed on the display section of the user interface . the result of the search performed by the text searching section 5 is displayed on the display section of the user interface . next , processing procedures employed when a text search is carried out through use of the image processing apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention will be described . processing pertaining to a text search is roughly divided into first processing and second processing . first , during first processing shown in fig2 , an image for one page ( one sheet of original ) or plural pages ( plural sheets of original ) is first input from the image inputting section 1 ( step s 11 ). subsequent processing may be sequentially performed on a per - page basis or in units including plural pages . next , the image input from the image inputting section 1 is separated by the t / i separating section 22 into a text part and a picture part ( step s 12 ). fig3 shows an example of one input image being divided into a text part and a picture part . in fig3 , five text parts 11 to 15 and two picture parts 16 , 17 are present in one input image ( for one page ). here , for convenience of explanation , the entire text part 11 is assumed to be formed from black characters , the entire text part 12 is assumed to be formed from red characters , the entire text part 13 from yellow characters , the entire text part 14 from blue characters , and the entire text part 15 from green characters . however , a single text part can be formed from characters of plural colors . subsequently , the text part of the image is subjected to ocr processing in the ocr processing section 22 , whereby the respective text parts 11 to 15 are converted into text data ( step s 13 ). thereby , individual characters constituting the respective text parts 11 to 15 are converted into character codes on a per - character basis . specifically , the t / i separating section 21 and the ocr processing section 22 constitute extraction means for extracting the text parts 11 to 15 from the image input from the image input section 1 . thus , the extraction means is constituted of the t / i separating section 21 and the ocr processing section 22 , whereby the text part can be extracted as text data even when the image data input from the image input section 1 are bitmap data ( scan data ). subsequently , the text parts 11 to 15 , which have already been subjected to ocr processing , are grouped and divided for each color of text by the division processing section 23 ( step s 14 ). here , as shown in , e . g ., fig4 , five groups such as a black - based group g 1 , a red - based group g 2 , a blue - based group g 3 , a yellow - based group g 4 , and a green - based group g 5 are assumed to have already been prepared as groups for color classification . as mentioned previously , as a result of plural threshold values being set in the ycbcr color space , the respective groups g 1 to g 5 are classified as partial domains in the ycbcr color space . the division processing section 23 samples color information about a text constituting each of the text parts 11 to 15 on a per - text basis , converts the color information from rgb to ycbcr through color conversion , and determines which domain ( which color group ) in the ycbcr color space contains the color . for instance , as shown in fig4 , when the five text parts 11 to 15 are subjected to division processing , the entire text ( the black text ) constituting the text part 11 is classified into the black - based group g 1 , the entire text ( the red text ) constituting the text part 12 is classified into the red - based group g 2 , the entire text ( the yellow text ) constituting the text part 13 is classified into the yellow - based group g 4 , the entire text ( blue text ) constituting the text part 14 is classified into the blue - based group g 3 , and the entire text ( green text ) constituting the text part 15 is classified into the green - based group g 5 . when texts constituting each text part are classified into groups according to the color of text , coordinate data showing the position of a text of interest in the input image have been assigned to a character code in each group in advance . the reason for assigning each of the texts to coordinate data in a one - to - one correspondence in advance is to enable reconstruction of an original image according to coordinate data even after the texts have been classified into the respective groups . when texts of plural colors are present in one text part separated by the t / i separating section , the texts constituting one text part are classified into the plural groups in a dispersed manner . subsequently , the text part and the picture part are compressed by the compression processing section 24 ( step s 15 ) the text part has already been grouped on a per - text - color basis through the preceding division processing . accordingly , after text parts belonging to the respective groups have been binarized on a per - group ( the color of a text ) basis , the text parts are subjected to compression processing in a g 4 compression scheme adopted for , e . g ., a facsimile . separately from the text part , the picture part is subjected to compression processing by means of a well - known method . the text part and the picture part , both of which belong to the respective group and which have been compressed in the manner mentioned above , are grouped into a single file by the file generating section 25 , to thus produce a file ( step s 16 ). for example , an mrc ( mixed raster content ) format can be adopted as a format for generating a file . next , the file generated by the file generating section 25 is accumulated ( stored ) in the data accumulating section 3 with a file name which is specified by the user or is automatically generated ( step s 17 ) in second processing shown in fig5 , search conditions used for causing the search condition specifying section 4 to effect a text search are specified ( step s 21 ). specifying the search condition is performed as a result of the user performing a predetermined input operation by way of the search condition specifying section 4 . at that time , specifying at least one keyword is indispensable as a condition for a text search . in addition to specification of a text search , the color of a text can be specified according to the user &# 39 ; s desire . it may be the case that only one color is specified as the color of the text , or plural colors may be specified simultaneously . next , a determination is made , as one condition for a text search , as to whether or not the color of a text has been specified in step s 21 ( step s 22 ). when the color of the text has been specified , the text searching section 5 specifies a group matching the specified text color , and a text search using the specified keyword is performed in relation to solely a text part belonging to this group ( steps s 23 , s 24 ). for instance , when the color of the text has been specified by a black color as conditions for a text search , a text search using a specified keyword is performed in relation to only a text part belonging to the group g 1 into which the black text is classified ( in other words , the text parts belonging to the other groups g 2 to g 5 are excluded from the object of a text search ). moreover , when the color of a text is specified by two colors as conditions for a text search , namely , a black color and a blue color , a text search using a specified keyword is carried out in relation to only the text part belonging to the group g 1 into which black texts are classified and a text part belonging to the group g 3 into which blue texts are classified ( in other words , the text parts belonging to the other groups g 2 , g 4 , and g 5 are excluded from the objects of a text search ). in contrast , when the color of the text has not been specified in step s 21 , the text searching section 5 performs a text search using a specified keyword in relation to all the groups g 1 to g 5 ( step s 25 ). subsequently , the result of the text search performed by the text searching section 5 is output ( displayed ) on , e . g ., a display section of the user interface ( step s 26 ). as mentioned above , according to the image processing apparatus and the image processing method using the apparatus , both of which pertain to the embodiment of the present invention , the text parts are extracted from the images input by way of the image input section 1 , and then grouped and divided according to the color of a text . at the time of an actual text search , the color of the text is specified along with the keyword under the search conditions , thereby performing a text search in relation to only the text parts belonging to the group matching the color of the text . in this case , the color of the text is visually easy to discriminate and handle for all users . hence , as a result of the color of this text being adopted as one of the conditions for a text search , the conditions for the text search can be specified appropriately and simply . when the color of the text is specified as a condition for a text search , the target range of a text search can be narrowed solely to a text part belonging to the group matching the specified color of the text . hence , the search time can be shortened significantly . in a case where a text search is carried out in relation to , e . g ., text parts of images of some of hundreds of pages , as a specific example , when the text parts of the images are formed from plural titles and sentences relevant to the respective titles , when the titles are formed from blue texts , when the majority of the sentences relevant to the title are formed from black texts , and when particularly important portions of the sentences are formed from red texts , the target range of a text search can be narrowed solely to the text part ( the blue text ) constituting the title , by means of specifying the color of the text by a blue color as a condition for a text search . consequently , even when the text parts of images of some hundreds of images are subjected to a text search , a desired search result can be acquired within an extremely short period of time . respective steps of the image processing method based on the flowchart can be implemented by means of program processing . consequently , the present invention can provide , as an image processing program to be executed by a computer , respective steps based on the flowchart , especially , an extraction step ( s 12 , s 13 ) for extracting a text part from an image , a division step ( s 14 ) for grouping and dividing the text parts extracted in the extraction step according to the color of a text , and a text search step ( s 23 , s 24 ) where , when a keyword and the color of a text are specified as conditions for a text search ( when yes is taken in step s 22 ), the text parts belonging to a group matching the specified color of a text , among the groups divided in the division step on a per - text - color basis , are subjected to a text search using a specified keyword . moreover , the image processing program can be provided while being recorded on a computer - readable recording medium , such as a cd - rom or a dvd - rom . under the image processing apparatus and the image processing method , both pertaining to the present invention , when text are extracted parts from images , the thus - extracted text parts are grouped and divided on a per - text - color basis , and a keyword and the color of a text are specified as conditions for a text part , a text search using a specified keyword is performed in relation to text parts belonging to a group matching the specified color of the text . in contrast with a case where the size of a text , a pitch between texts , and the type of a text are specified , specification of conditions for a text search become easier , and narrowing a target range of a text search to a group including the specified color of a text becomes possible . according to the present invention , conditions for a text search can be specified appropriately and simply when a text search is carried out , and a search time can be shortened significantly . the entire disclosure of japanese patent applications no . 2004 - 322013 filed on nov . 5 , 2004 and no . 2005 - 298488 filed on oct . 13 , 2005 including specification , claims , drawings and abstract are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . | 6 |
fig1 is a schematic view showing an anti - reflective film consisting of eight layers for f 2 laser ( 157 nm ) in accordance with example 1 of the present invention . the anti - reflective film of the present example was prepared using an laf 3 film with a refractive index of 1 . 765 at a wavelength of 157 nm for a high refractive - index layer , and an mgf 2 film with a refractive index of 1 . 466 at a wavelength of 157 nm for a low refractive - index layer . table 1 shows the optical film thickness of each layer of the anti - reflective film for ultraviolet light with a designed central wavelength of λ 0 = 157 nm . the refractive - index layers were sequentially formed by use of a vacuum evaporation method so as to have the thicknesses shown in table 1 , respectively . in the present example , calcium fluoride was used as a substrate . the reflection characteristics of the anti - reflective film shown in table 1 were measured . in addition , for the purpose of comparison , an anti - reflective film of two layers consisting of an laf 3 layer and an mgf 2 layer each having a thickness of 0 . 25λ 0 was also prepared following the same procedure , and the reflection characteristics were measured . fig2 shows the results of the reflectance measurement of the anti - reflective film of the present example . in addition , fig3 shows the results of the reflectance measurement of the anti - reflective film consisting of two layers as the comparative example . it can be seen from fig2 that the anti - reflective film of the present example has good characteristics with a reflectance of 1 . 0 % or lower within a wide wavelength range of 143 nm to 189 nm , and particularly that in a wide wavelength range of 146 nm to 184 nm , the anti - reflective film has good characteristics with a reflectance of 0 . 3 % or lower . in contrast to this , it can be seen from fig3 that the comparative example shows good characteristics with a reflectance of 0 . 3 % or lower within a wavelength range of 151 nm to 164 nm . however , at wavelengths of less than 151 nm or more than 164 , the reflectance characteristics are degraded . in addition , fig4 shows the results of measurement for reflectance to an f 2 laser of a wavelength of 157 nm at various incidence angles of the anti - reflective film of the present example . it can be seen from fig4 that the anti - reflective film shows a reflectance of about 1 % at an incidence angle of 50 °, and therefore that the film shows good anti - reflection characteristics to a light with a large incidence angle . similarly , it has also been found that when a designed central wavelength λ 0 is within a wavelength range of 141 nm to 189 nm , and when the first to eighth layers as counted from the substrate have optical film thicknesses d 1 to d 8 respectively and satisfy the equations of : an anti - reflective film in accordance with the present example has a six - layer structure having high refractive - index layers and low refractive - index layers alternately stacked . the anti - reflective film was prepared using an laf 3 film with a refractive index of 1 . 765 at a wavelength of 157 nm for a high refractive - index layer , and an mgf 2 film with a refractive index of 1 . 466 at a wavelength of 157 nm for a low refractive - index layer . table 2 shows the optical film thickness of each layer of the anti - reflective film for ultraviolet light with a designed central wavelength of λ 0 = 157 nm . the refractive - index layers were sequentially formed by use of a vacuum evaporation method so as to have the thicknesses shown in table 2 , respectively . in the present example , calcium fluoride was used as a substrate . the reflection characteristics of the anti - reflective film shown in table 2 were measured . fig5 shows the results of the reflectance measurement of the anti - reflective film . it can be seen from fig5 that the anti - reflective film of the present example has good characteristics with a reflectance of 1 . 0 % or lower within a wide wavelength range of 143 nm to 181 nm , and particularly that in a wide wavelength range of 146 nm to 173 nm , the anti - reflective film has good characteristics with a reflectance of 0 . 2 % or lower . similarly , it has also been found that when a designed central wavelength λ 0 is within a wavelength range of 143 nm to 181 nm , and when the first to sixth layers as counted from the substrate have optical film thicknesses d 1 to d 6 respectively and satisfy the equations of : an anti - reflective film in accordance with the present example has a six - layer structure having high refractive - index layers and low refractive - index layers alternately stacked . the anti - reflective film was prepared using an laf 3 film with a refractive index of 1 . 765 at a wavelength of 157 nm for a high refractive - index layer , and an mgf 2 film with a refractive index of 1 . 466 at a wavelength of 157 nm for a low refractive - index layer . table 3 shows the optical film thickness of each layer of the anti - reflective film for ultraviolet light with a designed central wavelength of λ 0 = 157 nm . the refractive - index layers were sequentially formed by use of a vacuum evaporation method so as to have the thicknesses shown in table 3 , respectively . in the present example , calcium fluoride was used as a substrate . the reflection characteristics of the anti - reflective film shown in table 3 were measured . fig6 shows the results of the reflectance measurement of the anti - reflective film . it can be seen from fig6 that the anti - reflective film of the present example has good characteristics with a reflectance of 1 . 0 % or lower within a wide wavelength range of 142 nm to 210 nm , and particularly that in a wide wavelength range of 144 nm to 207 nm , the anti - reflective film has good characteristics with a reflectance of 0 . 7 % or lower . similarly , it has also been found that when a designed central wavelength λ 0 is within a wavelength range of 140 nm to 210 nm , and when the first to sixth layers as counted from the substrate have optical film thicknesses d 1 to d 6 respectively and satisfy the equations of : in examples 1 to 3 described above , an laf 3 film was used for a high refractive - index layer , and an mgf 2 film was used for a low refractive - index layer . however , the present invention is not limited thereto , and an ndf 3 film , a gdf 3 film , a dyf 3 film , a yf 3 film , and a pbf 2 film , other than an laf 3 film , can also be used for a high refractive - index layer . in addition , an alf 3 film , an naf film , an lif film , a caf 2 film , a baf 2 film , an srf 2 film , and an na 3 alf 6 film , other than an mgf 2 film , can also be used for a low refractive - index layer . in addition , in the above described examples 1 to 3 , calcium fluoride was used as a substrate , but quartz is also available . fig7 is a schematic view showing a main part of an exposure system ( aligner ) for producing a semiconductor device using an optical system . the optical system has an optical element having the anti - reflective film in accordance with example 1 , 2 or 3 described above . in the figure , reference numeral 1 denotes a light source for emitting ultraviolet light of a wavelength of 157 nm . reference numeral 2 denotes an illumination system for illuminating a reticle 4 with a light beam from the light source 1 . reference numeral 3 denotes a mirror . reference numeral 5 denotes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern on the reticle 4 to a wafer 6 . each of optical elements such as a lens used in the mirror 3 , the illumination system 2 and the projection optical system 5 has an anti - reflective film in accordance with the present invention applied on a surface thereof . thereby , reflection of the light beam at each surface is prevented to suppress the occurrence of a flare or ghost , thus providing an excellent projected pattern image . in the next place , a method of producing a semiconductor device using the exposure system shown in fig7 will be described . fig8 shows a production flow of a semiconductor device ( a semiconductor chip such as ic or lsi , a liquid crystal panel or ccd ). in step 1 ( circuit design ), a circuit of a semiconductor device is designed . in step 2 ( mask production ), a mask ( a reticle 4 ) having the designed circuit pattern formed thereon is prepared . on the other hand , in step 3 ( wafer manufacture ), a wafer ( wafer 6 ) is manufactured using a material such as silicon or the like . in step 4 ( wafer processing ) which is called a pre - process , an actual circuit is formed on the wafer using the above prepared mask and the wafer by means of lithography . next , step 5 ( assembly ), which is called a post - process , is a step of making a chip by the use of the wafer prepared in step 4 and includes an assembling step ( dicing and bonding ), a packaging step ( chip encapsulation ) and the like . in step 6 ( inspection ), the semiconductor device produced in step 5 is subjected to tests such as an operation check test and a durability test . a semiconductor device is thus completed through the above steps and is shipped ( step 7 ). fig9 shows a detailed flow of the above described wafer process . in step 11 ( oxidation ), the surface of the wafer ( wafer w ) is oxidized . in step 12 ( cvd ), an insulation film is formed on the surface of the wafer . in step 13 ( electrode formation ), an electrode is formed on the wafer through vapor deposition . in step 14 ( ion implantation ), ions are implanted into the wafer . in step 15 ( resist treatment ), a resist ( sensitized material ) is applied to the wafer . in step 16 ( exposure ), the wafer is exposed through an image of a circuit pattern of the mask ( reticle 4 ) with the exposure system . in step 17 ( development ), the exposed wafer is developed . in step 18 ( etching ), a portion except a developed resist portion is removed . in step 19 ( resist stripping ), the resist is removed which has become unnecessary after completion of the etching step . a circuit pattern is formed on the wafer by repeating these steps . as described above , according to the present invention , there can be provided an anti - reflective film of a 6 - layer or 8 - layer structure using fluoride thin films that is effective for a light of a wavelength of about 140 to 210 nm . further , it is possible to realize an anti - reflective film that has a low reflectance for a light incident at such a large angle as 30 degrees or more , without increasing the whole thickness of the film . this application claims priority from japanese patent application no . 2004 - 178534 filed on jun . 16 , 2004 , which is hereby incorporated by reference herein . | 6 |
fig1 illustrates arrangement 100 embodying the principles of the invention for communicating information , e . g ., audio information . in this illustrative embodiment , server 105 in arrangement 100 provides a music - on - demand service to client terminals through internet 120 . one such client terminal is numerically denoted 130 which may be a personal computer ( pc ). as is well known , internet 120 is a packet switched network for transporting information in packets in accordance with the standard transmission control protocol / internet protocol ( tcp / ip ). conventional software including browser software , e . g ., the netscape navigator or microsoft explorer browser is installed in client terminal 130 for communicating information with server 105 , which is identified by a predetermined uniform resource locator ( url ) on internet 120 . for example , to request the music - on - demand service provided by server 105 , a modem ( not shown ) in client terminal 130 is used to first establish communication connection 125 with internet 120 . depending on the telecommunication facility subscribed by the user of client terminal 130 , communication connection 125 may be limited by different connection speeds . for instance , a plain old telephone service ( pots ) connection typically affords a connection speed of about 28 . 8 kb / sec ; an integrated services digital network ( isdn ) connection typically affords a connection speed of about 64 kb / sec ; and a dual isdn connection typically affords a connection speed on the order of 100 kb / sec . after the establishment of communication connection 125 , in a conventional manner , client terminal 130 is assigned an ip address for its identification . the user at client 130 may then access the music - on - demand service at the predetermined url identifying server 105 , and request a selected musical piece from the service . such a request includes the ip address identifying client terminal 130 , and its connection speed . in prior art , in providing the music - on - demand service , a server needs to store versions of each musical piece corresponding to different connection speeds supported by the server . the audio quality ( distortion ) of a version of the musical piece increases ( decreases ) with the corresponding connection speed . thus , if a prior art server supports three connection speeds , e . g ., 28 . 8 kb / sec , 64 kb / sec and 100 kb / sec , the server needs to store three different versions of each musical piece available having the respective qualities . however , the storage of musical pieces in this manner is undesirably inefficient and occupies much memory space especially when a large number of musical pieces need to be made available . in addition , in delivering the service to a client terminal , the server typically sends the audio information in the form of packets through the internet . however , in the event that some of the packets are lost in transit because of imperfect network or channel conditions , which is likely , the quality of the received audio information would be significantly degraded . in accordance with the invention , multi - rate audio coding is implemented in server 105 to generate subrate representations of each musical piece to save memory space . different combinations of the subrate representations of a musical piece correspond to different connection speeds , and audio qualities of the musical piece . in general , the more subrate representations are communicated to a client terminal , the higher the audio quality of the musical piece recovered at the terminal and , of course , the higher the connection speed required of the terminal . for example , in this illustrative embodiment , three subrate representations are used in server 105 to serve each musical piece in accordance with the invention . one of the subrate representations represents core audio information contained in the musical piece , and is referred to as a “ c - representation .” the other two subrate representations represent first and second enhancement audio information contained in the musical piece , and are referred to as “ e 1 - representation ” and “ e 2 - representation ,” respectively . because of the design of the multi - rate coding in accordance with the invention , the audio signals recovered based on the c - representation alone , although viable , afford the minimum acceptable quality version of a musical piece ; the audio signals recovered based on the c - representation in combination with either e 1 - representation or e 2 - representation afford a relatively high quality version of the musical piece ; the audio signals recovered based on the c - representation in combination with both e 1 - representation and e 2 - representation afford the highest quality version of the musical piece . however , any audio signals recovered based only on the e 1 - representation and / or e 2 - representations are not viable . an embedded audio coder in accordance with the invention is used in server 105 to generate the c - representation requiring a bit rate of , say , 28 . 8 kb / sec for communication thereof ; the e 1 - representation requiring a bit rate of , say , 36 kb / sec ; and the e 2 - representation requiring a bit rate of , say , 36 kb / sec as well . these bit rates are selected such that if all of the representations are used , the quality of the recovered musical piece version is close to that of a 100 kb / sec version generated by a conventional non - embbeded audio coder . similarly , the quality of the recovered musical piece version based on a combination of the c - representation with the e 1 - representation or e 2 - representation is close to that of a 64 kb / sec version generated by the conventional non - embedded audio coder . apparently , the quality of the recovered musical piece version based on the c - representation alone is the same as that of a 28 . 8 kb / sec version generated by the conventional non - embedded audio coder . advantageously , server 105 only needs to store in its memory the 28 . 8 kb / sec c - representation , 36 kb / sec e 1 - representation and 36 kb / sec e 2 - representation of each musical piece , in lieu of the 28 . 8 kb / sec , 64 kb / sec and 100 kb / sec versions thereof as in prior art , to accommodate different connection speeds ( e . g ., 28 . 8 kb / sec , 64 kb / sec and 100 kb / sec ), thereby saving the memory space . the aforementioned embbeded audio coder implementing multi - rate coding in accordance with the invention will now be described . fig2 illustrates one such embbeded audio coder , denoted 203 , in server 105 . an analog signal a ( t ) representing a musical piece is fed to embedded audio coder 203 in providing the music - on - demand service . in response to such an analog signal , analog - to - digital ( a / d ) convertor 205 in coder 203 digitizes a ( t ) in a conventional manner , providing pcm samples of a ( t ). these pcm samples are fed to both filterbank 209 and perceptual model processor 211 . filterbank 209 divides the samples into time domain blocks , and performs a modified discrete cosine transform ( mdct ) on each block to provide a frequency domain representation therefor . such a frequency domain representation is bandlimited by low - pass filter ( lpf ) 213 to the 0 to 10 khz frequency range in this instance . the resulting mdct coefficients are grouped by quantizer 215 according to coder bands for quantization . these coder bands approximate the well known critical bands of the human auditory system , although limited to the 0 to 10 khz frequency range in this instance . quantizer 215 quantizes the mdct coefficients corresponding to a given coder band with the same quantizer stepsize . perceptual model processor 211 analyzes the audio signal samples and determines the appropriate level of quantization ( i . e ., stepsize ) for each coder band . this level of quantization is determined based on an assessment of how well the audio signal in a given coder band masks noise . quantizer 215 generates quantized mdct coefficients for application to loss - less compressor 219 , which in this instance performs a conventional huffman compression process on the quantized coefficients , resulting in the aforementioned c - representation on lead 261 . the output of compressor 219 is fed back to quantizer 215 through rate - loop processor 225 . in a conventional manner , the latter adjusts the output of quantizer 215 to ensure that the bit rate of the c - representation is maintained at its target rate , which in this instance is 28 . 8 kb / sec . in this illustrative embodiment , the e 1 - representation and e 2 - representation are generated by coder 203 for enhancing the quality of the musical piece which contain spectral information concerning relatively high frequency components of the audio signal , e . g ., in the 7 to 20 khz range . to that end , the quantized mdct coefficients from quantizer 215 are subtracted by subtracter 229 from the mdct output of filterbank 209 . the resulting difference signals are duplicated by duplicator 231 , and then bandlimited respectively by band - pass filters ( bpfs ) 223 and 233 to the 7 to 20 khz range . each of quantizers 243 and 253 receives a copy of the filtered difference signals and quantizes the received signals according to predetermined stepsizes . quantizers 243 and 253 may be scalar quantizers or multidimensional quantizers , and may comprise a complementary quantizer pair . complementary scalar quantizers are well known in the art , and described , e . g ., in v . vaishampayan , “ design of multiple description of scalar quantizers ,” ieee transactions on information theory , vol . 39 , no . 3 , may 1993 , pp . 821 - 834 . in general , a pair of complementary scalar quantizers may be defined by the following encoding functions f 1 and f 2 , respectively : f 1 ( x ) : ℜ -& gt ; { x i } i = 1 m1 , and f 2 ( y ) : ℜ -& gt ; { y j } j = 1 m2 , where represents the real axis , m 1 = 2 s1 and m 2 = 2 s2 , where s 1 and s 2 represent the bit rates for quantizers 243 and 253 , respectively . as is well known , associated with each of the quantized values x i and y j for f 1 , and f 2 , respectively , is a range or partition [ x , y ) on the real axis such that all the values in this range are quantized to x i or y j . in prior art , to take advantage of the correlation between x i and y j from f 1 , and f 2 having a complementary relationship , joint decoding , also known as “ center decoding ,” on ( x i , y j ) is performed in a de - quantizer to realize the optimum decoded value z k such that the resulting distortion or quantization error is minimized . the center decoding function , { overscore ( d )}, performed in the de - quantizer may be expressed as follows : d _ ( x , y ) : { ( x i , y j ) } i = 1 , j = 1 i = m1 , j = m2 -& gt ; { z k } k = 1 m _ . it should be noted that not all ( x i , y j ) are valid decodable combinations depending upon the overlap between their associated partitions . let q 1 , q 2 and { overscore ( q )} be the average distortions associated with f 1 , f 2 and center decoding function { overscore ( d )}, respectively , and let &# 39 ; s assume that f 1 and f 2 are equivalent , i . e ., s 1 = s 2 = s . if q 1 & lt ; 2 − 2s and q 2 & lt ; 2 − 2s , by minimizing { overscore ( q )} subject to the condition q 1 and q 2 ≦ q , where q is a predetermined distortion value , it can be shown that the value of { overscore ( q )} is always greater than the following limit : that is , use of the complementary scalar quantizers affords at most a 3 db gain , compared with the case where only an individual scalar quantizer is used . however , it has been recognized that the average distortion { overscore ( q )} associated with center decoding can be improved if the complementary quantizers used are multidimensional , rather than scalar as in prior art . in this illustrative embodiment , quantizers 243 and 253 are complementary multidimensional quantizers in accordance with the invention . preferably , they are non - homogeneous multidimensional lattice quantizers . in order to more appreciate the advantages of use of complementary non - homogeneous multidimensional lattice quantizers in accordance with the invention , let &# 39 ; s first consider a prior art homogeneous 2 - dimensional lattice quantizer using a square lattice in a 2 - dimensional region for quantization . fig3 a illustrates one such 2 - dimensional region which is defined by x 1 and x 2 axes and denoted 360 . region 360 in this instance has a square lattice and contains voronoi regions or cells , e . g ., cells 367 and 369 , whose length is denoted δ , where δ represents a predetermined value . as shown in fig3 a , these cells are homogeneously distributed throughout region 360 , and are each identified by a different code . as is well known , in the quantization process , the prior art quantizer assigns to an input sample point ( x 1 , x 2 ) the code identifying the cell in which the sample point falls , where x 1 εx 1 and x 2 εx 2 . for example , sample points having 0 ≦ x 1 & lt ; δ , and 0 ≦ x 2 & lt ; δ are each assigned the code identifying cell 367 . in addition , sample points having δ ≦ x 1 & lt ; 2δ , and δ ≦ x 2 & lt ; 2δ are each assigned the code identifying cell 369 . in practice , each code assignment is achieved by looking up a codebook . the above prior art quantizer imposes an average distortion proportional to δ 2 which in turn is proportional to 2 − 2s , where in the multidimensional case here s represents the number of bits / sample / dimension multiplied by the sample rate . as mentioned before , in the preferred embodiment , quantizers 243 and 253 are complementary non - homogeneous multidimensional lattice quantizers . for example , in the 2 - dimensional case , quantizers 243 and 253 use non - homogeneous rectangular lattices in 2 - dimensional regions 370 and 390 , respectively . in fig3 b , like region 360 , region 370 is defined by x 1 and x 2 axes . however , unlike region 360 , region 370 contains voronoi regions or cells , e . g ., cells 367 and 369 , which are in different shapes and thus non - homogeneous throughout region 370 . by way of example , the vertical boundaries of the rectangular cells in region 370 intersect the x 1 axis at x 1 = 0 , 0 . 5δ , 2 . 0δ , 2 . 5δ , 4 . 0δ . . . , with the separations between successive vertical boundaries alternating between 0 . 5δ and 1 . 5δ . on the other hand , the horizontal boundaries of the rectangular cells in region 370 intersect the x 2 axis at x 2 = 0 , 1 . 5δ , 2 . 0δ , 3 . 5δ , 4 . 0δ . . . , with the separations between successive horizontal boundaries alternating between 1 . 5δ and 0 . 5δ . in the quantization process , quantizer 343 assigns to an input sample point ( x 1 , x 2 ) the code identifying the cell in which the sample point falls . for example , sample points having 0 ≦ x 1 & lt ; 0 . 5δ , and 0 ≦ x 2 & lt ; 1 . 5δ are each assigned the code identifying cell 377 . in addition , sample points having 0 . 5δ ≦ x 1 & lt ; 2 . 0δ , and 1 . 5δ ≦ x 2 & lt ; 2 . 0δ are each assigned the code identifying cell 379 . a simple way of designing the rectangular lattice in region 390 of quantizer 253 , which is complementary to quantizer 243 , is to adopt the vertical and horizontal boundaries in region 370 as the horizontal and vertical boundaries in region 390 , respectively . fig3 c illustrates the resulting region 390 containing cells , e . g ., cells 391 and 399 , which are in different shapes , and thus non - homogeneous throughout region 390 . in the quantization process , quantizer 253 assigns to an input sample point ( x 1 , x 2 ) the code identifying the cell in which the sample point falls . for example , sample points having 0 ≦ x 1 & lt ; 1 . 5δ , and 0 ≦ x 2 & lt ; 0 . 5δ are each assigned the code identifying cell 397 . in addition , sample points having 1 . 5δ ≦ x 1 & lt ; 2 . 0δ , and 0 . 5δ ≦ x 2 & lt ; 2 . 0δ are each assigned the code identifying cell 399 . it can be shown that the average distortion for an individual one of quantizers 243 and 253 equals 1 . 25ε2 − 2s , where ε represents a constant which depends on the probability density function of the input signal to the quantizer , and s in this instance equals 36 kb / s . however , stemming from the fact that quantizers 243 and 253 are complementary quantizers , center decoding on the quantized values from quantizers 243 and 253 respectively can be performed in a de - quantizer . it can be shown that the resulting average distortion { overscore ( q )} associated with 2 - dimensional center decoding is no more than 0 . 25ε2 − 2s . that is , complementary quantizers 243 and 253 when implemented with the 2 - dimensional center decoding command a 6 db improvement in terms of distortion over their scalar counterparts . the equivalent lattices of three and higher dimensions of complementary quantizers may be obtained similarly to those of two dimensions described above . however , in three or higher dimensions , it is more advantageous to use a non - homogeneous , non - rectangular ( or non - hypercube ) lattice in each complementary quantizer . referring back to fig2 , the quantized signals from quantizer 243 are fed to loss - less compressor 245 which , like compressor 219 , achieves bit compression on the quantized signals , resulting in the e 1 - representation on lead 263 . the e 1 - representation is fed back to quantizer 243 through rate - loop processor 247 to ensure that the bit rate of the e 1 - representation is maintained at its target rate , which in this instance is s 1 = 36 kb / sec . similarly , the quantized signals from quantizer 253 are fed to loss - less compressor 255 which achieves bit compression on the quantized signals , resulting in the e 2 - representation on lead 265 . the e 2 - representation is fed back to quantizer 253 through rate - loop processor 257 to ensure that the bit rate of e 2 - representation is maintained at its target rate , which in this instance is s 2 = 36 kb / sec . leads 261 , 263 and 265 extend to storage 270 where the c - representation on lead 261 is stored in memory space 271 , the e 2 - representation on lead 263 is stored in memory space 273 , and the e 2 - representation on lead 265 is stored in memory space 275 . in response to the aforementioned request from client terminal 130 for transmission of the selected musical piece thereto , processor 280 causes packetizer 285 to generate a stream of packets including one or more of the stored representations of the selected musical piece , depending on the given connection speed . each packet in the stream is destined for client terminal 130 as it contains in its header , as a destination address , the ip address of terminal 130 requesting the music - on - demand service . specifically , if the given connection speed is 100 kb / sec , packetizer 285 retrieves from memory spaces 271 , 273 and 275 the c - representation , e 1 - representation and e 2 - representation of the selected musical piece , and packetizes the retrieved representations in accordance with the tcp / ip format . the resulting packet stream is forwarded by processor 280 to internet 120 . fig4 illustrates such a packet stream , wherein packets 411 , 413 and 415 generated by packetizer 285 respectively contain c - representation , e 1 - representation and e 2 - representation information corresponding to a first time segment of the musical piece ; packets 421 , 423 and 425 respectively contain c - representation , e 1 - representation and e 2 - representation information corresponding to a second time segment of the musical piece ; and so on so forth . to facilitate the assembly of the packets by client terminal 130 when it receives them , the header of each packet contains synchronization information . in particular , the synchronization information in each packet includes a pair of indexes where a sequence index indicating the time segment to which the packet corresponds , followed by a representation index indicating one of the representations with which the packet is associated . for example , field 401 in the header of packet 411 contains the index pair ( 1 , 0 ), with the sequence index “ 1 ” indicating that the packet corresponds to the first time segment , and the representation index “ 0 ” indicating that the packet is associated with the c - representation . similarly , field 403 in the header of packet 413 contains the index pair ( 1 , 1 ), with the sequence index “ 1 ” indicating that the packet corresponds to the first time segment , and the representation index “ 1 ” indicating that the packet is associated with the e 1 - representation . field 405 in the header of packet 415 contains the index pair ( 1 , 2 ), with the sequence index “ 1 ” indicating that the packet corresponds to the first time segment , and the representation index “ 2 ” indicating that the packet is associated with the e 2 - representation . similarly , the sequence index in each of packets 421 , 423 and 425 has a value “ 2 ” indicating that the packet corresponds to the second time segment . in addition , the representation indexes of packets 421 , 423 and 425 have values “ 0 ,” “ 1 ,” and “ 2 ”, respectively , indicating their respective associations with the c - representation , e 1 - representation and e 2 - representation . client terminal 130 processes the packet stream from server 105 in accordance with a routine which may be realized using software and / or hardware installed in terminal 130 . fig5 illustrates such a routine , denoted 500 , where at step 503 terminal 130 receives from server 105 information concerning the indexes identifying the different representations provided thereby to terminal 130 . in this example where the connection speed is 100 kb / sec , as mentioned before terminal 130 is provided with the c - representation , e 1 - representation and e 2 - representation of the musical piece which are identified by representation indexes “ 0 ,” “ 1 ,” and “ 2 ,” respectively . accordingly , upon receipt of the packet stream of fig4 , terminal 131 processes the packets on a time segment by time segment basis , and expects to receive three packets associated with the respective representations for each time segment i , 1 ≦ i ≦ n , where n is the total number of time segments which the musical piece comprises . in this illustrative embodiment , each time segment has the same predetermined length . specifically , at step 507 , for each time segment i , terminal 130 sets a predetermined time limit within which any packets associated with the time segment are received for processing . terminal 130 at step 511 examines the aforementioned index pair in the header of each received packet . based on the sequence index value and the representation index value of the received packets , terminal 130 at step 514 determines whether all of the expected packets for time segment i have been received before the time limit expires . if all of the expected packets have been received , routine 500 proceeds to step 517 where terminal 130 extracts the representation information contents from the respective packets . at step 521 , terminal 130 performs on the extracted information the inverse function to embedded audio coder 203 described above to recover a ( t ) corresponding to time segment i . in particular , in this example where the extracted information includes c - representation information , e 1 - representation information and e 2 - representation information , respectively , the aforementioned center decoding is performed on the e 1 - representation information and e 2 - representation information based on their correlation to minimize the average distortion in the recovered a ( t ). otherwise , if the aforementioned time limit expires before all of the expected packets are received for time segment i , terminal 130 at step 524 determines whether any received packets for the time segment includes the packet containing c - representation information . if it is determined that at least the packet containing c - representation information has been received , terminal 130 extracts representation information content ( s ) from the received packet ( s ) for time segment i , and based on the extracted information recovers a ( t ) corresponding to time segment i , as indicated at step 527 . in that case , the audio recovery may be based on only c - representation information corresponding to 28 . 8 kb / s quality , or on c - representation information in combination with either e 1 - representation information or e 2 - representation information corresponding to 64 kb / s quality . otherwise , if no packet containing c - representation information has been received , terminal 130 does not perform any recovery using the received packets for time segment i as any such recovery results in a non - viable a ( t ). rather , terminal 130 performs well known audio concealment for time segment i , e . g ., interpolation based on the results of audio recovery in neighboring time segments , as indicated at step 531 . if the given connection speed is 64 kb / sec or 28 . 8 kb / sec instead of 100 kb / sec in the above example , the above - described process similarly follows , although in the 64 kb / sec connection speed case only c - representation information and e 1 - representation information or e 2 - representation information are communicated by server 105 to client terminal 130 , and in the 28 . 8 kb / sec connection speed case only c - representation information is communicated . the foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the invention . it will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous other arrangements which embody the principles of the invention and are thus within its spirit and scope . for example , in anticipation of packet losses because of imperfect network conditions , server 105 in the illustrative embodiment may implement path diversity by routing streams of packets containing equivalent amounts of audio information through different paths to the same client terminal . each packet in each stream corresponds to a different time segment of the audio signal to be recovered . for each time segment , the client terminal may use a packet from any one of the streams corresponding to the time segment to recover the audio signal . thus , despite packet losses , the quality of the recovered signal is maintained as long as the terminal receives one such packet for each time segment . for instance , to deliver an audio signal at 64 kb / sec , server 105 may transmit to the client terminal a first stream of packets containing c - representation information , a second stream of packets containing e 1 - representation information , and a third stream of packets containing e 2 - representation information which is equivalent to e 1 - representation because of use of complementary quantizers 243 and 253 , where the second stream and third stream may be routed through different networks to achieve path diversity . similarly , server 105 may implement time diversity by transmitting the streams of packets containing equivalent amounts of audio information one - after another through the same network with a predetermined delay . in addition , based on the disclosure heretofore , it is apparent that a person skilled in the art may generate equivalent c - representations , e . g ., c 1 - representation and c 2 - representation , using complementary quantizers to achieve path and / or time diversity of such c - representations . further , the multi - rate coding technique described above is applicable to communications of not only audio information , but also information concerning text , graphics , video , etc . still further , in the disclosed embodiment , the inventive multi - rate coding technique is illustratively applied to a packet switched communications system . however , the inventive technique equally applies to broadcasting systems including hybrid in - band on channel ( iboc ) am systems , hybrid iboc fm systems , satellite broadcasting systems , internet radio systems , tv broadcasting systems , etc . finally , server 105 is disclosed herein in a form in which various server functions are performed by discrete functional blocks . however , any one or more of these functions could equally well be embodied in an arrangement in which the functions of any one or more of those blocks or indeed , all of the functions thereof , are realized , for example , by one or more appropriately programmed processors . | 7 |
an embodiment of the present invention will be described by referring to the drawings . fig1 is one example of a block diagram of a document processing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the document processing system 100 includes a compound machine 2 , an information terminal 4 and a document processor 8 . the compound machine 2 or the information terminal 4 is connected to the document processor 8 through a network ( for instance , a local area network ) so as to communicate with the document processor 8 . in this embodiment , the document processing system 100 is employed in one organization ( for instance , an enterprise ). the compound machine 2 and the information terminal 4 are used by a user of a component or a member of the organization . the user logs in the document processor 8 from the compound machine 2 or the information terminal 4 to instruct various kinds of processes to the document processor 8 . in this embodiment , the user registers an electronic document in the document processor 8 from the compound machine 2 or the information terminal 4 , or inspects or edits the already registered electronic document . the compound machine 2 receives an operation of the user to transmit an instruction of various kinds of processes to the document processor 8 . for instance , when the electronic document is registered in the document processor 8 , the compound machine 2 transmits to the document processor 8 an instruction to register a document image read by a scanner . the information terminal is , for instance , a personal computer . the information terminal 4 also receives the operation of the user to transmit to the document processor 8 an instruction of various kinds of processes . for instance , when the electronic document is registered in the document processor 8 , the compound machine 2 transmits an instruction to register document information ( for instance , text data ) designated by the user to the document processor 8 . the document processor 8 is an ordinary server device having a web server function . the document processor 8 carries out the processes in accordance with the instructions received from the compound machine 2 or the information terminal 4 . further , the document processor 8 stores and manages various kinds of information . for instance , the document processor 8 stores the electronic documents respectively registered by the users and attribute information the users . here , the document processor 8 stores the rights of the users respectively held in the system as the attribute information of the users . here , the rights of the users are respectively registered by the manager of the document processor 8 . specifically , the manager selects and registers the rights respectively to be held by the users from a plurality of predetermined right candidates . the users may respectively register the rights of themselves from the information term9inal 4 . fig2 is a diagram showing one example of the structure of hardware of the document processor 8 . as shown in fig2 , the document processor 8 includes a central processing unit 40 , a main storage device 42 , an auxiliary storage device 44 , an output and input interface 46 , an input device 48 , a display 50 and a network interface 52 . the devices are respectively connected together through a data bus 54 so as to communicate . the central processing unit 40 is a cpu or an mpu and operates in accordance with a program previously stored in the main storage device 42 to control the devices respectively . further , the central processing unit 40 calculates by using information stored in the main storage device 42 to output a result to the main storage device 42 . the above - described program is not limited to a program stored in the main storage device 42 and may be stored in an information storing medium such as a cd - rom , a dvd - rom or the like , or may be provided from a network . the main storage device 42 is a memory element such as a ram , a rom or the like to store the above - described program . further , the main storage device 42 stores calculating information inputted from the central processing unit 40 or information inputted from the output and input interface . further , the main storage device 42 outputs the stored information to the display 50 or the network interface 52 via the output and input interface . the auxiliary storage device 44 is a hard disk to store the information stored in the main storage device 42 in accordance with a control signal from the central processing unit 40 . the input device 48 is a keyboard or a mouse to output input information to the main storage device 42 via the output and input interface in accordance with the control signal from the central processing unit 40 . the display 50 displays the information stored in the main storage device 42 in accordance with the control signal from the central - processing unit 40 . the network interface 52 is a network interface card to output information received from the network to the main storage device 42 or transmit the information stored in the main storage device 42 via the network in accordance with the control signal from the central processing unit 40 . fig3 is a block diagram of functions realized by the document processor 8 under the operation of the central processing unit 40 in accordance with the above - described program . here , functions related to the present invention of the functions realized by the document processor 8 will be mainly shown . a storing part 76 is realized mainly by the auxiliary storage device 44 . in the storing part 76 , a user data base , a document data base and a right candidate data base are stored . it is to be understood that other information than these data base is stored . in the user data base , information related respectively to the users is stored . fig4 is a diagram showing one example of the stored contents of the user data base . as shown in fig4 , the user data base includes a right data base and a statistical right data base . the right data base stores the records of the users respectively . the record of each user includes the certifying information of the user ( a user id , a certifying password ). further , the record of each user also includes the right held by the user as the attribute information of the user . the statistical right data base stores the record each of the users so as to be coordinated for each user . in the statistical right data base , the record of each of the users includes a right validity index and a state flag of each right candidate . in this embodiment , the right validity index designates numerical information in which a lower limit value ( here , it is set to “ 0 ”) and an upper limit value ( here , it is set to “ 100 ”) are determined . the state flag of the right candidate indicates whether or not the user holds the right candidate . for instance , referring to the right data base , since a user a holds a security right , the right of a head of a department and a patent right , in the record of the user a of the statistical right data base , the state flags of these right candidates indicate “ true ” and the state flags of other right candidates than the above - described right candidates indicate “ false ”. in the right candidate data base , information related to each of the right candidates is stored . fig5 is a diagram showing one example of the stored contents of the right candidate data base . as shown in fig5 , the right candidate data base includes a keyword data base and a statistical keyword data base . the keyword data base stores the record of each of the right candidates so as to be coordinated therewith for each right candidate . the record of each of the right candidates includes the keyword of the right candidate . the statistical keyword data base also stores the record of each of the right candidates so as to be coordinated therewith for each right candidate . in the statistical keyword data base , the record of each of the right candidates includes at least one keyword candidate , a keyword validity index of each keyword candidate and a state flag of each keyword candidate . in this embodiment , the keyword validity index designates numerical information in which a lower limit value ( here , it is set to “ 0 ”) and an upper limit value ( here , it is set to “ 100 ”) are determined . the state flag of each keyword candidate indicates whether or not the keyword candidate is included in the record of the same right candidate in the keyword data base . for instance , referring to the keyword data base , since two keywords of a “ certification ” and a “ password ” are included in the record of the security right , in the record of the security right held by the statistical keyword data base , the state flags of these keyword candidates indicate “ true ” and the state flag of other keyword candidate than the above - described keyword candidates ( here , “ security ”) indicates “ false ”. a processing part 60 is mainly realized by the central processing unit 40 . the processing part 60 certifies and specifies the user on the basis of the certifying information received by the network interface 52 . the processing part 60 carries out various kinds of processes in accordance with instructions for processes received by the network interface 52 . for instance , the processing part 60 stores the electronic document in the document data base or reads and updates the electronic document already stored in the document data base to process the electronic document . further , the processing part 60 receives an input based on the prescribed operation of the manager from the input device 48 to change the right held by each user . for instance , the processing part 60 additionally stores a new right in the record of the user held by the right data base or deletes the right from the record of the user . a frequently appearing word extracting part 62 extracts a noun ( a frequently appearing word ) that frequently appears in the electronic document from the electronic document processed by the processing part 60 . in this embodiment , the frequently appearing word extracting part 62 analyzes the electronic document processed by the processing part 60 to extract text data . for instance , when the electronic document is a document image , an ocr process is carried out to extract the text data . then , the frequently appearing word extracting part 62 carries out a well - known important sentence extracting process to extract the frequently appearing word that frequently appears a prescribed frequency or more . the frequently appearing word extracting part 62 may extract all nouns included in the electronic document irrespective of the degree of frequent appearance . the electronic document processed by the processing part 60 is referred to as a document to be processed , hereinafter . a keyword matching part 64 is realized mainly by the central processing unit 40 . the keyword matching part 64 determines whether or not the keyword stored in the keyword data base is included in the document to be processed . in this embodiment , the keyword matching part 64 determines whether or not the keyword corresponds to any of the frequently appearing words extracted by the frequently appearing word extracting part 62 for each keyword stored in the keyword data base . a right validity updating part 66 is realized mainly by the central processing unit 40 . the right validity updating part 66 increases the right validity index of the right candidate corresponding to the keyword determined to be included in the electronic document . in this embodiment , the right validity updating part 66 refers to the keyword data base to specify the right candidate corresponding to the keyword determined to correspond to any of the frequently appearing words , and refers to the statistical right data base to increase the right validity index of the right validity index of the specified right candidate in the record of the user certified by the processing part 60 . a right candidate determining part 68 is realized mainly by the central processing unit 40 . the right candidate determining part 68 refers to the statistical right data base to determine whether or not the right validity index of each right candidate is a first threshold value ( here , it is set to “ 50 ”) or larger for each user . in this embodiment , the right candidate determining part 68 refers to the record of the users certified by the processing part 60 in the stored contents of the statistical right data base to determine whether or not the right validity index is the first threshold value or larger for each right candidate . an inquiry part 70 is realized mainly by the central processing unit 40 . the inquiry part 70 inquires the manager about whether or not the right held by the user is changed for each user on the basis of the result of a decision by the right candidate determining part 68 . in this embodiment , when the inquiry part 70 refers to the right data base and the right candidate whose right validity index is determined to be the first threshold value or larger is not included in the record of the user certified by the processing part 60 , the inquiry part 70 shows an interface ( see fig9 a ) for inquiring the manager about whether or not the right candidate is added to the right held by the user on the display 50 . further , when the inquiry part 70 refers to the right data base and the right candidate whose right validity index is determined to be smaller than the first threshold value is included in the record of the user certified by the processing part 60 , the inquiry part 70 shows an interface ( see fig9 b ) on the display 50 to inquire of the manager whether or not the right candidate is deleted from the right held by the user . the inquiry part 70 displays an interface shown in fig9 c on the display 50 to inquire about the addition of the right candidate and the deletion of the right candidate at the same time . a keyword validity updating part 72 is realized mainly by the central processing unit 40 . when the right candidate whose right validity index is the first threshold value or higher is additionally stored in the record of any user in the right data base , the keyword validity updating part 72 increases the keyword validity index included in the record of the right candidate . a keyword updating part 74 is realized mainly by the central processing unit 40 . the keyword updating part 74 refers to the statistical keyword data base to select at least one keyword candidate from the record of the right candidate for each right candidate and stores the selected keyword candidate respectively in the keyword data base as the keyword of the right candidate . in this embodiment , the keyword updating part 74 refers to the record of the additionally stored right candidate to select the keyword candidate whose keyword validity index is a prescribed second threshold value ( here , it is set to “ 50 ”) or larger . then , when the keyword updating part 74 refers to the keyword data base and the selected keyword candidate is not included in the record of the additionally stored right candidate , the keyword updating part 74 additionally stores the selected keyword candidate in the record . now , one example of processes will be described that are carried out by the document processor 8 having the above - described functions when the document processor receives instructions of processes to the electronic document from the compound machine 2 or the information terminal 4 of the user by referring to flow chart diagrams of fig6 to 8 . here , a case is described as an example that the document processor 8 receives an instruction to register the electronic document , however , when the document processor 8 receives an instruction to read or update the already registered electronic document , the document processor 8 may carry out the same processes . here , it is assumed that the document processor 8 already specifies the user ( refer it to as an object user , hereinafter ) on the basis of the certifying information of the user . the document processor 8 processes the electronic document in accordance with an instruction of a process received from the compound machine 2 or the information terminal 4 . here , when the document processor 8 receives the instruction for registering the electronic document , the document processor 8 stores the electronic document in the document data base ( s 101 ). then , the document processor 8 analyzes the electronic document ( refer it to as a document to be processed , hereinafter ) processed in the step of s 101 to extract the frequently appearing word ( s 102 ). specifically , the document processor 8 analyzes the document to be processed to extract the text data . for instance , when the object to be processed is image data , the document processor carries out the ocr process to extract the text data . then , the document processor 8 carries out the known important sentence extracting process to extract the frequently appearing word that frequently appears a prescribed frequency or more . when the frequently appearing word that appears frequently a prescribed frequency or more is not extracted , the document processor 8 finishes the processes . then , the document processor 8 determines whether or not the keyword corresponds to any of the frequently appearing words extracted in the step of s 102 for each keyword stored in the keyword data base ( s 103 ). then , the document processor 8 refers to the statistical right data base to update the right validity index of each right candidate included in the record of the object user on the basis of the result of a decision in the step of s 103 ( s 104 ). specifically , the document processor 8 refers to the keyword data base to specify the right candidate corresponding to the keyword determined to correspond to any of the frequently appearing words , increases the right validity index of the specified right candidate by a prescribed value in the record of the object user held by the statistical right data base and decreases the right validity index of other right candidate than the specified right candidate by a prescribed value . for instance , a case will be considered in which when a user b registers the electronic document , the document processor 8 extracts the “ certification ” as the frequently appearing word . in this case , the document processor 8 refers to the keyword data base to specify the security right as the right candidate corresponding to the “ certification ” and increases the right validity index of the security right included in the record of the user b by the prescribed value . further , the document processor 8 respectively decreases the right validity index of other right candidate than the security right by the prescribed value . then , the document processor 8 selects one right candidate ( refer it to as a noted right candidate , hereinafter ). then , the document processor 8 refers to the record of the object user held by the statistical right data base to determine whether or not the right validity index of the selected noted right candidate is the first threshold or higher ( s 105 ). when the right validity index of the noted right candidate is the first threshold value or higher ( y of s 105 ), the document processor 8 determines whether the noted right candidate is not included in the record of the object user held by the right data base ( s 106 ). specifically , the document processor 8 refers to the record of the object user held by the statistical right data base to recognize whether or not the state flag of the noted right candidate shows “ false ”. then , when the noted right candidate is not included in the record of the object user held by the right data base ( y of s 106 ), the document processor 8 carries out a below - described right addition inquiry process shown in fig7 ( s 107 ) and advances to the step of s 110 . on the other hand , when the noted right candidate is included in the record of the object user held by the right data base ( n of s 106 ), the document processor 8 advances to the step of s 110 . on the other hand , when the right validity index of the noted right candidate is smaller than the first threshold value ( n of s 105 ), the document processor 8 determines whether or not the noted right candidate is included in the record of the object user held by the right data base ( s 108 ). specifically , the data processor 8 refers to the record of the object user held by the statistical data base to recognize whether or not the state flag of the noted right candidate shows “ true ”. when the right validity index of the noted right candidate is smaller than the first threshold value ( n of s 105 ), the document processor 8 may further determine whether or not the right validity index of the noted right candidate is smaller than other prescribed threshold values different form the first threshold value . in this case , other threshold values are considered to be set to the first threshold value or smaller . then , when the right validity index of the noted right candidate is smaller than other prescribed threshold values , the document processor 8 may advance to the step of s 108 . when the right validity index is other prescribed value or larger , the document processor 8 may advance to the step of ss 10 . in the step s 108 , when the noted right candidate is included in the record of the object user held by the right data base ( y of s 108 ), the document processor 8 carries out a below - described right deletion inquiry process ( s 109 ) shown in fig8 and advances to the step of s 110 . on the other hand , when the noted right candidate is not included in the record of the object user held by the right data base ( n of s 108 ), the document processor advances to the step of s 110 . in the step of s 110 , the document processor 8 determines whether or not the processes of s 105 to s 109 are carried out to all the right candidates . then , when the processes of s 105 to s 109 are not carried out yet to at least one of the right candidates ( n of s 110 ), the document processor 8 selects another noted right candidate to advance to the step of s 105 . on the other hand , when the processes of s 105 to s 109 are carried out to all the right candidates ( y of s 110 ), the document processor 8 finishes the processes . here , the document processor 8 sequentially carries out the processes of s 105 to s 109 respectively to the right candidates , however , these processes may be carried out in parallel respectively for the right candidates . now , the right addition inquiry process will be described by referring to fig7 . in this process , the document processor 8 initially inquires the manager about whether or not the noted right candidate is added to the right held by the object user ( s 201 ). specifically , the document processor 8 shows the interface see fig9 a ) on the display 50 . the document processor 8 monitors whether or not the manager receives an additional operation for checking a check box 90 and pressing down a button image 94 ( s 202 ). when the manager receives the additional operation ( y of s 202 ), the document processor 8 additionally stores the noted right candidate in the record of the object user held by the right data base ( s 203 ). further the document processor 8 updates the state flag of the noted right candidate from “ false ” to “ true ” in the record of the object user held by the statistical right data base . for instance , when a value of the right validity index of the right of a head of a department corresponding to the record of the user b becomes the first threshold value or larger from a state shown in fig4 , the document processor 8 inquires about whether or not the right of the head of the department is added to the right held by the user b . then , when the document processor 8 receives the above - described additional operation , the document processor 8 additionally stores the right of the head of the department in the record of the user b held by the right data base to change the state flag of the right of the head of the department to “ true ” from “ false ” ( see fig1 ). then , the document processor 8 increases the keyword validity index by a prescribed value in the record of the noted right candidate held by the statistical keyword data base ( s 204 ). specifically , the document processor 8 refers to the statistical keyword data base to compare each of the keyword candidates included in the record of the noted right candidate with each of the frequently appearing words extracted in the step of s 102 . thus , the document processor specifies the keyword candidate of the keyword candidates included in the record of the noted right candidate that corresponds to any of the frequently appearing words . then , the document processor 8 increases the keyword validity index of the specified keyword candidate by a prescribed value . as a result of the comparison , when the frequently appearing words extracted in the step of s 102 include a frequently appearing word that does not correspond to any of the keyword candidates , the document processor 8 may regard the frequently appearing word as a new keyword candidate of the noted right candidate and additionally store the new keyword candidate in the record of the noted right candidate . in this case , the document processor 8 additionally stores the keyword validity index of the additionally stored keyword candidate and the state flag . at this time , a lower limit value is set to a value of the additionally stored keyword validity index and “ false ” is set to the additionally stored state flag . then , the document processor 8 refers to the statistical keyword data base to determine whether or not the keyword validity index of the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 204 is the second threshold value or larger ( s 205 ). when the keyword validity index of the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 204 is smaller than the second threshold value ( n of s 205 ), the document processor 8 directly finishes the processes . on the other hand , when the keyword validity index of the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 204 is the second threshold value or larger ( y of s 205 ), the document processor 8 refers to the keyword data base to determine whether or not the keyword candidate is included in the record of the noted right candidate held by the keyword data base ( s 206 ). specifically , the document processor 8 refers to the record of the noted right candidate held by the statistical keyword data base to determine whether or not the state flag of the keyword candidate shows “ true ”. then , when the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 204 is included in the record of the noted right candidate held by the keyword data base ( y of s 206 ), the document processor 8 directly finishes the processes . on the other hand , when the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 204 is not included in the record of the noted right candidate held by the keyword data base ( n of s 206 ), the keyword candidate is regarded as a new keyword of the noted right candidate and the keyword candidate is additionally stored in the record of the noted right candidate ( s 207 ). at this time , the document processor 8 updates the state flag of the additionally stored keyword candidate from “ false ” to “ true ” in the record of the noted right candidate held by the statistical keyword data base . for instance , when a value of the keyword validity index of a keyword candidate “ security ” corresponding to the security right becomes the second threshold value or larger from a state shown in fig5 , “ security ” is additionally stored in the record of the security right held by the keyword data base and the state flag is changed from “ false ” to true ” ( see fig1 ). on the other hand , when the manager receives an addition negating operation for checking a check box 92 and pressing down the button image 94 ( n of s 2102 ), the document processor 8 sets the right validity index of the noted right candidate to any of values smaller than the first threshold value in the statistical right data base ( s 208 ). for instance , the right validity index may be set to a value half as small as the first threshold value . then , the document processor 8 decreases the keyword validity index by a prescribed value in the record of the noted right candidate held by the statistical keyword data base ( s 209 ). specifically , the document processor 8 refers to the statistical keyword data base to compare each of the keyword candidates included in the record of the noted right candidate with each of the frequently appearing words extracted in the step of s 102 . thus , the document processor specifies the keyword candidate of the keyword candidates included in the record of the noted right candidate that corresponds to any of the frequently appearing words . then , the document processor 8 decreases the keyword validity index of the specified keyword candidate by a prescribed value . then , the document processor 8 refers to the statistical keyword data base to determine whether or not the keyword validity index of the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 209 is smaller than the second threshold value ( s 210 ). it may be determined whether or not the keyword validity index of the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 209 is smaller than other prescribed threshold values different from the second threshold value . in this case , other prescribed threshold values may be possibly considered to be set to the second threshold value or smaller . then , when the keyword validity index of the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 209 is the second threshold value or larger ( n of s 210 ), the document processor 8 directly finishes the processes . on the other hand , when the keyword validity index of the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 209 is smaller than the second threshold value ( y of s 210 ), the document processor 8 determines whether the keyword candidate is not included in the record of the noted right candidate held by the keyword data base ( s 211 ). specifically , the document processor 8 refers to the record of the noted right candidate held by the statistical keyword data base to determine whether or not the state flag of the keyword candidate shows “ false ”. then , when the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 209 is not included in the record of the noted right candidate held by the keyword data base ( y of s 211 ), the data processor 8 directly finishes the processes . on the other hand , when the keyword candidate specified in the step of s 209 is included in the record of the noted right candidate held by the keyword data base ( n of s 211 ), the data processor 8 deletes the keyword candidate from the record of the noted right candidate ( s 212 ). at this time , the document processor 8 updates the state flag of the deleted keyword candidate to “ false ” from “ true ” in the record of the noted right candidate held by the statistical keyword data base . for instance , when a value of the keyword validity index of a keyword candidate “ certification ” corresponding to the security right is smaller than the second threshold value from a state shown in fig5 , “ certification ” is deleted from the record of the security right held by the keyword data base and the state flag is changed from “ true ” to “ false ” ( see fig1 ). the above - described processes show the contents of the right addition inquiry process . now , the right deletion inquiry process will be described by referring to fig8 . in this process , the document processor 8 initially inquires the manager about whether or not the noted right candidate is deleted from the right held by the object user ( s 301 ). specifically , the document processor 8 shows the prescribed interface ( see ( fig9 b ) on the display 50 . the document processor 8 monitors whether or not a deleting operation is received for checking a check box 96 and pressing down a button image 99 ( s 302 ). when the document processor 8 receives the deleting operation ( y of s 302 ), the document processor 8 deletes the noted right candidate from the record of the object user held by the right data base ( s 303 ). further , the document processor 8 updates the state flag of the noted right candidate from “ true ” “ to “ false ” in the record of the object user held by the statistical right data base . for instance , when a value of the right validity index of a programmer right corresponding to the record of the user b becomes a value smaller than the first threshold value from a state shown in fig4 , the document processor 8 inquires about whether or not the programmer right is deleted from the right held by the user b . then , when the document processor 8 receives the above - described deleting operation , the document processor 8 deletes the programmer right from the record of the user b held by the right data base to change the state flag of the programmer right from “ true ” to “ false ” ( see fig1 ). on the other hand , when the document processor receives a deletion negating operation for checking a check box 98 and pressing down the button image 99 ( n of s 302 ), the document processor 8 sets any of values of the first threshold value or larger to the right validity index of the noted right candidate in the record of the object user held by the statistical right data base ( s 304 ). for instance , the document processor 8 may set “ a value half as large as the sum of an upper limit value of the right validity index ad the first threshold value ” to the right validity index . the above - described processes show the right deletion inquiry process . here , the addition of the right and the deletion of the right are separately inquired , however , they may be inquired at a time . for instance , the interface shown in fig9 c may be displayed on the display 50 . the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above - described embodiment . namely , in the above - described embodiment , as one example of the attribute information of the user , the right of the user is described . however , any information showing the attributes of the user may be employed . for instance , the attribute information may include information showing a job , a working place , a class of age , an urban and rural prefecture where the user lives , a position , etc . of the user . further , in the above - described embodiment , the manager of the document processor 8 is inquired about the addition or the deletion of the right , however , the user may be directly inquired about whether the right is added or deleted . for instance , the document processor 8 may display the interface shown in fig9 on the information terminal 4 of the user . further , in the above - described embodiment , the document processor 8 carries out the processes of s 105 to s 110 at a timing of carrying out the processes to the electronic document , however , a below - described method may be considered . that is , the document processor 8 may periodically carry out the processes of s 105 to s 110 . in this case , the processes of s 105 to s 110 may be possibly carried out to each user . further , when the processes of s 105 to s 110 are periodically carried out , a process for decreasing the right validity index ( that is , a part of s 104 , s 208 ) and the process of s 304 may be omitted . in this case , after the processes of s 105 to s 110 are carried out , values of all right validity index are considered to be initialized to a lower limit value 0 . the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . obviously , many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications , thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention defined by the following claims and their equivalents . | 6 |
to facilitate the description of some embodiments of the invention , a model of a transmission link will first be presented . r ( k ) = ∑ l = 0 p h ( l ) c ( k - l ) + ∑ l = 0 p h ( l ) s ( k - l ) + ζ ( k ) where { h ( k )} kε { 0 , . . . , p } represent the different propagation channel taps . ζ ( k ) models the combination of thermal noise and interference from adjacent cells . ζ ( k ) is assumed to be additive white gaussian noise ( awgn ) with variance equal to σ 2 . the samples c ( k ) denote the transmitted pilot sequence and s ( k ) is used to represent the other signals from the different users in the serving cell . the cir is derived by correlating the received signal with the pilot sequence h ^ t ( l ) = 1 n ∑ k = 0 n - 1 r ( k ) c * ( k - l ) l = 0 , 1 , … , l - 1 where n is the spreading factor of the w - cdma pilot signal , l is the length of the channel estimation window and t represents the current cir estimation period . in general , l ≠ p . indeed , p is a function of the current propagation conditions , whilst l is chosen by design . the various processing stages of an embodiment of the proposed architecture are presented in fig2 . in this embodiment , a channel estimate containing l consecutive taps is estimated and , from that , the best m ( m & lt ; l ) consecutive taps are chosen as the raw channel estimates that are then processed further to produce a refined cir such as can then be employed by , for example , an lmmse equaliser implemented as a pre - filter rake architecture . the further processing of the raw channel estimates generally improves the accuracy of the cir ( hence the term refined cir ) by reducing the power of the estimation error . one method for achieving this is to use one or more filters that are either designed to match the expected channel conditions or to adapt to the changing channel conditions . in the present embodiment , filtering to produce a refined cir estimate is performed over only m taps whilst it remains possible to detect paths that appear in the l - m taps of the l raw tap values that lie beyond the m taps that are used to produce the refined cir estimate . in the present embodiment , wherein the filtering of the cir estimate is only performed over m taps , whilst it is still possible to detect paths that appear up to +−( l − m )/ 2 chips away from the current window . when new paths are detected outside the current window and it is judged advantageous to include those paths in the cir , a timing adjustment is made such that the best l taps are centralised within the channel estimation window . making a timing adjustment requires either discarding or repeating input samples and also requires the current cir to be moved to match the new estimation window . in order to avoid moving the receiver timing in response to variations in the noise level in the different channel taps , a filtered version of the channel power profile is used to select the best equalisation window . moving the channel estimation window can lead to problems in the channel estimation . if the channel estimation window is moved to often , the resulting channel estimates may become degraded . the present embodiment describes a hangover mechanism whereby further timing changes are disabled for a specified period after a timing change has been made . the received signal is first processed by unit 200 in order to generate raw channel estimates . these initial channel estimates can be generated , for example , by correlating the received signal with the known pilot sequence as described in the above equations . it should however be noted that the application of the present invention is not restricted to this case . it would be possible to use other techniques , such as linear least - square fitting ( digital communications , john g . proakis , 2 nd edition , mcgraw - hill international ), in order to derive these channel estimates . in case of transmit diversity , either open - loop or closed - loop , the unit 200 will generate a set of initial channel estimates for each transmit antenna . the raw channel estimates from antenna 1 are passed on to unit 201 that calculates the position of the best cir within the channel estimation window and the timing adjustment required to centralize this cir within the estimation window . to find the position of the best cir , the channel power is first calculated and then filtered by units 300 and 301 respectively . the resultant cir power delay profile is given by p t ( l )=( 1 − g ) p t - 1 ( l )+ g | ĥ t ( l )| 2 the smoothing factor , g , is introduced to ensure that the cir power delay profile is not unduly affected by the cir estimation error . the above equation describes the filtering operation when a first order iir implementation is used . it will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art that the proposed approach can easily be extended to other filter architectures . e ( i ) = ∑ l = i i + m p ( l ) i = 0 , … , l - m e max = max i [ e ( i ) ] with corresponding index i max . additionally , the energy of the currently central window e curr = e (└( l − m + 1 )/ 2 ┘) is selected . unit 303 determines the timing adjustment required to centralise the maximum energy window in the following manner δ t = { i max - ( ⌊ ( l - m + 1 ) / 2 ⌋ ) if e max & gt ; τ e curr 0 otherwise where τ is a threshold introduced to ensure that timing changes only occur if e max is sufficiently greater than e curr . unit 202 applies the required timing adjustment , δ t , only if δ t ≠ 0 and t d = 0 , where t d is a counter that is set to t 1 when a timing adjustment is applied and is decremented each channel estimation period until it reaches 0 . the choice of value for t 1 is made to prevent timing changes happening in rapid succession , which may have an adverse affect on the cir estimation . when a timing adjustment is applied , the input data is advanced / retarded by δ t . since the incoming data is continuously sampled , either discarding or repeating samples at the input achieves this . new raw channel estimates are produced based on this new timing . unit 203 selects the central m taps of the raw cir for processing by unit 204 that filters the raw cir to reduce the channel estimate errors . when a timing adjustment is applied , the state of the cir filter ( s ) requires shifting in time such to take into account the applied timing change . if this is not done , the estimated cir produced by unit 204 will contain errors for at least as long at the maximum group delay of the cir filter ( s ), which will result in significant performance degradation . on application of a timing adjustment , the filtered cir power delay profile p also requires shifting in time , which is achieved at the next channel estimate update period in the following manner note that the above description of this invention assumes that all the data is sampled at 1 sample per chip , however it is straightforward to extend this to apply to data that is sampled at higher rates . | 7 |
referring now specifically to the drawings , one embodiment of the present invention is shown generally in fig1 . in accordance with this embodiment , a time source in the form of a master clock 10 transmits a suitably coded signal to a geosynchronous earth satellite 11 which , in turn , transmits a coded time signal back to earth for reception by any suitable receiver which is within the transmission reception zone of the satellite . in fig1 a wristwatch 12 is shown in signal receiving position . however , an analog timepiece of any size or suitable construction may be used . in fig2 another embodiment of the present invention is shown and comprises a transmitter 15 which sends a coded time signal to a receiver 16 located at some predetermined , remote location . the time signal may be received directly from the transmitter 15 or may be retransmitted by the receiver 16 by landline or by repeater ( not shown ). fig3 shows an enlarged view of the timepiece in the form of a wristwatch 12 shown in fig1 . as can be seen in fig3 wristwatch 12 includes an antenna 19 which extends around the major portion of the periphery of wristwatch 12 , and may , for example , be embedded within the crystal . of course , since the timepiece shown is an analog one , it includes hands 12a and 12b which indicate the time . referring now to fig4 a timekeeping and correction circuit according to the present invention is shown in electrical schematic notation . since the circuit is shown schematically , it is not drawn to scale . moreover , in an actual embodiment the circuit would preferably be in the form of an integrated , solid state device which would be so small as to very easily fit within a wristwatch . the normal timekeeping mode operates through suitable coded signals received at antenna 19 . a receiver 22 of conventional design decodes and amplifies the signal which it receives and converts it into a direct current ( dc ) pulse . amplifier 22 is provided with its own dc power supply 23 which may be a small battery , as is indicated in fig4 or a dc converter operating off of ac current for larger , stationary timepieces . the dc pulse generated by receiver / amplifier 22 is driven to a timekeeping mode output 25 and through suitable conductive means to a micro - relay switch 26 . activation of switch 26 feeds the dc pulse to a known set - reset , flip - flop circuit 27 which activates a step motor 28 . step motor is mechanically connected to a conventional watch gear set 29 which moves the hands of the watch . pulses may be received every second , every ten seconds , every minute or any other suitable time interval . given the fact that this system is an electromechanical one , the interval must be sufficient to permit the mechanical activation and deactivation of the step motor 28 and gear set 29 during each pulse . the flip - flop circuit 27 is a type of bi - stable multi - vibrator circuit that has two imputs corresponding to the two stable states . the circuit contains two linear inverters coupled in such a way that the output of one provides the imput for the other . a separate dc power source 31 is provided for step motor 28 . since circuit 20 has separate power sources 23 and 31 , one may be of an optimal type to provide continual power in the case of the amplifier 22 , and the other to provide pulses of power in the case of step motor 28 . of course , when a single power source is adequate the circuit may be simplified accordingly . some minimal delay is expected in the activation and completion of the movement of the hands by gear set 29 . therefore , the timepiece 12 is set ahead slightly so that at the completion of each pulse and hand movement , the correct time is displayed . since the time source is completely external to timepiece 12 , there is no real need to provide a high degree of internal mechanical accuracy to timepiece 12 . rather , the important criterion is the accuracy of the time source 10 . since the time signal is received and processed instantaneously , a highly accurate electromechanical timepiece is possible . furthermore , in many instances accuracy to an absolute time standard is less important than proper synchronization of a number of timepieces . this invention serves this function reliably and inexpensively . in instances where even greater accuracy is required , automatic synchronization of timepiece 12 to the clock 10 can be easily provided . in general , the synchronization circuit is provided with a separate signal to &# 34 ; test &# 34 ; the timepiece 12 to see if it is still in synchronization with time source 10 . the separate synchronization signal is transmitted , for example from satellite 11 , at a relatively long time interval such as once each hour or once each day . synchronization itself takes place by mechanical movement of hands 12a and 12b . this is accomplished by means of a wheel 33 which is mounted within watch 12 for synchronized rotation with hands 12a and 12b . as is best shown in fig5 wheel 33 is provided with an indented cam surface 34 on its circumferential periphery . since wheel 33 rotates in synchronization with the hands , the cam 34 must be in a particular position relative to hands 12a and 12b . wheel 33 and cam 34 cooperate with a feather switch 35 which has two aligned switch contacts 35a and 35b which are normally biased apart . still referring to fig5 when wheel 33 is in its proper position indicating that timepiece 12 is properly synchronized with time source 10 , contacts 35a and 35b are spaced apart from each other , thereby interrupting an electrical circuit which will be described below . referring now to fig6 wheel 33 is shown in a position indicating that timepiece 12 is not in synchronization with time source 10 . as a result , probe 35b is not positioned in cam 34 but has ridden up onto the peripheral surface of wheel 33 and into contact with contact 35a . the circuit is closed , and the following synchronization process takes place . the synchronization signal is received at antenna 19 and directed to receiver / amplifier 22 . the signal is amplified and converted into a dc pulse having characteristics different from the timekeeping dc pulse . a time correction output 38 is provided and is tailored to the characteristics of this dc signal so that the signal is conveyed from output 38 to the feather switch 35 . if , as is shown in fig4 and 5 , wheel 33 is in its proper position indicating that timepiece 12 is synchronized with time source 10 , the circuit is interrupted and since no synchronization is necessary , no synchronization takes place . if , however , wheel 33 indicates that timepiece 12 is not synchronized with time source 10 , feather switch 35 is closed , as is shown in fig6 . in this case , the dc pulse is carried through feather switch 35 to a first micro - switch 40 . switch 40 in turn activates another micro - switch 42 which is connected into the time keeping circuit previously described . the dc pulse is conveyed through micro - switches 40 and 42 to flip - flop circuit 27 which activates step motor 28 . step motor 28 activates gear set 29 which drives hands 12a and 12b . since wheel 33 is connected to hands 12a and 12b it rotates as well . when the hands reach the point of synchronization with the time source 10 , contact 35b drops into cam 34 breaking the circuit , and stopping step motor 28 . of course , a magnetic proximity or other suitable switch could be utilized instead of feather switch 35 shown above . even though the disclosure of the invention contained in the application has emphasized a utility in small timepieces such as the wristwatch , the invention nevertheless has substantial applications in large timepieces such as wall , case or tower clocks . stepping motors can be manufactured in all sizes to generate torque sufficient to operate virtually any size clock . in addition , remote activation of clocks by a master time source could also be utilised to activate alarm , chiming or striking mechanisms and to control automatic devices of many different types . in situations where large timepieces are contained in buildings or shielded from proper reception of a signal transmitter , an antenna lead can easily be installed in an exterior position with the lead carrying the signal by wire to the timepiece . an apparatus and method for synchronizing an analog timepiece from a time source is described above . various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope . furthermore , the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus and method according to the present invention is provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation -- the invention being defined by the claims . | 6 |
fig1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a novel fluorescent lamp 101 according to the present disclosure . in one embodiment , the lamp is of standard size suitable for installation and use in conventional ceiling fixtures 100 and contains mercury in the form of a bismuth - zinc amalgam . in one embodiment , the amalgam is ternary — that is , the amalgam includes zinc , bismuth , and mercury ( and with such minor impurities as may be introduced in the manufacturing process ). in other embodiments , the amalgam includes bismuth , zinc , and mercury with a portion ( for example , less than 40 weight percent ) of other materials as may be appropriate ( including , but not limited to , antimony , indium , tin , gallium , germanium , silicon , lead , copper , nickel , silver , gold , palladium and platinum ). the amalgam is preferably better than 99 weight percent pure and generally free of oxygen and water . various embodiments of the amalgam are preferably between 5 - 60 weight percent mercury , with 10 - 80 weight percent zinc , and 0 . 5 - 90 weight percent bismuth . disclosed embodiments form rounder pellets with less mercury re - absorption than binary zinc - mercury amalgams . in a preferred embodiment , the composition range is 30 - 45 weight percent mercury , 35 - 60 weight percent zinc and 5 - 20 weight percent bismuth . in a more preferred embodiment , the composition is approximately 45 weight percent mercury , approximately 41 weight percent zinc , and approximately 14 weight percent bismuth . one particularly preferred embodiment includes approximately 45 weight percent mercury , approximately 41 . 5 weight percent zinc , and approximately 13 . 5 weight percent bismuth . solid and free flowing at room temperature , this composition is rounder than binary zinc - mercury amalgam . in an alternatively preferred embodiment , the composition includes approximately 35 weight percent mercury , approximately 57 weight percent zinc , and approximately 8 weight percent bismuth . another particularly preferred alternative embodiment of a bismuth - zinc - mercury composition includes approximately 35 . 2 weight percent mercury , approximately 57 . 0 weight percent zinc , and approximately 7 . 8 weight percent bismuth . it is free flowing and has excellent shape qualities when compared to binary zinc - mercury ( 50 weight percent mercury ). adding bismuth to binary zinc - mercury amalgam does not significantly change their mercury vapor pressure . as discussed elsewhere , the bismuth - zinc - mercury amalgam retains a mercury vapor pressure substantially similar to the vapor pressure of pure mercury . a description of the relevant phase diagrams indicates the insolubility of bismuth in mercury and in zinc . a binary bismuth - mercury phase diagram is a simple eutectic system with two solid phases that have no mutual solubility and that do not form intermetallic compounds . in the liquid phase , bismuth and mercury show one homogeneous liquid that extends from pure bismuth to pure mercury . mixtures of bismuth and mercury all freeze at approximately − 39 . 2 ° c . binary bismuth - zinc alloys also show little solubility in each other in the solid state . zinc is slightly soluble in bismuth but little or no bismuth can be dissolved in zinc . no intermetallic compounds form between zinc and bismuth . these two metals form a miscibility gap in the liquid state . the miscibility gap extends from approximately 16 weight percent zinc to 98 weight percent zinc . furthermore , it extends into the ternary bismuth - zinc - mercury system and creates a region that is generally impractical for pellet formation . bismuth - zinc amalgams have lower mercury contents than prior art amalgams ( for example , zinc - mercury amalgams containing 50 weight percent zinc and 50 weight percent mercury ) due to the addition of bismuth . larger pellets may be needed to contain the same amount of mercury as a binary zinc - mercury amalgam containing 50 weight percent zinc and 50 weight percent mercury . in some of the presently disclosed embodiments , the hg / zn ratio is greater than 1 . 0 . for prior art zinc - mercury amalgams , the hg / zn ratio is approximately 1 . 0 . fig2 is a bismuth - zinc - mercury equilibrium phase diagram at 20 ° c . as shown in phase diagram 200 , the amalgams as presently disclosed are a solid at 20 ° c . and include bismuth , zinc solid solution , and the intermetallic compound zn 3 hg . as discussed below , the amalgam may not have the predicted room temperature phases and may not be at equilibrium . the amalgam may be in a metastable , non - equilibrium state . bi — zn — hg pellets also advantageously dispense low amounts of mercury . this is due to the phase diagram construction illustrated in fig2 . a two - phase band 201 of solid zn 3 hg and solid bi extends from almost pure bi to 50 weight percent mercury ( pure zn 3 hg ). amalgams with low mercury content ( for example , 15 weight percent hg and below ) are readily manufactured ( for example , using the method disclosed by anderson ) and have low total mercury amounts . example 3 , described in detail elsewhere , illustrates a material with a large diameter and low mercury content . the pellet in the example contained about 2 . 2 mg hg and had a diameter of approximately 1 . 5 mm . the low end of the hg content in a practical application can be as low as 0 . 1 mg hg in approximately a 1 . 5 mm pellet . in fact , the hg content of any pellet of this sort ( zn — bi — hg ) can be made arbitrarily low . fig2 also shows a three - phase triangle 203 comprised of ( zn ) solid solution , bi , and zn 3 hg . this region includes lower mercury content . materials in this three - phase region may also be produced by the method of anderson or other suitable production methods . they may have low mercury content and be suitable for applications where low mercury content is desirable . in both cases , the mercury content and the pellet diameter are independently adjustable and are optionally used to obtain a desirable diameter and mercury content . fig2 also shows a two - phase region 205 existing between ( zn ) solid solution and bi . this region 205 is even lower in mercury content . mercury content in this region 205 ranges from approximately 0 . 4 weight percent at nearly pure bismuth to approximately 5 . 5 weight percent mercury near pure zinc . low bismuth regions 207 , 209 have varying mercury contents . because the amalgam is a solid at room temperature , the amount of amalgam that is to be introduced into a lamp may be easily quantified and dispensed . for example , small pellets of generally uniform mass and composition may be formed with any shape that is appropriate for the manufacturing process , although spherical and substantially spherical pellets are the most easily handled . pellet diameters are desirably between about 200 to 3000 microns . in various embodiments , spherical and substantially spherical pellets of generally uniform mass and composition are made by rapidly solidifying or quenching the amalgam melt . exemplary apparatus and processes are disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 216 , 178 ( anderson ), issued aug . 5 , 1980 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . features and advantages of various disclosed embodiments are illustrated in greater detail in the following examples : 13 . 3 grams of bismuth pellets , 40 . 2 grams of zinc pellets and 46 . 5 grams of liquid mercury were melted and pelletized by the method disclosed in anderson . eighty - one of these pellets were subjected to a weight loss experiment . mercury was released from these pellets at 325 ° c . for 1 hour under a vacuum of about 0 . 3 torr . the pellets were weighed before and after the weight loss experiment and the difference in weight was measured . the percent change in mass was then calculated . the average weight loss from 81 ternary bismuth - zinc - mercury pellets was 45 . 3 weight percent . a single ternary amalgam pellet comprised of bismuth , zinc , and mercury in the amounts of example 1 was placed in a thermogravimetric analyzer to record the mercury loss with time . the amalgam pellet was heated to 300 ° c . and purged with argon gas at a pressure of 1 . 8 torr . the pellet weight was recorded . it had an initial weight of 9 . 451 mg and a final weight of 5 . 105 mg . the weight loss was 4 . 346 mg and the percent change in weigh was 46 . 0 percent . fig3 shows the weight loss curve from an individual bismuth - zinc - mercury amalgam pellet . in particular , fig3 illustrates the mercury evolution rate from a single bismuth zinc amalgam pellet at 300 ° c . and 1 . 8 torr of argon pressure . 76 grams of bismuth pellets , 12 grams of zinc pellets , and 13 grams of liquid mercury were melted and pelletized by the method disclosed in anderson . a single pellet of this composition was placed in a thermogravimetric analyzer . the amalgam pellet was heated to 300 ° c . and purged with argon gas at a pressure of 1 . 8 torr . the pellet weight was recorded . it had an initial weight of 17 . 553 mg and a final weight of 15 . 33 mg . the weight loss was 2 . 223 mg and the weight loss percentage was 12 . 6 percent . 57 . 0 g of zinc shot , 7 . 8 g of bismuth pellets and 35 . 2 g of mercury were melted and pelletized by the method disclosed in anderson . several pellets of this composition were crushed and placed in a thermostated cell . the cell was heated and mercury vapor was emitted from the pellet . the absorbance of the mercury vapor was measured and used to calculate its mercury vapor pressure . the results are shown in fig4 . fig4 illustrates the mercury vapor pressure above a bismuth - zinc amalgam containing 57 . 0 weight percent zinc , 7 . 8 weight percent bismuth , and 35 . 2 weight percent mercury . the mercury vapor pressure is plotted as a function of inverse temperature . a comparison to the literature values of pure mercury are shown for reference . the vapor pressure of the material is nearly identical to the vapor pressure of pure mercury . these pellets are free flowing at room temperature . fig5 is a graph of the mercury vapor pressure of the same bismuth - zinc amalgam given in fig4 . the mercury vapor pressure is plotted as a function of temperature on a linear scale ( log ( p bi — zn — hg ) vs . t ° c .). literature values of pure mercury are shown for reference . these processes can be used to manufacture spherical or substantially spherical pellets of predetermined and uniform mass (± 15 %) in the range from 0 . 25 - 125 milligrams . other suitable techniques for making the pellets , such as die casting or extrusion , may be used . using existing devices and suitable techniques , the pellets may be weighed , counted or measured volumetrically and introduced into the lamp . for example , a lamp that requires 9 mg of mercury may use 2 pellets , each containing 45 weight percent mercury and each weighing 10 mg . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 882 , 237 describes the microstructure of rapidly solidified binary zinc - mercury amalgams . binary zinc - mercury amalgams have a metastable , non - equilibrium structure . ternary bismuth - zinc amalgam pellets manufactured by the rapid solidification or quenching processes discussed above also have a structure that is different from that obtained by equilibrium freezing . in particular , they do not necessarily melt or freeze in accordance with the published bismuth - zinc - mercury phase diagram . bismuth - zinc - mercury amalgam pellets produced by the method disclosed in anderson show a metastable microstructure . four phases are present : zinc solid solution , bismuth , zn 3 hg ( γ phase ), and a mercury - rich intergranular phase . zinc solid solution is present and is concentrated near the perimeter of the pellet . this results from non - equilibrium solidification for an amalgam containing 45 weight percent mercury and 13 . 3 weight percent bismuth . an equilibrium microstructure would consist only of zn 3 hg and bismuth . a mercury - rich phase is also present and is concentrated in the interior regions of the pellet . this results from the non - equilibrium solidification found in the presently disclosed embodiments . the mercury - rich phase is primarily found in the intergranular regions of bismuth - zinc amalgams . the equilibrium phases , bismuth and zn 3 hg are uniformly spread throughout the pellet . pellet with compositions high in bismuth , compositions near point a ( of fig2 , corresponding to pure bi ) in fig3 , will have a predominance of bismuth , and pellets with compositions high in zinc and mercury will have large amounts of zn 3 hg . the composition of bismuth - zinc amalgams can also be understood by a triangle formed between pure bismuth , bi , point a , pure zn , point b ( of fig2 , corresponding to pure zn ), and point c ( of fig2 , corresponding to 67 weight percent hg , 33 weight percent zn ), a zinc - mercury binary amalgam containing approximately 32 . 8 atomic percent ( 60 weight percent ) mercury . table i reflects eccentricity measurements for 46 bismuth - zinc - mercury pellets . they are compared to zinc - mercury ( 50 weight percent mercury ). bismuth - zinc - mercury pellets are substantially rounder than zinc - mercury pellets . a side - by - side comparison of bismuth - zinc - mercury pellets with zinc - mercury pellets qualitatively indicates that zn — bi — hg pellets are rounder than zn — hg pellets : table i average average equivalent major minor eccen - sphere material no . axis / μm axis / μm tricity diameter / μm zn — bi — hg average 46 1236 1219 1 . 015 1224 std . dev . ( 1σ ) 18 20 0 . 009 18 zn — hg average 35 1353 1286 1 . 052 1307 std . dev . ( 1σ ) 38 37 0 . 033 31 in another embodiment , a spherical amalgam pellet including zinc and at least one other amalgamative metal ( including , but not limited to bismuth ) with no more than approximately 15 weight percent mercury has a diameter greater than about 0 . 5 mm . in alternative preferred embodiments , the pellet has no more than approximately 5 or 1 weight percent mercury to provide a low mercury dose . in other alternative embodiments , the diameter is greater than approximately 1 mm , 1 . 5 mm , or 1 . 2 - 1 . 7 mm . these pellets advantageously provide a low mercury dose in a relatively large pellet which is easier to arrange , trap , or attach at a particular position within a lamp . while preferred embodiments have been described , it is to be understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and the scope of the disclosed embodiments is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence , many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those skilled in the art from a perusal hereof . | 1 |
while this invention is illustrated and described in a preferred embodiment , the device may be produced in many different configurations , forms and materials . there is depicted in the drawings , and will herein be described in detail , a preferred embodiment of the invention , with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as a exemplification of the principles of the invention and the associated functional specifications of the materials for its construction and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated . those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations within the scope of the present invention . an assembled fluid filter 100 is illustrated in fig1 and is comprised of three major sub - assemblies : base plate 110 , filter housing 102 , and a filter and valve cartridge ( including elements 116 - 134 ). in a preferred embodiment , fluid filter 100 is attached to an engine block nipple ( not shown ) by threads inside center exit hole 112 . gasket 106 , which is preferably constructed of silicone based rubber , forms a seal against the machine mounting area ( not shown ). filter housing 102 , a hollow tube shaped canister , is sealed in a fluid - tight arrangement with base plate 110 by locking band 104 . preferably , filter housing 102 is constructed from automotive nylon ; however , injection molded poly , 20 gage cold rolled steel , or other functionally equivalent materials can also be used . also , the dimensions of filter housing 102 are not an integral part of the current invention ; all standard - size filter housings are contemplated . locking band 104 is preferably an over - center latch clamp , which is known in the art , and constructed of 20 gage cold rolled steel . the purpose of locking band 104 is to secure base plate 110 to filter housing 102 . furthermore , o - ring 108 ensures the seal is fluid - tight . other types of functionally equivalent clamping means are also contemplated which provide a secure seal between filter housing 102 and base plate 110 but can be removed without the need for special tools . base plate 110 is a contoured , annular disk , preferably constructed of 8 gage cold rolled steel , and has circular center exit hole 112 and a plurality of evenly spaced entry holes 114 . automotive nylon is an alternative , functionally equivalent , construction material which provides the strength and wear - resistance necessary for re - usable base plate 110 . the operation of filter 100 is not considered a novel feature of the present invention but its description is included to show the interaction of all elements of the present invention . in operation , a pump ( not shown ) provides pressurized fluid to entry holes 114 . with references to fig1 and 2 , the fluid enters filter 100 and fills cavity 138 beneath anti - drainback valve seat 126 . once the cavity is filled , the fluid pressure causes the fluid to pass through perforations 202 , displace anti - drainback valve diaphragm 128 , and enter filter housing 102 . washer 124 , constructed of sturdy plastic or steel , prevents diaphragm 128 from overflexing . fluid within housing 102 is forced through filter paper element 122 , enters column 136 through perforated filter element center column 134 , and exits column 136 through hollow by - pass valve receiving area 132 and ultimately center exit hole 112 . if filter paper element 122 becomes clogged , and can no longer pass unfiltered fluid , the resulting fluid pressure forces by - pass valve diaphragm 130 , with retainer 120 , to compress spring 108 which , in turn , allows fluid to pass through perforated by - pass valve housing 116 at entry holes 145 . this mechanism allows fluid , although unfiltered , to return to center exit hole 112 and maintain lubrication in the attached machine ( not shown ) even if filter paper element 122 no longer works . when the pump ( not shown ) stops pumping liquid through the system , the fluid will no longer push against anti - drainback valve diaphragm 128 . anti - drainback valve diaphragm 128 will then rest against perforated anti - drainback valve seat 126 forming a liquid - tight seal . the pressure of the fluid within housing 102 trying to exit filter 100 holds anti - drainback valve diaphragm 128 against anti - drainback valve seat 126 . the construction , materials and size of paper filter element 122 and by - pass valve assembly 116 , 118 , 120 , 130 , and 132 are well known industry standards with a number of functionally equivalent alternatives which are contemplated within the scope of this invention . fig2 illustrates an exploded view of the by - pass valve system and the anti - drainback valve system and more clearly shows the number of items that previously had to be individually assembled when replacing a filter cartridge in a reusable filter system . by - pass valve receiving area 132 holds spring 118 , by - pass valve retainer 120 , by - pass valve diaphragm 130 and perforated by - pass valve body 116 . as previously indicated , the operation and construction of a filter by - pass valve is well known . however , by - pass valve body 116 , which is press - fitted into by - pass valve receiving area 132 , has a novel tapered region at its bottom which allows washer 124 , anti - drainback valve diaphragm 128 , and perforated anti - drainback valve seat 126 to be easily attached by press - fitting . alternative attachment means include spot welding or the use of appropriate adhesive materials ; however , press - fitting is a simple manufacturing step and provides sufficient securing forces for all the elements . washer 124 , constructed of sturdy plastic or steel , prevents diaphragm 128 from overflexing while fluid is flowing through filter 100 . also included in washer 124 , is channel 204 which provides even more security for attaching anti - drainback valve diaphragm 128 . diaphragm 128 is preferably constructed of silicon based rubber and conforms in shape to perforated anti - drainback valve seat 126 . neoprene and other resilient materials are also possible construction materials for diaphragm 128 ; however silicon based rubber , the preferred material , does not become brittle as easily as most of these materials do within this environment . again , the shape and size of diaphragm 128 , depend on the shape and size of anti - drainback valve seat 126 ; but in relation to one another , diaphragm 128 is slightly larger than seat 126 so that its peripheral edges adequately seal against seat 126 thus preventing fluid from draining back out of baseplate 100 and returning to the machine ( not shown ) via entry holes 114 . anti - drainback valve seat 126 is a rigid , perforated support structure the serves a number of purposes . in a preferred embodiment , seat 126 is shaped like a cone ; however dome shaped or trapezoidal shaped seats are functionally equivalent . also , while the preferred construction material for seat 126 is sheet metal , automotive nylon or other sturdy plastic are also contemplated materials . the precise radius of seat 126 is not critical to its function . the two design criteria which must be met is that seat 126 extend past entry holes 114 so that fluid can enter filter 100 and that seat 126 not extend so far that it interferes with the clamping of housing 102 with base plate 110 . our preferred embodiment sizes seat 126 so that it reaches approximately half - way between entry holes 114 and the bottom inside edge of housing 102 . the number and size of perforations 202 in anti - drainback valve seat 126 are also not critical . too few holes or too small of holes cause a back pressure towards the pump ( not shown ) and too many holes or too large of holes damage the sturdiness and integrity of seat 126 . any arrangement , size and number of perforations which avoid these critical conditions are contemplated by this invention . a working example would be 48 holes evenly spaced in two concentric rings of 24 holes . with this number of holes , the appropriate diameter of each hole is approximately 0 . 125 inches . these design values provide a structurally sound valve seat that does not impede fluid flow for a typical - sized automobile engine . an assembled filter element and valve cartridge 300 is illustrated in fig3 . this cartridge , completely assembled , fits within filter housing 102 and base plate 110 . instead of disposing of an entire spin - on filter with residual oil , locking band 104 is removed to separate housing 102 and base plate 110 , and a used cartridge is removed and replaced by new cartridge 300 . thus only the used cartridge is disposed of . two elements introduced in fig3 are end cap 306 and element holder 304 . these two sheet metal pieces securely hold filter paper element 122 and add some rigidity to cartridge 300 . a key inventive feature of the present invention pertains to insuring that replaceable cartridge 300 can easily be correctly inserted into housing 102 and properly aligned . misalignment of cartridge 300 causes damage to anti - drainback valve seat 126 and by - pass valve body 116 when base plate 110 is forcibly clamped onto housing 102 . also , even if no damage occurs , both the by - pass valve and anti - drainback valve will not work unless their surfaces are properly sealed and positioned within housing 112 . fig4 a and 4 b illustrate a first self - alignment feature to assist with the inserting of cartridge 300 . base plate 110 has ridges 402 for engaging the bottom of perforated anti - drainback valve seat 126 . by seat 126 properly sitting on ridges 402 , replaceable cartridge 300 is properly centered and aligned within housing 102 . to further assist with this self - aligning step in the preferred embodiment , ridges 402 have sloped region 404 which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of anti - drainback valve seat 126 . when seat 126 is somewhat close to being aligned , sloped region 404 guides seat 126 into precise alignment on base plate 110 . in the preferred embodiment , ridges 402 are a continuous circle around base plate 110 which engage the peripheral underside of anti - drainback valve seat 126 . however , other arrangements are just as effective at providing the self - aligning function ; segments of spaced ridges or recesses is an alternative embodiment that also aids in properly positioning cartridge 300 within housing 102 . fig5 illustrates the second self - aligning feature of the present invention . recessed region 502 , on the inside of housing 102 , receives complementary convex region 302 located on end cap 306 . in a preferred embodiment , the complementary surfaces are spherical in nature and centered in relation to fluid filter 100 . other functionally equivalent alternative shapes and arrangements are also contemplated ; however , the spherical shapes of the preferred embodiment provide the benefit of ease of manufacturing . the sloped nature of both concave region 502 and convex region 302 further assist in guiding cartridge 300 into proper position and alignment within housing 102 . a second function of recess 502 and endcap convex region 302 is the elimination of a separate endcap spring ( not shown ) that is present in current fluid filter designs . by eliminating this spring element , cartridge 300 truly becomes the only element that needs to be replaced when reusing fluid filter 100 and thereby prevents improper insertion and positioning of the spring during assembly . in the preferred embodiment , spherical housing recess 502 has a radius approximately 0 . 01 inches smaller than spherical endcap convex region 302 . this slight size difference is not enough to effect the self - aligning function and provides downward pressure on cartridge 300 that was previously provided by a separate endcap spring . the downward pressure assists in ensuring all appropriate sealing surfaces within housing 102 are fluid - tight . an alternative embodiment contemplated is to continue to use a separate endcap spring ( not shown ) in the design of fluid filter 100 . in this embodiment , endcap 306 would simply be manufactured as a straight piece ( as illustrated in fig1 ). however , when assembling this embodiment , an operator would have to ensure proper insertion and positioning of the endcap spring and rely solely on base plate 110 self - aligning ridges 402 to properly position cartridge 300 . a system and method has been shown in the above embodiments for the effective implementation of replaceable filter element cartridge that is pre - assembled and engages self - aligning features within a reusable filter housing . while various preferred embodiments have been shown and described , it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure , but rather , it is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . for example , the present invention should not be limited by size , materials , connection methods , composition , or sealing elements . | 1 |
the following description discloses a cutting table which is used for quick and accurate alignment and cutting of workpieces , typically large banners . fig1 shows an oblique view of the preferred embodiment of the worktable or banner table . the top surface 10 is made of a hard material , such as steel or other metal , which is resistant to cutting . the top surface 10 has a plurality of cutting grooves 11 arranged in a rectangular grid pattern for guiding a cutting instrument . the rectangular grid pattern allows fast , accurate cutting of a large number of rectangular sizes of workpieces . the grooves are v - shaped and are spaced at regular intervals . the spacing of the grooves is dependent upon the application . for banners , the spacing is typically six inches . a plurality of apertures 12 penetrate the top surface 10 . the top surface 10 serves as the top side of a table top assembly 14 . the table top assembly 14 serves as a vacuum chamber , which provides vacuum to the apertures 12 . with a workpiece positioned on the table top assembly 14 and vacuum applied to the apertures 12 , a pressure differential is created across the workpiece which serves to hold the workpiece in place yet allow easy repositioning of the workpiece . a vacuum means 15 , such as a vacuum blower , is connected to the vacuum chamber 53 of fig5 of the table top assembly 14 by a plenum 20 . an electric switch 16 controls operation of the vacuum means . measuring guides 13 for measuring a dimension of the workpiece are attached along the edges of the table . in the preferred embodiment , at least two adjacent measuring guides 13 are raised to allow alignment of a workpiece , such as a banner , to a corner of the top surface 10 . one end of the table top assembly 14 contains two alignment holes 17 . a clamp 18 at one end of the table is used to attach to a clamp catch 19 at the opposite end of an adjacent table in order to join adjacent tables . fig2 is a front elevation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing one of the two alignment pins 26 . when inserted into the alignment holes 17 , alignment pins 26 achieve precise alignment to adjacent tables . precise alignment is necessary to ensure that a cutting blade remains in the cutting groove 11 when cutting across adjacent tables . fig3 is a left side elevation of fig1 showing two alignment pins 26 attached to end 30 . a clamp 18 is located on each side of the table top assembly 14 . fig4 is a right side elevation of fig1 showing two alignment holes 17 in opposite end 40 . a clamp catch 19 is located on each side of the table top assembly 14 . fig5 is a cross section of the table top assembly 14 showing two v - shaped cutting grooves 11 for guiding a cutting instrument and the penetration of the top surface 10 by two apertures 12 . a vacuum chamber support member 51 is penetrated by holes 52 to allow a uniform vacuum throughout the table top assembly 14 . fig6 is a plan view of the top of an alternative embodiment of the present invention where part of the top surface 10 is free of cutting grooves 11 and apertures 12 in order to provide an unencumbered auxiliary work area . fig7 is a detail plan view of the ends of two adjacent banner tables connected together by a clamping means comprising two clamps 18 on one table attached to two clamp catches 19 on the adjacent table . the clamping means ensure that adjacent ends of the tables are in contact to allow smooth cuts of the workpiece across the joint between adjacent tables . longitudinal cutting grooves 70 ( those cutting grooves 11 running lengthwise on the banner table ) extend to the table top surface 10 ends , so that they may be aligned with corresponding longitudinal cutting grooves 70 of an adjacent banner table . the top surface 10 must extend at least to the edge of the frame 24 below the top surface 10 as shown in fig2 for the banner tables to be placed together in the manner described . fig8 is a detail cross section of the table top assemblies depicted in fig7 showing the fit of an alignment pin 26 in an alignment hole 17 . the fit of the alignment pin 26 into the alignment hole 17 constitutes the alignment means for aligning the cutting grooves of adjacent tables . the distance from the end edge of the top surface 10 to the cutting grooves 11 closest to the ends of the table ( distance 80 ) is half the distance between adjacent cutting grooves 11 ( distance 81 ). this ensures that the distance between the last cutting grooves 11 of the two joined tables is equal to the distance between all other cutting grooves 11 on the tables . fig9 is a detail cross section of the end of a table top assembly 14 with a measuring guide 13 attached by removable fasteners , not shown . the measuring guide 13 is raised above the top surface 10 for fast alignment of the workpiece with the rectangular cutting grid . the measuring guide 13 is removable to provide a continuous flat working surface when the banner table is attached to an adjacent banner table . the aperture 12 that is covered by the measuring guide 13 becomes usable for holding down workpieces only when the measuring guide 13 is removed . accordingly the reader will see that the banner table comprises the following advantages : · it has a hard top surface which is resistant to cutting , · it is versatile due to the rectangular grid pattern of cutting grooves in the top surface , and · it can be expanded by connecting additional banner tables end to end . although the description above contains many specifications , these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention . for example , clamps and alignment pins and holes may be added to the device to clamp adjacent tables at all four ends of the table , etc . thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , rather than by the examples given . | 1 |
in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth , such as particular structures , components , materials , dimensions , processing steps and techniques , in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details . in other instances , well - known structures or processing steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring description of the present invention . throughout this application , the term “ semiconductor ” may be used from time to time to denote a semiconductor material or combination thereof including , for example , si , sige , sigec , sic , ge alloys , gaas , inas , inp and other iii / v or ii / vi compound semiconductors . the term “ semiconductor substrate ” may be used from time to time to denote a layered structure of semiconductor materials such as , for example , si / sige , si / sic , silicon - on - insulator ( soi ) or silicon - germanium - on - insulator ( sgoi ). a semiconductor substrate may be doped , undoped or contain doped and / or undoped regions therein ; may be strained , unstrained or contain strained and / or unstrained regions therein ; may have a single crystal orientation or regions of different crystallographic orientations therein ; and may have one or more isolation regions such as , for example , trench isolation regions or field oxide isolation regions , located therein . fig1 is a simplified illustration of a semiconductor device 10 , upon which one or more middle - of - the - line ( mol ) stud contact structures may be later formed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . semiconductor device 10 may be , for example , a field effect transistor ( fet ). however , the present invention is not limited in this respect and may be applied in forming contact structures for other semiconductor devices such as , for example , capacitors , diodes , bipolar transistors , bicmos devices , memory devices and the like . hereinafter , semiconductor device 10 may be referred to as fet 10 for easy reference . fet 10 may be fabricated by any conventional semiconductor processing techniques that may be well known in the art . for example , deposition , lithography , etching , and ion implantation techniques , among others , may be used . fet 10 may be formed on a semiconductor substrate 12 to include a gate dielectric 18 , a gate conductor 20 , a pair of optional offset spacers 22 , and source / drain regions 24 . fet 10 may also include one or more contact areas 16 that are formed atop of source / drain regions 24 and / or gate contact 20 , upon which stud contact structure may be formed . contact areas 16 may include silicide such as nisi , cosi 2 , tisi , and / or wsi x . fig2 is a simplified illustration of a layer of dielectric material 26 formed on top of fet 10 . dielectric material 26 may include one or more stud contact openings 28 formed therein . as is shown in fig2 , stud contact openings 28 may extend to and expose the top surface of silicide contact areas 16 . stud contact openings may be formed through well - known technique , such as a reactive - ion - etching ( rie ) process , and in a shape of substantially vertical or have some tapering as shown in fig2 . stud contact openings 28 may have a high aspect ratio ( ratio of depth to width ) of greater than three ( 3 ), for example . however , the present invention is not limited in this respect and may be applied to other stud contact openings of a higher or lower aspect ratio . dielectric material 26 may be porous or non - porous . some examples of dielectrics material 26 may include , but are not limited to : sio 2 , a doped or undoped silicate glass , c doped oxides ( i . e ., organosilicates ) that include atoms of si , c , o and h , thermosetting polyarylene ethers , or multilayers thereof , silicon nitride , silicon oxynitride or any combination , including multilayers thereof . other dielectric material 26 may be used . according to one embodiment of the invention , at this stage of forming a stud contact structure , the exposed surface of the silicide contact area 16 as well the wall surfaces within the contact opening 28 may be subjected to a treatment process that is capable of removing any surface oxide or etch residue that may be present thereon . suitable treatment processes that can be employed in the present invention include , for example , ar sputtering and / or contacting with a chemical etchant . some negligible widening of the contact opening 28 may occur during this step of the present invention . next , as is shown in fig3 , an “ oxygen - getter ” layer 30 may be formed within stud contact opening 28 on the exposed wall portions thereof as well as atop the exposed surface of silicide contact areas 16 . oxygen - getter layer 30 may be a thin layer of ti , w , ta , or any other material that has a high affinity for oxygen , with ti being generally preferred . oxygen - getter layer 30 may be deposited by applying a sputtering process such as , for example , a physical vapor deposition ( pvd ) process . other processes of deposition such as a chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ) process may be used . the thickness of oxygen - getter layer 30 may vary depending on the deposition process used as well as the material used . typically , oxygen - getter layer 30 has a thickness from about 2 nm to about 40 nm , with a thickness from about 5 nm to about 10 nm being more typical . next , as is shown in fig4 , a diffusion barrier layer 40 may be formed . diffusion barrier layer 40 may be conformal and formed within stud contact openings 28 on surface of oxygen - getter layer 30 . diffusion barrier layer 40 may be deposited through a chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ) process . for example , diffusion barrier layer 40 may be formed by applying a tdmat ( tetrakis - dimethylamido titanium ) process or a tdeat ( tetrakis - diethylamido titanium ) process . diffusion barrier layer 40 may typically have a thickness from about 2 nm to about 10 nm with a thickness from about 5 nm to about 8 nm being more typical . the formation of diffusion barrier layer 40 may be optionally followed by a post - deposition forming gas plasma treatment . diffusion barrier layer 40 may prevent oxygen - getter layer 30 and portions of silicon underneath , which may be still exposed , from reacting with a gas of hf , which may be a byproduct during a subsequent cvd deposition of w and be corrosive to ti and si . fig5 illustrates that following formation of oxygen - getter layer 30 and diffusion barrier layer 40 , according to one embodiment of the present invention a tin layer 50 may be formed in stud contact openings 28 before w stud contact is filled therein . tin layer 50 , formed following processes in accordance with embodiments of the present invention as described below in detail , may reduce , eliminate , and / or prevent the creation of beta - w during the process of forming w stud contact and therefore significantly reduce contact resistance associated with the beta - w . according to one embodiment of the invention , tin layer 50 may be formed on top of diffusion barrier layer 40 through directional reactive sputtering ti , in an environment of mixed gases of ar and n 2 , onto stud contact openings 28 . in other words , tin layer 50 may be a pvd - deposited tin layer and therefore may be referred to from time to time as a pvd tin layer . pvd - deposited tin layer may be non - conformal , and may generally have a film thickness on the sidewalls less than that at the bottom of stud contact opening 28 . the film thickness at the bottom in turn may be less than that in the field area above stud contact opening 28 . for example , tin material may be directionally sputtered to produce a film or a layer of tin with a thickness ranging from about 10 å to about 150 å at the bottom , and from about 5 å to about 25 å on the sidewalls , of stud contact openings 28 . according to another embodiment of the invention , tin layer 50 may be formed on top of diffusion barrier layer 40 by directionally sputtering a layer of ti onto stud contact openings 28 initially . the deposition of ti may be followed by a post - deposition treatment process that consequently converts deposited ti into tin . according to one embodiment , the treatment process may be a forming gas annealing process using a mixed gases of about 5 - 10 % atomic h 2 and 90 - 95 % atomic n 2 , although the present invention is not limited in this respect and lower than 5 % or higher than 10 % of atomic h 2 ( and corresponding amount of n 2 ) may also be used to achieve similar results . the forming gas annealing process may be performed at a temperature of about 500 ° c . to about 650 ° c . for a time period of about 15 minutes to about 1 hour . however , the present invention is not limited in this respect and temperatures below 500 ° c . or higher 650 ° c ., and longer or shorter time period may possibly be used . according to yet another embodiment , the treatment process may be a plasma treatment in a forming gas environment of h 2 and n 2 , performed for a much shorter time period of about 5 second to about 30 seconds , to convert deposited ti into tin . other suitable methods of converting deposited ti into tin may be used as well . according to embodiments of the invention , the existence of pvd - tin layer 50 in stub contact openings 28 may reduce and / or eliminate the creation of beta - w during a process of cvd deposition of w in a subsequent step of forming w stud contact . the reduction and / or elimination of beta - w may improve the performance of w stud contact because beta - w is known of having a high resistance and otherwise may cause device performance degradation . additionally , pvd - tin layer 50 does not change as much as a cvd - tin , such as cvd - tin 40 , which allows a longer queue time window in - between liner / barrier deposition and cvd - deposition of w . fig6 illustrates that stud contact openings 28 are lined by a stack of ti / cvd - tin / pvd - tin layer , and then deposited with tungsten ( w ) to form w stud contact 60 . the deposition of w may be through any well known processes such as , for example , a cvd process . the deposition of w may overfill stud contact openings 28 to form a tungsten layer 61 . the deposition may be in two or more steps , for example , a nucleation step and a bulk - fill step as described above with equations 1 and 2 . fig7 illustrates a semiconductor structure with a finished middle - of - line stud contact structure in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . following the deposition step as shown in fig6 , excessive tungsten 61 that is above and over stud contact openings 28 may be removed by , for example , any conventional planarization technique such as a chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) process . next , liner stack of ti / cvd - tin / pvd - tin ( i . e ., pvd - tin layer 50 , cvd - tin layer 40 , and ti layer 30 ) that are on top of dielectric material 26 may be removed by for example applying a cmp process as well and by applying different types of slurry in the cmp process . different slurries may be suitable for removing different liners . fig7 further illustrate that a layer of interconnect structure 70 may be formed on top of dielectric material 26 and on stud contacts 60 . interconnect structure 70 may include an inter - level dielectric material 71 and conductive trench and / or via 72 . inter - level dielectric material 71 may be the same or different , preferably the same , dielectric as that of dielectric material 26 . interconnect structure 70 may be formed following conventional process . for example , a conventional via - before - line or a line - before - via process may be used . between interconnect structure 70 and dielectric material layer 26 , a dielectric capping layer ( not shown ) may be formed . fig8 is sample illustration of test results of x - ray diffraction patterns measured from a stack of contact films , suitable for stud contact structure , fabricated in accordance with one embodiment of the invention as well as x - ray diffraction patterns measured from a stack of contact films fabricated by a conventional method . the diffraction patterns clearly indicate the presence of beta - w diffraction peaks on a cvd w film which was deposited on a cvd tin directly . however , when the cvd w film is deposited on a pvd tin , no obvious peaks of beta - w were detected , indicating the absence of beta - w in the formed w film and therefore potential reduction in resistance . while the present invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in forms and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . it is therefore intended that the present invention not be limited to the exact forms and details described and illustrated , but fall within the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
embodiments of the keyboard according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . as shown in fig1 and 2 , a keyboard 10 of the present invention comprises : a substrate 34 ; a membrane 30 having contacts 32 a and 32 b for each key and a circuit , which is formed over the substrate 34 ; an elastic member 17 for each key formed over the contacts 32 a and 32 b of the membrane 30 ; a cover sheet 22 which covers a part of the membrane 30 where the elastic member 17 is not placed ; a keytop 12 for each key formed over the elastic member 17 ; and light - emitting means 39 for emitting light from the underside of the substrate 34 to the keytop 12 . the substrate 34 and membrane 30 are preferably made of light transmissive materials . for example , the substrate 34 is made of transparent or translucent acrylic resin or tempered glass . as used herein , a key 11 is preferably composed of the aforementioned keytop 12 and elastic material 17 . the membrane 30 comprises upper and lower light transmissive films 24 and 26 such as polyester film and a light transmissive spacer 28 sandwiched therebetween . on the films 24 and 26 , contacts 32 a and 32 b for each key and a circuit are formed of a conductive material such as conductive ink and the contacts 32 a and 32 b faces each other in a hollow 29 of the spacer 28 . the conductive ink is preferably light transmissive , but it does not have to be light transmissive when the contacts 32 a and 32 b and the circuit are too fine to block the optical path of light for illuminating the keytop 12 . the elastic material 17 is preferably composed of a rubber member 16 and a pantograph 14 . the keytop 12 is supported by the pantograph 14 . therefore , whichever part of the keytop 12 is pressed , the keytop 12 is pushed straight down . when the keytop 12 is pressed , a rubber member 16 is pushed downward with a pantograph 14 . a cup portion 18 of the rubber member 16 is thereby compressed , and a protrusion 20 pushes the contact 32 a of the upper film 24 downward . then the contact 32 a comes in contact with the contact 32 b of the lower film 26 . when a finger is moved off the keytop 12 , the rubber member 16 and the pantograph 14 generally revert to the original position , and the contact 32 a moves away from the contact 32 b . the substrate 34 and membrane 30 are preferably made of light transmissive materials . however , they do not need to be light transmissive in their entirety but may be light transmissive at least at portions corresponding to the top surfaces of the keytops where legends are given . the pantograph 14 and rubber member 16 constituting the elastic member 17 are also preferably made of light transmissive materials but may not necessarily be light transmissive if they allow sufficient light transmission to provide acceptable legend readability because of their small size or structure . the cover sheet 22 may be light transmissive in its entirety or locally at portions corresponding to the top surfaces of the keytops . alternatively , since the cover sheet 22 includes openings in which the rubber members 16 are placed , the cover sheet 22 may be opaque if the elastic member 17 is such as not to block light transmission through the openings . as shown in fig3 ( a ) and 3 ( b ), the light - emitting means is a backlight sheet 39 composed of a light source 40 , a light - guiding plate ( light - guiding member ) 36 for guiding light from the light source 40 in the direction shown by an arrow , a reflective sheet 38 for reflecting light , and diffusion layers 37 for diffusing light which is formed integral with the light - guiding plate 36 . the light source 40 may be a light - emitting diode or a fluorescent light . the diffusion layers 37 are circular in shape , and the sizes thereof increase with distance from the light source 40 , as shown in fig3 ( a ). although the amount of light decreases with distance from the light source 40 , the increasing sizes of the layers 37 enable efficient light diffusion and uniform radiation of light from the surface of the light - guiding plate 36 . a plurality of backlight sheets 39 are arranged in accordance with an area of the keyboard 10 . given that the backlight sheet 39 is 60 millimeters long and 20 millimeters wide , an arrangement of backlight sheets 39 in two rows and twelve per row constitutes the same area as the keyboard 11 , as shown in fig3 ( c ). for example , where a keytop 12 is 18 millimeters long and 18 millimeters wide , three keys 11 can typically be arranged on one backlight sheet 39 . the backlight sheets 39 are arranged in parallel . for example , a uniform radiation backlight sheet lub 1000 ( available from rohm co ., ltd ) is used as the backlight sheet 39 , it operates at 2 v and 0 . 02 a , and the backlight sheets consume 0 . 98 watts of power in total . the light source 40 is not limited to the one which is provided throughout the one side of the plate 36 , as shown in fig3 ( a ) to 3 ( c ), but it can be provided partially on the one side of the plate 36 , as shown in fig4 ( a ) in the case of large size backlight sheets 41 . such backlight sheets 41 may be arranged in two rows and three per row , as shown in fig4 ( b ). examples of the backlight sheet include a 4 - inch backlight sheet for monochrome lcd ( manufactured by omron corporation , for example ). this backlight sheet operates at 4 v and 0 . 02 a , and six backlight sheets 41 consume 0 . 48 watts of power in total . the power for the light source 40 is derived from a thermoelectric generating element 42 shown in fig5 . in the element 42 , p - type semiconductors 48 and n - type semiconductors 50 are connected in series via electrodes 46 a and 46 b . when a temperature difference occurs between an upper substrate 44 and a lower substrate 45 , a temperature difference also occurs between the electrode 46 a connected to the substrate 44 and the electrode 46 b connected to the substrate 45 . thus , electromotive force is generated due to the seebeck effect . since a plurality of p - type semiconductors 48 and n - type semiconductors 50 are connected in series via the electrodes 46 a and 46 b , electromotive force becomes large . as shown in fig1 the thermoelectric generating element 42 is provided between a micro processing unit ( mpu ) 52 and a heat sink 54 on a mother board 51 of a notebook computer , and generates electricity using a temperature difference between the mpu 52 and a heat sink 54 . the thermoelectric generating element 42 generates electricity to be consumed by the light sources 40 of the backlight sheets 39 . in another embodiment of the present invention , instead of the mpu 52 , a chip set for controlling data input and output in a notebook computer may be used . an example of the thermoelectric generating element 42 is a thermoelectric generating element teci - 12705 ( available form fujitaka co ., ltd ., for example ), which is capable of generating about 1 watt of power ( 0 . 2 amperes at 5 volts , 0 . 5 amperes at 2 volts , or 0 . 25 amperes at 4 volts ) when a temperature difference is about 10 degree celsius . this thermoelectric generating element can generate larger electricity than the backlight sheets 39 and 41 consumes , so that no battery of the notebook computer is used . an example of the mpu 52 is a pentium iii microprocessor ( available from intel corporation , for example ) and an example of the chip set is a chip set 440bx . a method of illuminating a keyboard 10 will be described . the mpu 52 generates heat by the use of the notebook computer , and the thermoelectric generating element 42 provided between the mpu 52 and the heat sink 54 generates electricity due to a temperature difference therebetween . the light source 40 of the backlight sheet 39 emits light using electricity generated by the thermoelectric generating element 42 . the light emitted from the light source 40 travels through the light - guiding plate 36 , as shown in fig3 ( a ) and 3 ( b ) by arrows . the light beams traveling through the plate 36 are scattered by the diffusion layer 37 . as shown in fig3 ( a ) and 3 ( b ), the scattered light beams emanate from the surface of the plate 36 and travel in every direction . furthermore , the light beams are also reflected by the reflective sheet 38 , so that all the light beams are radiated from the surface of the plate 36 into the air . although only the light source 40 emits light in the backlight sheet 39 , the scattered radiation of light beams from the surface of the plate 36 can make the whole of the plate 36 luminous . passing through the substrate 34 , membrane 30 , cover sheet 22 , and elastic member 17 , the light emanated from the surface of the plate 36 illuminates the keytops 12 . the keytops 12 may be made of a resin such as acrylic resin . the keytops 12 are formed so that non - legend areas of top key surfaces 56 are light transmissive as shown in fig6 ( a ) or legends 58 are light transmissive as shown in fig6 ( b ). therefore , the legends 58 on the keytop 12 can be recognized through the use of light . in the keyboard 10 of the present invention , the keytops 12 are illuminated by the backlight sheet 39 , as described above . therefore , the keys 11 can be seen even in a dimly - lit environment . further , the light source 40 of the backlight sheet 39 does not draw power from the battery of a notebook computer but from electricity generated by the thermoelectric generating element 42 , so that battery duration is not reduced by the backlight sheet 39 . as shown in fig7 the aforementioned keyboard 10 may be modified to include an electrically conductive member 68 in the cup portion 18 of the rubber member 62 , and a film - like circuit board 70 is used as a substitute for the membrane 30 . the key 60 shown in fig7 comprises : a substrate 34 ; the film - like circuit board 70 having contacts 66 for each key and a circuit , which is formed over the substrate 34 ; an elastic member 64 for each key which is formed over the contacts 66 of the board 70 and has an electrically conductive member 68 for providing electrically continuity between the contacts 66 ; a cover sheet 22 which covers a part of the board 70 where the elastic member 64 is not placed ; a keytop 12 for each key formed over the elastic member 64 ; and light - emitting means 39 for emitting light from the bottom of the substrate 34 to the keytop 12 . the substrate 34 , film - like circuit board 70 , and cover sheet 22 may be made of light transmissive materials . the backlight sheet 39 shown in fig3 ( a ) to 3 ( c ) is used as the light - emitting means 39 in fig7 . further , the power for the backlight sheet 39 is derived from the thermoelectric generating element 42 shown in fig5 . passing through the substrate 34 , film - like circuit board 70 , elastic member 64 , and cover sheet 22 , the light emanated from the surface of the light - guiding plate 36 illuminates the keytops 12 . the keytop 12 is formed so that the top key surface 56 except legends is made light transmissive as shown in fig6 ( a ) or legends 58 are made light transmissive as shown in fig6 ( b ). as in the case of the aforementioned keyboard 10 , the key 60 shown in fig7 can be seen by a user even in a dimly - lit environment . further , the backlight sheet 39 does not draw power from the battery of a notebook computer but from electricity generated by the thermoelectric generating element 42 , so that battery duration of a notebook computer is not reduced by the backlight sheet 39 . while the embodiments of the present invention have thus been described , it should be understood that the present invention can be materialized in other embodiments . for example , as shown in fig8 a light - emitting diode 74 can be provided to each key 72 . further , light from an arbitrary light source can be guided to the bottom of the key 72 through optical fibers to illuminate the keytop 12 . additionally , luminescent color of the light source 40 is not particularly limited . the color of the keytop 12 may vary depending on the luminescent color of the light source 40 or by the color of the light transmissive material of the keytop 12 . when the substrate 34 , cover sheet 22 and membrane 30 or circuit board 70 are transparent or translucent in their entirety , there may occur light leakage between the keys 11 . therefore , in order to prevent light leakage between the keys 11 , it is preferable to make one or more of them opaque at areas between the keys 11 . further , in addition to backlight sheets 39 and 41 shown in fig3 ( a ), 3 ( b ), 3 ( c ), 4 ( a ) and 4 ( b ), a backlight 76 such as that shown in fig9 can be also used . in the backlight 76 , the light emitted from one or more light sources 78 is uniformly radiated through a lighting curtain 82 and a diffusion sheet 84 which in combination act to produce uniformly distributed light . a fluorescent lump can be used as the light source 78 . in a further embodiment , an electro luminescence ( el ) panel 85 shown in fig1 can be used as another light - emitting means . in the el panel 85 , a fluorescent element 88 is sandwiched between a metal plate 89 and a transparent conductive film 87 . the fluorescent element 88 emits light through the application of voltage , and the emitted light is released from the surface of a transparent protective film 86 . in the key 11 shown in fig1 the keytops 12 are always illuminated by the backlight sheet 39 . however , when a notebook computer is used in a well - lit area , it is not necessary to illuminate the keytops 12 . therefore , where a notebook computer has a photosensor anywhere therein and is used in a well - lit area , it is possible to stop providing electricity to the light source 40 of the backlight sheet 39 . the electricity generated by the thermoelectric generating element 42 can then be used for recharging battery or as a power source to operate various electronic devices . alternatively , instead of a photosensor , a software program can be stored in a memory of a notebook computer for controlling light emission and shutoff of the light source 40 . the thermoelectric generating element 42 generates electricity through the use of the seebeck effect , however , it may serve as a cooling device using the peltier effect by flowing an electric current . therefore , when a notebook computer is used in a well - lit area , it is possible to cool the mpu 52 and the chip set using the peltier effect by flowing a current into the element 42 . further , where a desktop personal computer has to be used in a dimly - lit environment , a backlight sheet can be placed under a substrate of a keyboard so as to illuminate keytops . various changes , modifications and improvements can be made to the embodiments on the basis of knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention . | 7 |
as best shown in fig1 a recuperator 10 is formed from a plurality of cells 12 . the recuperator 10 has a plurality of donor passages 14 and a plurality of recipient passages 16 defined therein . each of the plurality of cells 12 is made from a plurality of primary surface sheets 18 . in this application , a pair of the plurality of primary surface sheets 18 designated as 18 a and having a red color code and 18 b having a black color code is used in making each cell 12 . a plurality of spacer bars 20 and a plurality of guide vanes 22 are also used in making the cell 12 . the plurality of spacer bars 20 are divided into a plurality of donor spacer bars 20 d and a plurality of recipient spacer bars 20 r . and , each of the plurality of spacer bars 20 has a preestablished width “ w ” extending between a first surface 23 and a second surface 24 and a preestablished thickness “ t ” extending between a pair of edges 25 . the plurality of guide vanes 22 are divided into a donor guide vane 22 d having an inlet guide vane and an outlet guide vane and a recipient guide vane 22 r having an inlet guide vane and an outlet guide vane . as best shown in fig1 and 2 , each of the pair of primary surface sheets 18 a , 18 b is pleated and defines a donor side 26 and a recipient side 27 . each of the plurality of primary surface sheets 18 a and 18 b has a center portion 30 , a first wing portion 32 and a second wing portion 34 . in this application , the center portion 30 has a preformed serpentined trapezoidal configuration and each of the first and second wing portions 32 , 34 has a flattened generally triangular configuration . as an alternative , other configurations could be used without changing the jest of the invention . each of the plurality of primary surface sheets 18 a and 18 b define a plurality of edges 36 . the plurality of spacer bars 20 are position on the primary surface sheet 18 a and 18 b alone the respective one of the plurality of edges 36 in a plurality of precise preestablished locations . as shown in fig1 and 3 , one of the pair of primary surface sheets 18 a and 18 b , on the recipient side 27 , has the recipient inlet guide vane 22 r attached thereto in the first wing portion 32 in a precise preestablished location . and , the same one of the pair of primary surface sheets 18 a and 18 b , on the recipient side 27 , has the recipient outlet guide vane 22 r attached thereto in the second wing portion 34 . interposed the first wing portion 32 of the pair of primary surface sheets 18 a and 18 b is a recipient inlet passage 50 positioned at a first or inlet end 51 and interposed the second wing portion 34 of the pair of primary surface sheets 18 a and 18 b is a recipient outlet passage 52 positioned at a second or outlet end 53 . as shown in fig3 a plurality of welds 54 are used to complete the assembly of each of the plurality of cells 12 and is further used to assembly the recuperator 10 after each cell has been inspected and tested . as best seen in fig4 and 5 , a testing or inspection system , apparatus and / or line 60 is shown . the testing or inspection line 60 includes a table 62 having a pair of sealing mechanisms 64 being operatively sealable with the one of the plurality of cells 12 . an input station 65 is positioned near the table 62 and has a plurality of welded cells position thereon . an output station 66 is located near the table 62 and has an operational cell position 67 and a failed cell position 68 thereon . the table 62 is interconnected to a controller 69 by a plurality of leads 70 which extend from a plurality of sensors 71 , such as by wires . a source for pulling a vacuum , a vacuum pump 72 is connected to the controller 69 and the pair of mechanism 64 . for example , a pair of hoses 73 are fluidly connected to each of the pair of mechanism 64 and a portion of the plurality of leads 70 interconnect the controller 69 and the vacuum pump 72 . a plurality of switches 74 are operatively connected to the controller 69 and the vacuum pump 72 . a pair of safety devices 76 are operatively attached to the table 62 and the controller 69 and a readout station 78 is operatively attached to the inspection line 60 . as further shown in fig5 the table 62 has a bottom portion 80 and a top portion 82 hingedly connected by a plurality of hinges 84 . as an alternative , a single hinge 84 could be used . the top portion 82 has a generally ladder type configuration being formed by a pair of rails 86 spaced apart by a plurality of rungs 88 . interposed the plurality of rungs 88 are a plurality of openings 90 . a pair of handles 92 are attached to one of the pair of rails 86 opposite the plurality of hinges 84 and are space one from another . a transparent plate 94 is attached to the top portion 82 . as an alternative , the top portion 82 could be a transparent member . the transparent plate 94 has a substantially flat surface 96 . the table 62 has the top portion 82 shown in an open or loading position 98 in fig5 . the bottom portion 80 has a deck portion 100 having a substantially flat surface 102 . the deck portion 100 is elevated from a table top 103 of the table 62 in a conventional manner , such as a plurality of pillars . the table top 103 has a top surface 104 and bottom surface 105 . the deck portion 100 has a pair of ends 106 and a pair of sides 107 . a plurality of locators 108 are positioned in the deck portion 100 near the respective pair of ends 106 and the pair of sides 107 . in this application , the pair of mechanisms 64 are movably attached to the bottom portion 80 of the table 62 at an angle to each of the intersection of one of the pair of ends 106 and one of the pair of sides 107 . the pair of sealing mechanism 64 are movable to the bottom portion 80 between a plurality of positions to compensate for testing of a variety of shapes and configurations of cells 12 . the pair of mechanisms 64 are operatively aligned with each of the recipient inlet passage 50 and the recipient outlet passage 52 at the respective first end 51 and the second end 53 . the pair of mechanisms 64 are spaced from the respective one of the recipient inlet passage 50 and the recipient outlet passage 52 in an open or non testing position 110 . the plurality of switches 74 are physically located near one of the pair of ends 106 and at one of the pair of sides 107 opposite the one of the pair of side 107 having the plurality of hinges 84 attached thereto . the plurality of switches 74 are positioned in arms reach of an operator and have an off position 116 in which the pair of mechanisms 64 are positioned in the open or non testing position 110 . in this application , the pair of safety devices 76 are positioned near one of the pair of sides 107 being opposite the plurality of hinges 84 and near each of the pair of ends 106 . the pair of safety devices 76 are spaces apart but are within arms length of the operator . the readout station 78 can be one of a visual screen , an audible signal or a visual signal such as a green light for an operational or good cell 12 or a red light for a failed or bad cell 12 . the readout station 78 could also have a printout defining a result of the test or the results could appear on the visual screen for viewing by the operator or to be recorded by the operator . in fig6 the table 62 has the top portion 82 shown in a closed or testing position 120 . the plurality of switches 74 are shown in an on position 122 in which the pair of mechanisms 64 are positioned in the closed or testing position 124 and are sealingly positioned with respect to one of the recipient inlet passage 50 and the recipient outlet passage 52 by a cylinder 126 . the cylinder 126 and linkage 128 is best shown in fig7 and will be further defined later . a cylinder 130 is shown in an extended position . in a closed position , not shown , the cylinder 130 is used to assist in maintaining the top portion 82 in the open or loading position 98 . a lock 132 is shown in a locked position 134 . in fig5 the lock 132 is shown in an unlocked position 136 . as discussed above , in this application , the readout station 78 has a visual screen 138 and a printout mechanism 140 . the printout mechanism 140 includes a printer head 142 having a supply of ink being fed thereto in a conventional manner . the printer head 142 is movable between a plurality of positions to compensate for testing of a variety of shapes and configurations of the cells 12 . as shown in fig7 the pair of sealing mechanisms 64 includes a housing 150 having a plurality of passage 152 therein , only one being shown . a first end portion 154 of each of the plurality of passages 152 is operatively connected to one of the pair of hoses 74 . a second end portion 156 of each of the plurality of passages 152 is operative connected to a seal 158 . for example , the cylinder 126 and the linkage 128 maintain the seal 158 in contacting relationship with the housing 150 . the seal 158 has a generally “ t ” shaped cross sectional configuration . a top portion 162 of the “ t ” has a sealing surface 164 positioned at a first end 166 . the top portion 162 has a second end 168 spaced from the first end 166 a preestablished distance . the sealing surface 164 is in contacting relationship with the housing 150 about the plurality of passages 152 . a base portion 170 of the “ t ” has a first end 172 , shown in phantom , connected to the second end 168 of the top portion 162 and a second end 174 of the base portion 170 is spaced from the first end 172 a preestablished distance and has a sealing surface 176 thereon . a plurality of passages 178 , only one being shown . interface between the sealing surface 164 of the top portion 162 and the sealing surface 176 of the base portion 170 . with the pair of mechanisms 64 in the closed or testing position 124 the sealing surface 176 of each seal 158 is in sealing engagement with a respective one of the recipient inlet passage 50 and the recipient outlet passage 52 of the cell 12 being tested . and , with the pair of mechanisms 64 in the open or non testing position 110 the sealing surface 176 of each seal 158 is spaced from the respective one of the recipient inlet passage 50 and the recipient outlet passage 52 of the cell 12 to be tested or having been tested . each of the pair of pair of mechanisms 64 has one of the cylinders 126 attached to the bottom surface 105 of the table top 103 . a plurality of fasteners 180 threadedly engages into the table top 103 and maintain the respective cylinder 126 in place . the linkage 128 extends from a rod 182 of each cylinder 126 to an arm mechanism 184 . the arm mechanism 184 has a threaded hole 186 therein to which the rod 182 is attached . a locking nut 188 maintains the relative position of the cylinder 126 to the arm mechanism 184 . the arm mechanism 184 is attached to the respective one of the pair of mechanisms 64 and passes through one of a pair of slotted holes 190 in the table top 103 . a pair of slider bars 192 are attached to each of the housing 150 and slidably interfaces with the housing 150 and the top surface 104 of the table top 103 . a similar arrangement can be used to position the readout station 78 if desired . in operation , one of the plurality of welded cells 12 is taken from the plurality of cells 12 at the input station 65 and is positioned on the table 62 of the test or inspection line 60 . the donor side 26 of the primary surface sheet 18 a is positioned in contacting relationship with the flat surface 102 of the deck portion 100 of the bottom portion 80 . the plurality of locators 108 positioned near the respective ends 106 and the pair of sides 107 of the deck portion 100 assist in orientation of the individual cell 12 with respect to the pair of sealing mechanisms 64 containing the respective seal 158 . as the operator grasps the pair of handles 92 , the top portion 82 is pivotally closed about the plurality of hinges 84 . thus , the donor side 26 of the primary surface sheet 18 b is positioned in contacting relationship with the flat surface 96 of the transparent plate 94 of the top portion 82 . with the top portion 82 and the bottom portion 80 of the table 62 having the transparent plate 94 and the transparent deck 100 respectively , it is easy for the operator to insure that the cell 12 being tested or inspected is flat . with the cell 12 flat , the lock 132 is moved into the locked position 136 by the operator . the plurality of switched 74 are engaged to the on position 122 by the operator and the pair of safety devices 76 are depressed or actuated . with all switches 74 and devices 76 in the go position and the signal from the plurality of sensors 71 to the controller 69 activated , the rod 182 of each of the cylinders 126 is extended and each of the pair of mechanisms 64 is moved into the closed or testing position 124 . thus , the seating surface 176 of the seal 158 is in contacting and sealing relationship with one of the recipient inlet passage 50 and the recipient outlet passage 52 at there respective first end 51 and second end 53 . and , the sealing surface 164 of the seal 158 is in contacting and sealing relationship with the respective one of the pair of mechanisms 64 . for example , the rod 182 of the cylinder 126 is extended , such as by air pressure , and the linkage 128 connecting with the respective one of the pair of mechanisms 64 is moved from the open or non testing position 110 to the closed or testing position 124 . the vacuum pump 72 is actuated and a vacuum of about 250 , 000 pascals ( about 36 pounds per square inch ) is drawn within the recipient passage 16 between the recipient inlet passage 50 and the recipient outlet passage 52 . after attaining the preestablished vacuum the vacuum pump 72 is deactivated . a portion of the plurality of sensors 71 monitors the leakage from the recipient passage 16 and the rate of leakage is indicated by the readout station 78 . the results of the test is printed on one of the plurality of spacer bars 20 by the printout mechanism 140 . the lock 132 is unlocked by the operator and the top portion 82 of the table 62 is moved into the open or loading position 98 . the tested cell 12 is removed from the bottom portion 80 of the table 62 and is positioned on the output station 66 at either the operational cell position 67 if passing the test or the failed cell position 86 if failing the test . thus , the effectiveness of the recuperator 10 is increased by using only cells 12 that pass the test and are positioned in the operational cell position 67 of the output station 66 . the cells 12 which are positioned in the failed position 86 can be reworked or scrapped . with the testing or inspection system , apparatus and / or line 60 the effectiveness and efficiency of the recuperator 10 is increased . other aspects and advantages of this invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings , the disclosure , and the appended claims . | 6 |
referring now more particularly to the drawings , and specifically to fig1 thereof , a flexible walled bag or container is there generally designated 10 , including a pair of facing spaced side walls 11 , say of congruent , generally rectangular configuration , and a peripheral edge wall or gusset 12 extending circumferentially about and enclosing the space between the side walls . the side walls 11 and peripheral wall or gusset 12 may all be fabricated of flexible sheet material , such as wovern fabric , or the like , suitably reinforced as desired , and conventionally secured together , as by stitching , or other securing means . the peripheral wall or gusset sheet 12 is formed therealong with an opening or slot defined between adjacent gusset edges 15 , to which is secured a slide fastener or zipper 16 . the slide fastener 16 includes a pair of longitudinally coextensive runners 17 , each extending along a respective edge 15 of the gusset 12 and secured thereto , as by stitching 18 , or other suitable means . the runners 15 may each include an elongate strip or tape 20 , which is stitched to the gusset 12 extending along and projecting beyond a respective gusset edge 15 . on the extending , longitudinal edge of each tape 20 are teeth or other grippers 21 , the grippers of one tape being moveable into and out of releasable interengagement with the grippers of the other tape , in the manner of a slide fastener . the grippers 21 of the respective tapes 20 are longitudinally coextensive with each other and terminate at a location , see 22 in fig3 short of the adjacent ends 23 of the tapes 20 . thus , the tape end portions 25 beyond the gripper ends 22 define anchoring extensions or tails on the tapes , as will appear more fully hereinafter . a slider 26 is shown on the grippers 21 , in fig3 in the limiting position on the grippers in which the slide fastener 16 is closed . the slider is , of course , slidable out of the closed position shown in fig3 upwardly , to open the slide fastener . carried by the slider 26 is a slider pull or tab 27 , which may be swingably connected to the outer side of the slider , as by a pull connection or loop 28 . thus , the slider pull 27 is swingable relative to the slider 26 to project therefrom , generally normal to the slider ( as shown in fig3 ), and is further swingable in opposite directions to lie generally longitudinally along and on top of the slider . a pair of through holes or apertures 29 and 30 are formed in slider pull 27 , for a purpose appearing presently . a relatively stiff backing member or plate 32 is located on the inner side of the gusset sheet 12 in the region of the gripper ends 22 , the backing member or plate being advantageously of plastic , or other suitably stiff reinforcing material capable of being riveted and sewn . the backing member or plate extends laterally beyond and overlies the tapes 20 in the region of the gripper ends 22 , while terminating laterally short of the bag side walls 11 . in addition , the backing member or plate 32 extends longitudinally of the slide fastener inwardly or upwardly beyond the gripper ends 22 to an inner end region 33 , and extends downwardly or outwardly beyond the tapes 20 and the tape extensions 25 to an outer end region 34 . the backing plate 32 may be generally rectangular in outline configuration as seen in fig1 and may have its inner end region fixedly secured to the gusset sheet 12 , as by a pair of headed fasteners 35 , on opposite sides of the gusset edges 15 . that is , the fasteners 35 may each extend through and securely fasten one corner of the backing plate 32 to one tape 20 , and the overlying portion of gusset sheet 12 . additional backing member securing means , such as stitching 36 extends generally from the region of the gripper ends 22 along each side edge of the backing member 32 , longitudinally or downwardly , through the backing member , the overlying portion of gusset sheet 12 , and the intermediate tape extensions or tails 25 . there are advantageously provided additional lines of securement or stitching extending transversely between the laterally spaced stitching 36 , as the stitching 37 adjacent to and longitudinally outwardly of the gripper ends 22 , and the stitching 38 longitudinally outwardly beyond and remote from the gripper ends 22 . the transverse securement means or stitching 37 passes through the gusset sheet 12 and underlying tape extensions 25 , while the transverse stitching 38 extends through the gusset sheet 12 and the underlying backing member or plate 32 . from the foregoing , it will be appreciated that the backing member or plate 32 is effectively secured to the under or inner side of the gusset sheet 12 and the slide fastener 16 in the region of the gripper ends 22 , to effectively rigidify and reinforce the same . further , the tape extensions 25 are both clamped between the gusset sheet 12 and reinforcing member 32 and secured thereto , for effective anchoring therebetween . in addition to the foregoing structure , there is provided a slide fastener seal , generally designated 40 , which may advantageously be integrally fabricated , say of plastic , by molding , but may be formed otherwise of other materials , if desired . the seal 40 includes an elongate member or arm 41 , of generally rectangular cross section , having at one end a slider pull cover or receiver 42 , and having at its other end a transverse pivot , pin or rivet 43 . the cover or receiver 42 outstands from the arm 41 , generally normal thereto , being defined essentially by a pair of generally parallel , facing , spaced walls 45 and 46 , the former being more proximate to the arm 41 and the latter being more remote from the arm . the receiver walls 45 and 46 may be somewhat outwardly convergent in the direction away from the plane of the arm 41 , there being joined together by a laterally coextensive arcuate or bight portion 47 . the inner end region of the proximate receiver wall 45 is sharply bent , as at 48 into an extension 49 generally coplanar with and merging integrally into the adjacent portion of the arm 41 . as the wall portion 49 is of less thickness than the arm 41 , the wall portion is recessed into or offset outwardly from the inner side of the arm , as best seen in fig2 . the more remote receiver wall 46 is similarly sharply curved at its inner end , at bend 50 and extends therefrom longitudinally outwardly of the arm 41 by wall portion 51 , which is generally coplanar with inwardly extending wall portion 49 . in addition , an inturned lip or flange 52 is formed on the distal end of wall portion 51 . a closure or wall 53 extends between one adjacent pair of side edges of walls 45 and 46 , the far side edges as seen in fig2 the closure wall 53 extending generally from the bight 47 to an edge 54 extending between and approximately flush with the edge 52 and the inner surface of arm 41 . thus , the cover 42 is composed of the facing , spaced walls 45 and 46 , joined at their extremities by bight 47 , and closed along one side or edge by wall 53 , the other side or edge being entirely open , as seen in fig2 . adjacent to the bight portion 47 , the cover walls 45 and 46 are formed with a pair of aligned through openings 56 and 57 ; and , remote from the bight portion 47 the walls 45 and 46 , and their respective extensions or wall portions 49 and 51 , are formed with aligned through openings 58 and 59 . the aligned openings 58 and 59 are larger than the aligned openings 56 and 57 . the arm 41 may have its outer surface reinforced , as by longitudinal ribs 60 . additionally , the inner end region of the arm 41 may be strengthened by the provision of a boss or enlargement 61 , on the inner side of the arm and surrounding the pin 43 . in assembly of the seal 40 with the bag 10 , it is only necessary to provide a single hole for receiving the pin 43 , which is then headed , as at 62 to define a pivot or rivet . more specifically , a hole is pierced through the lower or outer end region 34 of the reinforcing or backing plate 32 , and the overlying portion of gusset sheet 12 , through which is inserted the pin 43 . an annular member or washer 63 may be engaged about the pin 43 before formation of the head 62 . it will now be appreciated that the seal 40 and the arm 41 are mounted to the bag 10 , for rotation about the axis of pivot 43 , which moves the receiver , and specifically the receiver walls 45 and 46 edgewise into and out of receiving or covering relation with respect to the pull tab 27 when the latter outstands from the slider 26 . the seal receiving or covering relation is shown in full lines in fig1 and is shown in uncovering relation in the phantom position . when the receiver or cover 42 is in its covering relation with respect to the slider pull 27 , the receiver apertures 56 and 57 are in registry with the pull aperture 29 , and the receiver apertures 58 and 59 are in registry with the pull aperture 30 . thus , suitable shackle means may be extended through one or both sets of registering apertures , as shown in phantom at 65 and 66 in fig1 . in practice , the smaller registering apertures 56 , 29 and 57 may conveniently receive a plastic , wire or other suitable seal , while the larger registering apertures 58 , 30 and 59 may conveniently receive the shackle of a padlock , if desired . the reinforcing member 32 effectively maintains proper positioning of the seal 40 with respect to the slide fastener 16 and specifically with respect to the slider 26 in its runner closing position at gripper ends 22 . from the foregoing it is seen that the present invention provides a slide fastener seal , particularly for gusseted and similar bags , which is extremely simple and economical to manufacture and assemble , and quick and easy in use by unskilled persons . although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding , it is understood that certain changes and modifications ma be made within the spirit of the invention . | 8 |
fig1 shows a cross - section of a human head with anatomical structures including the nasal cavity n , bone b of the hard palate hp , the soft palate sp including the uvula uv at the posterior end thereof , the mouth m , the tongue t , the trachea tr , the epiglottis ep , the esophagus es , and the posterior pharyngeal wall ppw . in a human body , an air filled space between the nasal cavity n and the larynx lx is referred to as the upper airway . the most critical part of the upper airway associated with sleep disorders is the pharynx px . referring to fig2 , the pharynx has three different anatomical levels . the nasopharynx np is the upper portion of the pharynx located in the back of the nasal cavity n . the oropharynx op is the intermediate portion of the pharynx containing the soft palate sp , the epiglottis ep , and the curve at the back of the tongue t . the hypopharynx hp is the lower portion of the pharynx located below the soft tissue of the oropharynx op . the oropharynx op is the section of the pharynx that is most likely to collapse due to the high prevalence of soft tissue structure , which leaves less space for airflow . the hypopharynx hp lies below the aperture of the larynx and behind the larynx , and extends to the esophagus . as is well known to those skilled in the art , the soft palate and the tongue are both flexible structures . the soft palate sp provides a barrier between the nasal cavity n and the mouth m . in many instances , the soft palate sp is longer than is necessary and extends a significant distance between the back of the tongue t and the posterior pharyngeal wall ppw . the midline posterior end of the soft palate is referred to as the uvula , which is the soft tissue that extends downward from the soft palate over the back of the tongue . although the muscles relax throughout the body during sleep , most of the muscles of the respiratory system remain active . during inhalation , the diaphragm contracts and causes negative pressure to draw air a into the nasal cavity n and the mouth m . the air then flows past the pharynx px , through the trachea tr and into the lungs . the negative pressure causes the tissue of the upper airway to deform slightly , which narrows the airway passage . in apneic patients , the soft palate sp , the tongue t , and / or the epiglottis ep collapse against the posterior pharyngeal wall ppw to block airflow into the trachea . as the airway narrows , airflow through the pharynx becomes turbulent , which causes the soft palate sp to vibrate , generating a sound commonly known as snoring . during sleep , humans typically experience brief obstructions of airflow and / or small decreases in the amount of airflow into the trachea and lungs . an obstruction of airflow for more than ten seconds is referred to as apnea . a decrease in airflow by more than fifty percent is referred to as hypopnea . the severity of sleep disorders is measured by the number of apneas and hypopneas that occur during every hour of sleep . if apnea or hypopnea occurs more than five times per hour , most medical personnel diagnose the individual as having an upper airway resistance problem . many of these patients often exhibit symptoms related to sleep disorders including sleepiness during the day , depression , and difficulty concentrating . individuals having ten or more episodes of apnea or hypopnea during every hour of sleep are officially classified as having obstructive sleep apnea syndrome . as the airway is obstructed , the individual makes repeated attempts to force inhalation . many of these episodes are silent and are characterized by movements of the abdomen and chest wall as the individual strains to draw air into the lungs . typically , episodes of apnea may last a minute or more . during this time , oxygen levels in the blood will decrease . ultimately , the obstruction may be overcome by the individual generating a loud snore or awakening with a choking feeling . referring to fig2 , when an individual is awake , the back of the tongue t and the soft palate sp maintain their shape and tone due to their respective internal muscles . as a result , the airway a through the pharynx remains open and unobstructed . during sleep , however , the muscle tone decreases and the posterior surface of the tongue and the soft palate become more flexible and distensible . referring to fig3 , without normal muscle tone to keep their shape and to keep them in place either alone or as a group , the posterior surface of the tongue t , the epiglottis ep , and the soft palate sp tend to easily collapse to block the airway a . referring to fig4 , during sleep , the proximal end of the tongue t may block the airway a between the nasal passages n and the upper end of the trachea tr . the soft palate sp may also relax and have the uvula uv slide between the back of the tongue t and the posterior pharyngeal wall ppw . in one embodiment , the present invention provides an implant that changes the shape of the soft palate so that it does not move into the position shown in fig4 . the implant also desirably provides support to the tongue t so that it does not sag in a posterior direction against the posterior pharyngeal wall , as shown in fig4 . referring to fig5 a - 5e , in one embodiment , an implant 100 , such as a soft palate implant , includes a main body 102 that is implantable in a soft palate . the main body 102 has a posterior or distal end 104 , and an anterior or proximal end 106 that is adapted to be coupled and / or secured to a hard palate of a patient . the main body 106 of the implant 102 preferably includes a top surface 108 and a bottom surface 110 . the main body 102 of the implant 100 preferably has a length l and a width w that may vary depending upon patient anatomy . the main body 102 and the top and bottom surfaces 108 , 110 may be curved . the curvature of the main body 102 may vary depending upon patient anatomy , the specific problem affecting the patient and / or surgical requirements . in one embodiment , the curvature of the main body 102 may be varied as required to prevent the back of a patient &# 39 ; s tongue from pressing against the posterior pharyngeal wall . referring to fig5 a - 5e , in one embodiment , the proximal end 106 of the soft palate implant 102 includes a securing element 112 for securing the implant to a hard palate of a patient . in one embodiment , the securing element includes an upper anchoring tab 114 adapted to engage an upper surface of a hard palate , and a pair of lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 adapted to engage a lower surface of a hard palate . referring to fig5 a and 5e , in one embodiment , the upper anchoring tab 114 desirably includes a leading end 120 and trailing end 122 that is connected to the main body 102 via a flexible connection 124 . the upper anchoring tab 114 includes an outer face 126 and an inner face 128 having anchoring barbs 130 . the anchoring barbs 130 are adapted to bite into an upper surface of a hard palate for anchoring the proximal end 106 of the soft palate implant 100 to the hard palate . the flexible connection 124 normally biases the upper anchoring tab 114 toward the opposing lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 in a downward direction designated d 1 . the lower anchoring tabs include the first lower tab 116 having a leading end 132 and a trailing end 134 that is connected with the main body 102 via a flexible connection 136 . the flexible connection 136 normally biases the first lower tab 116 toward the upper tab 114 in an upward direction designated d 2 . the first lower tab 116 includes an outer surface 138 and an inner surface 140 having anchoring barbs 142 projecting therefrom . in one embodiment , the anchoring barbs 142 are adapted to bite into an underside surface of a hard palate . the first lower tab 116 also desirably includes through holes 144 that extend from the inner surface 140 toward the outer surface 138 . in one embodiment , the through holes 144 extend completely between the inner and outer surfaces 140 , 138 . in one embodiment , the through holes 144 are blind detents that extend only part of the way between the inner surface and the outer surface . the second lower tab 118 preferably includes a leading end 146 and a trailing end 148 that is coupled with a proximal end of the main body via a flexible connection 150 . the flexible connection 150 normally biases the second lower tab 118 toward the upper anchoring tab 114 in an upward direction designated d 2 . the second lower anchoring tab 118 includes an outer surface 152 and an inner surface 154 having bone anchoring barbs 156 projecting therefrom . the bone anchoring barbs 156 are preferably adapted to bite into an underside surface of a hard palate . the second lower anchoring tab 118 also includes through holes 158 adapted to receive posts at a distal end of an insertion tool as will be described in more detail below . referring to fig6 , in one embodiment , an insertion tool 200 for implanting the implant 100 shown in fig5 a - 5e includes a shaft 202 having a distal end 204 that secures and deploys the implant . the distal end 204 of the insertion tool 200 desirably includes an upper blade 210 having a leading end 212 and a trailing end 214 . the upper blade 210 includes a pair of aligned slits 216 a , 216 b that extend from the leading end 212 toward the trailing end 214 . the upper blade 210 includes a first set of through holes 218 a , 218 b adjacent the first slot 216 a , and a second set of through holes 220 a , 220 b adjacent the second slot 216 b . referring to fig6 , in one embodiment , the insertion tool 200 also preferably includes a lower blade 222 having a leading end 224 and a trailing end 226 . the lower blade 222 includes an inner surface 228 having a first set of lower anchoring tab securing posts 230 aligned with one another and extending along a first lateral edge 232 of the lower blade 222 and a second set of lower anchoring tab securing posts 234 aligned with one another and extending along a second lateral edge 236 of the lower blade 222 . in one embodiment , the aligned securing posts 230 , 234 on the lower blade 222 may be aligned with the through holes 218 , 220 extending through the upper blade 212 . in one embodiment , the lower blade 222 is adapted to be wedged away from the upper blade 210 for releasing the uvula implant from the distal end 204 of the insertion tool . in one embodiment , the insertion tool 200 includes a push bar 240 that is coupled with an actuator ( not shown ) located at a proximal end of the insertion tool . upon activation of the actuator ( not shown ), the push bar 240 preferably moves in a distal direction designated d 3 for wedging the leading end 224 of the lower blade 222 away from the upper blade 210 . in one embodiment , the push bar may wedge the upper blade away from the lower blade . referring to fig7 a - 7d , in one embodiment , the soft palate implant 100 is preferably securable to the distal end 204 of the insertion tool 200 . referring to fig7 a - 7d , in one embodiment , the insertion tool 200 includes an elongated shaft 202 having a distal end 204 and a proximal end 206 coupled with a housing 207 having an actuator or trigger 209 . referring to fig7 c and 7d , in one embodiment , the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 are held between the upper blade 210 and the lower blade 222 , with the barbs 142 projecting from the inner surfaces of the lower tabs 116 , 118 passing through the slots 216 adjacent the lateral edges of the upper blade 210 . in one embodiment , the upper and lower blades 220 , 222 pinch towards one another for holding the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 therebetween . the securing posts 234 on the lower blade 222 preferably pass through the through holes 144 , 158 of the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 for more securely holding the implant to the distal end 204 of the insertion tool 200 . referring to fig7 c and 7d , in one embodiment , when the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 are held between the upper and lower blades 210 , 224 , the upper anchoring tab 114 preferably lies above the upper blade 210 . in one embodiment , during an insertion operation , the insertion tool 200 secures the implant 100 so that the distal end 104 of the implant 100 may be guided into a surgical opening , such as an incision formed in the soft palate of a patient . in one embodiment , the push bar 240 is actuated so that it moves in the direction d 3 toward the distal end of the insertion tool 200 . as the push bar 240 moves toward the distal end , the upper and lower blades 210 , 222 are wedged away from one another for releasing the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 from the insertion tool . in one embodiment , the respective upper and lower anchoring tabs will preferably bias toward one another , whereby the barbs on the inner surfaces of the tabs bite into the respective upper and lower faces of the hard palate for anchoring the implant 100 to the hard palate . referring to fig8 a and 8b , in one embodiment , the distal end of the insertion tool 200 is adapted to secure a proximal end of the implant device 100 . the distal end of the insertion tool preferably releases the implant device after the device has been implanted in tissue . in one preferred embodiment , the insertion tool is used to implant the implant device in the soft palate of a patient and anchor a proximal end of the implant device to the patient &# 39 ; s hard palate . referring to fig8 a , in one embodiment , the upper and lower blades pinch the pair of lower tabs 116 , 118 therebetween , and the push bar 240 is in a retracted position . in fig8 b , the push bar 240 is advanced in a distal direction designated d 3 for wedging the lower blade 222 away from the upper blade 210 so as to release the pair of lower tabs 116 , 118 from the distal end of the insertion tool 200 . the insertion tool may then be retracted in the direction designated d 4 so as to release the implant device 100 and leave the proximal end of the implant device anchored to a structure , such as the hard palate of a patient . referring to fig9 a , in one embodiment , a surgical opening so is formed in the soft palate sp and an implant device 100 is inserted into the surgical opening for supporting the soft palate sp and the uvula uv . in one embodiment , the implant 100 is preferably held by the upper and lower blades at the distal end 204 of the insertion tool 200 . fig9 b shows a magnified view of the distal end 204 of the insertion tool 200 with the implant 100 inserted into the surgical opening so in the soft palate sp . in one embodiment , the shaft 202 of the insertion tool 200 is moved in the direction a 1 for inserting the implant 100 into the surgical opening so . the shaft 202 of the insertion tool 200 is then retracted in the direction a 2 so that the upper tab 114 overlies the top surface of the hard palate hp and the lower tabs 116 , 118 underlie the bottom surface of the hard palate . the push bar is then advanced to open the upper and lower blades of the tool for releasing the implant 100 from the distal end of the insertion tool . fig1 a - 10c and 10 a - 1 through 10 c - 1 show a simplified view of how the insertion tool is used for implanting the implant device in the soft palate . referring to fig1 a , after the soft palate implant 100 has been inserted into the surgical opening in the soft palate and while the upper and lower blades 210 , 222 hold the implant 100 , the insertion tool 200 is moved in a the direction a 2 so that the upper anchoring tab 114 overlies the top surface of the hard palate hp and the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 are positioned under the bottom surface of the hard palate hp . fig1 a - 1 shows a magnified cross - sectional view of the soft palate implant 100 and the insertion tool 200 shown in fig1 a . the implant 100 includes the upper anchoring tab 114 overlying a top surface of the hard palate hp and the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 underlying the bottom surface of the hard palate hp . initially , the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 remain secured between the upper blade 210 and the lower blade 222 of the insertion tool . the upper and lower blades 210 , 222 desirably pinch the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 therebetween for securing the lower tabs to the distal end of the insertion tool . the push bar 240 , which is later used for wedging the lower blade 222 away from the upper blade 210 , is preferably in the fully retracted position . referring to fig1 b , in one embodiment , an actuator at the proximal end of the insertion tool 200 is engaged for moving the push bar 240 in a distal direction designated d 3 . as the push bar 240 moves in the distal direction , the lower blade 224 is wedged away from the upper blade 210 so that the securing posts 234 on the lower blade 222 are retracted from the through holes extending through the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 . fig1 b - 1 shows an expanded view of fig1 b , whereby the lower blade 222 of the insertion tool 200 is wedged away from the upper blade 210 by the push bar 240 . the posts 234 on the lower blade 222 are retracted from the through holes in the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 of the implant 100 . the barbs on the pair of lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 preferably pass through the slots in the upper blade for engaging the underside of the hard palate hp . after the upper and lower blades 210 , 222 have been wedged away from one another for releasing the implant 100 , the insertion tool 200 may be retracted in the direction designated a 2 . after being released from the distal end of the insertion tool , the upper and lowers tabs of the implant 100 preferably bias toward one another for pinching the hard palate hp therebetween . the barbs 130 , 142 on the inner surfaces of the opposing upper and lower anchoring tabs 114 , 116 , 118 preferably bite into the bone of the hard palate hp for anchoring the implant 100 to the hard palate hp . fig1 c and 10 c - 1 show the implant 100 after it has been anchored to the hard palate hp . the implant 100 includes the upper tab 114 anchored to the top surface of the hard palate hp , and the lower tabs 116 , 118 anchored to the underside surface of the hard palate hp . as shown in fig1 c - 1 , the barbs 124 on the upper anchoring tab 114 bite into the upper surface of the hard palate hp , while the barbs 142 on the lower anchoring tabs 116 , 118 bite into the underside surface of the hard palate hp . although barbs are shown for securing the implant to the hard palate , in other embodiments other fastening elements such as screws , pins , tacks , adhesives , wire , and sutures may be used for securing the implant to the hard palate . referring to fig1 a , some patients have a condition whereby the soft palate sp has a horizontal component h and a vertical component v that is angled relative to the horizontal component . in some instances , the vertical component v may be at an angle that approaches 90 ° or more relative to the horizontal component h . as is known to those skilled in the art , the existence of the vertical component reduces the size of the opening in the posterior portion of the nasopharynx , which may cause osa symptoms . in order to change the shape of the soft palate sp and / or provide a soft palate sp having a more continuous arc , an implant as disclosed herein may be implanted into the soft palate of a patient . fig1 b shows the soft palate sp of the fig1 a after the implant 100 has been implanted therein . the implant 100 includes a proximal end anchored to the hard palate hp of the patient and a distal end that extends to the uvula uv . the implant 100 preferably changes the shape of the soft palate so that it has a more preferred , continuous arc between the hard palate hp and uvula uv . the more continuous arc shape of the soft palate shown in fig1 b opens the posterior portion of the nasopharynx and provides more space between the soft palate sp and the posterior pharyngeal wall ppw . during sleep , the implanted device 100 may provide indirect support to the tongue t in an anterior direction for further opening in the posterior portion of the nasopharynx . referring to fig1 , in one embodiment , an implant 300 for supporting and / or changing the shape of the uvula includes a main body 302 and a fastening element provided at a proximal end of the main body . the main body includes a plurality of openings 305 extending therethrough that provide for bone or tissue in - growth . fig1 shows another embodiment of an implant 400 for supporting a uvula including a main body 402 having an outer mesh surface 405 for promoting bone and / or tissue in - growth . although the present invention is not limited by any particular theory of operation , it is contemplated that two or more implant devices may be implanted in a soft palate of a patient for supporting and / or changing the shape of the uvula of the patient for treating obstructive sleep apnea . referring to fig1 , in one embodiment , a system for treating obstructive sleep apnea may include a pair of implant devices 500 a and 500 b implanted in a soft palate sp , whereby each of the implants have distal ends supporting a uvula and proximal ends anchored to a hard palate . referring to fig1 , in one embodiment , a system for treating obstructive sleep apnea may include a plurality of implant devices 600 a , 600 b , 600 c ( e . g . three implant devices ) that are implanted in a soft palate sp , whereby each of the implants have distal ends supporting a uvula and proximal ends anchored to a hard palate hp . the implants extending through the soft palate may be parallel to one another or may be angled relative to one another . the lengths and / or sizes of the implants may vary . in one embodiment , a first implant may have a first length , and a second adjacent implant may have a second length that is different than the first length . in other embodiments , fastening elements other than barbs may be used for securing the proximal end of the implant to the hard palate . in one embodiment , one or more screws may be used for securing the implant to a hard palate . in another embodiment , surgical tacks may be used for securing the implant to the hard palate . in yet another embodiment , surgical wire or sutures may be used to securing the implant to the hard palate . bone needles may also be used for securing the implant to the hard palate . in one embodiment , the implant may have an outer surface that encourages tissue in - growth so as to stabilize the implant within the tissue and so as to minimize the opportunity for tissue erosion . the outer surface modification may be achieved by texturizing the outer surface , making the implant porous through the addition of holes ( e . g . drilled or pierced holes ), encapsulating the implant with a braided , surgical mesh , or fleece type material , and / or coating the implant with bone growth stimulating agents such as hydroxyapatite . although the present invention is not limited by any particular theory of operation , it is believed that providing a soft tissue implant supported by the distal end of the hard palate provides more positive positioning of the uvula and enables the uvula to provide greater resistance to distal tongue movement than when using implants that are not supported by the hard palate . the soft palate implant of the present invention preferably provides a balanced level of support for the uvula , providing tongue support when needed , but not inhibiting swallowing . the shape changing feature of the implant allows greater uvula support ( and thereby tongue support ) during times of rest and less support during waking hours . providing an outer surface on the implant having tissue in - growth capabilities reduces the chance of tissue erosion and provides greater lateral stability to the implant . in one embodiment , the ability to implant the device through the nasal passageways results in the implant location being more cranial , thereby minimizing tongue sensitivity to the presence of the implant . in one embodiment , the implant procedure does not damage the musculature within the soft palate and maintains mucosal surfaces , thereby enabling the natural musculature to continue to provide support in addition to that provided by the implant . in one embodiment , the soft palate implant may be formed from absorbable materials , non - absorbable materials , or a combination of absorbable and non - absorbable materials . the non - absorbable materials may include polymeric materials such as non - resorbable polymers , silicone , polyethylene terephalate , polytetrafluoroethylene , polyurethane and polypropylene , nitninol , stainless steel , and / or composite materials . suitable resorbable polymers may include polylactide , polyglycolide copolymers , polycaprolactone , and / or collagen . the implant may also include a biocompatible metal or alloy . the present invention provides a number of advantages over prior art methods and devices used for treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hypopnea . first , the methods , systems and devices disclosed herein provide for simple surgical procedures that are minimally invasive . typically , the methods , systems and devices disclosed herein may be utilized during an outpatient procedure . in addition , the methods , systems and devices disclosed herein provide both immediate and long term results for treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hypopnea . moreover , the methods , systems and devices disclosed herein do not require a significant level of patient compliance . in addition , the present invention does not anchor the tongue to a fixed hard structure , such as the mandible . thus , the present invention is significantly less likely to affect swallowing or speech , thereby providing a great improvement over prior art devices , systems and methods . the present invention also preferably uses materials having long - term biocompatibility . although various embodiments disclosed herein relate to use in humans , it is contemplated that the present invention may be used in all mammals , and in all animals having air passages . moreover , the methods , systems and devices disclosed herein may incorporate any materials that are biocompatible , as well as any solutions or components that minimize rejection , enhance tissue ingrowth , enhance the formation of mucosal layers , and improve acceptance of the device by a body after the device has been implanted . the headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims . as used throughout this application , the word “ may ” is used in a permissive sense ( i . e ., meaning having the potential to ), rather than the mandatory sense ( i . e ., meaning must ). similarly , the words “ include ”, “ including ”, and “ includes ” mean including but not limited to . to facilitate understanding , like reference numerals have been used , where possible , to designate like elements common to the figures . while the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention , other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof . as such , the scope of the present invention is to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims . | 0 |
reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . hereinafter , preferred embodiments of a flat panel display and driving method for the same , capable of uniformly displaying luminance of a whole screen of a flat fed will be described in detail with reference to fig8 to 17 . [ 0060 ] fig8 is a block diagram showing a driving apparatus of the flat fed in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig8 the flat fed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention includes a data processing unit 102 for supplying data supplied from the outside , a reference voltage generation unit 106 for generating a reference voltage having a predetermined tilt according to a control signal , a frame memory 108 for temporarily storing data corresponding to a frame from the data processing unit 102 , first and second driving units 114 a and 114 b for supplying a data pulse by receiving the reference voltage and the stored data , a timing control unit 110 for generating a timing control signal for controlling timing of the scan pulse according to the control signal , a scan driving unit 112 for sequentially supplying a scan pulse to a panel 118 by controlling of the timing control signal , a control unit 104 for generating the control signal . hereinafter , the operation of the driving unit of the flat fed will be described in detail with reference to fig9 and 10 . [ 0062 ] fig9 is a view showing a reference voltage which is generated in the reference voltage signal generation unit shown in fig8 . [ 0063 ] fig1 is a view showing a data pulse which is applied to a data electrode by the driving unit shown in fig8 . firstly , the data processing unit 102 supplies the data supplied from the outside to the frame memory 108 . the frame memory 108 receives a control signal which is outputted from the control unit 104 , receives data corresponding to a frame from the data processing unit 102 and supplies the inputted data corresponding to a frame to the first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b . the reference voltage generation unit 106 generates a reference voltage having a predetermined tilt by receiving a control signal which is outputted from the control unit 104 , as shown in fig9 . the control unit 104 generates a control signal to control the data processing unit 102 , reference voltage generation unit 106 , frame memory 108 and timing control unit 110 . on the other hand , the timing control unit 110 generates a timing control signal by receiving a control signal which is outputted from the control unit 104 and supplies the timing control signal to the scan driving unit 112 . the scan driving unit 112 sequentially supplies a scan pulse to the panel 118 by receiving the timing control signal . at this time , the data driving units 114 a and 114 b supply the data ( that is , data pulse ) which is stored in the frame memory 108 to the panel 118 by receiving a reference voltage having the predetermined tilt . the panel 118 displays a picture ( image ) corresponding to the gray scale value of the data pulse . a value of voltage of a data pulse which is supplied to the first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b is obtained by adding the voltage value of the reference value . therefore , when data for displaying the whole screen of the fed as white is supplied to the first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b , a different voltage is supplied to a data electrode d ( data line ) of the panel 118 , as shown in fig1 . that is , a higher voltage is applied along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn . in other words , since a reference voltage having a predetermined tilt is supplied as in fig9 and a value obtained by adding the reference voltage and voltage of the data pulse is supplied to the panel 118 , a different voltage is supplied to the data electrode d as shown in fig1 . on the other hand , fig1 displays the data pulse when the gate electrode is used as a data electrode . if a cathode electrode is used as data electrode , a pulse whose polarity is reversed from fig1 is supplied . [ 0072 ] fig1 is a view showing a voltage value which is applied to a scan electrode by the driving apparatus shown in fig8 . as shown in fig1 , the voltage which is supplied to the scan electrode s 1 ˜ sm gradually become lower by the components of the scan electrodes s 1 ˜ sm and the voltage which is supplied to the data electrodes d 1 ˜ dn gradually become higher by the reference voltage which becomes gradually higher . therefore , an average voltage which is supplied from the scan electrodes s 1 ˜ sm and data electrodes d 1 ˜ dn becomes uniform in all pixel cells . that is , voltage drop of the scan electrodes s 1 ˜ sm can be compensated by supplying the reference voltage which becomes gradually higher and a picture having a uniform luminance is displayed in the panel 118 . on the other hand , the width ( pulse width modification ) and / or amplitude ( pulse amplitude modification ) of the data pulse which is applied to the data electrode d is set differently according to the gray scale . for instance , when a high gray scale is displayed , width and / or amplitude of the data pulse dp is set wide or high and width and / or amplitude of the data pulse dp is set narrow or low when a low gray scale is displayed . that is , in the pulse width modifying method or the pulse amplitude modifying method , in case the whole screen of the fed is displayed white , a higher voltage is applied along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn as shown in fig1 , and accordingly the voltage dropping components of the scan electrode s is compensated . [ 0075 ] fig1 is a block diagram showing the reference voltage signal generation unit shown in fig8 in detail . as shown in fig1 , the reference voltage generation unit 106 includes an input unit 124 for receiving a voltage dropping value of the scan electrode , a reference voltage supply unit 120 for generating a reference voltage having a predetermined tilt to compensate the voltage dropping value , and a tilt control unit 122 which is installed between the input unit 124 and reference voltage supply unit 120 , for controlling the reference voltage generation unit . hereinafter , the operation of the reference voltage generation unit 106 will be described in detail . firstly , the input unit 124 receives a voltage dropping value of the scan line s from a user . at this time , the user measures voltages of a first crossing of a first data electrode d 1 and scan line , and a second crossing of a nth data electrode dn and scan line s , as shown in fig6 . in case a voltage of 5v is measured in the first crossing and a voltage of 4v is measured in the second crossing , the user inputs the voltage dropping value of the scan line s of 1v to the input unit 124 . the voltage dropping value of the scan line s which is inputted to the input unit is inputted to the tilt control unit 122 . the tilt control unit 122 controls the reference voltage supply unit 120 to generate a reference voltage having a voltage difference of 1v . at this time , the reference voltage supply unit 120 generates a reference voltage which is gradually raised so that a voltage which is supplied to the nth data electrode has a voltage difference of 1v from the voltage supplied to the first data electrode d 1 and supplies the reference voltage to the first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b . [ 0080 ] fig1 is a block diagram showing the driving apparatus of the flat fed in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention . the flat fed shown in fig1 embodies a gray scale in the pulse amplitude pulse width modifying method . as shown in fig1 , the driving unit of the flat fed in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention includes a panel 118 for displaying an image , a data processing unit 102 for receiving data from the outside and supplying the data , a frame memory 108 for temporarily storing data outputted from the data processing unit 102 , first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b for generating a data pulse by receiving data stored in the frame memory 108 , first and second voltage raising units 136 a and 136 b for raising voltage of the data pulse which is generated from the first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b and supplying the raised data pulse to the panel 118 , a timing control unit 110 for generating a timing control signal according to a control signal , a scan driving unit 112 for sequentially supplying the scan pulse to the panel 118 by controlling of the timing control signal , and a control unit 104 for generating the control signal . hereinafter , the operation of the driving unit of the flat fed in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention . firstly , the data processing unit 102 supplies the data supplied from the outside to the frame memory 108 . the frame memory 108 receives data corresponding to a frame from the data processing unit 102 . the data corresponding to a frame , which is inputted to the frame memory 108 is supplied to the first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b . the control unit 104 controls the data processing unit 102 , frame memory 108 and timing control unit 110 . the timing control unit 110 generates a timing control signal and supplies the timing control signal to a scan driving unit 112 . the scan driving unit 112 sequentially supplies a scan pulse to the panel 118 by receiving the timing control signal . the data driving units 114 a and 114 b supply the data stored in the frame memory 108 to the first and second voltage raising units 136 a and 136 b . the first and second voltage raising units 136 a and 136 b raise the voltage of the data pulse which is supplied from the first and second data driving units 114 a and 114 b and supply the raised data pulse to the panel 118 . at this time , an image corresponding to the value of the gray scale of the data pulse is displayed in the panel 118 . on the other hand , the voltage which is raised in the first and second voltage raising units 136 a and 136 b is determined differently according to the position of the data lines d 1 ˜ dn . that is , the first and second voltage raising units 136 a and 136 b apply a higher voltage along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn . this will be described in detail with reference to fig1 . [ 0088 ] fig1 is a view showing the data pulse which is applied to the data electrode by the driving apparatus shown in fig1 . as shown in fig1 , when a data pulse for displaying the whole screen of the fed is supplied from the first and second data driving unit 134 a and 134 b , a higher voltage is applied along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn in the panel 118 . that is , the amplitude of the data pulse is sequentially increased . if a higher voltage is applied along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn , voltage drop of the scan electrode s can be compensated as shown in fig1 . [ 0091 ] fig1 is a block diagram showing a voltage raising unit which is shown in fig1 in detail . as shown in fig1 , the first and second voltage raising units 136 a and 136 b include an input unit 135 for receiving a voltage dropping value of the scan electrode from the outside , and a voltage compensating unit 137 for compensating a voltage of the data pulse which is supplied to the first and last data electrodes . hereinafter , the operation of the voltage raising unit 136 a and 136 b will be described in detail . firstly , the input unit 135 receives a voltage dropping value of the scan line s from the user . at this time , the user measures voltages of a first crossing of a first data electrode d 1 and scan line , and a second crossing of a nth data electrode dn and scan line s , as shown in fig6 . in case a voltage of 5v is measured in the first crossing and a voltage of 4v is measured in the second crossing , the user inputs the voltage dropping value of the scan line s of 1v to the input unit 135 . the voltage dropping value of the scan line s of 1v which is inputted to the input unit 135 is inputted to the voltage compensating unit 137 . the voltage compensating unit 137 raises the voltage of the data pulse so that the value inputted from the input unit 135 , that is , the voltage difference of the voltages supplied from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn becomes 1v . [ 0095 ] fig1 a is wave form view showing a driving wave form in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention . the flat fed in the fig1 a embodies a gray scale in the pulse width modifying method . as shown in fig1 a , the flat fed in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention has different width of a data pulse when the whole screen of the fed is displayed white . that is , the data pulse has a wider pulse width along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn . at this time , the pulse width of the scan pulse is set identically as shown in fig1 b and 16c . that is , the pulse width of the scan pulse is set identically as the width of the data pulse which is applied to the nth data electrode dn . if the pulse width of the data pulse becomes wider along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn , the voltage dropping component of the scan electrode s can be compensated . [ 0098 ] fig1 is a view showing a wave form of the scan pulse in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , a scan pulse having a predetermined tilt is supplied to the scan electrodes s 1 ˜ sm of the flat fed in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention . at this time , the tilt of the scan pulse is set so that a higher voltage can be applied along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn . when the tilt of the voltage of the scan electrodes s 1 ˜ sm is set so that a higher voltage can be applied along from the first data electrode d 1 to the nth data electrode dn , the voltage dropping component of the scan electrode s can be compensated . as described above , a voltage dropping component of the scan electrode s can be compensated by setting the width and / or amplitude of the data pulse differently by the flat fed and driving method for the same in accordance with the present invention . also , the voltage dropping component of the scan line can be compensated by setting the scan pulse to have a predetermined tilt . the flat fed and the driving method for the same in accordance with the present invention can display a picture having a uniform luminance by compensating the voltage dropping component of the scan line . as the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof , it should also be understood that the above - described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description , unless otherwise specified , but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims , and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims , or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims . | 6 |
as shown best in fig1 the power capacitor mounting structure 10 includes the enclosure 12 and the indicator means 14 . the enclosure 12 is constructed to house a plurality of power capacitors 16 and 18 which are connected to lower terminals 17 and upper terminals 21 on terminal block 20 and indicator means 14 , as shown best in fig2 and 4 through 6 . a three - phase cable from energy source 19 to terminal block 20 may be passed into enclosure 12 through a convenient opening in enclosure 12 , not shown . the indicator means 14 provides a visual indication that normal current drawn by capacitors 16 and 18 has been exceeded . the indicator means 14 also serves as an isolation switch for the associated capacitors 16 and 18 . more specifically , the enclosure 12 includes the tray 22 and cover 24 . the tray 22 has a top 26 , bottom 28 , left and right sides 30 and 32 , respectively , as shown in fig2 a back 34 and a front 36 . flanges 38 are provided at each end of the back 34 to facilitate mounting of the tray 22 in three mutually perpendicular positions . cooling fin structure 42 is also attached to the back 34 of the tray 22 , as required , by convenient means , not shown , such as screws or welding . an offset lip 44 , as best shown in fig4 is provided on the front 36 and side 30 against which the bottom of the cover 24 is positioned . a downwardly extending flange 48 is provided on the top 26 adjacent the front 36 and on the side 30 of the tray 22 behind which the top of the cover 24 is fitted . the cover 24 , as shown best in fig1 when in place is secured over the lip 44 and behind the flange 48 by releasable means such as screws 50 , shown best in fig4 . the cover 24 is a rigid l - shaped member , as best shown in fig1 . a partial partition 52 including the separate portions 54 and 56 are secured within the tray 22 by watertight means such as welding to the top , back , bottom and front of the tray . it will be noted that the partition 52 with the tray 22 provides a catch basin within the tray 22 which is operable to retain fluid from capacitors 16 and 18 which may leak , spill or otherwise come therefrom as a result of an explosion or the like of the capacitors with the enclosure 12 mounted in any of three relatively perpendicular positions ; that is , flat with the back 34 down , in an upright position with the bottom 28 down , and in a position with the side 36 down . thus , possible harmful effects of the fluid on surrounding personnel and structure may be substantially eliminated . fluid may be further retained within the catch basin provided by the partition 52 in conjunction with tray 22 by placing sponge material 58 within the catch basin . the sponge material will thus soak up any undesirable fluid , which may then be removed from the capacitor mounting structure 10 on removal of the sponge material therefrom . it will also be noted that the capacitor mounting structure 10 including the tray 22 and cover 24 , as shown in fig1 - 5 , permits construction of an entrance hole for incoming wires in either the top , front , rear , bottom , left side or right side of the enclosure . further , as shown best in fig1 the positioning of the capacitors 16 and 18 on the tray 22 provides easy access to the interior of the power capacitor structure for maintenance from the front and left side , and the dimensions of the structure are such that vertical movement within the enclosure is possible during maintenance . also note that in accordance with the structure shown in fig1 the live terminals within the power capacitor mounting structure 10 are inaccessible except for the unmistakably recognizable terminal block 20 . as a modification of the power capacitor mounting structure 10 , mechanical interlocks 84 may be provided in the electrical circuit shown in fig6 which may be actuated by the cover 24 so that the interlocks will be open unless the cover 24 is in place in the correct position . such safety interlocks may be located on the tray 22 adjacent the edges of the cover as desired for insuring proper location of the cover . the interlocks may include in one modification a microswitch and electrically operated contactor . as shown best in fig4 and 5 , the capacitors 16 and 18 are secured to the tray by a conventional strap 58 which may itself be secured to the back 34 of the tray 22 by convenient releasable means such as bolts and nuts , with the capacitors positioned over the catch basin structure provided by the tray 22 and partition 52 . the indicator means 14 , as shown , is secured in the front 36 of the tray 22 by convenient means such as bolts 60 , as desired . each indicator means 14 includes a separate indicator light 62 , fuse 64 , and resistor 66 , connected as shown best in fig6 with the fuse being in series with associated terminals of one or more capacitors and a phase of the source of power 19 through the terminal block 20 . the indicator light and resistor are connected in series with each other across the fuse 64 . thus , on opening of the fuse 64 due to excessive current between the associated phase of the power supply and terminal of the capacitors , the light 62 will be caused to light , giving an indication of the excess current being drawn by the associated capacitors . as shown best in fig1 - 5 , the indicator structure 14 is constructed so that it can be removed from the front 36 of the capacitor mounting structure without disconnecting any other portion of the assembly . further , the lens 68 of the indicator structure 14 may be removed by unscrewing it and the fuse removed and replaced through the lens 68 . thus , the indicator structure 14 also serves as an isolation switch for the associated phase of the power supply and terminal of the capacitors mounted in the capacitor mounting structure . the circuit diagram of fig6 will be considered in conjunction with the operation of the indicator means 14 . thus , under normal operating conditions , with three phases of a source of power being passed to the group of capacitor cells 16 and 18 , and possible additional groups of capacitors 70 and 72 , and 74 and 76 , through terminal block 20 , over conductors 78 , 80 and 82 , and with a separate fuse 64 , light 62 and resistor 66 , connected as shown in each of two of the phases of each group of capacitors , should excessive current be drawn through any of the capacitors 16 , 18 , 70 , 72 , 74 or 76 , one of the fuses 64 will open and the associated light 62 will go on to provide from the outside of the capacitor mounting structure 10 an indication of the excessive current in the capacitor so that corrective action can be taken at an early stage before temperatures and pressures build up in the capacitor which might cause damage to the capacitor mounting structure and to the other capacitors within the structure . it will be understood that other groupings of capacitors may be provided and that separate indicator structure may be provided for each phase of single - phase or multiple - phase electrical systems . the grouping together of capacitors into small groups where multiple capacitors are utilized permits a lower value fuse to be used in conjunction with the smaller group , whereby the sensitivity of the fuse is increased . in use , if it is desired to isolate a capacitor assembly or a particular portion thereof from the power supply , it is merely necessary to remove the lens 68 from the associated indicator means 14 and remove the fuse therefrom . accidents from accidentally closed switches during repair and the like may thus be prevented . further , it will be noted that with the indicator means 14 secured to the tray itself that the cover may be readily removed . in the capacitor mounting structure 100 illustrated in fig7 the cover 102 includes the front panel 104 which extends over substantially the entire front of the capacitor mounting structure and the top 106 constructed integrally therewith , including the rear flange 108 and side flanges 110 . the cover 102 further includes openings 112 therein positioned over the lenses 114 of the indicator light means 116 . the indicator light lenses 114 extend outwardly from the front panel 104 of the cover 102 and are dimensioned with respect thereto and the opening 112 therethrough so that it is impossible to remove cover 102 without first removing the indicator light lenses 114 . as shown best in fig1 , the fuses 118 are secured to the lenses 114 , whereby on removal of a lense a fuse 118 is removed therewith . with such modification , it would be impossible to remove the cover 102 from the capacitor supporting structure without first removing the fuses 118 therefrom as a safety measure . in the modified mounting structure 130 illustrated in fig1 , the indicator light means 132 are supported on a portion 134 of the cover 136 which is hingedly mounted at 138 . thus , in use the indicator light means 132 and the electrical circuit 139 may be exposed on pivoting of the portion 134 into the open position as shown in fig1 . with the indicator light means 132 and circuit 139 so exposed , inspection and maintenance thereof may be readily accomplished . as shown in the modified capacitor mounting structure 130 , the connections are made to the capacitors 140 at the opposite ends thereof and the top of the cover is not split and a portion thereof pivoted with the portion 134 of the cover 136 . if desired , it will be readily understood that a portion of the cover may also be pivoted and that the connection to the capacitors can be made at the opposite end thereof as desired . while one embodiment and modifications thereof have been considered in detail , it will be understood that other embodiments and modifications of the invention are contemplated . for example , the invention with little modification can be utilized for large , substation type capacitors as well as for unit cell construction . it is the intention to include all such embodiments and modifications of the invention as are defined by the appended claims within the scope of the invention . | 7 |
reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . it is noted that wherever practicable similar or like reference numbers may be used in the figures and may indicate similar or like functionality . generally , the present invention relates to a personal radio recorder system that acquires a wide - band signal containing individual channels and concurrently tunes and demodulates the individual channels . after demodulation , the set of individual channels may be compressed and stored . additionally , individual channels can be selected for real time , or time - shifted ( e . g . delayed ) playback . further , the individual channels and any associated channel information may be manipulated to allow more efficient access to user requested channel broadcasts . [ 0044 ] fig2 illustrates a block diagram of the multi - channel capture and playback system of the present invention . the capture and playback system includes a signal acquisition stage 210 , a channel extractor 220 , an external analog source input 233 , and analog to digital converter (“ adc ”) 235 , a demultiplexer 237 , a parallel compressor 230 , a file manager 240 , an alternate digital input stage 1 245 , removable storage 255 , alternate analog input stage 280 , alternate digital input stage 2 285 , and one or more output stages . for example , the output stages may be output stage 1 290 a , output stage 2 290 b , and output stage n 290 c . typically , the signal acquisition stage 210 is coupled to receive a wide - band signal through , for example , an antenna 100 . the signal acquisition stage 210 also couples with the channel extractor 220 . the channel extractor 220 is coupled to the parallel compressor 230 . the channel extractor 220 is also coupled to the file manager 240 via connection 227 . the parallel compressor 230 is coupled to a demultiplexer 237 via connection 238 . the demultiplexer 237 is also coupled to an adc 235 that receives input signals from the external analog source input 233 . further , the demultiplexer is coupled to alternate digital input stage 2 285 through connection 288 , and the file manager 240 via connection 239 . the parallel compressor 230 is coupled to the file manager 240 . the file manager 240 is also coupled to the removable storage 255 , the alternate digital input 1 245 , and one or more output stages . again , for example , the output stages may be output stage 1 290 a , output stage 2 290 b , and output stage n 290 c . the output stages are also coupled to receive input from the alternate analog input 280 and the alternate digital input stage 2 285 . in one embodiment of the multi - channel capture and playback system of the present invention the signal acquisition stage 210 receives a wide - band signal from an antenna 100 via connection 200 . the signal acquisition stage 210 converts the wide - band signal into a high - bandwidth digital data stream . the signal acquisition stage 210 may also amplify the wide - band signal in response to a gain control signal 214 from the channel extractor 220 . after conversion , the high - bandwidth digital data stream is sent to the channel extractor 220 via connection 212 . the channel extractor 220 demodulates the high - bandwidth digital data stream into a stream of one or more demodulated individual channel samples . the channel extractor 220 also extracts data , e . g . metadata , from the demodulated individual channels and sends a stream of aggregate metadata to the file manager 240 via connection 227 . the channel extractor 220 may also measure the magnitude of the individual channel samples and send a gain control signal 214 to the signal acquisition stage 210 . the stream of individual channel samples output from the channel assembler comprises a demodulated aggregate of individual channels . the demodulated aggregate of individual channels is then sent to the parallel compressor 230 . in response to a compression signal 244 from the file manager 240 , the parallel compressor 230 may compress one or more individual channels for more optimal storage . the compression signal 244 may signal the parallel compressor 230 not to compress the signal at all . in this case , the demodulated aggregate of individual channels will pass through the parallel compressor 230 unchanged . the compression signal 244 from the file manager 240 may also specify certain compression parameters such as compression ratio or compression technique . in one embodiment of the present invention , the parallel compressor uses adaptive differential pulse code modulation (“ adpcm ”) for compressing the individual channels . the parallel compressor may contain a compressor for each individual channel contained in the demodulated aggregate of individual channels thereby processing the channels in parallel . in another embodiment , the parallel compressor may use time division multiplexing to processes the channel samples for the entire spectrum through a single compressor in seriatim . in yet another embodiment , the parallel compressor may use a combination of time division multiplexing and parallel processing to achieve system efficiencies . further , many different compression techniques beyond adpcm are well known and may be employed to achieve various compression ratios and efficiencies . the parallel compressor 230 also may accept a digital signal from the demultiplexer 237 . the demultiplexer 237 receives a stream of alternate input programs from the adc 235 . the demultiplexer 237 may also receive a program from the alternate digital input stage 2 285 . further , the demultiplexer 237 may extract data , e . g . metadata from the programs and send a stream of aggregate metadata to the file manager 240 via connection 239 . the adc converts analog signals from the external analog source input 233 , or from the output stages , including output stage 1 290 a , output stage 2 290 b , and output stage 2 290 c . because the parallel compressor accepts inputs from these other sources , additional content can be input to the file manager for storage and manipulation . for example , output stage 1 290 a is coupled to the alternate analog input 280 . this alternate analog input 280 may be connected to an audio tape player . the content from the audio tape player may be routed to the parallel compressor 230 for compression and then sent to the file manager 240 . similarly , external analog sources , such as a cd player or mp3 player that connects via a headphone jack to the external analog source input 233 can also be input to the file manager 240 for storage and manipulation ( e . g ., filtering , categorizing , storage , and playback ). after compression , a stream of compressed audio programs is sent to the file manager 240 . the file manager 240 identifies each program by channel and the time the program was received . the file manager 240 may organize and store the programs . the file manager 240 may also include a user interface , further illustrated in fig9 for presenting information about the programs to the user and receiving inputs from the user . the file manager 240 may also accept one or more digital communications channels from another source through the alternate digital input stage 1 245 . this input may also be a multi - channel digital bus . the alternate digital input stage 1 245 may be used to input other types of digitally formatted content such as satellite radio and television . the alternate digital input stage 1 245 may also be used to input location information , such as that provided by the global positioning system (“ gps ”). further , the alternate digital input stage 245 may be used to connect to a gateway device such as a personal computer , wireless digital phone , or a wireless network device . similarly , the removable storage 255 may be used to transfer content and other information to and from the file manager 240 . the file manager 240 may also store channel broadcasts to the removable storage 255 , or copy stored broadcasts and content to the removable storage 255 . an alternate embodiment may have more than one alternate digital input stage 245 or removable storage 255 . for example , a two alternate digital input stages 245 may be coupled to a single file manager 240 : one alternate digital input stage 245 may be used to input other types of digitally formatted content , e . g . music , and data , e . g . metadata , and another digital input stage 245 may be used to connect with a gateway device . similarly , the file manager may be coupled to one or more removable storage devices 255 . the removable storage 245 may be any type of removable storage device , including but not limited to compact flash , smart media , sd memory , memory stick , minidisk , removable magnetic tape or hard drives , removable flash devices , or optical storage such as compact disks or dvds . more than one of these may be coupled to the file manager 240 as well as combinations of any of the aforementioned devices . additionally , the file manager 240 may playback individual or multiple channels of currently occurring broadcasts , or stored content or broadcasts , or a combination of current broadcasts and stored broadcasts or content . for example , consider the situation where the file manager 240 is currently receiving broadcasts a , b and c , and has previously stored content and broadcasts d , e and f . the file manager 240 may send broadcast a to output stage 1 290 a , broadcast b to output stage 2 290 b and broadcast c to output stage n 290 c . alternatively , the file manager may send stored content d to output stage 1 290 a , stored broadcast e to output stage 2 290 b , and stored broadcast f to output stage n 290 c . or , the file manager may send any combination of currently occurring broadcasts and stored content to the output stages . for example , the file manager may send presently occurring broadcasts to output stage 1 290 a , and output stage 2 290 b , and a previously stored broadcast to output stage n 290 c . in this example , three output stages have been illustrated . however , more or fewer output stages may be used in alternate embodiments of the present invention . turning now to fig3 one embodiment of the signal acquisition stage 210 of the multi - channel capture and playback systems of the present invention is illustrated . this embodiment includes an analog signal preconditioner 300 , an analog correction block 310 , a wide - band adc 320 , a digital correction block 330 , an analog gain control 340 , a gain control digital to analog converter (“ dac ”) 350 and a digital gain control 360 . the analog preconditioner 300 receives a wide - band signal via connection 200 . additionally , analog signal preconditioner 300 receives an analog gain control signal 342 . the analog signal preconditioner 300 is further coupled 302 to the analog correction block 310 . the analog correction block 310 is coupled 315 to a wide - band adc 320 . the analog correction block 310 is also coupled to the analog gain control via an analog signal measurement connection 312 . further , the analog correction block couples to the digital correction block via dither control signal 317 . the wide - band adc 320 is coupled to the digital correction block 330 . the digital correction block 330 couples to the digital gain control 360 via a digital gain control and measurement signal 332 . the digital gain control 360 also receives the digital gain control signal 214 . further , the digital gain control 360 connects via connection 362 to the gain control dac 350 , which in turn connects via connection 352 to the analog gain control 340 . as an example of the operation of the signal acquisition block 210 , a wide - band signal enters the analog signal preconditioner 300 from connection 200 . the analog signal preconditioner 300 may comprise filtering , variable gain , fixed gain , or any one or a combination of these basic elements . in one embodiment , the personal radio recorder in accordance with the present invention may be configured to receive the fm band in the united states . in this configuration , the wide band signal may require an initial amplification to increase the magnitude of the signal by a fixed amount . the analog signal preconditioner 300 may also filter out frequencies above and below the fm band leaving mostly frequencies from the band of interest , in this case the fm band . then the analog signal preconditioner 300 may send the wide - band signal to the analog correction block 310 . additionally , the analog signal preconditioner 300 may be used to increase the wide - band signal to a magnitude that is close to the maximum input range of the wide - band adc 320 . in some areas , and especially in mobile applications where the personal radio recorder may be constantly moving through areas of stronger and weaker wide - band signals , this feature is useful for compensating changes in the magnitude of the wide - band signal . in one embodiment , two different gain models may exist : one model for stationary gain control , and a second model for gain control while the personal radio recorder is moving , e . g . in a car or other automotive vehicle . in the later second model , the gain control may be designed using consideration such as the expected velocity , multi - path effects and other signal phenomena that occur due to the motion of the personal radio recorder . based on the appropriate model , the analog correction block 310 may measure the magnitude of the wide - band signal and report this measurement to the analog gain control 340 . the analog gain control 340 may then make some calculations and send the resulting analog gain control signal 342 to the analog signal preconditioner 300 where a variable gain element can amplify the signal in response to the analog gain control signal 342 . similarly , the gain adjustments described above may also be implemented using other gain control blocks such as the digital correction block 330 , the post demodulation gain control 630 or the post demultiplexer gain control 640 of fig6 . further , a combination of any of the adjustable gain control block may be used to achieve appropriate correction for changes in signal strength in fixed or moving applications . the analog correction block 310 may also be used to correct for distortions to the wide - band signal through various well - known techniques . in another embodiment , the analog correction block 310 may be used to add dither to the input signal to the wide - band adc 320 . various dithering techniques for increasing the performance of adc systems are well - known and may be used in the analog correction block 310 and the digital correction block 330 of the present invention . the wide - band signal is then sent from the analog correction block 310 via connection 315 to the wide - band adc 320 . in this embodiment , the wide - band adc 320 converts the wide - band signal into a high - bandwidth digital data stream . the wide - band adc may be a conventional , commercially available wide - band analog to digital converter , for example , ad6640 made by analog devices , inc . ( norwood , mass .). alternatively , the wide - band adc may be custom designed or may be comprised of an existing semiconductor core and implemented in an application specific integrated circuit (“ asic ”). the wide - band adc 320 can be sampled at a number of different rates to achieve demodulation . two examples will be familiar to those skilled in the art : nyquist rate sampling , and sub - nyquist sampling . the wide - band adc 320 clock rate can be determined as follows : first , the number of individual channels in the band is determined . second , the number of individual channels is multiplied by the bandwidth of each channel . third , to satisfy the nyquist theorem well known to those skilled in the art , the number is multiplied by at least a factor of two . the resultant number is the clock frequency for the wide - band adc 320 . for example , if the system is to produce 128 channels , each with a bandwidth of 10 khz , then a minimum clock frequency of 2 . 56 mhz should be input to the wide - band adc 320 ( 2 × 128 channels × 10 , 000 hz ). this would cause the wide - band adc 320 to output a high - bandwidth digital data stream comprising 2 , 560 , 000 digital data samples per second . those skilled in the art will recognize that the wide band adc 320 may also be configured to accomplish sub - nyquist sampling . to achieve this , the analog signal preconditioner 300 would include an analog input filter 420 that would be chosen such that only the desired frequency band or less would be input to the wide - band adc 320 . for example , the analog input filter 420 may be configured such that only frequencies 500 khz to 1 . 780 mhz would be input to the wide - band adc 320 . moreover , the signal acquisition stage 210 may also be designed to down - convert the incoming wide - band signal to an intermediate frequency . in this manner , two steps would provide the frequency conversion of the wide - band signal into the high - bandwidth digital data stream : a mixer , and the wide - band adc 320 . the mixer would down - convert the wide - band signal either into a base band to be sampled by the wide - band adc 320 , or into an intermediate frequency to be further down - converted by the wide - band adc 320 . other well - known methods of analog to digital conversion of wide - band signals may also be used . the wide - band adc 320 and the analog signal preconditioner 300 could be configured to sample at a rate higher than the desired frequency band , where the unwanted bands could be later filtered out or otherwise removed from the signal stream . for example , for the am band the wide - band adc 320 could be configured to convert frequencies from dc to 2 mhz , where the frequencies from dc to 500 khz would be discarded , ignored or otherwise filtered out later . alternatively , a windowing multiplier could be employed to effectively downshift the first channel at 550 khz to a lower frequency band . after the wide - band adc 320 converts the wide - band signal to a high - bandwidth digital data stream , the high - bandwidth digital data stream is sent to the digital correction block 330 . the digital correction block may be configured to correct distortion present in the high - bandwidth digital data stream . in one embodiment , the digital correction block 330 includes a digital look - up table that accepts an individual digital value from the high - bandwidth digital data stream and substitutes a value from the digital look - up table . this value from the digital look - up table may have more effective bits than the wide - band adc 320 . for example , the wide - band adc 320 may output digital samples sixteen bits wide , and the digital look - up table may output digital samples that have eighteen or twenty bits . the digital correction block 330 may also be configured to correct other errors , for example , the effects of digitization , dither , and de - emphasis . additionally , the digital correction block 330 may provide magnitude measurements to the automatic gain control system and may perform local automatic gain control . in a basic embodiment , the digital correction block 330 may measure the magnitude of the high - bandwidth digital data stream and report this measurement to the digital gain control 360 via connection 332 . the digital gain control 360 may perform calculations on the measurement and send a new value to the gain control dac 350 . the gain control dac 350 converts the value to an analog signal and sends it to the analog gain control 340 for further processing . the analog gain control 340 will then provide an analog gain control signal 342 to the analog signal preconditioner 300 for adjustment of the variable gain elements . in an alternative embodiment , the digital correction block 330 may be configured to maximize the magnitude of the high - bandwidth digital data stream to make more effective use of elements in other parts of the system . the digital correction block 330 would measure the magnitude or the high - bandwidth digital data stream and select a gain corresponding to a target magnitude for the high - bandwidth digital data stream . then the digital correction block 330 would multiply the high - bandwidth digital data stream by the selected gain . the digital correction block 330 may report the original magnitude of the high - bandwidth digital data stream to the digital gain control 360 for further gain control in other stages . after correction and amplification , the digital correction block 330 sends the high - bandwidth digital data stream to the channel extractor 220 via connection 212 . the digital gain control 360 may also receive gain control signals from the channel extractor 220 via connection 214 . the digital gain control 360 may use these signals in conjunction with the measurements from the digital correction block 330 or may exclusively use one or the other . those of skill in the art will recognize that multiple combinations of the gain control elements presented in this embodiment of the present invention may be used to obtain beneficial results . in an alternate embodiment , the digital gain control 360 may direct the digital correction block 330 to provide the measurement signal or a derivative of the measurement signal to the parallel compressor 230 in the form of a feed - forward gain control signal . this signal may be communicated through connection 212 , or through some parallel signal path . similarly , the digital gain control 360 received gain control measurement signals from other elements in the channel extractor 220 via the gain control signal 214 to be discussed later . the digital gain control may provide these signals to the parallel compressor 230 in a like manner as the signal from the digital correction block 330 . alternate embodiments of the signal acquisition block 210 may contain separate signal chains for different frequency bands of interest . for example , in one embodiment , the signal acquisition block 210 may contain one analog signal precondition 300 , analog correction block 310 , and automatic gain control 340 for each band of interest . where the bands of interest are the am and fm bands , the signal acquisition block 210 may contain an am analog signal preconditioner , fm analog signal preconditioner , an am analog correction block , an fm analog correction block , an am analog gain control block , and an fm analog gain control block . similarly , other embodiments may have separate wide - band adcs 320 for each band of interest , for example , one for am , another for fm , and another for short wave . in yet another embodiment , the entire signal chain depicted in fig3 may be duplicated for each band of interest . those of skill in the art will recognize the various features and benefits from using separate signal chains for different frequency bands . in one embodiment of the analog signal preconditioner 300 depicted in fig4 the analog signal preconditioner 300 is comprised of an analog input amplifier 410 , an analog input filter 420 , and a variable gain analog amplifier 430 . the analog input amplifier 400 receives the wide - band signal via connection 200 and is coupled to the analog input filter 420 . the analog input filter 420 is coupled 425 to the variable gain analog amplifier 430 . the variable gain analog amplifier 430 receives an analog gain control signal 214 and outputs an amplified and filtered wide - band signal via connection 212 . the analog input amplifier 410 amplifies the wide - band signal by a predetermined fixed value . an amplified wide - band signal is sent to the analog input filter 420 . the analog input filter 420 filters out unwanted frequencies . for example , in the us , the fm signal band ends at 108 mhz . the analog input filter 420 may be configured to filter out frequencies above 108 mhz . the analog input filter 420 then sends the amplified and filtered wide - band signal to the variable gain analog amplifier 430 . the variable gain analog amplifier 430 selects a gain in response to the analog gain control signal 342 . the variable gain analog amplifier 430 multiplies the wide band signal sent from the analog input filter 420 by the selected gain . [ 0081 ] fig5 illustrates a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the channel extractor 220 . one function of the channel extractor 220 is to demodulate the high - bandwidth digital data stream into one or more individual channels . in one embodiment , the channel extractor 220 contains three main functional blocks : a channel extractor input interface 505 , at least one processing block 1 510 a , and a channel assembler 550 . the processing block may further include an input sample buffer 520 a , an arithmetic engine 530 a , and an output sample buffer 540 a . the output 212 of the signal acquisition stage 210 is coupled to the channel extractor input interface 505 . the channel extractor input interface is coupled to at least one processing block 1 510 a . the input of the processing block is coupled to the input sample buffer 520 a . the input sample buffer is coupled to the arithmetic engine 530 a . the arithmetic engine 530 a is coupled to the output sample buffer 540 a . the output sample buffer 540 a forms the output of the processing block 1 510 a . the output of the processing block 1 510 a is coupled to the channel assembler 550 . the channel assembler 550 provides the output 225 of the channel extractor 220 . in operation , the channel extractor input interface 505 may be used to select two or more time domain samples from the high - bandwidth digital data stream and perform other preparations as further described below . the two or more time domain samples may then be converted to one or more frequency domain samples by processing block 1 510 a . the one or more frequency domain samples are demodulated and assembled into a stream of one or more individual channels by a channel assembler 550 . a more detailed discussion of each block follows . at the input connection 212 , the high - bandwidth digital data stream comprises a digital stream of time domain samples . for example , the stream may be comprised of a stream of samples , t , each having a number of bits dictated by the wide - band a / d converter 320 and the digital correction block 330 such that they form a stream of time domain samples : t 0 , t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 , t 5 , t 6 , t 7 , t 8 , t 9 , t 10 , t 11 , t 12 , t 13 , t 14 , t 15 , t 16 , t 17 . . . t n . the channel extractor input interface 505 dissects the digital stream of time domain samples into sets of two or more time domain samples , such as t 0 , t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 , t 5 , t 6 , t 7 , t 8 , for input to the processing block 1 510 a . each time sample , t n , is paired with an imaginary component i n . after pairing the real samples with the imaginary samples , each sample may be multiplied by a window coefficient , w n . the window function may or may not be used depending upon the particular embodiment . in the preferred embodiment , the window function may be any one of the well - known types used in the field of art , such as hamming , von hann , blackman , fejer , or kaiser , as well as others . after the samples and their imaginary counterparts have been multiplied by the window function coefficient , the set of two or more time domain samples and two or more imaginary counterparts are sent to the processing block 610 a . the size of the set of two or more time domain samples varies depending upon bandwidth and resolution constraints . for example , to increase the throughput of the systems , multiple processing blocks may be used in a parallel , pipelined - style architecture . referring to fig5 an example of n processing blocks is shown , where n may be any integer value . for convenience , reference is made to an example of system where n = 4 . in this example , the channel extractor input interface 505 will select a first set of time domain samples from the stream of time domain samples and after adding an imaginary component and multiplying by the window function , the first set of samples is sent to processing block 1 610 a . for instance , if the stream of time domain samples is represented by samples t 0 , t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 , t 5 , t 6 , t 7 , t 8 , t 9 , t 10 , t 11 , t 12 , t 13 , t 14 , and t 15 then the first set of samples may be represented by t 0 , t 1 , t 2 and t 3 . immediately following the sending of the first set of samples , the channel extractor input interface 505 sends a second set of samples , t 4 , t 5 , t 6 , and t 7 to a processing block 2 510 b . then , the channel extractor input interface 505 sends a third set of samples , t 8 , t 9 , t 10 , and t 11 to processing block 3 510 c . finally , the channel extractor input interface 505 sends a third set of samples , t 12 , t 13 , t 14 , and t 15 to a fourth processing block . in this manner , the stream of time domain samples can be processed through the processing blocks in a fraction of the time required to process the stream of time domain samples through only the processing block 1 510 a . it is noted that more or fewer processing blocks may be used to gain the required throughput while minimizing other considerations such as cost and space . similarly , to increase the performance , e . g . selectivity , noise reduction , or resolution of the channel extractor 220 , the stream of time domain samples may be processed by the processing blocks in a manner in which each sample is processed by more than one processing block and used by the channel assembler 650 for interpolation . for example , consider the time domain samples represented by the series t 0 , t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 , t 5 , t 6 , and t 7 . the channel extractor input interface 505 may send samples t 0 , t 1 , t 2 , and t 3 to the processing block 1 510 a and samples t 4 , t 5 , t 6 , and t 7 to processing block 3 510 c . processing block 2 510 b would receive samples t 2 , t 3 , t 4 , and t 5 . after the first processing block , in this example processing block 1 510 a , completes processing samples t0 , t 1 , t 2 , and t 3 , the channel extractor input interface 505 will advance the high - bandwidth digital data stream to select as the next group of time domain samples t 6 , t 7 , t 8 , t 9 , t 10 , t 11 , t 12 , and t 13 . processing will continue as previously described . in this manner , all samples after t 1 will be processed by two different processing blocks . this example results in an overlap value of two . the following discussion has assumed a particular size for the two or more time domain samples and an overlap factor of two . it is noted that the size of the two or more time domain samples will vary according to the bandwidth of the frequency band of interest and the individual channels . similarly , overlap factors may be as low as one or as high as three or higher depending on resolution requirements . after the channel extractor input interface 505 processes the high - bandwidth digital data stream , the time domain samples are sent to the processing block 1 510 a . the processing block 1 510 a converts the time domain samples into one or more frequency domain samples . in one embodiment , the conversion is performed through the use of a radix - 2 implementation of a fast fourier transform . the time domain samples are placed in an input sample buffer 520 a . a modulo counter addresses and selects two time domain samples in the input sample buffer 520 a or stored intermediate results , and a coefficient from a coefficient table for processing by an arithmetic engine 530 a . the arithmetic engine 530 a performs butterfly mathematical operations required by the radix - 2 implementation and the final results are placed in the output sample buffer 540 a . the contents of the output sample buffer 540 a are clocked out of the output sample buffer 540 a by the modulo counter to become two or more frequency domain samples . the processing block 1 510 a can be implemented in a number of ways . one function of the processing block 1 510 a is to convert the time domain samples into one or more frequency domain samples . those skilled in the art will recognize that many functions may be used to implement the processing block 1 510 a including discrete fourier transform and fast fourier transform (“ fft ”) functions . these may include implementation such as radix - 2 , radix - 4 , mixed radix , optimization for real inputs and other non - fft techniques including digital filters , filter banks , combination with numerically controlled complex oscillators , or other digital signal processing techniques that are conventional . the frequency domain samples comprise a set of frequency bins , i . e ., brackets of bandwidth of the desired frequency band . for example , if the desired frequency band contains 128 channels , each with a bandwidth of 10 khz , the bandwidth of the desired frequency band is 1 . 28 mhz . to satisfy sampling theorem requirements , the sampling frequency of the wide - band a / d converter 320 is doubled , resulting in a high - bandwidth digital data stream comprising individual digital time domain samples at 2 . 56 mhz . in this example , each input sample buffer 520 a would be loaded with 256 samples from the time domain samples . for this example where the processing block 1 510 a has been implemented using a type of fft known as decimation in frequency , the resulting frequency domain samples will be comprised of a zero - frequency ( e . g . dc ) sample , 127 frequency domain samples , and 128 complex conjugates of the frequency domain samples . at any point after the arithmetic engine 530 a performs the conversion , the complex conjugates may be discarded . the frequency domain samples now resident in the output sample buffer 540 a are sent to the channel assembler 550 . at this point , the frequency domain samples each comprise a complex number containing two values : an in - phase component (“ i ”); and quadrature component , (“ q ”). for example , for a band with 8 channels , the frequency domain samples may be represented as follows : f 0 , f 1 , f 2 , f 3 , f 4 , f 5 , f 6 , f 7 . sample f 2 , for instance , comprises the i - q components for f 2 : i f2 and q f2 . it is noted that the i and q components of the frequency domain samples may be demodulated to obtain a magnitude for each frequency sample . this magnitude of each frequency sample is the instantaneous individual channel magnitude . by combining a stream of sequential channel magnitudes , the audio signal from each individual channel may be constructed . it is noted that demodulation occurs in the channel assembler 550 , which is further described below . demodulation of different types of i - q modulation is well known in the art . for example , fig6 illustrates an embodiment of the channel assembler 550 for demodulating the stream of frequency domain samples . the channel assembler 550 in this embodiment includes a combiner 602 , an i - q demodulator 600 , a dc restoration block 610 , a post demodulation gain control 620 , a sub - channel demultiplexer 630 and a post demultiplexer gain control 640 . the outputs from the processing blocks are coupled to the combiner 602 . the combiner 602 is coupled to the i - q demodulator 600 . the i - q demodulator 600 is coupled to the dc restoration block 610 . the dc restoration block 610 is coupled to the post demodulation gain control 620 . the post demodulation gain control 620 is coupled to the digital gain control signal 214 and the sub - channel demultiplexer 630 . the sub - channel demultiplexer 630 is coupled to the post demultiplexer gain control 640 via two connections . one connection outputs a demodulated aggregate of individual channels and the other outputs a stream of aggregate metadata . the post demultiplexer gain control 640 is coupled to the digital gain control signal 214 , the demodulated aggregate of individual channels output 225 of the channel assembler 550 and the stream of aggregate metadata output 227 of the channel assembler 550 . in operation , the frequency domain samples are received by the combiner 602 . the combiner assembles the frequency domain samples from n processing blocks into a stream of frequency domain samples . the assembly depends upon the configuration of the processing blocks . for example , where the processing blocks are configured in a pipelined style architecture as described above , the combiner may simply interleave the samples sequentially . where the processing blocks are operating with an overlap , the combiner 602 may perform an averaging of overlapped samples or may decimate the samples in order to assemble the stream . then the stream of individual frequency domain samples are sent to the i - q demodulator 600 . for each individual frequency domain sample , e . g ., f , the i - q demodulator 600 calculates the magnitude of the individual channel using the i f and q f components . in an embodiment for am , the individual channel magnitude c f is determined by the formula : after the i - q demodulator 600 determines the individual channel magnitude , a dc offset is corrected in the dc restoration block 610 . similarly , an alternate embodiment may demodulate fm signals . in this case the i - q demodulator 600 would use the following formula to determine the individual channel magnitude : although some fm demodulation techniques do not ordinarily require dc restoration , it is helpful in the present invention to remove the error caused by a difference between the local timing reference and the timing reference for a particular fm station . in general , the station transmitter frequency is specified to high accuracy and the effective tuning frequency derived from the master oscillator of the receiver should be exactly equal . any frequency error between these two sources will produce a dc term in demodulation that may be removed by the dc restoration block 610 . after dc restoration , the magnitude of the channels is measured by the post demodulation gain control 620 . the post - demodulation gain control 620 may either measure individual channels , or measure multiple channels and perform a mathematical computation to determine an appropriate aggregate magnitude . in an alternative embodiment , the post - demodulation gain control 620 may make a combination of individual and multiple channel measurements . then the post - demodulation gain control 620 may select a gain corresponding to the ratio of the magnitude measurement and a target magnitude . the post - demodulation gain control 620 may multiply the stream of individual channels by this gain and may report the measurements or selected gain or a combination of both to the digital gain control 360 via the digital gain control signal 214 . after the post - demodulation gain control 620 , the stream of individual channels is sent to the sub - channel demultiplexer 630 . many individual channels may be comprised of sub - channels within the base channel . for example , in the united states , channels in the fm band include multiple sub - channels of audio signals as well as sub - channels of metadata . this metadata may include text data providing information about the audio signals on the corresponding sub - channels or other communications signals . using the audio sub - channels of the fm band as an example , a stereo fm channel would include at least a l + r and l − r sub - channel . the sub - channel demultiplexer 630 de - multiplexes the l + r , then demodulates a pilot tone and the l − r channel using well known techniques . the sub - channel demultiplexer 630 is also responsible for demodulating any other sub - channels in addition to audio sub - channels . these sub - channels may contain text or other information , e . g . metadata , of use to the file manager 240 , or the user . after demultiplexing of all sub - channels , the sub - channel demultiplexer 630 outputs two streams . one stream includes the audio program in a demodulated aggregate of individual channels , and the other output is a stream of aggregate metadata . both these output streams are sent to the post demultiplexer gain control 640 , which may measure the magnitude of individual sub - channels , an aggregate of multiple sub - channels or a combination . the post demultiplexer gain control 640 may then select a gain based on the ratio of the magnitude measurement and a target magnitude . any of these measurements or values may be reported to the digital gain control 360 via the digital gain control signal 214 . the post demultiplexer gain control 640 may then multiply one or both streams by the gain . the demodulated aggregate of individual channels is then sent to the parallel compressor 230 via connection 225 ; the stream of aggregate metadata is sent directly to the file manager 240 via connection 227 . the parallel compressor 230 receives the demodulated aggregate of individual channels from the channel extractor 200 via connection 225 . the parallel compressor may also receive a stream of alternate input programs from the demultiplexer 237 . the parallel compressor 230 may be activated and controlled by a compression signal 244 from the file manager 240 . the file manager 240 may send such parameters such as desired compression ratio , compression technique , or disable compression in which case the demodulated aggregate of individual channels would pass through the parallel compressor unchanged . similarly , the parallel compressor 230 can be removed from the system completely . the parallel compressor 230 may use any compression technique known in the art , including adpcm , wma , mpeg , and others . in one embodiment , the individual channels will be compressed in the parallel compressor 230 by use of time division multiplexing techniques . alternate embodiments may employ parallel encoding of individual channels . a third embodiment may use a combination of time division multiplexing and parallel encoding schemes . turning to fig7 the file manager 240 comprises a host processor 700 , a user interface 710 , a real time clock 720 , high performance memory 730 , and fixed storage 740 . in an alternative embodiment , the user interface 710 may be external to the file manager 240 . the file manager 240 may be configured to accept inputs from multiple user interfaces such as user interface 710 . further , the real time clock 720 may be external to the file manager 240 in an alternative embodiment . the fixed storage is divided into a number of sections used for different purposes . the embodiment of fixed storage 740 illustrated in fig7 includes a live pause buffer 750 , a content archive 760 , metadata storage 780 , operational instructions and data storage 790 , and a section for miscellaneous storage 770 . it is noted that the sectors and / or partitions of the fixed 740 and removable storage 255 may have predetermined size or may be varied . the file manager 240 receives the stream of compressed audio channels through connection 232 and couples the stream of compressed audio channels to the fixed storage 740 . the stream of compressed audio channels is coupled specifically to the live pause buffer 750 section of the fixed storage 740 . the host processor 700 couples bi - directionally to the fixed storage 740 , the high performance memory 730 , the user interface 710 , and the real time clock 720 . the host processor 700 also couples to the alternate digital input stage 1 245 via connection 247 , the removable storage 255 through connection 257 , the channel extractor 220 through connection 227 , the demultiplexer 237 through connection 239 and the output stages , e . g . output stage 1 290 a through output stage n 290 c , through one or more appropriate connections 242 . the host processor 700 couples to the parallel compressor via connection 244 for sending compression parameters . the file manager 240 receives the stream of compressed audio channels from the parallel compressor 230 . the host processor 700 identifies each program by the channel and time that program was received using the real time clock 720 . the host processor 700 also receives the stream of aggregate metadata from the channel extractor via connection 227 and from the demultiplexer 237 via connection 239 associated with the stream of compressed audio channels and correlated to an external database such as a radio station &# 39 ; s website . the host processor 700 may use this metadata for identification of each program . the user may also enter identifying information corresponding to a program or content through the user interface 710 . additionally , where the parallel compressor 230 is not used to compress the demodulated aggregate of individual channels or the stream of alternate input programs , the file manager 240 may extract the metadata itself instead of relying on the demultiplexer 237 or the channel extractor 220 for metadata extraction . further , the host processor 700 may use voice recognition techniques well understood in the art to identify the broadcast or content by identifying the voice itself or by recognition of the words being spoken or sung or simply to distinguish between speech and song . the identifying information is used to create an index file that is stored separately from the actual content and programs . the index file comprises the identifying information for each program and unit of content and a corresponding pointer . the pointer indicates the point in fixed storage 740 or removable storage 255 where the program or content corresponding to the identifying information may be located . further , the index file may contain snippets of the stored content . these snippets may include a few seconds of the content . the snippets can be accessed and played to provide the listener with a preview of the content . this technique may be useful to the user for scrolling through a list of programs and identifying a program to playback . similarly , the snippets may be used by the file manager to provide an automated scanning function ; the file manager may play a sequence of snippets in time or channels , allowing the user to select a particular program for playback corresponding to the snippet currently being played back . additionally , the index file may include playlist selected by the user . a playlist is a list of content or programs that the user prefers to be played back together and in a certain order . further , the index file may also include items that are flagged for transfer to or download from a gateway device such as a personal computer . for example , a user may flag a particularly poor quality broadcast for download in order to obtain a better quality copy from external sources such as the internet . the index file may also contain a list of pointers to broadcasts and content that match the description of certain categories . for example , the list may contain pointers to songs and other broadcasts involving a particular genre of music . or , the list may contain pointers to categories of content and broadcasts such news or music . these lists may be compiled by the user , automatically compiled by the host processor 700 , through a third party through the gateway device , or a combination of both . the index file may be stored in the metadata storage 780 section of the fixed storage 740 . the host processor 700 may , upon the occurrence of an event such as power - on or reset , cause the index file to be read from the fixed storage into a section of the high performance memory 730 . the high performance memory may be some memory device such as dram that ordinarily has faster access times than the fixed storage 740 . because read and write access may be faster in the high performance memory 730 than the fixed storage 740 , performance advantages will result from copying the index file and other information that will be accessed routinely by the host processor 700 , such as the operational instructions and data for the host processor 700 . the channels are then stored in either fixed storage 740 or removable storage 255 . fixed storage 740 may include any type of fixed storage known in the art including , but not limited to , ram , nvram , flash memory , magnetic storage such as a hard drive or tape , or optical storage . the host processor 700 may also initiate transfers of content and / or data between the fixed storage 740 and removable storage 255 . fixed storage 740 may be partitioned into a number of sections , each section to store a different type of information , content , instructions or broadcasts . the fixed storage 740 may include a live pause buffer 750 . the live pause buffer 750 is a circular time shift buffer . for example , the stream of compressed audio channels may be input directly to the live pause buffer 750 via connection 232 . the live pause buffer 750 will store the stream of compressed audio channels concurrent with the broadcast of the corresponding channels . however , at some point the live pause buffer may become full . at this point , the live pause buffer may continue storing programs and content being presently broadcast by overwriting the oldest programs or content in the live pause buffer 750 . the overwriting may continue indefinitely , without using any additional storage space than that originally allotted for the live pause buffer 750 . for example , the live pause buffer 750 may be sized to hold two hours of broadcasts from every channel or some other user selectable amount of time . after the first two hours have been stored , the live pause buffer 750 will continue storing present broadcasts by overwriting the broadcasts that were stored two hours earlier . in this manner , the last two hours of broadcasts from every channel are available for playback at any given time . the fixed storage 740 may also include a content archive 760 . the content archive 760 may store individual programs or content from other sources for an indefinite period of time . alternatively , the content archive 760 or pointer table entry in the index file may be configured to remove certain programs or content from the content archive 760 after a predetermined period of time elapsed . for example , the content archive 760 may be set to delete content or programs that have been in the content archive for 90 days . the content archive 760 may be used to store programs and content selected by the user for long - term storage . these may include programs and content that the user has placed in a playlist so that as long as the playlist remains active , the content or programs on the playlist will remain in the content archive 760 . the content archive 760 may also be used to store content transferred from the gateway device or from a digital or analog source through the alternate digital input stage 1 245 or the adc 235 or through the appropriate input . the fixed storage 740 may also include a number of other areas for storing information . one area may be for storage of operational instructions and data 790 . this area may be used to store the instructions and other data that the host processor 700 requires for operation of the personal radio recorder . the operational instructions and data 790 may be loaded into the high performance memory 730 upon the occurrence of some event , such as power - on or reset . another area may be the metadata storage 780 . the metadata storage 780 may be used to store the index file and information contained in the sub - channels of various broadcast channels . the metadata area 780 may also be used to store tags and flags . tags may be originated by a user action , whereas flags may be originated from a system level action or embedded in the program itself . tags refer to playlists or bookmarks created by the user and are | 7 |
referring in detail to the figures , a cabinet or vault 10 for subterranean storage of electronic equipment is shown . as depicted in fig1 , the cabinet 10 includes an enclosure 11 that is preferably formed as a metal weldment . in a preferred embodiment , the enclosure 11 is a stainless steel weldment . use of a metal , such as stainless steel , advantageously allows the surrounding earth to aid in the dissipation of heat from the vault 10 and , also , advantageously enables the vault 10 to be smaller , without sacrificing strength or equipment security . as a result , the vault 10 can advantageously be placed next to or under vertical structures , such as a light standard , in existing public rights of way . alternatively , the enclosure 11 may be formed of reinforced ultra violate inhibitent plastic injection molded material and may be made to any size necessary to accommodate the electronic equipment to be stored . the enclosure 11 includes vertical side walls 12 coupled to a bottom plate or base 13 . as depicted in fig4 - 6 , interior walls 14 and 15 divide the interior of the enclosure into a main or radio equipment compartment 16 and vent and other equipment compartments 17 and 18 . a top plate 20 ( fig1 ) is coupled to the walls 12 and 14 at the top of the vault 10 and includes an equipment access opening 21 through which telecommunication and other electronic equipment can be loaded into the vault 10 or accessed for repair and maintenance . a lid 24 and rubber gasket 22 , which are discussed in greater detail below , seal the access opening 21 . the equipment compartments 18 and vent air compartments 17 include releasably or hingedly coupled covers or lids 19 and 23 . the covers 19 and 23 may be opened to provide access to the vent and equipment compartments 17 and 18 . the vent compartment lids 23 preferably includes lowered air vents 26 covered with an air permeable mesh , preferably metal , to keep out debris and check valves 25 which are part of a water evacuation system discussed below . the lids 19 and 23 may include a handle ( not shown ), a releasably lockable hinge or shock absorber - type hinge ( not shown ) to maintain the lids 19 and 23 in a generally vertical position , a security locking system ( not shown ), and a magnetic seal similar to those used on refrigeration units ( not shown ). the equipment compartment lids 19 preferably provide locked access for lift control and equipment maintenance . referring to fig2 - 6 , the cabinet 10 of the present invention preferably includes a rack 30 mounted inside the enclosure 11 to place telecommunications equipment in the enclosure 11 and to allow easy access by maintenance personnel when repairs are needed . the rack 30 includes four ( 4 ) generally vertically positioned posts 31 and bottom horizontally disposed frame member 33 , coupled to the posts 31 , and an equipment platform 32 coupled to the posts 31 and disposed above the bottom frame member 33 . a transceiver or radio cabinet 50 and equipment brackets 51 , comprising battery backup and charger 52 and control and load panels and main disconnect switch 53 and the like mounted thereto , are preferably mounted on the platform 32 . the lid 24 is preferably coupled to the posts 31 . the posts 31 , cross - members 33 , platform 32 and lid 24 are preferably sized such that the outer extremities of the rack 30 are positioned closely adjacent to the inner walls of the cabinet 10 . four ( 4 ) guide rails or posts 35 are preferably positioned within the cabinet 10 adjacent the interior walls and the corner posts 31 of the rack 30 to guide the vertical ascent and descent of the rack into and out of the cabinet 10 . as shown in fig4 and 5 , the cabinet 10 preferably includes a scissor - like lift mechanism 40 to raise and lower the rack 30 . the lift mechanism is operably and releasably couplable to the bottom frame member 33 of the rack 30 and is preferably motorized , but may , in the alternative , be spring loaded . the spring force would be sufficient to cause a fully loaded unrestrained rack 30 to rise out of the enclosure 11 as shown in fig5 . the spring force is preferably 25 to 50 pound greater than a fully loaded rack 20 , thus requiring a maintenance worker to apply 25 to 50 pounds of offset downward force to position the rack 30 and electronic equipment in the enclosure 11 . if motorized , controls ( not shown ) would be provided to expand ( see fig5 ) and contract ( see fig4 ) the lift mechanism 40 to raise or lower the rack 30 . in an alternative embodiment , a pulley and weight system , as described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 614 , 496 , which is incorporated herein by reference , may be substituted for the lift mechanism 40 . the weights are of sufficient weight such that a fully loaded unrestrained rack 30 is caused to rise out of the enclosure 11 . an offset force of 25 to 50 pounds is necessary to reposition the rack 30 in the enclosure 11 . as shown in fig2 and 4 - 6 , rack stops 42 are provided within the enclosure 11 to position the rack 30 within the enclosure . rack arms 44 are coupled to the bottom frame member 33 and are sized and positioned to abut the rack stops 42 to limit the upward and downward travel of the rack 30 . referring to fig4 - 6 , the cabinet 10 includes a water evacuation system which is capable of venting any pooled water from the bottom of cabinet 10 . the evacuation system includes several float - type sump pump 60 located in the bottom of the cabinet 10 . a piping system ( not shown ) extends from the pumps 60 to exhaust valves 25 mounted to the vent compartment lids 17 shown in fig1 and 2 . the exhaust valves 25 are commonly known one - way , pressure - type check valve . although the construction of the cabinet 10 advantageously allows the surrounding earth to aid in the dissipation of heat from the cabinet 10 , this cooling effect may be insufficient in certain climate conditions or as a result of equipment power consumption . a reduction in humidity or condensation within the cabinet may also be desirable for increased component life even when the temperature within the cabinet is being maintained at a desirable level , i . e ., at or below about 100 ° fahrenheit . to accommodate these potential cooling requirements , the cabinet 10 , as shown in fig4 - 9 , includes a cooling system that preferably comprises separate cooling or vent compartments 17 , each sharing a common wall 14 with the radio or main equipment compartment 16 . the cooling compartments 17 comprises a lid or top panel 18 and an opening or cooling vent 70 in the common wall 14 , preferably positioned toward the top of the common wall 14 to allow hot air and moisture to vent from the main compartment 16 to the cooling compartments 17 . the cooling compartment 17 has air vents 26 in the top panel 23 , exposed to surface air . the vents 26 are preferably louvered so that rain or water entering the cooling compartment 17 cannot fall through the opening 70 in the common wall 14 . should rain or other water enter the interior 71 of the cooling compartment 17 such that it rises to the level of the cooling vent 70 , a closure system 72 , as depicted in fig7 and 8 , is provided to seal the cooling vent 70 . the closure system 72 preferably comprises a door 73 and a flotation device 74 . the door 73 is mounted in moveable relation with the common wall 14 and is adapted to seal the cooling vent 70 in the common wall 14 . as shown in fig9 , the door 73 is slidably mounted within a pair of opposing tracks or guides 76 . the tracks 76 are mounted on the common wall 14 and run vertically adjacent to the sides of the cooling vent 70 in the common wall 14 . the tracks 76 preferably extend from the top of the cooling vent opening 70 toward the bottom of the cooling compartment 17 beyond the bottom of the opening 70 . as shown in fig7 and 8 , the door 73 slides or travels up from the bottom of the cooling compartment 17 to completely seal the opening 70 in the common wall 14 as the water level in the interior 71 of the compartment 17 rises . the flotation device 74 comprises a floatable pad 77 attached to the door 73 on the inside 71 of the cooling compartment 17 . preferably , the pad 77 is formed from styrofoam , but may be formed from other suitable material or may comprise an inflatable bladder . the pad 77 is substantially the same height and width as the door 73 and approximately one - inch thick , and preferably has a buoyancy value sufficient to raise the door 73 as water fills the compartment 17 . to increase the surface area and , thus , the buoyancy of the pad 77 , a series of channels or cutouts 78 are formed in the pad 77 . if water floods the cooling compartment 17 , the door 73 simultaneous rises as the water level rises in the interior 71 of the cooling compartment 17 . with the aid of the water forcing the door 73 against the common wall 14 , the door 73 forms a water tight seal between the main compartment 16 and the cooling compartment 17 . however , in the absence of rain or flooding , the door 73 is open , allowing venting of heat and moisture from the cabinet 10 . in an alternative embodiment , the closure mechanism 70 may include a float and pulley system ( not shown ) adapted to raise the door 73 as the water level in the cooling compartment 17 rises . also , a gasket or the like may be positioned between the door 73 and the common wall 14 to further facilitate a water tight seal between the main compartment 16 and the cooling compartment 17 . unlike conventional designs , the vault or cabinet 10 of the present invention can be placed in virtually any city , near any existing vertical structure , e . g ., a light standard , which is mounted on or near a sidewalk , while being fully disguised , and tending to pose no hazards to pedestrians , who might otherwise trip on an exposed unit . the cabinet 10 of the present invention also advantageously includes an equipment flood evacuation system to prevent the expensive and sensitive telecommunication and other electronic equipment housed in the main equipment compartment 16 from becoming submerged and , thus likely destroyed , if the main compartment 16 of the cabinet 10 were to flood with water . the evacuation system preferably includes a flotation device 80 coupled to the rack 30 to raise the rack 30 as the water level within the main compartment 16 rises . preferably , the evacuation system is configured to lift the telecommunication and other electronic equipment ( 50 - 53 ) clear out of the main compartment 16 while leaving a portion of the rack 30 within the compartment . as depicted in fig4 - 6 , the rack flotation device preferably comprises a floatable pad or block 80 disposed between the equipment platform 32 and the bottom frame member 33 of the rack 30 . preferably , the block 80 is formed from styrofoam , but may be formed from other suitable material or may comprise an inflatable bladder . the block 80 preferably has a buoyancy value sufficient to raise a fully loaded rack 30 as water fills the compartment 16 . to increase the surface area and , thus , the buoyancy of the block 80 , a series of channels or cutouts ( not shown ) similar to those discussed in regard to the pad 77 above may be formed in the block . in operation , if water floods the main compartment 16 , the rack 30 simultaneous rises as the water level rises in the interior of the main compartment 16 . with the lid 24 of the cabinet 10 fixed to the rack 30 , the rack 30 can freely rise out of the cabinet 10 without human intervention with aid of the water forcing the rack 30 upward . as with the lift mechanism 40 , the ascent of the rack 30 is guided by the guide rails 35 and limited by the rack stops and arms 42 and 44 . however , in the absence of flooding , the rack 30 remains within the main compartment 16 with the lid 24 pressing against the gasket 22 to form a water tight seal between the exterior of the cabinet 10 and the main compartment 16 . in order to insure a water tight seal , the gasket 22 is preferably about three to six ( 3 to 6 ) inches wide . in an alternative embodiment , the evacuation system may include a float and pulley system ( not shown ) adapted to raise the rack as the water level in the main compartment 16 rises . turning to fig1 and 11 , an alternative embodiment of the vault 100 is depicted . as shown in fig1 , a break - away lid 224 is releasably coupled to the equipment rack 30 allowing the lid 224 to give in the case of contact with something such as someone &# 39 ; s foot or hand . preferably , the break - away lid 224 is attached to the equipment rack 30 with a spring loaded coupling comprising a bolt or other fastener 230 coupled to the lid 224 and a spring 232 coupled to the bolt 230 and rack post 31 . one skilled in the art would recognize that the bolt 230 could be coupled to the post 31 and the spring could be coupled to the bolt 230 and the lid 224 . as depicted in fig1 , the bolt 230 and spring 232 assembly are preferably recessed within the post 31 . the springs 232 are preferably sized to counter weigh the weight of the lid 224 . for instance , if the lid 232 weighed 200 lbs ., the springs 232 would exert a 200 lbs . counter force against the lid 224 . as depicted in fig1 and 12 - 13 , another alternative embodiment of the vault 100 includes a grated lid or top 224 to control heat management of the vault 100 without having to use external or internal cooling systems . the grated lid 224 prevents rain or other water from failing directly into the main chamber 16 and allows air to flow into vault vent chambers 17 and out of the main equipment chamber 16 due to a chimney effect to maintain electronic equipment housed in the vault 100 at its ambient air temperature . to increase the chimney effect , it may be preferable to lower the location of the cooling vents 70 in the common walls 14 . preferably , the grated lid 224 includes a plurality of elongate vents or slots 240 extending the width of the lid 224 . each slot is defined by a pair of vertical walls 244 and 246 and includes a diverter or sloping wall 245 extending off of the first wall 244 and sloping towards the second wall . the diverter 245 diverts water into a gutter or channel 242 extending off of the second wall . the gutter is preferably sloped towards one side of the lid 224 and channels the water toward a sloped faced vault skirt 225 and out or off of the lid 224 . the gutter 242 includes a generally horizontal bottom wall 241 and an upwardly sloping side or retaining wall 243 directed toward the first wall 244 of the vent 240 . alternatively , the gutter 242 may comprise a single curved wall . a slotted plate or connective member 248 is coupled to all of the vertical walls 244 and 246 to form the grated lid 224 . as shown in fig1 , the vault 100 preferably includes a skirt 225 located substantially at grade level . the skirt 225 preferably includes a sloped face 227 to ease transition from grade level to a slightly elevated lid 224 . in the grated lid embodiment , the sloped face 227 and internal wall 223 are preferably perforated to allow water channeled from the gutter 242 of the grated lid 224 to flow off or out of the lid 224 . while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms , a specific example thereof has been shown in the drawings and is herein described in detail . it should be understood , however , that the invention is not to be limited to the particular form disclosed , but to the contrary , the invention is to cover all modifications , equivalents , and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
in the following detailed description , reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof , and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention , and it is to be understood that structural , logical , or procedural changes may be made to the specific embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . refer now to fig1 through 3 , which illustrate an embodiment of the present invention . a treadmill 10 has a desired length l and width w of a walking surface 15 . two safety rails 20 are mounted longitudinally along both lateral sides of the treadmill 10 . they are mounted on vertical supports 22 above the treadmill walking surface 15 at a height h within an arm &# 39 ; s reach of the user when the treadmill 10 is in use . the safety rails 20 may be grasped by the user to obtain stability on the treadmill 10 . the safety rails 20 are also used for anchoring a safety belt 25 that may be worn around a user &# 39 ; s waist to inhibit the user from falling down onto the running surface of the treadmill . the safety belt 25 will be described in further detail below . along the left and right lateral sides of the treadmill 10 , there are respective left and right work surfaces 30 , 40 . a control panel 45 for the treadmill 10 is shown recessed into the right work surface 40 , although it may be located elsewhere within arm &# 39 ; s reach of the user . at the front of the treadmill , there is a front work surface 50 . the front work surface 50 may be tilted , as shown in fig2 , in an adjustable fashion such that a user may face work materials at a selected angle . along the perimeter of all work surfaces 30 , 40 , 50 , there is a pencil stop ledge 35 . all of the work surfaces 30 , 40 , 50 are placed at a height z above the surface 15 that is convenient to the user for working . the left and right work surfaces 30 , 40 have a depth v and length y and the front work surface 50 has a depth d and a length x sufficient for placing desired office working materials such as papers , books , office supplies , a telephone , and a computer . fig4 illustrates a plan view of the safety belt 25 in an engaged position . the safety belt 25 has a belt portion 125 for wearing around the user &# 39 ; s waist , and has a first plate 111 that , on a first side , attaches the belt portion 125 to an attachment cord 112 which is anchored to the safety rail 20 . on a second side of the belt portion , padding 113 may be provided to prevent the plate 111 from rubbing against the user and increase the comfort of the user . the safety belt 25 also has a draw string 114 for adjusting the length of the belt portion 125 according to the width of the user &# 39 ; s waist . if the user &# 39 ; s waist is thicker , the draw string 114 may be adjusted to accommodate the user &# 39 ; s waist . if the user &# 39 ; s waist is thinner , the draw string 114 may be pulled to narrow the safety belt 125 to accommodate the user &# 39 ; s waist , and tied to hold the adjustment . the safety belt 25 also includes a locking mechanism 115 attached to a second plate 121 for locking the safety belt onto the user &# 39 ; s waist . to remove the safety belt 25 , the locking mechanism 115 may be disengaged , by flipping the locking mechanism 115 over , as shown in fig5 , thereby releasing the second plate 121 to unlock the safety belt 125 . fig6 through 8 and fig1 are views of a portion of the safety rail 20 . the safety rail 20 has a trench 225 opening to the top surface of the rail 20 . the trench 225 has within it holes 226 at spaced at a predetermined distance p from each other . a j - bracket attachment 130 curls over the rail 20 and has a stopper 135 that engages a lip portion 137 to inhibit the attachment 130 from being entirely removed from the rail 20 during use . the attachment 130 also has a tab 131 that sits within the trench 225 . when the attachment 130 is moved along the rail 20 and placed at a desired location along the rail 20 , the tab 131 sits within a hole 226 in the trench 225 , anchoring the attachment 130 at that location . to move the attachment 130 to a different location along the trench 225 , the attachment 130 may be disengaged by lifting the attachment 130 so that the tab 131 is fully withdrawn from the hole 226 and the attachment 130 may slide along the rail 20 to another hole 226 , as shown in fig9 . fig1 and 12 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention . a treadmill 110 is shown having pipe handrails 120 mounted longitudinally along both lateral sides of the treadmill 110 . the pipe handrails 120 are mounted above the treadmill 110 at a height k . the safety belt 325 is suspended from the handrails 120 by a pair of slide rings 124 which slide along the pipe handrails 120 . when worn around a user &# 39 ; s waist , the safety belt 325 provides additional protection against the user falling down onto the running surface of the treadmill 110 . the safety belt 325 is anchored by the attachment cord 112 to the pipe handrails 120 at a height k sufficient to inhibit the torso of a fallen user from severely impacting the treadmill surface 315 . this embodiment is particularly desirable for inhibiting heavier users from falling down and making injurious bodily contact with the running surface 315 of the treadmill 110 . the dimensions and materials of the attachment cord 112 , the vertical supports 22 , the rails 120 , the rings 124 and the belt 325 , and associated structure are engineered to have sufficient strength to accomplish this purpose . the pipe handrail 120 has an outer diameter φ 1 and may be raised to a height along the treadmill such that it will support a user from falling down onto the surface 315 of the treadmill 110 . the height k and length of the attachment cord 112 may be adjustable for accommodating different size users . for example , the vertical supports 22 may have telescoping sections that can be fixed at different heights with hole and pin arrangements ( not shown ). a slide ring 121 having an inner diameter φ 2 attaches to a safety belt and slides freely along the pipe handrail 120 . the inner diameter φ 2 of slide ring 121 is greater than the outer diameter φ 1 of the pipe handrail 120 . it should be noted that although the pipe handrail 120 and slide ring 121 are both illustrated with a generally circular configuration , the invention is not limited to such a configuration . the pipe handrail may have a square , elliptical , rectangular or other configuration and the slide ring may have the same or a different configuration while maintaining an inner dimension that is larger than the outer dimension of the pipe handrail so that the slide ring may slide back and forth along the pipe handrail . if a computer monitor 55 , other computer accessories , and / or a telephone 56 are desired on the work surfaces 132 , 140 , 150 , the work surfaces 132 , 140 , 150 may optionally be provided with holes through which wiring may connect to a hard drive that may be stored under the work surface or other wall sockets . the work surfaces 132 , 140 , 150 may also be provided with recesses for placement of the surface - top accessories . while various embodiments of the present invention have been described above , it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example , and not limitation . it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . thus , the present invention should not be limited by any of the above - described exemplary embodiments . | 0 |
fig1 is an example of the configuration of a computer system which has a scan - out function as described above . in this figure , 1 is a service processor ( svp ), 2 is a system console interface unit ( sci ), 3 is a central processing unit ( cpu ), 4 is a channel processor ( chp ), 5 is a memory control unit ( mcu ) and 6 is a main memory unit ( msu ). fig2 is an example of the structure of a scan address line and a scan - out data line . in this figure , 2 is an sci , 3 is a cpu , 10 to 12 are scan dividing circuits , 13 is a scan ( or scan - out ) address register ( sadr ), 14 and 15 are multiplexers ( mpx ), 16 is a flip - flop group or gate circuit group to be scanned , 17 is a scan address line and 18 is a scan - out data line . fig3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of this invention . in this figure , 2 to 6 and 13 are the same as those shown in fig1 and fig2 . reference numerals 20 to 22 are parity generators , 23 is a comparator , 24 is a flip - flop , 25 and 26 are adders , 27 is a count register , and 28 is a decoder . reference numerals 29 to 31 are switching gate circuits , 32 and 33 are control gate circuits , 34 is an initial setting address line , 35 is a count value initial setting line , 36 is an error signal line , 37 is a scan address line , and 38 is a clock signal line . reference numeral 39 is a scan address line extended from an other sci and 40 is a parity bit signal line to another sci . these two lines 39 and 40 are provided if there are two sci &# 39 ; s in the computer system . fig4 is a time chart of an embodiment illustrated in fig3 . the scan - out operation will first be described by referring to fig1 and fig2 . the svp 1 shown in fig1 sends a scan - out address to sci 2 in order to read scan - out data . this scan - out address is written into the sadr 13 in sci 2 and then sent to cpu 3 and other units . thereafter , for example in cpu 3 , part of the bits of the scan - out address are input to the multiplexer 15 , which selects one of the scan dividing circuits 10 to 12 . the other part of the bits of the scan - out address are input to a multiplexer 14 in each scan dividing circuit 10 to 12 , thereby selecting the flip - flop group or gate group 16 in the scan dividing circuits 10 to 12 . contents of designated circuits to be diagnosed are sent to sci 2 as scan - out data . this scan - out data is further sent to svp 1 from sci 2 . an embodiment of this invention will be described by referring to fig3 . first , the scan address data is written into the scan address register ( sadr ) from svp 1 through the initial setting addresss line 34 . simultaneously , the contents of the count register 27 is initially set ( for example , at all &# 34 ; 0 &# 39 ; s &# 34 ;) by the count value initial setting line 35 . the data in the scan address register ( sadr ) 13 is input to the parity generator 20 via the switching gate circuit 29 and a corresponding parity bit is generated . this parity bit is then input to one input of the comparator 23 . meanwhile , the data sent from svp 1 through the initial setting address line 34 is input to the parity generator 22 and a corresponding parity bit is generated . this parity bit is input to the other input of comparator 23 . the comparator 23 compares both parity bits in order to check whether data was correctly stored in the scan address register ( sadr ) 13 or not . if there is an error , an error signal indicating mismatching of both parity bits sets to the flip - flop 24 of an error latch circuit . the error signal output by the flip - flop 24 is sent to svp 1 by the error signal line 36 . next , the address of each scan - out circuit to be diagnosed , as defined by 14 bits ( 13 - 15 and 21 - 31 ) in the scan address register ( sadr ) 3 enters the parity generator 20 through the switching gate circuit 29 and the corresponding parity bit is generated . this parity bit is input to the one input of the comparator 23 . simultaneously , this scan - out address is input to the parity generator 21 provided in each of the units cpu 3 , chp 4 , mcu 5 and msu 6 through the switching gate circuit 31 and the corresponding parity bit is generated . the parity bit generated by the parity generator 21 is sent to sci 2 and then input to the other input of the comparator 23 through the switching gate circuit 30 within sci 2 . here , it is compared with the parity bit input from the parity generator 20 . if they do not coincide , an error signal is latched by the flip - flop 24 , an error latch circuit . this error signal is sent to svp 1 through the error signal line 36 . in this embodiment , a count register 27 is composed of 4 bits , the control gate 33 is opened by the clock signal at an interval of 50 ns supplied by the clock signal line 38 , and thereby a count operation is carried out using an adder 26 . when the contents of count register 27 becomes &# 34 ; 0111 &# 34 ;, the set clock signal is generated by the decoder 28 , and the set operation of flip - flop 24 is carried out . when the contents of count register 27 circulates and the carry out signal is generated by the adder 26 , the control gate 32 opens , and the contents of the scan address register ( sadr ) 13 are updated after being incremented by 1 in the adder 25 . thereby , the next scan - out address is generated and sent to each of the units cpu 3 , chp 4 , mcu 5 and msu 6 . thereafter , the scan addresses are sequentially generated in sci 2 in the same way and the scan - out operation is executed . the error check processing of the scan - out address is executed for each transmission of the scan - out address . the time chart of fig4 illustrates the timing of these operations . updating of the scan address register ( sadr ) 13 is carried out every 800 ns which is 50 ns ( clock period )× 16 ( maximum counter value of counter register 27 ). regarding the scan - out data sent from each device , there is a fluctuation in the amount of time which passes until the scan - out data is sent to sci 2 because of physical differences and their position relative to sci 2 . in the case of the example of fig4 the minimum time until transmission of the scan - out data after transmission of the scan - out address is 200 ns and the maximum time is 300 ns . namely , there is a fluctuation of 100 ns . for this reason , as explained above , the set clock signal input to the flip - flop 24 is generated when the value of the count register 27 becomes &# 34 ; 0111 &# 34 ; after transmission of the scan - out address , or after 350 ns . each unit , after receiving a scan - out address , branches the scan address signal as illustrated in fig2 and then supplies the scan address signal to a plurality of circuits . therefore , the error detecting function of a diagnostic circuit can be fulfilled by providing many parity bit generators ( corresponding to parity generator 21 in fig3 ) at the respective branching destinations . as described above , this invention is capable of detecting an error in the output data of the scan - out circuit . therefore , a notable effect can be obtained , namely not only can adequate maintenance work be completed , but also a serious problem due to alternative execution of an instruction using erroneous data can be prevented . | 6 |
the present invention will be described below in reference to a slit valve coupled with a transfer chamber and a process chamber . exemplary transfer chambers , process chambers , and load lock chambers are available from akt , a subsidiary of applied materials , inc ., located in santa clara , calif . it is contemplated that the invention is equally applicable to other transfer chambers , processing chambers , and load lock chambers , including those produced by other manufacturers . additionally , it is to be understood that while the description discusses a slit valve coupled with a transfer chamber and a processing chamber , the slit valve may be coupled between any two chambers including transfer chambers , process chambers , load lock chambers , and combinations thereof . fig1 is a schematic diagram of a slit valve 108 disposed between a transfer chamber 102 and a process chamber 104 . a processing system 100 may comprise one or more process chambers 104 coupled to a transfer chamber 102 . a slit valve 108 may be disposed between the transfer chamber 102 and the process chamber 104 . it is to be understood that while only one process chamber 104 has been shown coupled with the transfer chamber 102 , multiple process chambers 104 may be coupled with the transfer chamber 102 . at each point where a process chamber 104 couples with the transfer chamber 102 , a slit valve 108 may be coupled therebetween . similarly , when any two chambers are coupled together , a slit valve 108 may be coupled therebetween . the process chamber 104 may be any suitable process chamber 104 for processing substrates such as a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition ( pecvd ) chamber , a physical vapor deposition ( pvd ) chamber , or other chamber . the substrates processed may be semiconductor substrates , flat panel display substrates , solar panel substrates , or any other substrate . within each process chamber 104 , one or more substrates may be processed . fig2 is a front view of an interface 200 between a slit valve and a transfer chamber looking through the transfer chamber according to one embodiment of the invention . when the slit valve is open , an opening 202 is present between the transfer chamber and the process chamber to permit passage of one or more substrates therebetween . the slit valve may be sealed to the transfer chamber by one or more o - rings 208 . one or more spacers 204 may be present between the transfer chamber and the slit valve . additionally , one or more fasteners 206 may be coupled between the slit valve and the transfer chamber . the one or more fasteners 206 may be disposed along a common axis 210 . fig3 is a front view of an interface 300 between a slit valve and a transfer chamber looking through the transfer chamber in which the slit valve has not been thermally expanded and / or vacuum deformed according to one embodiment of the invention . as noted above , one or more o - rings 306 may be disposed between the slit valve and the transfer chamber to seal the transfer chamber to the slit valve . additionally , one or more spacers 322 may be present between the transfer chamber and the slit valve . the one or more spacers 322 move with the slit valve when the slit valve moves relative to the transfer chamber . the one or more spacers 322 reduce the opportunity for the slit valve and the transfer chamber to rub against each other and generate particles that may contaminate any substrates . when the slit valve is opened , one or more substrates may pass through the opening 302 between the transfer chamber and the processing chamber . one or more fastening mechanisms 304 may additionally couple the transfer chamber to the slit valve . in one embodiment , each fastening mechanism may be aligned with a corresponding spacer 322 . each fastening mechanism 304 may be disposed within a slot 308 , 310 , 312 , 314 , 316 , 318 disposed through the transfer chamber . it is to be understood that while six slots 308 , 310 , 312 , 314 , 316 , 318 have been shown , more or less slots 308 , 310 , 312 , 314 , 316 , 318 may be present . for example , one or more slots may be present below the opening 302 between the process chamber and the transfer chamber . additionally , one or more slots may be present on the other side of the center 320 of the interface 300 . during substrate processing , the processing chamber or adjacent chamber may be heated to a temperature greater than about 300 degrees celsius . due to conduction , the slit valve may also be heated . in one embodiment , the slit valve may be conductively heated to a temperature of about 120 degrees celsius to about 200 degrees celsius . in another embodiment , the slit valve may be conductively heated to a temperature of about 120 degrees celsius to about 130 degrees celsius . because the slit valve is heated , the slit valve may expand . once the slit valve cools , it may then contract . conversely , the transfer chamber , because it may not be directly coupled to the process chamber but instead may be directly coupled to the slit valve , may not experience a significant amount of thermal expansion / contraction . hence , the slit valve may expand and contract relative to the transfer chamber . due to the expansion and contraction of the slit valve relative to the relatively stationary transfer chamber , the slit valve may be permitted to slide along the interface 300 between the transfer chamber and the slit valve . similarly , when a vacuum is drawn in the process chamber , the slit valve may deform relative to the transfer chamber due to the vacuum pressure exerted on the slit valve . due to the thermal expansion / contraction and / or vacuum deformation , the slit valve may expand and / or contract relative to the transfer chamber . thus , the fastening mechanisms 304 and spacers 322 may move with the slit valve as the slit valve expands and contracts relative to the transfer chamber . the further the distance away from the center 320 of the interface 300 , the greater than amount of expansion that the slit valve may have and hence , the greater the amount of movement that the fastening mechanisms 304 and spacers 322 may have . therefore , the slots 308 , 310 , 312 , 314 , 316 , 318 in the transfer chamber may be successively larger the further distance away from the center 320 of the interface 300 . slot 308 closest to the center 320 of the interface 300 has a width represented by arrows a and may have little room for movement of the fastening mechanism 304 due to the proximity of the slot 308 to the center 320 . the center of the fastening mechanism 304 in slot 308 may be positioned a distance g from the center 320 of the interface 300 . slot 310 , which has a width represented by arrows b , may be spaced a greater distance h from the center 320 of the interface 300 than slot 308 . the width b of slot 310 may be greater than the width a of slot 308 . slot 312 , which has a width represented by arrows c , may be spaced a greater distance i from the center 320 of the interface 300 than slot 310 . the width c of slot 312 may be greater then the width b of slot 310 . slot 314 , which has a width represented by arrows d , may be spaced a greater distance j from the center 320 of the interface 300 than slot 312 . the width d of slot 314 may be greater then the width c of slot 312 . slot 316 , which has a width represented by arrows e , may be spaced a greater distance k from the center 320 of the interface 300 than slot 314 . the width e of slot 316 may be greater then the width d of slot 314 . slot 318 , which has a width represented by arrows f , may be spaced a greater distance l from the center 320 of the interface 300 than slot 316 . the width f of slot 318 may be greater then the width e of slot 316 . thus , the further the distance from the center 320 of the interface 300 , the larger the slot . fig4 is a front view of the interface 300 between the slit valve and the transfer chamber of fig3 in which the slit valve has been thermally expanded and / or vacuum deformed according to one embodiment of the invention . the fastening mechanisms 304 have moved relative to the transfer chamber due to the thermal expansion and / or vacuum deformation of the slit valve . the movement of the fastening mechanisms 304 relative to the transfer chamber is shown by the distance that the fastening mechanisms 304 have moved within the slots 310 , 312 , 314 , 316 , 318 of the transfer chamber . the fastening mechanism 304 in slot 308 may not have appreciably moved relative to the transfer chamber due to its proximity to the center 320 of the interface 300 . hence , the fastening mechanism 304 in slot 308 remains substantially at distance g from the center 320 of the interface 300 . however , the fastening mechanisms 304 in each of the other slots 310 , 312 , 314 , 316 , 318 have moved relative to the transfer chamber due to the thermal expansion of the slit valve . the center of the fastening mechanism 304 disposed in slot 310 may be a distance m from the center 320 of the interface 300 . the distance m is greater than the distance h . the center of the fastening mechanism 304 disposed in slot 312 may be a distance n from the center 320 of the interface 300 . the distance n is greater than the distance i . the center of the fastening mechanism 304 disposed in slot 314 may be a distance p from the center 320 of the interface 300 . the distance p is greater than the distance j . the center of the fastening mechanism 304 disposed in slot 316 may be a distance r from the center 320 of the interface 300 . the distance r is greater than the distance k . the center of the fastening mechanism 304 disposed in slot 318 may be a distance s from the center 320 of the interface 300 . the distance s is greater than the distance l . additionally note that the spacers 322 have also moved . the spacers 322 slide along the transfer chamber during expansion / contraction / deformation . by permitting the slit valve to move relative to the transfer chamber , the o - ring 306 may remain sealed to the transfer chamber . absent the ability to move in relation to the transfer chamber , the slit valve may buckle due to the need to expand when conductively heated , damage the o - ring , and unseal from the transfer chamber . fig5 is a cross sectional view of an interface 500 between a transfer chamber 502 and a slit valve 504 according to one embodiment of the invention . an o - ring 508 may be disposed between the transfer chamber 502 and the slit valve 504 . the o - ring 508 may be partially disposed within a groove 518 in the slit valve 504 . one or more spacers 506 may be disposed between the slit valve 504 and the transfer chamber 502 . the one or more spacers 506 may be countersunk into the slit valve 504 and extend a distance t outside the slit valve . the one or more spacers 506 may comprise a low friction and low thermal conductivity material . in one embodiment , the low friction and low thermal conductivity material may comprise ceramics , engineering plastic , polyamide , polyimide , nib coated metal , ws 2 coated metal , and combinations thereof . in one embodiment , the metal comprises stainless steel . the low thermal conductivity of the material reduces the amount of heat conducted from the slit valve to the transfer chamber . the low friction permits the spacers 506 to slide along the side 520 of the transfer chamber that interfaces with the slit valve 504 . the spacer 506 may slide along the side 520 of the transfer chamber 502 when the slit valve 504 moves due to thermal expansion / contraction and / or vacuum deformation . the spacer 506 may also slide along the side 520 of the transfer chamber 502 when the slit valve contracts . the one or more spacers 506 may be disposed on the atmospheric side of the o - ring 508 . because the spacers 506 are on the atmospheric side of the o - ring 508 , any particles generated by the spacers 506 and / or the side 520 of the transfer chamber 502 as the spacers 506 slide along the side 520 of the transfer chamber 502 may not enter into the processing space contained within the transfer chamber 502 and processing chamber and contaminate the process . the spacers 506 may help to maintain a distance t between the transfer chamber 502 and the slit valve 504 . maintaining a distance t between the transfer chamber 502 and the slit valve 504 reduces the likelihood that the slit valve 504 and the transfer chamber 502 may rub against each other when the slit valve 504 thermally expands / contracts and / or vacuum deforms . if the slit valve 504 and the transfer chamber 502 rub against each other , particles may flake off the slit valve 504 , transfer chamber 502 , or both . the particles may contaminate the substrate . the distance t may be set based upon the expected thermal expansion / contraction and / or vacuum deformation of the slit valve 504 . the distance t may be of sufficient distance to permit an effective vacuum seal between the slit valve 504 and the transfer chamber 502 while reducing the likelihood of the transfer chamber 502 and slit valve 504 rubbing against each other . a fastening mechanism 510 may additionally couple the slit valve 504 to the transfer chamber 502 . the fastening mechanism 510 may comprise a threaded portion 516 threadedly coupled with the slit valve 504 . a smooth portion 522 may be disposed within the slot 524 extending through the transfer chamber 502 . the smooth portion 522 may move within the slot 524 as the slit valve 504 thermally expands and / or vacuum deforms and slides along the side 520 of the transfer chamber 502 . the fastening mechanism 510 may comprise a cap portion 512 having a flange portion 514 . the flange portion 514 may rest against a side 526 of the transfer chamber 502 . the flange portion 514 may prevent the fastening mechanism 510 from over tightening and pinching the slit valve 504 to the transfer chamber 502 . the combination of the spacer 506 and the flange 514 resting against a side 526 of the transfer chamber 502 may help to maintain the distance t between the transfer chamber 502 and the slit valve 504 . the combination of the spacer 506 and the flange 514 resting against a side 526 of the transfer chamber 502 may also help to seal the o - ring 508 between the transfer chamber 502 and the slit valve 504 . by compensating for expected thermal expansion / contraction and / or vacuum deformation of the slit valve during processing , a slit valve may not buckle or rub against an adjacent chamber and produce harmful contaminants . without the buckling of the slit valve or rubbing against adjacent chambers , an effective seal may be maintained between the slit valve and the chamber . while the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention , other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof , and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow . | 8 |
referring now to fig1 , a pulp pre - processor 10 of the present invention may use three pulp sources 12 , 14 and 16 being generally tanks containing cellulose fibers in water , for example , held in suspension by agitating impellers ( not shown ). each of the pulp sources 12 , 14 and 16 connects by means of pipes 18 to respective metering devices 20 , 22 and 24 which may , for example , be valve and pump combinations or metering pumps operating to control the volume of flow from the pulp sources 12 , 14 and 16 into a mixing cabinet 26 , joined to the metering devices 20 , 22 and 24 by pipes 28 . online pulp fiber analyzers 30 , 31 and 32 sample the pulp flowing through each of pipes 28 from metering devices 20 , 22 and 24 on a real - time basis to provide statistical distributions of fiber parameters including at least one or all of : fiber length , fiber curl and / or fiber coarseness . suitable pulp fiber analyzers 30 , 31 , and 32 may be the “ kajaani fsa online fiber length analyzer ” commercially available from metso automation of helsinki , finland . the operation of pulp fiber analyzers of this type is described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 311 , 550 , hereby incorporated by reference . the mixing cabinet 26 may include a mixing impeller 34 so as to mix and suspend the pulp from each of the pulp sources 12 , 14 , and 16 as metered through metering devices 20 , 22 , and 24 . the combined pulp is then pumped from the cabinet 26 by metering device 36 to the head box of a papermaking machine 38 or a holding tank . a fourth pulp fiber analyzer 40 may sample the pulp exiting the mixing cabinet 26 , for example between the cabinet 26 and metering device 36 to monitor the combined fiber distributions . each of the pulp fiber analyzers 30 , 31 , 32 , and 40 provide signals to a central controller 42 which in turn provides control signals controlling each of metering devices 20 , 22 , 24 , and 36 . the controller 42 may further receive commands from a terminal 44 , for example , defining a desired pulp distribution and variance . a central controller 42 suitable for use in the present invention may be a logix series controller commercially available from rockwell automation of milwaukee , wis ., or other suitable device . referring to fig1 and 2 , in the first embodiment , pulp source 14 may supply recycled paper pulp having varying fiber parameter distribution 56 reflecting a varying source of recycled fiber and affects on the fiber caused by recycling . in this example , pulp sources 12 and 16 provide augmenting pulp sources having distributions 54 and 58 intended to correct the fiber distribution 56 of the pulp of pulp source 14 . for example , pulp sources 12 may be softwood fiber having a relatively higher concentration of long fibers greater than 3 millimeters , whereas pulp source 16 may supply hardwood fiber having a relatively higher concentration of short fibers and longest fibers of around 1 millimeter , meaning that the distribution of fibers in pulp sources 12 is skewed toward longer fibers with respect to the distribution of fibers of pulp source 16 . examples of soft woods include jack pine , ponderosa pine , and redwood . examples of hardwoods include sugar maple , silver birch , and aspen . referring now to fig2 , a controller 42 executes a stored control program 46 that receives a command data set 48 from a user , for example , entered through terminal 44 . the command data set 48 provides , for example , a target distribution 50 showing a desired percent of fibers in each of a number of fiber length bins , for example , at every millimeter from one to seven millimeters . typically , the target distribution 50 will provide for error bands 52 indicating a desired tolerance in the distribution obtained . the controller 42 also receives corresponding distributions 54 , 56 and 58 from each of the pulp fiber analyzers 30 , 31 and 32 , providing histograms counting numbers of fibers in each bin or providing weighted fiber counts ( weighting the fibers according to their representative mass ). in either case , the distributions 54 , 56 , and 58 provide the same domain and range as the desired distribution . the controller will also receive a distribution 60 representing a sampling of the output of the tank from pulp fiber analyzers 40 . as will be understood , this distribution 60 will normally be very close to the target distribution 50 based on the control action of the controller 42 executing the stored control program 46 to provide control signals 62 to each of the metering devices 20 , 22 , and 24 . referring now also to fig3 , the control program 46 starts , as indicated by process block 64 , by accepting the command data set 48 . this command data set 48 may be entered manually based on empirically discovered formulas for paper or may be selected from a pre - existing library of formulas . at process block 64 , the distribution 56 from the online pulp fiber analyzer 31 monitoring the recycled pulp source 14 is read and at succeeding process block 68 , amounts of augmenting pulp from pulp sources 12 and 16 are calculated based on current measurements of those pulps , taken at process block 70 , using online pulp fiber analyzers 30 and 32 . the positioning of the pulp fiber analyzer 31 may be upstream of the metering devices 20 , 22 , and 24 and of the introduction of the pulp into the mixing cabinet 26 to provide for sufficient calculation time to control metering devices 20 , 22 , and 24 for the right augmenting fiber addition the calculation of the necessary amounts of augmenting pulp from pulp sources 12 and 16 may be done by characterizing each of the distributions by one or more moments and using an algebraic decomposition , for example , as described in ring , gerard , j . f . ; bacon , aric j ., “ multiple - component analysis of fiber length distributions ”, tappi journal , vol . 78 , no . 7 , pp . 224 - 231 ( 1997 ). particularly when multiple - augmenting fiber sources are used , other calculation techniques may also be used , for example , those employing hill climbing techniques , or monte carlo or simulated annealing techniques . the predicted distribution of the mixed fibers will be a bin - by - bin summing of the distributions of each of the pulp sources 12 , 14 , and 16 weighted by their percentage representation in the mix established by the control of metering devices 20 , 22 , and 24 . the mix of the pulp from the pulp sources 12 , 14 and 16 may be further adjusted according to the monitored outflow distribution from fiber analyzer 40 per process block 73 to accommodate errors between the target distribution 50 and the output of the fiber analyzer 40 caused by the action of the mixing chamber or other systematic offsets . referring now to fig4 , the calculation of process block 68 produces multiple solutions 74 on a solution surface 72 . these multiple solutions may , for example , lie within the error bands 52 about a given target distribution 50 , or may be the result of different combinations of pulp from different tanks , providing competing solutions . under these circumstances , a particular solution 74 ′ may be selected so as to maximize the amount of recycled fiber used in the stock per process block 76 or alternately to maximize use of the most cost - effective fiber source and to minimize more costly fiber sources . finally , at process block 78 , metering devices 20 , 22 , and 24 are set . upon completion of the setting of the metering devices 20 , 22 , and 24 , the control program 46 cycles again to process block 66 to repeat these steps . metering device 36 may be controlled according to the desired delivery rate of pulp but may also be adjusted to control the dwell time of pulp within the mixing cabinet 26 to improve the mixing as may be determined by monitoring variations in the pulp distribution 60 . in alternative embodiments , other physical fiber parameters such as curl or coarseness maybe be monitored by the pulp fiber analyzers 30 , 31 and 32 instead of fiber length , and pulp sources 12 and 16 may hold pulp sources selected to provide appropriately skewed fiber distributions to allow for correction of curl or coarseness . referring now to fig5 , a simplified embodiment of the invention may , for example , include two pulp sources 14 and 12 and a single pulp fiber analyzer 31 . in this case , the pulp in pulp source 12 is pre - characterized , for example , by pulp fiber analyzer 31 before start of the pre - processing , after which the pulp fiber analyzer 31 is switched over to pulp source 12 for real - time monitoring of the pulp source 14 . the initial distribution of the fibers in pulp source 12 is provided to the controller 42 and it is assumed the pulp from pulp source 12 is essentially homogenous and invariant . otherwise , a similar control strategy as that described above may be adopted , however , with a lesser ability to correct for distribution deficiencies in the recycled pulp source 14 . even so , the simplified pulp pre - processor 10 of fig5 , by providing precise metering of the augmenting pulp from pulp sources 12 , can potentially provide a high - quality and uniform - quality paper pulp with a large percentage of recycled fibers and efficient conservation of un - recycled fibers from pulp source 12 . referring now to fig6 , a multi - dimensional pulp pre - processor 10 may make use of a pulp source 14 and six augmenting pulp sources 12 a through 12 f , each with corresponding metering devices 20 and pulp fiber analyzers 30 , all under the control of controller 42 . in this case , each of the augmenting pulp sources 12 a through 12 f may be selected to have polar distributions of a given physical pulp parameter , for example , long fiber length , short fiber length , high fiber curl , low fiber curl , fine fibers and coarse fibers . the controller 42 may thus affect multiple control loops to correct the distribution of pulp source 14 for any of these parameters . this pulp pre - processor 10 provides bi - directional parameter control and thus potentially can handle a wide range recycled pulp from pulp source 14 providing uniform output pulp while incorporating a large percentage of recycled pulp into the resultant mixed pulp . it will be understood that alternatively , each of the pulp sources 12 a through 12 f may represent different polar combinations of pairs of the parameters so that appropriate combinations of the pulp from these tanks can still effect arbitrary bi - directional correction of any distribution of fiber parameters the pulp sources 12 a through 12 f may be selected from pulps of particular wood species or may , in fact , be pulp sources that have been pre - processed to accentuate the desired characteristics . for example , a pulp source with a fiber length distribution weighted toward long fibers can be prepared through centrifugal separation or other known techniques . it will be understood that the present process is not limited strictly to use with recycled fibers but may also be used to provide for extremely uniform pulp for exacting papermaking processes or to handle variations in un - recycled pulp sources . further it will be recognized that multiple fiber analyzers can in fact be implemented with a single computational or optical unit shared among pulp streams so that separate real time measurements are nevertheless obtained . it is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein , but include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims . | 3 |
the present invention discloses systems , methods , and devices which eliminate the requirement for a physical rectifier assembly by instead including a full wave rectifier inside an integrated circuit package . the integrated circuit package also has the majority of other necessary circuitry within it . each group of leds is driven by a single integrated circuit that contains enough rectifier capacity for that group of leds . as the physical length of the led light array is expanded for other configurations , the rectifier capacity increases since the integrated circuits contain the rectifier within each , and as the product is scaled larger , the rectification resource expands as required . since the majority of the electronic circuitry is contained within the integrated circuit , inventory parts count , circuit board real estate , and price are reduced . the only limitation on the size of the light ( led ) array is defined by the wire size used within the particular fixture assembly , used to feed ac power forward . the present invention thus removes any restriction due to a fixed power capacity rectifier component . when there is a single fixed power rectifier , it is rated for a particular power rating , which cannot be exceeded . this limits the size of the lighting topology . the light array can be powered by forward fed power lines which are arranged in a ‘ star ’ configuration . a star configuration , in this case , means that all groups are powered in parallel from the ac power source . the invention is also designed for use with an external dimmer . this invention is based on the concept of the use of two main types of components a power conditioning module 56 and “ light modules ” 55 , plus an input connection 52 . the input connection 52 may be an ordinary ac outlet plug , a pair of wires , either stripped or unstripped , or some other type of termination hardware suitable to bring in power to the complete assembly . the power module 56 consists of any line protection components and discrete transient and circuit protection circuitry that is necessary to prevent any damage to any of the invention &# 39 ; s components due to transient voltage excursions that may occasionally occur on an ac power line . the other components , any number of which may be combined together , is a light module 55 (“ cell ”) comprising leds and electronics . light modules 55 may be designed and coupled as required based on the particular size and configuration of the entire light array desired . fig1 shows a string of ‘ n ’ light modules 55 connected to a single power conditioning module 56 . the light modules 55 may , for example , repeat every four inches . physically , each light module can linearly follow the previous light module , or all of the modules can be connected in a parallel ( star ) configuration . power to each light module is provided through the ac power conditioning module 56 via an ac power bus line 53 and an ac power bus return line 54 . the ac power conditioning module 56 may comprise a single surge protection device , such as an mov , and a capacitor mounted across the ac power input or other additional components as required . this power conditioning module 56 protects from potential undesirable over - voltage conditions that may damage the light modules 55 . the two ac power bus lines 53 and 54 extend throughout the entire length of the circuit . if required , short lengths of the array ( groups ) can be fitted with a connector such that multiple sections which consist of a group of light modules 55 can be added , as required for the application , without having to select a different power conditioning module . the value of any fuse can be changed for larger configurations . fig2 illustrates how an led 50 is driven by an ideal current source 52 . a current source may comprise an ideal voltage source in series with a resistor , or it may comprise a voltage source with other types of current - limiting devices , such as feedback controlled transistors . in one embodiment of the present invention , a feedback controlled transistor concept is implemented to power a string of leds with a controlled current source . a feedback controlled current source is a preferred type of current source geometry , rather than a series resistor current source , which does not ensure a fixed value of current , in the event that the line voltage undergoes a power surge . fig3 shows the current path of the ac power 62 which comes in as an alternating current . first , the current passes through a full wave rectifier 57 . then , the current passes through an led array 60 , then through a current controller 64 ( and overdrive protector ), and then through a current sense resistor ( or current monitoring resistor ) 58 , finally returning to the full wave rectifier 57 . the current passing through the current sense resistor 58 creates a voltage , which is fed back 61 to the current controller 64 to reduce the current value to reach a proper quiescent current flow based on the circuit design . thus , the integrated circuit comprises a full wave rectifier 57 and a current controller 64 ( and overdrive protector ) with feedback circuitry 61 . in addition , esd protection ( electrostatic discharge protection ) circuitry 90 is included within the integrated circuit to protect the circuitry in the event of a transient or static discharge during handling . fig4 shows more detail of the feedback ( control ) circuitry 61 shown in fig3 . the voltage developed across the current sense resistor 58 is designated as v f 82 . this developed voltage 82 is applied to an analog inverting stage 66 , and the resulting voltage , designated as v feedback 83 , is applied back to the current controller 64 . as v f increases , v feedback decreases , thus reducing the current passing through the led array 60 , current controller 64 , and current sense resistor 58 . a design incorporating feedback circuitry ( control circuitry ) thus establishes a stabilized current at a pre - determined equilibrium point . the control circuitry may further comprise a voltage inverter transistor circuitry . fig5 is a further view of an embodiment of the invention including details of the circuitry within the current controller 64 . all protection devices have been removed from this view for the purposes of clarity . the current control operation can be divided into four consecutive phases within half ac power &# 39 ; s cycle : the off period , the rising current period , the regulated current period , and the falling current period . the off period occurs when the full wave rectifier 57 voltage is below the total voltage drop across the led array 60 . in this stage , the led current is equal to zero and the mos transistor 67 gate to source voltage decreases based on the specific physical characteristics of the whole circuit and its previous regulated current condition . the rising current period occurs when the full wave rectifier 57 voltage reaches the total voltage drops across the led array 60 plus the mos transistor 67 threshold voltage . at this time , the mos transistor 67 gate to source voltage increases through the pull - up resistor 69 . consequently , the mos transistor 67 current increases until it reaches the regulated current state condition . the regulated current condition is achieved when the majority of the current passing through the led array 60 , the mos transistor 67 , and the current sensing resistor 58 reaches a constant value . in this phase , the current develops a voltage across the current sensing resistor 58 , v f 82 , which forward biases an npn transistor 68 through a resistor 70 . the resulting base current of the npn transistor 68 proportionally increases the collector current supplied by the output voltage of the led array 60 flowing through its pull - up collector resistor 69 , decreasing the rate of change of the v feedback voltage 83 that is then applied to the gate of the mos transistor 67 , which reduces the rate of change of the current flowing in the led array 60 . this circuit configuration results in a constant current equilibrium condition that is mostly characterized by the ratio between the npn transistor &# 39 ; s 68 base to emitter voltage value and the current sensing resistor 58 value . the constant voltage applied at the gate of the mos transistor 67 determine a saturation current through the led array 60 that is controlled and stabilized independent of the instantaneous voltage value applied during the sine wave excursions , and independent of variations due to line voltage fluctuations during this phase . in the last phase , known as the falling current period , the full wave rectifier 57 voltage again reaches a value below the total voltage drop across the led array 60 . at this point , the main circuit current decreases until it reaches the zero value , returning to the off stage . the illustration in fig5 shows the same structure as fig4 , with additional detail shown by actual components illustrated instead of circuit blocks . the inverting stage consists of transistor 68 ( e . g ., a field effect transistor , fet ), the associated collector load resistor 69 , and a base drive resistor 70 . the current controller is the transistor 67 . as the current flow through the led array 60 increases , when the instantaneous sine wave voltage goes up , the current flow through the current sense resistor 58 increases . this increased current flow through the resistor 58 raises the voltage at point 82 . this increased voltage at point 82 increases the base current though transistor 68 . more base current through transistor 68 causes an increased collector current flow through transistor 68 . this increased current flow through it &# 39 ; s ′ collector resistor 69 results in a voltage drop across resistor 69 which causes the value of v feedback 83 to drop . as v feedback 83 drops at the gate of transistor 67 , the current flow through transistor 67 drops . this negative feedback design results in the circuitry quickly attaining a quiescent state for a constant current flow through the led array 60 . as the instantaneous sine wave voltages increases and decreases , this circuitry keeps the current through the led array 60 constant . fig6 shows the circuitry of fig4 and fig5 in even finer detail with the inclusion of an overdrive ( serge ) protection circuit . during normal operation , the voltage is such that there is no current conduction through zener diode 73 and limiting resistor 74 . if there is a dangerous voltage spike , voltage surge or excursion that exceeds the zener breakdown voltage rating of zener diode 73 , the zener diode starts conducting current through resistor 74 . the voltage that develops across resistor 74 and zener diode 73 causes the voltage at the base of transistor 68 to increase . this causes an increase in the base current of transistor 68 . this increased base current in transistor 68 results in an increased collector current in transistor 68 . increased collector current in transistor 68 draws additional current through resistor 69 which increases the voltage drop across resistor 69 . this increased voltage drop across resistor 69 drops the gate voltage of transistor 67 which reduces the current flow through transistor 67 and the led array 60 , preventing damage due to the voltage surge . the overdrive protection circuit &# 39 ; s main function is to clamp the gate voltage of transistor 67 to the source voltage of the mos transistor 67 below the mos breakdown voltage and its power dissipation capability , by saturating the zener diode 73 and a current limiter resistor 74 . in addition , capacitor 72 shunts the feedback transistor 68 . this reduces a transient spike in the v feedback 83 causing the mos transistor 67 to instantaneously turn , which would lead to a heavy flow of current through the circuit . another important feature of the invention is its inherent thermal protection capability . the npn transistor &# 39 ; s 68 location and characteristics in the integrated circuit are designed to reduce the led array &# 39 ; s 60 current when the overall system junction temperature increases , due to the total power dissipation of the system ( full wave rectifier 57 , led array 60 , mos transistor 67 ), above the normal operation condition . the npn transistor &# 39 ; s 68 saturation current depends mostly to its junction temperature and affects its base to emitter voltage ( v be ). for example , the current sensing resistor 58 ( r isense ) is set to 60 ohms , the integrated circuit junction temperature reaches an equilibrium point of 100 ° c . and the npn transistor &# 39 ; s 68 v be is equal to 600 mv when the ambient temperature is 25 ° c . at this point the regulated current value is equal to 10 ma ( 600 mv / 60 ohms ). if the ambient temperature increases to 45 ° c . ( δt = 45 ° c .− 25 ° c .= 20 ° c .) and the npn transistor &# 39 ; s 68 v be temperature coefficient ( v betcoff ) is − 6 mv /° c ., the led array &# 39 ; s 60 regulated current will be reduced to 8 ma as per the following equation : regulated current =[ v be @ 25 ° c . +( v betcoff * δt )]/ r isense =[ 600 mv +(− 6 mv /° c . * 20 ° c . )]/ 60 ohms = 8 ma the decrease in current reduces the overall system power dissipation . in order to optimize this temperature control feature , transistor 68 can be designed in the layout architecture to physically be close or even adjacent to transistor 67 so as transistor 67 heats up , transistor 68 also heats up and will reduce the v be voltage , which will cool down transistor 67 , as transistor 67 reduces its through current . in addition , the current sensing resistor &# 39 ; s 58 temperature coefficient can be used also to enhance the above thermal overload protection schema . this will eventually reach a thermal / electrical equilibrium which will prevent damage from occurring due to an overheat condition , possibly precipitated by environmental temperature change or mounting location effects . fig7 is a more detailed block diagram of the entire apparatus , as shown in fig1 . the ac terminal connector 52 ( e . g ., a line plug ) feeds a fuse device 75 , and then surge protection circuitry 76 is used to ameliorate the effects of voltage transients and esd events . typical surge protection can be a capacitor and an mov across the line after the fuse . an mov is a metal - oxide varistor , which is a two leaded component with a non - linear resistance . at high voltages , the mov has low resistance and at low voltage has a high resistance . when a transient voltage , which is a high voltage , comes through the mov , its resistance decreases and it shunts the high voltage to ground , keeping the light modules 55 from experiencing a high voltage . other types of protection devices can be used which perform the same function . the fuse is used to open up the circuit if there is an input voltage level fault or a component or wiring fault that causes too much current to flow , which would be a fire hazard . a physical fuse or a circuit breaker device can be used to protect the invention by opening and stopping current flow if a current value beyond the design parameters is experienced . since an mov and other devices take a finite time to activate , a capacitor shunting them tends to keep the voltage from surging for a brief time , which is long enough for the other device to activate and protect . in the example in fig7 , there are a total of n modules , where n is a number between 1 and the maximum amount of stages that can be supplied safely by the wiring and fusing . it is to be noted that the use of a fuse is dependent upon the electrical codes for the particular product . the power bus line 53 and power bus return line 54 supply each of the modules . these modules consist of an integrated circuit 63 , which has a current path that flows from the rectified power source within the integrated circuit 63 , through the mos pass transistor 67 , and into an led array 60 . the current then flows to the current sense resistor 58 and back to the power bus return line 54 . in addition , there are some discrete circuit components 77 for protection of the circuitry from rapid current rise , as well as transient and esd protection . each of the light modules 55 are identical to each other but different from the power module 76 . fig8 displays some waveforms that occur during normal circuit operation . trace 78 is the output voltage of the full wave rectifier 57 . the current through the current sense resistor 58 is shown as trace 80 , which shows that there is no current flow during the lower voltage portions of the sine wave . once a threshold voltage , vf leds , is reached , at the point that the total voltage drop across the led array 60 ( σvfi led ) plus the mos transistor 67 threshold voltage ( vmosthr ) is exceeded ( vd total ), the current slowly approaches the quiescent value and is flat even though the sine wave line voltage is increasing . this is due to the feedback nature of the circuitry and its action as a constant current source . current conduction will only occur once the instantaneous sine wave voltage exceeds the sum of voltage drops across the led array 60 . trace 79 shows the drain voltage 85 from the mos transistor 67 ( see fig5 and 6 ). trace 81 shows the source voltage 86 ( see fig5 and 6 ), which reflects the voltage across the current sense resistor 58 . once the input power &# 39 ; s ac waveform has reached a sufficient level such that current can flow through the led array 60 and the circuitry can operate , the source voltage 86 remains relatively constant . this is because it is directly proportional to the current through the current sense resistor 58 . this is the desired type of operation where only a fixed value of current is designed to flow . the circuitry of this invention is compatible with external dimming circuitry . external dimmers operate by adjusting the duty cycle of the current flow for near maximum light output by permitting nearly fulltime current conduction through the light emitter ( led array in this invention ). this gives near maximum brightness of the led array . as the circuit is dimmed , the dimmer control electronics reduces the percentage of time that current is allowed to flow . this is done synchronously with the ac - mains voltage &# 39 ; s sine wave . the less percent of the time that current flows , the dimmer the light appears . typically , the dimmer is switched on during different phases of the sine wave , dependent on the setting of the dimmer control and the desired brightness level of the lamp . for maximum brightness the dimmer circuitry switches on about 25 % ( near 45 ° phase angle ) of the sine wave and stays on to either a complementary angle on the sine wave or until the sine wave &# 39 ; s 180 ° phase angle occurs when the voltage is at its zero crossing point , dependent on the type of dimmer circuit . as the dimmer control is operated to progressively dim the light , the circuitry turns the light on at a later and later phase angle . the more dimming that is desired by the user , the less time the dimmer circuitry allows current to flow through the light , and this reduces the visual brightness of the light . when a dimmer is used with the invention , the invention appears electronically as a constant current load for the dimmer . when the dimmer switches current on , at a particular sine wave phase angle , the invention allows constant current to flow through the led array when the ac voltage is above vd total . the dimmer looks electrically to the invention &# 39 ; s circuitry as a switch that is switching on and off , in synchronism with the main &# 39 ; s sine wave voltage and this switched current flow gets regulated by the invention &# 39 ; s circuitry to a constant current switching on and off through the inventions regulator circuitry and the leds array . another important aspect of the invention is that the inrush current is limited by the internal control circuitry and because there are not large capacitors to charge during the on time stage . fig9 a - 9d show schematics 87 , 88 and physical views 89 , 90 of the leds and led array components . each led assembly 89 is a mid - power , high voltage type of led that consists of a multitude of led junctions assembled into a single physical package . fig9 a shows a typical equivalent circuit for a single assembly 87 , that consists of a group of individual led elements connected together serially so as to yield a higher series voltage drop . fig9 b shows four of the led assemblies connected in series 88 to form an led array 60 , as referred to herein . fig9 c shows the physical appearance 89 of a typical led assembly . fig9 d shows six led assemblies situated in an array 90 suitable for a single light module application , exemplifying another type of led array 60 . all of the leds in each module are chosen to have similar color and brightness by a matching process called binning by the manufacturer , in order to control the consistency of color temperature and illumination over the entire physical product . the present invention thus relates to an integrated circuit for powering an led array , the circuit comprising : a full wave rectifier positioned within said integrated circuit , a field effect transistor ( fet ) for current control , a current monitoring resistor , a surge protection circuit , and a control circuitry , said control circuitry comprising a constant current source and a voltage inverter transistor circuitry . in some aspects , the integrated circuit is further coupled to an led array , forming a light module . in some aspects , the integrated circuit further comprises a connection to one or more light modules . in some aspects , the circuit is modifiable such that a quantity of light modules is adjustable without affecting any type of external full wave rectifier ( since the full wave rectifier exists within each light module containing an integrated circuit itself ). in some aspects , the circuit is powered only by a single power module , regardless of the number of leds or light modules connected . in some aspects , each light module is identical to each other light module . in some aspects , the circuit internally converts an ac voltage to a full wave rectified ac voltage , thus making the circuit suitable for efficient use as an led drive source . in some aspects , the circuit is further coupled to an external dimmer . in some aspects , the circuit operates on an ac voltage . in some aspects , the circuit supplies a constant current to an led array . in some aspects , the circuit further comprises a thermal overload protection circuitry . in some aspects , the circuit further comprises a power bus line and a power bus return line . in some aspects , the circuit further comprises esd protection . in some aspects , the circuit &# 39 ; s surge protection comprises a metal - oxide varistor ( mov ) and a capacitor . in some aspects , the circuit creates a constant current equilibrium condition through the led array ( as described in greater detail above ). the present invention also entails an led strip comprising the integrated circuit described herein . furthermore , the present invention also regards a method of building an integrated circuit for powering one or more led arrays , the method comprising the steps of : positioning a full wave rectifier within an integrated circuit , and positioning a field effect transistor ( fet ) within the same integrated circuit ( thus removing the need for any external full wave rectifier ). in some aspects , the method further comprises connecting a current sense resistor to the integrated circuit . in some aspects , the method further comprises connecting a surge protection circuit to the integrated circuit . in some aspects , the method further comprises connecting a control circuitry to said integrated circuit , where the control circuitry comprises a constant current source and a voltage inverter transistor circuitry . while the present invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments , those of normal skill in the art will appreciate the modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and the spirit of the present invention . such modifications and variations are envisioned to be within the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
the embodiments disclosed herein are only examples of the many possible advantageous uses and implementations of the innovative teachings presented herein . in general , statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed embodiments . moreover , some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others . in general , unless otherwise indicated , singular elements may be in plural and vice versa with no loss of generality . in the drawings , like numerals refer to like parts through several views . it should be understood that the following description includes the terms “ printer ” and “ printing ” for illustrative purposes and without limitation on the various disclosed embodiments . printing , imprinting , and other types of marking may be conducted by a printer or imprinter without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments . types of printing and imprinting may include , but are not limited to , ink printing , laser printing , engraving , and so on . a self - propelled printer , configured to leave markings on a surface , may include one or more wheels , for example , omni - wheels and a controller to control the various functions of the self - propelled printer / imprinter . the controller receives printing data in an appropriate format and renders the printing data for the purposes of printing on the surface . the controller typically receives information regarding the location of a head of the self - propelled printer over the surface . in some embodiments , the controller may be further capable of determining the location of the head on the surface autonomously via sensing devices included in the self - propelled printer . according to an embodiment , the controller causes the motion of the self - propelled printer / imprinter over the surface in an efficient path that avoids unnecessary passage over areas that will not be printed upon as well as passage over recently printed - upon areas . surfaces which may be imprinted upon include , but are not limited to , paper , cloth , floor , tile , a wood , a ceiling , a wall , a window , a glass concrete , and so on . fig1 a through 1d show various stages of an exemplary and non - limiting printing of a page 110 by a self - propelled printer 120 according to an embodiment . in fig1 a , the self - propelled printer 120 is positioned at the upper left corner of the page 110 . it should be noted that the page 110 may be any surface including , but not limited to , paper , cloth , floor , tile , concrete , and so on . as a non - limiting example , the page 110 is a sheet of paper . upon receiving printing instructions , the self - propelled printer 120 begins to move along the page 110 in a downward direction toward the bottom of the page , printing at the maximum possible width of the self - propelled printer 120 . fig1 b shows the self - propelled printer 120 after printing slightly beyond the middle of the left hand side of the page 110 , thereby leaving behind printed area 130 . fig1 c shows the position of the self - propelled printer 120 after printing the entire left side of the page 110 . after printing the entire left side of the page 110 , under the control of a controller ( not shown ) responsible for controlling the motion of the self - propelled printer 120 , the self - propelled printer 120 moves horizontally . after moving horizontally , the self - propelled printer 120 begins printing in the opposite direction , i . e ., toward the top of the page 110 . fig1 d shows the self - propelled printer 120 at its resting point after completion of printing of both side of the page 110 . it should be noted that , in these exemplary figures , the resting point of the self - propelled printer 120 is at the top right of the page 110 , without any limitation on the disclosed embodiments . the self - propelled printer may start or end at any position on the page 110 and move respective thereon to print the entire area to be printed without departing from the disclosed embodiments . moreover , though the directions are described as going from the top of the page downward , then horizontally and upward should not be viewed as a limitation . accordingly , the self - propelled printer 120 may move in multiple or different directions as may be deemed necessary . fig2 a through 2c show an exemplary and non - limiting printing of a page 110 by a self - propelled printer 120 according to an embodiment . the starting position of the self - propelled printer 120 is the same as in the previous example ( i . e ., the top left corner of the page 110 ) as shown in fig2 a . in this case , however , the controller ( not shown ) of the self - propelled printer 120 is instructed to print solely an ellipse 220 on the page 210 . as shown in fig2 b , the controller of the self - propelled printer 120 instructs the self - propelled printer 120 to move toward the position where the ellipse 220 should be printed . according to various embodiments , it is not necessary for the self - propelled printer 120 to move across the entire page systematically and only print when reaching the desired printing location . rather , the self - propelled printer 120 can move directly to the area ( s ) of page 210 to be printed upon , thereby conserving time and energy that would otherwise be spent on moving around the entire page 210 . fig3 illustrates an exemplary and non - limiting block diagram of a self - propelled printer 300 according to an embodiment . in one embodiment , the self - propelled printer 300 comprises a power supply 310 such as , for example , a non - rechargeable battery or a rechargeable battery , that allows for the self - propelled printer 300 to operate without being wired to a power source . however , in other embodiments , power may be supplied from an external power source including , but not limited to , a universal serial bus ( usb ) cable ( not shown ), that may be further used to provide data to the self - propelled printer 300 . the self - propelled printer 300 also includes a processor 320 and a memory 330 . the memory 330 is communicatively connected to the processor 320 by , for example , a bus 380 . this communicative connection allows the processor 320 to read instructions stored in the memory 330 as well as to read data from and write data to the memory 330 . in one embodiment , processing on the self - propelled printer 300 is limited and most of the processing is performed on the device sending the printed material . for example , a smartphone having installed thereon an appropriate driver operative with respect to the self - propelled printer may perform the majority of processing for the self - propelled printer . a transceiver 340 connected to an antenna 345 provides a communication link enabling the processor 320 to receive data therefrom through the bus 380 that is communicatively connected to the transceiver 340 . communication can be accomplished via , e . g ., wifi , bluetooth ®, infrared ( ir ) and other radio frequency ( rf ) communications , and any other wireless communication links . the transceiver 340 may be used in conjunction with a usb cable , for example , as an alternate means of communication , or in place thereof . it should be understood that embodiments lacking the transceiver 340 may be utilized without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments . a print head 360 that provides one or more slots for placement of ink cartridges is further connected to the bus . the ink cartridges contain ink that is used for the purpose of printing . ink contained in the ink cartridges may be , but is not limited to , black ink , colored ink , invisible ink , chemicals , medicines , edible ink , etc . it should be noted that the embodiment described with respect to fig3 includes ink cartridges merely for the sake of example and without limitation on the various disclosed embodiments . other forms of marking may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments . such forms of marking may or may not come packaged in cartridges . printing is performed under the control of the processor 320 . in another embodiment , instead of cartridges , a user may inject ink into certain cavities of the print head 360 . while fig3 is described with respect to ink cartridges , it is merely described as such for simplicity sake and does not limit any of the various disclosed embodiments . other printing techniques , for example and without limitation , thermal printing , are also possible without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments . the advantages of the self - propelled printer 300 become further evident when the motor controls used to control the motion of the self - propelled printer 300 are discussed . specifically , the motors control unit 370 is communicatively connected to the bus 380 and operates under the instructions of the processor 320 . fig4 depicts an exemplary and non - limiting diagram of a top view 400 a and a cross - section view 400 b of an omni - wheel 400 used to control the motion of a self - propelled printer ( e . g ., the self - propelled printer 120 ) according to an embodiment . the omni - wheel 400 is capable of moving in all directions depending on the movement of wheels 410 - 1 through 410 - 8 ( hereinafter referred to individually as a wheel 410 and collectively as wheels 410 ) that are mounted on the body 420 and may contain therein the necessary motors for the operation of the omni - wheel 400 . it should be noted that the embodiment described with respect to fig4 has 8 wheels 410 merely for illustrative purposes and without any limitations on the disclosed embodiments . more or fewer wheels 410 may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments . for illustration purposes , the self - propelled printer 300 is mounted on the wheel as shown in fig4 . by causing , for example , wheels 410 - 1 and 410 - 5 to turn in the same direction , the omni - wheel 400 will move in a vertical direction along the paper , while if wheels 410 - 2 and 410 - 6 turn in the same direction , the omni - wheel 400 will move in a diagonal direction . while a single omni - wheel 400 is shown herein , other embodiments are possible where two or more omni - wheels are mounted to the self - propelled printer 300 . returning to fig3 , it is the task of the motors control unit 370 to control the motors that propel the self - propelled printer 300 ( e . g ., the motors of the wheels 410 ). in one embodiment , the self - propelled printer 300 further comprises one or more sensors that enable the self - propelled printer 300 to determine its position including , but not limited to , changes in position with respect to its motion , the location of the print head 360 with respect to the page , and the like . it should be understood that other sensors may be used such as , for example , color sensors to determine the color of the surface upon which the self - propelled printer 300 is operating over . a color sensor may be used , for example , to determine crossing from a printing surface to another surface based on changes in detected colors . while an omni - wheel solution is discussed herein , it should be noted that the invention may be realized using other wheel structures as well as structures such as continuous track mechanisms . such alternative mechanisms should provide the self - propelled printer 300 with the capability of moving in at least x and y directions on a surface . fig5 shows an exemplary and non - limiting flowchart 500 describing the operation of a self - propelled printer ( e . g ., the self - propelled printer 300 ) according to an embodiment . in s 510 , the self - propelled printer receives data for printing . data for printing may include , but is not limited to , the size and shape of area ( s ) on a surface to be printed upon , color ( s ) to be used in printing , a size and shape of the surface to be printed upon , a type of the surface to be printed upon ( e . g ., paper , cloth , etc . ), and so on . in s 520 , the position of a print head ( e . g ., the print head 360 ) of the printer with respect to the surface to be printed upon ( e . g ., the page 110 ) is determined . the determination of the position may be done manually by a user through a user interface , or by using sensors ( e . g ., the sensors 350 ) of the self - propelled printer . the sensors may be motion sensors , navigation sensors , and other sensors used as inputs that have an impact on the guiding of the self - propelled printer 300 . in s 530 , the self - propelled printer 300 renders printing data respective of the data for printing and the position of the print head . the rendering not only determines which ink dots to make on the paper , but also determine an efficient manner of approaching the areas to be printed upon while avoiding unnecessary passage over areas that do not currently require printing . by attempting to approach only areas that will be printed upon , the self - propelling printer may print more quickly and efficiently . as a non - limiting example of efficiently approaching an area to be printed , consider the page 210 as described with respect to fig2 a . the self - propelled printer 120 is located diagonally from the sole area to be printed upon , the ellipse 220 . based on detection of the self - propelled printer 120 &# 39 ; s current location ( the top left corner of the page ), it is determined that the self - propelled printer 120 &# 39 ; s center is one inch north and one inch west of the center of the ellipse 220 . accordingly , it is determined that a direct line to the ellipse 220 would involve moving roughly 1 . 4 inches at a 45 degree angle south from east . once at the location of the ellipse 220 , the self - propelled printer 120 moves so as to mark the ellipse 220 with ink . in s 540 , print instructions are performed by the self - propelled printer . in s 550 , it is checked whether additional printing is necessary and if so execution continues with s 510 ; otherwise , execution terminates . it should be understood that , although the description herein refers to a paper as the surface that is printed upon , other materials such as , for example , a variety of cloths , may also be considered a printing surface . while the embodiments discussed hereinabove were particular to a print head in a self - propelled printer , other embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention . different printing mechanism may be used , including but not limited to thermal printing and laser printing . the self - propelled printer may be further adapted to operate as an imprinter , for example , for the purpose of engraving into a surface rather than printing thereon . surfaces may further vary and include , but are not limited to , paper , cloth , tiles , floors , concrete , and other surfaces capable of being printed or imprinted upon . while an omni - wheel was described herein , other motion capable surfaces are possible such as , but not limited to , a wheel and a traction chain . the various embodiments may be implemented as hardware , firmware , software , or any combination thereof . moreover , the software is preferably implemented as an application program tangibly embodied on a program storage unit or tangible computer readable medium consisting of parts , or of certain devices and / or a combination of devices . the application program may be uploaded to , and executed by , a machine comprising any suitable architecture . preferably , the machine is implemented on a computer platform having hardware such as one or more central processing units (“ cpus ”), a memory , and input / output interfaces . the computer platform may also include an operating system and microinstruction code . the various processes and functions described herein may be either part of the microinstruction code or part of the application program , or any combination thereof , which may be executed by a cpu , whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown . in addition , various other peripheral units may be connected to the computer platform such as an additional data storage unit and a printing unit . all or some of the servers maybe combined into one or more integrated servers . furthermore , a non - transitory computer readable medium is any computer readable medium except for a transitory propagating signal . the display segments and mini - display segments may be shown on a display area that can be a browser or another other appropriate graphical user interface of an application , for example , an internet mobile application , either generic or tailored for the purposes described in detail hereinabove . all examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art , and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions . moreover , all statements herein reciting principles , aspects , and embodiments , as well as specific examples thereof , are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof . additionally , it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future , i . e ., any elements developed that perform the same function , regardless of structure . | 1 |
copolyamides of the above polyamide with other polyamide - forming comonomers can also be used herein . these other nylon forming comonomers may be incorporated provided these comonomers do not adversely affect the water solubility of the resulting polyamide . these added comonomers may include other polyamide forming comonomers such as lactams , polyether diamines , polyether diacids , alkylene diamines , and alkylene dicarboxylic acids . the solubility in water of these nylons is influenced not only by the amount of the polyetherdiamines and the nature of the dicarboxylic acids but the molecular weight as well . additives such as heat and uv stabilizers , anti - oxidants , plasticizers , lubricants , and catalyst may be used if desired to enhance the properties of the polymer or aid the polymerization process . those having skill in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate how much and in what manner these additives may be incorporated . the water - soluble packaging articles disclosed herein may be fashioned in any of a variety of forms including without limitation films , bags , pouches , bottles , and jars , and as a binder for water - soluble tablets and briquettes and similar applications . in the latter application , the binder on exposure to water disintegrates , thereby providing for a release of the previously bound material into water . there is also disclosed and claimed herein processes for the manufacture of these various packaging materials . the polyamide described above is formed as a film . the film is then shaped into a container suitable for placement of the chemical or other material of interest to be contained . once the material is deposited into the container , the container is sealed to retain the material within it . those having skill in this field will readily appreciate the various techniques for film formation , and container shaping and sealing . another process disclosed and claimed herein pertains to the manufacture and use of these polyamides as binders for tablets , briquettes and the like . the material to be packaged is presented , after which the polyamide is interspersed therewithin . the resulting product is shaped into a solid formation of interest . formative techniques for the tablets and briquettes are again well understood by those having skill in this field , and generally include the initial development of a paste or slurry and subsequently removing the water and / or applying pressure to provide a solidified material . prior to solidification the material can be shaped in designs and configurations of interest . the nylon polymerization was carried out using standard nylon polymerization process that is well - known in the art ( see kohan , m . i ., “ nylon plastics handbook ” hansen / gardner publications , inc . [ 1995 ] pages 17 – 20 & amp ; 34 – 45 ). as is well known in the art , the stoichiometry of the ingredients was determined and controlled using ph measurements . the molecular weight during polymerization , as indicated by relative viscosity ( rv ), was controlled by controlling ph , use of atmospheric , nitrogen , or vacuum finishing after pressure reduction . usually , the molten polymer is quenched in water and then cut into pellets . however , because these nylons are water - soluble the molten polymer is either allowed to cool under ambient conditions or dropped onto a bed of ground dry ice for cooling . the relative viscosity in formic acid ( rv ) of an 8 . 4 % solution was determined at 25 c using a brookfield viscometer . the solubility in room temperature water ( 22 c ) at 10 % concentration was determined by mixing 10 weight percent of the polymer with 90 weight percent demineralized water and stirring at room temperature . the solution was allowed to sit at room temperature and the solution was observed for any sign of precipitation . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 300 ml . of demineralized water and 222 . 0 g of triethyleneglycol diamine ( h 2 n — ch 2 — ch 2 — o — ch 2 — ch 2 — o — ch 2 — ch 2 — nh 2 ) were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 345 . 0 g dodecanedioic acid . an additional 200 ml of de - mineralized water was added . when all the dodecanedioic acid was dissolved the ph was adjusted to 7 . 15 by addition of 4 . 1 g of triethyleneglycol diamine ( tegd ). the solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then subjected to 21 . 0 ″ of vacuum for 60 minutes . at the end of 60 minutes the batch temperature was 270 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan . the polymer was allowed to cool to room temperature . the polymer had an rv of 15 . 7 . using the same procedure ( but with minor variations in temperature , vacuum and hold time as appropriate by those of skill in the art , to obtain the desired molecular weight ) as comparative example a , comparative examples b and c were prepared using the appropriate ingredients . results are shown below . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 300 ml . of de - mineralized water and 444 . 0 g of tegd were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 438 . 0 g of adipic acid . an additional 100 ml of de - mineralized water was added . when all the adipic acid was dissolved the ph was adjusted to 7 . 25 by addition of 7 . 2 g of tegd . the solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then subjected to 19 . 5 ″ of vacuum for 60 minutes . at the end of 60 minutes the batch temperature was 270 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan . the polymer was allowed to cool to room temperature . the polymer had an rv of 12 . 9 . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 1997 . 0 g of de - mineralized water and 740 . 0 g of tegd were mixed with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 730 . 0 g of adipic acid . when all the adipic acid was dissolved 0 . 37 g of sodium hypophosphite monohydrate ( shp monohydrate ) was added . the ph of the salt solution was 7 . 10 . an 830 . 0 g portion of the salt was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then held at atmospheric conditions for 20 minutes . at the end of 20 minutes the batch temperature was 255 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan with ground dry ice . the polymer had an rv of 14 . 0 . example 3 and example 4 were prepared under the same procedure as example 2 with the exception that vacuum was used for the finishing step . the results are shown below . examples 1 to 4 and comparative examples a , b , and c demonstrate that the incorporation of ether amine segments in the polymer alone is not sufficient to achieve water solubility . the proper selection of the dicarboxylic acid structure is necessary to obtain water soluble nylons . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 300 ml of de - mineralized water and 278 . 2 g of tegd were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 274 . 5 g of adipic acid . when the adipic acid has dissolved , 269 . 0 g of caprolactam solution with an 81 . 86 weight percent concentration was added . the ph was then adjusted to 7 . 35 by addition of 4 . 1 g of tegd . the solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then subjected to 22 . 0 ″ to 22 . 5 ″ of vacuum for 60 minutes . at the end of 60 minutes the batch temperature was 268 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan . the polymer was allowed to cool to room temperature . the polymer had an rv of 17 . 7 . the results are shown below . ( 2 ) soluble but went to solution much slower than example 5 examples 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , and comparative example d illustrate that the ratio of comonomers affect the solubility of the copolymers in water . example 5 and example 6 also demonstrate that the rv ( molecular weight ) of the polymer also affects the rate of solution . the higher molecular weight results in slower dissolution rate . using the same procedure as in previous examples , and controlling rv as previously discussed herein various copolymers with nylon 66 , 46 , and 2 - methylpetamethylenediamine , 6 were prepared . the results are shown below . examples 9 , 10 , 11 , and comparative examples e , f , g , and h illustrate again that the solubility in water of copolymers is dependent on the type and amount of comonomer used . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 500 ml of demineralized water and 264 . 0 g of 1 , 2 - bis ( gamma - aminopropoxy ) ethane ( h 2 n — ch 2 — ch 2 — ch 2 — o — ch 2 — ch 2 — o — ch 2 — ch 2 — ch 2 — nh 2 ) were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 219 . 0 g of adipic acid . when the adipic acid has dissolved the ph was adjusted to 7 . 12 by adding 26 . 0 g of 1 , 2 - bis ( gamma - aminopropoxy ) ethane ( bgae ) and 5 . 0 g of adipic acid . . those having skill in the art will readily appreciate that different grades of bgae ( and as described later , poe - dpa 220 ) are available , and these have differing levels of monoamines and triamines associated with them . however these byproducts have minor effects in adjusting the ph level so that the ph of interest is readily attained . this may have an effect on the polymerization process , and some adjustments to this process may be necessary to achieve the desirable molecular weight , again as is well appreciated by the person of skill . the solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then subjected to 21 – 22 ″ of vacuum for 60 minutes . at the end of 60 minutes the batch temperature was 258 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan . the polymer was allowed to cool to room temperature . the polymer had an rv of 7 . 7 . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 500 ml of de - mineralized water , 246 . 4 g of bgae , and 82 . 0 g of caprolactam solution with an 82 . 68 weight percent concentration were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 204 . 4 g of adipic acid . when the adipic acid has dissolved the ph was adjusted to 7 . 09 by adding 19 . 5 g of bgae . the solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then subjected to 21 ″ of vacuum for 60 minutes . at the end of 60 minutes the batch temperature was 264 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan . the polymer was allowed to cool to room temperature . the polymer had an rv of 8 . 7 . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 500 ml of de - mineralized water , 211 . 2 g of bgae , and 164 . 0 g of caprolactam solution with an 82 . 68 weight percent concentration were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 175 . 2 g of adipic acid . when the adipic acid has dissolved the ph was adjusted to 7 . 15 by adding 12 . 0 g of bgae . the solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then subjected to 18 – 19 ″ of vacuum for 60 minutes . at the end of 60 minutes the batch temperature was 264 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan . the polymer was allowed to cool to room temperature . the polymer had an rv of 10 . 7 . the results are shown below . examples 12 , 13 , and comparative example i show that replacement of tegd with bgae also affords a water - soluble polyamide . furthermore , copolymers of bgae , 6 behaves similarly with the copolymers of tegd , 6 . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 300 ml of de - mineralized water and 176 . 0 g of poe - dpa220 were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . this diprimary amine has the following structure ( h 2 n — ch 2 — ch 2 — ch 2 —[ polyoxyethylene ]— ch 2 — ch 2 — ch 2 — nh 2 ) where the polyoxyethylene unit is ( o — ch 2 — ch 2 — o — ch 2 — ch 2 — o ) and has a molecular weight of 220 . to the mixture was added slowly 116 . 8 g of adipic acid . the ph of the solution was 6 . 9 . to the solution was then added 0 . 074 g of sodium hypophosphite monohydrate . the salt solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then held at atmospheric pressure for 20 minutes . at the end of 20 minutes the batch temperature was 249 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave and into a pan of dry ice . the polymer had an rv of 7 . 8 and was soluble in water at room temperature . in a beaker provided with a stirrer , 200 ml of de - mineralized water and 88 . 0 g of poe - dpa220 were mixed and heated to 60 – 70 c with stirring . to the mixture was added slowly 58 . 4 g of adipic acid . the ph of the solution was adjusted to 6 . 72 by addition of 5 . 0 g of poe - dpa220 . to the solution were added 117 . 6 g of a caprolactam solution with a concentration of 74 . 69 weight percent , 186 . 8 g of nylon 6 , 6 salt with a concentration of 31 . 35 weight percent , and 0 . 88 g of sodium hypophosphite monohydrate . the salt solution was then introduced into a 3 , 785 ml autoclave where the solution was heated slowly until the pressure in the autoclave reached 250 psig . at this point , steam was slowly vented while heating was continued . when the batch temperature reached 225 c , the steam venting was increased so as to lower the pressure to atmospheric pressure in 45 minutes but at a rate such that the batch temperature would continue to increase as it was being concentrated . the polymer was then held at atmospheric pressure for 18 minutes . at the end of 18 minutes the batch temperature was 260 c . the autoclave was then pressured with nitrogen and forced out of the autoclave into a pan of dry ice . the polymer had an rv of 12 . 5 . using the same procedure as comparative example j and controlling rv as previously described herein , comparative examples k and l were prepared using poe - dpa514 ( molecular weight of 514 ) and poe - dpa1114 ( molecular weight of 1114 ). the results are shown below . comparative examples j , k , and l are polymers containing polyether amines and are described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 323 , 639 and 5 , 688 , 632 as water - soluble . these comparative examples show that the water - soluble nylon described in the u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 323 , 639 and 5 , 688 , 632 are not water soluble and are not useful for the purposes of this invention . the solubility of films in 23 c and 50 c water were determined on compression molded films of tegd , 6 homopolymers and tegd , 6 / 6 copolymers . a 2 ″× 2 ″ sample of the film was attached to a 2 ″× 2 ″ window cut into an aluminum sheet . this was then immersed in 1000 ml of well - stirred water maintained at 23 c and 50 c . the time it takes for the film sample to start disintegrating and the time it takes to completely dissolve are observed and recorded . results are shown below : the results above demonstrate the excellent water solubility of the films . the solubility at 50 c is significantly better than at 22 c . the results of example 25 on the 50 / 50 copolymer with the highest rv demonstrate that solubility is adversely affected by increasing molecular weight . this is a confirmation of the results of example 6 . the various polymers in examples 31 to 48 were prepared using the same procedures already illustrated in examples 1 to 14 and comparative examples a to l but with minor variations in temperature , vacuum and hold time as explained earlier . films of these polymers were then prepared and their solubility in water were determined as in examples 15 to 30 . the results are tabulated below : films were prepared and the solubility was determined as in examples 15 to 30 . the results are shown below : “ mostly dissolved ” means a breakdown of material as observed , but part of the material did not dissolve . the results above show that solubility alone is not sufficient criterion for packaging applications . the rate of dissolution is much more important for the intended packaging applications . it will be readily apparent that any number of variations and modifications to the subject matter disclosed herein can be made , and are contemplated as within the scope and purview of the invention herein . | 8 |
when preoxidized fibers are carbonized by the method of the present invention or carbonized in the apparatus of the present invention , the flowing of the decomposition gases produced in the higher - temperature zone into the lower - temperature zone can be prevented or reduced , thereby tar mist deposition on the inner wall surface or fiber surfaces can also be prevented or reduced . furthermore , it is also possible to prevent or reduce the decomposition gases from contacting the surface of the fibers being carbonized . thus , carbon fibers of consistently good quality can be produced over an extended period . the apparatus of the present invention is effectively used for carbonizing preoxidized fibers in a temperature range of about 300 ° to 900 ° c . where the formation of thermal decomposition gases is particularly noticeable . illustrative fibers that can be effectively treated by the method or by the apparatus of the present invention include preoxidized fibers obtained from acrylic or cellulose fibers that generate thermal decomposition gases when they are subjected to the ordinary carbonization step . these fibers are fed to the heating chamber usually in the form of a strand or tow made up of about 100 to 500 , 000 filaments , or in a fabric or nonwoven cloth form . any number of strands or tows may be guided through a single heating furnance at the same time . when fibers are supplied as strands , the apparatus of the present invention is able to increase the strand spacing to about twice as large as that permissible with an apparatus having neither inert gas injecting portion nor gas outlet provided below the gas injection portion . the method and the apparatus of the present invention is hereunder described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a schematic cross section of one embodiment of the apparatus . in this figure , fibers 1 to be treated are introduced into a heating chamber 2 for carbonizing the fibers . the inner space of the heating chamber 2 serves both as a carbonizing chamber and as the passage way for the fibers . the upper end of the heating chamber is provided with a fiber inlet 3 and is open to air . the lower end of the heating chamber is provided with a fiber outlet 7 which communicates with a sealing mechanism ( not shown ). the heating chamber 2 is surrounded by heating elements 4a , 4b and 4c . at the upper end of the heating chamber , an ascending gas stream establishes a seal to prevent the entrance of the atmosphere into the chamber . it is preferred to provide a gas outlet 5 below the fiber inlet 3 at the upper portion of the chamber . the function of this gas outlet 5 is to maintain an inert gas atmosphere in the interior of the heating chamber 2 by displacing external gases ( e . g . air and water vapor that have entered the chamber through the fiber inlet together with the fibers ) with the ascending flow of the gas that has been introduced into the chamber from below . when the ascending flow of gas introduced into the furnace from below is drawn out of the system through the fiber inlet 3 , the gas in the furnace is quenched at the inlet 3 and its nearby area , whereupon the decomposition gases in the furnace gas form a tar mist which builds up on the surface of the fibers or the fiber inlet to cause various defects such as the breakage of the fibers or the adhesion between filmanets . this can be effectively prevented by disposing the gas outlet 5 between the fiber inlet 3 and the first heating element 4a positioned below it . the gas outlet 5 is provided at such a position ( i . e . distance from the fiber inlet 3 ) that the above - stated two objects are achieved : ( 1 ) the greatest portion of the decomposition gases in the heating chamber is drawn out of the system through the outlet 5 , and ( 2 ) the air in the bundle of fibers introduced into the heating chamber is substantially completely replaced by an inert gas by the time the fibers have travelled from the fiber inlet 3 and the gas outlet 5 . if necessary , the fiber inlet 3 may be heated to prevent the build - up of tar mist in that area . the lower end of the heating chamber is provided with a fiber outlet 7 which communicates with a sealing mechanism ( not shown ). above the fiber outlet 7 is positioned an inert gas inlet 6 . an inert gas is usually supplied in the rate from 0 . 02 - 0 . 50 nm / sec ( calculated to the rate at the normal state ). preoxidized fiber is supplied to the heating chamber having the construction described above , where it is carbonized in the inner space ( carbonizing chamber ) and subsequently recovered through the sealing mechanism at the lower end . the sealing mechanism may be in any suitable from such as a liquid seal , roller seal or an inert gas curtain seal . the fibers coming out of the carbonizing chamber are either wound on a take - up roll or continuously supplied to another furnance held at higher temperatures . the heating elements 4a , 4b and 4c are so designed that the temperature within the heating chamber increases gradually in the travelling direction of the fibers . the stream of inert gas ( which was not drawn out of the chamber ) flows in the heating chamber in the direction opposite the travelling direction of the fibers . in this embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention , inert gas injecting portions 8a and 8b are provided between the inert gas inlet 6 at the bottom of the heating chamber and the gas outlet 5 at the upper portion . each of the inert gas injecting portions may be composed of a single hole ( usually in the form of a horizontally elongated slit ) or it may comprise a plurality of slit - like openings arranged side by side horizontally as shown in fig2 . with reference to fig1 one insert gas injection portion is in the uppermost section of the chamber , one is at substantially the midpoint of the chamber and one is downstream thereof . the insert gas injecting portion may be formed on only one of the two opposing faces of the heating chamber wall , or it may be formed on both walls as shown in fig1 and 2 . more effective removal of decomposition gases and the displacement of the furnance gas with an inert gas may be accompolished by disposing another injecting portion 8c above and in close proximity with the gas outlet 5 as shown in fig1 . fig2 is an enlarged schematic view of inert gas injecting portions 8 and 8 &# 39 ;, gas outlets 10 and 10 &# 39 ;, and the nearby area . suitable inert gases are , for example , nitrogen , argon , helium and mixtures thereof . the inert gas is injected through 8a and 8b after having heated by preheating elements 9a and 9b ( and 9c if injecting portion 8c is also provided ) to the temperature in the furnace or a higher temperature but not higher than the temperature in the furnace by more than 200 ° c . the inert gas injected into the heating chamber through the inert gas injecting portions traverses the heating chamber to form a curtain of inert gas around each fiber thus providing a shield from the gas stream coming up from the lower part of the heating chamber . the ascending internal gas obstructed by the curtain of inert gas is drawn from the system through gas outlets 10a and 10b ( and 5 when 8c is provided ). the interior of the heating chamber is usually held at a pressure of approximately 2 to 100 mmh 2 o , so by connecting the gas outlets 10a , 10b and 5 to pressure regulating valves 11a , 11b and 11c , the pressure within the heating chamber can be held constant as the gas is ejected from these outlets . accordingly , no air will be drawn into the chamber through the fiber inlet 3 . like the inert gas injecting portion ( s ), the gas outlet ( s ) may be provided in one of the opposing faces of the chamber wall ( as in fig1 ) or in both walls ( as in fig2 ). in the former case , the outlet ( s ) may be formed below and in close proximity with the inert gas injecting portion or they may be formed in an area of the chamber wall which is the opposite side to the wall where the injection holes are formed and which is below and in close proximity with the injection holes . the gas outlets are preferably provided at a position as close as possible to the injection holes . if the fibers to be carbonized are in the form having a very great density ( strand spacing in the case of strand ) in the heating chamber , the hole arrangement shown in fig2 is suitable , and if the density is small , any arrangement may be used . referring to fig2 the inert gas injected through the injecting portions 8 , 8 &# 39 ; toward the fibers 1 forms a gaseous curtain around each fiber to obstruct the flow of the ascending gas , which is drawn out of the furnace through outlets 10 and 10 &# 39 ;. at least one layer ( usually more than one layer ) of inert gas injecting portion is formed within the heating chamber , and a number of gaseous curtains equal to number of layer of the injecting portions are formed . one layer of injecting portion is usually formed between each of heating elements 4a , 4b and 4c in the furnace , and at least two layers of injecting portions preferably formed . the purpose of the present invention is satisfactorily achieved by not more than five layers of injecting portions . usually , fibers arranged into one vertical plane are supplied to the chamber . when fibers are supplied to the chamber as strands the strand spacing ( number of strands per meter of width of the fiber plane ) is usually from 50 to 400 strands / m ( provided strands of 1 , 000 - 50 , 000 filaments / strand are used ) and when fibers are supplied as tows they are usually spread to 2 , 000 , 000 to 10 , 000 , 000 denier / m . when fibers are supplied as fabric or non - woven cloth of not more than 500 g / m 2 can be effectively treated in the apparatus of the present invention . the fibers travel through the heating chamber under a tension which is at least sufficient to prevent them from contacting the wall of the chamber . the tension generally ranges from 1 to 600 mg / d , preferably from 50 to 300 mg / d . the travelling speed of the fibers depends on the length of the heating chamber and the temperature within that chamber . the speed usually ranges from 0 . 02 to 0 . 20 m / sec . the inert gas is injected at a flow rate sufficient to permit the ascending gas to be drawn out of the furnace through the gas outlets so that the concentration of the decomposition products in the ascending gas is preferably reduced to less than about 50 %. for this purpose , when the inert gas is injected from the both sides of walls of the chamber wherein strands are arranged side by side , the flow rate of the inert gas in the direction vertical to the fiber surface generally ranges from 0 . 3 to 3 nm / sec , preferably from 0 . 5 to 1 . 5 nm / sec . the inert gas is preferably injected in such a direction that a horizontal gaseous curtain is formed within the heating chamber ; therefore , it is directed into the heating chamber either horizontally or slightly downwardly . part of the inert gas introduced is drawn out of the furnace together with the decomposition gases and the remainder ascends the furnace . in the apparatus of the present invention , the fibers are carbonized by being heated in a temperature which is gradually raised from about 300 ° c . to a temperature of not more than about 950 ° c ., usually , about 900 ° c . when the apparatus of the present invention is used to produce carbon fibers , the decomposition gases formed within the heating chamber can be discharged from the furnace with reduced chance of contacting the fibers being carbonized or the gas in the upper part of the furnace which is in the lower temperature zone . as a result , the amount of the decomposition gases that build up on the surface of the fibers or the wall of the furnace as a tar mist is reduced to such an extent that carbon fibers of good quality can be consistently produced over an extended period . one embodiment of the present invention where carbon fibers are produced from acrylonitrile fibers with the apparatus of fig1 is hereunder described . a strand or tow of preoxidized acrylonitrile fibers having a bonded oxygen content of 6 - 15 wt %, preferably 8 to 12 wt % is fed to the furnace through inlet 3 , which is preferably preheated to 250 °- 350 ° c . to prevent tar deposition . the fibers pass through the upper part of the heating chamber that is being heated usually at approximately a temperature having an incline of from 300 ° to 500 ° c . by heating element 4a , and by the time when they reach the gas outlet 5 , the gas , particularly air , contained in the bundle of fibers is replaced by the internal gas that has been present in the heating chamber , and is then discharged from the system through outlet 5 . the replacement of the confined air by the internal gas must be thorough for the fibers which are usually supplied in the form of the bundle comprising 100 to 500 , 000 filaments . the fibers then pass through a zone where a curtain of an inert gas such as nitrogen , argon or helium is formed . thereafter , they enter a second hot zone which is usually heated to have an incline of a temperature from about 500 ° to 700 ° c . by heating element 4b . the inert gas is preheated to the temperature of the zone below the gas inlet or a higher temperature that does not exceed that temperature by more than 200 ° c . the purpose of this preheating is to prevent the decomposition gases from being quenched by the introduced inert gas to form a mist and for minimizing the fluctuation of the temperature in the furnace . the inert gas should be blown against the fibers gently to prevent the formation of fiber fuzz or fluffs . in the second hot zone , the fibers are subjected to a heat treatment at about 500 °- 700 ° c . for a period of about 10 to 60 seconds . thereafter , they are passed through another curtain of inert gas , then to a third hot zone which is usually heated to a temperature having an incline of from about 750 ° to a temperature of 900 ° c . or more than 900 ° c . but not more than 950 ° c . by heating element 4c . the fibers are retained in this zone for about 5 to 40 seconds . the temperatures provided by heating elements 4a , 4b and 4c vary stepwise but the temperature within the heating tube gradually increases from top to bottom . finally , the fibers are recovered from the system through fiber outlet 7 and a sealing mechanism . a preferred sealing mechanism is the combination of a curtain of nitrogen gas and a roller seal . the recovered fibers that have been carbonized to a small extent ( so called pre - carbonized ) are then fed to a furnace which is held at a higher temperature of about 900 ° to 1 , 500 ° c . in an inert gas atmosphere , and by holding them in that furnace for a period of about 35 to 200 seconds , carbon fibers having the following properties are obtained . ultimate tensile strength : 415 - 450 kg / mm 2 , coefficient of variation ( cv )= 4 % or less the apparatus of the present invention can be operated continuously , for example , for 480 hours , with 300 bundles of 12 , 000 preoxidized filaments being fed simultaneously . the resulting carbon fibers have high quality in that they have few fluffs and cohering filaments and have uniform strength properties . as another advantage , decomposition gases formed in the apparatus can be recovered in high concentration , so the emission gas from the apparatus can be easily disposed in an incinerator . when the same apparatus was operated continuously for about 320 hours without injecting an inert gas into the heating chamber and without drawing the internal gas from the furnace through several outlets , the furnace was partly obstructed by the fiber fluffs and tar mist deposited on the wall of the zone heated at temperatures between 300 ° and 700 ° c . the resulting product was fluffy , had a tensile strength of less than 350 kg / mm 2 ( cv = 9 % or more ) and was not uniform in its strength . fig3 shows an apparatus of another embodiment of the present invention . this apparatus is the same as that shown in fig1 except that the apparatus of fig3 has an additional heating chamber 12 which is provided downwardly in contact with the heating chamber 2 . in the heating chamber 12 further carbonization of the fiber is conducted . in the heating chamber 12 the temperature is kept at a higher temperature than that of the heating chamber 2 . the fibers which have been heated in the heating chamber 2 to a temperature up to 900 °- 950 ° c . are continuously path through the heating chamber 12 . in the heating chamber 12 the fibers are heated in an inert gas atmosphere and at a temperature having a incline of from a temperature higher than the temperature of the heating chamber 2 to a temperature of not more than 1500 ° c . the thus carbonized fibers are recovered from the outlet 7 . a strand ( comprising 12 , 000 filaments ) of fibers prepared from a copolymer consisting of 98 % by weight of acrylonitrile and 2 % by weight of methylacrylate , and having an individual fineness of 0 . 9 denier was preoxidized in the air at 265 ° c . for 0 . 38 hour , at 275 ° c . for 0 . 20 hour and at 283 ° c . for 0 . 15 hour under a tension so that shrinkage of the fiber reached 50 % of the free shrinkage at that temperature . the thus obtained preoxidized fibers had bonded - oxygen of 9 . 8 % by weight . the tow of preoxidized fibers was carbonized using the apparatus shown in fig1 . the strand was fed to the furnace through inlet 3 , which was preheated to 350 ° c . the strand spacing was 140 strands / m . the temperature of the upper zone was heated to have an incline of a temperature of from 300 ° to 500 ° c . by the heating element 4a , in the same manner the middle zone was heated to 500 °- 700 ° c . by the heating element 4b and the lower zone was heated to 700 °- 900 ° c . by the heating element 4c . nitrogen gas was used as the inert gas . the gas which introduced from the gas inlet 6 was heated to 600 ° c ., the gases which were injected from 8c , 8a and 8b were heated to 400 ° c ., 600 ° c . and 750 ° c ., respectively . the flow rate of the gas in the chamber 2 was 0 . 15 nm / sec . flow rates at fiber surfaces at 8c , 8a and 8b were 1 . 00 nm / sec , 0 . 75 nm / sec and 0 . 50 nm / sec , respectively . the carbonization of the fiber was conducted under a tension of 80 mg / d . the speed of the fiber was 0 . 11 m / sec and the residence time was 66 sec . the interior pressure of the heating chamber was maintained at 3 - 7 mmh 2 o and decomposition gases were discharged from gas outlets 10a , 10b and 5 . the recovered fibers that have been carbonized ( pre - carbonized ) were then fed to a furnace which was heated to a temperature having an incline of from 900 ° to 1420 ° c . and which was kept under n 2 gas atmosphere , and the fibers were held in that furnace for 60 seconds . for comparison the same experiment was conducted except that the inert gas was not injected from 8a , 8b and 8c and the decomposition gas was not discharged from 10a and 10b . the thus obtained carbon fibers had the following properties as shown in the following table . ______________________________________ the present invention comparison______________________________________tensile strength 450 kg / mm . sup . 2 350 kg / mm . sup . 2 ( kg / mm . sup . 2 ) tensile modulus of 24 . 0 × 10 . sup . 3 24 . 0 × 10 . sup . 3 kg / mm . sup . 2elasticity ( kg / mm . sup . 2 ) kg / mm . sup . 2elongation at failure 1 . 88 1 . 46continuous stable more than about 200 hoursmanufacturing period 480 hours ( period during whichcontinuous manufacturingcarbon fibers can beconducted without causingfuzzy strands or breakageof fibers ) ______________________________________ while the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof . | 3 |
a description will now be given , with reference to fig1 , of an interposer , which is a semiconductor device substrate according to a first embodiment of the present invention . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view of the interposer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention . the interposer 1 shown in fig1 comprises a silicone substrate 2 , a multilayer wiring layer 4 formed on the top surface of the silicone substrate 2 and a plurality of mounting terminals 6 projected from the undersurface of the silicone substrate 2 . a semiconductor element is mounted on the upper side of the wiring layer 4 of the interposer 1 so that a semiconductor package is formed . the semiconductor package is flip - chip mounted onto a circuit board via the mounting terminals 6 that protrude from the undersurface of the silicone substrate 2 . the mounting terminals 6 are formed of a conductive layer , and the outside configuration thereof is a pyramidal shape as shown in fig2 . the top part of the pyramidal shape is projected from the undersurface of the silicone substrate 2 . each of the mounting terminals 6 has a configuration corresponding to a configuration ( a reverse pyramidal shape ) of a recess , which is obtained by a difference in the etching rate between the plane ( 111 ) and other planes , as shown in fig3 a and 3b , by etching the silicone substrate 2 from the plane ( 100 ) side . a method of forming the mounting terminals 6 is explained in detail later , the multilayer wiring layer 4 formed on the top surface side of the silicone substrate 2 has a multilayer structure containing conductive layers 8 - 1 , 8 - 2 and 8 - 3 formed as wiring patterns and insulating layers 10 - 1 , 10 - 2 , 10 - 3 and 10 - 4 which insulate between conductive layers . the conductive layers 8 - 1 , 8 - 2 and 8 - 3 and a conductive layer 6 - 1 which extends from the root parts of the mounting terminals 6 are connected by vias 12 . thereby , connection pads 14 formed in the conductive layer 8 - 3 of the uppermost layer are electrically connected to the corresponding mounting terminals 6 . it should be noted that the multilayer wiring structure of the above - mentioned multilayer wiring layer 4 is the same as a multilayer wiring structure of an existing organic fine substrate , and the detailed explanation thereof will be omitted . additionally , a silicone oxide film 16 is formed as an insulating layer on the top surface of the silicon substrate and an inner surface of each recess in which the mounting terminal is formed . the silicone oxide film 18 is also formed as an insulating film on the undersurface of the silicone substrate 2 . it should be noted that an organic insulating film may be formed instead of the silicone oxide film . it should be noted that , in the present embodiment , the thickness of the silicone substrate 2 is about 30 μm , and the thickness of the conductive layer which constitutes the mounting terminal 6 is equal to or greater than 5 μm . the pitch of the mounting terminals 6 is about 200 μm ( 150 μm ), and the projecting length of the end of each of the mounting terminals 6 from the back surface of the silicone substrate 2 is about 40 μm . a description will now be given , with reference to fig4 and fig5 a through 5i , of a manufacturing method of the interposer 1 according to the present embodiment . fig4 is an illustration for explaining a manufacturing process of the interposer 1 . fig5 a through 5i are cross - sectional views of the interposer 1 in the steps shown in fig4 . first , the silicon substrate of a thickness of 650 mc having a silicon oxide film thereon is prepared , and a resist layer is formed , in step 1 , on a top surface of the silicon substrate . then , openings corresponding to a configuration of each recess 2 a in which the mounting terminal 6 is formed by patterning the resist layer . next , in step 2 , the silicon substrate 2 is etched using etchant such as 40 % koh solution so as to form the recesses 2 a ( refer to fig5 a ). in the present embodiment , the silicone substrate 2 having a surface parallel to the crystal plane ( 001 ) is used . therefore , when the silicon substrate 2 is etched from a front surface side , the recesses 2 a having a reverse pyramidal shape are formed due to the difference in the etching rate between the crystal plane ( 111 ) and other crystal planes of the silicone substrate ( for example , ( 110 ):( 111 )= 180 : 1 ). next , in step 3 , the resist is removed , and the silicon oxide film ( sio 2 ) is formed , in step 4 , as an insulating layer on the front surface of the silicon substrate 2 . since the silicon oxide film is formed by heat treatment , the silicon oxide film is formed on the entire surface of the silicon substrate 2 including the front surface , inner surfaces of the recesses 2 a and the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 . the formation of the silicon oxide film may be performed by a chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ) method . then , in step 5 , a seed metal layer of a thickness of , for example , 1 μm or less is formed on the silicon oxide film formed on the front surface of the silicon substrate 2 and the inner surfaces of the recesses 2 a by sputtering or electroless plating ( refer to fig5 b ). the seed metal layer is preferably formed by sputtering of chromium ( cr ) or titanium ( ti ). next , in step 6 , a resist layer is formed on the seed metal layer and the resist layer is patternized so that the mounting terminals 6 and the conductive layer 6 - 1 are formed . then , in step 7 , a conductive layer which is made of a metal is formed on the seed metal layer . in the present embodiment , the conductive layer is formed of copper by cu electrolytic plating ( refer to fig4 c ). the conductive layer corresponds to the mounting terminals 6 and the conductive layer 6 - 1 , and the thickness of the conductive layer is about 5 μm . since the conductive layer is formed along the inner surface of each recess 2 a , the outside configuration of the mounting terminal 6 becomes pyramidal shape . next , the resist is removed in step 8 , and the seed metal layer which exists under the removed resist is removed by etching in step 9 . since the seed metal layer has a small thickness , light etching may be sufficient . then , in step 10 , an insulating layer 10 - 1 is formed on the front surface side of the silicon substrate 2 , and through holes are formed at positions where the vias 12 are formed ( refer to fig5 e ). the insulating layer 10 - 1 is formed by spin coating of polyimide or benzo - cyclo - butene ( bcb ). next , in step 11 , a seed metal layer is formed by sputtering on the insulating layer 10 - 1 , and a resist layer is formed and patternized on the seed metal layer in step 12 . then , in step 13 , a conductive layer 8 - 1 which corresponds to a circuit pattern is formed by metal plating ( copper electrolytic plating ). at this time , the vias 12 which connect electrically the conductive layer 8 - 1 and the conductive layer 6 - 1 are also formed simultaneously . then , the resist is removed in step 14 and the seed metal is etched in step 15 ( refer to fig5 f ). the multilayer wiring layer 4 is formed by repeating the above - mentioned steps 10 through 15 ( refer to fig5 g ). after forming the necessary multilayer structure , nickel plating and gold plating are applied , in step 17 , to connection pads 14 formed in the uppermost layer ( a conductive layer 8 - 3 in the present embodiment .). next , in step 17 , the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 is ground using an abrasive or a grinding stone ( back grinding ). at this time , the grinding is proceeded slightly before the top ends of the mounting terminals 6 formed in the silicone substrate 2 . then , in step 18 , only the silicon substrate 2 and the silicon oxide film are selectively removed by dry etching using a plasma gas so as to expose the top ends of the mounting terminals 6 ( refer to fig5 h ). in this process , the silicon oxide film ( which was formed in step 4 ) adhering to the top ends of the mounting terminals 6 is also removed simultaneously . additionally , the thickness of the silicon substrate 2 is finally set to about 30 μm . then , in step 19 , a silicon oxide film 18 as an insulating film is formed on the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 by cvd . in the above - mentioned process , in order to form a plurality of the interposers 1 on a wafer - like silicon substrate 2 collectively , the interposer 1 shown in fig1 is completed by dicing the silicon substrate 2 so as to individualize the interposer 1 . here , as shown in fig6 a , the silicon substrate 2 may be in a state where the back surface is exposed without forming the silicon oxide film 18 in step 19 . the reason for forming the insulating film in step 19 is for avoiding a short circuit between the exposed top ends of the mounting terminals 6 and the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 . however , since the silicon oxide film 16 is interposed as an insulating layer between the mounting terminals 6 and the silicon substrate 2 , the insulation can be maintained at certain level even if the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 is not covered by the insulating layer . moreover , as shown in fig6 b , an organic insulating film 18 a may be formed by a spin - coating method or the like instead of the silicone oxide film 18 . a description will now be given of an example of forming a semiconductor package using the above - mentioned interposer 1 . fig7 is a cross - sectional view of a semiconductor package , which is formed by mounting a semiconductor device to the mounting terminals 6 of the interposer 1 . solder bumps 22 are formed on electrode terminals 20 a of the semiconductor device 20 , and the solder bumps 22 are joined to the mounting terminals 6 of the interposer 1 . since each of the mounting terminals is the top end of the pyramid and is made sharp , the mounting terminals 6 can be made protrude into the solder bumps 22 by merely pushing the solder bump 22 , thereby achieving a good electric contact . it should be noted that gold bumps may be used instead of the solder bumps . in this state , an under - fill material 24 is filled between the interposer 1 and the semiconductor device 20 so as to fix the interposer 1 to the semiconductor device 20 . moreover , as shown in fig8 , the mounting terminals 6 may be directly connected to electrode pads 20 a of the semiconductor device 20 . in this case , a soft metal film is used for the metal ( mounting terminals 6 ) on the electrode surface , and the interposer 1 is fixed by the under - fill material after the soft metal film is brought into contact with the electrode pads 20 . even in this case , a good electric contact can be obtained between the mounting terminals 6 and the electrode pads 20 due to the action of the mounting terminals 6 having sharp top ends . furthermore , the semiconductor package shown in fig7 and 8 can be further mounted on a package substrate 30 so as to form a semiconductor package . fig9 is a cross - sectional view of the semiconductor package , which is formed by mounting the semiconductor package of fig7 onto the package substrate 30 . as for the package substrate 30 , various substrates can be used such as a glass ceramic substrate , an alumina substrate , a build - up substrate , an fr - 4 substrate and an organic substrate like a bt substrate . moreover , after the interposer 1 as a relay substrate is mounted on the package substrate 30 , the semiconductor package containing the interposer 1 is fixed to the package substrate 30 by filling an under - fill material 28 between the interposer 1 and the package substrate 30 . as shown in fig9 , the semiconductor package can be formed by using the interposer 1 as a relay substrate without providing fine wirings on the package substrate even if the number of electrode pads of the semiconductor element is large and the electrode pads have fine structure . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of a semiconductor package , which is formed by flip - chip mounting the semiconductor device 20 on the side of the connection pads 14 of the interposer 1 . the electrode pads 20 a of the semiconductor device 20 and the connection pads 14 of the interposer 1 are connected to each other by the solder ball 26 . the solder balls 26 may be previously provided to the electrode pads 20 a of the semiconductor device 20 , or may be provided to the connection pads 14 of the interposer 1 . in the case of the semiconductor package shown in fig1 , the semiconductor package is mounted to a circuit board such as a motherboard using the mounting terminals 6 . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of the semiconductor package , which is formed by wire - bonding the semiconductor device 20 to the connection pads 14 of the interposer 1 . the semiconductor device 20 is mounted on the multilayer wiring layer 4 of the interposer 1 in a face - up state and is fixed by a silver paste 32 or the like . then , the electrode pad 20 a of the semiconductor device 20 and the connection pads 14 of the interposer 1 are electrically connected to each other by bonding wires 34 such as gold wires . although the semiconductor device 20 and the gold wires 34 are encapsulated by a bonding seal resin 36 , it can be encapsulated by transfer mold method . it should be noted that , although fig1 and 11 show the examples in which a single semiconductor element is mounted , a plurality of semiconductor elements may be mounted . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of a semiconductor package , which is formed by mounting the semiconductor package shown in fig1 further to the package substrate 30 . in the example shown in fig1 , the mounting terminals 6 of the interposer 1 and the connection pads 30 a of the package substrate 30 are connected via solder bumps 38 . the solder bumps 38 may be provided to the mounting terminals 6 beforehand , or provided to the connection pads 30 a of the package substrate 30 . moreover , gold ( au ) bumps may be used instead of the solder bumps . by forming the solder bumps 38 on the connection pads 30 a beforehand , sufficient electrical connection can be obtained only by pressing the mounting terminals 6 onto the solder bumps so as to protrude the ends of the mounting terminals 6 into the solder bumps . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of the semiconductor package shown in fig1 in which the mounting terminals 6 are directly connected to the connection pads 30 a of the package substrate 30 without using solder bumps . in this case , sufficient electrical connection can be obtained by making the top ends of the mounting terminals 6 protrude into the connection pads of the package substrate 30 . a description will now be given , with reference to fig1 and fig1 a through 15h , of a semiconductor device substrate according to the second embodiment of the present invention . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view of an interposer 40 according to the second embodiment of the present invention . fig1 a through 15h are cross - sectional views of the interposer 40 shown in fig1 during the manufacturing process . in fig1 and 15a through 15 h , parts that are the same parts shown in fig1 are given the same reference numerals , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . the interposer 40 according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which a multilayer wiring layer 4 a is formed on the back surface side of the silicon substrate 2 in the interposer 1 shown in fig1 . therefore , the top ends of the mounting terminals 6 protrude into the multilayer wiring layer 4 a , and portions formed along the inner surfaces of the recesses 2 a of the silicon substrate 2 serve as external connection terminals . in the manufacturing process shown in fig1 a through 15h , the process shown in fig1 a through 15d corresponds to the process shown in fig5 a through 5d . however , in fig1 c , the conductive layer is formed only in the parts used as the mounting terminals 6 , and the conductive layer 6 - 1 is not formed . in the present embodiment , the back grinding and chemical etching are performed immediately after the mounting terminals 6 are formed on the silicon substrate 2 , as shown in fig1 e . this process can be performed in the same manner as the process shown in fig5 h . thereby , the top ends of the mounting terminals are in the state where they protrude from the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 . next , as shown in fig1 f , the silicon oxide film 18 is formed on the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 as an insulating film . an organic insulating film may be formed instead of the silicone oxide film . then , as shown in fig1 g , a conductive layer 42 is formed on the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 by using a mask which is formed by a patternized resist on the back surface of the silicon substrate 2 . the conductive layer 42 is formed as pattern wiring connected to the top ends of the mounting terminals 6 . then , as shown in fig1 h , the multilayer wiring layer 4 a is formed on the conductive layer 42 so as to form the connection pads 14 in the uppermost part , and the interposer 40 shown in fig1 is completed . it to should be noted that although the multilayer wiring layer 4 a shown in fig1 has the three - layer structure , the layer 4 a may have the four - layer structure as in the multilayer wiring layer 4 shown in fig1 or may be a layered structure having an arbitrary number of layers . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of the interposer 40 a , which is a variation of the interposer shown in fig1 . in the interposer 40 a , the conductive layer 8 - 1 of the multilayer wiring layer 4 a - 1 and the mounting terminals 6 are connected through the vias 12 without providing the conductive layer 42 . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of a semiconductor package incorporating the interposer 40 shown in fig1 . the semiconductor device 20 is mounted on the package substrate 30 via the interposer 40 . that is , and electrode pads 20 a of the semiconductor device 20 are connected to the connection pads 14 of the interposer 40 by the solder bumps 22 , and the semiconductor device 20 and the interposer 40 are fixed to each other by the under - fill material 24 filled therebetween . additionally , the mounting terminals 6 of the interposer 40 and the connection pads 30 a of the package substrate 30 are connected through the solder bumps 26 , and the interposer 40 and the package substrate 30 are fixed to each other by the under - fill material filled therebetween . since the solder balls are accommodated inside the pyramidal shaped mounting terminals 6 , the contact area is large which gives a positive contact . in the above - mentioned embodiments , the silicon substrate is used as a substrate of the interposer , and pyramidal shaped recesses are formed by etching so as to form the mounting terminals having the corresponding pyramidal shape . the present invention is not limited to the silicon substrate , and any substrate can be used if it is easy to form a recess having a pyramidal shape including a triangular pyramid , a pentagonal pyramid or other polygonal pyramid . moreover , the configuration of the recess is not limited to the pyramidal shape , and a circular cone configuration where the degree of point angle is comparatively large may be used . the present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments , and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . | 7 |
the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description with accompanying drawings . hereinafter , the preferred present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . when adding reference numerals into constituents in each drawing set forth herein , like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout even they are shown in other drawings . also , when explaining the present invention , if it is judged that the specific explanation of the related well - known constitution or function may make the gist of the present invention obscure , the detailed explanation thereof will be omitted . fig3 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for diagnosing abnormal conditions according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 , there is provided a method for diagnosing abnormal conditions generated from a system , which provides one or more measuring devices capable of observing abnormal conditions on a computer screen , wherein the system includes a user input arrangement unit 100 , an acquisition difficulty calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 110 , a diagnosis importance calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 120 , a boolean logic application unit for each abnormal symptom 130 , and an abnormal condition diagnosis certificate displaying unit 140 . the user input arrangement unit 100 receives data required for an apparatus for diagnosing abnormal conditions from a user , wherein the data include “ abnormal conditions to be diagnosed ”, “ main abnormal symptoms to be observed for each abnormal condition ”, “ generation frequency for each abnormal condition ”, “ and logic between the main abnormal symptoms ” and the like . the user input arrangement unit 100 standardizes the data received from the user and represents the relationship among the input data using tables . see tables 1 and 2 below . table 2 shows an example where abnormal symptoms that must be simultaneously generated for a given abnormal condition are standardized . it can be appreciated that the abnormal symptoms s 3 and s 4 must be simultaneously generated under the abnormal conditions shown in table 1 . referring to table 1 , it can be appreciated that there are seven abnormal conditions ( a 1 to a 7 ), eleven abnormal symptoms ( s 1 to s 11 ) that may be observed when the abnormal conditions are generated , generation frequencies for the abnormal conditions ( 0 . 3 , 0 . 1 , and 0 . 08 ) and acquisition difficulties for each abnormal symptom ( d 1 to d 11 ) the number of the abnormal conditions and the abnormal symptoms is not limited to that shown in table 1 . the abnormal conditions ( a 1 to a 7 ) generally refer to all conditions deviated from a normal condition defined by a user . the abnormal symptoms ( s 1 to s 11 ) that may be observed when the abnormal conditions ( a 1 to a 7 ) are generated generally refer to specific symptoms capable of representing each abnormal condition . and , the generation frequencies for each abnormal condition refer to normalization results of the generation frequencies for each abnormal condition input by the user . the normalization means that the generation frequencies for each abnormal condition are divided by the sum total of the generation frequencies of all abnormal conditions to finally allow the sum of the generation frequencies of all abnormal conditions to be 1 . 0 . also , the acquisition difficulties for each abnormal symptom ( d 1 to d 11 ) are to quantitatively calculate how easily or difficultly the corresponding abnormal symptom may be observed by the user . if each measuring device capable of knowing each abnormal symptom exists on the computer screen , the acquisition difficulty of a specific abnormal symptom varies depending on how easily the measuring device capable of observing the corresponding abnormal symptom can be distinguished from other measuring devices . the acquisition difficulties for each abnormal symptom ( d 1 to d 11 ) can be calculated by the acquisition difficulty calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 110 . the acquisition difficulty calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 110 divides an entire screen into a first screen from which the measuring device capable of observing the corresponding abnormal symptom is excluded and a second screen on which only the measuring device capable of observing the corresponding abnormal symptom is included . the acquisition difficulty calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 110 forms screen information structure graphs for the entire screen and each divided screen and then calculates a second order entropy for each screen . and , for the user input arrangement results shown in table 1 , in order to quantitatively evaluate the acquisition difficulties for each abnormal symptom , the complexity for the computer screen design is quantified using an excess entropy technique ( see s . n . mohanty , “ entropy metrics for software design evaluation ” and “ the journal of systems and software , vol . 2 , pp . 39 - 46 , 1981 , and m . h . van emden “ hierarchical decomposition of complexity ”, machine intelligence , vol . 5 , pp . 361 - 380 , 1970 ), and then the distinctiveness of the measuring devices according to the complexity of the screen design is quantified ( see a . tversky , “ features of similarity ”, psychological review , vol . 84 , pp . 327 - 352 , 1977 ). in other words , the distinctiveness according to the screen configuration can be calculated using the second order entropy of the screen information structure graph for the entire screen , the second order entropy of the screen information structure graph for the first screen , the second order entropy of the information structure graph for the second screen , and the excess entropy . for example , two computer screens a , b each displaying four measuring devices may be considered as shown in fig4 . in fig4 , “ measuring device d ” shown on the screen b on which the abnormal symptoms can be observed is much more easily conceived rather than “ measuring device d ” shown on the screen a . this is because of the reason that the “ measuring device d ” on the screen b has a different shape from other measuring devices whereby having a high distinctiveness , whereas the “ measuring device d ” on the screen a has the same shape as other measuring devices to have a relatively low distinctiveness . also , the excessive entropy may be described in detail through a venn diagram of fig5 . referring to fig5 , assuming that the screen b is a combined screen of two virtual screens ( b - 1 , b - 2 ), in view of entropy the distinctiveness d ( b - 2 ) on the screen b - 2 will be defined using the equation below . referring to equation 1 described above , it can be appreciated that as the signals used in dividing the screen b - 2 are more , the distinctiveness of the screen b - 2 is increased . however , as the noise is more , the distinctiveness of the screen b - 2 is decreased . in other words , such a distinctiveness is determined by the excess entropy c ( s ), which corresponds to the common signals between the screen b - 1 and screen b - 2 constituting the screen b . the excess entropy can be defined using equation 2 below . therefore , entropies for each screen are calculated in order to calculate the distinctiveness , and the second order entropy of a graph is used therefor ( see j . s . davis and r . j . leblanc , “ a study of the applicability of complexity measures ”, ieee transactions on software engineering , vol . 14 , no . 9 , pp . 1366 - 1372 , 1988 and 20 ., k . s . lew et al ., “ software complexity and its impact on software reliability ”, ieee transactions on software engineering , vol . 14 , no . 11 , pp . 1645 - 1655 , 1988 ). after arranging the properties of each measuring device as shown in fig6 , the second order entropy can draw up screen information structure graphs as shown in fig7 based thereon . the screen information structure graphs can represent the relationship between the measuring devices included in each screen and the properties of each measuring device using a tree structure . for example , as shown in fig6 , the screen b - 2 has “ measuring device d ” and the “ measuring device d ” has properties of “ shape 2 ” and “ label d ”, such that the screen b - 2 may be constituted in a screen information graph structure of fig7 . the screen b - 1 may be constituted in a screen information graph structure wherein the property of “ shape 1 ” is shared by all three measuring devices . fig8 shows a screen information structure graph for an entire screen b on which various measuring devices are displayed . fig9 shows screen information structure graphs divided into a screen b - 1 on which measuring devices other than “ measuring device d ” observing abnormal symptoms are included and a screen b - 2 on which the “ measuring device d ” obtaining an acquisition difficulty is included . the second order entropies of the entire screen and each divided screen h ( b ), h ( b - 1 ) and h ( b - 2 ) are obtained using the screen structure information graph of the entire screen b and the screen structure information graphs of each divided screen b - 1 and b - 2 . the excess entropy c ( s ) is obtained using equation 2 described above with these values . as shown in table 3 below , the distinctiveness of the screen b - 2 , that is , the distinctiveness of “ measuring device d ”, can be obtained by substituting the obtained values h ( b ), h ( b - 1 ), h ( b - 2 ) and c ( s ) in equation 1 described above , wherein it refers to the acquisition difficulty of the corresponding abnormal symptom . and , when obtaining the distinctiveness of other measuring devices , the acquisition difficulties of abnormal symptoms can be obtained in the same manner . for example , when a measuring device capable of observing an abnormal symptom is “ measuring device c ”, as shown in fig1 , the entire screen b of fig8 is divided into a screen b - 3 on which measuring devices other than the “ measuring device c ” are included and a screen b - 4 on which the “ measuring device c ” obtaining an acquisition difficulty is included . and then , the second order entropies of the entire screen and each divided screen h ( b ), h ( b - 3 ) and h ( b - 4 ) are obtained using the screen structure information graph for the entire screen b and the screen structure information graphs for each divided screen b - 3 and b - 4 , and the excess entropy c ( s ) is obtained using equation 2 described above with these values . the values h ( b ), h ( b - 3 ), h ( b - 4 ) and c ( s ) obtained as above are substituted in equation 1 described above , such that the distinctiveness of the screen b - 4 , that is , the distinctiveness of “ measuring device c ”, can be obtained as shown in table 3 . and , the measuring devices a and b have the same shape with the measuring device c , such that the measuring devices a and b have the same distinctiveness with the measuring device c . referring to table 3 described above , it can be appreciated that the distinctiveness of “ measuring device d ” can be more easily distinguished by a degree of 58 % compared to other measuring devices . it can be also appreciated that such a result corresponds to the intuitive observation felt by ordinary people . therefore , when the distinctiveness for each measuring device calculated in this manner is introduced into “ the acquisition difficulties for each abnormal symptom ” of table 1 , the difficulty of information acquisition according to the complexity of the screen may be considered . the distinctiveness obtained in this manner becomes the values meaning the acquisition difficulty of the corresponding abnormal symptom . the diagnosis importance calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 120 , which calculates diagnosis importance values for all abnormal symptoms included in table 1 , calculates the diagnosis importance to determine check orders of abnormal symptoms for a user &# 39 ; s effective diagnosing of abnormal conditions , wherein the importance calculation will be described using equation 3 below . ( wherein p : when j th symptom is observed , the probability that the j th symptom can divide abnormal conditions = 1 . 0 −( sum of relative generation frequencies of abnormal conditions indicated as “ x ” for the j th symptom ). p y : when j th symptom is observed , the probability that the j th symptom can indicate the generation of certain abnormal condition = 1 . 0 −( sum / p of relative generation frequencies of abnormal conditions indicated as “ yes ” for the j th symptom ). p n : when j th symptom is observed , the probability that the j th symptom can not indicate the generation of certain abnormal condition = 1 − p y the boolean logic application unit for each abnormal symptom 130 uses the importance calculated in the diagnosis importance calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 120 but introduces boolean logic for the abnormal symptoms having the same importance to respond to the abnormal symptoms generated through the sequential diagnosis technique , thereby selecting abnormal conditions . the boolean logic application unit for each abnormal symptom 130 may be explained with reference to fig1 and 12 . fig1 shows processes to select the abnormal conditions responding to the abnormal symptoms generated through the sequential diagnosis technique . referring to fig1 , if an abnormal condition diagnosis starts , as shown in 9 a ( 9 a refers to the result performed in a diagnosis importance calculation unit for each abnormal symptom ), a diagnosis importance for each symptom of an s 2 symptom is the highest so that whether an s 2 symptom is generated or not is checked in order to diagnose the abnormal conditions ( s 910 ). if the s 2 symptom is generated from the step s 910 , whether the s 1 symptom is generated or not is checked ( s 920 ), and if s 1 symptom is generated , abnormal condition a 3 is selected . if the s 1 symptom is not generated , abnormal condition a 2 is selected . if the s 2 symptom is not generated in the step s 910 , any one of abnormal symptoms related to { a 1 , a 4 , a 5 , a 6 and a 7 } than abnormal symptoms related to { a 2 and a 3 } can be selected and checked . in step s 930 , as shown in 9 b ( 9 b refers to the result performed in a diagnosis importance calculation unit for each abnormal symptom ), a diagnosis importance for each symptom of s 5 and s 6 symptoms is the highest so that whether an s 5 or s 6 symptom is generated or not is checked in order to diagnose the abnormal conditions . however , the object of application in the sequential diagnosis technique is to provide a binary tree capable of diagnosing abnormal conditions . accordingly , there is no need to clarify the processing technique for the symptoms having the same diagnosis importance , that is , it is sufficient to consider only one symptom among the repeated symptoms , such that only whether the s 5 symptom preceding the s 6 symptom is generated can be checked . if the s 5 symptom is generated in the step s 930 , whether an s 9 symptom is generated or not is checked ( s 940 ). if the s 9 symptom is generated in the step s 940 , abnormal condition a 6 is selected , and if the s 9 symptom is not generated in the step s 940 , whether an s 7 or s 8 symptom is generated or not is checked ( s 950 ). in the sequential diagnosis technique only whether the s 7 symptom preceding the s 8 symptom is generated or not is checked as described in the step s 930 . therefore , if the s 7 symptom is not generated in the step s 950 , abnormal condition a 7 is selected , and if the s 7 symptom is generated in the step s 950 , abnormal condition a 5 is selected . at this time , the abnormal symptoms indicated as “ x ” for the a 5 are symptoms that may be observed or may not be observed when the a 5 is generated , such that they do not need to be directly considered for selecting the a 5 . if the s 5 symptom is not generated in the step s 930 , any one of abnormal symptoms related to two abnormal conditions related to { a 1 and a 4 } other than abnormal symptoms related to { a 5 , a 6 and a 7 } can be selected and checked . as shown in 9 c ( 9 c refers to the result performed in a diagnosis importance calculation unit for each abnormal symptom ), a diagnosis importance for each symptom of s 3 and s 4 symptoms is the highest so that whether an s 3 or s 4 symptom is generated or not is checked in order to diagnose the abnormal conditions ( s 960 ). however , when using the sequential diagnosis technique as described in the step s 930 , only whether the s 3 symptom preceding the s 4 symptom is generated or not is checked . if the s 3 symptom is generated in the step s 960 , abnormal condition a 4 is selected , and if the s 3 symptom is not generated in the step s 960 , abnormal condition a 1 is selected . the diagnosis importance calculations for the abnormal symptoms are repeated until all of the abnormal conditions can be checked from the step s 910 to the step s 960 , and the final result obtained using the sequential diagnosis technique may be obtained as any one of the shown a 1 to a 7 . in the present invention , seven abnormal conditions of a 1 to a 7 are shown , however the number thereof is not limited thereto . fig1 shows a diagram introducing boolean logic to abnormal symptoms having the same importance when abnormal symptom s 5 , s 7 or s 3 is not shown due to masking effects in the sequential diagnosis technique , where abnormal symptoms having the same diagnosis importance are not considered , as shown in 9 b , 9 c and 9 e of fig1 , in order to solve the problem that the abnormal conditions for the abnormal symptoms cannot be selected . for example , for a storage tank in which a water level should be always maintained above a predetermined level , when the masking effects assumes that a controller automatically controlling flow rate of liquid flowed into a storage tank according to the current water level of the storage tank is connected to the storage tank and assumes that the abnormal symptom s 7 and the abnormal symptom s 8 are “ water level of the storage tank is decreasing ” and “ flow rate flowed into the storage tank is increasing ”, respectively , if the abnormal condition a 5 is defined as “ breakage of the storage tank ”, it is improper to check a 5 only with the s 7 . in other words , although the s 7 may be observed under the a 5 situation , when the controller automatically increases the flow rate as the water level of the broken storage tank lowers , the s 7 may be hidden due to the increased flow rate . accordingly , s 8 in addition to the s 7 should be additionally considered in order to select the exact abnormal condition . therefore , in order to solve the problem of the masking effects described above , in the abnormal boolean logic application unit 130 introducing boolean logic for the abnormal symptoms having the same importance , if the abnormal symptoms do not have an ‘ and ’ relationship ( s 3 and s 4 of 2 b in fig2 ) with the abnormal symptoms s 5 and s 6 , s 7 and s 8 , s 3 and s 4 having the same diagnosis importance as shown in 9 b , 9 c and 9 e , the abnormal symptoms are connected to 9 f and 9 g so as to have ‘ or ’ logic , and if not , the abnormal symptoms are connected to 9 h so as to have ‘ and ’ logic . reviewing the portion in fig1 not overlapping with fig1 , as shown in 9 b , the diagnosis importance for each symptom of s 5 and s 6 symptoms is the highest so that whether the s 5 or s 6 symptom is generated or not is checked in order to diagnose the abnormal condition . at this time , whether the s 5 symptom is generated or not is first checked ( s 932 ), and if the s 5 symptom is not generated , whether the s 6 symptom is generated or not is checked ( s 934 ). in the steps of s 932 and s 934 , if any one of the s 5 symptom and the s 6 symptom is generated , whether an s 9 symptom is generated or not is checked ( s 940 ). if the s 9 is generated , a 6 is selected , and if the s 9 is not generated , whether an s 7 or s 8 symptom is generated or not is checked as shown in fig9 g . and , in the steps of s 932 and s 934 , if both the s 5 symptom and the s 6 symptom are not generated , any one of abnormal symptoms related to two abnormal conditions related to { a 1 and a 4 } other than abnormal symptoms related to { a 5 , a 6 and a 7 } can be selected and checked . in other words , the s 5 and the s 6 are connected in order to have the ‘ or ’ logic , making it possible to perform more exact diagnosis compared to the case when the abnormal symptom s 5 is not generated due to the masking effects . and , the steps of s 932 and s 934 can be applied to the steps of s 952 and s 954 shown for the s 7 and s 8 in the same manner 9 g . in 9 h , when the s 3 is generated , an abnormal condition diagnosis certificate does not immediately show an abnormal condition a 4 but checks whether s 4 is generated or not ( s 964 ). if the s 4 is generated , the abnormal condition a 4 is selected , and if the s 4 is not generated , a 1 is selected . in other words , the abnormal condition a 4 is shown only when both the s 3 and the s 4 are generated , and the abnormal condition a 1 is selected in other cases so that the s 3 and s 4 can have the and logic in 9 h , making it possible to perform more exact diagnosis . tables 4 , 5 and 6 below show examples to which boolean logic is applied , wherein in each of the tables , diagnosis item 1 represents a case when the corresponding symptom is generated and diagnosis item 0 represents a case when the corresponding symptom is not generated . the table 4 represents a case when s 5 and s 6 have ‘ or ’ logic , wherein it can be appreciated that when any one of the s 5 and s 6 is generated , the result becomes 1 . in other words , it can be appreciated that if the result becomes 1 , a step to check whether the s 9 is generated or not is performed , and if the result becomes 0 , a step to check whether the s 3 is generated or not is performed . the table 5 represents a case when s 7 and s 8 have ‘ or ’ logic , wherein it can be appreciated that when any one of the s 7 and s 8 is generated , the result becomes 1 . in other words , it can be appreciated that if the result becomes 1 , a step to select the abnormal condition a 5 is performed , and if the result becomes 0 , a step to the abnormal condition a 7 is performed . the table 6 represents a case when s 3 and s 4 have ‘ and ’ logic , wherein it can be appreciated that when any one of the s 3 and s 4 is not generated , the result becomes 0 . in other words , it can be appreciated that if the result becomes 0 , a step to select the abnormal condition a 1 is performed , and if the result becomes 1 ( both the s 3 and s 4 are generated ), a step to the abnormal condition a 4 is performed . the abnormal condition diagnosis certificate displaying unit 140 provides the abnormal condition diagnosis certificate showing the abnormal condition selected by the boolean logic application unit for each abnormal symptom 130 to a user . in other words , the abnormal condition diagnosis certificate displaying unit 140 converts and displays the results obtained by the diagnosis importance calculation unit for each abnormal symptom 120 and the boolean logic application unit for each abnormal symptom 130 into a flow chart type . fig1 shows an example of an abnormal condition diagnosis certificate converted into a flowchart type and displayed to a user , wherein direct current or alternate current power supply for a tank , operation of a pump , flow rate of the tank , a water level , pressure , temperature and concentration are shown using abnormal conditions a to h . although the present invention has been described in detail reference to its presently preferred embodiment , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalents can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention , as set forth in the appended claims . | 6 |
[ 0025 ] fig1 is a view showing the arrangement of a color electrophotographing apparatus as an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention . this color electrophotographing apparatus has an image forming unit 1 . the image forming unit 1 has a flexible photosensitive belt 2 serving as an image carrier . the photosensitive belt 2 is looped between a plurality of first to third rollers 3 a to 3 c with a predetermined tension to travel in the direction of arrows . a charging device 4 , laser exposure device 5 , and developing devices 6 y to 6 k are disposed around the photosensitive belt 2 along its traveling direction . the charging device 4 charges the photosensitive belt 2 at a predetermined potential . the laser exposure device 5 serves as an image forming device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged photosensitive belt 2 . the developing devices 6 y to 6 k visualize the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive belt 2 by supplying yellow ( y ), magenta ( m ), cyan ( c ), and black ( k ) toners as developers to it . furthermore , an intermediate transfer drum 7 , discharge lamp 10 , and cleaner device 9 are disposed around the photosensitive belt 2 along its traveling direction . the intermediate transfer drum 7 serves as a rotatable transfer device for temporarily holding the toner image formed on the photosensitive belt 2 . the cleaner device 9 removes the toner left on the photosensitive belt 2 . that portion of the photosensitive belt 2 which extends between the first and second rollers 3 a and 3 b opposes the developing devices 6 y to 6 k through a predetermined gap . that portion of the photosensitive belt 2 which extends between the second and third rollers 3 b and 3 c is in tight contact with the outer surface of the intermediate transfer drum 7 . either one of the first to third rollers 3 a to 3 c is connected to a driving motor ( not shown ). upon rotation of the driving motor , the first to third rollers 3 a to 3 c are rotatably driven in the direction indicated by arrows at a predetermined speed . a sheet cassette 12 for storing sheets p as media with a predetermined size is provided below the image forming unit 1 . the sheet cassette 12 has a feed roller 13 for taking up the sheets p one by one . the sheet p taken up by the feed roller 13 is conveyed upward along a convey path 14 extending in the vertical direction . a convey roller pair 17 , an aligning roller pair 18 , a transfer roller 16 serving as a transfer device , a fixing apparatus 20 , and a delivery roller pair 21 are sequentially disposed along the convey path 14 in the convey direction of the sheet p . the convey roller pair 17 clamps and conveys the sheet p . the aligning roller 18 temporarily stops the sheet p conveyed to it , corrects tilt of the sheet p with respect to the convey direction , and causes the leading end of the sheet p to coincide with the leading end of the toner image on the intermediate transfer drum 7 . the transfer roller 16 opposes the intermediate transfer drum 7 and transfers the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer drum 7 onto the sheet p . the fixing apparatus 20 fixes the toner image transferred to the sheet p . the delivery roller pair 21 delivers the sheet p . a delivery tray 23 for receiving the sheet to be delivered is provided on the delivery side of the delivery roller pair 21 . full - color printing operation of the above color electrophotographing apparatus will be described . first , the surface of the photosensitive belt 2 , the rear surface of the photosensitive layer of which is grounded to 0 v , is uniformly charged by the charger 4 to − 700 v . then , the laser exposure device 5 is driven in response to a yellow image signal from a control unit ( not shown ) to form a yellow latent image on the photosensitive belt 2 . the potential of this electrostatic latent image is about − 100 v . before forming the yellow latent image , the yellow developing unit 6 y is moved toward the photosensitive belt 2 . in synchronism with this , a developing roller 31 y is rotated , and a voltage of − 300 v is applied to it . upon movement of the developing unit 6 y , when the developing roller 31 y comes into contact with the photosensitive belt 2 , the latent image is developed , and a yellow toner image is formed on the photosensitive belt 2 . the yellow toner image on the photosensitive belt 2 is electrostatically transferred to the intermediate transfer drum 7 to which a voltage of + 1 kv is applied , and the toner left on the photosensitive belt 2 is scraped with the blade of the cleaner device 9 . the surface charges left on the photosensitive belt 2 are removed by the discharge lamp 10 . the surface of the photosensitive belt 2 is charged again , and a magenta latent image is formed this time , in the same manner as described above . this latent image is developed by the magenta developing unit 6 m to form a magenta toner image , which is overlaid on the yellow toner image on the intermediate transfer drum 7 . the same cycle is repeated for cyan ( c ) and black ( k ) to form , on the intermediate transfer drum 7 , a color image in which toner images of four colors are overlaid . at this time , the sheet p is supplied from the sheet cassette 12 and fed along the convey path 14 . the sheet p is sandwiched by the convey roller pair 17 , conveyed to the resist roller pair 18 , aligned , and fed to a portion between the intermediate transfer drum 7 and transfer roller 16 . a voltage of + 2 kv to 3 kv is applied to the transfer roller 16 . hence , the toner images of four colors formed on the intermediate transfer drum 7 are transferred to the sheet p at once . after that , the sheet p on which the toner images of four colors are transferred is fed to the heat roll type fixing unit 20 . the toner images are fixed by fusion onto the sheet p , to form a color image on the sheet p . the toner left on the intermediate transfer drum 7 is removed by the cleaner device 9 using a brush to which a voltage of + 1 . 5 kv is applied . [ 0041 ] fig2 is a view showing the arrangement of the fixing apparatus 20 . the fixing apparatus 20 has a fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 . the fixing roller 25 serves as a heating roller , and the press roller 26 is brought into tight contact with the lower portion of the fixing roller 25 . the fixing roller 25 has a heater lamp 27 serving as a heat source in it . temperature sensors 28 and 29 are disposed in the vicinities of the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 . the temperature sensors 28 and 29 serve as a detection device for detecting the surface temperatures of the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 . the temperature sensors 28 and 29 are connected to a control device 31 through a transmission circuit . the control device 31 is connected to a driving motor 32 through a control circuit . the driving motor 32 rotatably drives the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 . the control device 31 variably controls the rotational speed of the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 through detection temperatures transmitted from the temperature sensors 28 and 29 . the sheet p passes between the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 with its color image - side surface and its surface opposite to the color image side being in contact with the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 , respectively . hence , the sheet p is heated and pressed , so the color image is fixed to the sheet p . [ 0045 ] fig3 shows the quality of the image fixing properties depending on the temperature changes of the fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 . even when the fixing roller 25 had reached a predetermined temperature , if the temperature of the press roller 26 was low , defective fixing such as toner separation occurred . fig4 to 6 show results obtained by measuring the temperatures of the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 while changing their rotational speed when the fixing apparatus 20 is to be warmed up from room temperature . more specifically , temperatures were measured in cases wherein the rotational speed of the rollers 25 and 26 was higher and lower , respectively , than the rotational speed of the rollers 25 and 26 determined as the reference in the image forming apparatus . how the temperatures rose was thus examined . [ 0048 ] fig4 shows temperature changes occurring when the fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 are rotated at a speed lower than the reference speed . in this case , the temperature of the fixing roller 25 rose faster than when it was rotated at the reference speed , while the temperature of the press roller 26 rose slowly . [ 0049 ] fig5 shows temperature changes occurring when the fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 are rotated at the reference speed . [ 0050 ] fig6 shows temperature changes occurring when the fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 are rotated at a speed faster than the reference speed . in this case , the temperature of the press roller 26 rose faster than when it was rotated at the reference speed . a description will be made on cases wherein verification was performed in the actual state by utilizing the results shown in fig4 to 6 . in practice , in continuous image fixing , when the press roller 26 or fixing roller 25 had not reached the reference temperature at which fixing was possible , particularly after the image was fixed , control operations as shown in fig7 to 9 were performed . [ 0053 ] fig7 shows a state wherein , when the fixing roller 25 has reached the predetermined temperature and the temperature of the press roller 26 is low , the rotational speed of the rollers 25 and 26 is increased before the sheet p reaches the fixing apparatus 20 . according to fig7 the press roller 26 could be heated to the reference temperature or higher within a predetermined period of time with which the sheet p reaches the fixing apparatus 20 . this is probably due to the following reason . as the rollers 25 and 26 were rotated at a high speed , the contact distance between them increased . accordingly , more heat shifted from the fixing roller 25 with the heater lamp 27 to the press roller 26 . “ post - fixing rotation ” described in fig7 and fig8 to 10 to be described later refers to a state wherein the rollers 25 and 26 rotate immediately after the toner image is fixed to the sheet p . “ pre - rotation ” refers to a state wherein a process such as development or transfer takes place . “ fixing ” refers to a state wherein the toner image is actually being fixed on the sheet p with the fixing apparatus 20 . [ 0055 ] fig8 shows a case wherein , when the press roller 26 has reached the predetermined temperature and the temperature of the fixing roller 25 is low , the rotational speed of the rollers 25 and 26 is increased . according to fig8 the fixing roller 25 could rise to the predetermined temperature within a predetermined period of time . this is probably due to the following reason . as the rollers 25 and 26 were rotated at a low speed , the contact distance between them within a predetermined period of time was shortened . accordingly , the press roller 26 was less deprived of heat , and the fixing roller 25 itself was heated well , so the temperature rise rate of the fixing roller 25 increased . as described above , the rotational speed of the rollers 25 and 26 is changed until the sheet p reaches the fixing apparatus 20 in accordance with the states of the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 with respect to the predetermined temperatures . thus , the rollers 25 and 26 can be efficiently set to the predetermined temperatures at which fixing is possible . when the temperatures of both the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 are lower than the reference temperature , the rollers 25 and 26 are rotated at an ordinary recording rotational speed to increase their temperatures . the rotational speed of the rollers 25 and 26 must be appropriately selected in accordance with the materials of the rollers 25 and 26 , the output from the heat source 27 , and the heating method . [ 0059 ] fig9 shows a case wherein , when the fixing roller 25 has reached the predetermined temperature and the temperature of the press roller 26 is low , the rollers 25 and 26 are rotated at the ordinary speed without increasing their speed as in fig7 . in this case , the temperature rise of the press roller 26 was slow , and the press roller 26 could not be heated to the reference temperature before the sheet p reached the fixing apparatus 20 . accordingly , defective fixing sometime occurred . [ 0061 ] fig1 shows a case wherein , when the press roller 26 reaches the predetermined temperature and the fixing roller 25 has a low temperature , the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 are rotated at the ordinary speed without decreasing their speed as in fig8 . in this case , the temperature of the fixing roller 25 did not rise in time , and defective fixing sometimes occurred . in the first embodiment described above , the rotational speed of the fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 is controlled during ordinary image forming operation . in the second embodiment , the rotational speed of fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 is controlled after a copy start command is received and until a first sheet p reaches a fixing apparatus 20 . for example , assume that the fixing roller 25 maintains a certain predetermined temperature but the press roller 26 cannot rise to a necessary temperature with the ordinary rotational speed . in this case , the rotational speed of the rollers 25 and 26 is increased while steps such as pre - fixing development and transfer are performed , so the press roller 26 reaches the necessary temperature . conventionally , fixing is performed while the fixing roller 25 maintains a certain predetermined temperature . sometimes , when the image of the sheet p which is sent first to the fixing apparatus 20 is fixed , defective fixing occurs . to examine the cause for this , the temperatures of the fixing roller 25 and press roller 26 were measured . the temperature of the press roller 26 while the sheet p passed was low . the reason for this was clarified as follows . before a copy start command was received , rotation of the fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 was stopped , and the temperature of the press roller 26 decreased . with only “ pre - rotation ” after the copy start command was received , the temperature of the press roller 26 did not rise to a value sufficiently high for fixing . in view of this , while detecting the temperature of the press roller 26 , when the detected temperature was low , the rollers 25 and 26 were rotated at a high speed during “ pre - rotation ” after the copy start command . then , the press roller 26 reached the predetermined temperature for image fixing , and fixing was performed well . in this manner , when the temperature of the press roller 26 was detected upon reception of the copy start command and the rotational speed was changed before the image reached the fixing apparatus 20 , the press roller 26 could reach a temperature sufficiently high for fixing . the third embodiment refers to the standby mode wherein image fixing is not performed . in the standby mode , the temperature of a press roller 26 which is not in contact with an image to be fixed is detected . if the temperature is not a predetermined value , a fixing roller 25 is rotated intermittently to maintain the temperature of the press roller 26 at a certain constant level , as shown in fig1 . more specifically , in the standby mode , when rotation of the rollers 25 and 26 is stopped , the temperature of the press roller 26 is detected . if the temperature is equal to the predetermined value or less , the rollers 25 and 26 are rotated . the press roller 26 is thus maintained at a temperature to which it can rise within a predetermined fast copy time . “ predetermined temperature ” refers to a temperature from which , when a copy start command is output , the press roller 26 can reach a temperature at which fixing can be performed with the predetermined fast copy time . when the fixing and press rollers 25 and 26 are rotated , heat of the fixing roller 25 is conducted to the press roller 26 . conventionally , in the standby mode , the temperature of the press roller 26 was not detected , but only the temperature of the fixing roller 25 was detected and maintained at a constant value . after that , when image fixing was performed with a predetermined fast print time interval , defective fixing sometimes occurred in the first print obtained immediately after the standby mode . in order to find the cause for this , the temperature of the press roller 26 was measured . during image fixing , the temperature of the press roller 26 was low , which was not sufficiently high for fixing . the reason for this was clarified as follows . in the standby mode , the temperature of the press roller 26 was excessively low . accordingly , image fixing was subsequently performed before heat was not sufficiently absorbed in print “ pre - rotation ” by contact with the fixing roller 25 . the standby temperature of the press roller 26 , which was necessary to reach the temperature necessary for fixing , within the predetermined fast print time , was obtained from the temperature necessary for fixing . the rollers 25 and 26 were intermittently rotated in the standby mode in order to maintain the standby temperature . in this embodiment , this temperature was reached when the rollers were rotated through almost two to three revolutions in the standby mode . after that , this operation was performed when necessary while detecting the temperature of the press roller 26 . in this manner , the image could be fixed well within the predetermined fast print time . in the above embodiments , the photosensitive belt 2 and intermediate transfer drum 7 were used as the image carrier and intermediate transfer body , respectively . however , the present invention is not limited to this , and a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt may be used as the image carrier and intermediate transfer body , respectively . alternatively , a photosensitive drum and intermediate transfer drum may be used as the image carrier and intermediate transfer body , or a photosensitive belt and intermediate transfer belt may be used as the image carrier and intermediate transfer body . any combination will do as far as the toner images can be transferred in an overlaid manner and transferred onto a medium at once . additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein . accordingly , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents . | 6 |
as shown in fig1 , zeroplus has a unique multi - access architecture . calls are managed by internet “ gatekeepers .” users can make telephone connections to or from internet - based computers 103 , 157 and 159 , and also make connections to or from conventional analog telephones 101 and 155 . for illustrative purposes it is assumed that user computer a 103 initiates the call , and user computer b 157 or user computer c 159 receives the call . the roles of caller and receiver can be interchanged among these user computers . a zeroplus gatekeeper 115 a receives zeroplus on net calls over the internet or another network from an initiating user computer a 103 , or over a telephone line through the pstn from an initiating conventional telephone 101 . the gateway converts the analog telephone signals into data packets for transmission on the network . gatekeeper 115 determines exactly how to route the call through either internet 129 , or some combination of conventional telephone networks . a call directed to an on - net computer ip address is routed through internet 129 to the destination user computers b 157 or c 159 . a call directed to an off - net conventional telephone is routed from the internet through a regional gateway 131 to one of several regional or local telephone carrier destination “ hubs ” 143 , and then to the receiving conventional telephone 155 . traditional telephone networks require large , complex business and technical departments whose job it is to add and connect new users and to bill existing users . the zeroplus system allows new users to be rapidly connected to the system by logging onto the internet and completing an on - line form . this information is then stored in the zeroplus database where it can be retrieved to verify assigned user telephone numbers , define a user profile and generate on - line billing by matching usage with user data stored in the database . this eliminates much of the workforce typically required in traditional telephony , significantly reducing the cost of user acquisition and maintenance . on a traditional telephone network , users are not connected until a technician receives the customer information on a work order and determines and implements the required connections to the telephone network . this often involves a delay of days or weeks . zeroplus users are given immediate access to the zeroplus system by virtue of its ability to store registration data , to interact in real time with the system database and to immediately assign and validate a telephone number . upon completion of the new user processing , users are immediately e - mailed a personal pin code so they can begin using the service . provided they have zeroplus software loaded and launched on their systems , have entered their user access number , and are allowed to make the call by the gate keeper , zeroplus users have immediate access to any on - net zeroplus user computer or off - net pstn telephone number . conventional telephones usually connect to the pstn through a physical connection made between a set of copper wires and a class 5 switch at the pstn central office . on the zeroplus network , users are connected via an analog modem , cable modem , digital subscriber line ( dsl ) modem , integrated services digital network ( isdn ) modem , 802 . 11 wireless modem , or any other digital network access that is now , or in the future will become , available . an important benefit of the zeroplus telephone numbering scheme is that , through the use of a primary rate interface ( pri ) digital gateway and the zeroplus numbering scheme , every digital call center switch and integrated voice response ( ivr ) system in existence can route zeroplus calls . this means that call centers can benefit from their existing investment in call center technology to route calls from the pstn . unlike competing systems that use nicknames and e - mail addresses , when zeroplus calls are received , existing switches , pbx , or ivr systems can be configured to route zeroplus calls to call center agents just like calls that have originated from the pstn . signing up for zeroplus service is simple and user friendly . new zeroplus users visit the zeroplus website to sign up and initiate service . a registration page collects information about customers to create a database of user and routing information . during the sign - up process , a sequence of messages is displayed to the user . the various messages and user interfaces described herein are illustrative examples of how the sign - up process is conducted . after potential users request an internet phone number , a legal contract appears which the registrant is asked to carefully consider and either accept or decline . at the end of the contract , two buttons appear , inviting the registrant the option of indicating “ i accept ” or “ i decline .” after accepting , the first field entered will be the user &# 39 ; s e - mail address . after inputting the e - mail address , a search is done to ensure that the entered e - mail address does not already have an assigned a phone number . if it does , the user will be notified of the ineligibility for a new zeroplus telephone number for that entered e - mail address . otherwise , the process will continue . entry for two friends or business acquaintances who should be contacted regarding the service . an e - mail will automatically be generated to those e - mail addresses , such as , “ first name , last name has asked us to inform you that he / she has just received his / her internet phone number from www . zeroplus . com . if you wish to talk to first name for free , whenever online , please visit us and get your own zeroplus number !” after inputting the information , two buttons appear at the end of the fields , one for “ give me my internet phone number ” and the other for “ clear fields .” after the user has submitted the customer information , the service searches the database to verify that the requested number has not been previously registered . if it has not , the service responds by offering the customer the desired telephone number , which displays a screen , for example , which says , your new internet phone number is “ 0 + home phone .” do you want to keep this number or would you like us to offer another one ? if you wish to select another number , it must start with 0 + xxx as the first four numbers . a “ keep this number ” or “ propose another number ” button appears at the bottom of the page . if a user wants to propose a special telephone number , the user is limited to telephone numbers within their current area code . if the person wants to select another number , a screen appears that says , the screen should show 0 + xxx - ______ ______ , where the last seven digits can be selected by the user , and the xxx is their current area code . after the information has been entered , two buttons appear at the end of the fields , one for “ submit my internet telephone number ” and the other for “ clear fields .” the service searches for the number , and if it &# 39 ; s available , tells the user : congratulations ! your new internet telephone number is 0 + xxx - ______ ______ . please write it down . if the requested number is not available , the program scrolls through the number database until it finds the next available sequential number , and offers that number to the user : the number you requested is not available . the next closest number is 0 + xxx - ______ ______ . would you like to keep this number ? “ keep this number ” and “ propose another number ” buttons appear at the bottom of the page . this process continues until the user has chosen a permanent internet telephone number . some numbers will be blocked by this system . if a customer requests an 800 , 888 , 100 , 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 , 600 , 700 , 877 , or 900 number , a screen appears indicating : the 0 + ______ ______ number you requested has been reserved for the holder of the existing telephone number . if you or your company own this existing number and wish to use it as your internet phone number , please call us at 1 - 800 - ______ ______ two buttons should appear , saying “ propose another number ” or “ back to home page ” sending the person back to the original link . the final screen for completion asks whether the user wants his or her number listed in the 0 + directory (“ white pages ”). the user selects one of three choices : “ i wish to have my internet telephone number listed in the 0 + directory , along with my name , city , state , and country .” “ i wish to have my internet telephone number listed in the 0 + directory , along with my name only .” i do not wish to have my internet telephone number listed in the 0 + directory the final screen also provides users with the option be notified of additional features that are available from the zeroplus service . the customer selects one of two choices : “ please notify me by e - mail when new zeroplus services are available ” in addition to a discrete telephone number , each user will be required to have a unique nickname , which is equivalent to an e - mail address . the user should be able to propose a nickname , find out if it has been taken , and if it has , have the opportunity to propose another nickname . the screens are developed similarly to those listed under “ zeroplus number proposal .” after the user has selected their internet telephone number , he / she will automatically be able to download the client gui . any system requirements will be listed , and a button will be clicked to “ download 0 + software .” as this information is collected and logged into the database , a directory system enables users to look up a person &# 39 ; s internet telephone number on zeroplus &# 39 ; “ white pages ” by inputting names , addresses , city , state , etc . when for example , user computer a 103 logs in , it notifies the gatekeeper of its ip address . each gateway accepts calls that are routed to it based on the routing tables that are set up on the gatekeeper . every time an administrator adds a new gateway , the routing tables must be updated to ensure that the gateway will handle all pstn - bound calls in a particular set of area codes . the gateway will only handle calls that the administrator has routed to it . if a zeroplus user dials a local pstn to place a call at least partially routed over the internet , he or she will be greeted by a voice asking for the zeroplus number followed by the pin code . once the caller enters that information and press the pound (#) key , the caller will be asked for the number that they wish to call . at this point they are given the option of dialing either zero ( 0 ) plus the number ( e . g . “ 0 301 601 0000 ”), or one ( 1 ) plus the number ( e . g . “ 1 301 601 0000 ”) followed by the pound (#) key . if the user dials a zeroplus number the gatekeeper will be contacted and provide the ip address of the zeroplus member &# 39 ; s personal computer ( pc ). if the leading number dialed is “ 1 ,” the gatekeeper provides the ip address of the gateway responsible for terminating calls to that area and city code . one plus numbers &# 39 ; routes are determined by the administrator &# 39 ; s entry into the routing tables . zeroplus numbers are routed according to the ip address assigned by the isp when the user logged into the isp &# 39 ; s service . a dialed number is converted into an ip address by a simple process . the caller enters zero (“ 0 ”) plus a ten digit telephone number into a client zeroplus application by either of two methods . one is by clicking the number buttons on the application gui which simulates the touch - tone pad on a standard telephone . the other method is to use the numbers on the computer keyboard to dial the desired telephone number . either method assumes that the user has established a network connection and launched the zeroplus client application . once the telephone number of the called party is entered into the application by either of the two methods above , the user can either press the & lt ; enter & gt ; key on the keyboard or click the “ talk ” button on the zeroplus gui . this action initiates a message , with the called party &# 39 ; s telephone number and the requested current ip address , to the gatekeeper 115 . the gatekeeper will look up the called party &# 39 ; s telephone number on the database server and , using data therein , determine the current or last known ip address for the called party &# 39 ; s telephone number . the gatekeeper sends a message with the called party ip address back to the calling party &# 39 ; s client . at this juncture , the calling party &# 39 ; s client launches the standard call setup messages directly to the called party &# 39 ; s ip address . if the called party is online , the client will respond in kind with the standard setup message responses and , once negotiated , the voice session will be opened in both directions . if the called party is not online and has call forwarding engaged , the calling party &# 39 ; s client will attempt to forward the call based on forwarding information sent when it first requested the number translation . accordingly , fig2 shows an access dialing sequence 201 dialed by a user to connect to the plan internet gateway , and sequences 211 and 221 , used to connect with the call recipient . an on - line computer accesses the gateway by dialing sequence 201 beginning with element 203 , which is a leading “ 0 ” digit , followed by the caller &# 39 ; s registered zeroplus internet telephone number 205 and a corresponding user pin code 206 . after sequence 201 gains access to the gateway 115 , the caller can place calls using sequence 211 to obtain an on - net computer - to - computer call . to complete a desired connection , the gatekeeper 115 accesses a database ( not shown ) which tracks the ip addresses corresponding with the destination number . the destination number selected by the calling user is then associated with the ip address of the destination computer 157 . alternately , an on - net caller can use sequence 221 to place a call to an off - net conventional telephone 155 . the only difference between sequence 211 and sequence 221 is that on - network calls in sequence 211 are proceeded with a “ 0 ” while off - network calls to conventional telephones in sequence 221 are proceeded with a “ 1 .” thus , to dial an off - net telephone number , a zeroplus user simply dials sequence 221 (“ 1 ” plus the destination telephone number ) from the zeroplus graphical user interface ( gui ) client software , thus sending the information to the internet telephony gateway best situated to deliver the call cost effectively , which is usually the gateway closest to the destination . in this way , the simplified dialing plan has originated a call from a data network such as the internet 129 to the pstn . thus , the access code for gateway calling consists of a combination of both the registered zeroplus telephone number and a member pin . number portability is made available by the zeroplus system by deriving both zeroplus access numbers and desired destination numbers from the users &# 39 ; conventional telephone numbers . upon entering their gateway access code , users will be prompted for the telephone number they wish to reach . again , this can be any on - net “ 0 ” plus telephone number or an off - net “ 1 ” plus telephone number . calls can be placed in various modes , including pc - to - pc , pc - to - phone , phone - to - pc , and phone - to - phone . further , pc - to - pc calls can feature call waiting , call forwarding , call transfer , three - way calling , and voice mail . user computer a 103 , user computer b 157 and user computer c 159 are referred to as stations a , b , and c in this section . this description assumes that all parties / stations ( a , b , c , and d ) have data connectivity and have already logged into zeroplus , and that an ip address is already associated with each these stations . note that station d does not explicitly appear on the diagrams . as shown in fig3 , in pc - to - pc calls , station a 103 dials station b &# 39 ; s 157 or 159 zeroplus number . the zeroplus application sends an admission request message which contains the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper 115 . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm containing ip addresses which route to station b . when station b receives a setup message , it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station b with an authorization confirm . since it is available to accept the call , station b then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message , and begins to ring . station a begins to ring when it receives the alerting message from station b . when station b answers the call , a connect message is sent to station a and a voice channel is opened from station b to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station b , it responds to the connect message with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station b . various signaling message formats are used between end - point stations , gateways and the gatekeeper . all these messages formats are specially defined for this inventions . gatekeeper request — fig5 shows the gatekeeper request message information elements format . when the user logs in , a gatekeeper request message is sent from the station to the gatekeeper to request user validation . gatekeeper confirm — fig6 a shows the gatekeeper confirmation message information elements ( section 1 ) format . fig6 b shows the gatekeeper confirmation message information elements ( section 2 ) format . the gatekeeper sends a gatekeeper confirm back to the end station in response to a gatekeeper request if the user information is valid . gatekeeper reject — fig7 shows the gatekeeper rejection message information elements format . the gatekeeper sends a gatekeeper reject back to the end station in response to a gatekeeper request if the user information is invalid . admission request — fig8 shows the admission request message information elements format . when a calling station initiates a call , it collects a farend number . this number along with the calling number is passed to the gatekeeper in the admission request message . admission confirm — fig9 a shows the admission confirmation message information elements ( section 1 ) format . fig9 b shows the admission confirmation message information elements ( section 2 ) format . the gatekeeper sends an admission confirmation message back to the calling station in response to an admission request message if the gatekeeper successfully translates the called number . admission reject — fig1 shows the admission reject message information elements format . the gatekeeper sends an admission reject message back to the calling station in response to an admission request message if the gatekeeper is unsuccessfully in translating the called number . bandwidth request — fig1 shows the bandwidth request message information elements format . a gateway sends a gatekeeper a bandwidth request message to request a bandwidth change to the class of service . bandwidth confirm — fig1 shows the bandwidth confirmation message information elements format . the gatekeeper sends a gateway a bandwidth confirm message in response to a bandwidth request message if the gatekeeper can allocate bandwidth of the class of service for this call . bandwidth reject — fig1 shows the bandwidth reject message information elements format . the gatekeeper sends the gateway a bandwidth reject message in response to a bandwidth request message if the gatekeeper cannot allocate bandwidth of the class of service for this call . faxcall — fig1 shows the faxcall message information elements format . the gateway ( that detected the fax call ) sends a faxcall message to the farend gateway to inform the farend gateway to change its class of service ( or compression ). trunks busy — fig2 shows the gk trunks busy message 0x4e information elements format . this message is sent from a gatekeeper to a gateway to request “ busying out ” or disabling the remaining available channels because bandwidth constrains the network . trunks busy ack — fig2 shows the gk trunks busy ack message 0x4f information elements format . fig2 shows the gk trunks busy ack message 0x4e information elements format . these messages are sent from a gateway to a gatekeeper to acknowledge the busy trunks request message . trunks unbusy — fig2 shows the gk trunks unbusy message 0x4c information elements format . this message is sent from a gatekeeper to a gateway to request “ unbusying out ” or enabling all “ busied out ” channels because of bandwidth availability . fig2 shows the gk trunks unbusy ack message 0x4d information elements format . these messages are sent from a gateway to a gatekeeper to acknowledge the unbusy trunks request message . heartbeat — fig2 shows the heartbeat message information elements format . a station sends a heartbeat message to the gatekeeper regularly after it receives a gatekeeper confirm message after the station logs in . the message tells the gatekeeper that the station is currently up and running and also tells the gatekeeper the station is currently on call . to further illustrate the invention , various calling features are described in terms of zeroplus messages . fig2 illustrates the case in which station b unconditionally forwards received calls to station c . station a dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station b . since station b is in forward mode , the admission confirm message also contains forwarding information ( unconditionally forwarded to station c ). since station b is unconditionally forwarded , station a &# 39 ; s zeroplus application sends a setup message to station c . when station c receives the setup message , it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds to station c with an authorization confirm . since station c is available to accept the call , it then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . station a produces a ringback sound when it receives the alerting message from station c . when station c answers the call , a connect message is sent to station a and a voice channel is opened from station c to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station c , it responds with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station c . fig2 illustrates the case in which station b forwards incoming calls when busy to station c . station a dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station b . since station b is in forward mode , the admission confirm message also contains forwarding information ( forwarded on busy to station c ). station a &# 39 ; s zeroplus application sends a setup message to station b . station b is already on a call with station d ( not shown ) when it receives station a &# 39 ; s setup message . therefore , station b responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with a release complete and continues on the call with station d . upon receiving the release complete message , station a determines that station b is currently busy and uses the forwarding information received in the initial admission confirm message from the gatekeeper to send another admission request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm message . when station a receives the admission confirm message from the gatekeeper , it sends a setup message to station c . when station c receives the setup message , it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds to station c with an authorization confirm . since it is available to accept the call , station c then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when station a receives the alerting message from station c , a ringback sound is heard . when station c answers the call , it sends a connect message to station a and opens a voice channel from station c to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station c , it responds with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station c . fig2 a and 28 b illustrate the case in which station b does not answer , and forwards calls to station c . station a dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm containing ip addresses which route to station b . since station b is in forward mode , the admission confirm message also contains forwarding information ( forwarded on no answer to station c ). station a &# 39 ; s zeroplus application sends a setup message to station b . station b is currently no on a call . upon receiving station a &# 39 ; s setup message , station b sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds with an authorization confirm to station b . since station b is available to accept this call , it sends station a an alerting message and begins to ring . upon receiving the alerting message from station b , station a emits a ringback sound . after five rings , since station a has received information to forward calls on no answer , to station c . therefore , station a stops ringing and sends a disconnect message to station b to begin disconnecting the call . station a also sends an end - of - call and an admission request message to the gatekeeper . to complete disconnecting the call between stations a and b , in response to station a &# 39 ; s disconnect message , station b sends a release message and also stops ringing . when station a receives station b &# 39 ; s release message , it responds by sending a release complete message to station b , which completes disconnecting the call from station a &# 39 ; s perspective . receiving station a &# 39 ; s release complete message completes disconnecting the call from station b &# 39 ; s perspective . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm message to station a . when station a receives the admission confirm message from the gatekeeper , it sends a setup message to station c . when station c receives the setup message , it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds with an authorization confirm to station c . since station c is available to accept the call , it then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station c , station a commences ring back . when station c answers the call , it sends a connect message to station a and opens a voice channel from station c to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station c , it responds with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station c . fig2 illustrates the case in which on no response , station b forwards calls to its station to station c . station a dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm containing ip addresses which route to station b . since station b is forwarded , the admission confirm message also contains forwarding information ( forwarded on no response to station c ). station a &# 39 ; s zeroplus application sends a setup message to station b . station b is currently not logged into zeroplus . after three seconds , station a resends the setup message to station b . after another three seconds , station a &# 39 ; s zeroplus application determines that there is no response from station b . since station a has forwarding on no response information for station b , it sends another admission request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an admission confirm message to station a . when station a receives the admission confirm message , it sends a setup message to station c . when station c receives the setup message , it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds with an authorization confirm to station c . since it is available to accept the call , station c then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station c , station a commences ringback . when station c answers the call , it sends a connect message to station a and opens a voice channel from station c to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station c , it responds with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station c . fig3 a and 30 b illustrate the case in which station b has the call - waiting feature enabled , is talking to station a , and receives an incoming call from station c . station a dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station a with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station b . when station a receives the admission confirm message , it sends a setup message to station b . since station b is currently not on a call , when it receives the setup message from station a it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds with an authorization confirm to station b . since it is available to accept the call , station b then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station b , station a commences ringback . when station b answers the call , it sends a connect message to station a and opens a voice channel from station b to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station b , it responds with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station b . while station a and station b are conducting their call , station c dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the station c zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station c ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station c with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station b . when station c receives the admission confirm message , it sends a setup message to station b . station b is currently on a call with station a . since station b has the call - waiting feature enabled , when it receives the setup message from station c , station b sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an authorization confirm to station b . since it is available to accept the call , station b then responds to station c &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message . at this time , station b hears the call - waiting tone . when it receives the alerting message from station b , station c begins ringback . station b clicks on the gui flash button to answer the call from station c . upon receiving the suspend message from station b , station a closes the voice channel from itself to station b and responds with a suspend acknowledgement message . upon receiving the connect message from station b , station c opens a voice channel from itself to station b and responds with a connect acknowledgement message to station b , thus answering the new call . fig3 a , 31 b and 31 c illustrate the case in which station b has the transfer feature enabled . station a dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the station a zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station a with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route the call to station b . when station a receives the admission confirm message from the gatekeeper , it sends a setup message to station b . since station b is currently not on a call , when it receives the setup message from station a it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station b with an authorization confirm . since it is available to accept the call , station b then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station b , station a begins to ringback . when station b answers the call , it sends a connect message to station a and opens a voice channel from station b to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station b , it responds with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station b . next , the station a user verbally requests to be transferred to station c . the station b user clicks on the transfer button . this event sends a suspend message to station a and closes the voice channel from station b to station a . upon receiving the suspend message from station b , station a closes the voice channel from itself to station b and responds with a suspend acknowledgement . station b acknowledges receipt of the suspend acknowledgement message from station a . clicking the gui transfer button at station b also initiates dialing the second leg of the transfer . the gui prompts the station b user to enter a number to dial . station b then enters station c &# 39 ; s zeroplus number and clicks on the dial button , which initiates station b transferring to station c . station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station b ) and the called number ( station c ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station b with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station c . when station b receives the admission confirm message , it sends a setup message to station c . since station c is currently not on a call when it receives the setup message it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds with an authorization confirm to station c . since it is available to accept the call , station c then responds to station b &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station c , station b begins ringback . station b completes the blind transfer by clicking the transfer button before station c has answered . station b sends a transfer message containing station c &# 39 ; s number to station a . upon receiving the transfer message from station b , station a does the following : responds to station b with a transfer acknowledgement message , and sends the gatekeeper an end of call and an admission request message . when station b receives the transfer acknowledgement message , it sends an end of call message to the gatekeeper for each of the transfer legs . station b has completed its part of the transfer . the gatekeeper sends to station a an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station c . when station a receives the admission confirm message , it sends a setup message to station c . when it receives the setup message from station a , station c sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station c with an authorization confirm . station c determines that the setup message from station a is due to a transfer , then , since it is available to accept the call , responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and continues to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station c , station b begins to ring . when station c answers the call , a connect message is sent to station a and a voice channel is opened from station b to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station b , it responds to the connect message with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station b . fig3 a , 32 b and 32 c illustrate the case in which station b has the transfer feature enabled . station a dials station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus number . the station a zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station a ) and the called number ( station b ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station a with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station b . when station a receives the admission confirm message , it sends a setup message to station b . since station b is currently not on a call , when it receives the setup message from station a it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an authorization confirm to station b . since it is available to accept the call , station b then responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station b , station a begins ringback . when station b answers the call , it sends a connect message to station a and opens a voice channel from station b to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station b , it responds to the connect message with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station a to station b . next , station a verbally requests to be transferred to station c . station b clicks on the transfer button , which sends a suspend message to station a and closes the voice channel from station b to station a . upon receiving the suspend message from station b , station a closes the voice channel from itself to station b and responds with a suspend acknowledgement . station b acknowledges the receipt of the suspend acknowledgement message from station a . clicking the station b &# 39 ; s transfer button also initiates dialing the second leg of the transfer . the gui prompts the station b user to enter a number to dial . the station b user then enters station c &# 39 ; s zeroplus number and clicks on the dial button , which initiates station b dialing station c . station b &# 39 ; s zeroplus application sends an admission request containing the calling number ( station b ) and the called number ( station c ) to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds to station b with an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which routes to station c . when station b receives the admission confirm message from the gatekeeper , it sends a setup message to station c . since station c is currently not on a call when it receives the setup message from station b , it sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper . the gatekeeper responds with an authorization confirm to station c . since it is available to accept the call , station c then responds to station b &# 39 ; s setup message with an alerting message and begins to ring . when it receives the alerting message from station c , station b begins ringback . when station c answers the call , it sends a connect message to station b and opens a voice channel from station b to station c . when station b receives the connect message from station c , it responds with a connect acknowledgement and opens a voice channel from station c to station a . after station c has answered , the station b user completes the consultative transfer by clicking the transfer button . station b sends a transfer message containing station c &# 39 ; s number to station a . upon receiving the transfer message , station a does the following : responds with a transfer acknowledgement message to station b , and sends the gatekeeper an end of call and an admission request message . when station b receives the transfer acknowledgement message , it sends an end of call message to the gatekeeper for each of the transfer legs . station b has completed its part of the transfer . next , the gatekeeper sends to station a an admission confirm message containing ip addresses which route to station c . when station a receives the admission confirm message , it sends a setup message to station c . when it receives the setup message station c sends an authorization request to the gatekeeper , which responds with an authorization confirm to station c . station c determines that the setup message from station a is due to a transfer and then , since it is available to accept the call , responds to station a &# 39 ; s setup message with a connect message . station c closes the voice channel from itself to station b and reopens a voice channel from itself to station a . when station a receives the connect message from station c , it sends a connect acknowledgement to station c and opens a voice channel from itself to station c . the system also manages calls to or from conventional telephones . the gateway gatekeeper and gateway seamlessly bridge calls from the internet destined to the pstn and calls from the pstn to the internet , or pstn to pstn via internet . when a call goes from pstn to pstn , the gateway responsible for the specific area and city code at the point of origin handles that portion of the call , and a gateway responsible for the destination area and city code handles the termination side of the call . each side of the call is treated as a separate call which is bridged together over internet or other data network that both gateways have in common . note that a gatekeeper also includes a gateway , in addition to its call management functions . the gateway also is used for the pstn side of a pc - to - telephone and a telephone - to - pc call . whenever the pstn or another switch , pbx , ivr or other call center device is utilized in the origination and / or the termination of a call , a gateway must also be used at any point where traditional telecommunication technology is involved . for phone - to - phone calls , neither party uses a pc . both sides are handled by gateways as previously explained . for pc - to - phone or phone - to - pc calls , zeroplus software is required only on the pc side of the call , and a gateway will handle the other side of the call . pc - to - pc calls require that both parties have zeroplus software . the gatekeeper determines which is the “ best way ” to route calls . the gatekeeper has routing tables much like those in traditional telecommunications switches . these routing tables are addressed any time a calling party addresses a call request to the gatekeeper . there are two completely different routing methodologies . one is for on - net calls ( i . e . calls originating from and terminating at zeroplus clients on the internet ). the second is a more sophisticated routing methodology for calls originating on the internet and terminating off - net , i . e . calls where the calling party is connected via the internet and the called party is reached via a one (“ 1 ”) plus termination through a gateway to the pstn . in this situation the gatekeeper routing tables determine the least cost route to terminate the call . the “ best way ” is a combination of the least cost route and available resources . in the event that all resources are available ( i . e . all gateways for termination of off - net traffic in all cities still have ports available to handle the call ), the default route will be the least cost one . for example , if a call is destined for area code 512 ( austin , tex .) and there is a gateway on the network that provides local service in austin , the least cost route would terminate the call in austin without applying any long distance leg . but , if the austin gateway were to have all ports busy at the time of the call attempt , it would be necessary to terminate the call through another gateway on the network . in this case a routing table would route the call anywhere except texas due to the large premium on calls that originate and terminate in texas . it actually costs less to terminate a call in oklahoma and pay a discount long distance rate to back haul the call to texas . the programming of the routing tables emulates that which is standard and ordinary in the telecommunications industry today . programming the routing tables does not require a programmer , only an administrator who minimizes costs associated with calls destined for different areas of the country . the gatekeeper database has routing information and tables of data related to the ip addresses . the gatekeeper determines the ip addresses of any device addressed by the service . in the case of the end - user , once data connectivity has been established , it allows the computer to be assigned an ip address by the internet service provider ( isp ), and the user launches the zeroplus application . when the application starts up it opens a dialog box and requires the user to input his or her ten digit zeroplus number and the associated four digit pin . after the user enters the appropriate information into the dialog box and clicks the ok button , the application sends to the gatekeeper a validation request containing the zeroplus number , pin , and current ip address of the station . the gatekeeper looks up the zeroplus number in the database and verifies that both the pin and the zeroplus number are correct , sends a validation accepted message to the zeroplus application and updates the user &# 39 ; s account with the current ip address . the gatekeeper also sends back information associated with the current features ( i . e . call forwarding , call waiting , three way calling , call transfer , voice mail ) to which the member has access . for example , if the member has “ call forward set on no answer ” assigned to his / her office zeroplus telephone number , the zeroplus telephone number of that zeroplus station will be passed back to the application . if the user has call transfer , three - way calling , and call waiting capability , the gatekeeper will include information in the message to the application notifying it to accept requests for these features . if the member has subscribed to voice mail , the ip address of the voice mail server or its “ phone number ” will be passed to the application . upon receipt of a confirmation , the end station will commence sending “ heartbeat ” messages to the gatekeeper so that the gatekeeper will know that the station is still “ logged on .” traditional telephone network users are restricted to telephone devices which are physically connected to a set of wires within a fixed structure , such as a home . with portable telephones such as cellular phones , the equipment is mobile but the telephone number is not . mobile cellular telephone numbers are device - specific to a particular cell telephone . cell telephone users lose number portability because they have to use a specific cell telephone registered for that telephone number . the zeroplus architecture provides a device - independent telephone number access strategy . this enables mobile users to use their portable telephone number during travel without necessarily taking their physical portable telephone with them . zeroplus users with at least 28 . 8 kbps access to a digital data network and a computer with the zeroplus gui have access to all incoming calls and are able to make outgoing calls on their current zeroplus account . members may use zeroplus with telephones when they do not have access to their computer . inbound calls placed to the user computer are not forwarded to conventional telephones unless they subscribe to and use the call forward - feature of the service to forward their zeroplus calls to an off - net telephone number . to originate zeroplus calls without access to their computers , members dial a pstn access number and follow the instructions to connect either on - net or off - net calls . billable calls are posted to their zeroplus accounts . traditional telephone network users have grown accustomed to a variety of add - on features and lip - grades available on the pstn . the zeroplus system , through its robust combination of technology , hardware , software and connectivity to the pstn , also makes a large suite of features available to users . upgrades ( for an added fee ) include call forwarding , call waiting , call transfer , caller id , “ follow me ” service , voice mail and conference calls , as described previously . the zeroplus plan also provides connection shortcuts to frequently called numbers . the list is called the “ zp pals ” list . once the gatekeeper has sent the validation acceptance message , it can access what zeroplus users this member has in his / her zp pals list and what zp pals have this member in their list . it sends a message to the “ logging in ” station containing the zp pals list , what the ip address is for each of the “ pals ” that are online , and what members are interested in the online status of this station . an exception to this is that the gatekeeper will not return ip addresses for members if “ call blocking ” applies . this feature prevents other users from determining online status or placing calls to the blocked zeroplus number . the end station will then display the zp pals who have gatekeeper - supplied current ip addresses with the “ online indicator ” and send each of them , along with the members having this user in their zp pals list , a message telling them the member is online . zp pals on the list without an ip address will be displayed with the “ offline indicator .” the end station will notify all “ interested parties ” when it is shutting down so that the other stations will know to update the status for the user on this station to “ offline .” in the event that the gatekeeper fails to receive a “ heartbeat ” from a station it believes to be online , it will send all interested parties notification that the station is “ offline ,” update the status it has on that station to reflect the fact that it is offline , and close out any calls that might be active for that station . this is to address the problem that computers do “ crash ” occasionally or lose internet connectivity . it is not sufficient to rely on a “ clean ” shutdown for the end stations . zeroplus provides phone number location independence . the zeroplus number and pin code as well as the zp - pals list , feature set , and possible affiliate partner logos are all location independent . for example , if a member signs in through an affiliate partner , such as talk city and has a home telephone number which is “ 1 301 555 1212 ,” the corresponding zeroplus number “ 0 301 555 1212 ” will be assigned to their home computer . upon logging onto zeroplus , the gatekeeper checks and validates the account and then notifies the zeroplus application of all of the services that the user has available . the application would also be provided with the user &# 39 ; s zp - pals list , and the current status ( i . e . on - line or off - line ) of each of those individuals . if a zeroplus member is visiting a family which has a multimedia computer but is not a zeroplus member and does not have the application resident on their hard drive , then the only thing that the member would have to do would be to download the application and log in using his / her zeroplus number and pin . once the user logs into that computer , all normal zeroplus capabilities would be available at that computer . the zeroplus number and all associated account features are completely portable and hardware independent . while traditional home telephone numbers require a fixed port on a switch , or the number has to be forwarded to another fixed port on a switch . zeroplus numbers are completely hardware and port independent . the numbers are routed , not switched . what has been described is a private dialing plan wherein conventional telephone numbers are used as the basis for creating caller access numbers and the number dialed to reach the recipient . although described with respect to a particular exemplary embodiment , principles of the invention may be exploited in other dialing systems and telephonic communication methods . accordingly , the embodiments described herein should be regarded as merely illustrative of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . | 7 |
with reference to the drawings , wherein like numerals represent like parts , fig1 shows an isometric view of a bearing sleeve 10 or ball - bearing outer race of an embodiment of the present invention wherein the outer quasi - cylindrical face 20 is provided with a broad concave shaped outer surface 30 able to accept more than one lay of string . the distance c is the axial width of a contained bearing 40 in the case of a bearing sleeve , or of the inner race and the ball - race with dust - covers in the case of being a ball - bearing outer race . fig2 shows another view of the same embodiment , rotated horizontally through some 45 or so degrees from the previous figure , which shows the extension 50 of the outer surface 20 to accommodate a friction braking member ( not shown ) to be seated in groove 52 . another embodiment of a bearing sleeve 10 is illustrated in fig3 and 4 . with reference to fig5 and 6 , a yo - yo 100 which employs the bearing sleeve 10 includes yo - yo halves 102 and 104 connected by a threaded axle 110 which mounts a bearing 40 disposed between the halves . the bearing sleeve 10 is preferably in the form of a spool . outer surface 30 is generally symmetric about an axial midpoint m . the spool is symmetric about an axis of rotation a which is the central axis of the yo - yo . the axial distance of the concave surface d is defined between axially extreme circular edges 32 and 34 which have a radius greater than the distance from the axis to the string bearing surface . the inner cylindrical surface of the spool has an axial length c . the axial distance d is preferably greater than the length c . the distance d is also greater than the radial spacing or thickness t between the outer concave string bearing surface and the inner surface . the yo - yo halves further respectively include recesses 106 and 108 adjacent their inner central portions for receiving the axially extreme portions of the spool . the axial distance d preferably exceeds the axial width c by at least 10 % of the roller bearing width c . one embodiment of the present invention is a bearing sleeve 10 or bearing outer race that facilitates an effective string gap ( greater than that previously provided ) of around 0 . 18 ″ or 4 . 5 mm to achieve complicated binds and double binds wherein the wider effective string gap must be wide enough to fit multiple lays of string : in the case of a double bind manoeuvre , of a double string lay crossed twice by a single string . the axial width c of the inner race of the bearing 40 or the contained bearing in the case of a bearing sleeve is maintained at a minimum width . in another embodiment of the present invention , where considerations of stability demand it , more than one ball - bearing may be used in a bearing sleeve . in an embodiment of the present invention where the primary string attachment to the yo - yo is restrained at the midpoint of the bearing sleeve 10 it is believed that it is possible to create yo - yo play possibilities for a more orderly and effective lay of strings by profiling the cylindrical outer face of the bearing or bearing sleeve . further effectiveness is achieved by shaping the bearing sleeve 10 or outer race in a manner that encourages the most efficient lay of string in the confines of a space created by an effective string gap of 4 . 0 to 4 . 5 mm ( 0 . 16 ″ to 0 . 18 ″) optionally in conjunction with or by means of a bearing surface that encourages the lay of strings away from the string snagging means 120 . this is achieved by the concave surface 30 having the gradual slope or gradient m which urges the string toward the midpoint m . the preferred gradient m is approximately 13 °. the yo - yo can still be recalled by a flick of the player &# 39 ; s wrist at this expanded effective string gap and effective greater string lay space created by the present invention . it is foreseeable that the effective string gap width of the present invention can be further extended by improved yo - yo string snagging means 120 . it is also possible to increase the effective string gap by reducing the caliper of the yo - yo string ( not illustrated ). many factors combine to set a range of minimum and maximum effective bearing and bearing sleeve inside and outside diameters . the size of the player &# 39 ; s hand determining the overall yo - yo diameter y and the yo - yo axle determining the diameter of the ball bearing inner race inside diameter b are two primary design limitations for high performance spinning yo - yos . the size of players &# 39 ; hands in the united states where modern yo - yo design evolved has dictated the external diameter y of the yo - yo to between 54 mm and 62 mm . string rewind inefficiencies start to progressively become evident above the typical united states ½ ″ bearing external diameter ( o . d .) or 12 . 7 mm . by using a bearing sleeve or by thickening the outer race of the ball - bearing of the present invention , the external diameter of the effective bearing surface may be extended to this approximate diameter yet utilize a small enclosed ball bearing , or ball race with a small diameter inner race , to promote a high speed long spinning yo - yo . typically , in ball - bearings of this scale , the radial thickness of the inner race is 25 - 33 % of the radial thickness of the annulus of the ball - bearing assembly , the outer race the same , and the ball race itself between 33 % and 50 %. the present invention envisages increasing the thickness of the effective outer race beyond 33 % to up to 60 - 70 % of the annular thickness of the bearing assembly . this enables various string - restraining modalities of shape such as the outer surface described above to be incorporated within the thickness of the outer race . the effective outer race of the bearing comprises the major radial interval of the radius s of the bearing / bearing sleeve assembly and may comprise upwards of fifty per cent of the radial thickness s of the annular bearing assembly . the effective outer race r of the bearing in the present context is taken to mean either a unitary piece of suitable machined or moulded material , suitably dimensioned so as to constitute a functional ball - bearing assembly in combination with an inner race and a ball - race in accordance with the present invention , or a bearing sleeve , suitably shaped and dimensioned , mounted on a suitably dimensioned prior art ball - bearing . of course , a unitary bearing spool of suitable shape and dimensions , made of a suitable material such as acetyl , teflon ® or nylon materials and having the axial extension of its outer face greater than the axial extension of its inner face closest to the axle may be provided to achieve a similar thickening effect , also within the scope of the present invention . the above mentioned multi - lay string tricks require the wider string gap setting as well as high speed capacity to complete sequences of the above mentioned trick routines . the present invention may be shaped to allow these ideal settings of internal and external diameters of the effective bearing housing to optimize play performance and deliver comfort to the player . it is further understood that the efficient combination of the ratio of sizes of the fore - mentioned variables allows the design of a lighter yo - yo that further reduces the strain experienced by top performers who must play and perform for hours . the term string is used throughout this present patent specification to effectively include other cord like materials and other cord end shapes , knots , ties or attachments that facilitate attachment or other superior string performance functions . the yo - yo “ string ” may be an extruded or moulded material . the present invention , by incorporating a bearing sleeve 10 or 10 ′ of light - weight material , allows the economical construction of a wider setting yo - yo with small internal diameter ball - or roller - bearings and small internal diameter surface friction thereby maximizing spin time and at the same time allowing a larger external diameter string bearing surface to optimize yo - yo recall . the above - mentioned efficiency ratios then allow for the reduction of yo - yo weight near the axis of rotation while still achieving the required complex string trick routines . by contrast , prior art ( u . s . pat . no . 6 , 565 , 408 marcantonio ) has disclosed a bearing sleeve where the width is limited to the width of the enclosed bearing and has restraining flats . the corresponding width is further limited by the perceived need to utilize star burst configurations ( radial ribs ) on the yo - yo inner faces . prior art u . s . pat . no . 4 , 895 , 547 ( amaral ) has effectively shown that the ideal width between the two star burst patterns of the medial faces of the yo - yo halves to be about 0 . 073 ″ to 0 . 090 ″. in practical design the bearing width is therefore limited to the ⅛ ″ ( 0 . 125 ″), i . e . 3 . 15 mm , width range . using a bearing 3 . 15 mm ( ⅛ ″) wide , seated in a bearing pocket in each yo - yo half , with the medial faces of the yo - yo halves set at 2 . 8 mm and with the intrusion of a starburst pattern snaring means raised 0 . 3 mm from each medial face , the effective string gap of the amaral prior art is 2 . 2 mm . by contrast , in the present invention , an increase of 10 per cent in the axial width of the bearing sleeve 10 or outer race of the bearing to 3 . 465 mm , in conjunction with non - intrusive snaring means 120 , yields an increase in the effective string gap of 0 . 915 mm , or 42 %. at a 20 per cent increase to 3 . 78 mm , again with non - intrusive snaring means , the effective string gap is increased to 3 . 43 mm , an increase of 1 . 23 mm or 56 %. it can be extrapolated that considerable gains are also made at differentials below 10 per cent , also within the scope of the present invention . by holding the axial width of the inner race and the ball race constant , there is no increase in friction . the discussed range of settings was arrived at based on a standard eight ply 100 % cotton string . the caliper of this string can vary depending on many string manufacturing factors , such as adjusting the tension between the string plies . an eight ply white string not under tension is approximately 1 mm in caliper . it follows that discussed the prior art does not envisage more than the primary string and one extra lay from a trick mount , such as “ the elevator ” ( old school ! ), since at an effective string gap of 2 . 2 mm , a third thickness of string , making 3 . 0 mm of string thickness , would necessarily snag . it is understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and that other embodiments may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention . | 0 |
referring in more detail to the drawings , fig1 shows the invention in its operative position as applied to a one wall stall shower . drain base 16 is connected to vertical wall 15 and a standard shower head 14 mounted on wall 15 and a standard shower curtain bar 12 mounted by end supports about 66 inches directly above the leading edge of the drain base 16 with shower curtain 13 surrounding the drain base 16 to prevent water from escaping from the showering area . the high impact rigid rod 2 is mounted in brackets 1 and 3 that are mounted on wall 15 , 30 inches below bar 12 this will prevent the shower curtain from coming in on the showering area . fig2 shows the invention in its operative position as applied to a two wall stall shower . drain base 19 is connected to vertical walls 17 and 18 , and standard shower head 14 , mounted on the walls 17 and 18 is a standard shower bar 12 mounted by end supports about 66 inches directly above the leading edge of the drain base 19 with shower curtain 13 hanging from bar 12 . the high impact rigid rod 2 is put in to the brackets 1 and 3 that are mounted on walls 17 and 18 30 inches below bar 12 , this will prevent the shower curtain from coming into the showering area . fig3 shows the invention in its operative position as applied to a standard over the tub shower installation . tub 23 is connected by three vertical walls 20 , 21 and 22 and a standard shower bar 12 mounted by end supports between walls 20 and 22 about 66 inches directly above the leading edge of tub 23 . with shower curtain 13 hanging from bar 12 , the high impact rigid rod 2 is mounted in brackets 1 and 3 that are mounted on walls 20 and 22 , 30 inches below bar 12 , this will prevent the shower curtain from coming into the showering area . fig4 a fragmented view of fig2 shows the invention in one of its storage positions hanging from bar 12 by shower curtain ring 11 supporting hanger 7 that is connected by a single bolt 8 and washer 9 to the high impact rigid rod 2 this device only supports the rod 2 in storage position . fig5 a fragmented view of fig2 illustrating a shower bow with the same type of storage hanger as fig4 in its functional configuration by turning the rod 2 , and putting it in the brackets 1 and 3 . in the open position it will form a horizontal self supporting arch . fig6 is a dissected view of the shower bow with the same type of storage hanging device as fig4 and fig5 . brackets 1 and 3 are of the type illustrated in fig1 . a high impact rigid rod 2 the diameter of which can be of any configuration . washers 9 allow 7 and 2 to swivel . a bolt 8 connects 7 , 9 and 2 at pivot point . a nut 10 that connects to 8 , the hanger 7 is 1 / 8 by 3 / 4 inch . by 30 inches . it can be of flexible or rigid material . the ring 11 may be one of the shower curtain rings already present and serve the function of supporting the shower curtain as well as the hanger 7 or additional ring supporting only the hanger . fig7 a fragmented view of fig2 illustrating a shower bow hanging from the shower curtain bar 12 in another storage position . the hook type of hanger 4 is connected to the high impact rigid rod 2 at 2 inches from one end . fig8 a fragmented view of fig2 illustrating a shower bow with the same type of hanger as fig7 in its functional configuration . by lifting the rod 2 up and off bar 12 and putting it in the brackets 1 and 3 it will form a horizontal self supporting rigid arch . fig9 is a dissected view of the shower bow with the same type of hanger device as fig7 and fig8 and 3 are brackets of the type illustrated in fig1 . fig1 , a fragmented view of fig2 illustrating a shower bow hanging from the storage slot in the bracket showing still another type of hanger . the bracket 5 is the same type illustrated in fig1 . it has a storage slot and it is mounted 30 inches below bar 12 , rod 2 is put in the slot for storage . fig1 , a fragmented view of fig2 illustrating a shower bow with the same type of hanger as fig1 in its functional configuration . rod 2 is removed from the storage slot in bracket 5 or 6 and put into brackets 5 and 6 . in the open position it will form a horizontal self supporting rigid arch . fig1 is a dissected view of the shower bow with the same type of storage hanging device as fig1 and fig1 . brackets 5 and 6 are of the same type illustrated in fig1 . fig1 a and 13b are enlarged views of brackets the same type as in fig1 thru fig9 the opening 24 in 3 and 1 are the same diameter configuration as rod 2 illustrated in fig1 thru fig9 . opening 24 goes in 1 inch at a 30 % angle and down at a 10 % angle . fig1 a and 14b are enlarged views of brackets the same type as in fig1 thru fig1 the opening 24 in 6 and 7 are the same diameter configuration as rod 2 illustrated in fig1 thru fig1 opening 24 goes in 1 inch at a 30 % angle and down at a 10 % angle . 26 is a storage slot of the same configuration as rod 2 and is vertical . fig1 is an enlarged fragmented view of vertical wall 27 illustrating a one piece molded shower wall liner 29 showing a built in or molded in brackets 28 and storage slot 30 . | 8 |
the environmentally safe filtration control agents for drilling fluids may use powdered grass , date seed powder , or grass ash powder as an additive . during the drilling of wells for oil and gas , drilling fluids ( drilling muds ) are circulated so that the fluids remove cuttings , lubricate the drilling tool , maintain hydrostatic pressure in the borehole during drilling , seal off unwanted formations that hinder production from the drilled well etc . these drilling fluids include various additives that impart desirable properties to the mud for a smooth drilling operation to take place . the additives present in the mud form a thin , low permeability filter of some form , which is desired on the sides of the borehole to control the filtration characteristic of the drilling fluid . the liquid which enters the formation while the filter layer is being established is known as surge or spurt loss , whereas the liquid that enters after the filter layer is formed is known as the drilling fluid filtrate . both filtrations are undesirable and need to be taken care of by the quick buildup of a firm filter cake . as stated , fluid loss is a common occurrence in drilling operations and may lead to undesirable phenomena such as : ( 1 ) poor circulation and less efficient removal of cuttings ; ( 2 ) damaging the near wellbore region by the invasion of drilling fluid into the formation ; ( 3 ) requiring additional cost in rig time , manpower and material to replenish and restore circulation ; and in extreme cases , ( 4 ) leading to insufficient downhole hydrostatic pressure , which may lead to a blowout . curing losses effectively and quickly is still a matter of concern from many companies and operators . under these conditions , the normal procedure is to add fluid loss agents , which alone may decrease the losses while drilling to an acceptable level . in a first embodiment , the environmentally safe filtration control agent for drilling fluids comprises powdered grass . x - ray fluorescence ( xrf ) analysis was conducted on the powdered grass sample , which revealed the elemental composition shown in table 1 . the xrf analysis showed that the grass sample consists of calcium , potassium , chlorine , sulfur , silicon , iron , phosphorous and manganese , with calcium contributing the highest weight percent to the sample . the graphical result of the xrf is shown in fig1 . the use of powdered grass as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids is illustrated by the following examples . grass was dried in a sunny area for a week and then ground in a grinding machine . the powdered material was then passed through a series of u . s . standard series sieves of the fine series having a particle range in proportions shown in table 2 . a base mud is prepared using a commercially available viscosifier , bentonite . bentonite is added to water under high speed stirring and different weights of powdered grass corresponding to different sieve sizes will be added to this mixture . the rheological properties density , viscosity , filtration loss , ph concentration etc . of this newly developed drilling mud is then studied . owing to the particle sizes selected , the inventors are of the opinion that powdered grass could be used as a fluid loss control additive and could be a potential replacement for toxic chemicals used in the oil industry . this series of experiments is conducted on powdered grass having a particle size of 300 microns . it is evident from table 3 that as the concentration of grass powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity , plastic viscosity and yield point increases . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 16 lb / 100 ft 2 at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , grass can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 4 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing grass concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved and the percentage water reduction achieved is about 25 % at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 1 . 0 ppb be the best optimum concentration , thus , it can be stated that powdered grass can be used as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 5 , it is seen that the addition of grass into the drilling mud decreases the ph of the mud . this is another applicability of grass powder to perform as an alkalinity control agent for drilling fluids . this series of experiments is conducted on powdered grass having a particle size of 90 microns . it is evident from table 6 that as the concentration of grass powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity , plastic viscosity and yield point increases . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 16 lb / 100 ft 2 at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , grass powder can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 7 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing grass concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved and the percentage water reduction achieved is 23 % at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 1 . 0 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that powdered grass can be used as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 8 , it is seen that the addition of grass into the drilling mud decreases the ph of the mud . this is another applicability of grass powder to perform as an alkalinity control agent for drilling fluids . this series of experiments is conducted on powdered grass having a particle size of 35 microns . it is evident from table 9 that as the concentration of grass powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity , plastic viscosity and yield point increases . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 17 lb / 100 ft 2 at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , grass can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 10 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing grass concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved , and the percentage water reduction is achieved is 19 % at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 1 . 0 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that powdered grass can be used as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 11 , it is seen that the addition of grass into the drilling mud decreases the ph of the mud . this is another applicability of grass powder to perform as an alkalinity control agent for drilling fluids . the fruit of the date palm tree is an important crop in the middle eastern countries and is composed of a fleshy pericarp and seed . the seed constitutes about 10 to 15 % of the date fruit weight . the date seed is often considered as a byproduct of dates processing plants , which produce pitted dates , date syrups and date confectioneries . the production of date fruits throughout the world is estimated to be 6 . 9 million tons , from which 863 thousand tons of date seeds are extracted . about 18 % of the world &# 39 ; s total production of date fruits is contributed by saudi arabia and are used mainly for animal feeds , such as for camel , sheep , and even the poultry industry . analysis of saudi arabian date seeds indicated that these contain high amounts of protein , crude fat , and fibers . it is also a proven fact that date seeds serve as a natural source of phenolic compounds and as an antioxidant . recently , it was found that date palm seed extracts inhibited the corrosion of mild carbon steel in steel pipelines and performed better when corroded with hydrochloric acid than sulfuric acid . x - ray fluorescence ( xrf ) analysis was conducted on the date seed sample , which revealed the elemental composition shown in table 12 . the xrf analysis showed that the date seeds sample consists of potassium , calcium , iron , chlorine , silicon , sulfur , phosphorous and manganese , with potassium contributing the highest weight percent in the sample . the graphical result of the xrf is shown in fig2 . the use of date seed powder as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids is illustrated by the following examples . date seeds were ground in a grinding machine . the powdered material was then passed through a series of u . s . standard series sieves of the fine series having a particle range in proportions shown in table 13 . a base mud is prepared using a commercially available viscosifier , bentonite . bentonite is added to water under high speed stirring and different weights of date seed powder corresponding to different sieve sizes are added to this mixture . the rheological properties density , viscosity , filtration loss , ph concentration etc . of this newly developed drilling mud is then studied . owing to the particle sizes selected , the inventors are of the opinion that date seed powder could be used as a fluid loss control additive and could be a potential replacement for toxic chemicals used in the oil industry . this series of experiments is conducted on date seed powder having a particle size of 600 microns . it is evident from table 14 that as the concentration of date seed powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity and the plastic viscosity increase , while the yield point increases and then comes back to its original value . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 15 lb / 100 ft 2 at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , date seed powder can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 15 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing date seed powder concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved and the percentage water reduction achieved is about 13 . 33 % at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 0 . 75 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that date seed powder can be used as s filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 16 , it is seen that the addition of date seed powder into the drilling mud decreases the ph of the mud . this is another applicability of date seed powder to perform as an alkalinity control agent for drilling fluids . this series of experiments is conducted on date seed powder having a particle size of 300 microns . it is evident from table 17 that as the concentration of date seed powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity and the plastic viscosity increase , while the yield point remains almost constant . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 16 lb / 100 ft 2 at 2 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , date seeds powder can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 18 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing date seed powder concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved and the maximum percentage water reduction achieved is 20 % at both 1 . 5 ppb and 2 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 1 . 5 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that date seed powder can be used as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 19 , it is seen that the addition of date seed powder into the drilling mud decreases the ph of the mud . this is another applicability of date seed powder to perform as an alkalinity control agent for drilling fluids . this series of experiments is conducted on date seed powder having a particle size of 125 microns . it is evident from table 20 that as the concentration of date seed powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity and the plastic viscosity increase , while the yield point remains almost constant , and then decreases at the last concentration . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 15 lb / 100 ft 2 at 2 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , date seeds can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 21 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing date seed powder concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved and the maximum percentage water reduction is achieved . this concentration is recorded as 12 % at 2 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 2 . 0 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that date seed powder can be used as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 22 , it is seen that the addition of date seed powder into the drilling mud decreases the ph of the mud . this is another applicability of date seed powder to perform as an alkalinity control agent for drilling fluids . the basis of obtaining the most optimum particle size is based on the filtration characteristics exhibited by the muds formulated with date seed powder . it is observed that the best filtration values are obtained from the 300 micron sample with a concentration of 1 . 5 ppb . in a third embodiment , the environmentally safe filtration control agent for drilling fluids comprises grass ash powder . x - ray fluorescence ( xrf ) analysis was conducted on the powdered grass ash sample , which revealed the elemental composition shown in table 23 . the xrf analysis showed that the grass ash sample consists of silicon , calcium , potassium , chlorine , magnesium , sulfur , iron , phosphorous , aluminum , titanium , and manganese , with silicon contributing the highest weight percent to the sample . the graphical result of the xrf is shown in fig3 . the use of grass ash powder as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids is illustrated by the following examples . grass was dried in a sunny area for a week and then burnt in a furnace to obtain grass ash . the grass ash was then ground in a grinding machine . the powdered material was then passed through a series of u . s . standard series sieves of the fine series having a particle range in proportions shown in table 2 . a base mud is prepared using a commercially available viscosifier , bentonite . bentonite is added to water under high speed stirring and different weights of grass ash powder corresponding to different sieve sizes are added to this mixture . the rheological properties density , viscosity , filtration loss , ph concentration etc . of this newly developed drilling mud is then studied . owing to the particle sizes selected , the inventors are of the opinion that grass ash powder could be used as a fluid loss control additive and could be a potential replacement for toxic chemicals used in the oil industry . this series of experiments is conducted on grass ash powder having a particle size of 300 microns . it is evident from table 25 that as the concentration of grass ash powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity , plastic viscosity and yield point increases . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 19 lb / 100 ft 2 at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , grass ash can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 26 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing grass ash powder concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved and the percentage water reduction achieved is about 18 . 67 % at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 1 . 0 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that grass ash powder can be used as s filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 27 , it is seen that the addition of grass ash powder into the drilling mud increases the ph of the mud . this is another applicability of grass ash powder to perform as an acidity control agent for drilling fluids . this series of experiments is conducted on grass ash powder having a particle size of 90 microns . it is evident from table 6 that as the concentration of grass ash powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity and the plastic viscosity of the fluid increase , and the yield point also increases . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 24 lb / 100 ft 2 at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , grass ash powder can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 29 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing grass ash powder concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved , and the maximum percentage water reduction achieved greater than 20 % at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 1 . 0 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that grass ash powder can be used as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 30 , it is seen that the addition of grass ash powder into the drilling mud decreases the ph of the mud . this is another application of grass ash powder , to perform as an acidity control agent for drilling fluids . this series of experiments is conducted on powdered grass ash having a particle size of 26 microns . it is evident from table 31 that as the concentration of grass ash powder in the drilling fluid increases , the rheology is modified . the apparent viscosity , plastic viscosity and yield point increases . the gel strength at 10 minutes is altered , gaining a maximum value of 28 lb / 100 ft 2 at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . a good gel strength value indicates that the mud has cuttings carrying capacity . thus , grass ash powder can be used as a rheological modifier for drilling fluid applications . table 32 shows the filtration characteristics of the mud with increasing grass ash powder concentration . it is observed that as the concentration is increased , the filtration properties of the muds are improved , and the maximum percentage water reduction is achieved is 20 . 67 % at 1 . 0 ppb concentration . making filtration as the basis for optimization , it is recommended that 1 . 0 ppb be the best optimum concentration . thus , it can be stated that grass ash powder can be used as a filtration control agent for drilling fluids . from table 33 , it is seen that the addition of grass ash powder into the drilling mud increases the ph of the mud . this is another application of grass ash powder , to perform as an acidity control agent for drilling fluids . the basis of obtaining the most optimum particle size is based on the filtration characteristics exhibited by the muds formulated with grass ash powder . it is observed that the best filtration values are obtained from the 90 micron sample with a concentration of 1 . 0 ppb . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims . | 2 |
identical elements are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings . in fig1 , a preferred embodiment of a manual power sander is shown , which is embodied as an orbital sander and which has a housing 11 , in which in the usual way there is a drive unit 12 of a platelike tool holder 13 ; the drive unit 12 is connected in terms of force to an eccentric 35 . a sander plate 14 is secured in the tool holder 13 and is driven to execute circular motions via the eccentric 35 . as the drive unit 12 , it is also possible to use a compressed air turbine , a suction turbine , or a dc motor . a motor fan 34 for ventilating the drive unit 12 is also provided in the housing 11 . between the tool holder 13 and the housing 11 , there is an extraction hood 36 , in which a dust fan 37 is located . the tool holder 13 is secured to the extraction hood 36 via rocker legs 38 . for vibration reduction , a compensatory weight is provided , which is part of the eccentric 35 and is not shown in further detail . in an alternative embodiment , not shown , the compensatory weight may also be part of the dust fan 37 . above the sander plate plane 16 , a handle 10 , which comprises a knoblike thickening , is located approximately centrally with respect to the sander plate 14 . the requisite contact pressure of the tool holder 13 on the workpiece that is required for grinding can be introduced by the user via the handle 10 and extends along a force direction 17 that is perpendicular to the sander plate plane 16 . the handle 10 has a substantially encompassing , groovelike finger depression 39 , which furnishes an improved hold for the user &# 39 ; s fingers . the combination of the knoblike handle 10 and the finger depression 39 makes for improved manipulation of the power sander . a second grip element 41 is embodied in closed form and serves the purpose of actually holding and guiding the power sander using the other hand . an on / off switch 42 is located below the grip element 41 . a cord 43 for supplying electrical power leads out of the second grip element 41 . the housing part 19 that includes both the handle 10 and the grip element 41 and the housing 11 that includes the drive unit 12 are embodied separately from one another and are joined together according to the invention via at least one vibration isolation element 18 . the vibration isolation element 18 is shown in detail in fig2 . the vibration isolation element 18 includes a middle part 20 with two lateral flectionally elastic pillar elements 21 , 22 located perpendicular to the middle part 20 . overall , the vibration isolation element 18 is u - shaped . the vibration isolation element 18 is expediently formed at least in some regions of a rigid material , such as polyoxymethylene , polyamide 6 , polycarbonate , steel , or zinc . the pillar elements 21 , 22 each include three partial pillars 27 , 28 , 29 , 31 , 32 , 33 , as a result of which the flectionally elastic properties of the pillar elements 21 , 22 are reinforced . an alternative vibration isolation element 18 , not shown , comprises at least one of the partial pillar elements 27 , 28 , 29 , 31 , 32 , 33 . in fig1 , an unloaded state of the manual power sander is shown , in which the pillar elements 21 , 22 are located perpendicular to the sander plate plane 16 and parallel the force direction 17 . on a free end 23 near the sander plate , the pillar elements 21 , 22 are secured in receptacles 25 on the handle end of the handle 10 . on a free end 24 remote from the sander plate , the pillar elements 21 , 22 can be secured in receptacles 26 on the drive end of the housing 11 , particularly via a clamp connection or screw connection . the pillar elements 21 , 22 , because of their geometric design , are elastic with respect to deformations perpendicular to the force direction 17 , or in other words perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 40 of the pillar elements 21 , 22 . however , compressive and tensile loads can be transmitted in the longitudinal axis 40 of the columns . the rodlike pillar elements 21 , 22 , in the unloaded state , are oriented virtually parallel to the force direction 17 and are thus perpendicular to the sander plate plane 16 . if pressure is now exerted on the sander plate 14 in the on state via the handle 10 , 41 in order to initiate the sanding operation , this pressure acts as tensile stress in the pillar elements 21 , 22 . with increasing tensile stress or increasing contact pressure of the sander plate 14 in the pillar elements 21 , 22 , the lateral deflection of the handle 10 relative to the housing 11 is made more difficult , thus lessening the isolation of the handle 10 from the rest of the sander . as a result , the housing part 19 of the handle 10 , 41 is pulled downward in the force direction 17 , and a lateral deflection of the handle 10 relative to the housing 11 is made more difficult . the oscillation amplitude of the handle 10 in the loaded state is thus reduced . simultaneously , however , the isolation of the handle 10 from the housing 11 and the rest of the power sander is also lessened . this kind of decreasing isolation with increasing sander plate contact pressure results in better guidance and manipulability of the power sander . fig3 shows a second , preferred exemplary embodiment of a manual power sander embodied as an orbital sander . it is essentially equivalent to the manual power sander of fig1 , and it differs from the manual power sander of fig1 in that the vibration isolation provided is designed differently . for that purpose , the housing 11 , in its end region near the handle 10 , has a radial protrusion 51 extending all way the around , which on its outer region 52 has both an upper contact face 53 and a lower contact face 54 , both of them oriented predominantly perpendicular to the force direction 17 . in an inner region 55 , near the housing 11 , the radial protrusion 51 has an upper contact face 56 and a lower contact face 57 , which are each oriented at an angle to the contact faces 53 and 54 and merge with them ; the inner region 55 has a substantially wedge - shaped cross section that becomes smaller radially outward , with an axis of symmetry oriented parallel to the sander plate plane . in a further advantageous embodiment , the angle between the contact faces 56 and 57 varies over the circumference , with diametrically opposed contact faces 56 , 63 and 57 , 66 always being oriented parallel to one another . in the present embodiment , the housing part 19 is split in two , so that it is formed of two housing parts 19 ′ and 19 ″. the housing part 19 ′ has an annular protrusion 60 , which on its free end 61 has a contact face 62 , which is located parallel and coaxial to the upper contact face 53 of the radial protrusion 51 of the housing 11 , and a contact face 63 adjoining it , which merges with the contact face 62 and is located parallel and coaxial to the contact face 56 of the radial protrusion 51 of the housing 11 , so that the contact faces 53 , 56 and 62 , 63 are concentric with and spaced apart from one another . the housing part 19 ″ likewise has a protrusion 64 extending all the way around , on which contact faces 65 and 66 are embodied that are concentric with the contact faces 54 and 57 . the contact faces 53 , 56 , 62 and 63 , and the contact faces 54 , 57 , 65 and 66 each form a respective vibration isolation element receptacle 67 and 68 . an elastic , preferably volumetrically consistent ring element 69 and 70 is located as a vibration isolation element 71 in each of the vibration isolation element receptacles 67 , 68 , respectively , and has a point - symmetrical , circular cross section . the ring elements 69 and 70 , or rings 69 and 70 , are clamped between the corresponding housing parts 19 ′ and 19 ″, respectively , and the radial protrusion 51 of the housing 11 . fig4 shows a portion of the vibration isolation device of fig3 in a detail view . the axis 80 is a normal to the sander plate plane 16 and can be identical to the axes 18 of rotation of the drive unit 12 and / or to the axis of symmetry of the ring 69 or of the contact faces 56 , 63 ; the spacing of the contact face 56 from the axis 80 need not be identical at every point , but instead may vary over the circumference . in the neutral state , that is , with the tool not switched on and without forces that act in the direction of the force direction 17 , the goal is for the axes of symmetry of the contact faces 56 and 63 and the axis of symmetry of the ring 69 to coincide . this is equally true for the contact faces 57 and 66 and the ring 70 , which are not shown here . during operation , the contact face 62 conducts the contact pressure , originating at the handle 10 and exerted axially or in other words parallel to the force direction 17 onward via the ring 69 to the contact face 53 of the radial protrusion 51 of the housing 11 . the contact face 63 conducts the radial forces , that is , the forces perpendicular to the axis 80 , that originate in the handle 10 to the contact face 56 of the radial protrusion 51 of the housing 11 via the ring 69 . the contact faces 62 and 53 may for instance be embodied conically also . the contact faces 53 , 56 , 62 and 63 do not completely enclose the cross section of the ring 69 and do not coincide with the surfaces , facing them , of the ring 69 . by suitable dimensioning of the rings 69 and / or 70 and / or of the vibration isolation element receptacles 67 and 68 , a radial prestressing , extending all the way around , of the ring 69 can be attained , which leads to a neutral position of the handle 10 on the rest of the power sander . the handle 10 can thus — quasi - spring - elastically — oscillate in the plane parallel to the sander plate plane 16 ; a radial deflection leads to an oppositely oriented restoring force through the rings 69 and / or 70 into the neutral outset position . thus an advantageous isolation of the handle 10 from the rest of the power sander is made possible in a plane parallel to the sander plate plane 16 . an axial load , or in other words in the direction of the force direction 17 , leads to a radial expansion of the volume of the ring 69 , making a radial deflection of the handle 10 relative to the rest of the power sander more difficult . for an increasing contact pressure , this means a decreasing isolation or an increasing coupling between the handle 10 and the rest of the power sander . if the resultant direction of the contact pressure exerted by the user is not identical to the axis of symmetry of the ring 69 or 70 and / or of the lateral contact faces 56 and 63 or 57 and 66 , the result is unequal reinforcement and thus a nonhomogeneous radial isolation , which compensates for the likewise unequal sanding reaction forces . this embodiment likewise has the aforementioned advantages in a drop test , since upon impact on the handle 10 , some of the positional energy is converted into deformation energy of the ring 69 and / or 70 . naturally , an advantageous embodiment with a plurality of vibration isolation elements in the form of annular segments or balls is also possible , these elements being located in corresponding vibration isolation element receptacles distributed over the circumference of the housing 11 . preferably , the rings 69 and / or 70 are made from a material such as polyurethane , isoprene rubber , natural rubber , butadiene rubber , styrene - butadiene rubber , nitrile rubber , butyl rubber , chloroprene rubber , silicone rubber , and / or ethylene - propylene - diene rubber . | 1 |
in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , one having ordinary skill in the art should recognize that the invention may be practiced without these specific details . in some instances , well - known circuits , structures , signals , computer program instruction , and techniques have not been shown in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention . referring to fig1 , one embodiment of a computing system 100 with a microprocessor 120 comprising multiple instantiated cores 102 a - 102 h is shown . in one embodiment , microprocessor 120 may be a standalone processor within a mobile laptop system , a desktop , an entry - level server system , a mid - range workstation , or other . for such an embodiment , microprocessor 120 may internally utilize a system bus controller for communication , which may be integrated in crossbar switch 104 or it may be a separate design . a system bus controller may couple microprocessor 120 to outside memory , input / output ( i / o ) devices such as computer peripherals , a graphics processing unit ( gpu ), or other . in such an embodiment , logic within such a system bus controller may replace or incorporate the functionality of a memory controller and interface logic 108 . in another embodiment , microprocessor 120 may be included in multiple processing nodes of a multi - socket system , wherein each node utilizes a packet - based link for inter - node communication . in addition to coupling processor cores 102 a - 102 h to l3 caches 106 a - 106 h , crossbar switch 104 may incorporate packet processing logic . generally speaking , such logic may be configured to respond to control packets received on outside links to which microprocessor 120 may be coupled , to generate control packets in response to processor cores 102 a - 102 h and / or cache memory subsystems , to generate probe commands and response packets in response to transactions selected by interface logic 108 for service , and to route packets for which microprocessor 120 may be included in a node that is an intermediate node to other nodes through interface logic 108 . interface logic 108 may include logic to receive packets and synchronize the packets to an internal clock used by packet processing logic . as used herein , elements referred to by a reference numeral followed by a letter may be collectively referred to by the numeral alone . for example , processor cores 102 a - 102 h may be collectively referred to as processor cores , or cores , 102 . in one embodiment , microprocessor 120 has eight instantiations of a processor core 102 . each processor core 102 may utilize conventional processor design techniques such as complex branch prediction schemes , out - of - order execution , and register renaming techniques . each processor core 102 may support execution of multiple threads . multiple instantiations of a same processor core 102 that is able to execute multiple threads may provide high throughput execution of server applications while maintaining power and area savings . each core 102 may include circuitry for executing instructions according to a predefined instruction set . for example , the sparc instruction set architecture ( isa ) may be selected . alternatively , the x86 , alpha , powerpc , or any other instruction set architecture may be selected . generally , processor core 102 may access a cache memory subsystem for data and instructions . each core 102 may contain its own level 1 ( l1 ) and level 2 ( l2 ) caches in order to reduce memory latency . these cache memories may be integrated within respective processor cores 102 . alternatively , these cache memories may be coupled to processor cores 102 in a backside cache configuration or an inline configuration , as desired . the l1 cache may be located nearer a processor core 102 both physically and within the cache memory hierarchy . crossbar switch 104 may provide communication between the cores 102 and l3 caches 106 . in addition , cores 102 may be coupled to double data rate dual in - line memory modules ( ddr dimm ) that reside on a circuit board outside microprocessor 120 . in one embodiment , ddr dimm channel ( s ) may be on - chip in order to couple the cores 102 to the ddr dimm off - chip . each l3 cache 106 may be coupled to a memory controller or a dynamic random access memory ( dram ) channel for communication to dram that resides off - chip . also , an interface to a system bus may be coupled to the each l3 cache 106 . each core 102 may include one or more features capability registers ( fcrs ) for storing data used to enable or disable features and for storing supporting information for the respective enabled features . for example , fcrs may store encoded manufacturing information , such as a chip serial number ; store information to identify and enable a redundant chip block , such as a large static random - access memory ( sram ), in order to increase yield ; and store enable bits to enable one or more cryptographic processes . other features are possible and contemplated . the assignment of a fcr comprising one or more bits of storage to a particular feature may be predetermined in one embodiment . the assignment may be hardwired in hardware or set by basic input output software ( bios ) during boot - up of a system . therefore , the assignments may be set only once , which may be done for security reasons , although , bios may be altered , or updated , at a later time . the information to be stored in a fcr within each core 102 may have restrictions on both the source of the information and the window of time to update the fcr . for example , a fuse read - only memory ( rom ) 110 may be utilized to convey information to the fcrs for storage . each row , or entry , of the fuse rom 110 may comprise a plurality of fields , such as an address or other identifier ( id ) to identify an associated fcr within each core 102 , row parity or other validating information , and the data to be stored in the fcr and later utilized by core 102 . information to be utilized by each core 102 may be programmed into the fuse rom during manufacture and testing of a semiconductor chip . for security reasons , the ability to program the fuse rom 110 may be limited to prior to shipping microprocessor 120 . turning now to fig2 , one embodiment of a fuse circuit 200 is shown . fuse circuit 200 may be any circuit capable of selectively blowing , programming , setting , or otherwise opening one or more fuses . a fuse is a resistor that has a particular resistance in an unblown state , such as 150 ohms , and another resistance in a blown state , such as 10 kilo - ohms . any type of fuse may be used in fuse circuit 200 . in one embodiment , fuse 210 in fig2 is an electronic fuse ( efuse ). an efuse includes material that breaks down or is otherwise altered through the application of a voltage for a particular time period . in order to blow , or program , efuse 210 , circuit 200 may apply a relatively high voltage , vfuse , across efuse 210 for an appreciable time , such as 10 milliseconds , that causes a sustained high current to flow through both efuse 210 and nmos transistor 206 . a program input line 202 is configured to receive a signal or pulse for programming , or setting , fuse 210 . this signal may be supplied from an end - user via a chip input / output ( i / o ) pin or an output pin of a sequential element . in one embodiment , this signal is a logic high value , such as the supply voltage value vdd , held for a predetermined sustained time . biasing circuitry 204 relays a logic high value to nmos transistor 206 in a manner to assure a proper voltage level and timing required to selectively blow efuse 210 upon the desired assertion of program input 202 . asserting the gate of nmos transistor 206 at a logic high value causes a current driven by vfuse , which may be a same or greater value than vdd , to traverse efuse 210 and thereby blow efuse 210 . alternatively , when the program input line 202 is asserted low , the gate of nmos transistor 206 is asserted at a logic low value , or a value near ground . therefore , there is no path for current to traverse from vfuse to ground , and efuse 210 is not blown . biasing circuitry 204 may include transistors to assure a delay upon start - up that limits the possibility that efuse 210 will be blown during boot - up when program input 202 may be unstable . when efuse 210 is completely blown , a voltage near ground , or a logic low value , is asserted at the output of efuse 210 and the input of sense amplifier 220 . sense amplifier 220 receives a reference voltage vref 212 as an input in addition to an enable signal on enable signal line 214 . the voltage value asserted on the line vref 212 may be an output of a voltage divider using the supply voltage vdd as in input . in the case that efuse 210 is blown , sense amplifier 220 senses a positive differential between its inputs as the fuse circuitry conveys a logic low value to the sense amplifier 220 and output 222 is asserted a logic high value . the signal on output 222 may be buffered before being routed to a sequential element . this output may be associated with a configuration bit . in contrast , when efuse 210 is not blown , the output of efuse 210 and the associated input of sense amplifier 220 is asserted at a voltage level near vfuse , or a logic high value . sense amplifier 220 senses a negative differential between its inputs and output 222 is asserted a logic low value . one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a variety of circuit topologies that may be implemented and / or utilized in relation to one or more embodiments of the present invention . referring now to fig3 , one embodiment of a fuse array 300 is shown . fuse array 300 comprises a plurality of entries 312 , 314 , and 316 . more or less different types of entries may be utilized in other embodiments . the difference between the entries corresponds to the information stored therein . for example , entry 316 may have an address field 320 , a security field 322 , and a data field 324 . entries 312 and 314 may have similar fields of different widths , or have additional fields . for example , entries 314 may be used for repair of srams , whereas entries 316 may be used for enabling on - chip cryptographic acceleration . array 300 may be incorporated in a fuse farm that includes a fuse controller coupled to fuse array 300 . such a fuse controller may include a jtag interface for testing , a system interface for providing an end - user interface for programming fuse array 300 , a power management interface , and so forth . also , such a fuse controller may be coupled to registers for storing entry information read from fuse array 300 . these stored values may be subsequently relayed to cores 102 of fig1 during a boot - up process . access logic for reading and writing entries 312 , 314 , and 316 may include an address index 302 that indexes fuse array 300 . during a write operation , in one embodiment , the next available empty row , or empty entry , may be indexed for programming the corresponding efuses 210 within the row . an empty row may be referred to as a non - programmed row , or a non - programmed entry . data derived during a manufacturing and testing stage may be read from registers and conveyed to fuse array 300 by a fuse controller . this data may be applied to the program signal lines 202 of fuse circuits 200 within a corresponding entry of fuse array 300 . in one embodiment , the address field 320 may be written with an identifier that identifies a configuration register corresponding to a redundant sram within a core 102 that needs to be enabled to repair another failing sram . in another embodiment , the address field 320 may be written with an identifier that identifies a configuration register corresponding to one or more cryptographic processes to be enabled for hardware acceleration within cores 102 . a security field 322 may be written with a row parity value in order to later invalidate the row if it is subsequently overwritten . data field 324 may be written with supporting information such as a key value for a cipher algorithm or an address range for sram repair . for a read operation , address index 302 may be used by access logic to index a particular entry , or row , within fuse array 300 . the corresponding data may be conveyed to storage registers coupled to a fuse controller . in one embodiment , during a boot - up process of microprocessor 110 , the fields 320 - 324 may be read out serially by a linear shift register and later conveyed to corresponding configuration registers within each core 102 . these configuration data may only need to be read during a boot - up process and the time requirement to convey this information to each core 102 may be relaxed . also , by serially shifting out the information from fuse array 300 , no parallel buses are utilized , which reduces on - chip real estate and potential noise on signal lines . it is noted that for a given valid programmed entry within fuse array 300 corresponding to a particular set of one or more features , a subsequent valid programmed entry corresponding to the particular set of one or more features , such as particular cipher algorithms , overrides the given valid programmed entry . for example , the contents of the subsequent valid programmed entry may overwrite the contents of the given valid programmed entry stored in a corresponding configuration register within each core 102 when a serial linear shifting process has completed during a boot - up process . turning now to fig4 , one embodiment of a method 400 for efficient restriction of export controlled features is illustrated . the components embodied in the computer system described above may generally operate in accordance with method 400 . for purposes of discussion , the steps in this embodiment are shown in sequential order . however , some steps may occur in a different order than shown , some steps may be performed concurrently , some steps may be combined with other steps , and some steps may be absent in another embodiment . in block 402 , during a manufacturing and testing stage prior to shipping microprocessor 110 , an original sense , or initial state , of each efuse 210 in fuse array 300 is chosen . for example , typically the original sense of a corresponding efuse 210 is it enables a feature , such as on - chip hardware support of a cryptographic process . however , in this invention , the original sense of a corresponding efuse 210 is it disables a feature . therefore , this corresponding efuse 210 is programmed to enable cryptographic functionality rather than disable it . an original sense as above prevents an end - user in the field from programming additional bits in an efuse row 316 , which invalidates the row , or renders the row unusable , due to a mismatching row parity value stored in security field 322 , and , thus , re - enabling cryptographic functionality that had been disabled during manufacturing . combinatorial logic within each core 102 that receives the stored content from corresponding configuration registers coupled to the fuse array 300 may interpret features without a valid programmed entry in the fuse array 300 as being disabled . in addition , combinatorial logic may interpret features with a valid programmed entry in the fuse array 300 and an unblown corresponding fuse as being disabled . it is also possible to re - program an efuse array by blowing additional bits in rows already programmed . this ability is used during manufacturing to correct mistakes or to invalidate rows , or render rows to be unusable . for example , some efuses allow for rows to be marked as , or rendered , unusable by blowing additional bits to make the row parity incorrect . such a row would be discarded by hardware in cores 102 when the cores 102 read the efuse array to determine chip configuration . thus , if an efuse 210 is required to be blown in order to disable cryptographic access , then an efuse entry disabling a cryptographic function could be rendered invalid by programming additional bits in the row . now the corresponding cryptographic function is re - enabled in the field , which is undesirable . therefore , it is desired to choose an original sense wherein an unblown corresponding efuse 210 disables a cryptographic function , process , or feature . an entry in fuse array 300 is programmed in block 404 during a manufacturing and testing stage as described earlier . if a mistake is made or a different configuration later needs to be inspected or tested ( conditional block 406 ), then the corresponding entry needs to be invalidated in block 408 . in one embodiment , additional bits of the entry are blown in order to make the corresponding row parity value incorrect and the entry is invalidated . alternatively , an entry may be invalidated by programming an invalid id into the entry . a number of such techniques are possible and are contemplated , and those skilled in the art will appreciate there are many ways a given entry may be invalidated or otherwise indicated to be invalid . a next available entry is next indexed in block 412 . this next available entry may be a next immediate subsequent entry , or it may be an entry located farther away , but it is the next available empty row of fuse array 300 . if a mistake is not made ( conditional block 406 ) and all of the desired fuse array 300 entries are programmed ( conditional block 410 ), but a particular predetermined point - in - time is not reached ( conditional block 414 ), then more tests may be run on microprocessor 110 in block 416 . one example of a predetermined point - in - time is the preparation of the shipping of microprocessor 110 into the field to customers . also , a predetermined point - in - time may be subsequent to completing a desired programming of the fuse array 300 , wherein the desired programming is a programming of the fuse array 300 configured to , at a time of shipping the fuse array 300 to a customer , restrict the customer from utilizing at least one predetermined feature of the available on - chip features . control flow of method 400 then returns to conditional block 416 . if a particular predetermined point - in - time is reached ( conditional block 414 ), such as testing of microprocessor 110 is complete and preparation begins for the shipping of microprocessor 110 into the field , then any unused , or non - programmed , entries in fuse array 300 are invalidated in block 418 . in one embodiment , a fuse array 300 may allow for multiple rows to be programmed for the same destination or function , as denoted by a same address field 320 , with the latter row replacing the former row . for example , a linear shift register simply replaces the contents of the former row with the contents of a second row at a later time during a boot - up process . this allows replacement of an incorrect row with a second correct row during manufacturing or testing without having to mark the first row as invalid . this allows an entry in fuse array 300 to be programmed without regard to the ordering of the entries . however , without invalidating empty rows in block 418 of method 400 , the above capability also allows an end - user in the field to program additional empty rows in fuse array 300 in order to replace previous rows that disable certain cryptographic functionality . this issue can be resolved by invalidating all unused rows in the fuse array 300 in block 418 before shipping . in addition , in previous designs , the fuse array 300 may be subsequently bypassed in order to allow for changes to the manufacturing configuration during subsequent testing . the fuses can be bypassed by using the joint test action group ( jtag ) interface . chip - specific jtag commands can be issued which set bits in a fuse shadow register , which overrides the value of the fuse . it may be a simple matter to disable this capability for certain or all efuses 210 , by deleting the hardware to override these efuses 210 and their corresponding configuration values . choosing an original sense for an efuse 210 to disable a particular cryptographic function and invalidating empty rows in fuse array 300 allows microprocessor 110 to be exported with reliable restriction of cryptographic or other features . then microprocessor 110 may be taped out and shipped in block 420 . in the field , after shipment of microprocessor 110 , during program execution , hardware within each core 102 may utilize the value of an on - chip fcr , which may be renamed to a cryptographic capability register ( ccr ) for cryptographic functions . for example , a given efuse 210 in fuse array 300 may enable access to a particular cipher ( e . g ., aes ) or a set of related ciphers ( sha - 1 , sha - 256 ). the value of this particular efuse 210 may be read serially during boot - up as described earlier . the collective set of efuse values that control cipher access can be grouped into the ccr . by default , cryptographic access is disabled . the values stored in the ccr within core 102 may restrict hypervisor - level , operating system - level , and user - level access to the underlying on - chip hardware acceleration capability provided by a modular arithmetic unit ( mau ), a cipher / hash unit ( chu ), or other for cryptographic functions . for example , if the hardware accelerator circuitry is accessed by means of a control word queue ( cwq ), a blown efuse bit value stored in the ccr may enable access to all ciphers . the hardware simply considers the value of the ccr bit when it decodes instructions that attempt to access the cwq registers . if the fuse bit is blown , the access is enabled . if the fuse bit is not blown , the access results in an exception . similarly , if the cryptographic acceleration is accessed by user - level instructions , such as by an instruction to perform an aes encryption , a fuse bit stored in the ccr may be associated with each such instruction or set of instructions . combinatorial logic within core 102 may utilize the stored value in the ccr when decoding the instruction . if the corresponding fuse bit was blown , hardware successfully decodes the instruction and performs the related operation ( e . g ., encrypting an aes block ). otherwise , hardware decodes the instruction as illegal , and generates an exception , such as an illegal opcode trap . it is noted that the above - described embodiments may comprise software . in such an embodiment , the program instructions that implement the methods and / or mechanisms may be conveyed or stored on a computer readable medium . numerous types of media which are configured to store program instructions are available and include hard disks , floppy disks , cd - rom , dvd , flash memory , programmable roms ( prom ), random access memory ( ram ), and various other forms of volatile or non - volatile storage . although the embodiments above have been described in considerable detail , numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated . it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications . | 6 |
fig1 is a block view of functions of an ip telephone 10 equipped with call control apparatus of this embodiment . as shown in the drawings , the ip telephone 10 is configured from a base unit 20 and handset 40 and functions as terminal apparatus having a telephone function as shown in the following . the base unit 20 is principally configured from an interface circuit 21 , controller 22 , signal processor 23 , codec 24 , audio amplifier 25 , audio amplifier 26 , receiver buffer 27 , and transmission buffer 28 , etc . the audio amplifier 26 is connected to a microphone 42 built - into the handset 40 and an audio signal inputted to the microphone 42 is amplified by the audio amplifier 26 and inputted to the codec 24 . on the other hand , an audio signal outputted by the codec 24 is amplified by the audio amplifier 25 and provided via speaker 41 as an amplifier output . the codec 24 contains an a / d converter and a d / a converter , converts an analog audio signal outputted from audio amplifier 26 to a digital audio signal ( audio data ) and supplies this audio data to the signal processor 23 , and converts audio data outputted by the signal processor 23 to an analog audio signal for output to the audio amplifier 25 . the signal processor 23 is an audio data compression / expansion circuit containing a dsp ( digital signal processor ) etc . for compressing audio data supplied from a codec 24 for storage in a transmission buffer 28 , expanding audio data supplied by the controller 22 after compression processing , and supplying the audio data after expanding to the codec 24 . the interface circuit 21 is a circuit containing a mac ( media access control ) circuit , and a phy ( physical protocol ) circuit , for subjecting transmission code transmitted from a transmission path such as ip networks to decoding processing for storage in the receiver buffer 27 and encoding audio data supplied by the controller 22 for transmission to a transmission path . controller 22 is a circuit for executing call control etc . that reads out audio data stored in the transmission buffer 28 so as to put this audio data into the form of packets at predetermined frames and supply the audio data in the form of packets to the interface circuit 21 , and extract audio data from the received data stored in receiver buffer 27 and supply this audio data to the signal processor 23 . base unit 20 is also equipped with a dial buffer 29 for storing dial data , a hook switch ( detection section ) 30 for detecting whether the handset 40 is on - hook / off - hook , a dial key 31 for inputting dialing , a call key 32 for requesting a call , an lcd display 33 for displaying dial data etc ., and a memory 34 for storing a numbering plan data table , etc . the numbering plan data table is a table for storing a correlation relationship of a first n digits of numbers ( prefix numbers ) for a telephone number decided based on numbering plan , and all digit numbers of a telephone number decided based on numbering plan ( refer to fig2 ), for a plurality of types of numbering plans . the value of n is preferably a number of digits where this numbering plan can be uniquely identified and the value of n may therefore be different depending on the numbering plan . in the example shown in fig2 , n = 1 is adopted for the entire numbering plan in order to uniquely identify each numbering plan using the number of the first digit whichever the numbering plan . further , as shown in the “ overseas ” numbering plan shown in the drawing , in the event that the total number of digits for a telephone number is indeterminate , a configuration is adopted where this is made to correspond to “ indeterminate ” data indicating that the digits are indeterminate . it is preferable for the memory 34 to be re - writable memory , and in this event , it is preferable to adopt a configuration where it is possible to update a numbering plan data table using a user input or communication from outside . fig3 is a plan view of the base unit 20 . as shown in the same drawing , in addition to the hook switch 30 , dial key 31 , call key 32 and lcd display 33 described above , a volume adjustment key , setting key , cancel key , transfer / hook key , speaker key , and hold key etc . are provided at the base unit 20 . fig4 is a flowchart describing call processing executed by the controller 22 . call processing is started up , for example , in the event that an off - hook state is gone to as a result of operation of the hook switch 30 etc ., or in the event that a state where input of a telephone number by a user is gone to . it is possible for the order of each step ( including partial steps that are not assigned numerals ) to be arbitrarily changed providing that this is within a range that does not conflict with the processing content , or each step may be executed in parallel . further , various control processes other than call processes are executed by the controller 22 but in principle these processes are the same as for the related art and are not described in detail here . initially , a number of digits counter and an estimated input number of digits are set to zero and a maximum value for an internal timer is set at a timer counter as initial settings ( step s 1 ). next , the presence or absence of a key input is determined ( step s 2 ). in the event that there is no key input , it is determined whether or not ( internal timer value − timer counter )& gt ; timeout value ( for example , four seconds ) is satisfied ( step s 3 ). in the event that this is satisfied , call processing is gone to , and in the event that this is not satisfied , step s 2 recurs . the timeout value may be a variable . for example , in the event of a numbering plan where the total number of digits is “ indeterminate ” in the numbering plan data table , a configuration is adopted where a specific timeout value is stored so as to correlate with the numbering plan , and this value is read out and used . in the event that a key input is detected in step s 2 , the type of key pressed is checked ( step s 4 ). in the event that the pressed key is a call key 32 , the call pressing is gone to . on the other hand , in the event that the pressed key is a dial key 31 , dial data is stored in ( added to ) the dial buffer 29 ( step s 5 ). further , 1 is added to the number of digits counter and it is taken that the timer counter = the internal timer value ( step s 6 ). next , the estimated input number of digits is checked ( step s 7 ). in step 7 , in the event that the estimated input number of digits = 0 , the estimated input number of digits has not yet been acquired . the memory 34 is therefore referred to , and a determination is made as to whether or not there is a prefix number amongst the prefix numbers stored in the numbering plan data table matching with the dial data ( pressed number ) ( step s 8 ). in the event that n is a prefix number of 2 or more , comparison is made with the series of dial data stored in the dial buffer 29 . in the event that a prefix number matching with the dial data exists in the numbering plan data table , it can be determined that the telephone number for which input is currently progressing matches with a numbering plan corresponding to the matching prefix number . the total number of digits ( all of the number of digits of the matching numbering plan ) corresponding to the matching prefix number is then acquired from the numbering plan data table and set in the estimated input number of digits ( step s 9 ). it is desirable to adopt a configuration where , in the event that a matching prefix number exists , information ( for example , a message such as “ an attempt is being made to call an extension ”) indicating the matching numbering plan is displayed at the lcd display 33 . on the other hand , in the event that there is no matching prefix number , “ indeterminate ” is set to the estimated input number of digits ( step s 10 ). step s 7 is then returned to after setting the total number of digits for the matching numbering plan or “ indeterminate ” at the estimated input number of digits . in step s 7 , in the event that the estimated input number of digits =“ indeterminate ”, step s 2 is returned to . in step s 7 , in the event that the estimated input number of digits is neither “ 0 ” nor “ indeterminate ”, a determination is made as to whether or not the number of digits counter = estimated input number of digits ( step s 11 ). in the event that this is established , it is determined whether input of the telephone number is complete and signal processing is gone to , while on the other hand , in the event that this is not established , step s 2 is returned to . the call processing can be configured in the same way as for the ip telephone of the related art , so that , for example , processing for setting dial data stored in the dial buffer 29 as a call destination number and transmitting the call message etc . is executed . further , although not shown in the drawings , in the event that the pressed key is not the call key 32 or the dial key 31 , processing that is the same as for the related art is executed according to the type of key pressed . for example , in the event that the pressed key is a cancel key , the dial buffer 29 is cleared and either step s 1 is proceeded to or the call processing is halted . according to this embodiment , a configuration is adopted where the total number of digits for the numbering plan matching with the telephone number currently being inputted is acquired , this is taken as the estimated number of digits to be inputted for the telephone number currently being inputted , and call processing is proceeded to automatically at the stage where the number of digits for the inputted telephone number and the estimated number of digits inputted match . this means it is possible to go to call processing in a straightforward and rapid manner without a call key operation or time out determination being necessary , with the exception of cases where the total number of digits for a numbering plan is “ indeterminate ”. the present invention is by no means limited to the above embodiment and application in various modifications is possible . for example , a description is given taking the ip telephone 10 as an example but the call control apparatus of the present invention is also applicable to digital telephones and mobile telephones such as isdn telephones where dial data is transmitted collectively . | 7 |
the present invention relates to illumination and image processing and specifically to illumination with a narrow bandwidth illuminator to capture and produce color images . reference is now made to fig1 , which is a block diagram of a low power color image capturing system 10 , in accordance with an embodiment of the current invention . low power color image capturing system 10 includes a narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 , an image capturing device 20 , a processor 25 , and a power source 30 . image capturing device 20 is oriented to capture an image of an object ( not shown in the figure ) illuminated by narrow bandwidth illumination from illuminator 15 . in the specification and claims hereinbelow , the terms “ captured image ” and “ raw image ” are meant to refer to the same thing , namely the image captured by the image capturing device . the raw image is therefore differentiated from an image resultant from processing of the raw image as described hereinbelow . processor 25 controls and coordinates operation of narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 , image capturing device 20 , and power source 30 , indicated by the solid lines in the figure . power source 30 provides power for narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 , image capturing device 20 , and processor 25 as indicated by the dotted lines in the figure . narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 is designed to use minimal power , both in terms of the output device power and because it is typically operated only when illumination is necessary . narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 may be , inter alia , a green led . an exemplary green led having characteristics of narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 is the luxeon k2 star green led , whose wavelength characteristics are indicated on page 19 of the luxeon technical datasheet ds51 , 2008 , found at http :// www . philipslumileds . com / pdfs / ds51 . pdf ( found hereinbelow as the appendix ), whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference . additional characteristics of narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 are noted hereinbelow . image capturing device 20 may be , inter alia , a cmos camera , a ccd camera or other device known in the art to capture images in at least the visible spectrum . processor 25 includes , inter alia , an algorithm 35 to process the image captured by the image capturing device . characteristics of algorithm 35 are further described hereinbelow . processor 25 may additionally or optionally include additional modules ( not shown in the figure ) for communication ( wired or wireless ) with other remotely located command and / or telemetry devices 38 which may utilize the captured images . power source 30 is usually a battery ; however the power source may also be some other means of limited power . power source 30 is designed to be compact and to supply power to the system for an extended time period , such as months or even years . as such , the system has an overall low power characteristic due primarily to limitations of power source 30 . reference is now made to fig2 , which is a spectral response diagram 40 showing a response function 46 of the narrow bandwidth illuminator of fig1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the current invention . spectral response diagram 40 has an abscissa 48 , indicated as “ wavelength ” and an ordinate 50 , indicated as “ intensity ”, as known in the art . in one embodiment of the current invention response function 46 of the narrow bandwidth illuminator is characteristic of visible green illumination , meaning illumination having a spectral response of a wavelength range of approximately 470 to 620 nanometers . one way to determine response function 46 is to illuminate a white target ( e . g ., a surface with known and / or fixed color and emission characteristics , the white target not shown in the figure ) by narrow bandwidth illuminator 15 and to capture one or more raw images from the target . the image or images are then analyzed to yield response function 46 . the response function exhibits a peak intensity value of i p at a wavelength of p . the intensity of the response function drops significantly from i p at wavelengths longer and shorter than p , yielding characteristic tails 52 covering substantially most of the visible spectrum , the tails exhibiting finite intensity values that are significantly less than i p , as indicated in the figure , at an intensity value i nb a narrow bandwidth ( nb ) is defined as the wavelength bandwidth of the response function , characterized by intensity values less than or equal to i p . one definition of nb is the bandwidth defined by intensity values of at least 50 % of i p , although other definitions for nb may also be applied . reference is now made to fig3 , which is a spectral response diagram 105 showing response function 46 of fig2 , in accordance with an embodiment of the current invention . apart from differences described below , response function 46 , abscissa 48 , ordinate 50 , and tails 52 are identical in notation , configuration , and functionality to those shown in fig2 and elements indicated by the same reference numerals and / or letters are generally identical in configuration , operation , and functionality as described hereinabove . calculated spectral response 118 is shown , having an intensity value substantially equal to i p . spectral response 118 is calculated by algorithm 35 of fig1 , by applying different gains for each pixel of the raw image evaluated at respective wavelengths as indicated schematically in the diagram by the arrows . a shorter arrow indicates a smaller gain and a longer arrow indicates a larger gain . essentially , lower or no gain values are applied to intensity values of wavelengths of response function 46 substantially equal to i p whereas higher gain values are applied to intensity values of wavelengths of response function 46 substantially less than i p , such as at the tails . the result is that each pixel of the captured image is subject to selective amplification that compensates for non - uniformities of illumination wavelengths , thus transforming the image to have additional colors / wavelengths characteristic of an image produced with “ white light ” illumination , as described hereinabove . in other words , a color image exhibiting the spectral response of calculated spectral response 118 is obtained , the image having substantially full color intensities over substantially all visible wavelengths . the resultant image is also referred hereinbelow and in the claims as a “ modified image ”. reference is now made to fig4 , which is a spectral response diagram 205 showing response function 46 of fig2 and 3 in accordance with an embodiment of the current invention . apart from differences described below , response function 46 , abscissa 48 , ordinate 50 are identical in notation , configuration , and functionality to those shown in fig2 and 3 and elements indicated by the same reference numerals and / or letters are generally identical in configuration , operation , and functionality as described hereinabove . calculated spectral response 218 is shown , having an intensity value approximately equal to i p and with a range of intensities , intensities which may be greater or smaller than i p , indicated as r . spectral response 118 is calculated by algorithm 35 of fig1 , as described hereinabove , by applying different gains at respective wavelengths as indicated schematically in the diagram by the arrows . it will be appreciated that the above descriptions are intended only to serve as examples , and that many other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims . | 7 |
referring now to fig1 where the preferred embodiment for the present invention is generally referred to with numeral 10 , it can be observed that it basically includes root form implant fixture 20 and abutment member 100 . root form implant fixture 20 includes anchorage section 30 and engagement section ( neck ) 40 . anchorage section 30 includes shaft 32 with threads 34 having sufficient separation of its threads to permit the bone in which it is inserted to occupy the space in between for best anchorage results . shaft 32 can also be of the type known in the art as the fin type , as shown in fig3 under numeral 32 , wherein several disks are rigidly , and positioned in a spaced apart parallel relationship with respect to each other , mounted to shaft 32 &# 39 ;. another type of shaft 32 &# 39 ; is the one shown in fig4 and it corresponds to a cylinder with a helical grooves . as shown in fig1 engagement section 40 is integrally built at one of the ends of shaft 32 and it includes cylindrical portion 60 , beveled portion 70 and multi - face portion 80 , all adjacent to each other in that order . multi - face portion 80 has a hexagonal shape , in the preferred embodiment . central and longitudinally extending cavity 90 extends through the center of cylindrical , beveled and multi - face portions 60 , 70 and 80 , as well as part of shaft 32 , as best seen in fig2 . in the preferred as well as the alternate embodiment shown in fig2 cavity 90 narrows down ( tapers ) as it extends toward anchorage section 30 . at the end of cavity 90 , in the alternate embodiment shown in fig2 there is a threaded bottom part 92 . it should be noted that for both , the preferred embodiment shown in fig1 and the alternate embodiment of fig2 the same cavity 90 is used even if the abutment &# 39 ; s post 120 of the preferred embodiment lacks a mating thread . abutment member 100 has head 110 with elongated post 120 that is built in , as seen in fig1 . the angle of head 110 with respect to the longitudinal axis of member 100 varies depending on the correction for parallelism that may be necessary . in the figures applicant has shown abutments with 0 degrees of connection to facilitate the description of the invention . lack of parallelism is undesirable and it arises when fixtures 20 are not positioned parallel to each other . elongated post 120 , in the preferred embodiment shown in fig1 is smooth and bites against internal walls of central cavity 90 thereby locking it in place . the metal to metal biting engagement of post 120 and internal walls of cavity 90 provides a retention of abutment 100 and hermetic seal for any unoccupied space inside cavity 90 thereby preventing the collection of saliva , blood or any other decaying substance . in fig2 alternate abutment member 100 &# 39 ; includes threaded pin 130 &# 39 ; rigidly mounted at the distal end of post 120 &# 39 ;. threaded pin 130 &# 39 ; cooperatively engages with threaded bottom part 92 of cavity 90 . the second and third alternate embodiments shown in fig3 and 4 for fixtures 20 &# 34 ; and 20 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; are basically similar to those shown in fig1 and 2 except that shafts 32 &# 34 ; and 32 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; of anchorage sections 30 &# 34 ; and , 30 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; are of the fin and helical groove types , respectively . a fourth alternate embodiment is shown in fig6 and is generally referred to with numeral 10 &# 34 ;&# 34 ;. root form implant fixture 20 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; used with dental implant device 10 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; is identical to the one used with devices 10 and 10 &# 39 ;. fixture 20 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; can be of any type ( threaded , fin or cylinder ). abutment head 110 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; is removably mounted over fixture 20 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; and in cooperative non - rotational engagement thereon . inwardly chamfered rim 112 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; matingly comes in complementary abutting contact with beveled portion 70 &# 34 ;&# 34 ;. this flat face to face engagement of rim 112 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; and beveled portion 70 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; will create a hermetic seal that will prevent the infiltration of saliva , bacteria , exudate or soft tissue invagination or any other foreign bodies . internal multi - faced socket 114 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; similarly matingly and cooperatively engages with multi - face portion 80 &# 34 ;&# 34 ;, thereby preventing rotation of abutment 110 &# 34 ;. post 120 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; is coaxially inserted through central opening 111 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; of abutment head 110 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; and pin member 130 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; at one end protrudes through rim 112 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; to engage with cavity 90 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; in fixture 20 &# 34 ;&# 34 ;. this engagement is accomplished in the same manner as described for the preferred and the first alternate embodiments . the only difference being that post 120 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; is also provided with an internal socket 122 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; to permit rotating it and causing sleeve 124 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; to come in contact with counterbore surface 116 &# 34 ;&# 34 ;, thereby holding abutment head 110 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; down . screw member 200 &# 34 ;&# 34 ; is designed to hold the prosthesis ( fixed or removable ) to abutment head 110 &# 34 ;&# 34 ;, as best seen in fig7 . the foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention . different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention . it is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative , and not in a limiting sense . | 0 |
fig1 schematically illustrates a gas turbine engine 20 . the gas turbine engine 20 is disclosed herein as a two - spool turbo fan that generally incorporates a fan section 22 , a compressor section 24 , a combustor section 26 and a turbine section 28 . generally , the fan section 22 drives air along a bypass flowpath and into the compressor section 24 . the compressor section 24 drives air along a core flowpath for compression and communication into the combustor section 26 , which then expands and directs the air through the turbine section 28 . the gas turbine engine 20 is received within a nacelle assembly 60 , to establish a bypass flow path b and a core flow path c . a thrust reverser 62 ( illustrated schematically ) may be located within the nacelle assembly 60 for selective deployment into the bypass flow path b to provide a thrust reversing function . although depicted as a turbofan in the disclosed non - limiting embodiment , it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to use with turbofans as the teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines as well as other structures , for example , but not limited to low bypass engine case structures . the example nacelle assembly 60 includes a core nacelle 64 at least partially surrounded by a fan nacelle 66 . the core nacelle 64 typically includes an exhaust nozzle 68 . the exhaust nozzle 68 in the disclosed non - limiting embodiment includes an inner sleeve 70 and an outer sleeve 72 typically manufactured of titanium alloy ( also shown in fig2 ). referring to fig3 , the inner sleeve 70 generally includes a perforated inner skin 74 and an outer skin 76 while the outer sleeve 72 generally includes an inner skin 78 and an outer skin 80 with a honeycomb structure 82 therebetween . it should be appreciated that various other components , materials and constructions thereof will also benefit herefrom . under some operational conditions , a contaminate such as oil from , for example , a bearing compartment 30 ( illustrated schematically in fig1 ) may escape through worn seals as the engine cools and pool on the inner sleeve of the exhaust nozzle 68 . it should be appreciated that other bearing compartments in other engine locations , as well as other engine architectures may also be subject to fluid penetration . furthermore , although oil is utilized as the example contaminate herein , other contaminates inclusive of , but not limited to , oil byproducts , kerosene based fuels , glycols , polyalkylinglycols ( pag ), transmission fluids , cleaning fluids etc ., as well as mixtures thereof may also be at issue . oil also frequently coagulates and can pick up particulate debris and form a generally non -“ fluid ” layer such as typically described as “ grime ” which may be considered contaminates as defined herein . in addition , other contaminates typical of manufacturing processes , may also be considered contaminates as defined herein . with reference still to fig3 , the perforated inner skin 74 facilitates the evaporation of the example oil contaminate from within the inner sleeve 70 during engine operation , however , thermal cycling of the oil and the exhaust nozzle 68 may cause thermal stress that may lead to cracks in the outer skin 76 . once the oil penetrates the inner sleeve 70 , especially via a puncture or crack damage , the oil or contaminate pools on or inside the outer sleeve 72 . the outer sleeve 72 is not perforated , so the oil remains trapped between the inner sleeve outer skin 76 and the inner skin 78 of the outer sleeve 72 . the outer sleeve 72 may then crack due to the same thermal cycling such that oil may further penetrate into the honeycomb structure 82 . the oil within the honeycomb structure 82 may thereby impair weld repairs of the outer sleeve 72 . with reference to fig4 , a method 100 to immobilize an entrapped contaminant , according to one disclosed non - limiting embodiment , initially includes identification of the fluid contaminate ( step 102 ). it should be appreciated that although the outer sleeve 72 is utilized in this disclosed non - limiting embodiment , other components with an entrapped contaminant will also benefit herefrom , especially those where the fluid entrapment is not accessible by conventional cleaning methods . identification of the fluid contaminate may proceed via a scan from , for example , a fourier transform infrared ( ftir ) spectroscopy to obtain a measure spectrum 200 ( see fig5 ). a hand - held ftir unit such as 4200 flexscan series ftir manufactured by agilient technologies of santa clara , calif ., usa can expedite the process through performance of an on - site assessment of the contaminants in situ . it should be appreciated that other identification systems inclusive of but not limited to , thermal gravimetric analysis ( tga ), chromatography , inductively coupled plasma ( icp ) and / or other such chemical identification process that provides the desired chemical identification . in one example , the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ( ftir ) inspection of the contamination utilizes a spherical diamond atr probe , and a znse crystal with a scan of wave numbers ranging from 4000 - 800 cm − 1 with a minimum of 32 scans per spectra with 2 to 3 representative spectra measured per contaminant sample . the 2 to 3 representative measured spectra are cross - compared to ensure accurate sampling and proper technique . that is , the 2 - 3 representative spectra assure a proper spectrum is obtained . the 2 - 3 representative spectra are taken to ensure the accuracy of the spectra from each sample . they are then cross - compared to ensure their fidelity . this is performed on the actual part samples and on the control species , oil , skydrol , etc . before used as qualification data . each “ scan ” or “ spectra ” using ftir actually scans the sample 32 times before recording / reporting a spectra . this can be adjusted from 16 up to 150 depending on the user &# 39 ; s discretion , type of sample and ambient environmental conditions . for example , field scans of an unknown material in an uncontrolled environment typically require the higher number of scans to ensure relevant and accurate spectra . the measured spectrum 200 is then compared to one or more control spectra 202 ( fig5 ) to identify the contaminant ( s ) such as gear oil or hydraulic fluid ( step 104 ) in the chemical fingerprint wave number range of 2000 - 800 cm − 1 . chemical fingerprint is determined by peak locations , relative signal intensity at those locations and peak to peak ratios between unique identifiers . the 4000 - 2000 cm − 1 need not be used as it does not present unique chemical identifiers to distinguish between organic compounds . contaminates or mixtures thereof that are specifically identified may then be thermally processed to clean for weld repair as further described . that is , the weld repair is performed with specific regard to the identified contamination . in one non - limiting example , certain characteristic peaks are identified in the scanned spectrum , if those peaks align with or are centered on specific wave numbers within the spectrum that correspond to a specific contamination , then that contamination is ‘ identified ’ in that test section . with the suspected presence of contaminate mixtures , a correlated range of mixtures is used as the reference , or a second analysis technique , especially chromatography or tga may be used a test section 90 is then removed ( step 106 ; see fig6 ). this test section 90 may then be further segmented 90 a , 90 b , 90 c to provide multiple samples for multiple tests . the test section 90 may be from a damaged area which is to be weld repaired . the outer sleeve 72 is then thermally processed with the section 90 ( step 108 ) via a specific thermal cycle . the specific thermal cycle is used to perform a controlled evaporation of the volatiles and a controlled coking of remaining contaminants . consideration is given to accessibility of the entrapped contaminant ( s ) whereby additional venting holes are created and / or damage is locally removed to facilitate gas flowpath to relieve pressure variants caused by thermal cycling . the specific thermal cycle is performed at a heating rate to mitigate pressure variants , and a temperature above the evaporation temperature of the contaminate but below the alpha case formation temperature of the parent substrate , such as titanium , and / or thermal limitation criteria of other substrates , e . g . high temperature steel ( s ). that is , the temperature of the specific thermal cycle should be limited to prevent chemical reaction between contaminate and substrate . alpha case is typically an alpha - stabilized enriched phase occurring on titanium and its alloys when exposed to heated air or oxygen . alpha case is brittle , and tends micro - cracking of the substrate which reduces the parent substrate &# 39 ; s performance and its fatigue properties . alpha case can be avoided by processing in a vacuumed environment . additionally , pressure and / or vacuum may be used to mitigate internal pressure variants of bonded components and / or lower evaporation temperatures of the contaminant ( s ). controlled evaporation typically maintains the pressure increase from evaporation to not exceed the rate at which the pressure can be released from the component . the heating rate , external pressure and any additionally installed venting paths may be used to facilitate the controlled evaporation — in the case of the welded patch , the open hole for the patch also operates as a vent . the specific thermal cycle is determined , in part , by the type of contaminate identified via ftir analysis in step 104 . the specific thermal cycle is performed at a temperature above an evaporation temperature of the contaminate but below the alpha case formation temperature or the temperature at which the contaminate chemically reacts with or diffuses in to the substrate . alpha case is an oxygen - enriched phase that may be of particular concern on titanium and its alloys when exposed to heated air or oxygen or in the presence of carbon sources . alpha case is brittle , and tends to be prone to microcracks which propagate in to the substrate and will reduce the metal &# 39 ; s performance and its fatigue properties . alpha case can be avoided by processing in a vacuumed or inert environment . vacuum has additional advantage when the dominant cleaning requirement can be accomplished by controlled evaporation . the thermal processing may be performed within a furnace having an inert atmosphere of , for example , argon at temperatures of 700 - 750 f ( 371 - 400 c ) for a titanium alloy component . the internal honeycomb cells are thereby saturated with inert gas sufficient to prevent formation of deleterious alpha case . it should be appreciated that other temperatures and environments may be utilized for substrates other than titanium . typically , the furnace is cleaned after each contaminate soaked component is thermally processed or stress relieved . for the example gear oil soaked outer sleeve 72 , the volatile evolution and coking processes from the specific thermal cycle do not result in excessive pressures within the honeycomb 82 due to pressure communication features in the honeycomb . the remaining coked oil is condensed ( semi - evaporated state )) and thermally decomposed to reduce or prevent weld line intrusion thereby negating porosity , low - notch toughness and brittleness effects at the weld line typically caused by aforementioned contaminants . the interior surfaces of at least one test section 90 may then be tested by metallographic methods ( step 110 ). the testing is performed to , for example , ensure there is no alpha case , oxygen rich layer , or soft alpha beyond predetermined limits for a sound weld . it should be appreciated that various tests including destructive tests may be performed . the outer sleeve 72 is then weld repaired ( step 112 ). it should be appreciated that other repairs may also then be performed without degradation of the skins , honeycomb or weldments . components subject to such contaminants are thereby readily weld repaired due to the immobilization of the contaminants . it should be appreciated that although the method is described with respect to the example outer sleeve 72 , the method may be utilized with different thermal cycles for other fluids or other substrates beyond titanium to immobilize entrapped contaminants within various components and thereby permit weld or braze repairs to be performed . other components include but are not limited to lower aft pylon fairings of similar substrates where such contaminants exist . although the different non - limiting embodiments have specific illustrated components , the embodiments of this invention are not limited to those particular combinations . it is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non - limiting embodiments in combination with features or components from any of the other non - limiting embodiments . it should be understood that relative positional terms such as “ forward ,” “ aft ,” “ upper ,” “ lower ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” and the like are with reference to the normal operational attitude of the vehicle and should not be considered otherwise limiting . it should be understood that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings . it should also be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed in the illustrated embodiment , other arrangements will benefit herefrom . although particular step sequences are shown , described and claimed , it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order , separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present disclosure . the foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within . various non - limiting embodiments are disclosed herein , however , one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that various modifications and variations in light of the above teachings will fall within the scope of the appended claims . it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described . for that reason the appended claims should be studied to determine true scope and content . | 5 |
while the game of blackjack may have many rules permutations and game play rules based on the location , the invention will be described with reference to a particular embodiment , and a layout as shown in fig1 . it will be understood that the present invention can be implemented as an additional feature in many forms of blackjack and related games , including any suitable variant of 21 or pontoon , and the invention is not limited to this specific implementation . to anyone knowledgeable in the art of game design , it will be apparent that significant modifications of rules and implementation can be made from those outlined below , whilst retaining the core inventive concept . indeed , the present invention in many respects is independent of the specific rules for the standard blackjack game as such . it will also be understood that the present invention could be applied to a fully manual casino game of blackjack , a game with electronic betting but manual dealing of cards , a simulated game for play in a casino or similar environment , or a fully on - line type game . in a preferred form , for a manual dealing game , an electronic arrangement is used to manage the jackpot aspects of the present invention . for our example , the game will use 4 standard decks of 52 cards ( no joker cards ), that are distributed from a card ‘ shoe ’. for this discussion , it can be assumed that the standard rules of blackjack are applied to the standard game part of play . the shoe may be stand alone or the output of a card shuffler . the cards that are key to winning the progressive jackpot in this example are the ace and king of diamonds , of which there will be 4 of each ( one for each deck ). one of each of these cards will be marked , such that they stand out from the others . alternatively , one of the decks used could be distinctive in appearance , and the ace and king of diamonds in that deck constitute the special cards . in this example , the game will have 3 levels of jackpots that are won when a player achieves a blackjack combination off the initial 2 cards drawn involving a king of diamonds and an ace of diamonds . the level of jackpot won depends upon the combination of cards which are drawn : jackpot level combination required mega jackpot marked ace and king of diamonds major jackpot one marked ace or king of diamonds and one standard king or ace of diamonds mini jackpot • standard ace and king of diamonds it will be appreciated that the present invention could be implemented with only one jackpot level , or with more or less levels as desired . the evaluation steps in this process are different from a standard blackjack game and require some new software features , as well as some modifications to the rules and procedures to ensure the integrity of the game . referring to fig3 , the steps that can be followed in operating a game of blackjack are as follows : a . if no side bet is wagered , player is ineligible to win progressive jackpot 2 . all side bets are digested by the system and a pre - determined contribution is added to the jackpot value , between ‘ startup ’ value and ‘ increment ’ value . 3 . cards are dealt to players and dealer in standard fashion ( 2 to each ) 4 . card values and combinations and evaluated by dealer for possible win a . if player is dealt a blackjack of ace and king of diamonds , then a progressive jackpot is won b . if no player wins jackpot , progressive element for that hand is complete 5 . rest of the hand is played out in standard blackjack fashion 6 . at the completion of the hand , and the jackpot has been won , the jackpot will be reset to the startup value . if not , it will remain until the next game commences and side bets are evaluated . 7 . prior to the commencement of the next hand , all cards are shuffled . in this form , between the startup value and increment value , a reduced increment is added per player contribution to the jackpot value , so as to pay for the initial startup value ( when there are in fact no player contributions as yet ), and thereafter increments at a higher rate . this arrangement is used in other progressive jackpot systems , for example in slot machines , and is well understood by those skilled in the art . in order to effectively implement this example , the game must be set up to have a method that evaluates all side bets and contributes a pre - determined amount to the jackpot and divides that between the ‘ startup ’ component and the ‘ increment ’ component . as the ‘ startup ’ value is set when there are in fact initially no player contributions , it is necessary to allocate a proportion of the amount that would otherwise be allocated to the jackpot increment to ‘ paying back ’ 0 the ‘ startup ’ component . it is difficult to see how this could be achieved in practice without an additional hardware component on standard dealer determined table games . this device evaluates the side bet and distributes the proceeds to the jackpot prize . the electronic version includes this feature in the software . in a suitable design , the size of the jackpot bet may be a prescribed standard value . in this case , whether a player has placed a bet in the jackpot area can be determined by a pressure sensitive pad , opto - electronic pickup or the like , with verification of correct value by the dealer . this then facilitates the bet being automatically correctly apportioned . the dealer need only collect the gaming chips after the initial deal , if the jackpot has not been won , much the same as for a conventional insurance bet . one possible arrangement is shown schematically in fig2 . this shows an arrangement , similar in concept to that use for a progressive jackpot system in a gaming or slot machine environment . central controller 12 may be functionally very similar to the controller of a slot machine jackpot system . central controller 12 is connected to a plurality of blackjack tables 10 , 10 a , 10 b , and so forth . each table includes a table controller unit 13 , a display 14 and table layout components 15 . the table controller unit 13 provides secure communications with the central controller 12 to send details of table wagers , send details of winning outcomes , receive data for display , and other communications are required . the communications preferably use the existing casino or venue monitoring infrastructure , for example a lan , wireless network , or the like . the display 14 is driven by the table controller to show details of the current jackpot , messages to induce customers to play , and so forth . the images are sent from the central controller 12 . the table layout components will differ depending upon how the capture and recordal of side bets wagers are recorded . in a simple form , only a fixed bet value may be permitted , and the dealer inputs on a key pad that ( say ) 2 players have placed a side bet , and proceeds to play the main game . this is communicated back to the central controller 12 , to allow the jackpot to be incremented . alternatively , the players may have individual or shared access to apparatus at the table to input their own side bets at the commencement of the hand . these wagers are communicated to the central controller 12 to allow for the jackpot to be incremented . the apparatus may conveniently be a sensor to determine placement of a chip in a specific location . it is strongly preferred that the players may make a jackpot wager of only a specific fixed value . in the implementation proposed , the chance of winning is proportional to the cards dealt , not the wager , and so there is no advantage in making additional wagers . a system could be implemented which takes account of such variable wagers , as is known for slot machines . in the casino environment this would not be convenient from a logistical perspective . however , in the context of on - line or fully electronic betting on a simulated game , this could be implemented . in the event that the jackpot is won , the croupier similarly inputs this on the keypad , and the jackpot won ( of whatever level ) is paid at the level achieved at that time . this allows the jackpot to continue to accumulate based on wagers and activity at other tables . the actual payout is preferably carried by a supervisor , and the funds finally removed from the pool at that time . an alternative implementation , on a real or simulated game utilising solely electronic wagering , would simply provide a position to place a wager on the jackpot side bet , and the contribution to the jackpot can be handled by the respective software . various aspects used in other jackpot games may be used , for example , the table display may show an estimated rather than accurate immediate value . it will be understood that the present invention could be implemented on a single table , many tables at one venue , or tables spread across more than one venue . in terms of mathematical design , appropriate models must be used to calculate the frequency of the allocated combination being won . this takes into account how the game is played and how many decks are being used . the combination required is related to the number of decks chosen , while the average prize is determined by frequency and the contribution from the side bet to the jackpot prize . for the 4 deck , 52 card example , the odds of winning a mega jackpot ( ignoring previously drawn cards ) is about one in 80 , 000 , and the odds of winning a mini jackpot are about 1 in 20 , 000 . it will be apparent that unlike most blackjack features , the odds and rtp are highly dependant upon the number of decks used , and this aspect must be closely controlled by the operator . there are certain elements of the game that must be controlled to ensure the integrity and fairness of the game . in our example , this is the number of decks used and the frequency of cards being shuffled . if insufficient shuffling occurs , particularly in a manually shuffled game , then a point may be reached where a player becomes aware that there are no remaining ( in our example ) kings of diamonds , and so no one will place a side bet . alternatively , they may become aware that there is a relatively rich selection of the targeted cards remaining . as it is envisaged that the jackpot is accumulated across multiple tables , to increase the level of activity on the jackpot , it is important that play on each table be generally equivalent . for these reasons , it is preferred that continuous shuffling be used . in a manually shuffled game , if the jackpot is won , it is preferable to reshuffle all cards on that table at the conclusion of that round of play . while the preferred embodiment is a 2 card combination from the initial draw , there are any numbers of viable alternatives that can be used in this sort of invention . some include ; 3 card combination . in this version , if the player has the targeted cards , as well as another card , then the jackpot is still won . this variant will then impact on player strategy , as if a player has one winning combination card and another card , the player has to decide whether to draw another card in the hope of getting the required card combination to win the progressive jackpot value . more than one combination and variations of those based on suit or card value multiple side bet options — a different bet for a range of outcomes that may see multiple side bet wins depending on the combinations required . multiple progressive levels based on frequency . fig1 illustrates one potential layout for use in one implementation of the present invention . the layout can be seen be to a largely conventional blackjack layout . however , additional spaces for placing side bets are arranged adjacent to the card dealing space for each player . as described above , it is preferred that these spaces include ( in the table or under it ) a sensor to determine the presence of a gaming chip . this may be simply a proximity or instruction sensor of some kind , a hall effect device , or a sensor based on a special property of the chips . such sensors have been deployed in other casino table games , and a wide variety of alternatives are disclosed in the art . the table may further provide some confirmation or indication to the player that a side bet has been placed , for example an indicator light . it will be understood that a similar layout may be used for games played in an electronic betting format , or on - line . the game may optionally allow other players or observers to place side bets on another player &# 39 ; s hand and side bet , as it commonly permitted in conventional blackjack . in this case , it may be necessary to provide specific spaces for such wagers by observers , as in a sensor based system generally only one of the bets will be sensed . | 6 |
as shown in the exploded diagram of fig1 , the floor liner of the present invention includes layer 1 of non - woven poly fabric , and layer 2 of poly - coated kraft paper . reference numeral 3 indicates the uncoated kraft paper side , which faces layer 1 . reference numeral 4 indicates the layer of poly coating that has been applied to the kraft paper . an example of a material which can be used as the poly - coated kraft paper is product no . s - 5227 , obtainable from the uline company , of waukegan , ill . ( www . uline . com ). this product is a roll of poly - coated kraft paper , having a weight of 50 lb , the roll having dimensions of 36 inches × 600 feet . the product is described as virgin kraft paper coated with 10 lb gloss poly on one side . other materials can be used in the invention , however , and the invention should not be deemed limited to this example . the thicknesses of the layers , especially that of the poly coating , are not shown to scale in fig1 . indeed , the poly coating on the kraft paper is very thin compared to the thickness of the kraft paper . the coated side of the kraft paper is shiny . the purpose of the coating is to seal the paper at least partially , so as to prevent grease from leaking through the floor liner and onto the surface of the floor . layer 1 can be any non - woven fabric . the preferred material is the product commonly known as “ landscape fabric ”. in one example , this material can be the non - woven fabric sold under the trademark preen , by lebanon seaboard corporation , of lebanon , pa . the invention is not limited to the use of the above - described fabric , however . the function of the non - woven fabric is to retain relatively large amounts of grease , thereby allowing the grease to harden , and facilitating its eventual removal by replacement of the liner . the layers 1 and 2 are joined together by an adhesive , preferably one applied by spraying , as indicated in fig1 . the composite structure , formed by combining layers 1 and 2 , is a generally flexible sheet , having a fabric texture on one side , and a shiny kraft paper texture on the other . in one example , the adhesive used was the product sold under the trademark general purpose 45 spray adhesive , by the 3m company . however , the invention is not limited to a particular adhesive . the floor liner of the present invention preferably includes cut - outs 5 formed at its corners , as shown in the top view of fig2 . the purpose of the cut - outs is to make it feasible to use a floor liner having an area somewhat greater than that of the equipment under which the liner will be laid . more specifically , by making the floor liner large enough to extend beyond one or more side walls of the equipment , the liner can catch drippings flowing down said walls . since most such equipment has legs at the corners , the cut - outs prevent interference with those legs . thus , the floor liner can be laid down , in a flat condition , and without buckling , while still being wide enough to extend beyond the footprint of the equipment , so as to capture grease flowing down along the side walls . fig3 - 6 illustrate the major steps of a process of making a floor liner according to one embodiment of the present invention . first , one measures the area occupied by the cooking or other equipment , under which the floor liner is to be placed . a piece of poly - coated kraft paper is cut from a large roll , to conform to the size of the desired opening . additional material is preferably added on each side to accommodate the cut - outs to be formed . the size of the additional material may be four inches , in one example , but the invention is not limited to a particular dimension . next , the black , non - woven poly fabric is cut , to match the size of the coated paper . the black non - woven poly fabric will eventually be the top layer , while the poly coated paper will be the bottom layer . the two layers are bonded together by using a general spray adhesive , and are pressed together , by hand or otherwise , to form a tight bond . the result is liner 30 of fig3 . next , two opposite sides of the liner are folded back . in performing this step , is convenient to draw lines 31 and 32 , as shown in fig3 , which is displaced from the edge by twice the desired width of the fold . then , the edge is folded over , as shown in fig4 . for example , if the width of the fold is selected to be one inch , the line will be drawn two inches from the edge of the sheet . note that , in these figures , the coated kraft paper is facing upward . also , the folds are formed for only two opposing sides of the sheet . when the folds have been completed , as shown in fig5 , two edges of the sheet effectively have a double thickness , along the width of the folds . the purpose of the fold is to give the liner more strength in the front and back , so that it will lie more firmly on the floor . finally , cut - outs are formed in each corner of the liner . fig6 shows the liner with cut - outs 60 , with the fabric side facing up . in one example , the cut - out may have the dimensions of 4 inches × 6 inches . these dimensions can be varied , within the scope of the invention . the floor liner 71 is then provided with metallic tracks , which support the feet of the equipment under which the liner sits . fig7 shows three such tracks 70 , which are generally flat pieces of metal . the tracks allow the cooking or other equipment to be pushed back into place without moving or wrinkling the liner . the tracks are simply laid on top of the floor liner . no separate attachment step is needed . in one embodiment , the tracks are made of 18 - gauge stainless steel , and are sized to be six inches wide , and one inch longer than the liner . this arrangement allows the wheels of the cooking or other equipment to be rolled on the track first , before encountering the liner . the number of tracks may be chosen to correspond to the number of wheels provided with the cooking or other equipment . the invention is not limited to a particular material , and is not to be deemed limited by the dimensions given above . fig8 shows an item of cooking equipment 81 , with its wheels 82 resting on metal tracks 83 which sit on top of the floor liner 84 of the present invention . fig9 shows a similar view , except that this view shows more detail of the wheels and less detail of the cooking equipment . note that some of the tracks include a flange 85 which extends generally perpendicularly to the floor . the preferred arrangement is to provide the tracks 91 without the flange , as is shown in fig9 , but either version can be used , within the scope of the invention . the process described above may be replaced by a more automated process . for example , one can bond a continuous sheet or roll of coated kraft paper with a continuous sheet or roll of non - woven fabric . the bonded structure can then be cut into the desired size . finally , the cut - outs and folds are formed , to produce the desired floor liner . a more preferred embodiment is illustrated in the top view of fig1 . in this embodiment , the opposing edges of the liner are not folded over . instead , there is provided a u - shaped track , comprising three metal strips 101 , 102 , 103 . the strips are welded together , such that the u - shaped track defines a unitary structure . the u - shaped track is laid down onto the floor liner , and holds the liner in place , while also providing means for supporting the wheels of a kitchen appliance . in particular , the strips 101 and 103 define tracks for the wheels of a kitchen appliance ( such as the appliance shown in fig8 and 9 ). the cross - piece 102 , being located along the front edge of the liner , holds that edge down , against the floor , and thereby eliminates the need to fold that edge over . the floor liner of the present invention therefore substantially enhances the cleanliness of a commercial or institutional kitchen . the liner catches and absorbs most or all of the grease or other materials dropped from a stove or other appliance . when the liner has become saturated , meaning that it can no longer effectively absorb more grease , it can be easily removed and replaced by another liner . the invention can be modified in various ways , as will be apparent to the reader skilled in the art . for example , the exact configuration of the metal tracks can be varied , to accommodate different configurations of kitchen equipment . the choice of kraft paper , and the choice of the non - woven fabric , can be varied . the shape of the floor liner can be altered to suit the requirements of space , and to suit different configurations of kitchen equipment . such modifications should be considered within the spirit and scope of the following claims . | 1 |
fig1 illustrates switch 100 in one embodiment of the present invention . switch 100 includes switching backplane 102 driven by switching modules 104 , 106 , and 108 , where switching module 104 is coupled to host device 110 , switching module 106 is coupled to host device 112 , and switching module 108 is coupled to host device 114 . additionally , switching modules 104 and 106 are coupled to each other by control path 116 and switching modules 106 and 108 are coupled to each other by control path 118 . each module 104 , 106 , and 108 interfaces with backplane 102 over data path 120 , 122 , and 124 , respectively , to transmit packet data to backplane 102 and receive packet data from the backplane 102 . for example , host device 110 preferably determines whether a destination device is on the same ip or ipx network by comparing its layer 3 addresses to the destination layer 3 address . if the destination address comparison indicates that the destination device is on the same network , an address resolution protocol ( arp ) message is sent from host 110 to retrieve the layer 2 address of the destination , and bridging is used to transmit the packet data . if the destination device is not on the same network , an arp message is sent to retrieve the layer 2 default media access control ( mac ) address of the first router which will lead to the destination device , and routing is used to transmit the packet data . in the latter case , while the layer 2 default mac address constantly changes to reflect the next router address leading to the destination device , the layer 3 up destination address preferably stays constant to reflect where the packet is going . fig2 is a block diagram of switching module 200 , which may be similar to switching module 104 of fig1 . switching module 200 preferably has a source learning capability , which will be described in reference to fig2 . module 200 includes access controller 202 coupled to switching controller 204 . access controller 202 receives packets from host devices , operates on them , and transmits them to switching controller 204 . access controller 202 also receives packets from switching controller 204 , operates on them , and transmits them to host devices . switching controller 204 is not only coupled to access controller 202 but is coupled to queue controller 206 as well . switching controller 204 , similar to access controller 202 , receives packets from access controller 202 , processes them , and transmits them to queue controller 206 . switching controller 204 also receives packets from queue controller 206 , processes them , and transmits them to access controller 202 . queue controller 206 includes unicast packet buffer ( upb ) 218 , multicast packet buffer ( mpb ) 220 and lock table 222 . queue controller 206 is coupled to many elements , including source address resolution element ( sare ) 208 , destination address resolution element ( dare ) 210 , unicast queue 212 , multicast queue 214 , queue identification ( qid ) 216 , and source learning element 224 ( where source learning element 224 is coupled to software table 226 and pseudocam ( pcam ) 228 , which may be implemented in hardware , software , or both ). queue controller 206 preferably receives a data packet from switching controller 204 , sare 208 determines whether the source address is known for the packet , dare 210 determines whether the destination address is known for the packet , and qid 216 assigns a port number , priority , and bandwidth to the packet . then , queue controller 206 stores the packet in unicast queue 212 or multicast queue 214 to be transmitted when its priority for the particular port is reached . one embodiment of the present invention is a novel source learning technique using multiple switching modules coupled together on a single backplane . the single backplane architecture preferably allows for source learning and transmitting determinations to be made for packets having different source and destination conditions in a single - path . packets with a known source address and a known destination address preferably are not sent to a source learning element and are transmitted to a unicast queue for transmission and forwarding . packets with an unknown source address and a known destination address preferably are sent to the source learning element for source learning and concurrently transmitted to a unicast queue for transmission and forwarding . packets with a known source address and an unknown destination address preferably are not sent to the source learning element and are transmitted to a multicast queue for transmission and forwarding . packets with an unknown source and an unknown destination preferably are sent to the source learning element for source learning and concurrently transmitted to a multicast queue for transmission and forwarding . therefore , the source learning technique in this embodiment preferably processes the following four categories of packets in a single flow path : ( 1 ) known source address and known destination address ; ( 2 ) unknown source address and known destination address ; ( 3 ) known source address and unknown destination address ; and ( 4 ) unknown source address and unknown destination address . in the case where the destination address is known , flow integrity typically is not an issue since the unicast queue normally is the only queue being used . in other embodiments , the source learning technique may use more than one flow path to process the four categories of packets . referring to fig3 , a packet is received at queue controller 206 ( 302 ) from switching controller 204 . upon receiving the packet , a lookup operation is performed to determine the source address in sare 208 ( 304 ). if the source address is not found ( 306 ), the packet is tagged for source learning in source learning element 224 ( 308 ). if the source address is found ( 306 ), a lookup operation is performed to determine the destination address in dare 210 ( 310 ). if the destination address is not found ( 312 ), the packet is defined for flooding ( 314 ) and source learning element 224 is notified ( 316 ) so that it can search for the destination address in the switching modules . if the destination address is found ( 312 ), as is the case here , the packet may follow one of the following three paths depending on the state of the destination address : last multicast packet path , first unicast packet path , and neither last multicast nor first unicast packet path . these paths ensure flow integrity for the packets . as a result , all multicast packets preferably are transmitted to this destination address before any unicast packets are transmitted there . once the packet is found to have both its source and destination addresses associated with a port , queue controller 206 preferably performs a check to see if the flow state is marked as the last multicast packet ( 318 ). if the flow state is marked as the last multicast packet , thus indicating that the packet is defined for flooding ( 320 ), a lock bit is set in multicast packet buffer ( mpb ) 220 ( 322 ) internal to queue controller 206 , and the flow state is changed from “ last multicast packet ” to “ first unicast packet ” ( 324 ). in such state , the packet is still flooded . thus , referring to fig5 , qid 216 preferably defines the port for flooding and subsequently finds the priority and bandwidth to be applied to the packet ( 502 ). additionally , to ensure that all multicast packets are transmitted to this destination address before any unicast packets are transmitted there , a lock bit in lock table 222 internal to queue controller 206 is set ( 504 ) when the lock bit is set in mpb 220 ( 506 ). if the lock bit is not set in mpb 220 , the lock bit is not set in lock table 222 ( 506 ). in either case , the packet is thereafter stored in multicast queue 214 until the bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 508 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , the packet is transmitted ( 510 ), the lock bit is cleared in lock table 222 ( 510 ) and the packet is tested to see if the source address is known ( 512 ). in this case , nothing more is done since the source address is known ( 514 ). if the source address were unknown , the packet would be sent to source learning element 224 ( 516 ). referring to fig3 , if the flow state is not marked as the last multicast packet ( 318 ), a test is performed to see if the flow state is marked as the first unicast packet ( 326 ). if , as in this case , the flow state is marked as the first unicast packet , a lock bit is set in a unicast packet buffer ( upb ) 218 ( 328 ). next , qid 216 preferably defines the port , priority , and bandwidth for the packet ( 330 ) and the packet is stored in unicast queue 212 until bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 332 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , a check preferably is performed to see if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear ( 334 ). if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear , the packet is transmitted ( 336 ). as is the case here , the lock bit in the upb 218 is set , and consequently , a test is performed to see if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear ( 338 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear , the packet is transmitted ( 336 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is not clear , the packet is buffered until it is cleared by the transmission of the last multicast packet ( 340 ). once the last multicast packet has been transmitted , then this packet is transmitted ( 336 ). referring to fig3 , if the flow state is not marked as a last multicast packet or first unicast packet , the packet is forwarded to qid 216 so that the port , priority , and bandwidth can be defined for the packet ( 330 ) and the packet will be stored in unicast queue 212 until bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 332 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , a check preferably is performed to see if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear ( 334 ). if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear , as is the case here , the packet is transmitted ( 336 ). if the lock bit in the upb 218 is set , a test is performed to see if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear ( 338 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear , the packet is transmitted ( 336 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is not clear , the packet is buffered until the lock bit in lock table 222 is cleared by the transmission of the last multicast packet ( 340 ). once the last multicast packet has been transmitted , then this packet is transmitted ( 336 ). referring to fig3 , a packet is received at queue controller 206 ( 302 ) from switching controller 204 . upon receiving the packet , a lookup operation is performed to determine the source address in sare 208 ( 304 ). if the source address is found ( 306 ), a lookup operation is performed to find the destination address ( 310 ). if the source address is not found ( 306 ), as is the case here , the packet is tagged for source learning in source learning element 224 ( 308 ). referring to fig4 , after the packet is tagged for source learning ( 308 ), it is further processed so that a destination lookup ( 402 ) can be performed in dare 210 . if the destination address is not found ( 404 ), the packet is defined for flooding ( 406 ) and source learning 224 is notified so that it can search for the destination address ( 408 ). if the destination address is found , which is the case here , the packet may follow one of the following three paths depending on the state of the destination address : last multicast packet path , first unicast packet path , and neither last multicast nor first unicast packet path . these paths ensure flow integrity for the packets . as a result , all multicast packets preferably are transmitted to this destination address before any unicast packets . once the packet is found to have an unknown source address and a known destination address , queue controller 206 preferably performs a check to see if the flow state is marked as the last multicast packet ( 410 ). if the flow state is marked as the last multicast packet , thus indicating that the packet is defined for flooding ( 412 ), a lock bit is set in mpb 220 ( 414 ) internal to queue controller 206 and the flow state is changed from last multicast packet to first unicast packet ( 416 ). in such state , the packet is still flooded . thus , referring to fig5 , qid 216 preferably defines the port for flooding and subsequently finds the priority and bandwidth to be applied to the packet ( 502 ). additionally , to ensure that all multicast packets are transmitted to this destination address before any unicast packets are transmitted to this destination address , a lock bit in lock table 222 internal to queue controller 206 is set ( 504 ) when the lock bit is set in mpb 220 ( 506 ). if the lock bit is not set in mpb 220 , the lock bit is not set in lock table 222 ( 506 ). in either case , the packet is thereafter stored in multicast queue 214 until bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 508 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , the packet is transmitted ( 510 ), the lock bit is cleared in lock table 222 ( 510 ) and the packet is tested to see if the source address is known ( 512 ). in this case , the source address is unknown and the packet is sent to source learning 224 ( 516 ) so that its source address can be associated with its particular port . referring to fig7 , a request is received by source leaning 224 to learn a source address ( 702 ). upon processing the request , a layer 2 source mac which relates to a port is stored in a software table 226 ( 704 ). this software table 226 may be used for many things , for example , source learning 224 may use it to inform its own and / or other switching modules of a new source address and / or source learning 224 may use it to allow access for its own and / or other modules to read and / or write to the software table 226 . thereafter , source learning software in source learning element 224 will place the source mac in a hardware table pseudo cam 228 ( 706 ) and then will wait for another request to perform source learning . if the source address were known , the packet would not be sent to source learning element 224 ( 514 ) and nothing more would be done . referring to fig4 , if the flow state is not marked as the last multicast packet ( 410 ), a test is performed to see if the flow state is marked as the first unicast packet ( 418 ). if , as in this case , the flow state is marked as the first unicast packet , the lock bit is set in upb 218 ( 420 ). next , qid 216 defines the port , priority , and bandwidth for the packet ( 422 ) and the packet will be stored in unicast queue 212 until bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 424 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , a check preferably is performed to see if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear ( 426 ). if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear , the packet is transmitted ( 428 ) and sent to source learning element 224 ( 430 ). as is the case here , the lock bit in the upb 218 is set , and consequently , a test is performed to see if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear ( 432 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear , the packet is transmitted ( 428 ) and sent to source learning 224 ( 430 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is not clear , the packet is buffered until the lock bit in lock table 222 is cleared by the transmission of the last multicast packet ( 434 ). once the last multicast packet has been transmitted , then this packet is transmitted ( 428 ) and sent to source learning element 224 ( 430 ). the packet is sent to source learning 224 ( 700 ) so that its source address can be associated with its particular port . referring to fig7 , a request is received by source learning 224 to learn a source address ( 702 ). upon processing the request , a layer 2 source mac which relates to a port is stored in a software table 226 ( 704 ). this software table 226 may be used for many things , for example , source learning 224 may use it to inform its own and / or other switching modules of a new source address and / or source learning 224 may use it to allow access for its own and / or other modules to read and / or write to the software table 226 . thereafter , source learning software in source learning element 224 will place the source mac in a hardware table pseudo cam 228 ( 706 ) and then will wait for another request to perform source learning . referring to fig4 , if the flow state is not marked as a last multicast packet or first unicast packet , the packet preferably is forwarded to qid 216 so that the port , priority , and bandwidth can be defined for the packet ( 422 ) and the packet is stored in unicast queue 212 until bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 424 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , a check preferably is performed to see if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear ( 426 ). if the lock bit in upb 218 is clear , as is the case here , the packet is transmitted ( 428 ) and sent to source learning element 224 ( 430 ). if the lock bit in the upb 218 is set , a test is performed to see if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear ( 432 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is clear , the packet is transmitted ( 428 ) and sent to source learning element 224 ( 430 ). if the lock bit in lock table 222 is not clear , the packet is buffered until the lock bit in lock table 222 is cleared by the transmission of the last multicast packet ( 434 ). once the last multicast packet has been transmitted , then this packet is transmitted ( 428 ) and sent to source learning element 224 ( 430 ). the packet is sent to source learning 224 ( 700 ) so that its source address can be associated with its particular port . referring to fig7 , a request is received by source learning 224 to learn a source address ( 702 ). upon processing the request , a layer 2 source mac which relates to a port is stored in a software table 226 ( 704 ). this software table 226 may be used for many things , for example , source learning 224 may use it to inform its own and / or other switching modules of a new source address and / or source learning 224 may use it to allow access for its own and / or other modules to read and / or write to the software table 226 . thereafter , source learning software in source learning element 224 will place the source mac in a hardware table pseudo cam 228 ( 706 ) and then will wait for another request to perform source learning . referring to fig3 , a packet is received at queue controller 206 ( 302 ). upon receiving the packet , a lookup operation is performed to determine the source address 208 ( 304 ). if the source address is not found ( 306 ), the packet is tagged for source learning in source learning element 224 ( 308 ). if the source address is found ( 306 ), as is the case here , a lookup operation is performed to determine the destination address in dare 210 ( 310 ). if the destination address is found ( 312 ), a check is performed to see if the flow state is marked as a last multicast packet ( 318 ). if the destination address is not found ( 312 ), as is the case here , the packet is defined for flooding ( 314 ) and source learning element 224 is notified so that it can search for the destination address in the switching modules ( 316 ). referring to fig6 , source learning element 224 receives a request to find the destination address ( 602 ). once the request has been received , source learning element 224 uses its software to look in its own modules and others to find the destination address ( 604 ). if the destination address is not found ( 606 ), the flood of packets are allowed to continue ( 608 ), a request to find the destination is again received ( 602 ), the software is used to search for the destination address ( 604 ), and a test is performed to see if the destination address was found this time ( 606 ). this process preferably continues until the destination address is found . if the destination address is found , qid 216 defines a port , priority , and bandwidth for the packet ( 610 ), an entry is created in pcam 228 for the new destination address ( 612 ), and the flow state is set to last multicast ( 614 ) so that the last remaining packet is transmitted to this destination over multicast queue 214 before the first unicast packet is transmitted to this destination over unicast queue 2122 . referring to fig5 , after the packet is defined for flooding ( 314 ) and source learning element 224 is notified so that it can search for the destination address in the switching modules ( 316 ), qid 216 defines the port for flooding and subsequently finds the priority and bandwidth to be applied to the packet ( 502 ). additionally , to ensure that all multicast packets are transmitted to this destination address before any unicast packets are transmitted there , a lock bit in lock table 222 internal to queue controller 206 is set ( 504 ) when the lock bit is set in mpb 220 ( 506 ). if the lock bit is not set in pub 220 , then the lock bit in lock table 222 is not set ( 506 ). in either case , the packet is thereafter stored in a multicast queue 214 until bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 508 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , the packet is transmitted ( 510 ), the lock bit is cleared in lock table 222 ( 510 ), and the packet is tested to see if the source address is known ( 512 ). in this case , the source address is known and nothing more is done ( 514 ). if the source address is unknown , the packet is sent to source learning element 224 ( 516 ) so that the source address can be associated with its particular port . referring to fig3 , a packet is received at queue controller 206 ( 302 ). upon receiving the packet , a lookup operation is performed to determine the source address 208 ( 304 ). if the source address is found ( 306 ), a lookup operation is performed to determine the destination address ( 310 ). if the source address is not found ( 306 ), as is the case here , the packet is tagged for source learning in source learning element 224 ( 308 ). referring to fig4 , after the packet is tagged for source learning ( 308 ), it is further processed so that a destination lookup ( 402 ) can be performed in dare 210 . if the destination is found , the packet may follow one of three paths , depending on the state of the destination address . if the destination address is not found ( 404 ), as is the case here , the packet is defined for flooding ( 406 ) and source learning 224 is notified so that it can search for the destination address ( 408 ). referring to fig6 , source learning element 224 receives a request to find the destination address ( 602 ). once received , source learning element 224 uses its software to look in its own modules and others to find the destination address ( 604 ). if the destination address is not found ( 606 ), the flooding of packets is allowed to continue ( 608 ), a request to find the destination is again received ( 602 ), the software is used to search for the destination address ( 604 ), and a test is performed to see if the destination address was found this time ( 606 ). this process preferably continues until the destination address is found . if the destination address is found , qid 216 defines a port , priority , and bandwidth for the packet ( 610 ), an entry is created in pcam 228 for the new destination address ( 612 ), and the flow state is set to last multicast ( 614 ) so that the last remaining packet is transmitted over multicast queue 214 before the first unicast packet is transmitted over unicast queue 212 . referring to fig5 , after the packet is defined for flooding ( 314 ) and source learning element 224 is notified so that it can search for the destination address in the switching modules ( 316 ), qid 216 will define the port for flood and will subsequently find the priority and bandwidth to be applied to the packet ( 502 ). additionally , to make sure all multicast packets are transmitted to this destination address before any unicast packets are transmitted to this destination address , a lock bit in lock table 222 internal to queue controller 206 is set ( 504 ) when the lock bit is set in mpb 220 ( 506 ). if the lock bit is not set in mpb 220 , then the lock bit in lock table 222 is not set ( 506 ). in either case , the packet is thereafter stored in a multicast queue 214 until bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port ( 508 ). once bandwidth is available at the specified priority for the port , the packet is transmitted ( 510 ), the lock bit is cleared in lock table 222 ( 510 ), and the packet is tested to see if the source address is known ( 512 ). in this case , the source address is unknown and the packet is sent to source learning 224 ( 516 ) so that its source address can be associated with its particular port . referring to fig7 , a request is received by source learning 224 to learn a source address ( 702 ). upon processing the request , a layer 2 source mac which relates to a port is stored in a software table 226 ( 704 ). this software table 226 may be used for many things , for example , source learning 224 may use it to inform its own and / or other switching modules of a new source address and / or source learning 224 may use it to allow access for its own and / or other modules to read and / or write to the software table 226 . thereafter , source learning software in source learning element 224 will place the source mac in a hardware table pseudo cam 228 ( 706 ) and then will wait for another request to perform source learning . if the source address were known , the packet would not be sent to source learning element 224 ( 514 ) and nothing more would be done . it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character hereof . the present description is therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims , and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein . | 7 |
the vibration plate according to fig1 and 2 has a ground - contact plate 1 on which an oscillation generator 2 is fastened . in the case of the exemplary embodiment , the oscillation generator is a double - shaft oscillation generator with two unbalanced shafts which are arranged parallel to one another and one beside the other in a horizontal plane , extend perpendicular to the advancement direction of the vibration plate and whose mutual phase can be changed under control by the operator , in a manner which is not illustrated specifically , during operation of the generator , such that the vector of the directed oscillation which is generated by said shafts can be changed continuously between a position in which a positive angle is enclosed by the vector and the vertical and a position in which a negative angle is enclosed by the vector and the vertical , with the result that the vibration plate can be operated , as desired , with forward motion , when stationary , and with rearward motion . it would also be possible to achieve forced forward motion and rearward motion of the vibration plate if use were made , instead of the double - shaft oscillation generator 2 , of a single - shaft oscillation generator , a so - called eccentrically loaded rotating shaft , in which the direction of rotation of the unbalanced shaft can be switched over . supported on the ground - contact plate 1 , via springs 3 , e . g . buffers made of elastic material , is a top mass 4 , which includes a motor 6 , e . g . an internal combustion engine , which is fastened on the frame 5 of the top mass 4 and drives the oscillation generator 2 in a manner which is not illustrated specifically , e . g . via a belt drive . as the design dictates , the top mass 4 is of a considerably greater weight than the bottom mass , which essentially comprises the ground - contact plate 1 and the oscillation generator 2 , and it thus remains virtually at rest in relation to the bottom mass , which vibrates with a considerable amplitude during operation . the vibration plate according to fig1 and 2 can be guided manually by means of a control bar 7 . an essentially rigid sole - retaining means 8 is fastened releasably , e . g . screw - connected by screws 9 , at one of its ends on that end face of the top mass 4 which is leading when the apparatus is moving forward , and said sole - retaining means extends from the top mass 4 , in the vicinity of the ground - contact plate 1 , until it is located in front of the latter at the end face . fastened at this particular end of the sole - retaining means 8 is one end of a sole mat 10 which is made of elastic material and extends from the sole - retaining means 8 beneath the ground - contact plate 1 , over the entire length of the latter . the sole mat 10 , which , in the case of the exemplary embodiment illustrated , is thus fastened at its end face which is leading when the vibration plate is moving forward , is provided on the sole - retaining means 8 symmetrically with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane lm of the ground - contact plate 1 . the angle α at which the sole mat 10 extends beneath the ground - contact plate 1 from the point at which it is fastened on the sole - retaining means 8 is selected as a function of the material properties , for example the modulus of elasticity and the thickness , such that the sole mat 10 is also carried along with a pushing action in the advancement direction of the vibration plate , i . e . in this case when the latter is moving rearward , and thus remains in the stretched - out position beneath the ground - contact plate 1 . | 4 |
referring more particularly to the drawings , fig1 illustrates a fragmentary portion of an updraft carburetor of the type used on normally aspirated aircraft engines , with the carburetor being indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 , and with the aircraft engine not being shown . as is well known in the art , the carburetor 10 includes a mounting flange 11 for mounting thereof to an engine ( not shown ), and is provided with the usual fuel reservoir bowl 12 and fuel inlet boss 13 to which a suitable fuel inlet line 14 is connected . a typical carburetor of this type , such as the one manufactured by the marvel schebler company , a division of the borg warner corp . of decatur , ill . and including those carburetors identified by the model nos . ma3 , ma4 and ma4 - 5 , also includes a mixture control valve in the form of a rotary gate valve 15 by which the fuel - air mixture ratio setting of the carburetor is controlled . for completeness of this description , the mixture control valve 15 of the carburetor 10 will now be described in detail , with it being understood that this description will not include the description of the mechanism of the present invention as that latter description will follow the description of the mixture control valve 15 . as seen best in fig1 and 6 , the mixture control valve 15 of the carburetor 10 includes an elongated shaft 16 rotatably mounted in the top or cover casting 17 of the carburetor 10 with the shaft 16 having one end extending into the fuel bowl 12 , with that end of the rotatable shaft 16 having a tubular sleeve 18 mounted thereon . the sleeve 18 is fixed for rotation with the shaft 16 and has an axially extending slot 19 formed therein . the sleeve 18 , which will hereinafter be referred to as the rotatable sleeve , is coaxially nestably positioned in upwardly opening bore of a fixed sleeve 20 which is mounted in the bottom of the fuel bowl 12 so as to be in communication with the internal fuel passages ( not shown ) of the carburetor 10 . the fixed sleeve 20 is also provided with an axially extending slot 22 so that rotation of the rotary sleeve 18 in the bore of the fixed sleeve 20 will appropriately position the slots 19 and 22 relative to each other so as to meter the flow of fuel from the bowl 12 into the fuel delivery passages ( not shown ) of the carburetor 10 . the other end of the rotatable shaft 16 extends from the cover 17 of the carburetor 10 and has a crank lever 24 demountably attached thereto , with a spring 25 ( fig3 ) being coaxially mounted on that extending end of the shaft 16 between the cover 17 and the lever 24 to bias the mixture control valve 15 into a desired operating position . the crank lever 24 has a body portion 26 with a bore 27 formed therethrough and is provided with a slot 28 extending radially from the bore 28 between a pair of laterally extending ears 29 and 30 . a suitable screw 31 , having a locking washer 32 , is loosely carried in a bore 33 ( fig2 ) formed transversely through the ear 29 , and is threadingly mounted in a threaded bore 34 ( fig3 ) transversely formed in the ear 30 so that threaded movement of the screw 31 will move the ears 29 and 30 toward or away from each other to demountably clamp the rotatable shaft 16 in the bore 27 of the crank lever 24 . a stop pin 36 is integrally formed on the laterally extending ear 30 so as to depend therefrom . as will hereinafter be described , the mixture control valve 15 is rotatable through an arc of somewhat less than 90 ° between full lean and full rich fuel - air mixture settings , and the stop pin 36 limits the rotary movement of the mixture control valve 15 by moving between two separated points of engagement with the carburetor body . the crank lever 24 also has a laterally extending control arm 38 by which rotary movements of the mixture control valve 15 are produced and controlled from a remote location as will hereinafter be described in detail . in the absence of any mechanism connected to the control arm 38 , as will hereinafter be described , the mixture control valve 15 rotates in a clockwise direction toward the lean fuel - air mixture setting which is indicated on the carburetor body by the letter l in fig1 . such rotation is caused by gravitational forces and the normal engine vibrations acting on the crank lever 24 to move the laterally extending control arm 38 and stop pin 36 about the angularly disposed longitudinal axis of the rotatable shaft 16 . as is customary in installations of the carburetor 10 , the mixture control valve 15 is controlled by a conventional friction type cable assembly ( not shown ) which is coupled to the control arm 38 and extends into the cockpit of the airplane ( not shown ). in accordance with the present invention , the usual control cable ( not shown ) is replaced by a special control cable which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 40 in fig1 . the control cable 40 includes the usual elongated wire 41 which is suitably coupled on one end thereof to the control arm 38 such as by the locking means 42 . the wire 41 is slidably mounted in a flexible tubular housing 43 which is fixed to a cable locking housing 44 mounted on a suitable surface such as the instrument panel 45 of the aircraft . the opposite end of the wire 41 is coupled in the usual well known manner to the notched shank 46 of a pull knob 47 . such control cables are well known in the art and are of the positive locking type , which upon approximately a 90 ° rotation of the knob 47 will be free for sliding movement into or out of the cable locking housing 44 . rotation of the knob 47 back to its original position will lock the knob 47 , its shank 46 and the wire 41 against unwanted movement . as hereinbefore described , cable failure creates a safety hazard in that the mixture control valve 15 will move to the lean fuel - air mixture setting upon such failure . in accordance with the present invention , such a safety hazard is eliminated by providing a biasing means which operates to cause the mixture control valve 15 to move toward the full rich fuel - air mixture setting . fig1 and 3 illustrate the preferred form of the biasing means as a concentrically wound coil spring 50 which is coaxially positioned to circumscribe the extending end of the rotatable shaft 16 . the outwardly positioned portion 51 of the coil spring 50 is bent so that it extends substantially radially therefrom and conforms to the irregular top surface to the carburetor cover casting 17 and is formed with a loop 52 on the end thereof . the portion 51 and end loop 52 form an anchor tail for the coil spring 50 which is secured in place by one of the screws 53 which are used to attach the carburetor cover casting 17 to the fuel bowl portion 12 . the inwardly disposed portion of the coil spring 50 is bent upwardly ( fig3 ) into a loop 55 which is positioned in the radial slot 28 of the crank lever 24 so as to wrap around the shank of the screw 31 which is employed to clampingly secure the crank lever 24 to the rotatable shaft 16 . the extreme free end 56 of the coil spring 50 is positioned so that it is received and captively retained in a transverse bore 57 formed adjacent the extending end of the rotatable shaft 16 . the coil spring 50 configured and mounted as described above will urge the mixture control valve 15 toward the full rich fuel - air mixture setting which is indicated by the letter r on the carburetor body in fig1 . it will be understood that the coil spring 50 can be wound so that the mixture control valve 15 will move to the full rich setting , or can alternately be wound so that the mixture control valve 15 will rotate to a position somewhat less than full rich , such as a three - quarter rich setting . it will , therefore , be seen that the fail - safe mixture control mechanism of the present invention comprises biasing means for urging the mixture control valve 15 toward the full rich fuel - air mixture setting and a positive locking cable means for setting and positively holding the mixture control valve 15 at a desired setting . reference is now made to fig4 and 5 wherein a second embodiment of the biasing means is shown to include a linear actuator which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 60 . the linear actuator 60 includes a cylindrical housing 61 in which a piston 62 is slidingly reciprocally mounted , and the piston has a piston rod 63 integrally formed thereon . the piston rod 63 is provided with an eye 64 on the extending end thereof which circumscribes the stop pin 36 of the crank lever 24 . the piston rod 63 is urged to the extended position , solid lines in fig4 by a first spring 65 mounted in the housing 61 so as to exert a biasing force on one side of the piston 62 . a damper spring 66 is mounted within the cylindrical housing 61 so as to engage the opposite side of the piston 62 to provide a dash - pot effect . the bore of the cylindrical housing 61 may be filled with any suitable fluid such as air , oil or the like which will migrate from one side of the piston 62 to the other during operation of the linear actuator 60 by means of a suitable orifice 67 formed through the piston 62 . the linear actuator 60 is mounted on the carburetor 10 by a bracket 68 which has a suitable loop structure 69 formed on one end thereof which grippingly engages the periphery of the cylindrical housing 61 . the opposite end 70 of the bracket 68 is grippingly held between fuel inlet line fittings 14 and the fuel inlet boss 13 of the carburetor 10 . reference is now made to fig6 wherein a third embodiment of the biasing means is shown as a coil spring 74 which is mounted internally of the carburetor 10 . as is customary , the cover casting 17 of the carburetor 10 has the fuel float assembly 75 ( partially shown ) pivotably suspended therefrom by a pivot pin 76 carried in a suitable yolk 77 . the yolk 77 is affixed to the under surface of the cover casting 17 by screws 78 ( one shown ). one end of the spring 74 is formed with a loop 79 which is captively retained under one of the screws 78 , and the spring coils downwardly from the loop 79 coaxially around the rotatable shaft 16 of the mixture control valve 15 . the other end 80 of the coil spring 74 is affixed to the rotatable shaft 16 by being captively retained in a transverse bore 81 formed in the rotatable sleeve 18 of the mixture control valve . while the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrated embodiment , there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art , many modifications of structure , arrangements , proportions , the elements , materials , and components used in the practice of the invention , and otherwise , which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operation requirements without departing from those principles . the appended claims are therefore intended to cover and embrace any such modifications within the limits only of the true spirit and scope of the invention . | 5 |
gesture control is gaining attention in the medical market due to advantages such as touch - free control , which is important for maintaining sterility , intuitive control , improved workflow and the like . gesture control robustness , however , depends on the amount of sensor data and the type of sensor : e . g a camera - based system suffers line - of - sight issues . that is to say , the camera must have an unobstructed view on the tracked object , e . g . the arm or hand of a person . an ultrasound based system is useful only for short range applications . for most sensor approaches it is difficult to track , for example , the entire arm of an operator . fig1 schematically illustrates one principle used in the present invention where an optical fiber is used as an optical shape sensing device . in practice , optical fiber 20 may be any type of optical fiber suitable for optically tracking elongated device . examples of optical fiber 20 include , but are not limited to , a flexible optically transparent glass or plastic fiber incorporating an array of fiber bragg gratings integrated along a length of the fiber as known in the art , and a flexible optically transparent glass or plastic fiber having naturally variations in its optic refractive index occurring along a length of the fiber as known in the art ( e . g ., a rayleigh scattering based optical fiber ). optical fiber 20 may be a single core fiber or preferably , a multi - core fiber . overall fig1 schematically illustrates the principles of a system 10 for optical frequency domain reflectometry using a tuneable light source 30 and a fiber - optic interferometer . the output of the light source 30 travels through a splitter 40 which directs a part of the signal into a reference arm 50 and the remaining part of the signal into a sample arm 60 which illuminates and receives the light reflected at the area 70 . the interference between the signal returned from the reference arm and the signal returned from the sample - arm is detected with a square - law photo detector 80 while the wavelength of the monochromatic source is swept and the path lengths of the reference and sample arm are held constant . the axial reflectivity profile ( a - line ) is obtained by discrete fourier transform ( dft ) of the sampled detector signals . in practice , elongated device 20 may be any type of device suitable for embedding an optical fiber therein for purposes of optically tracking the elongated device . examples of elongated device 20 include , but are not limited to , an endoscope of any type , a catheter and a guide wire . further the elongated device 20 may be embedded or attached to a garment . in practice , optical interrogation console 30 , including the light source , may be any device or system structurally configured for transmitting light to optical fiber 20 or 60 and receiving reflected light from optical fiber 20 or 60 . in one embodiment , optical interrogation console 30 employs an optical fourier domain reflectometer and other appropriate electronics / devices as known in the art . fig2 schematically illustrates a garment 100 worn by a health care person to be monitored . the garment 100 comprises an optical shape sensing device 110 affixed to and running throughout the garment 100 so that shape changes and / or movement of a part of the garment 100 is reflected as a shape change in the optical shape sensing device 110 , wherein the optical shape sensing device 110 is sewed up in , or affixed to , the garment 100 so as to monitor motion . this allows unobstructed monitoring of the person using the garment 100 whereby detection of specific movement patters is possible . in fig2 the garment 100 is a surgical gown and the optical shape sensing device 110 is located in one arm of the surgical gown . fiber - optic shape sensing 110 when contained in a flexible substrate such as textile of a garment can be used to track gestures of an operator wearing the sensing enabled garment . if the shape sensor is embedded e . g . in the arm sleeve of the operating apron , the entire arm can be tracked without any sensor limitation such as line - of - sight , or operating field size . the relative accuracy of optical shape sensing ( oss ) is good enough even at extended tether lengths of more than three meters for gesture control and movement pattern recognition , allowing for enough cable length to connect garment 100 . the garment 100 may be connected to equipment via the operating table 120 or directly to a control system . preferably the connection is via a cable 130 as there may be risks involved when using a wireless connection , but it is not excluded that the garment 100 , or optical shape sensing device 110 , may be connected wirelessly . another advantage of optical shape sensing especially compared to the more established time of flight ( tof ) technology is that even small deformation can be tracked . this is particularly important as one current problem of tof based gesture control is that large movements have to be performed to do the control which is difficult to accept in the operating room . this is not always desirable in operating theaters . the optical shape sensing device 110 comprises a flexible body having a cross - section being comparatively small relative to the length of the device , and the optical shape sensing device 110 is configured to determine a shape of flexible body relative to a reference , the shape sensing device 110 configured to collect information based on its configuration to track movement and / or current shape of the flexible body . this is also possible via the arrangement illustrated in fig1 . gestures can also be detected based on detecting maneuvers of tracked medical devices . e . g . a shape sensing enabled catheter could be used to trigger an infusion if the physician performs specific actions such as clockwise rotation by 180 degrees or fast movements detectable by applying pattern recognition approaches . fig3 is a schematic illustration of a surgical instrument 200 comprising an optical shape sensing device 210 disposed within the surgical instrument 200 and configured to determine a shape and / or position of the surgical instrument 200 relative to a reference , the optical shape sensing device 200 configured to collect information based on its configuration to during a procedure . in an advantageous embodiment the surgical instrument 200 is a flexible instrument including a catheter and / or a guidewire . such instruments are commonly used by surgeons and the added feature of being able to control functions of the instrument without having to let go of the instrument is an improvement of the safety when operating . as with the garment 100 , the surgical instrument 200 further comprises a connector for connecting to a control computing device 230 generating gesture events based on position information from the optical shape sensing device . preferably the instrument 200 is connected to a system via a cable 240 . for further improvement of safety is it possible to restrict the system so that the shape sensing 210 can be used for identification purposes : e . g . only when the tracked hand of the interventional cardiologist holds the end of a tracked ablation catheter the ablation procedure can be activated while all other personnel touching the catheter cannot activate it . fig4 schematically illustrates a gesture pattern recognition system 300 comprising a garment 310 to be worn by a human to be monitored , the garment 310 comprising an optical shape sensing device 320 affixed to and running throughout the garment 310 so that shape changes and / or movements of a part of the garment 310 are reflected as shape changes in the optical shape sensing device 320 , wherein the optical shape sensing device 320 are sewed up in , or affixed to , the garment 310 so as to monitor motion , the shape gesture pattern recognition system 300 comprising a processor 330 receiving a signal from the optical shape sensing device 320 and the shape gesture pattern recognition system 300 generating a gesture event based on the signal from the optical shape sensing device 320 . the system is especially suitable for use in a surgical room setting . the optical shape sensing device 320 allows for tracking of movement of the person wearing the garment 310 and the system as a whole may then be used for monitoring if / when the person wishes to issue a command or instruction to a computing device , such as an image display device . the system 300 provides accurate and robust monitoring of movement without limitations of line of sight . a similar system may be defined , with reference fig3 , wherein a surgical instrument 200 comprising an optical shape sensing device 210 disposed within the surgical instrument 200 and configured to determine a shape and / or position of the surgical instrument 200 relative to a reference , is used . the optical shape sensing 210 device is then connected 240 to a processor 230 in the shape gesture pattern recognition system to collect information based on a signal from the optical shape sensing device 210 relating to the configuration of the instrument 200 to during a procedure , the shape gesture pattern recognition system creating gesture events based on the signal . the person using the system may then issue commands to the pattern recognition system so as to operate further functions in the instrument or an external system such as an image viewing system . fig5 schematically illustrates steps of a method 400 for controlling a gesture pattern recognition system comprising an object with an optical shape sensing device , wherein the shape gesture pattern recognition system is configured to determine a shape and / or position of the object relative to a reference , the method comprising the steps of detecting 410 a gesture pattern of the object , determining 420 if the gesture pattern of the object corresponds to one of a set of recognized gestures , if the gesture pattern is recognized generating a gesture event based on the recognized gesture , and operating 430 a device based on the gesture event . the method may be used in connection with a garment 310 and the optical shape sensing device 320 is then integrated or affixed to the garment 310 , the method may then further comprise detecting gesture patters of the person wearing the garment . alternatively the method 400 may be used in connection with a surgical instrument 200 comprising an optical shape sensing device 210 disposed within the surgical instrument and configured to determine a shape and / or position of the surgical instrument relative to a reference , the optical shape sensing device configured to collect information based on its configuration to during a procedure . all embodiments described herein may further comprise a further step or device for initiating the gesture control . this could e . g . be a voice recognition system for detecting when an intended command is to be issued by the person wearing the garment or operating the instrument . this allows for improved security as the system or method will not misinterpret movements not related to a command as actual commands . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive ; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention , from a study of the drawings , the disclosure , and the appended claims . in the claims , the word “ comprising ” does not exclude other elements or steps , and the indefinite article “ a ” or “ an ” does not exclude a plurality . a single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims . the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage . a computer program may be stored / distributed on a suitable medium , such as an optical storage medium or a solid - state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware , but may also be distributed in other forms , such as via the internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems . any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope . | 6 |
in accordance with the invention , the heat insulation has an at least largely evacuated cavity with at least one radiation shield which is inserted into the heat flow . the evacuated cavity then prevents or impedes a heat flow from the storage cells to the outside by convection , while the radiation shield prevents heat losses due to radiation or at least reduces them to a large extent . the thermal conductivity of such a heat insulation is about 100 - times lower than for a heat insulation of glass wool with the same thickness . this is true particularly if , according to another embodiment of the invention , several radiation shields are inserted into the heat flow one after the other with spacing . in order to obtain the above - mentioned good heat retardation , the cavity should be evacuated at least so far that the residual gas pressure in the cavity is less than about 10 - 4 m bar . the following rule may be applied : the residual gas pressure may be chosen so that the mean free path of the atoms and molecules of the gas is approximately equal to the spacing of the radiation shields from each other . in order to maintain the vacuum , it may be advantageous to arrange a getter in the cavity . the cavity is advantageously formed between at least two boundary walls which surround the storage cell and between which the radiation shield is arranged . quite generally , it is best if the boundary walls consist of metal , particularly of metals with low thermal conductivity such as steels alloyed with nickel , or glass . thin foils of bare metal with low emittivity are preferably used as a radiation shield . such metals are , for instance , aluminum or nickel . in order to avoid contact of the boundary walls and / or further radiation shields , spacers are inserted at some points . to simplify the fabrication of the thermal insulation and to increase its stability , it is advantageous if the thermal insulation is composed of at least two , preferably equal insulation sections . cup - shaped insulation sections are particularly preferred , so that they can be fastened to each other at their rims . if the thermal insulation has electrically conducting boundary walls , then the insulation sections are advantageously connected to each other via at least one interposed electrical insulation . thereby , the supply and take - off of current to and from the storage cells becomes very simple because the electrical connection of these storage cells to the outside can be accomplished via the electrically conducting insulation sections . in another advantageous embodiment of the thermal insulation according to the invention , the entire battery interior to be insulated is an evacuated cavity with at least one outside wall . the storage cells are therefore arranged directly in the evacuated cavity which is tightly closed off from the outside by an outside wall . the radiation shield can advantageously be arranged in the cavity itself and conformed or fitted to the profile of the outside wall and spaced therefrom , or the radiation shield can be placed directly around the storage cell , spaced therefrom , and conformed or fitted to its profile . also with this embodiment in a simple construction , the outside wall consists substantially of at least two parts which are put together gastight , are advantageously cup - shaped and are connected to each other at their rims in a gastight manner . in many cases it is desirable to also be able to cool off a very well heat - insulated storage battery as rapidly as possible , for instance , for inspection and / or repair purposes . therefore , a particularly preferred further embodiment of the invention is one in which a gas can be admitted to the cavity . this gas largely cancels the effect of the thermal insulation , so that a strong heat flow from the storage cell to the outside takes place and the storage battery is thus cooled down very quickly . admitting gas to the cavity must , of course , be reversible , i . e ., it must be possible to remove the gas from the cavity to set the storage battery in operation , so as to restore the required insulating properties to the thermal insulation . in order to achieve this , it is advantageous to store the gas at the operating temperature of the storage cell in a solid - material storage device , to drive it out into the cavity by increasing the temperature of the solid - material storage device and to reabsorb it in the solid - material storage device upon cooling down . the solid - material storage device is advantageously equipped with a heater which can be controlled to vary the temperature of the storage device . such solid - material storage devices capable of absorbing gases in their crystal lattices and to so store them are known . if such a solid - material storage device is heated up , the gases are released by the crystal lattices and reabsorbed when cooled down to the starting condition . hydrogen can be used as a suitable gas in the present case and a body of palladium can serve as the solid - material storage device . it is preferred to make the thermal insulation with the profile of a circular cylinder , the outside diameter of which is approximately equal to the height of the heat insulation . an advantageous ratio of the surface to the volume surrounded by the insulation , is also obtained if the thermal insulation has approximately the shape of a cube . an advantageous ratio between the cost of the structure and the insulating effect is obtained if the cavity encloses more than six and fewer than twelve storage cells . for good utilization of space it is advantageous to arrange one storage cell approximately in the region of the vertical central axis of the cavity . further advantages of the invention will be seen from the following description of embodiment examples in conjunction with schematic drawings . like parts are provided with the same reference symbols in the individual figures . the electrochemical storage battery shown in fig1 and 2 has thermal insulation in the form of a circular cylinder 10 , which surrounds the interior 12 of the battery , where the cylindrical storage cells 14 are arranged . for the sake of simplifying the presentation , the storage cells are indicated here only in outline . the height of the storage cells is about 200 to 400 mm with a diameter of about 20 to 50 mm . the height of the thermal insulation 10 approximately corresponds to its diameter , whereby a favorable ratio of the surface of the thermal insulation to the volume enclosed by the thermal insulation is obtained . the thermal insulation is composed of two insulation sections 16 , 18 with a horizontal parting gap . each of these insulation sections 16 and 18 is cup - shaped and has two boundary walls 20 and 22 uniformly spaced , which are joined together at the cup rims . the two boundary walls 20 , 22 then enclose the cavity 24 which is evacuated to an extent that a residual gas pressure of less than 10 - 4 m bar prevails therein . in the cavity 24 are further provided several , and in particular , more than ten radiation shields 26 which are spaced from each other and from the boundary walls 20 , 22 and extend over the entire area of the cavity 24 , as can be seen from fig1 and 2 . as a rule , the radiation shields are flat and follow the profile of the boundary walls 20 , 22 , the spacing of which is approximately constant ; however , it is also possible to make the radiation shields corugated or wrinkled . in any event , it is important that the radiation shields do not touch each other and / or the boundary walls but have small spacing of , for instance , less than 1 mm . to ensure this spacing , spacers with low thermal conductivity can be inserted at some points , the number of which should be as small as possible in order to avoid thermal bridges . the spacing of the boundary walls is obtained from the number of the radiation shields and the spacings provided . the material of the boundary walls 20 , 22 is advantageously a metal with low thermal conductivity , i . e ., an iron alloy which contains nickel and chromium . thin polished metal foils which may consist , for instance , of aluminum are used as radiation shields . the cup - shaped insulation sections 16 and 18 each have at their rims outward - pointing flanges 28 which serve for fastening the two insulation sections 18 and 16 to each other , by means of fastening means , not shown . electrical insulation 30 in the form of an insulating ring is placed between the flanges 28 , so that there is no electrical connection of any kind between the insulation section 18 and the insulation section 16 . the storage cells 14 arranged in the interior of the battery are supported on the inner boundary wall 22 with the interposition of electrically conducting blocks 32 . here , the blocks 32 serve at the same time for the electrical connection of the outside surfaces of the storage cells 14 , which outside surfaces represent one electrical pole of the storage cells , to the lower insulation section 18 . the second electrical poles of the storage cells 14 , which are at the upper ends , are connected to each other via an electric wire 34 and are connected via the lead 36 to the inner boundary wall of the upper insulation section 16 in an electrically conducting manner . this makes possible a simple supply and take - off of current to the storage cells 14 via the insulation sections 16 and 18 . no separate leads which would have to go through the thermal insulation 10 , are necessary . the outer boundary wall 20 of the upper insulation section 16 has a bulge , so that the cavity 24 has an extension 38 . a solid - material storage device 40 in the form of a metal body , with a heater 42 as an electrical heating coil is accommodated in this extension 38 . a gas is embedded in the crystal lattice of the solid - material storage device . the gas can be driven out by heating . this process is reversible , i . e ., the driven - out gas is reabsorbed by the crystal lattice if the solid - material storage device is cooled down to its original temperature . palladium can serve for the solid - material storage device and hydrogen can be used as the gas . the lower insulation section 18 has an embodiment variant with respect to the arrangement of the solid - material storage device 40 . the solid - material storage device 40 is accommodated here in a tubular receptacle 44 , the interior of which is in communication with the cavity 24 via a pipe 46 . this embodiment variant is intended particularly for retrofitting . in a storage battery , both insulation sections 16 and 18 will , of course , be equipped with the same type of solid - material storage device , i . e ., both insulation sections will be made identical , which simplifies production . the storage cells 14 , which in the present embodiment example are of the sodium - and - sulfur type , require a temperature of about 300 ° c . for operation . in conjunction with the radiation shields 26 , the evacuated cavity 24 of the thermal insulation 10 provides excellent heat retardation , which is about 100 - times better than the heat retardation with a layer of rock wool or glass wool of the same thickness . the danger of undesired cooling - off is therefor very small . since a temperature rise to undesirably high values can occur during charging or discharging of the storage cell 14 due to its internal electric resistance , provision must be made to give off this excess heat to the environment in a simple manner . it must likewise be possible to cool down the storage cell 14 as quickly as possible for repair and / or inspection work . this purpose is served by the gas - charged solid - material storage devices 40 . this gas is embedded in the solid - material storage devices 40 at the operating temperature of the storage battery and the thermal insulation is thus fully effective . if now heat is to be given off by the storage cells to the outside , the solid - material storage devices 40 are heated up by means of the heaters 42 , so that the stored gas is driven out of the crystal lattice and enters the cavity 24 . in the process , it also fills , of course , the spaced formed between the individual radiation shields . this gas largely cancels the effect of the thermal insulation 10 by causing heat transport between the inner boundary wall 22 and the outer boundary wall 20 through convection , so that heat is removed from the storage cells 14 to the outside . for this purpose , it is necessary , of course , that the interior 12 of the battery also contains a gas , usually air , so as to make good heat transfer from the storage cells 14 to the inner boundary wall 22 possible . if the storage cells 14 are cooled down to the desired extent and the thermal insulation is to become effective again , the electric heater 42 is switched off again , so that the solid - material storage device 40 can cool down and reabsorb the gas in its crystal lattice . as a result , the cavity 24 is evacuated again and develops its full insulating effect . a cross section through an embodiment variant of a storage battery is shown in fig3 in which the cross section is taken similarly to the section ii -- ii of fig1 . the difference from fig1 or 2 is that the storage battery according to fig3 has a cube - like outline and the individual storage cells are arranged in rows in the interior 12 of the battery , while the storage cells 14 as per fig1 and 2 are arranged about a storage cell arranged in the center of the battery interior 12 . in fig4 and 5 , a further embodiment variant of a storage battery with thermal insulation 10 is shown . the outer boundary wall 50 is formed here by two identical cup - shaped metallic parts which are flanged at their horizontal rims 52 and are welded together to form a gastight joint . as in the embodiment example according to fig1 the radiation shields 60 are spaced from each other as well as spaced from the boundary wall 50 . an inner boundary wall such as is necessary in the embodiment example as per fig1 is not used in the present embodiment example , since in the present embodiment example , the entire interior 12 of the battery is evacuated and therefore serves as the evacuated cavity 54 . the storage cells 14 are arranged in this cavity 54 and are supported on the bottom of the thermal insulation 10 by means of the metallic conducting blocks 32 . the blocks 32 serve at the same time for supply and take - off of the electric current to one pole of the storage cells 14 . the current is fed here via the outer boundary wall 50 , as in the embodiment example according to fig1 . in order to prevent the thin radiation shields from being pushed together by the weight of the storage cells , spacers should be inserted , of course , between the individual radiation shields and the outer boundary wall , especially in the area of the blocks 32 . individual spacers are of advantage also in the other regions to hold the radiation shields in the intended position . the second poles of the storage cells 14 are connected to each other by an electric wire 34 , from which a section 58 leading to the outside is branched off . the line section 58 is inserted into the thermal insulation 10 in a gastight manner and brought out through an insulator 56 . a solid - material storage device 40 with its heater 42 is further provided in order to fill the evacuated cavity 54 with gas , in case it should be necessary under certain operating conditions to give off heat to the outside . fig6 shows an embodiment variant of the storage battery according to fig4 in a cross section which corresponds approximately to the section v -- v . here , too , the entire interior of the battery is evacuated and thus forms the cavity 54 . as in the embodiment example as per fig4 and 5 , this cavity 54 is closed off from the outside by the boundary wall 50 . in the present embodiment example , the radiation shields 62 are arranged around the individual storage cells 14 , as can clearly be seen from fig6 . regarding the fabrication and mounting of the radiation shields , this embodiment has advantages , since these radiation shields are made smaller than in the embodiment example of fig4 and 5 and can therefore be produced more easily . the advantages of the storage battery according to the invention come to bear particularly if the storage battery requires high temperatures for operation , such as is the case , for instance , in storage batteries of the sodium - and - sulfur type ( operating temperature about 300 ° c .). a very effective protection against heat losses is achieved , which can be cancelled if necessary . added to this is the fact that the weight and overall volume of the thermal insulation are small , which is of particular merit for vehicle batteries . | 7 |
the organosilicon compounds used in the invention preferably involve those containing units of the formula r can be identical or different , and is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted , sic - bonded , aliphatically saturated hydrocarbon moiety , r 1 can be identical or different , and is a sic - bonded , aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon moiety , y can be identical or different , and is a hydroxy moiety or hydrolyzable moieties moiety , with the proviso that the sum a + b + c is smaller than or equal to 4 . the organosilicon compounds used in the invention preferably are organopolysiloxanes , i . e . compounds containing the units of the formula ( i ), where a + b + c is smaller than or equal to 3 . examples of hydrocarbon radicals r are alkyl , radicals such as the methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , isopropyl , n - butyl , isobutyl , tert - butyl , n - pentyl , isopentyl , neopentyl , and tert - pentyl radicals , hexyl radicals such as the n - hexyl radical , heptyl radicals such as the n - heptyl radical , octyl radicals such as the n - octyl radical , and isooctyl radicals such as the 2 , 2 , 4 - trimethylpentyl radical , nonyl radicals such as the n - nonyl radical , decyl radicals such as the n - decyl radical , dodecyl radicals such as the n - dodecyl radical , octadecyl radicals such as the n - octadecyl radical ; cycloalkyl radicals such as cyclopentyl , cyclohexyl , and cycloheptyl radicals , and methylcyclohexyl radicals ; aryl radicals such as the phenyl , biphenyl , naphthyl , and anthryl , and phenanthryl radicals ; alkaryl radicals such as o -, m -, and p - tolyl radicals , xylyl radicals , and ethylphenyl radicals ; aralkyl radicals such as the benzyl radical , and the α - and β - phenylethyl radicals . examples of substituted hydrocarbon radicals r are halogenated alkyl radicals such as the 3 - chloropropyl , the 3 , 3 , 3 - trifluoropropyl , and the perfluorohexylethyl radicals , and halogenated aryl radicals such as the p - chlorophenyl and the p - chlorobenzyl radicals . the radical r preferably is a hydrogen atom or optionally substituted hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms . if the radical r is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon radical it is most preferable that it is a methyl , ethyl , phenyl , or 3 , 3 , 3 - trifluoropropyl radical , in particular the methyl radical . examples of the radicals r 1 are the vinyl , allyl , methallyl , 1 - propenyl , 1 - butenyl , and 1 - pentenyl radicals , and the 5 - hexenyl , butadienyl , hexadienyl , cyclopentenyl , cyclopentadienyl , cyclohexenyl , ethynyl , propargyl , and 1 - propynyl radicals . it is preferable that the radical r 1 involves is an alkenyl radical having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms , most preferably the vinyl radical . it is preferable that the radical y is a hydroxy radical , an organyloxy radical such as a methoxy , ethoxy , n - propoxy , isopropoxy , n - butoxy , isobutoxy , sec - butoxy , tert - butoxy , or 2 - methoxyethoxy radical ; an acyloxy radical such as the acetoxy radical ; an amino radical such as the methylamino , dimethylamino , ethylamino , diethylamino , and cyclohexylamino radicals ; an amido radical such as the n - methylacetamido and benzamido radicals ; an aminoxy radical such as the diethylaminoxy radical ; an oximo radical such as the methylethylketoximo and methylisobutylketoximo radicals ; or an enoxy radical such as the 2 - propenoxy radical . it is more preferable that the radical y is a hydroxy radical or — or 1 moieties radical , where r 1 is defined as above , or an acetoxy or oximo radical , and in particular the hydroxy radical , or a methoxy , ethoxy , or acetoxy radical , and most preferably the ethoxy or acetoxy radical . examples of organosilicon compounds used in the invention are linear siloxanes , such as dimethylpolysiloxanes , phenylmethylpolysiloxanes , trifluoropropylpolysiloxanes , and ethylpropyl - polysiloxanes , dimethyl / methylvinylpolysiloxanes having from 2 to 100 vinyl groups , methylvinylpolysiloxanes , diphenyl / phenylvinylpolysiloxanes having from 2 to 100 vinyl groups , phenylvinylpolysiloxanes , and ethylmethyl / ethylvinylpolysiloxanes . the viscosity of organosilicon compounds used in the invention is preferably from 10 , 000 to 10 9 mpa · s , more preferably from ˜ 100 - 100 , 000 to 10 7 mpa · s , and in particular from 10 6 to 9 · 10 6 mpa · s , measured in each case at 25 ° c . the compositions of the invention preferably comprise amounts of from 30 to 90 parts by weight of organosilicon compounds , more preferably from 40 to 80 parts by weight , and most preferably from 60 to 75 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of the composition of the invention . the aluminum oxide used in the invention preferably comprises fine - particle fumed aluminum oxide , i . e . aluminum oxide produced via flame hydrolysis of anhydrous aluminum chloride or of another anhydrous hydrolyzable aluminum compound . the aluminum oxide can , if desired , also take the form of a mixture with other metal oxides , but this is not preferred . the production of aluminum oxide via flame hydrolysis is well known . reference may be made in this connection to wo2005061385a and wo2005113442a , for example . the aluminum oxide powder used in the invention is preferably produced via flame hydrolysis by vaporizing aluminum chloride , if appropriate in a mixture with other volatile metal compounds , e . g . chlorides of ti , si , zr , zn , mg , y , v , w , ta , ce , or b where the vapor is passed with the aid of a carrier gas , e . g . dry air , into a mixing chamber and mixed with h 2 and an excess of air , if appropriate with introduction of heat , and the mixture is then ignited on passage into the reaction chamber . the solid aluminum oxide formed , if appropriate in a mixture with other metal oxides , is isolated and then — if desired — treated with steam . the specific surface area ( bet ) of the aluminum oxide powder used in the invention is preferably from 50 to 400 m 2 / g , more preferably from 70 to 300 m 2 / g , and in particular from 80 to 150 m 2 / g . the average primary particle size of the aluminum oxide powder used in the invention is preferably from 10 to 20 nm , more preferably from 12 to 14 nm . the surface of the aluminum oxide used in the invention can , if desired , have been chemically modified , but this is not preferred . the aluminum oxide powder used in the invention involves a commercially available product . the compositions of the invention preferably comprise amounts of from 0 . 1 to 20 parts by weight of aluminum oxide powder , more preferably from 0 . 2 to 14 parts by weight , and most preferably from 0 . 3 to 3 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of the composition of the invention . the compositions of the invention can comprise not only organosilicon compounds and aluminum oxide but also further substances , such as water , boric acid , and other pulverulent substances differing from aluminum oxide , examples being fillers . examples of fillers used if appropriate are reinforcing and / or nonreinforcing fillers . examples of reinforcing fillers , i . e . fillers whose bet surface area is at least 50 m 2 / g , are fumed silica , precipitated silica , and carbon black , such as furnace black and acetylene black . the silica fillers mentioned can have hydrophilic character or can have been hydrophobized by known processes , preference being given here to silica fillers with hydrophilic character . the reinforcing filler used if appropriate preferably is hydrophilic fumed silica whose bet surface area is from 50 to 400 m 2 / g , more preferably from 150 to 300 m 2 / g . examples of nonreinforcing fillers are quartz , diatomaceous earth , calcium silicate , zirconium silicate , zeolites , metal oxide powders , such as titanium oxides , iron oxides , or zinc oxides , or mixed oxides of these , barium sulfate , calcium carbonate , calcium sulfate , silicon nitride , silicon carbide , boron nitride , aluminum hydroxide ( ath ), mica , talc , kaolin , metal titanates and metal zirconates , and also polytetrafluoroethylene powders . other fillers that can be used are fibrous components , such as glass fibers and synthetic fibers . the bet surface area of these fillers is preferably below 50 m 2 / g . the compositions of the invention preferably comprise reinforcing filler or a mixture composed of reinforcing and nonreinforcing filler . the compositions of the invention are preferably filled with a sufficient amount of filler differing from aluminum oxide to achieve the desired consistency , which depends on the intended application . the compositions of the invention preferably have a plasticine - like consistency , and high viscosity and plasticity (= sheet integrity ), or take the form of pellets . the compositions of the invention can be crosslinkable or non - crosslinkable compositions . the compositions of the invention have particularly good suitability for the production of cables , of cable insulation , of cable sheathing , of moldings , of profiles , of dimensionally stable unvulcanized profiles , and of textile coatings with good sheet integrity . the compositions of the invention can involve any desired types hitherto known of compositions that can be crosslinked to give elastomers and that are based on organosilicon compounds , examples being single - or two - component organopolysiloxane compositions that can be vulcanized at room temperature ( known as rtv compositions ) or at an elevated temperature ( known as htv compositions ), and the crosslinking here can take place through condensation , or an addition reaction of si - bonded hydrogen onto an aliphatic multiple bond , or peroxidically via formation of radicals or via exposure to radiation . the crosslinkable compositions here can be free from fillers differing from aluminum oxide , but can also comprise active or non - active fillers differing from aluminum oxide , and it is preferable that fillers differing from aluminum oxide are present . the nature and amount of the components usually used in these compositions are known . by way of example , reference may be made in this connection to u . s . pat . no . 5 , 268 , 441 , de - a 44 01 606 , de - a 44 05 245 , and de - a 43 36 345 . the aluminum oxide used in the invention here can be mixed as desired with the other components of the crosslinkable compositions of the invention . it can by way of example be incorporated in a final step by mixing into the otherwise finished silicone rubber formulation , or it can be incorporated during the production of the silicone rubber mixture . however , the aluminum oxide can also be premixed into one or more of the components used . each of the components used to produce the compositions of the invention can involve a single type of such a component or else a mixture composed of at least two different types of such a component . the mixing process for production of the compositions of the invention is preferably simple mechanical mixing . as a function of consistency and viscosity of the main material , the mixing process can take place on roll mills , in kneaders , in dissolvers , in z mixers , in ball mills , or in simple mixers , preference being given here to roll mills , kneaders , and z mixers . the mixing process is preferably carried out at ambient pressure , simply for reasons of simplicity . however , mixing at reduced or increased pressure is also possible . again for reasons of simplicity , the mixing process is preferably carried out at ambient temperature . however , mixing is also possible at increased temperature or with cooling . if desired , pelletization may follow . this can take place in a known manner after combination of the individual components of the composition of the invention , using customary pelletizers , such as a pelletizing die and a rotating knife . the invention further provides a process for the production of pellets based on organosilicon compounds , characterized in that organosilicon compounds and aluminum oxide with a specific surface area of at least 50 m 2 / g and with an average primary particle size of from 1 to 50 nm are mixed with one another in a mixing apparatus and the pellets are then shaped using pelletizers . it is preferable that the pelletizer involves an extruder , e . g . a single - screw , twin - screw , or ram extruder , or a gear pump , in each case equipped with a pelletizing die and a rotating knife . the production of the pelletizable composition of the invention can , if desired , also be carried out by means of heated continuous mixing equipment . the composition can be pelletized directly from the mixing device . the composition can also be pelletized in a second step after intermediate treatment , e . g . coloring , or addition of any desired additives . the process of the invention for production of pellets is preferably carried out at a temperature of from 20 to 50 ° c . and at the pressure of the ambient atmosphere , i . e . from about 900 to 1100 hpa , but the pressure in the pelletizer can be up to 500 , 000 hpa . the pellets of the invention are preferably given a light coating of talc directly after chopping by the rotating knife , and are preferably cooled as quickly as possible to 20 ° c . the average particle size of the pellets of the invention or the pellets produced in the invention is preferably from 1 to 100 mm , more preferably from 2 to 9 mm . the pellets of the invention preferably have a typical cylindrical pellet structure whose diameter is preferably from 1 to 100 mm , more preferably from 2 to 9 mm , their length preferably being from 1 to 100 mm , more preferably from 2 to 9 mm . the compositions of the invention have the advantage of being easy to produce and easy to process . the process of the invention has the advantage of permitting production of pellets with good free - flow properties . the pellets of the invention have the advantage of being stable in storage and therefore providing at least 6 months of fully satisfactory processability . another advantage of the pellets of the invention is that they can be conveyed automatically and can be processed on any of the conventional plants for the processing of silicone rubber ( press vulcanization , transfer presses , extrusion , injection molding , calendering , etc .). further advantages are increased sheet integrity in the unpelletized condition , improved calenderability (= less tack on rolls and calenders ), and suitability for use with foods . the pellets of the invention can then be used for any of the purposes for which pellets based on organosilicon compounds have been used hitherto . in this connection , mention may be made by way of example of the production of profiles , of cables , of hoses , of sheets , of films , of foam , and of moldings . if the compositions of the invention involve pellets or involve mixtures of good sheet integrity , these can have been rendered crosslinkable or non - crosslinkable . in the non - crosslinkable state , these pellets can be used as additives as described in de - a 10330287 . in the crosslinkable state , the pellets comprise one of the crosslinking systems usual for silicone rubbers . the compositions of the invention can be crosslinked under conditions identical with those for crosslinkable compositions known hitherto and based on organosilicon compounds . any of the familiar processes for the processing of silicone rubbers can be used as production process here . examples of these are calendering , compression molding , injection molding , and extrusion . the present invention further provides moldings produced via crosslinking of the compositions of the invention . the moldings of the invention can involve moldings the same as those hitherto produced from crosslinkable compositions based on organosilicon compounds . examples of the moldings of the invention are pellets , hoses , films , gaskets , injection - molded parts , profiles , cables , sheets , and pipe linings , and also coatings . the compositions of the invention based on organosilicon compounds can involve compositions that can be stored if water is excluded and that on ingress of water at room temperature can be crosslinked via condensation to give elastomers ( crosslinking type i ). the compositions of the invention that can be crosslinked via condensation preferably involve those which comprise ( b ) an organosilicon compound having at least three si - bonded hydrolyzable moieties , ( d ) aluminum oxide whose specific surface area is at least 50 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is from 1 to 50 nm , for the purposes of the present invention , the term “ condensable ” moieties also covers moieties which may also include an optional preceding hydrolysis step . the compositions of the invention that can be crosslinked via condensation can involve single - component compositions or else two - component compositions , where one component in the latter does not simultaneously comprise the constituents ( a ), ( b ), and ( c ). organosilicon compound ( a ) used having condensable groups can comprise organopolysiloxanes containing units of the formula ( i ), with the proviso that the sum a + b + c is smaller than or equal to 3 , and at least one moiety y is present per molecule , preferably at least two . where r 2 is identical or different , optionally substituted , monovalent hydrocarbon moieties , and m is a whole number whose value is at least 20 , preferably a number from 50 to 100 , 000 . although formula ( ii ) does not show this , other siloxane units can also be present in addition to the diorganosiloxane units ( sir 2 2 o ), examples being those of the formulae r 2 sio 3 / 2 , r 2 3 sio 1 / 2 , and sio 4 / 2 , where r 2 is in each case defined as stated above . however , the amount for these siloxane units other than diorganosiloxane units is preferably at most 10 mol percent , in particular at most 1 mol percent , based in each case on the weight of the organopolysiloxanes ( a ). examples of moieties r 2 are the examples stated above for moiety r and r 1 . the radical r 2 preferably is a radical having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms , and more preferably a propyl , hexyl , or octyl radical , and in particular , the methyl radical . the organosilicon compounds used having at least three si - bonded hydrolyzable groups ( b ) preferably comprise silanes of the general formula and / or partial hydrolyzates of these having from 2 to 10 silicon atoms per molecule , r 3 can be identical or different and is defined as for r 2 , z is identical or different hydrolyzable groups , such as an amino , amido , aminoxy , or oximo group , e . g . — on ═ c ( ch 3 )( c 2 h 5 ), alkoxy groups , e . g . methoxy and ethoxy , and alkoxyalkoxy groups , e . g . ch 3 — o — c 2 h 5 — o —, or alkenyloxy groups , such as h 2 c ═( ch 3 ) co —, and acetoxy groups . moiety r 3 preferably involves propyl , hexyl , octyl , vinyl , or methyl moieties , particular preference being given here to vinyl and methyl moieties . the amount used of the organosilicon compound ( b ) is preferably from 2 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of organosilicon compound ( a ). the condensation catalyst ( c ) preferably involves ( organo ) metallic compounds , such as the salts of carboxylic acids , and the alcoholates and the halides of the metals pb , zn , zr , ti , sb , fe , cd , sn , ba , ca , and mn , e . g . stannous octoate , dibutyltin dilaurate , octyltin triacetate , dioctyltin dioctoate , dioctyltin diacetate , didecyltin diacetate , dibutyltin diacetate , dibutyltin dibromide , dioctyltin dilaurate , trioctyltin acetate , titanium alcoholate , and organotitanium compounds having at least one si — o — ti bond . the amount of condensation catalyst ( c ) preferably used is from 0 . 1 to 2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of organosilicon compound ( a ). as a function of the respective application , further substances ( e ) can be added to the compositions of the invention that can be vulcanized to give elastomers , with the proviso that the additives ( e ) differ from component ( a ), ( b ), ( c ), and ( d ). examples of these further substances ( e ) are fillers , e . g . the substances described above for improving surface properties , examples being adhesion promoters , processing aids , such as plasticizers , pigments , soluble dyes , odorants , fungicides , purely organic resins , corrosion inhibitors , oxidation inhibitors , heat stabilizers , solvents , agents for influencing electrical properties , e . g . conductive carbon black , flame retardants , light stabilizers , and agents for prolonging skinning time , but component ( e ) here preferably involves fillers , plasticizers , and adhesion promoters . examples of plasticizers which can be used as component ( e ) are polydimethylsiloxanes whose viscosity is at most 1000 mm 2 / s at 25 ° c . and which have termination by trimethylsilyl groups or by hydroxy groups , another example being diphenylsilanediol . examples of adhesion promoters are aminosilanes , such as aminoethylaminopropyltriethoxysilane , or polysiloxanes which contain aminoethylaminopropylsiloxy groups . examples of heat stabilizers are transition metal fatty acid salts , such as iron octoate or cerium octoate , titanium butoxide , transition metal silanolates , such as iron silanolate , and also cerium ( iv ) compounds , or oxides , e . g . iron oxide or titanium oxide , and mixtures of these , and also various carbon blacks . the compositions of the invention that can be crosslinked via condensation preferably do not comprise any further substances beyond components ( a ) to ( e ). the compositions of the invention that are based on organosilicon compounds and that can be crosslinked via condensation can be produced by known processes , for example via simple mixing of the individual components . the mixing preferably takes place at room temperature and it is preferable that ingress of water is avoided during this mixing process . however , this mixing process can also , if desired , take place at higher temperatures , e . g . at a temperature in the range from 25 to 80 ° c . the usual water content of air is sufficient for the crosslinking of the compositions of the invention . the crosslinking can , if desired , also be carried out at temperatures higher than room temperature , e . g . at from 25 to 120 ° c ., or at temperatures lower than room temperature , e . g . at from − 10 to 25 ° c . the crosslinking can also be carried out at concentrations of water which exceed the normal water content of air . the compositions of the invention have the advantage of being easy to produce . the compositions of the invention based on organosilicon compounds can involve those that can be crosslinked via an addition reaction of si - bonded hydrogen onto an aliphatic carbon - carbon multiple bond ( crosslinking type ii ). the addition - crosslinkable compositions of the invention based on organosilicon compounds preferably comprise ( 1 ) organosilicon compounds which have sic - bonded moieties having aliphatic carbon - carbon multiple bonds , ( 2 ) organosilicon compounds having si - bonded hydrogen atoms , or , instead of ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), ( 3 ) organosilicon compounds which have sic - bonded moieties having aliphatic carbon - carbon multiple bonds and which have si - bonded hydrogen atoms , ( 4 ) catalyst promoting the addition reaction of si - bonded hydrogen onto an aliphatic multiple bond , ( 5 ) aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least 50 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is from 1 to 50 nm , if the compositions of the invention involve an addition - crosslinking 2 - component silicone rubber composition , the two components of the silicone rubber compositions of the invention can comprise all of the constituents in any desired combination and quantitative proportion , with the proviso that one component cannot simultaneously comprise the constituents ( 1 ), ( 2 ), and ( 4 ) or , respectively , ( 3 ) and ( 4 ). the organosilicon compounds ( 1 ) preferably involve linear , cyclic , or branched siloxanes containing units of the formula ( i ), with the proviso that the sum a + b + c is smaller than or equal to 3 , c is preferably 0 , and at least two moieties r 1 are present per molecule . the organosilicon compounds ( 1 ) most preferably are linear organopolysiloxanes of the structure ( r 1 r 2 sio 1 / 2 ) x ( r 3 sio 1 / 2 ) 1 - x ( r 1 rsio ) 0 - 50 ( r 2 sio ) 30 - 8000 ( r 1 r 2 sio 1 / 2 ) x ( r 3 sio 1 / 2 ) 1 - x , where r and r 1 can be identical or different , and are subject to one of the abovementioned definitions , and x can be identical or different and is 0 or 1 , with the proviso that at least two moieties r 1 are present . examples of organopolysiloxanes ( 1 ) used in the invention are trimethylsilyl - terminated polymethylvinylsiloxanes and vinyldimethylsilyl - terminated polymethylvinyl / dimethylsiloxanes . the organosilicon compounds ( 2 ) used which have si - bonded hydrogen atoms preferably comprise linear , cyclic , or branched siloxanes containing units of the formula ( i ), with the proviso that the sum a + b + c is smaller than or equal to 3 , c is preferably 0 , and an average of at least two moieties r per molecule are an si - bonded hydrogen atom . the viscosity of the organosilicon compounds ( 2 ) is preferably from 50 to 10000 mpas at 25 ° c . particular examples of polyorganosiloxanes ( 2 ) are copolymers composed of dimethylhydrosiloxane units , methylhydrosiloxane units , dimethylsiloxane units , and trimethylsiloxane units , copolymers composed of trimethylsiloxane units , dimethylhydrosiloxane units , and methylhydrosiloxane units , copolymers composed of trimethylsiloxane units , dimethylsiloxane units , and methylhydrosiloxane units , copolymers composed of methylhydrosiloxane units and trimethylsiloxane units , copolymers composed of methylhydrosiloxane units , diphenylsiloxane units , and trimethylsiloxane units , copolymers composed of methylhydrosiloxane units , dimethylhydrosiloxane units , and diphenylsiloxane units , copolymers composed of methylhydrosiloxane units , phenylmethylsiloxane units , trimethylsiloxane units , and / or dimethylhydrosiloxane units , copolymers composed of methylhydrosiloxane units , dimethylsiloxane units , diphenylsiloxane units , trimethylsiloxane units , and / or dimethylhydrosiloxane units , and also copolymers composed of dimethylhydrosiloxane units , trimethylsiloxane units , phenylhydrosiloxane units , dimethylsiloxane units , and / or phenylmethylsiloxane units . it is preferable to use an organosilicon compound ( 2 ) containing three or more sih bonds per molecule . if a constituent ( 2 ) is used which has only two sih bonds per molecule , the organosilicon compound ( 1 ) preferably comprises at least three aliphatic carbon - carbon multiple bonds per molecule . it is therefore preferable that the organosilicon compound ( 2 ) is used as crosslinking agent . the content of si - bonded hydrogen in the organosilicon compound ( 2 ) is preferably from 0 . 002 to 1 . 7 % by weight of hydrogen , more preferably from 0 . 1 to 1 . 7 % by weight of hydrogen . the amount of the polyorganosiloxane ( 2 ) present in the curable silicone rubber composition is preferably such that the molar ratio of sih groups to moieties having an aliphatic carbon - carbon multiple bond of component ( 1 ) is from 0 . 5 to 6 , more preferably from 1 . 5 to 2 . 5 . if organosilicon compounds ( 3 ) are used , they preferably are what are known as mq resins whose viscosity is preferably from 0 . 01 to 500 , 000 pa · s , more preferably from 0 . 1 to 150 , 000 pa · s , in each case at 25 ° c . any of the hydrosilylation catalysts known hitherto can be used in the compositions of the invention , as constituent ( 4 ), which promotes the addition reaction ( hydrosilylation reaction ) between si - bonded hydrogen and the moieties having an aliphatic carbon - carbon multiple bond . examples of hydrosilylation catalysts ( 4 ) are metals , such as platinum , rhodium , palladium , ruthenium , and iridium , preferably platinum , and these may , if appropriate , have been fixed on fine - particle carrier materials , such as activated charcoal , aluminum oxide , or silicon dioxide , other examples being compounds and complexes of the metals mentioned . the hydrosilylation catalyst ( 4 ) can also be used in microencapsulated form , where an example of the fine - particle solid which is insoluble in the polyorganosiloxane and which comprises the catalyst is a thermoplastic ( polyester resins , silicone resins ). the hydrosilylation catalyst can also be used in the form of an inclusion compound , for example in a cyclodextrin . it is preferable that platinum , or else its compounds and complexes , is / are used as catalyst ( 4 ). the amount of the catalyst ( 4 ) depends on the desired crosslinking rate and on the respective use , and also on economic factors . the amounts of the catalysts ( 4 ) present in the compositions of the invention are such that the resultant platinum content is preferably from 0 . 1 to 500 ppm by weight (= parts by weight per million parts by weight ), more preferably from 1 to 100 ppm by weight , and in particular from 1 to 50 ppm by weight , based in each case on the total weight of the crosslinkable composition . the amount of aluminum oxide ( 5 ) preferably used in the invention is from 0 . 1 to 20 parts by weight , more preferably from 0 . 2 to 14 parts by weight , and in particular from 0 . 3 to 3 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of composition that can be crosslinked via an addition reaction . the curable compositions of the invention can comprise not only components ( 1 ) to ( 5 ) but also any of the further substances ( 6 ) used hitherto for the production of addition - crosslinkable compositions , with the proviso that the further substances ( 6 ) differ from components ( 1 ) to ( 5 ). examples of further substances ( 6 ) are reinforcing fillers , nonreinforcing fillers , resinous polyorganosiloxanes differing from the siloxanes ( 1 ), ( 2 ), and ( 3 ), dispersing agents , solvents , adhesion promoters , pigments , dyes , plasticizers , organic polymers , heat stabilizers , inhibitors , and stabilizers . examples of familiar inhibitors which can be used as component ( 6 ) are acetylenic alcohols , such as 1 - ethynyl - 1 - cyclohexanol , 2 - methyl - 3 - butyn - 2 - ol , and 3 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - hexyn - 3 - ol , 3 - methyl - 1 - dodecyn - 3 - ol , polymethylvinylcyclosiloxanes , such as 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 - tetravinyltetramethyltetracyclosiloxane , tetravinyldimethyldisiloxane , trialkyl cyanurates , alkyl maleates , such as diallyl maleates , dimethyl maleate , and diethyl maleate , alkyl fumarates , such as diallyl fumarate and diethyl fumarate , organic hydroperoxides , such as cumene hydroperoxide , tert - butyl hydroperoxide , and pinane hydroperoxide , organic peroxides , organic sulfoxides , organic amines , diamines , and amides , phosphanes , and phosphites , nitrites , triazoles , diaziridines , and oximes . the inhibitor content of the compositions of the invention is preferably from 0 to 50 , 000 ppm , more preferably from 50 to 2000 ppm . examples of fillers , plasticizers , and heat stabilizers are the examples given above in the context of the condensation - crosslinkable compositions . the compositions of the invention can — in particular as a function of the viscosity of the constituents , and also filler content — have a pasty consistency , or be pulverulent , or else can be the type of conformable , high - viscosity compositions known among the compositions frequently called htv by persons skilled in the art . in particular , if the compositions of the invention have high viscosity , they can be provided in the form of pellets . known processes can be used to produce the organopolysiloxane compositions of the invention , an example being uniform mixing of the individual components . the form taken by the individual components can by this stage be entirely or to some extent that of pellets . the compositions of the invention that can be crosslinked via an addition reaction preferably comprise no further substances beyond components ( 1 ) to ( 6 ). the compositions of the invention that can be crosslinked via an addition reaction of si - bonded hydrogen onto an aliphatic multiple bond can be crosslinked under conditions identical with those for the compositions known hitherto that can be crosslinked via a hydrosilylation reaction . this preferably involves temperatures of from 100 to 600 ° c . and a pressure of from 900 to 1100 hpa . however , it is also possible to apply higher or lower temperatures and pressures , as a function of the processing method . the compositions of the invention , and also the crosslinking products produced therefrom in the invention , can be used for any other purposes for which elastomers and , respectively , organopolysiloxane compositions that can be crosslinked to give elastomers have been used hitherto . the compositions of the invention have the advantage that they are easy to produce and are stable over a long period . another advantage of the compositions of the invention is that pellets of various compositions and shore hardnesses can be mixed with one another . the compositions of the invention based on organosilicon compounds can involve peroxidically crosslinkable compositions ( crosslinking type iii ). the compositions of the invention that can be crosslinked peroxidically , based on organosilicon compounds , preferably comprise ( a ) organosilicon compounds containing units of the general formula ( i ), with the proviso that the sum a + b + c is smaller than or equal to 3 , ( b ) an agent bringing about crosslinking by way of free radicals , ( c ) aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least 50 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is from 1 to 50 nm , it is preferable that the organosilicon compounds ( a ) involve organopolysiloxanes containing units of the formula ( i ) in which at least 70 % of all of the si - bonded moieties are defined as sic - bonded alkyl moieties , in particular methyl moieties , where the units of the formula ( i ) preferably involve diorganosiloxane units . the end groups of the organosilicon compounds ( a ) can be trialkylsiloxy groups , in particular the trimethylsiloxy moiety or the dimethylvinylsiloxy moiety ; however , it is also possible that one or more of these alkyl groups has / have been replaced by hydroxy groups or by alkoxy groups , such as methoxy moieties or ethoxy moieties . examples of organopolysiloxanes ( a ) used in the invention are the examples given above for organosilicon compounds ( 1 ). the organosilicon compounds ( a ) can involve liquids or high - viscosity substances . the viscosity of the organosilicon compounds ( a ) at 25 ° c . is preferably from 10 3 to 10 8 mm 2 / s . component ( b ) can generally involve an agent that brings about or initiates , by way of free radicals , the crosslinking process , and which has been used hitherto in peroxidically crosslinkable compositions , preference being given here to peroxides , in particular organic peroxides . examples of component ( b ) are peroxides such as dibenzoyl peroxide , bis ( 2 , 4 - dichlorobenzoyl ) peroxide , dicumyl peroxide , and 2 , 5 - bis ( tert - butylperoxy )- 2 , 5 - dimethylhexane , and also mixtures of these , preference being given here to bis ( 2 , 4 - dichlorobenzoyl ) peroxide , and 2 , 5 - bis ( tert - butylperoxy )- 2 , 5 - dimethylhexane . the amounts of component ( b ) present in the organopolysiloxane compositions of the invention that can be crosslinked to give elastomers are preferably from 0 . 4 to 2 . 0 percent by weight , more preferably from 0 . 7 to 1 . 5 percent by weight , based in each case on the total weight of the peroxidically crosslinkable composition . the amount of aluminum oxide ( c ) used in the invention is preferably from 0 . 1 to 20 parts by weight , more preferably from 0 . 2 to 14 parts by weight , and in particular from 0 . 3 to 3 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of peroxidically crosslinkable composition . as a function of the respective application , further substances ( d ) can be added to the compositions of the invention that can be vulcanized to give elastomers , with the proviso that the additives ( d ) differ from component ( a ) to ( c ). examples of these further substances ( d ) are fillers , plasticizers , pigments , and stabilizers , such as heat stabilizers . examples of fillers , plasticizers , and heat stabilizers are the examples given above in connection with the condensation - crosslinkable compositions . if the peroxidically crosslinkable compositions of the invention comprise filler as component ( d ), the amounts involved are preferably from 1 to 200 parts by weight , particularly preferably from 30 to 100 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of organosilicon compound ( a ). the peroxidically crosslinkable compositions of the invention preferably comprise no further substances beyond these . known processes can be used to produce the peroxidically crosslinkable organopolysiloxane compositions of the invention , an example being simple mixing of the individual components . the peroxidically crosslinkable compositions of the invention can be crosslinked under conditions identical with those for the peroxidically crosslinkable compositions known hitherto . the compositions of the invention , and also the elastomers produced therefrom in the invention , can be used for any of the purposes for which elastomers , or organopolysiloxane compositions that can be crosslinked to give elastomers , have been used hitherto . the compositions of the invention have particularly good suitability for the production of cables , of cable insulation , of cable sheathing , of moldings , of profiles , of dimensionally stable unvulcanized profiles , and of textile coatings with good sheet integrity . the compositions of the invention have the advantage that in the form of pellets they can be conveyed automatically and in the form of extrudate or of milled sheet they have good firmness and sheet integrity . the compositions of the invention based on organosilicon compounds can involve compositions that can be crosslinked via radiation ( crosslinking type iv ). ( i ) organosilicon compounds containing units of the formula ( i ), with the proviso that the sum a + b + c is smaller than or equal to 3 , and vinyl groups are present , ( ii ) aluminum oxide whose specific surface area is at least 50 m 2 / g , and whose average primary particle size is from 1 to 50 nm , ( vii ) further substances selected from the group consisting of plasticizers , stabilizers , antioxidants , flame retardants , light stabilizers , and pigments , these crosslinkable compositions of the invention preferably involve single - component compositions . to provide these single - component compositions , the respective constituents used can be mixed with one another in any desired manner known hitherto . the compositions of the invention are preferably produced and stored under conditions substantially free from radiation and , if appropriate , substantially free from water , in order to avoid premature reaction of the compositions . examples of organopolysiloxanes ( i ) used in the invention are the examples given above for organosilicon compounds ( 1 ). the amount preferably used of aluminum oxide ( ii ) in the invention is from 0 . 1 to 20 parts by weight , particularly from 0 . 2 to 14 parts by weight , in particular from 0 . 3 to 3 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of composition that can be crosslinked via radiation . the crosslinking agent ( iii ) used if appropriate can comprise any of the crosslinking agents used hitherto in compositions that can be crosslinked via radiation ; these preferably comprise a radiation - curable , aliphatic carbon - carbon multiple bond . it is preferable that crosslinking agents ( iii ) are vinyl - and allylsilanes , olefins , acrylates , and methacrylates , more preferably acrylates and methacrylates , and in particular mono - and difunctional acrylates and methacrylates . examples of crosslinking agents ( iii ) used if appropriate are monofunctional oligo ( ethers ) and monomeric acrylates and methacrylates , such as 2 -( 2 - ethoxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate , 2 - phenoxyethyl acrylate , caprolactone acrylate , cyclic trimethylolpropane formal acrylate , ethoxylated nonylphenol acrylate , isobornyl acrylate , isodecyl acrylate , lauryl acrylate , octyldecyl acrylate , stearyl acrylate , tetrahydro - furfuryl acrylate , tridecyl acrylate , 2 - phenoxyethyl methacrylate , ethoxylated hydroxyethyl methacrylate , isobornyl methacrylate , lauryl methacrylate , methoxypolyethylene glycol ( 350 ) monomethacrylate , methoxypolyethylene glycol ( 550 ) monomethacrylate , polypropylene glycol monomethacrylate , stearyl methacrylate , tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate ; difunctional oligo ( ethers ) and monomeric acrylates and methacrylates , such as 1 , 6 - hexanediol diacrylate , alkoxylated diacrylates , alkoxylated hexanediol diacrylates , diethylene glycol diacrylate , dipropylene glycol diacrylate , ester diol diacrylate , ethoxylated bisphenol a diacrylates , polyethylene glycol ( 200 ) diacrylate , polyethylene glycol ( 400 ) diacrylate , polyethylene glycol ( 600 ) diacrylate , propoxylated neopentyl glycol diacrylate , tetraethylene glycol diacrylate , tricyclodecanedimethanol diacrylate , triethylene glycol diacrylate , tripropylene glycol diacrylate , 1 , 3 - butylene glycol dimethacrylate , 1 , 4 - butanediol dimethacrylate , 1 , 6 - hexandiol dimethacrylate , diethylene glycol dimethacrylate , ethoxylated bisphenol a dimethacrylates , ethylene glycol dimethacrylate , polyethylene glycol ( 200 ) dimethacrylate , polyethylene glycol ( 400 ) dimethacrylate , polyethylene glycol ( 600 ) dimethacrylate , tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate , triethylene glycol dimethacrylate ; trifunctional and higher polyfunctional oligo ( ethers ) and monomeric acrylates and methacrylates , such as dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate , ditrimethylolpropane tetraacrylate , ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylates , pentaerythritol tetraacrylate , penta - erythritol triacrylate , propoxylated glycerol triacrylates , propoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate , trimethylolpropane triacrylate , tris ( 2 - hydroxyethyl ) isocyanurate triacrylate , trimethylol - propane trimethacrylate ; epoxy acrylates , such as bisphenol a epoxy acrylate , epoxidized soybean oil acrylate , epoxy novolac acrylate oligomer , fatty acid - modified bisphenol a epoxy acrylate ; silanes containing sic - bonded vinyl , allyl , acryloxy , methacryloxy groups and also their partial hydrolyzates and cohydrolyzates ; if the crosslinkable compositions of the invention comprise crosslinking agents ( iii ), the amounts involved are from preferably 0 . 05 to 70 parts by weight , particularly preferably 0 . 2 to 30 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of crosslinkable composition . the photopolymerization initiators ( iv ) used if appropriate can comprise any of the initiators known to the skilled worker , or a mixture thereof . examples of initiators ( iv ) used if appropriate are benzyl dimethyl ketal , 2 - hydroxy - 2 - methylphenylpropan - 1 - one , 1 - hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone , isopropylthioxanthone , bisacylphosphine oxide , 1 -[ 4 -( 2 - hydroxyethoxy ) phenyl ]- 2 - hydroxy - 2 - methylpropan - 1 - one , benzoin n - butyl ether , polymeric hydroxyketones , such as oligo ( 2 - hydroxy - 2 - methyl - 1 , 4 -( 1 - methylvinyl ) phenylpropanone ), acenaphthylquinone , α - aminoacetophenone , benzanthraquinone , benzoin methyl ether , benzoin isopropyl ether , benzoin isobutyl ether , benzophenone , benzyl dimethyl acetal , benzyl 1 - methyl - 1 - ethyl acetal , 2 , 2 - diethoxy - 2 - phenylacetophenone , 2 , 2 - diethoxyacetophenone , 2 - dimethoxy - benzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide , 2 , 2 - dimethoxy - 2 - phenyl - acetophenone , 2 - ethylanthraquinone , ethyl 2 , 4 , 6 - trimethylbenzoylphenylphosphinate , hydroxyacetophenone , 2 - hydroxy - 2 - methylpropiophenone , 2 - hydroxy - 2 - methyl - 4 ′- isopropylisopropiophenone , 1 - hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone , 4 ′- morpholinodeoxybenzoin , 4 - morpholinobenzophenone , α - phenylbutyrophenone , 2 , 4 , 6 - trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide , and 4 , 4 ′- bis ( dimethylamino ) benzophenone . a photopolymerization initiator can also be used in conjunction with coinitiators , examples being ethyl - anthraquinone with 4 , 4 ′- bis ( dimethylamino ) benzophenone , benzoin methyl ether with triphenylphosphine , benzyl dimethyl ketal with benzophenone , diacylphosphine oxides with tertiary amines , or acyldiarylphosphine oxides with benzyl dimethyl acetal . if the crosslinkable compositions of the invention comprise photopolymerization initiator ( iv ), the amounts involved are from preferably 0 . 01 to 5 parts by weight , more preferably 0 . 05 to 3 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of crosslinkable composition . examples of fillers are the examples given above in connection with the condensation - crosslinkable compositions . if the compositions of the invention comprise fillers ( v ), preferred amounts involved are from 1 to 200 parts by weight , and with preference from 30 to 100 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of organosilicon compound ( i ). the adhesion promoter ( vi ) used if appropriate can comprise any of the adhesion promoters used hitherto in compositions crosslinkable via radiation . examples of adhesion promoters ( v ) are silanes having sic - bonded vinyl , acryloxy , or methacryloxy groups , and also their partial and co - hydrolyzates , and acrylates , such as 2 -( 2 - ethoxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate , 2 - phenoxyethyl acrylate , cyclic trimethylolpropane formal acrylate , 1 , 6 - hexanediol diacrylate , pentaerythritol tetraacrylate , tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate , methoxypolyethylene glycol ( 550 ) monomethacrylate , and stearyl methacrylate . if the compositions of the invention comprise adhesion promoters ( vi ), preferred amounts involved are from 0 . 01 to 5 parts by weight , with preference from 0 . 5 to 4 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of crosslinkable composition . examples of further substances ( vii ) are plasticizers , such as trimethylsilyl - terminated polydimethylsiloxanes and hydrocarbons having about 16 to 30 carbon atoms , stabilizers , such as 2 - ethylhexyl phosphate , octylphosphonic acid , polyethers , antioxidants , flame retardants , such as phosphoric esters , light stabilizers , and pigments , such as titanium dioxide and iron oxides . the further substances ( vii ) used if appropriate preferably involve plasticizers , such as trimethylsilyl - terminated polydimethylsiloxanes and hydrocarbons having about 16 to 30 carbon atoms , stabilizers , such as 2 - ethylhexyl phosphate , octylphosphonic acid , polyethers , flame retardants , such as phosphoric esters , and pigments , such as titanium dioxide and iron oxides , particular preference being given here to stabilizers and pigments . if constituent ( vii ) is used , the amounts involved are preferably from 0 . 01 to 30 parts by weight , particularly preferably from 0 . 05 to 25 parts by weight , based in each case on 100 parts by weight of crosslinkable composition . the compositions of the invention can comprise polymerization inhibitors ( viii ). to improve handling , it is preferable to admix small amounts of inhibitors ( viii ) with the compositions of the invention , for example in order to inhibit premature crosslinking of a ready - to - use formulation during its storage . examples of inhibitors used if appropriate are any of the familiar inhibitors used hitherto in processes proceeding by way of free radicals , examples being hydroquinone , 4 - methoxyphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol , or phenothiazine . if inhibitors ( viii ) are used , the amounts are preferably from 10 to 10 , 000 ppm , more preferably from 50 to 1 000 ppm , based in each case on parts by weight of the crosslinkable composition . the compositions of the invention in particular comprise no further constituents other than component ( i ), ( ii ), if appropriate ( iii ), ( iv ), ( v ), ( vi ), ( vii ), and ( viii ). the crosslinkable compositions of the invention are produced by methods known to the person skilled in the art , for example by means of extruders , kneaders , roll mills , or dynamic or static mixers . the compositions of the invention can be produced continuously or batchwise . it is preferable to produce them continuously or by a combined continuous / batchwise method . the compositions of the invention can be crosslinked via irradiation with ultraviolet light ( uv light ), laser , or sunlight . the compositions of the invention are preferably crosslinked via uv light . preferred uv light is that having wavelengths in the range from 200 to 400 nm . the uv light can by way of example be produced in xenon lamps , in low - pressure mercury lamps , in medium - pressure mercury lamps , or in high - pressure mercury lamps , or in excimer lamps . other suitable light for photocrosslinking is that whose wavelength is from 400 to 600 nm , i . e . that known as “ halogen light ”. however , suitable energy sources for the crosslinking of the compositions of the invention can also involve x - rays , gamma rays , or electron beams , or can involve simultaneous use of at least two different types of such radiation . in addition to the high - energy radiation , it is possible to introduce heat , and this includes introduction of heat by means of infrared light . however , this introduction of heat is certainly not a requirement and is preferably omitted , in order to reduce energy cost . the irradiation wavelengths and irradiation times should be matched to the photopolymerization initiators used and to the compounds to be polymerized . the compositions of the invention are preferably crosslinked at room temperature . the crosslinking can , if desired , also be carried out at temperatures higher or lower than room temperature , for example at from − 50 to 15 ° c . or at from 30 to 150 ° c . the crosslinking is preferably carried out at a pressure of from 100 to 1100 hpa , in particular at the pressure of the ambient atmosphere , i . e . about 900 to 1100 hpa . the compositions of the invention can be used wherever compositions that can be crosslinked via radiation have been used hitherto . the advantages of the compositions of the invention are the same as those mentioned above in connection with the crosslinkable compositions of type ( i ) to ( iii ). in the examples below , all data given in parts and percentages is based on weight unless otherwise stated . unless otherwise stated , the examples below are carried out at the pressure of the ambient atmosphere , i . e . at about 1000 hpa , and at room temperature , i . e . about 20 ° c ., or at the temperature established on combination of the reactants at room temperature , without additional heating or cooling . all of the viscosity data given in the examples are intended to relate to a temperature of 25 ° c . an extruder serves as manufacturing equipment for all of the examples , with a rotating knife placed on the die if the intention is to produce pellets . for improved sheet integrity , the mixture is used without pelletization . the following materials are admixed , in a kneader operated at 150 ° c ., with 100 parts of a diorganopolysiloxane end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups and composed of 99 . 93 mol % of dimethylsiloxane units and of 0 . 07 mol % of vinylmethylsiloxane units , with viscosity 8 · 10 6 mpa · s : firstly 50 parts of fumed silicon dioxide which is generated pyrogenically in the gas phase and whose specific surface area is 200 m 2 / g , and then 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and then 7 parts of a dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 40 mpa · s having an si - bonded hydroxy group in each of the terminal units , and then again 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and 1 % by weight of an aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least about 100 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is 13 nm ( commercially available as aeroxide ® alu c from degussa ag , germany ). this mixture can then be pelletized or used in the form of a mixture with good sheet integrity . the mixture has high sheet integrity . this is characterized in that two strips of thickness 1 cm and width 5 cm can be left in contact with one another for a number of days (= sheet integrity system ) without blocking . if the aluminum oxide is omitted , blocking occurs . when the strips are subjected to tension , substantially higher ultimate tensile strength is found in the mixture comprising aluminum oxide . the following materials are admixed , in a kneader operated at 150 ° c ., with 100 parts of a diorganopolysiloxane end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups and composed of 99 . 93 mol % of dimethylsiloxane units and of 0 . 07 mol % of vinylmethylsiloxane units , with viscosity 8 · 10 6 mpa · s : firstly 50 parts of fumed silicon dioxide which is generated pyrogenically in the gas phase and whose specific surface area is 200 m 2 / g , and then 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and then 7 parts of a dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 40 mpa · s having an si - bonded hydroxy group in each of the terminal units , and then again 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and 1 % by weight of an aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least about 100 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is 13 nm ( commercially available as aeroxide ® alu c from degussa ag , germany ). this mixture is now mixed on a roll mill with 1 . 5 % of 2 , 4 - dichlorodibenzoyl peroxide ( 50 % strength paste in silicone oil ). the mixture has high sheet integrity . this is characterized in that two strips of thickness 1 cm and width 5 cm can be left in contact with one another for a number of days (= sheet integrity system ) without blocking . if the aluminum oxide is omitted , blocking occurs . when the strips are subjected to tension , substantially higher ultimate tensile strength is found in the mixture comprising aluminum oxide . the following materials are admixed , in a kneader operated at 150 ° c ., with 100 parts of a diorganopolysiloxane end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups and composed of 99 . 93 mol % of dimethylsiloxane units and of 0 . 07 mol % of vinylmethylsiloxane units , with viscosity 8 · 10 6 mpa · s : firstly 50 parts of fumed silicon dioxide which is generated pyrogenically in the gas phase and whose specific surface area is 200 m 2 / g , and then 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and then 7 parts of a dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 40 mpa · s having an si - bonded hydroxy group in each of the terminal units , and then again 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and 1 % by weight of an aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least about 100 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is 13 nm ( commercially available as aeroxide ® alu c from degussa ag , germany ). this mixture is now mixed on a roll mill with 0 . 7 % of dicumyl peroxide ( 98 %). the roll mill is heated to 40 ° c . for the homogenization process . after cooling , the mixture has high sheet integrity . this is characterized in that two strips of thickness 1 cm and width 5 cm can be left in contact with one another for a number of days (= sheet integrity system ) without blocking . if the aluminum oxide is omitted , blocking occurs . when the strips are subjected to tension , substantially higher ultimate tensile strength is found in the mixture comprising aluminum oxide . the following materials are admixed , in a kneader operated at 150 ° c ., with 100 parts of a diorganopolysiloxane end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups and composed of 99 . 93 mol % of dimethylsiloxane units and of 0 . 07 mol % of vinylmethylsiloxane units , with viscosity 8 · 10 6 mpa · s : firstly 50 parts of fumed silicon dioxide which is generated pyrogenically in the gas phase and whose specific surface area is 200 m 2 / g , and then 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and then 7 parts of a dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 40 mpa · s having an si - bonded hydroxy group in each of the terminal units , and then again 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and 1 % by weight of an aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least about 100 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is 13 nm ( commercially available as aeroxide ® alu c from degussa ag , germany ). this mixture is then mixed on a roll mill with 1 . 2 % of 2 , 5 - bis ( tert - butylperoxy )- 2 , 5 - dimethylhexane in the form of 50 % strength paste in silicone rubber ( obtainable commercially as “ varox ”). the mixture has high sheet integrity . this is characterized in that two strips of thickness 1 cm and width 5 cm can be left in contact with one another for a number of days (= sheet integrity system ) without blocking . if the aluminum oxide is omitted , blocking occurs . when the strips are subjected to tension , substantially higher ultimate tensile strength is found in the mixture comprising aluminum oxide . the following materials are admixed , in a kneader operated at 150 ° c ., with 100 parts of a diorganopolysiloxane end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups and composed of 99 . 93 mol % of dimethylsiloxane units and of 0 . 07 mol % of vinylmethylsiloxane units , with viscosity 8 · 10 6 mpa · s : firstly 50 parts of fumed silicon dioxide which is generated pyrogenically in the gas phase and whose specific surface area is 200 m 2 / g , and then 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and then 7 parts of a dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 40 mpa · s having an si - bonded hydroxy group in each of the terminal units , and then again 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and 1 % by weight of an aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least about 100 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is 13 nm ( commercially available as aeroxide ® alu c from degussa ag , germany ). this mixture is then mixed in an internal mixer with 0 . 7 % of dicumyl peroxide ( 98 %). the roll mill is heated to 40 ° c . for the homogenization process . the mixture has high sheet integrity . this is characterized in that two strips of thickness 1 cm and width 5 cm can be left in contact with one another for a number of days (= sheet integrity system ) without blocking . if the aluminum oxide is omitted , blocking occurs . when the strips are subjected to tension , substantially higher ultimate tensile strength is found in the mixture comprising aluminum oxide . the following materials are admixed , in a kneader operated at 150 ° c ., with 100 parts of a diorganopolysiloxane end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups and composed of 99 . 93 mol % of dimethylsiloxane units and of 0 . 07 mol % of vinylmethylsiloxane units , with viscosity 8 · 10 6 mpa · s : firstly 50 parts of fumed silicon dioxide which is generated pyrogenically in the gas phase and whose specific surface area is 200 m 2 / g , and then 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and then 7 parts of a dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 40 mpa · s having an si - bonded hydroxy group in each of the terminal units , and then again 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and 1 % by weight of an aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least about 100 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is 13 nm ( commercially available as aeroxide ® alu c from degussa ag , germany ). this mixture is then mixed in an internal mixer with 1 . 2 % of 2 , 5 - bis ( tert - butylperoxy )- 2 , 5 - dimethylhexane in the form of 50 % strength paste in silicone rubber ( obtainable commercially as “ varox ”). the mixture has high sheet integrity . this is characterized in that two strips of thickness 1 cm and width 5 cm can be left in contact with one another for a number of days (= sheet integrity system ) without blocking . if the aluminum oxide is omitted , blocking occurs . when the strips are subjected to tension , substantially higher ultimate tensile strength is found in the mixture comprising aluminum oxide . the following materials are admixed , in a kneader operated at 150 ° c ., with 100 parts of a diorganopolysiloxane end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups and composed of 99 . 93 mol % of dimethylsiloxane units and of 0 . 07 mol % of vinylmethylsiloxane units , with viscosity 8 · 10 6 mpa · s : firstly 50 parts of fumed silicon dioxide which is generated pyrogenically in the gas phase and whose specific surface area is 200 m 2 / g , and then 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and then 7 parts of a dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 40 mpa · s having an si - bonded hydroxy group in each of the terminal units , and then again 1 part of dimethylpolysiloxane whose viscosity is 96 mpa · s end - capped by trimethylsiloxy groups , and 1 % by weight of an aluminum oxide powder whose specific surface area is at least about 100 m 2 / g and whose average primary particle size is 13 nm ( commercially available as aeroxide ® alu c from degussa ag , germany ). one half of the mixture is then mixed on a roll mill with 0 . 9 % of 1 , 3 - divinyl - 1 , 1 , 3 , 3 - tetramethyldisiloxaneplatinum complex ( 1 % strength in silicone polymer ) ( component a ). the other half of the mixture is then mixed on a roll mill with 2 % of si — h crosslinking agent ( preparation and 1 % of inhibitor ( ethynylcyclohexanol preparation in silicone rubber )) ( component b ). the mixture has high sheet integrity . this is characterized in that two strips of thickness 1 cm and width 5 cm can be left in contact with one another for a number of days (= sheet integrity system ) without blocking . if the aluminum oxide is omitted , blocking occurs . when the strips are subjected to tension , substantially higher ultimate tensile strength is found in the mixture comprising aluminum oxide . these mixtures from inventive examples 1 - 6 can be mixed individually or together . in all cases , pellets can be produced by extrusion through a pelletizing die using a rotating knife . pellets composed of component a and component b of the last example can be premixed in a mixing drum and then processed as for a single - component system . as an alternative , they can be introduced separately into a processing machine , which brings about the mixing . the peroxidically crosslinked pellets can have been colored in advance , or can , shortly prior to processing , be processed using a pigment master batch produced as in inventive example 1 . ready - to - process mixtures using a peroxidic or addition crosslinking system can be pelletized without difficulty in the form of single - or multicomponent systems . the procedure described in inventive examples 1 - 7 is repeated with the modification that no aluminum oxide powder is added . the crosslinkable compositions obtained cannot be pelletized , but merely adhere to the pelletizing die and knife . the mixtures are tacky and have no sheet integrity . | 2 |
deuterium ( d or 2 h ) is a stable , non - radioactive isotope of hydrogen and has an atomic weight of 2 . 0144 . hydrogen naturally occurs as a mixture of the isotopes 1 h ( hydrogen or protium ), d ( 2 h or deuterium ), and t ( 3 h or tritium ). the natural abundance of deuterium is 0 . 015 %. one of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that in all chemical compounds with a h atom , the h atom actually represents a mixture of h and d , with about 0 . 015 % being d . thus , compounds with a level of deuterium that has been enriched to be greater than its natural abundance of 0 . 015 %, should be considered unnatural and , as a result , novel over their non - enriched counterparts . all percentages given for the amount of deuterium present are mole percentages . it can be quite difficult in the laboratory to achieve 100 % deuteration at any one site of a lab scale amount of compound ( e . g ., milligram or greater ). when 100 % deuteration is recited or a deuterium atom is specifically shown in a structure , it is assumed that a small percentage of hydrogen may still be present . deuterium - enriched can be achieved by either exchanging protons with deuterium or by synthesizing the molecule with enriched starting materials . the present invention provides deuterium - enriched posaconazole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . there are forty - two hydrogen atoms in the posaconazole portion of posaconazole as show by variables r 1 - r 42 in formula i below . the hydrogens present on posaconazole have different capacities for exchange with deuterium . hydrogen atom r 1 is easily exchangeable under physiological conditions and , if replaced by a deuterium atom , it is expected that it will readily exchange for a proton after administration to a patient . the remaining hydrogen atoms are not easily exchangeable for deuterium atoms . however , deuterium atoms at the remaining positions may be incorporated by the use of deuterated starting materials or intermediates during the construction of posaconazole . the present invention is based on increasing the amount of deuterium present in posaconazole above its natural abundance . this increasing is called enrichment or deuterium - enrichment . if not specifically noted , the percentage of enrichment refers to the percentage of deuterium present in the compound , mixture of compounds , or composition . examples of the amount of enrichment include from about 0 . 5 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 16 , 21 , 25 , 29 , 33 , 37 , 42 , 46 , 50 , 54 , 58 , 63 , 67 , 71 , 75 , 79 , 84 , 88 , 92 , 96 , to about 100 mol %. since there are 42 hydrogens in posaconazole , replacement of a single hydrogen atom with deuterium would result in a molecule with about 2 % deuterium enrichment . in order to achieve enrichment less than about 2 %, but above the natural abundance , only partial deuteration of one site is required . thus , less than about 2 % enrichment would still refer to deuterium - enriched posaconazole . with the natural abundance of deuterium being 0 . 015 %, one would expect that for approximately every 6 , 667 molecules of posaconazole ( 1 / 0 . 00015 = 6 , 667 ), there is one naturally occurring molecule with one deuterium present . since posaconazole has 42 positions , one would roughly expect that for approximately every 280 , 014 molecules of posaconazole ( 42 × 6 , 667 ), all 42 different , naturally occurring , mono - deuterated posaconazoles would be present . this approximation is a rough estimate as it doesn &# 39 ; t take into account the different exchange rates of the hydrogen atoms on posaconazole . for naturally occurring molecules with more than one deuterium , the numbers become vastly larger . in view of this natural abundance , the present invention , in an embodiment , relates to an amount of an deuterium enriched compound , whereby the enrichment recited will be more than naturally occurring deuterated molecules . in view of the natural abundance of deuterium - enriched posaconazole , the present invention also relates to isolated or purified deuterium - enriched posaconazole . the isolated or purified deuterium - enriched posaconazole is a group of molecules whose deuterium levels are above the naturally occurring levels ( e . g ., 2 %). the isolated or purified deuterium - enriched posaconazole can be obtained by techniques known to those of skill in the art ( e . g ., see the syntheses described below ). the present invention also relates to compositions comprising deuterium - enriched posaconazole . the compositions require the presence of deuterium - enriched posaconazole which is greater than its natural abundance . for example , the compositions of the present invention can comprise ( a ) a μg of a deuterium - enriched posaconazole ; ( b ) a mg of a deuterium - enriched posaconazole ; and , ( c ) a gram of a deuterium - enriched posaconazole . in an embodiment , the present invention provides an amount of a novel deuterium - enriched posaconazole . examples of amounts include , but are not limited to ( a ) at least 0 . 01 , 0 . 02 , 0 . 03 , 0 . 04 , 0 . 05 , 0 . 1 , 0 . 2 , 0 . 3 , 0 . 4 , 0 . 5 , to 1 mole , ( b ) at least 0 . 1 moles , and ( c ) at least 1 mole of the compound . the present amounts also cover lab - scale ( e . g ., gram scale ), kilo - lab scale ( e . g ., kilogram scale ), and industrial or commercial scale ( e . g ., multi - kilogram or above scale ) quantities as these will be more useful in the actual manufacture of a pharmaceutical . industrial / commercial scale refers to the amount of product that would be produced in a batch that was designed for clinical testing , formulation , sale / distribution to the public , etc . in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . wherein r 1 - r 42 are independently selected from h and d ; and the abundance of deuterium in r 1 - r 42 is at least 2 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 5 %, ( b ) at least 10 %, ( c ) at least 14 %, ( d ) at least 19 %, ( e ) at least 24 %, ( f ) at least 29 %, ( g ) at least 33 %, ( h ) at least 38 %, ( i ) at least 43 %, ( j ) at least 48 %, ( k ) at least 52 %, ( l ) at least 57 %, ( m ) at least 62 %, ( n ) at least 67 %, ( o ) at least 71 %, ( p ) at least 76 %, ( q ) at least 81 %, ( r ) at least 86 %, ( s ) at least 90 %, ( t ) at least 93 %, ( u ) at least 98 %, and ( v ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 1 is at least 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 2 - r 11 is at least 10 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 20 %, ( b ) at least 30 %, ( c ) at least 40 %, ( d ) at least 50 %, ( e ) at least 60 %, ( f ) at least 70 %, ( g ) at least 80 %, ( h ) at least 90 %, and ( i ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 12 is at least 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 13 - r 16 is at least 25 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 50 %, ( b ) at least 75 %, and ( c ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 17 - r 24 is at least 13 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 25 %, ( b ) at least 38 %, ( c ) at least 50 %, ( d ) at least 63 %, ( e ) at least 75 %, ( f ) at least 88 %, and ( g ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 25 - r 28 is at least 25 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 50 %, ( b ) at least 75 %, and ( c ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 29 - r 35 is at least 14 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 29 %, ( b ) at least 43 %, ( c ) at least 57 %, ( d ) at least 71 %, ( e ) at least 86 %, and ( f ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 36 - r 37 is at least 50 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 38 - r 40 is at least 33 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 67 %, and ( b ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . wherein r 1 - r 42 are independently selected from h and d ; and the abundance of deuterium in r 1 - r 42 is at least 2 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 5 %, ( b ) at least 10 %, ( c ) at least 14 %, ( d ) at least 19 %, ( e ) at least 24 %, ( f ) at least 29 %, ( g ) at least 33 %, ( h ) at least 38 %, ( i ) at least 43 %, ( j ) at least 48 %, ( k ) at least 52 %, ( l ) at least 57 %, ( m ) at least 62 %, ( n ) at least 67 %, ( o ) at least 71 %, ( p ) at least 76 %, ( q ) at least 81 %, ( r ) at least 86 %, ( s ) at least 90 %, ( t ) at least 93 %, ( u ) at least 98 %, and ( v ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 1 is at least 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 2 - r 11 is at least 10 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 20 %, ( b ) at least 30 %, ( c ) at least 40 %, ( d ) at least 50 %, ( e ) at least 60 %, ( f ) at least 70 %, ( g ) at least 80 %, ( h ) at least 90 %, and ( i ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 12 is at least 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 13 - r 16 is at least 25 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 50 %, ( b ) at least 75 %, and ( c ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 17 - r 24 is at least 13 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 25 %, ( b ) at least 38 %, ( c ) at least 50 %, ( d ) at least 63 %, ( e ) at least 75 %, ( f ) at least 88 %, and ( g ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 25 - r 28 is at least 25 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 50 %, ( b ) at least 75 %, and ( c ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 29 - r 35 is at least 14 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 29 %, ( b ) at least 43 %, ( c ) at least 57 %, ( d ) at least 71 %, ( e ) at least 86 %, and ( f ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 36 - r 37 is at least 50 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides an isolated novel , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 38 - r 40 is at least 33 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 67 %, and ( b ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides novel mixture of deuterium enriched compounds of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . wherein r 1 - r 42 are independently selected from h and d ; and the abundance of deuterium in r 1 - r 42 is at least 2 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 5 %, ( b ) at least 10 %, ( c ) at least 14 %, ( d ) at least 19 %, ( e ) at least 24 %, ( f ) at least 29 %, ( g ) at least 33 %, ( h ) at least 38 %, ( i ) at least 43 %, ( j ) at least 48 %, ( k ) at least 52 %, ( l ) at least 57 %, ( m ) at least 62 %, ( n ) at least 67 %, ( o ) at least 71 %, ( p ) at least 76 %, ( q ) at least 81 %, ( r ) at least 86 %, ( s ) at least 90 %, ( t ) at least 93 %, ( u ) at least 98 %, and ( v ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 1 is at least 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 2 - r 11 is at least 10 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 20 %, ( b ) at least 30 %, ( c ) at least 40 %, ( d ) at least 50 %, ( e ) at least 60 %, ( f ) at least 70 %, ( g ) at least 80 %, ( h ) at least 90 %, and ( i ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 12 is at least 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 13 - r 16 is at least 25 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 50 %, ( b ) at least 75 %, and ( c ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 17 - r 24 is at least 13 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 25 %, ( b ) at least 38 %, ( c ) at least 50 %, ( d ) at least 63 %, ( e ) at least 75 %, ( f ) at least 88 %, and ( g ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 25 - r 28 is at least 25 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 50 %, ( b ) at least 75 %, and ( c ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 29 - r 35 is at least 14 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 29 %, ( b ) at least 43 %, ( c ) at least 57 %, ( d ) at least 71 %, ( e ) at least 86 %, and ( f ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 36 - r 37 is at least 50 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel mixture of , deuterium enriched compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , wherein the abundance of deuterium in r 38 - r 40 is at least 33 %. the abundance can also be ( a ) at least 67 %, and ( b ) 100 %. in another embodiment , the present invention provides novel pharmaceutical compositions , comprising : a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of a deuterium - enriched compound of the present invention . in another embodiment , the present invention provides a novel method for treating a disease selected from invasive infections by candida species , fusarium species , and / or aspergillus comprising : administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a deuterium - enriched compound of the present invention . in another embodiment , the present invention provides an amount of a deuterium - enriched compound of the present invention as described above for use in therapy . in another embodiment , the present invention provides the use of an amount of a deuterium - enriched compound of the present invention for the manufacture of a medicament ( e . g ., for the treatment of invasive infections by candida species , fusarium species , and / or aspergillus ). the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof . this invention encompasses all combinations of preferred aspects of the invention noted herein . it is understood that any and all embodiments of the present invention may be taken in conjunction with any other embodiment or embodiments to describe additional more preferred embodiments . it is also to be understood that each individual element of the preferred embodiments is intended to be taken individually as its own independent preferred embodiment . furthermore , any element of an embodiment is meant to be combined with any and all other elements from any embodiment to describe an additional embodiment . the examples provided in the definitions present in this application are non - inclusive unless otherwise stated . they include but are not limited to the recited examples . the compounds of the present invention may have asymmetric centers . compounds of the present invention containing an asymmetrically substituted atom may be isolated in optically active or racemic forms . it is well known in the art how to prepare optically active forms , such as by resolution of racemic forms or by synthesis from optically active starting materials . all processes used to prepare compounds of the present invention and intermediates made therein are considered to be part of the present invention . all tautomers of shown or described compounds are also considered to be part of the present invention . “ host ” preferably refers to a human . it also includes other mammals including the equine , porcine , bovine , feline , and canine families . “ treating ” or “ treatment ” covers the treatment of a disease - state in a mammal , and includes : ( a ) preventing the disease - state from occurring in a mammal , in particular , when such mammal is predisposed to the disease - state but has not yet been diagnosed as having it ; ( b ) inhibiting the disease - state , e . g ., arresting it development ; and / or ( c ) relieving the disease - state , e . g ., causing regression of the disease state until a desired endpoint is reached . treating also includes the amelioration of a symptom of a disease ( e . g ., lessen the pain or discomfort ), wherein such amelioration may or may not be directly affecting the disease ( e . g ., cause , transmission , expression , etc .). “ therapeutically effective amount ” includes an amount of a compound of the present invention that is effective when administered alone or in combination to treat the desired condition or disorder . “ therapeutically effective amount ” includes an amount of the combination of compounds claimed that is effective to treat the desired condition or disorder . the combination of compounds is preferably a synergistic combination . synergy , as described , for example , by chou and talalay , adv . enzyme regul . 1984 , 22 : 27 - 55 , occurs when the effect of the compounds when administered in combination is greater than the additive effect of the compounds when administered alone as a single agent . in general , a synergistic effect is most clearly demonstrated at sub - optimal concentrations of the compounds . synergy can be in terms of lower cytotoxicity , increased antiviral effect , or some other beneficial effect of the combination compared with the individual components . “ pharmaceutically acceptable salts ” refer to derivatives of the disclosed compounds wherein the parent compound is modified by making acid or base salts thereof . examples of pharmaceutically acceptable salts include , but are not limited to , mineral or organic acid salts of the basic residues . the pharmaceutically acceptable salts include the conventional quaternary ammonium salts of the parent compound formed , for example , from non - toxic inorganic or organic acids . for example , such conventional non - toxic salts include , but are not limited to , those derived from inorganic and organic acids selected from 1 , 2 - ethanedisulfonic , 2 - acetoxybenzoic , 2 - hydroxyethanesulfonic , acetic , ascorbic , benzenesulfonic , benzoic , bicarbonic , carbonic , citric , edetic , ethane disulfonic , ethane sulfonic , fumaric , glucoheptonic , gluconic , glutamic , glycolic , glycollyarsanilic , hexylresorcinic , hydrabamic , hydrobromic , hydrochloric , hydroiodide , hydroxymaleic , hydroxynaphthoic , isethionic , lactic , lactobionic , lauryl sulfonic , maleic , malic , mandelic , methanesulfonic , napsylic , nitric , oxalic , pamoic , pantothenic , phenylacetic , phosphoric , polygalacturonic , propionic , salicyclic , stearic , subacetic , succinic , sulfamic , sulfanilic , sulfuric , tannic , tartaric , and toluenesulfonic . table 1 provides compounds that are representative examples of the present invention . when one of r 1 - r 42 is present , it is selected from h or d . table 2 provides compounds that are representative examples of the present invention . where h is shown , it represents naturally abundant hydrogen . numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise that as specifically described herein . | 2 |
embodiments of the inventions can be constructed from off - the - shelf components . in all of the embodiments disclosed below , different materials could be used for the sound speaker , including but not exclusively : various plastics , resins , papers , fabrics , plant fibers , ceramics , and metals . in the embodiments disclosed below , additional different materials could be used for the sound speaker , such as rayon , nylon , polyester , silk , cotton , wool , and other fabrics . the metal pieces would typically be made from a metal or some metal alloy , but could alternatively be made from other resilient materials , such as plastics , and other equivalent manmade materials . one embodiment of the invention can be also be used in addition to any personal electronics , including a mp3 player , an ipod shuffle , a radio receiver , an optical disc player , a magnetic disc player , a cellphone , or an equivalent device . one embodiment of the invention provides a sound speaker . a sound speaker is used to excite the surface it rests upon , instead of the air around it . the figures below will illustrate this surface sound technology by showing how the exciter creates sound waves from basic surfaces . embodiments of this speaker can be packaged into small portable devices that are compatible with any smartphone or tablet with an audio port . one embodiment of the invention holds its own lithium battery supply for more portability and incorporates a simple on / off interface with corresponding led &# 39 ; s for display of power / charge status . various embodiments of the invention can utilize an exciter that is commercially available from the following manufacturer — hiwave , with corporate headquarters in cambridge , uk , and the following us supplier — parts express , with corporate headquarters in springboro , ohio . in various embodiments of any type of a sound speaker shown below , a display can be implemented by liquid crystal display ( lcd ), organic light emitting diode ( oled ), light emitting diode ( led ), or an equivalent display technology . in various embodiments , the display can display one or more of the following : battery charge level , estimated remaining battery life , sound intensity , clock time , and / or equivalent parameters . fig1 illustrates a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows a led diffuser 101 , a button 102 used to activate entire unit , a top enclosure 200 , a lip overhang 204 , a bottom enclosure 300 , and a circular cut - out 301 . fig2 illustrates a top view of a top enclosure of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig2 shows a top hole 201 where a button ( shown in fig1 ) and led diffuser ( shown in fig1 ) will be protruding , a cutout 203 where an audio jack ( not shown ) will protrude , and a lip overhang 204 . fig2 has various advantages . using a three - legged shape , the enclosure is able to house three separate batteries ( shown in fig1 as 702 ) instead of one large battery . in this way , the enclosure has a lower profile and incorporates more milli - ampere hours than similar portable resonator speakers . the symmetry of the enclosure also adds to the look and feel of the device while also providing a balanced weight that will sit on the exciter in order to minimize movement of the speaker on a surface due to excessive vibration . fig3 illustrates bottom view of a top enclosure of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig3 shows a top hole 201 , a cutout 203 , posts 205 where fasteners will attach , posts 206 where small fasteners will attach , protruding sections 207 to prevent an led diffuser ( not shown ) from rotating . fig4 illustrates a bottom view of a bottom enclosure of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig4 shows a bottom enclosure 300 , circular cut - outs 301 , a hole 302 cut out where an exciter ( not shown ) will protrude , a cutout 303 to allow an audio jack ( not shown ) to be exposed , and bottom feet 304 . fig5 illustrates a top view of a bottom enclosure of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig5 shows a hole 302 cut out where an exciter ( not shown ) will protrude , a cutout 303 to allow an audio jack ( not shown ) to be exposed , posts 305 to secure the position of an enclosure ( not shown ) for the exciter ( not shown ), binding posts 306 with holes for attachment to fasteners ( not shown ), a lip 307 to keep an exciter ( not shown ) at an optimum height , an increased volume 308 for holding weights ( not shown ) for optimum weighting for sound amplitude and clarity , and a circular slot 309 for a screen ring ( not shown ) to be inserted into the bottom surface . fig6 illustrates a top view of an exciter enclosure of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig6 shows an exciter enclosure 400 , holes 401 for fasteners ( not shown ), a hole 402 for an exciter ( not shown ), and an arch 403 . fig7 illustrates a bottom view of an exciter enclosure of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig7 shows an exciter enclosure 400 , holes 401 for fasteners ( not shown ), a hole 402 for an exciter ( not shown ), and a ring 404 . fig8 illustrates a top view of a box and sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig8 shows an entire speaker component 600 and a box 800 used a speaker for an exciter ( not shown ). fig9 illustrates a bottom view of a box and sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig9 shows an entire speaker component 600 , an exciter 704 , and a box 800 used a speaker for the exciter 704 . fig1 illustrates a top view of a top enclosure of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows a led diffuser 101 , a button 102 used to activate entire unit , and a top enclosure 200 . fig1 illustrates a side view of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows a top enclosure 200 , a bottom enclosure 300 and an exciter 704 . fig1 illustrates a sectional view of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows a led diffuser 101 , a button 102 used to activate entire unit , an exciter enclosure 400 , an electronics substrate 701 , batteries 702 , an exciter 704 , an optional screen ring 705 , and an optional screen 706 used to keep dirt out of the component . fig1 illustrates an exploded view of a sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows ( starting from the top ) a top enclosure 200 , a led diffuser 101 , a button 102 used to activate entire unit , an electronics substrate 701 , small fasteners 703 to attach the electronics substrate 701 to the top enclosure 200 , batteries 702 , an exciter enclosure 400 , and exciter 704 , a screen ring 705 , a screen 706 held by the screen ring 705 , and a bottom enclosure 300 with a cut - out 303 for an audio jack ( not shown ), and large fasteners 707 to attach the bottom enclosure 300 to the top enclosure 200 . one embodiment of the invention would incorporate the components of fig1 through fig1 . the components are tabulated below . 600 — entire speaker component . 101 — led diffuser used to allow leds on printed circuit board 701 to emit light through and give off a glowing ring on top surface 200 . 102 — button used to activate entire unit . 200 — top enclosure where button 102 , led diffuser 101 , printed circuit board 701 are secured to by fasteners 703 . 201 — top hole where button 102 and led diffuser 101 will be protruding through . 203 — cutout where audio jack on printed circuit board 701 will be protruding through . 204 — lip overhang to resemble the front end of a car . 205 — posts where large fasteners 707 will be attached . 206 — posts where small fasteners 703 will be attached . 207 — protruding sections to prevent led diffuser 101 from rotating . 300 — bottom enclosure used to hold screen screen 706 , screen ring 705 , exciter 704 , exciter enclosure 400 , and batteries 702 . 301 — circular cut - outs to fit fasteners 707 and secure bottom enclosure 300 to top enclosure 200 . 302 — hole cut out where an exciter 704 will protrude . 303 — cutout on bottom enclosure 300 to allow an audio jack on an electronics substrate 701 to be exposed . 304 — bottom feet on bottom enclosure 300 to allow for a slight elevation . 305 — posts used to secure the position of an exciter enclosure 400 . 306 — binding posts and holes used to allow fasteners 707 to attach an electronics substrate 701 and attach a bottom enclosure 300 to a top enclosure 200 . 307 — lip used to keep exciter 704 at an optimum height for sound clarity . 308 — increased volume in bottom surface 300 to attain an optimum weight for sound amplitude and clarity . 309 — circular slot for screen ring 705 to be inserted into bottom surface 300 400 — exciter enclosure used to house an exciter 704 and attach a bottom enclosure 300 . 401 — holes in the exciter enclosure . 402 — hole in the exciter enclosure . 403 — arch in the exciter enclosure . 404 — ring in the exciter enclosure . 701 — printed circuit board 702 — batteries 703 — small fasteners used to secure printed circuit board 701 on to posts 206 on top surface 200 . 704 — exciter used to resonate surface it comes into contact with . 705 — screen ring used to hold screen 706 . 706 — screen used keep dirt out of component . 707 — large fasteners used to secure bottom enclosure 300 onto posts 205 on top enclosure 200 . 800 — box or surface used as speaker to exciter . in one embodiment , the sound signal is carried by one wire , and the electrical ground is carried by two wires . in another embodiment , simply two wires ( one wire for the sound signal and one wire for ground ) are used . in alternative embodiments more signal wires can be used . in one embodiment , there is a controller module that has an on - off switch and a charger port for charging a plurality of internal batteries . one embodiment of the invention receives a sound from any device ( e . g ., such as the iphone / ipod touch / ipad , android , a pc , or an equivalent ). many apps created by third parties are available to utilize these signals . various embodiments of the invention can utilize compelling interfaces and fun , useful apps for people to interface their sound signals to technology . the energy source in various embodiments can be one or more batteries , a photovoltaic electrical module , an electrical recharger , or some other equivalent electrical energy source with a capacity for supplying an appropriate amount of voltage and current . one embodiment of the invention uses one or more electrochemical batteries ( e . g ., lithium ion batteries , typically rated at 3 . 6 volts under normal conditions and 4 . 2 volts when fully charged , or other equivalent electrochemical batteries , either single charge or rechargeable , or other equivalent power sources ). most of the electrical power provided by such batteries will be used for supply power to operate the electronics . fig1 illustrates a flowchart to make sound speaker , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . the method starts in operation 1402 . operation 1406 is next and includes placing a speaker ring in a bottom enclosure of a speaker . operation 1408 is next and includes attaching an exciter to the speaker ring in the bottom enclosure of a speaker . operation 1410 is next and includes placing an exciter enclosure over the exciter and attaching the exciter enclosure to the exciter . operation 1412 is next and includes placing one or more buttons and one or more led diffuser rings near the top enclosure hole of the exciter enclosure . operation 1414 is next and includes attaching an electronics substrate to the top of the exciter enclosure . in one embodiment , the electronics substrate also has one or more displays to display estimated remaining battery life , sound intensity , clock time , and / or other equivalent parameters . operation 1416 is next and includes installing at least one connector to the sound speaker to make an electrical coupling between the electronics of the sound speaker to at least one source of electrical energy that can supply electricity to the electronics of the sound speaker . the source of electricity would be a plurality of batteries in one embodiment of the invention . operation 1418 is next and includes attaching all the parts of the sound speaker together to make a complete unit . the method ends in operation 1420 . in an alternative embodiment , an additional operation precedes operation 1406 . operation 1404 includes attaching a speaker screen material to a speaker ring . fig1 illustrates a flowchart to make sound speaker , in accordance with another embodiment of the invention . the method starts in operation 1502 . operation 1508 is next and includes placing a speaker ring in a bottom enclosure of a speaker . operation 1510 is next and includes removing an adhesive sticker on an exciter to expose an adhesive surface on the exciter and attach it to the speaker ring in the bottom enclosure of a speaker . operation 1512 is next and includes placing an exciter enclosure over the exciter and attaching the exciter enclosure to the exciter . operation 1514 is next and includes placing one or more buttons and one or more led diffuser rings near the top enclosure hole of the exciter enclosure . operation 1516 is next and includes attaching an electronics substrate to the top of the exciter enclosure . in one embodiment , the electronics substrate also has one or more displays to display estimated remaining battery life , sound intensity , clock time , and / or other equivalent parameters . operation 1518 is next and includes attaching all the parts of the sound speaker together to make a complete unit . the method ends in operation 1520 . in an alternative embodiment , this method includes two additional operations before operation 1508 . operation 1504 follows operation 1502 and includes cutting out a circular screen from speaker screen material . operation 1506 is next and includes attaching the speaker screen material to a speaker ring . fig1 illustrates an isometric view of a sound speaker , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows an entire speaker component 600 . fig1 illustrates an isometric view of a sound speaker , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows an entire speaker component 600 . fig1 illustrates an isometric view of a sound speaker , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention . fig1 shows an entire speaker component 600 . other embodiments of the invention are possible . for example , the sound speaker could be composed of several laminations of various materials for different applications . another embodiment of the invention could provide multiple adjustable connectors to accommodate different sizes and lengths of electronics , energy sources , and cords . the exemplary embodiments described herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting . therefore , those skilled in the art will recognize that other embodiments could be practiced without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims set forth below . | 7 |
referring initially to fig1 , a reinforced panel in accordance with the present invention is shown and is generally designated 10 . as shown , the panel 10 includes a plurality of mutually parallel ridges 12 , and a plurality of mutually parallel ridges 14 . further , the ridges 14 are transverse to the ridges 12 and intersect them at an angle “ α ”. fig1 also shows that the ridges 12 and 14 are mounted on the surface 16 of a common base layer 18 . for purposes of disclosure , the ridges 12 a and 12 b are shown as only being exemplary of additional such ridges 12 . likewise , the ridges 14 a and 14 b are also only exemplary . further , although the term “ ridge ” is most frequently used herein to describe the structure shown and indicated by the numerical designators “ 12 ” or “ 14 ”, it is to be appreciated that the ridges 12 / 14 are , functionally , “ stiffening members ” for the panel 10 and are , structurally , “ continuations ” of the base layer 18 . consequently , the terms “ ridge ”, “ stiffening member ” and “ continuation ” may be used interchangeably herein . also , as will be appreciated by the skilled artisan , the ridges 12 / 14 will form an ortho - grid when the angle “ α ” is a right angle . otherwise , the ridges 12 / 14 will form an iso - grid . turning now to fig2 , the structural construction of a preferred embodiment for a ridge 12 / 14 is shown in detail . in fig2 it will be seen that the ridge 12 has a substantially u - shaped , cross - sectional configuration ( shown inverted in fig2 ). this configuration includes a base portion 20 . also , extending substantially parallel from the base portion 20 are legs 22 a and 22 b that , together with the base portion 20 , define a channel 24 . as shown , the legs 22 a and 22 b are distanced from each other by a distance “ w ”, and the base portion 20 is distanced from the base layer 18 by a distance “ h ”. for purposes of the present invention , the respective distances “ w ” and “ h ” can be varied as desired for the particular application . still referring to fig2 , a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a unidirectional ply 26 that extends in the plane of the base layer 18 and interconnects the leg 22 a with the leg 22 b . more specifically , each of the legs 22 a and 22 b terminate at a respective edge 28 a and 28 b , and it is these edges 28 a and 28 b that engage with the unidirectional ply 26 . turning to fig3 , it will be seen that the unidirectional ply 26 is characterized by having a plurality of tows 30 that are aligned substantially in parallel with each other during the manufacture of the ply 26 . consequently , the maximum tension force that can be resisted by the unidirectional ply 26 will be a force that is applied in the direction of the aligned tows 30 . thus , during the construction of a ridge 12 ( e . g . ridge 12 a in fig1 ) the unidirectional ply 26 is positioned at a distance “ h ” from the base portion 20 of the ridge 12 ( see fig2 ), with the tows 30 of ply 26 aligned substantially parallel to the axis 32 of the channel 24 . in an alternate embodiment for the panel 10 of the present invention , shown in fig4 , the ridge 12 includes legs 22 a and 22 b that are each formed with a foot 34 a and 34 b at the respective edges 28 a and 28 b of the legs 22 a and 22 b . further , an overlap layer 36 a is positioned over the foot 34 a and is secured to the leg 22 a , as well as the base layer 18 . similarly , an overlap layer 36 b is positioned over the foot 34 b and is secured to the leg 22 b , as well as the base layer 18 . in another alternate embodiment for the panel 10 of the present invention , shown in fig5 , the embodiment shown in fig4 is modified by cutting the base layer 18 along the middle of the channel 24 . this creates a pair of opposed flaps 38 a and 38 b . these flaps 38 a and 38 b are then folded into the channel 24 and into contact with the side of respective legs 22 a and 22 b . for yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention , refer to fig6 . there it will be seen that a second unidirectional ply 26 ′ is added onto the base portion 20 of a stiffening member ( ridge ) 12 . specifically , as shown in fig6 , this additional ply 26 ′ is affixed to the base portion 20 and is positioned substantially at the distance “ h ” from the unidirectional ply 26 on base layer 18 . consequently , the ply 26 and the ply 26 ′ will alternatively resist tension forces that are imposed during a bending of the panel 10 . with the exception of the additional unidirectional ply 26 ′, the ridge 12 that is shown in fig6 is similar in all other important respects to the ridge 12 shown in fig2 . although the disclosure above has been directed primarily to a single ridge 12 , it is to be appreciated that the disclosure applies equally to all ridges 12 / 14 of the reinforced panel 10 . moreover , for all embodiments of the present invention ( i . e . ridges 12 shown in fig2 , 4 , 5 and 6 ), the construction material for the base panel 18 and for the ridges 12 / 14 is a composite material . preferably , this composite material is a combination of carbon fibers and epoxy resin . also , for all embodiments of the present invention , it is intended that after the composite material components have been assembled as disclosed above , the entire combination is co - cured . the consequence of this is a reinforced panel 10 that is essentially of a one - piece , unitary structure wherein the cooperative resistance of the base portion 20 and the base layer 18 ( along with ply 26 and ply 26 ′ in the preferred embodiments ( see fig2 and fig6 )) provide stiffness and rigidity for the panel 10 . while the particular reinforced composite panel as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated , it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims . | 4 |
this invention relates to methods and devices for producing and combining photo - type images in precise registration so as to improve and enhance the final image , for example , masking an image to reduce or increase contrast and improve the rendition of fine detail . other usages will become obvious to one skilled in the art as the description proceeds . for one embodiment of this invention , a two - channel system , the arrangements of parts and their operation will now be explained . referring to fig1 we start with the primary original scene or object at 1 . this primary object can be a transparency , real object , or image ( either virtual or real ) produced by an optical system . for purposes of this description , a transparency 1 will be used as an example . this transparency at 1 is illuminated for purposes of reimaging at locations 2 and 3 by light source 4 . other illumination systems may be used in the operation of this invention . multiple images of transparency 1 through the transmission of light rays are formed at positions 2 and 3 by lens 5 and beam splitting prism 6 . other means for producing multiple images are shown in fig3 - 8 . the light rays from the primary scene is considered to be in the primary channel until it is divided by prisms , mirrors or multiple lenses , etc ., and then the light rays forming each secondary image is considered to be a secondary channel in these multichannel systems . a photo - sensitive surface , such as a conventional silver halide photographic film is placed at positions 2 and 3 . the holders for the film are shown in fig2 . other types of photo - sensitive media which may be incorporated are non - silver halide films such as diazo or 3m films , which are processed in situ by gas or heat , electrostatic photographic processes which could also be processed without the necessity of a darkroom , electrooptical images involving such processes as liquid crystal techniques which can be processed electronically and finally in fact any type of unconventional imaging process . in the example being described here , a conventional photographic film or plate is placed at positions 2 and 3 by means of film or plate holder 7 , shown in detail in fig2 and described later . other means of transporting film , plates , or photo - sensitive surfaces to the positions 2 and 3 so that they are in register one with each other are well known to one trained in the art . positioning images and film so that they maintain precise registration one with the other is very important and many devices and techniques are possible to obtain this , such as mechanical movements of the image planes around any or all six degrees of freedom . in the present case , care in construction to maintain image planes precisely perpendicular to the optical axis and at properly precise distances does much to achieve precise image registration . registration pins 8 on the camera body engage holes or recesses in the film or plate holder ( see fig2 ) at the interface to provide a precise means for returning the plate or film holder to precisely the same position each time it is returned to the apparatus . registration pins 9 ( fig1 ), 13 ( fig2 ) in one part of the film or plate holder fitting into positioning holes in the film or plate and into the other part of the holder to insure that the film or plate upon return is precisely positioned in the proper place after processing . the film or plate 10 ( fig2 ) fits in between the two parts of the holder 7 at positions 1 , 2 and 3 ( fig1 ). referring now to fig2 we see in detail how this is accomplished . the film or plate 10 is held against the surface of plate 11 by element 12 which contains registration pins 13 that go through corresponding positioning holes in the film and fit precisely into the holes or recesses 14 in the plate 11 , thus preventing any lateral movement . loading of the film holder 7 is usually done in a darkroom and dark slides or opaque shields 15 and 16 are both inserted in the holder 7 on opposite sides of the film or plate 10 . the two principle parts of the film holder 7 are held together by four bolts or other means while outside the darkroom . registration with the image plane at positions 2 and 3 in fig1 is further insured by the registration holes or recesses 17 which precisely engage registration pins 8 on a camera projector described in fig1 . the dark slide 15 is removed for exposing the film and inserted for removal to the darkroom . the film is removed and after processing the film is again placed on the registration pins 13 , the film holder is closed and again placed on the camera projector registration pins and both dark slides are removed to permit illumination and projection of the image . the images at positions 2 and 3 of fig1 are exposed by controlling the time , intensity and color of the light at 4 . filters at positions 18 and 19 coupled with lens aperture 20 at lens 5 and light source 4 as well as the reflecting surface of prism 6 determines the relative quality and intensity of the light at images 2 and 3 . exposure time can be controlled by shutter such as 81 anywhere in the primary channel and / or secondary channels . exposure can also be controlled by a control device 21 controlling the intensity and duration of the illumination from the light source 4 . practically any kind of light sensitive image forming process may be involved in this invention by placing the light sensitive surface and finished image at the image planes 2 and / or 3 . with some processes it is necessary to remove the exposed surface from positions 2 and 3 for processing either chemically , electrically or by heat or other means . in some cases , it is possible to process the image in situ ( see fig6 ) without disturbing the positional relationships of the images at 1 , 2 and 3 with respect to the final processed images thus insuring registration of all images without resorting to registration pins , reference surfaces and so forth . the processed images produced at 2 and / or 3 can be most conveniently thought of as transparent to be illuminated by light sources 22 and 23 which are controlled in time and / or intensity by controlling devices 24 and 25 . the light source 4 and controlling device 21 at position 1 are only used while exposing the masks . it is not necessary for some operations that images be at both positions 2 and 3 nor is it necessary in some applications that the images at 2 and / or 3 be transparent . they could be reflective type images illuminated from the front rather than the rear . it is also possible that they could be self - illuminated images produced electronically such as a cathode ray tube like those used in television , or other display tubes such as plasma arcs and so forth . it is also not necessary that the images produced at 2 and / or 3 be produced from the original scene at position 1 . upon projection the images at 2 and 3 act as masks controlling and enhancing the images at 1 . further control of the image at 1 can be enhanced or achieved by modifying or changing the filters 18 and 19 . it is also possible to do additive masking by placing the original scene at either position 2 or 3 rather than 1 and placing the masking film at either the 2 or 3 position . a mask can be made by placing a retroreflector , a mirror , or a diffuse reflector and so forth at position 1 instead of a transparency ( see fig4 ). in this mode of operation after processing and illumination by light sources 22 and 23 the additively combined images of 2 and 3 appear at image plane 1 to be viewed or recorded by any applicable means . it therefore follows that by such means as lights 22 and 23 , filters 18 and 19 , the mask or masks at 2 and 3 and controlling devices 24 and 27 , the optical properties such as contrast , intensity and color of the projected image at 1 can be controlled . there are numerous applications of this multichannel system well known to one experienced in the art , such as contrast control , of black and white or color photographs , adding backgrounds , posturization , chroma cueing , color correction for restoring faded color images , dodging color pictures , color pictures made from black and white originals , false color , color enhancement , rotoscope , motion picture special effects , controlling results from multi - spectral cameras , controlling wide dynamic range of brightness in photographic scenes , multi - color pictures rather than just two or three colors , adding filter effects such as diffraction grating stars , image combination , abstract color design , matt box effects , additive color printing , and so forth . several of the above applications require the use of more than 2 secondary channels such as illustrated in fig1 . possible forms of this invention involving 2 , 3 , 4 , and 8 channels are shown in fig3 , 5 , 6 , 7 and 8 . these means and combinations of them as well as other means can also be used to produce any number of channels . an additional non - image forming channel can always be added without an image such as is shown in fig1 for illuminating the object at position 1 . for this option , a removable semireflective surface such as a pelicle or semireflecting mirror 25 is located between the image or film 1 and the lens 5 in fig1 which semireflection surface is used to partially illuminate the image 1 by means of illuminator 26 which is controlled by controller 27 . fig3 is a three - channel system and will be recognized as similar to the well known &# 34 ; one - shot color camera &# 34 ;. in this invention , however , when provided with registration means , 28 , illumination means , 29 , and means 30 for controlling the amount of light and filters at 31 for controlling the quality of the light at the image planes 32 , 33 , 34 , and 35 both when producing masks and in using the processed masks a new and different invention results which is the subject of this invention . the semireflecting mirrors at 36 or pellicles divide the image of 32 formed by lens 37 to form the images at 33 , 34 and 35 . the same mirrors recombine these images when processed and illuminated by lights 29 . a removable lens at 38 can be used by removing light source 29 , either for forming an image to be enhanced or for projecting an enhanced image for viewing or recording . the system is similar in operation and has all the features of the two - channel system previously described . fig4 illustrates a four - channel system subject to all the conditions of the two and three - channel system previously described . this four - channel system is simply a four - lens system ( lenses at 39 ) with appropriate baffles 40 to separate the four images 41 , 42 , 43 and 44 of the same original scene at 45 . an illumination means 46 is used as in the two and three - channel systems . illumination controls are shown at 47 . although an illumination means 46 could be used for scene 45 , a retroreflector 48 is shown which can be used instead of the illuminator for a transparency at 45 . this retroreflector 48 is used in making masks for additive masking when the original transparency is at either 41 , 42 , 43 or 44 . masks are produced at any or all of the other three positions . filters for controlling light quality are shown at 49 . in this four - channel system the registration means is shown as a set of screws 50 ( four for each film or plate holder 51 ) for moving the film or plate in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis for translation on both x and y axes as well as rotation . the other degrees of freedom are held constant by rigid construction of the camera and film or plate holders . either refocusing to modify optical path length and thus magnification or changing filter glass thickness can assist in correcting out of registration due to film dimensional instability . this four - channel system is similar to the old multilens camera or a combination of two stereo cameras therefore , the original scene , if it is placed at 45 , should be in a single plane in order to avoid lack of registration due to stereoscopic parralax . fig5 is a diagrammatic view taken along the line 5 -- 5 transversely of fig4 illustrating all four image planes 41 , 42 , 43 and 44 of fig4 and how adjusting screws 50 of fig4 ( shown on one image only ) can be used to adjust registration of all images each with the others . another system forming multi - images is the well known multi - faceted prism illustrated in fig6 . in this case , a simple prism 52 with a split front surface divides the light from the scene at 53 to form with lens 54 two images at 55 and 56 . these images are separated and protected from scattered light by partition or baffle 57 . this arrangement could be provided with registration means as described previously . no special registration means is required , however , if an &# 34 ; in situ &# 34 ; development means , as indicated by ammonia sprayer 58 for the diazo process , is used . the spray nozzle is located so as not to obstruct the secondary optical channel . illumination means 59 , light control means 60 and filters 61 are indicated . one version of this prism system is used in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 273 , 112 for a color camera projector . fig7 and 8 illustrate an eight - channel system which is primarily a four - channel system as shown in fig4 and 5 with four beam splitting prisms used in place of the one used in fig1 . one prism is added in each secondary channel to provide eight channels . the original scene 62 is imaged by four lenses 63 and each image is split by prisms 64 to form eight images 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 and 72 . these images are separated and protected from scattered light by opaque partitions 73 . the arrangement described in fig7 and 8 also illustrate how a registering roll film or motion picture film feed subsystem with film supply 74 , mechanical registration pins 75 and take - up spool 76 could be used instead of single film holder fig2 . illumination means 77 , light control means 78 and filters 79 are also shown as well as synchronization means 80 for keeping all film exposures in step . other ways of producing multi - channel imaging systems are obvious to one skilled in the art . it should be understood that the just described embodiments merely illustrate principles of the invention in selected preferred forms . many modifications , additions and deletions may , of course , be made there to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims . | 6 |
the present invention relates to human spinal disc replacement systems . those of skill in the art will recognize that the systems and methods described herein may be readily adapted for other modular implant systems for anatomic replication of orthopedic joints by man made implant systems . referring to fig1 , a perspective view illustrates one embodiment of an implant 50 , which may be referred to as a total disc implant , implanted in a portion of the spine . in this embodiment of the invention , the total disc implant includes two end plates 100 , 200 , two bearings 300 , 400 , and two snap fasteners 500 ( not visible in fig1 ) which releasably hold the bearings to the end plates . the implant 50 is designed for placement between spinal vertebrae to replace degenerated intervertebral disk material . more specifically , the implant 50 of fig1 is designed to be inserted between the vertebral bodies 22 , 42 of the first and second vertebrae 20 , 40 , respectively , after removal of the intervertebral disc ( not shown ). the vertebral bodies 22 , 42 are rasped and flat surfaces on them are prepared to fit the end plates 100 , 200 . the procedure to implant the total disc implant may be conducted from any of three approaches : anterior , right lateral , or left lateral . in addition , should there be any subsequent procedure for adjustment of the implant 50 or replacement of any component thereof , such procedure may be carried out from any one of the three approaches . fig2 illustrates the implant 50 in a disassembled state , so that all components are visible . during the implantation procedure , the end plates 100 , 200 are pressed into place onto the vertebral bodies , with the inferior end plate 100 in a caudal position on vertebral body 22 , and superior end plate 200 in a cephalic position on vertebral body 42 . the end plates 100 , 200 may be implanted in either order ( inferior first or superior first ). once implanted , the two end plates 100 , 200 appear as mirror images of one another with their bearing facing sides facing one another . next , the inferior 300 and superior bearings 400 are attached to the end plates , using the snap fasteners 500 as releasable connectors . a set force delivered by the implantation instrumentation ( not shown ) presses each snap fastener 500 into place . the inferior bearing 300 is attached to the inferior end plate 100 with one snap fastener 500 between them , and the superior bearing 400 is attached to the superior end plate 200 with another snap fastener 500 between them . like the end plates , the bearings 300 , 400 may also be attached in either order . fig3 illustrates a bone - facing side of one end plate . in the illustration , the end plate depicted is the inferior end plate 100 , and so the bone - facing side 102 is in the caudal direction . in this embodiment of the invention the superior end plate 200 is identical to the inferior end plate 100 in every way except in orientation once implanted in the body . thus , when the superior end plate 200 is implanted , its bone - facing side will be in the cephalic direction . with this exception due to orientation noted , fig3 and 4 and the description of the end plate below also apply to the superior end plate 200 . however , it is appreciated that in alternative embodiments of the invention , the end plates may or may not be identical in size , shape , or configuration . as viewed in fig3 and 4 , the inferior end plate 100 is quadrilateral in form , with rounded corners , and is bilaterally symmetrical . it has a bone - facing side 102 , a bearing - facing side 104 , an anterior end 106 , a posterior end 108 , a right end 110 and a left end 112 . the end plate is slightly wedge - shaped , with the height of the anterior end 106 slightly greater than the posterior end 108 . this is to match the natural lordotic angle of the lumbar vertebrae as closely as possible . in alternative embodiments , it is appreciated that the end plates 100 , 200 need not have a quadrilateral configuration but can be square , circular , or have any other polygonal or irregular configuration . furthermore , it is appreciated that the end plates 100 , 200 can be configured at any desired wedge angle or can have substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces . the inferior end plate 100 has a bone engaging face 114 and a bearing engaging face 116 which are connected by a support member 118 . projecting from the bone engaging face 114 is a plurality of anchoring members in the form of bone engaging spikes 120 . each bone engaging spike 120 is columnar in form and projects perpendicularly in the caudal direction from the bone engaging face 114 . the caudal end of each bone engaging spike 120 tapers and terminates in an acute angle . this angled tapering creates a point which facilitates seating the inferior end plate 100 in the adjacent vertebral body 22 during the implantation process ; the point will more easily penetrate the vertebral body 22 than would a blunt end . a hollow grafting channel 122 runs through the center of each bone engaging spike 120 . each grafting channel 122 originates on the bearing engaging face 114 , runs through the support member 118 , and ends at the pointed termination of the bone engaging spike 120 . this hollowed point configuration may be compared to the point of a hypodermic needle , and further facilitates the penetration of the vertebral body 22 by the bone engaging spikes 120 . the grafting channels 122 also allow for the growth of bony columns from the vertebral body 22 through the channels , thereby fusing the inferior end plate 100 to the vertebral body 22 . fig5 illustrates the bearing - facing side 104 of the inferior end plate 100 . near the corner formed by the posterior end 108 and the left end 112 is a peg port 124 . the peg port 124 is a circular opening originating on the bearing - engaging face 116 and recessed into the support member 118 . partway through the support member 118 , the width of the peg port 124 constricts and the port continues as a grafting channel 122 , exiting through a bone engaging spike 120 on the bone - facing side 102 . a similar peg port 124 is located near the right posterior corner . centered on the anterior end 106 of the bearing - facing side 104 is a pocket 126 . similar pockets are centered on the right end 110 and the left end 112 . each pocket 126 is a rectangular segment cut from the edge of the bearing - engaging face 116 and extending caudally into the support member 118 . once the cutaway area is below the bearing - engaging face 116 , the slot widens on either lateral side , and deepens perpendicularly into the support member 118 , toward the center of the end plate . the pockets 126 are places where implantation instruments ( not shown ) may grip or otherwise connect with the end plates during the implantation procedure . the number , size , configuration and placement of pockets may vary in other embodiments of the invention . as seen in fig3 , 4 and 5 , a snap port 130 is located on the end plate 100 , laterally centered but slightly displaced toward posterior end 108 . the snap port 130 is an opening from the bearing - facing side 104 to the bone - facing side 102 , circumscribed by a tapered wall 132 . the tapered wall 132 angles outward toward the bone - facing side 102 , such that the cross - sectional area of the snap port 130 on the bearing - facing side 104 is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the same snap port 130 on the bone - facing side 102 . fig6 is a perspective view of the superior end plate 200 . note that as discussed earlier , the superior end plate 200 is identical to the inferior end plate 100 in every way except in orientation once implanted . however , as illustrated , this does mean that the right end 210 and left end 212 of the superior end plate 200 are reversed from the right end 110 and left end 112 of the inferior end plate 100 . once the end plates 100 , 200 are implanted , the bearings 300 , 400 are inserted and attached to the end plates . fig7 illustrates the caudal side of the inferior bearing 300 . the inferior bearing 300 is of the same approximate quadrilateral shape and dimension as the inferior end plate 100 . it has a caudal side 302 , a cephalad side 304 , an anterior end 306 , a posterior end 308 , a right end 310 and a left end 312 . on the caudal side 302 is an end plate - engaging face 314 . centered along the anterior end 306 is an instrument port 316 , which is an opening originating on the end plate engaging face 314 , passing through a support member 318 , and terminating on an inferior articulation surface 330 . additional instrument ports 316 are centered on the right end 310 and the left end 312 . protruding from the end plate - engaging face 314 near the posterior right and left corners are two pegs 320 . the pegs 320 fit into the peg ports 124 shown in fig5 , when the inferior bearing 300 is attached to the inferior end plate 100 . the fitting of the pegs 320 into the peg ports 124 assist in reducing shear stress on the implant . occupying the central area of the inferior bearing 300 is a cap 322 , surrounded by a trough 324 . the cap is a quadrilateral protrusion from the end plate engaging face 314 , and the surface of the cap 322 , while parallel to the end plate engaging face 314 , is slightly elevated from it . the trough 324 which surrounds the cap is recessed from the end plate engaging face 314 into the support member 318 . the outer boundary of the trough is a tapered wall 326 . the tapered wall 326 angles inward from the bottom of the trough 324 to the top , such that the cross sectional area of the trough 324 at its deepest point is larger than its cross sectional area where it meets the surface of the end plate engaging face 314 . fig8 displays the cephalad side 304 of the inferior bearing 300 . the cephalad side has an inferior articulation surface 330 from which arises a rounded dome 332 . the dome 332 is centered laterally on the cephalad side 304 of the inferior bearing 300 , but is slightly displaced toward the posterior end 308 . fig9 illustrates the cephalad side 402 of the superior bearing 400 . it has a cephalad side 402 , a caudal side 404 , an anterior end 406 , a posterior end 408 , a right end 410 and a left end 412 . on the cephalad side 404 is an end plate - engaging face 414 . centered along the anterior end 406 is an instrument port 416 , which is an opening originating on the end plate engaging face 414 , passing through a support member 418 , and terminating on a superior articulation surface 430 . additional instrument ports 416 are centered on the right end 410 and the left end 412 . protruding from the end plate - engaging face 414 near the posterior right and left corners are two pegs 420 . the pegs 420 fit into the peg ports 224 shown in fig6 , when the inferior bearing 400 is attached to the superior end plate 200 . the fitting of the pegs 420 into the peg ports 224 assist in reducing shear stress on the implant . occupying the central area of the superior bearing 400 is a cap 422 , surrounded by a trough 424 . the cap 422 is a flat - topped protrusion from the end plate engaging face 414 , and the surface of the cap 422 , while parallel to the end plate engaging face 414 , is slightly elevated from it . the trough 424 which surrounds the cap is recessed from the end plate engaging face 414 into the support member 418 . the outer boundary of the trough is a tapered wall 426 . the tapered wall 426 angles inward from the bottom of the trough 424 to the top , such that the cross sectional area of the trough 424 at its deepest point is larger than its cross sectional area where it meets the surface of the end plate engaging face 414 . the caudal side 404 of the superior bearing 400 is illustrated in fig1 . a rounded cup 432 is recessed into the support member 418 of the caudal side 404 . the cup 432 is centered laterally on the caudal side 404 , but is slightly displaced toward the posterior end 408 . a ridge 434 encircles the cup 432 . the ridge is raised substantially from the support member 418 . a smooth superior articulation surface 430 overlays the ridge 434 and the cup 432 such that where they meet , there is no discernable transition between the two features . as seen in fig2 , the snap 500 serves as the connector between the inferior end plate 100 and the inferior bearing 300 , and between the superior end plate 200 and the superior bearing 400 . fig1 , 12 and 13 illustrate the snap 500 alone . in this embodiment of the invention , the snap 500 is quadrilateral and generally dish - like in form , with a bone - facing side 502 which is a substantially flat plane , and a bearing facing side 504 which is a flat plane circumscribed by a raised rim 506 . it is appreciated that in alternative embodiments of the invention , the snap feature may be quadrilateral , circular or any other shape or configuration . the outer edge of the rim 506 is formed by a dual - tapered wall 508 . as seen best in fig1 , the dual - tapered wall 508 is equally wide at the bone - facing side 502 and at the bearing - facing side 504 , but constricts at the midpoint between the two sides 502 , 504 . fig2 best illustrates how all the components of the implant 50 fit together . during or after manufacture , but before the implantation procedure , one snap 500 is fitted over the cap 322 of the inferior bearing 300 , and a second snap 500 is fitted over the cap 422 of the superior bearing 400 . as the rim 506 of the snap 500 is pressed into the trough 324 of the inferior bearing 300 , the dual - tapered wall 508 compresses to pass into the trough 324 , then expands out into place such that the dual - tapered wall 508 fits against the tapered wall 326 of the trough . because the widest part of the dual - tapered wall 508 is wider than the opening of the trough 324 , the snap 500 is locked into place , and can only be removed from the inferior bearing 300 with significant force . the second snap 500 is attached to the superior bearing 400 in the same manner . the inferior end plate 100 is implanted in the vertebral body 22 , and the superior end plate 200 is implanted in the vertebral body 42 . the inferior bearing 300 is pressed into place in the inferior end plate 100 . the bone - facing side 502 of the snap 500 , now protruding from the caudal side 302 of the inferior bearing 300 , is pressed into the snap port 130 of the inferior end plate 100 . as the bone - facing side 502 of the snap 500 is pressed into the snap port 130 , the dual - tapered wall 526 compresses to pass into the snap port 130 , then expands out into place such that the dual - tapered wall 526 fits against the tapered wall 132 of the inferior end plate 132 . because the widest part of the dual - tapered wall 526 is wider than the opening of the snap port 130 , the snap 500 is locked into place , and can only be removed from the inferior end plate 100 with significant force . the superior bearing 400 and its snap 500 are attached to the superior end plate 200 , in the same manner as described above for the inferior end plate 100 and bearing 300 . then the inferior articulation surface 330 is allowed to contact the superior articulation surface 430 . although in this description , the inferior bearing and its snap were attached first , followed by the superior bearing and its snap , it is appreciated that the bearings may be attached in either order . it is also appreciated that should there be any subsequent procedure for replacement or adjustment of any of the end plates , bearings or snaps , such procedure may be carried out from any one of the three approaches ; anterior , left lateral or right lateral . other embodiments of the invention can provide the same function while employing alternate snap connections . fig1 depicts a disassembled total disc implant 60 , which employs an alternate snap feature to lock the bearings to the end plates . in this embodiment , the inferior bearing 300 is connected to the inferior end plate 100 via a ring - shaped snap 500 . similarly , the superior bearing 400 is connected to the superior end plate 200 by the same ring - shaped snap 500 . the mechanism by which the snap locks the bearings to the end plates is equivalent to the snap feature described in the first embodiment ; in both embodiments the snap feature compresses to pass through a constrictive feature , and then expands out to lock the components in place . if fusion of the vertebrae is required , an embodiment of the invention including a fusion block may be implemented . fig1 depicts an interbody disc fusion implant 70 , in a disassembled state . in this embodiment , the implant consists of an inferior end plate 100 , a superior end plate 200 , two ring - shaped snaps 500 and a fusion cage 600 . the interbody disc fusion implant 70 may be implanted from an anterior approach , a right lateral approach , or a left lateral approach . it may be implanted as part of the initial implantation procedure , or it may replace inferior and superior bearings , upon their removal . fig1 illustrates the fusion cage 600 . in this embodiment of the invention , the fusion cage 600 is quadrilateral and box - like in shape . it has a caudal side 602 , a cephalad side 604 , an anterior end 606 , a posterior end 608 , a right end 610 and a left end 612 . it is symmetrical such that the right and left ends 610 , 612 are mirror images of one another and the caudal and cephalad sides 602 , 604 are also mirror images . a plurality of notches 630 , designed for gripping by implantation instruments ( not shown ) are at the edges of the caudal and cephalad sides 602 , 604 . a plurality of grafting holes 614 perforates each end of the fusion cage . before , during or after positioning of the end plates between the vertebral bodies , the fusion cage 600 is at least partially packed with an osteogenic substance . in this application , “ osteogenic substance ” is broadly intended to include natural bone , such as autogenous bone graft or bone allograft , synthetic bone , growth factors and cytokines ( including bone morphogenic proteins ), and / or combinations thereof . after implantation , growth of bone material through the grafting holes will assist in the fusion of the fusion cage and end plates to the vertebrae . a larger grafting port 616 is centered on the fusion block , with its openings on the caudal and cephalad sides . recessed into the surface of the fusion block 600 and circumscribing the grafting port 616 , is a trough 618 . around each opening of the grafting port , but to the inside of the trough 618 , is a raised rim 620 . the raised rim 620 protrudes from surface of the fusion block 600 . the inner wall 622 of the raised rim 620 is smooth and is a continuous part of the grafting port 616 . the outer wall 624 of the raised rim 620 constricts between the top of the rim and where it joins the trough 618 . this constriction is designed to hold the snap ring 500 , seen in fig1 . referring to fig1 , an alternative embodiment of a total disk implant is shown . the implant 1050 comprises an inferior end plate 1100 , a superior end plate 1200 , an inferior bearing 1300 , a superior bearing 1400 , and two snap fasteners 1500 . as with the implant 50 , the implant 1050 is designed for placement between spinal vertebrae to replace degenerated intervertebral disk material . methods for placement , assembly and implantation of the implant 1050 are the same as those described for the implant 50 . referring to fig1 , an enlarged view of a bone - facing side of the end plate 1100 is shown . the end plates 1100 , 1200 are identical to one another , differing only in their orientation as they are placed between the vertebral bodies . end plate 1100 will be described in detail , but it is appreciated that the same description applies to the end plate 1200 . the end plate 1100 has a bone - facing side 1102 , and a bearing - facing side 1104 . an irregularly shaped snap port 1130 occupies the center of the end plate 1100 , creating an opening from the bone - facing side 1102 to the bearing - facing side 1104 . a plurality of bone - engaging spikes 1120 are located on the bone - facing side 1102 , each adjacent to a grafting channel 1122 . each bone - engaging spike 1120 is of a crescent shape , protruding from the bone - facing side 1102 and terminating with an acute edge . several small diameter bone - engaging spikes 1121 , with small grafting channels 1123 are interspersed with the bone - engaging spikes 1120 and grafting channels 1122 . the large size of the grafting channels 1122 creates favorable conditions for bone ingrowth once the implant 1150 is in place . also , the crescent shapes of the bone - engaging spikes 1120 allow for good engagement with the vertebral body , but without requiring an excessive amount of force to press into place . the spikes 1122 , 1121 also provide shear resistance once the end plate 1100 is implanted in the vertebral body . the snap port 1130 occupies much of the surface area of the end plate 1100 . the large opening size of the snap port 1130 maximizes space available for bone ingrowth . the irregular shape of the snap port 1130 allows more contact area for the snap connection , and offers more torsional resistance than a regularly shaped , round port . the snap port 1130 is encircled by a wall 1132 . at several points on the wall 1132 , a recess 1134 is indented into the wall 1134 . referring to fig1 , an enlarged view of the bearing - facing side 1104 of the end plate 1100 is shown . the end plate 1100 has an anterior end 1106 and a posterior end 1108 . the grafting channels 1122 , 1123 open out on the bearing facing side 1104 , as does the snap port 1130 . three pockets 1126 are indented into sides of the end plate 1100 , on the anterior end 1106 and the two lateral sides . the pockets 1126 are shaped to engage with the instruments used to insert the end plate 11100 . referring to fig2 , a caudal side of the inferior bearing 1300 is shown . the inferior bearing 1300 has a caudal side 1302 , a cephalad side 1304 , an anterior end 1306 and a posterior end 1308 . three instrument ports 1316 perforate the inferior bearing 1300 , one on the anterior end 1306 and one on each lateral side . a rounded cap 1322 protrudes from the center of the caudal side 1302 , and is surrounded by a trough 1324 . the trough 1324 is surrounded by a wall 1326 . indented into each lateral side of the wall 1326 is a long recess 1328 . referring to fig2 , the cephalad side 1304 of the inferior bearing 1300 is shown . the three instrument ports 1316 open out on the cephalad side 1304 . a round dome 1332 rises from the surface of the cephalad side 1304 . referring to fig2 , a cephalad side of the superior bearing 1400 is shown . the superior bearing 1400 has a cephalad side 1402 , a caudal side 1404 , an anterior end 1406 , and a posterior end 1408 . three instrument ports 1416 perforate the inferior bearing 1400 , one on the anterior end 1406 and one on each lateral side . a rounded cap 1422 protrudes from the center of the caudal side 1402 , and is surrounded by a trough 1424 . the trough 1424 is surrounded by a wall 1426 . indented into each lateral side of the wall 1426 is a long recess 1428 . referring to fig2 , the caudal side 1404 of the superior bearing 1400 is shown . the three instrument ports 1416 open out on the caudal side 1404 . a circular ridge 1434 rises from the caudal side 1404 of the superior bearing 1400 . in the center of the circle formed by the ridge 1434 , a cup 1432 is depressed into the superior bearing 1400 . the cup 1432 on the superior bearing 1400 and the dome 1432 on the inferior bearing 1300 form the bearing surfaces when the implant 1050 is implanted . referring to fig2 , a bone - facing side 1502 of one snap fastener 1500 is shown . the bone - facing side 1502 is flat and has a generally square shape , with a central body 1506 and an irregular outer edge 1508 . the snap fastener has an anterior end 1510 , a posterior end 1512 , and two lateral sides 1514 . two connection slots 1516 perforate the snap fastener , each generally parallel to a lateral side 1512 of the body 1506 . four connection ports 1518 are located just inside the outer edge 1508 , one each on the anterior and posterior ends 1510 , 1512 , and one on each lateral side 1514 . there is a gap 1520 in the outer edge 1508 adjacent to each connection port 1518 , such that the outer edge 1508 is not continuous but each connection port 1518 has an opening to the outside of the fastener 1500 . formed onto the outer edge 1508 immediately adjacent to each gap 1520 is a tab 1522 , each tab 1522 being a protrusion from the outer edge 1508 , extending in the same plane as the body 1506 . referring to fig2 , an enlarged side view of a snap fastener 1500 is shown , in order to depict the tabs 1522 in greater detail . each tab 1522 has a sloped bone - facing side 1532 and a sloped bearing - facing side 1534 . the slope of the bearing - facing side 1534 is steeper than the slope of the bone - facing side 1532 . this is so that when the tabs 1522 are snapped into the recesses 1134 in the walls 1132 of the end plate 1100 , more force is required to remove the snap fastener 1500 from the end plate 1100 than it takes to snap the snap fastener 1500 to the end plate 1100 or 1200 . referring to fig2 , a bearing - facing side 1504 of the snap fastener 1500 is shown . in the center of the body 1506 , a raised rim 1536 surrounds a rectangular dish 1538 . protruding on each lateral side of the rim 1536 is a long tab 1540 . the long tabs 1540 are configured to fit into the long recesses 1328 , 1428 on the bearings 1300 , 1400 when the snap fastener 1500 is snapped to the bearing . returning to fig2 , each long tab 1540 has a bone - facing side 1542 and a bearing - facing side 1544 . the slope of the bone - facing side 1542 is 90 degrees , and the slope of the bearing - facing side 1544 is less steep , approximating 45 degrees . this is so that when the snap fastener 1500 is snapped on to the inferior or superior bearing 1300 , 1400 , it will require considerably less force to snap the fastener 1500 on the bearing than to remove it . when the snap fastener 1500 is snapped on to the end plate 1100 , the bone - facing side 1532 of the tab 1522 pushes against the bearing - facing side 1104 of the end plate 1100 , and the outer edge 1508 flexes slightly until the tab 1522 is forced into the recess 1134 . since the slope on the bearing - facing side 1534 of the tab 1522 is steeper , it would take much more force to remove the tab 1522 from the recess 11134 . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . it is appreciated that various features of the above - described examples can be mixed and matched to form a variety of other alternatives , each of which may have a different bearing set , fusion block , or snap connection system according to the invention . as such , the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope . | 0 |
referring now to the drawings and the embodiments illustrated therein , an exerciser or apparatus embodying the present invention is shown in the attached figures and is generally referred to as numeral 20 ( fig1 ). exerciser 20 includes an upright frame 22 upon which upper and lower mechanisms 24 and 26 , respectively , are supported . a motor 28 operates primary endless drive chain 30 and secondary endless drive chain 32 to drive mechanisms 24 and 26 at a coordinated and variable speed ( fig4 ). upright frame 22 ( fig1 and 4 ) is a rigid framework constructed of tubular beams for strength . frame 22 includes a planar base 34 made of two side members 36 and front and rear cross members 40 , 42 which are interconnected to form a rigid support structure . side members 36 have protruding portions 44 that extend forward of front cross member 40 . primary side upright members 48 , 50 attach to the forward end of protruding portions 44 and extend diagonally upwardly and rearwardly a vertical distance above the height of a typical person and at a angle which promotes the comfortable operation of exerciser 20 , as discussed below . a pair of support beams 52 extend between side members 36 of base 34 and upright members 48 , 50 to rigidly fix the angular position of upright members 48 , 50 . a rearwardly offset middle cross member 56 and a top cross member 58 rigidly interconnect upright members 48 , 50 to complete the rigid frame . upper mechanism 24 includes upper and lower axles 60 and 62 which extend horizontally between upright members 48 , 50 and attach to upright members 48 , 50 for rotational movement within bearings 64 , 66 , 68 and 70 . bearings 64 , 66 , 68 and 70 may attach to the front of upright members 48 , 50 to facilitate assembly and to establish a proper angle for mechanism 24 , but alternative designs are possible . upper bearings 64 and 66 are slideably adjustable by adjustment mechanisms 65 and 67 on upright members 48 , 50 so that endless chains 72 , 74 which extend between axles 60 , 62 on sprockets 76 , 78 , 80 and 82 can be properly tightened . lower axle 62 further includes a secondary drive chain 32 ( fig4 ) for powering upper mechanism 24 . a safety shield 92 is positioned between upright members 48 , 50 and between axles 60 and 62 ( fig1 ). it is contemplated that shield 92 will include upper and lower portions 93 that cover axles 60 , 62 , although several alternative arrangements are possible . for example , lower axle 62 could be constructed with a split shaft so that the central area is entirely open ( i . e . similar to axles 98 and 100 of lower mechanism 26 ). side shields 94 ( fig1 ) are positioned around the front of endless chains 72 , 74 as they extend along the useful segment of the path of rungs 88 to protect against accidental rubbing or contacting of chains 72 , 74 . these shields increase both the safety and aesthetics of upper mechanism 24 . hand supports or rungs 88 attach between endless chains 72 , 74 by use of brackets 90 ( fig7 ). rungs 88 have a diameter which is conducive for grasping by the hands of an operator . sprockets 76 , 78 , 80 and 82 are properly sized so that endless chains 72 , 74 and specifically rungs 88 have a clearance for an operator &# 39 ; s fingers between them and shield 92 as rungs 88 traverse downwardly in front of shield 92 . rungs 88 establish a path as they travel in an oblong pattern diagonally downwardly from axle 60 to axle 62 in front of shield 92 during a useful segment , around lower axle 62 , upwardly behind shield 92 , and around upper axle 60 . in the preferred embodiment , six to eight round rungs are used , although it is contemplated that various numbers and shapes of rungs can be used . lower mechanism 26 is adapted for use with an operator &# 39 ; s lower body . lower mechanism 26 includes an upper axle 96 and right and left lower axles 98 and 100 . upper axle 96 extends horizontally between and is rotationally mounted within bearings 102 , 104 , which are adjustably mounted on the backside of upright members 48 , 50 as shown . bearings 102 and 104 are slideably adjustable by adjustment mechanisms 103 and 105 . lower axles 98 and 100 are axially aligned and rotationally mounted within bearings 103 , 105 which are mounted on upright members 48 , 50 near a lower end thereof . by mounting upper axle 96 on the backside of upright members 48 , 50 and lower axles 98 , 100 on the front side thereof , lower mechanism 26 is oriented at a smaller angle from horizontal than upper mechanism 24 . thus , lower mechanism 24 is better adapted for use by the operator &# 39 ; s lower body , as discussed below . it is contemplated that lower axles 98 and 100 will be foreshortened to leave an open area between them to eliminate an area that may serve to bruise the operators ankles . endless chains 106 and 108 extend around sprockets 110 , 112 , 114 and 116 located on axles 96 , 98 and 100 , and can be tightened by movement of slideably adjustable bearings 102 , 104 on upright members 48 , 50 . sprockets 110 , 112 , 114 , and 116 of lower mechanism 26 are larger than sprockets 76 , 78 , 80 , and 82 of upper mechanism 24 to facilitate movement of platforms 118 around lower mechanism 26 . foot supports or platforms 118 extend horizontally between and attach to endless chains 106 , 108 by use of brackets 90 . an angle iron 122 extends between brackets 90 and attaches under platforms 118 to properly horizontally orient the upper surface 124 of platforms 118 during its useful segment of movement 123 . platforms 118 establish a path as they travel in an oblong pattern diagonally downwardly from upper axle 96 , around aligned lower axles 98 and 100 , upwardly toward upper axle 96 , and around axle 96 . it is contemplated that platforms 118 can be made of several different materials , but in the preferred embodiment will be made of a reinforced plastic material . flexible sheets 126 are attached to the bottom 125 of and between platforms 118 to form a barrier to the operators feet and legs to prevent them from entering the area between and behind platforms 118 during their movement through the useful segment 123 of their path ( fig6 ). sheets 126 also improve aesthetics by closing off the area behind lower mechanism 24 . sheets 126 flexes and folds as needed as platforms 118 move around lower mechanism 24 . during the diagonal downward movement of platforms 118 , sheets 126 are stretched tightly enough to reduce the chance of objects being put into and between platforms , but loosely enough to prevent binding of endless chains 106 , 108 . it is contemplated that sheets 126 could be replaced with a hinged configuration such as is often used in escalators . inner side shields 128 ( fig1 ) cover endless chains 106 , 108 along the forward edge of upright members 48 , 50 to protect against rubbing or contacting of chains 106 , 108 . these shields increase both safety and aesthetics . lower mechanism 26 is positioned at a smaller angle to horizontal than upper mechanism 24 so that lower mechanism 26 provides clearance for the knees of a user during the useful segment of travel by platforms 118 along their respective path . in the preferred embodiment , this angle is between about 45 ° and 60 °, which is similar to the rise of steps in bleachers and the like . the angle of upper mechanism 22 to horizontal is between about 60 and 75 °, which is similar to the angle of a ladder propped against a wall . it is contemplated that various angles can be used , and also that exerciser 20 can be made to allow adjustment of the angles as desired , by adjusting the angle of the base relative to the floor , or support surface , or by shimming any of the bearings inwardly or outwardly such as is shown by arrows a and b in fig4 . a powering mechanism includes a motor 28 fastened to base 34 . in the embodiment shown , motor 28 is a dc motor which drives a worm - gear speed reduction device 13 which rotates a drive sprocket 134 . motor 28 is a variable speed 1 / 3 hp dc motor operating at 1750 rpm . speed reduction device 132 is a worm - gear reducer operating at 30 : 1 reduction rate , while sprockets 134 , 138 , 140 and other sprockets on upper and lower mechanisms 24 , 26 are matched and sized to achieve the speed desired . a one - way friction clutch 133 attached to device 132 prevents the weight of a person on the exerciser from driving the platforms 118 and motor 28 at a speed faster than is desired . an endless primary drive chain 30 extends from sprocket 134 to sprocket 138 and drives axle 96 . motor 28 is adjustably positionable to tighten chain 30 . in addition to driving lower mechanism 24 , axle 96 supports a drive sprocket 140 and endless secondary drive chain 32 operably connected to drive axle 62 . a tensioning device 144 attached to upright member 50 maintains the necessary tension on endless chain 32 . similar tensioning devices could be used on the other endless chains as may be required . a control panel 146 is mounted to one side of upper mechanism 22 on brackets 148 at a convenient height for use by an operator positioned on exerciser 20 . the control panel 146 shown , houses a control circuit 147 ( fig8 ) including an on / off switch 150 , a variable speed control 152 , and a timer 154 . speed control 152 is a rheostat which cooperates with dc motor 28 to controllably vary the speed of rungs 88 and platforms 118 . timer 154 allows a person using exerciser 20 to time their workout . it is contemplated that control panel 146 could include various readouts and mechanisms ( not shown ) such for measuring speed , pulse rate , calories burned , and the like . it is also contemplated that a programmable device 156 could be used to preset an exercise routine such as a warm - up speed for a few minutes , a faster intermediate speed for several minutes , and a warm - down speed . having described the components and parts of the preferred embodiment of the exerciser , its use and operation should be obvious to one skilled in the art . briefly , exerciser 20 is positioned in a convenient location and is plugged into an electrical outlet . an operator desiring to use exerciser 20 first makes sure the unit is turned off , the variable speed is turned to a slow speed , and the rungs 88 and platforms 118 are not moving . the operator then steps onto a platform 118 and grasps a rung 88 . the on / off switch 150 is flipped to the &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; position , and variable speed control 152 is rotated until rungs 88 and platforms 118 begin to move . the operator begins to grasp successive rungs 88 in a hand - over - hand motion as the rungs are presented in front of the operator , and simultaneously begins to step on successive platforms 118 also presented in below the operator . since both the arms and legs of the operator are active , the operator &# 39 ; s body is in &# 34 ; total suspension &# 34 ; such that the operator cannot become lazy or &# 34 ; cheat &# 34 ; by supporting part of their weight on a safety rail or other devices . at the same time , the operator is in control and need not fear falling since both the hands and feet can be actively used to stay in a balanced position . further , since the operator &# 39 ; s arms and legs are used , the exercise provided is a full body exercise which is aerobically balanced . if the operator desires a more vigorous pace , the speed of rungs 88 and platforms 118 are increased by use of variable speed control 152 . also , timer 154 indicates the length of time remaining in the workout . if an operator should stumble or not keep up , shields 92 , 94 , 128 and flexible sheets 126 help reduce the risk of undesirable entanglement with rungs 88 and platforms 118 . additionally , shield 92 is designed with a blunted lower end 93 ( fig1 ) which tends to gently force an operator &# 39 ; s wrist off of rungs 88 as rungs 88 move around axle 62 from the front to the rear , thus causing the operator to release their grasp of rungs 88 during this movement . platforms 118 also tend to tip as they round lower axle 98 , which deposits the operator onto the floor is the operator does not move to the next platform in time . in a first alternative embodiment , an exerciser 20 &# 39 ; includes one or more photocells 156 ( fig9 ). photocells 156 could be positioned at the lower end of upper or lower mechanisms 24 , 26 to sense if the operator is falling behind and is therefore lower on exerciser 20 than is desired . photocell 156 could be electrically connected to slow down or turn off the exerciser depending upon safety devices utilized or deemed necessary . it is contemplated that photocells 156 could also be placed in other positions . in a second alternative embodiment , an exerciser 20 &# 34 ; includes a pair of hinges 158 ( fig1 ) between upper 10 and lower portions of upright members 48 , 50 . hinges 158 would be positioned on the front side of upright members 48 , 50 so that upper mechanism 22 could be folded forwardly onto lower mechanism 24 in a compact arrangement for shipping . when ready for use , lower mechanism 24 would be tipped upwardly into position and locked rigidly in place by latches 162 on the backside of upright members 48 , 50 . endless chain 32 would then be installed between drive sprocket 140 and axle 62 to ready exerciser 20 for use . changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the principals of the invention , which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims , as interpreted according to the principals of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents . | 0 |
many types of musical instruments are played by the fingering of a keyboard . these instruments include not only those having the conventional type of keyboard , such as a piano , organ or harpsichord , but also those requiring other types of key fingering such as a saxophone , clarinet , etc ., in which discrete keys must be depressed for the playing of particular notes . the present invention , although most advantageously used with a keyboard having a large number of keys , such as a piano , may also be adapted for use with these other keyed instruments . it is not necessary that more than the keyboard portion of the instrument be used with the invention . the actual music generating portion of most instruments and therefore the major cost of the instrument can be eliminated while still retaining substantial instructional capability . in some cases this may be preferred because the student is forced to read the music rather than detect errors by ear . the preferred embodiment of the invention has an electrical switch means which is mechanically linked to each key on the keyboard for the purpose of detecting each key depression . it also has a plurality of alphanumeric displays and a plurality of two - state displays , such as light emitting diodes or led &# 39 ; s , which have an off state and an on state . a different one of these two - state displays is associated with or in spatial correspondence with each key of the keyboard . the purpose of such two - state displays is to designate the particular key or keys which should be played by the student . preferably each two - state display is physically located immediately adjacent a different , associated key and is illuminated to designate its adjacent key . alternatively , a duplicate representation of a keyboard may be used with the two - state displays to designate the keys . the preferred embodiment also has a signalling means such as a tone generator . all of these elements of the preferred embodiment are connected to digital data processing circuitry which includes both stored instructions and a memory having some stored sequence of musical steps . among other things the digital data processing circuitry compares each of the stored musical steps in sequence to the key depressions made by the student and signals whether or not each of the stored steps and the depressions are identical . referring now to the figure , each of the key sensing switches , such as switch 11 which are mechanically linked to the keys of the keyboard , are series connected to a diode . the diode - switch pairs for each key are connected in a switch matrix array 10 . one led , such as led 13 , is physically located either immediately adjacent each key of the keyboard or on the duplicate representation of the keyboard so that each such two - state , illuminable led display is in spatial correspondence with each key of the keyboard . these led displays are electrically connected in a display matrix array 12 . also connected in the display matrix array 12 are the individual segments for the alphanumeric displays . the figure shows an 8 × 12 switch matrix array 10 to accomodate 88 musical instrument keys and some special purpose or control switches . it also shows an 8 × 11 portion of the display matrix array 12 to accomodate 88 led displays , one for each key , and an 8 × 5 portion of the display matrix array 12 for the individual segments of the alphanumeric displays . although various quantities of alphanumeric display digits may be utilized , i have illustrated the use of five digits each having seven segments and a decimal point . the special purpose switch , referred to in the above paragraph , may be a special function selector switch means which is connected in the switch matrix array in order to permit the instrument keys to be used for manually selecting additional modes of operation . it would be used in the conventional manner so that the computer , through its software could , upon sensing depression of such a special switch means , transfer control to another program or subroutine within the program . the figure also illustrates a signalling means 14 in the form of a tone generator and a microcomputer indicated generally as 16 . the remaining circuitry illustrated in the figure provides an interfacing , digital data circuit means which is connected to the displays , the switch means and the signalling means for interfacing data transfer from the key switch means 10 to the microcomputer 16 and from the microcomputer 16 to the display matrix 12 and the signalling means 14 and for controlling the displays and the signalling means 14 . the microcomputer 16 is not shown in detail since so many of these devices have become available and their operation is so well known to those skilled in the art . while it probably would be more cost effective to utilize conventionally available microcomputer components to custom design a microcomputer for the preferred embodiment of the invention , there are also readily available , off - the - shelf microcomputer systems which may be used in the embodiment of the invention . for example , i have constructed an embodiment of the invention utilizing a kim i microcomputer manufactured by mos technology company . the microcomputer is connected through its cassette interface logic 20 to an auxiliary or external memory such as a magnetic , audio cassette tape player 22 , floppy disc or other such auxiliary memory device familiar to those skilled in the art . as is conventional in the microcomputer art , this auxiliary or external memory may be used to provide data and instructions for the microcomputer and if an external memory with both read and write capability is used , such as a magnetic tape , it may also be used for storing data transferred from the microcomputer 16 . as is conventional in the microcomputer art , the microcomputer 16 comprises a central processing unit 24 and control logic 26 which is interconnected through a data , address , and control bus 28 to a programmable , bidirectional , peripheral interface 30 having sixteen terminals , a random access memory 32 and read only memories 34 , 36 , 38 and 39 for the storage of program instructions . the microcomputer is also provided with an oscillator 40 for providing clock pulses . one set of lines from the key switch matrix array 10 is connected to outputs c0 through c11 of a 4 to 16 decoder 42 . the decoder 42 translates the four - bit binary input at its inputs a , b , c and d to an output or true level at one of its 16 outputs c0 through c15 . the decoder 42 is selected or enabled at its input g , and may , for example be a sn74154 available from texas instruments . the other set of lines of the key switch matrix array 10 is connected to data input / output terminals a0 through a7 of the microcomputer interface adapter 30 . the microcomputer is able to scan the key switches and determine which of the switches have been closed by the playing of the key by the student or instructor . this is accomplished by strobing in sequence the first set of key switch matrix lines connected to outputs c0 through c11 of the decoder 42 and during each strobe , imputing at inputs a0 through a7 and storing the levels which appear at these inputs . each closed switch will cause the strobe level to be applied to its connected data input terminals a0 through a7 . the diodes prevent the formation of &# 34 ; sneak paths &# 34 ; which would cause erroneous strobe levels to appear at other input terminals during the scanning . therefore the blocking diodes , in series with each sensing switch , permit simultaneous sensing of any combination of switches while preventing crosstalk between the switch columns . one unique feature of the present invention is that the same input / output terminals a0 through a7 which are used for sensing the key switches are also used for transferring data out to the display matrix array 12 , thus utilizing the full potential of the bi - directional port . this is accomplished by transferring the display data to a random access display buffer memory 46 consisting of a pair of 4 × 16 , sn 7489 rams available from texas instruments . then , sequentially and in a continuous endless cycle the display data are applied to the display matrix array 12 . the figure illustrates that the outputs s1 through s4 of each of the display buffer memory 46 ram devices connected through sn 7407 drivers 47 and 48 available from texas instruments to a first set of lines of the display matrix array 12 . the inputs d1 through d4 of each of the sn 7489 rams in the display buffer memory 46 are also connected to the i / o terminals a0 through a7 so that when these ram chips are selected by the output c13 of the decoder 42 and switched to the writing mode , they will store the data presented by the microcomputer at the i / o terminals a0 through a7 . the remaining circuitry , not including the signalling means 14 , is connected to outputs c12 , c14 and c15 of the decoder 42 to the address inputs a , b , c and d of the display buffer memory 46 and to the second ( vertical in the figure ) set of lines of the display matrix array 12 for the purpose of continuously cycling the display data which is stored in the display buffer memory 46 to apply it to the leds and alphanumeric display segments connected in the display matrix array 12 . for this purpose a row decoder 50 , which is a sn 74159 available from texas instruments , has its 16 outputs connected through inverting and driving transistor switches , indicated generally as 52 , to the second ( vertical ) lines of the display matrix array 12 . the emitters of these transistors 52 may be connected through a display enable switch 54 to a power supply so that the displays can be disabled when desired for instructional purposes . an address counter 56 , which is a sn74161 available from texas instruments , has its four binary address outputs q1 through q4 connected to the inputs a , b , c and d of the row decoder 50 as well as the inputs a , b , c and d of the display buffer memory 46 . in this manner , corresponding columns of display elements and the data intended for those display elements have the same address and are simultaneously addressed . connected to each of the 8 data outputs from the display buffer memory 46 is an or gate 58 with an inverter 60 connected to its output . the or gate is an sn7430 and the inverter 60 is an sn7410 , both available from texas instruments . they function to detect whether or not any bit is present in a column of addressed display data for purposes of illuminating a display element . if no bit is present , then the address counter 56 is incremented to address the next column of data and power is not applied to the corresponding column of displays . however , if a bit is present , the address counter 56 is held in the same address , the corresponding column of display elements is enabled , and a time delay count is initiated . a hold counter 62 is provided for performing the time delay count and therefore timing the delay during which a column of display elements are enabled . the four count - output ports q1 through q4 of hold counter 62 are connected through an or gate 64 , which is an sn7425 , available from texas instruments , to the inhibit input g of the row decoder 50 . the or gate 64 , functions to inhibit the output from the row decoder 50 whenever the count of the hold counter is 0000 or 1111 . in this manner when the hold counter is not counting , the row decoder is disabled and therefore the displays are not energized . however , during the counting of the hold counter 62 the row decoder and therefore the displays are enabled . the carry output of the hold counter 62 is connected through an inverter 65 , formed on the same sn7425 , to an input of a nor gate 66 which is a part of the sn7410 device available from texas instruments . the nor gate 66 also has an input connected to the output c14 of the decoder 42 and another input connected to a nand gate 68 also formed on the sn7410 . the nand gate 68 has one input connected to the output of the inverter 60 , and another input connected to the output of a jk flip - flop 70 . the jk flip - flop 70 is a storage element for controlling the mode of operation of the display . one input of the jk flip - flop 70 is connected to the output c15 of the decoder 42 for selecting the automatic scanning mode in which data from the display buffer memory 46 is cyclically applied to the corresponding display elements connected in the display matrix array 12 . the other input of the jk flip - flop 70 is connected to the output c12 of the decoder 42 for selecting the reset mode in which the data is not cycled to the displays . instead , the address counter 56 is reset to 0000 for the purpose of writing new data into the display buffer memory 46 . therefore , because of the nor gate 66 and the nand gate 68 connected thereto , the address counter 56 , which has its clock input connected to the output of the nor gate 66 , is incremented each time a true level appears at the output c14 of the decoder 42 , or whenever a carry is produced at the hold counter 62 , or whenever the jk flip - flop 70 is in the automatic scanning mode and no bit is present at the addressed column of data appearing at the output pins s1 through s4 of the display buffer memory 46 . the signalling means 14 has a one shot 74 which is an sn74123 available from texas instruments . the one shot 74 has its input connected to output c12 of the decoder 42 and provides an output pulse of selected pulse width which is adjustable by potentiometer 80 . this pulse can of course be used to control a variety of signalling means including audible signals and light signals . it may for example cause a beep or a light flash whenever the student depresses the correct keys . alternatively it may be used to cause the substantial decrease in the output level or volume of an electronic instrument . for this purpose i illustrate the coupling of the output pulse from the one shot 74 through an inverter 76 and an override switch 78 to another such circuit . i also illustrate the application of the output pulse from the one shot 74 to a tone generating circuit 81 which may include an audio oscillator , speaker and an electronic switch controlled by the output of the one shot 74 . the preferred embodiment of the invention described above has three modes of operation . however , it should be understood that other modes of operation , and particularly other types of exercises , will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this description . in the first of the three modes of operation , a composition or exercise may be entered into memory by an instructor via the instruments keyboard for subsequent use by the student . for this purpose , a footpedal switch means may be connected to the microcomputer for inputting data indicating that keys corresponding to a complete musical step are depressed . the microcomputer may further comprise means for storing each musical step in sequence for providing the stored musical steps of the stored composition . the foot pedal may be one of the special function switches which is referred to above and would be sensed under control of program 2 and utilized to strobe that data indicated by depressed keys into the computer memory in the conventional manner of strobing data from depressed keys . at this point prepared data can be stored on cassette also . in the second mode , a composition or exercise , which has previously been entered into ram memory either by an instructor or from the cassette tape , may be played by the student and be monitored by the preferred embodiment of the invention to determine whether the student is playing the composition or exercise correctly . in the third mode of operation , the preferred embodiment displays random notes in octave and literal notation upon the alphanumeric display and determines whether the student plays each note correctly . it may simultaneously modify a decimal readout count by incrementing it for each correct note or decrementing it for each incorrect note . the instructions for these three modes may be permanently stored in three rom memories indicated as program 0 for the random note display exercise , program 1 for the playing of an exercise by the student and program 2 for the preparation of a composition or exercise by the instructor . a fourth rom memory 34 is also provided for transferring data representing the notes of a composition either from the audio cassette player to ram memory 32 or from the ram memory 32 to the audio cassette player 22 . since rom 34 , identified as program 3 may be purchased from the manufacturers of the kim 1 microcomputer and bears no . 6530 - 003 , the instruction for this rom are not described . the operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention may begin with the assumption that a musical composition has been recorded on the tape of the audio cassette player 22 . each note for an 88 key piano is recorded as an 8 - bit word or byte . seven bits of the byte define a particular note and the 8th bit is used to indicate whether or not the note is the last note of a chord . therefore , operation would begin by the transfer of the 8 - bit words representing a composition or an exercise to the ram memory 32 under control of the cassette interface program 34 stored in rom 3 . after an entire composition has been written into the ram memory 32 , control is then transferred to rom 1 so that the student may begin to play the composition under control of the keyboard play program 38 . in this mode , each note is , in sequence , translated into a format for output to the display buffer memory 46 . to do this i prefer to assign 88 bits of ram memory to define an image of the 88 key piano keyboard . each byte representing a note is translated to store a bit in the particular one of the 88 memory cells representing the particular note or key . this translation continues until all keys to be simultaneously depressed have had their corresponding bits stored in the 88 - bit memory area . after these bits have been written into the 88 - bit memory which forms the keyboard image , the microcomputer applies a 5 - bit word at its outputs b0 through b4 which decode to an appropriate output at output c12 of the decoder 42 to reset the interface circuitry . this reset output sets the jk flip - flop 70 to prevent the automatic cycling of output data and clears the address counter 56 to 0000 . thereafter , the first 8 bits from the 88 - bit keyboard image portion of the ram memory are presented to data output terminals a0 through a7 and written into the display buffer memory 46 . after the first 8 bits are written into the display buffer memory 46 , outputs b0 through b4 of the microcomputer 16 cause an output to appear at output c14 of the decoder 42 which increments the address counter 56 to the next address . thereupon the next 8 bits are presented at outputs a0 through a7 and similarly written into the display buffer memory 46 . this procedure continues until all 88 - bits have been written into the display buffer memory 46 . after display buffer memory 46 has had the notes which should be played written into it , the microcomputer provides , at its outputs b0 through b4 , a five - bit word which decodes to apply an output level at output c15 of the decoder 42 which in turn switches the jk flip - flop 70 to a state which starts the automatic cycling of the note data to the displays of the display matrix 12 . the microcomputer 16 can then go about the task of doing other things while the data in the display buffer memory 46 is automatically cycled to the display matrix array 12 . this automatic cycling is accomplished in the following manner . the eight bits in the display buffer memory 46 which are addressed by the current address appearing at the outputs q1 through q4 of the address counter 56 , will appear at the outputs s1 through s4 of each of the two rams making up the display buffer memory 46 . whenever the jk flip - flop 70 is set to its automatic scanning state and no display bits appear at the outputs of display buffer memory 46 , then each clock pulse applied from the microcomputer oscillator 40 to the nand gate 68 will appear at the output of the nand gate 68 and be applied to the nor gate 66 . such a clock pulse will be applied to the clock input of the address counter 56 and will increment the address counter . this incrementing will continue to occur for each clock pulse until a bit for display appears at the output of the display buffer memory 46 . the appearance of any bit at the output of the display buffer memory 46 will shift the state of the output of the or gate 58 to initiate counting of the hold counter 62 . counting by the hold counter 62 will enable the row decoder 50 by means of the output of the or gate 64 . thereafter each clock pulse from the microcomputer oscillator 40 will increment the hold counter 62 but will not increment the address counter 56 because of the output of the inverter 60 . the hold counter 62 will continue counting for 16 microcomputer clock pulses during which time the row decoder 50 is enabled at the current address being held in the address counter 56 . during counts 1 through 14 of hold counter 62 the particular display or displays for which an output bit appears at the output of the display buffer memory 46 will be illuminated . inhibiting the row decoder during counts 0000 and 1111 of hold counter prevents &# 34 ; ghosting &# 34 ; of one row of led &# 39 ; s into another during transition periods of the address counter . when the hold counter 62 completes its count such that a carry is produced , the carry is applied through the inverter 65 to the nor gate 66 to increment the address counter 56 to the next address . this procedure than continues in an endless cycle in which the row decoder 50 is enabled and the hold counter counts for 14 counts each time at least one bit appears for display at the output of the display buffer memory 46 . a number of ram memory cells are assigned to the task of maintaining a count of the number of chords of a composition which have been played . this count represents the student &# 39 ; s place in the musical composition and is appropriately translated and written into the display buffer memory 46 along with the particular note data for display on the two - state keyboard display . therefore , the microcomputer increments this counter register formed in the ram memory each time a chord is written into the display buffer memory 46 . after the data is written into the display buffer memory 46 , the microcomputer 16 then scans the keyboard switches and compares the actual state of the keys to the correct state of the keys as represented by the key data stored in the 88 - bit image memory portion of the ram 32 . to sense the keys , the microcomputer provides a four - bit word at its outputs b0 through b3 which decodes to an output at output c10 of decoder 42 . this strobe output will then appear at any of the i / o terminals a0 through a7 of the microcomputer which are connected to closed key switches . these 8 - bit key data appearing at input terminals a0 through a7 are then compared to the data in the corresponding 8 - bits of ram memory which are assigned to these 8 keys . if the data is not identical , the microcomputer softwave counter is reset to continue in this comparison loop until the compared data is identical . if the compared data is identical , the microcomputer 16 then decrements the word appearing at outputs b0 through b3 to similarly apply the strobe to output c9 of the decoder 42 . the above described procedure is then repeated . whenever the compared data is not identical , the microcomputer software counter is reset to loop through the key sensing steps until all compared data is identical . if this comparison finally shows that the played keys are identical to the keys of the comparison which should be played and that no extra keys are played , the microcomputer 16 then applies a word at its outputs b0 through b3 which decodes to a reset output at decoder output c12 to reset the interfacing circuit so that new display data may be written into the display buffer memory 46 . the one - shot 74 is also activated by the reset output to produce a tone or other indication that the student has depressed the correct keys . if , however , the student depresses the wrong keys the same note data remains in the display buffer memory 46 and the key switch matrix 10 continues to be sensed until the appropriate play is made by the student . the following three sets of instructions are those which i have used in constructing an embodiment of the invention described above using a kim - 1 microcomputer . this set of instructions is disclosed for the purpose of providing at least one set of instructions which will cause the embodiment illustrated in the figure to operate as described above . these programs operate from the kim 1 ram but could easily be relocated to rom memory . however , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a very substantial number of additional programs with variations may be developed from the above disclosure by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention . __________________________________________________________________________program 1 - for playing an exercise by studentaddress 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f__________________________________________________________________________0000 4c 0c 00 a9 00 85 010010 85 00 85 02 d8 ea a9 02 85 07 a4 02 c8 d0 02 e60020 07 b1 06 85 03 c9 ff f0 e3 c9 fe f0 2c 29 7f d00030 oc a2 07 a9 00 9d 83 17 ca 1d fa 30 1c a9 07 250040 03 aa a9 00 38 2a ca 10 fc 48 a9 38 25 03 4a 4a0050 4a aa 68 5d 83 17 9d 83 17 a5 03 10 bf 84 02 a90060 10 18 f8 65 01 85 01 85 04 a9 00 85 08 65 00 d80070 85 00 85 05 a0 02 a9 00 a2 03 26 04 26 05 2a ca0080 10 f8 aa d0 04 c5 08 f0 05 e6 08 bd e7 1f 99 800090 17 88 10 e2 a9 30 8d 02 17 a9 ff 8d 01 17 8d 0300a0 17 20 00 01 ee 02 17 a2 0a bd 80 17 8d 00 17 2000b0 00 01 ee 02 17 20 00 01 ce 02 17 ca 10 eb a9 2700c0 8d 02 17 a2 07 a9 ff 5d 83 17 9d 93 17 ca 10 f500d0 20 11 01 f0 fb 20 1f 1f 20 11 01 f0 f3 20 11 0100e0 d0 fb 20 1f 1f 20 11 01 d0 f3 4c 1a 0000f00100 a9 20 4d 02 17 8d 02 17 a9 20 4d 02 17 8d 02 170110 60 a9 07 8d 02 17 aa a9 00 8d 01 17 bd 93 17 4d0120 00 17 d0 08 ca ce 02 17 10 f2 a9 00 600130 a9 00 8d fa 17 a9 1c 8d fb 17 a9 4c 85 00 a9 0c0140 85 01 a9 00 85 02 4c 73 180150__________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________program 2 - program for preparation , from instruments keyboard , of data for use in program 1address 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d f__________________________________________________________________________0000 4c 10 000010 a9 1c 8d fb 17 d8 a9 00 85 fa 85 fb 85 03 8d f50020 17 8d 01 17 8d fa 17 a9 02 8d f6 17 85 04 a9 ff0030 8d 03 17 8d 88 17 20 1f 1f 20 fe 1e d0 f8 20 1f0040 1f 20 fe 1e f0 f8 20 1f 1f 20 fe 1e f0 f0 20 6a0050 1f c9 13 f0 e1 c9 12 f0 4c 20 80 01 a9 ff 91 030060 20 80 01 a9 1d 85 fa 85 fb 85 03 8d f7 17 a5 040070 8d f8 17 20 1f 1f 20 fe 1e f0 f8 20 1f 1f 20 fe0080 1e f0 f0 20 6a 1f c9 13 d0 03 4c 00 18 a2 03 060090 f9 ca 10 fb 05 f9 85 f9 8d f9 17 20 1f 1f 20 fe00a0 1e d0 f8 f0 ce a0 01 a2 07 8e 02 17 a9 ff 4d 0000b0 17 9d 80 17 dd 88 17 f0 01 c8 ca 10 ec 88 d0 0a00c0 20 80 01 a9 fe 91 03 4c 50 01 a2 00 86 05 a0 0700d0 b9 80 17 0a 90 03 e8 b0 fa d0 f8 b9 80 17 59 8800e0 17 0a 90 04 e6 05 b0 f9 d0 f7 88 4c 00 01 0000f00100 10 ce e4 05 10 12 20 80 01 98 91 03 e0 00 f0 400110 a2 07 9d 88 17 ca 10 fa a2 07 bd 80 17 5d 88 170120 9d b6 17 ca 10 f4 a2 05 bd b8 17 90 b0 17 ca 100130 f7 a9 4f 85 06 a2 07 a9 07 85 05 1e b0 17 90 070140 20 80 01 a5 06 91 03 c6 06 c6 05 10 ee ca 10 e70150 a0 00 a9 80 11 03 91 03 a2 07 bd 80 17 9d 88 170160 ca 10 f7 a9 10 8d 02 17 a9 00 8d 02 17 38 f8 650170 fa 85 fa 90 02 e6 fb d8 4c 36 000180 e6 03 d0 17 e6 04 a9 04 c5 04 do 0f a9 00 85 fa0190 85 fb a9 4c 85 f9 68 68 4c 4f 1c a0 00 60__________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________program 0 - random note exerciseaddress 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f__________________________________________________________________________0000 a9 00 8d fa 17 a9 1c 8d fb 17 4c 30 000010 00 00 ed f6 f1 b8 f7 fc b9 d3 f9 f1 bd 0d 0f 100020 12 14 15 17 00 000030 d8 a9 00 85 00 85 01 85 02 85 04 a9 02 85 03 850040 05 a9 00 a2 07 9d 83 17 ca 10 fa a6 03 b5 1d 850050 07 a6 04 f0 09 ca f0 04 c6 07 10 02 e6 07 a6 050060 18 a9 0c 65 07 85 07 ca 10 f7 a9 38 25 07 4a 4a0070 4a aa a9 07 25 07 a8 38 a9 00 2a 88 10 fc 90 830080 17 a6 03 b5 16 85 24 a5 04 0a aa b5 10 85 26 e80090 b5 10 85 27 a6 05 e8 e8 bd e7 1f 85 29 a2 02 b400a0 00 b9 e7 1f 9d 80 17 ca f5 a9 30 8d 02 17 a900b0 ff 8d 01 17 8d 03 17 20 b5 01 ee 02 17 a2 0a bd00c0 80 17 8d 00 17 20 b5 01 20 50 01 ea ce 02 17 ca00d0 10 ed a9 27 8d 02 17 20 60 01 d0 fb 20 57 01 c900e0 12 f0 4f 20 60 01 f0 f4 4c 00 010100 20 60 01 f0 c7 a9 00 8d 01 17 a0 07 8c 02 17 b90110 83 17 4d 00 17 c9 ff d0 1c 88 10 f0 a2 00 a9 0a0120 f6 00 d5 00 f0 03 4c 41 00 a9 00 95 00 e8 e0 030130 d0 ec 4c 30 00 a2 02 a9 00 d5 00 d0 06 ca 10 f70140 4c 9d 00 a2 00 d6 00 10 f7 a9 09 95 00 e8 10 f50150 ee 02 17 20 b5 01 60 a9 00 8d 41 17 20 6a 1f 600160 c6 03 10 06 a9 06 85 03 c6 04 10 04 a9 02 85 040170 c6 05 10 04 a9 03 85 05 a9 ff 8d 41 17 8d 43 170180 a9 14 8d 42 17 a2 05 a9 00 8d 40 17 ce 42 17 ce0190 42 17 b5 24 8d 40 17 a0 ff 88 d0 fd ca 10 e8 a901a0 00 8d 01 17 a0 07 8c 02 17 8d 00 17 c9 ff d0 0401b0 88 10 f3 c8 60 a0 01 a9 20 4d 02 17 8d 02 17 8801c0 10 f5 60__________________________________________________________________________ it is to be understood that while the detailed drawings and specific examples given describe preferred embodiments of the invention , they are for the purpose of illustration only , that the apparatus of the invention is not limited to the precise details and conditions disclosed , that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined by the following claims . | 6 |
the present invention will be described as it applies to its preferred embodiment . it is not intended that the present invention be limited to the described embodiment . it is intended that the invention cover all modifications and alternatives which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention . the present invention includes an improvement to the prior art field dressing tool 10 as shown in fig1 and 2 . the tool 10 is formed about axis 14 . tool 10 has a tip 12 at a first end thereof that is distal from a handle 20 . a series of substantially triangular barbs 16 are formed in angularly dispersed portions around tip 12 to extend radially outwardly from the rear portion of tip 12 . as in fig1 , the tool 10 is formed with four barbs 16 , although different numbers of barbs can be used . the tip 12 has a diameter , and the barbs 16 extend in opposite sides of the axes 14 to a width that is greater than the diameter . the diameter of the tip 12 should be sized for being inserted into the anus of a slain animal , such as a deer . the barbs 16 having a width at least twice as great as the diameter of the tip 12 has been found suitable . a shank 18 is substantially a coaxial extension of tip 12 along the axis 14 . the shank 18 terminates in the handle 20 that is formed transverse to the axis 14 . the shank 18 is formed substantially long to allow insertion of the tip 12 and barbs 16 into the anus of the animal by at least 3 - 4 inches while the handle 20 is being held by the user outside the body of the animal . as shown in the figures , the shank 18 and tip portion 12 are formed as an orthogonal cross of ribs 22 and connects at its proximal end to the handle 20 , formed in cross section ( not shown ) in the form of the letter “ h ”. the handle 20 can also be a linear extension of the shank 18 . as an alternative , the tip portion 12 can take on a generally hemispherical shape . to field dress an animal , the tip 12 is inserted into the anus of the animal as the handle 20 is pushed to move the barbs 16 into the body cavity . once the barbs 16 are beyond the anus , the handle is rotated sufficiently to cause the exposed points of the barbs 16 to ensnare the wall of the rectum . the handle 20 is then pulled back to remove the barbs 16 and the tip 12 of the tool 10 from the body cavity of the animal , thereby extracting a portion of the intestine . the exposed portion of the intestine is then tied or clamped to prevent accidental spilling of body waste materials . the improved tool for field dressing big game animals will now be described . the structure of the tool 30 is illustrated in fig3 - 5 . similar to the prior art tool 10 previously described , the tool 30 of the present invention is formed on an axis 34 and includes a tip portion 32 that is distal from a handle 40 . the tip portion 32 can also have a generally hemispherical shape . triangular barbs 36 are disposed around the tip 32 and extend radially outwardly from the rear portion of the tip 32 . a shank 38 extends from the tip portion 32 along the axes 34 . the shank 38 terminates in the handle 40 that is formed transverse to the axes 34 . the shank 38 and handle 40 are formed on an orthogonal cross of ribs 42 . as compared with the prior art tool 10 , the tool 30 of the present invention is longer in length and includes a barrier member 44 that extends away from the shank and is disposed between the opposite ends of the tool 30 . it is preferred that the barrier member 44 maintain a spaced - apart relationship with the handle 40 to allow the user &# 39 ; s hand to comfortably fit between the handle 40 and the barrier member 44 while gripping the handle 40 . it is also preferred that the barrier member be positioned sufficiently rearward of the tip 32 and barbs 36 so that the tool can be inserted into the anus of the slain animal by approximately 3 - 6 inches while the handle is being held by the user outside the body of the animal . the barrier member 44 as shown is generally perpendicular to the shank 38 and has a planer surface extending therefrom . those skilled in the art will appreciate that similar configurations at different angles and with some curvature could be used . the barrier member 44 acts as a stop to limit the length of the tool that can be inserted into the anus of the animal . in addition , the user can firmly grip the handle 40 while keeping the barrier member 44 snug against the animal , which gives the user greater control over the tool 30 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the barrier member can take various shapes and forms . the preferred embodiment shows a barrier member 44 that is an annular flange having a diameter approximately 3 : 2 times greater than the diameter or width of the shank 38 . however , the barrier member could take on other shapes and need not be a continuous structure . important to the present invention is that the barrier member effectively limit the length of the tool 30 that is inserted into the anus of the animal . in its preferred form , the tool 30 as designed for field dressing deer has a length of approximately 8 inches with the barrier member 44 disposed 2 inches from the handle 40 . it is preferred that the tool 30 is manufactured by an injection molding process and that all of the parts of the tool are integrally formed , with the choice of plastics resin to be determined by the manufacturer . the method of using the field dressing tool 30 will now be illustrated with reference to fig6 - 9 , which are side elevation views of the rear portion of a large game animal , here a deer 50 . each of the figures show select internal organs depicted in dashed lines . the animal &# 39 ; s rectum 52 , which is the last section of the intestine , connects to the anus 54 at the animal &# 39 ; s rump 56 . the internal end of the rectum 52 continues as intestines that ultimately terminate at the stomach ( not shown ). the field dressing tool 30 is positioned in fig6 in alignment with anus 54 with the tip 32 adjacent to the anus 54 . the tool 30 is to be pushed in the direction indicated by arrow a until the tip 32 and barbs 36 have passed the anus 54 and entered the rectum 52 in the position as shown in fig7 . when the tool 30 is fully inserted into the rectum 52 , the barrier member 44 abuts the rump 56 of the deer 50 at the anus 54 . the barrier member effectively limits how far the tip portion 32 and barbs 36 can be inserted into the rectum 52 . this avoids causing unnecessary damage to the wall of the intestines . the barrier member 44 also maintains a spaced - apart relationship with the handle 40 , which allows the user to comfortably maintain a grip on and control over the tool 30 . it also avoids direct contact between the user &# 39 ; s hand and the anus 54 . as shown in fig7 , rectum 52 is stretched radially to accommodate and engage barbs 36 therein . the barrier member 44 limits the length of the tool 30 that can be inserted through the anus 54 and into the rectum 52 . the tool 30 is next rotated as indicated by arrow b through an angle of approximately 180 °. because the barbs 36 are formed along a series of perpendicular planes that pass through the axis 34 of the tool 30 , rotation of the tool 30 can be either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction . with the extended sharp points of the barbs 36 stretched over the membrane comprising the rectum 52 , rotation of the tool 30 causes the barbs 36 to dig into and ensnare the wall of the rectum 52 . now referring to fig8 , the tool 30 is withdrawn in the direction indicated by arrow c from the animal &# 39 ; s anus 54 , drawing a section of the rectum 52 outside of the anus 54 . to provide ample space to tie or clamp the end of the rectum 52 , the tool 30 is pulled out of the anus 54 by approximately 10 - 12 inches . the tool 30 is then removed from the rectum 52 by cutting the intestinal wall either before or after the clamping or tying is done , as described below . as shown in fig9 , the extended section of the rectum 52 is tied into a knot 58 . as an alternative , a clamp ( not shown ) is applied and pulled tight enough to prevent solid waste from escaping through the rectum 52 during the remaining field dressing process . twisting the rectum 52 outside the body cavity of the animal prior to clamping serves to further prevent waste leakage . once the intestines are tied or clamped to prevent waste leakage , the field dressing process continues . the extended section of the rectum 52 is repositioned in the body cavity either by pushing the extended section through the anus 54 or pulling the extended section from within the body cavity after the cavity has been opened . the intestines and the balance of the digestive track are then removed through the abdominal opening along with the urinary track . the present invention contemplates numerous additions , alternatives , and options . that which has been disclosed is merely exemplary . the present invention is not to be limited to or by the specific embodiment disclosed herein . the invention is only to be limited by the claims appended hereto . | 0 |
in the following detailed description of the invention , reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the disclosure , and in which are shown by way of illustration , and not of limitation , exemplary embodiments by which the invention may be practiced . in the drawings , like numerals describe substantially similar components throughout the several views . further , it should be noted that while the detailed description provides various exemplary embodiments , as described below and as illustrated in the drawings , the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated herein , but can extend to other embodiments , as would be known or as would become known to those skilled in the art . reference in the specification to “ one embodiment ,” “ this embodiment ,” or “ these embodiments ” means that a particular feature , structure , or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention , and the appearances of these phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment . additionally , in the following detailed description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that these specific details may not all be needed to practice the present invention . in other circumstances , well - known structures , materials , circuits , processes and interfaces have not been described in detail , and / or may be illustrated in block diagram form , so as to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention . furthermore , some portions of the detailed description that follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations within a computer . these algorithmic descriptions and symbolic representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the essence of their innovations to others skilled in the art . an algorithm is a series of defined steps leading to a desired end state or result . in the present invention , the steps carried out require physical manipulations of tangible quantities for achieving a tangible result . usually , though not necessarily , these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals or instructions capable of being stored , transferred , combined , compared , and otherwise manipulated . it has proven convenient at times , principally for reasons of common usage , to refer to these signals as bits , values , elements , symbols , characters , terms , numbers , instructions , or the like . it should be borne in mind , however , that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities . unless specifically stated otherwise , as apparent from the following discussion , it is appreciated that throughout the description , discussions utilizing terms such as “ processing ,” “ computing ,” “ calculating ,” “ determining ,” “ displaying ,” or the like , can include the actions and processes of a computer system or other information processing device that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical ( electronic ) quantities within the computer system &# 39 ; s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system &# 39 ; s memories or registers or other information storage , transmission or display devices . the present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein . this apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes , or it may include one or more general - purpose computers selectively activated or reconfigured by one or more computer programs . such computer programs may be stored in a computer - readable storage medium , such as , but not limited to optical disks , magnetic disks , read - only memories , random access memories , solid state devices and drives , or any other types of media suitable for storing electronic information . the algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus . various general - purpose systems may be used with programs and modules in accordance with the teachings herein , or it may prove convenient to construct a more specialized apparatus to perform desired method steps . in addition , the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language . it will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein . the instructions of the programming language ( s ) may be executed by one or more processing devices , e . g ., central processing units ( cpus ), processors , or controllers . exemplary embodiments of the invention , as will be described in greater detail below , provide apparatuses , methods and computer programs for the allocation of an area of a logical volume to a virtual volume . fig3 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of an information system in which the method and apparatus of the invention may be applied . the system comprises an application server 100 , a san ( storage area network ) 120 , a lan ( local area network ) 140 , and a storage subsystem 160 . the application server 100 comprises a cpu ( central processing unit ) 101 , a memory 102 , a hdd ( hard disk drive ) 103 , a san interface 104 , and a lan interface 105 . the cpu 101 reads programs from the memory 102 and executes the programs . the memory 102 reads programs and data from the hdd 103 when the application server 100 starts and stores the programs and the data . the hdd 103 stores programs and data . the san interface 104 connects the application server 100 and the san 120 . the lan interface 105 connects the application server 100 and the lan 140 . the san 120 connects the application server 100 and the storage subsystem 160 . the application server 100 uses the san 120 to send application data to the storage subsystem 160 and receive application data from the storage subsystem 160 . the application server 100 uses the lan 140 to send management data to the storage subsystem 160 and receive management data from the storage subsystem 160 . the lan 140 connects the application server 100 and the storage subsystem 160 . the storage subsystem 160 comprises a san interface 161 , a lan interface 162 , a cpu 163 , a memory 164 , a disk interface 165 , a hdd 166 , and a ssd ( solid state drive ) 167 . the san interface 161 connects the storage subsystem 160 and the san 120 . the lan interface 162 connects the storage subsystem 160 and the lan 140 . the cpu 163 reads programs from the memory 164 and executes the programs . the memory 164 reads programs and data from the hdd 166 and the ssd 167 when the storage subsystem 160 starts and stores the programs and the data . the disk interface 165 connects the storage subsystem 160 , the hdd 166 , and the ssd 167 . the hdd 166 stores programs and data . the ssd 167 stores programs and data . fig4 illustrates an example of the memory 102 in the application server 100 and the memory 164 in the storage subsystem 160 of fig1 according to the first embodiment . the memory 102 comprises an os ( operating system ) program 201 and an application program 202 . the os program 201 executes the application program 202 . the application program 202 ( e . g ., database program ) reads data from the storage subsystem 160 , processes data , and writes the results to the storage subsystem 160 . the memory 164 in the storage subsystem 160 comprises a disk control program 221 , raid ( redundant arrays of inexpensive ( or independent ) disks ) group information 222 , raid information 223 , logical volume information 224 , pool information 225 , virtual volume information 226 , and a page selection program 227 . the disk control program 221 receives a read command and a write command from the application server 100 , reads data from the hdd 166 and the ssd 167 , and writes data to the hdd 166 and the ssd 167 using the raid group information 222 , the raid information 223 , the logical volume information 224 , the pool information 225 , and the virtual volume information 226 . fig5 shows an example of raid group information 222 according to the first embodiment . the raid group information 222 includes columns of a raid group name 301 , a media name 302 , a raid level 303 , a media type 304 , and a capacity 305 . for example , the row 306 shows that “ rg a ” comprises “ hdd a ,” “ hdd b ,” “ hdd c ,” and “ hdd d ,” the raid level of “ rg a ” is “ raid 5 ,” “ rg a ” comprises “ hdd 15 , 000 rpm ,” and the capacity of “ rg a ” is “ 100 .” there is only one media type in the first embodiment . fig6 shows an example of raid information 223 according to the first embodiment . the raid information 223 includes columns of a raid group name 401 , a page number 402 , a location 403 , a raid group address 404 , a data media name 405 , a data media address 406 , a parity media name 407 , and a parity media address 408 . for example , the row 409 and the row 410 show that the address from “ 0 ” to “ 9 ” on “ page 200 ” on “ rg a ” is allocated to the address from “ 0 ” to “ 9 ” on “ hdd a ” and located on “ 0 %” from the beginning of “ rg a ,” the address from “ 10 ” to “ 19 ” on “ page 200 ” on “ rg a ” is allocated to the address from “ 0 ” to “ 9 ” on “ hdd b ” and located on “ 0 %” from the beginning of “ rg a ,” and the parity of “ page 200 ” on “ rg a ” is located on the address from “ 0 ” to “ 9 ” on “ hdd c .” the page selection program 227 calculates the location 403 when the raid information 223 is updated . for example , the address of “ page 201 ” on “ rg a ” is from “ 20 ” to “ 39 ” and the capacity 305 of “ rg a ” is “ 100 .” therefore the location 403 of “ page 201 ” is “ 20 %” ( 20 / 100 ). fig7 shows an example of the logical volume information 224 in the form of a table . the logical volume information 224 includes columns of a logical volume name 501 , a logical volume address 502 , a raid group name 503 , and a raid group address 504 . for example , the row 505 shows that the address from “ 0 ” to “ 99 ” of “ l - vol a ” is allocated to the address from “ 0 ” to “ 99 ” in “ rg a .” fig8 shows an example of the pool information 225 in the form of a table . the pool information 225 includes columns of a pool name 601 , a logical volume name 602 , a virtual volume name 603 , and a capacity 604 . for example , the row 605 shows “ pool a ” comprises “ l - vol a ” and “ l - vol b ,” the area of “ pool a ” is used by “ v - vol a ,” and the capacity of “ v - vol a ” is “ 200 .” fig9 shows an example of the virtual volume information 226 in the form of a table . the virtual volume information 226 includes columns of a virtual volume name 701 , a virtual volume address 702 , a page number 703 , a logical volume name 704 , a logical volume address 705 , and a page number 706 . for example , the row 707 shows that the address from “ 0 ” to “ 19 ” on “ v - vol a ” is “ page 0 ,” the address from “ 0 ” to “ 19 ” on “ l - vol a ” is “ page 100 ,” and “ page 0 ” is allocated to “ page 100 .” fig1 shows an example of the read command 800 and the write command 820 . the read command 800 includes a command type 801 , a volume name 802 , and a volume address 803 . the read command 800 is sent from the application program 202 to the storage subsystem 160 . the write command 820 includes a command type 821 , a volume name 822 , a volume address 823 , and data 824 . the write command 820 is sent from the application program 202 to the storage subsystem 160 . fig1 shows an example of a diagram illustrating relationships between virtual volumes and logical volumes , between logical volumes and raid groups , and between raids group and hdds . for example , the address from “ 40 ” to “ 59 ” on “ v - vola ” is mapped to the address from “ 20 ” to “ 39 ” on “ l - vol a .” the address from “ 20 ” to “ 39 ” on “ l - vola ” is mapped to the address from “ 20 ” to “ 39 ” on “ rg a .” the address from “ 20 ” to “ 29 ” on “ rg a ” is mapped to the address from “ 10 ” to “ 19 ” on “ hdd a .” the address from “ 30 ” to “ 39 ” on “ rg a ” is mapped to the address from “ 10 ” to “ 19 ” on “ hdd c .” fig1 is an example of a flow diagram showing that the disk control program 221 receives the read command 800 or the write command 820 from the application program 202 , and the disk control program 221 sends the result of read or write . in step 1001 , the disk control program 221 receives the read command 800 or the write command 820 from the application program 202 . in decision step 1002 , if the command that the disk control program 221 received in step 1001 is the write command 820 , then the process goes to decision step 1003 ; if not , then the process goes to decision step 1006 . in decision step 1003 , if an area specified by the volume name 822 and the volume address 823 of the write command 820 is allocated in the virtual volume information 226 , then the process goes to step 1005 ; if not , then the process goes to step 1004 . in step 1004 , the disk control program 221 allocates an unallocated area of a logical volume to the virtual volume specified by the volume name 822 and the volume address 823 , and updates the virtual volume information 226 . in step 1005 , the disk control program 221 gets the volume name 822 and the volume address 823 from the write command 820 , gets the logical volume name 704 and the logical volume address 705 from the virtual volume information 226 , gets the raid group name 503 and the raid group address 504 from the logical volume information 224 , gets the data media name 405 and the data media address 406 from the raid information 223 , gets the parity media name 407 and the parity media address 408 from the raid information 223 , reads an area specified by the data media name 405 and the data media address 406 , calculates a parity and writes the data 824 of the write command 820 to an area specified by the data media name 405 and the data media address 406 , and writes the parity to an area specified by the parity media name 407 and the parity media address 408 . for example , when the volume name 822 is “ v - vol a ” and the volume address 823 is an address from “ 40 ” to “ 43 ”, the data 824 is written to an address from “ 10 ” to “ 13 ” on “ hdd a ,” the disk control program 221 reads an address from “ 10 ” to “ 19 ” on “ hdd a ” and an address from “ 10 ” to “ 19 ” on “ hdd c ,” calculates a parity , and writes the parity to an address from “ 10 ” to “ 19 ” on “ hdd b .” in decision step 1006 , if an area specified by the volume name 802 and the volume address 803 of the read command 800 is allocated in the virtual volume information 226 , then the process goes to step 1008 ; if not , then the process goes to step 1007 . in step 1007 , the disk control program 221 returns “ 0 ” to the application server 100 because the area specified by the volume name 802 and the volume address 803 is not written . in step 1008 , the disk control program 221 gets the volume name 802 and the volume address 803 from the read command 800 , gets the logical volume name 704 and the logical volume address 705 from the virtual volume information 226 , gets the raid group name 503 and the raid group address 504 from the logical volume information 224 , gets the data media name 405 and the data media address 406 from the raid information 223 , reads an area specified by the data media name 405 and the data media address 406 , and returns the data . fig1 is an example of a flow diagram showing that the page selection program 227 selects a page and the disk control program 221 allocates the page to a virtual volume in step 1004 of fig1 . in step 1101 , the page selection program 227 gets a target address from the volume name 822 and the volume address 823 of the write command 820 . in step 1102 , the page selection program 227 calculates a location in the target virtual volume based on the volume name 822 and the volume address 823 . for example , when the volume name 822 is “ v - vol a ,” the volume address 823 is from “ 40 ” to “ 43 ,” and the capacity 604 of “ v - vol a ” is “ 200 ,” the location in the “ v - vol a ” is “ 20 %” (= 40 / 200 ). in step 1103 , the page selection program 227 selects a near page which is nearest to the location calculated in step 1102 from the raid information 223 . for example , the page selection program 227 calculated the location and the location was “ 20 %.” therefore the page selection program 227 selects “ page 201 ” where the location 403 of the raid information 223 is “ 20 %.” in step 1104 , the disk control program 221 allocates the address from “ 20 ” to “ 39 ” on the “ l - vol a ” to the address specified by the volume name 822 and the volume address 823 because the address of the page selected in step 1103 is from “ 20 ” to “ 39 ” on the “ rg a ” from the logical volume information 224 . the following describes only differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment . fig1 illustrates an example of the memory 102 in the application server 100 and the memory 164 in the storage subsystem 160 of fig3 according to the second embodiment . the memory 164 comprises a disk control program 221 , raid group information 222 , raid information 223 , logical volume information 224 , pool information 225 , virtual volume information 226 , a page selection program 227 , and performance information 228 . the performance information 228 is not provided in the first embodiment of fig4 . fig1 shows an example of raid group information 222 according to the second embodiment . unlike the raid group information of the first embodiment ( fig5 ), there are several media types in the second embodiment . fig1 shows an example of raid information 223 according to the second embodiment . unlike the raid information of the first embodiment ( fig6 ), there are several media types in the second embodiment . fig1 shows an example of performance information 228 according to the second embodiment . the performance information 228 includes columns of a rank 1501 and a media name 1502 . for example , the row 1503 shows that “ ssd mlc ” is the highest performance media . fig1 shows an example of a diagram illustrating calculation of a location according to the second embodiment . there are three media types in the raid group information 222 in fig1 . the highest performance media type is “ ssd mlc ” according to the performance information 228 and the capacity is “ 100 ” according to the raid group information 222 in fig1 . the second highest performance media type is “ hdd 15 , 000 rpm ” according to the performance information 228 and the capacity is “ 200 ” according to the raid group information 222 in fig1 . the third highest performance media type is “ hdd 10 , 000 rpm ” according to the performance information 228 and the capacity is “ 100 ” according to the raid group information 222 in fig1 . therefore , for example , the address of “ page 501 ” on “ rg b ” is from “ 20 ” to “ 39 ” and the sum of capacity 305 in fig1 is “ 400 ” (= 100 + 100 + 100 + 100 ). the location 403 of “ page 501 ” is “ 35 %” ( 100 + 20 * 2 / 400 ). the page selection program 227 calculates the location 403 when the raid information 223 is updated . of course , the system configuration illustrated in fig3 is purely exemplary of information systems in which the present invention may be implemented , and the invention is not limited to a particular hardware configuration . the computers and storage systems implementing the invention can also have known i / o devices ( e . g ., cd and dvd drives , floppy disk drives , hard drives , etc .) which can store and read the modules , programs and data structures used to implement the above - described invention . these modules , programs and data structures can be encoded on such computer - readable media . for example , the data structures of the invention can be stored on computer - readable media independently of one or more computer - readable media on which reside the programs used in the invention . 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 local area networks , wide area networks , e . g ., the internet , wireless networks , storage area networks , and the like . in the description , numerous details are set forth for purposes of explanation in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that not all of these specific details are required in order to practice the present invention . it is also noted that the invention may be described as a process , which is usually depicted as a flowchart , a flow diagram , a structure diagram , or a block diagram . although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process , many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently . in addition , the order of the operations may be re - arranged . as is known in the art , the operations described above can be performed by hardware , software , or some combination of software and hardware . various aspects of embodiments of the invention may be implemented using circuits and logic devices ( hardware ), while other aspects may be implemented using instructions stored on a machine - readable medium ( software ), which if executed by a processor , would cause the processor to perform a method to carry out embodiments of the invention . furthermore , some embodiments of the invention may be performed solely in hardware , whereas other embodiments may be performed solely in software . moreover , the various functions described can be performed in a single unit , or can be spread across a number of components in any number of ways . when performed by software , the methods may be executed by a processor , such as a general purpose computer , based on instructions stored on a computer - readable medium . if desired , the instructions can be stored on the medium in a compressed and / or encrypted format . from the foregoing , it will be apparent that the invention provides methods , apparatuses and programs stored on computer readable media for the allocation of an area of a logical volume to a virtual volume . additionally , while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described in this specification , those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments disclosed . this disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of the present invention , and it is to be understood that the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification . rather , the scope of the invention is to be determined entirely by the following claims , which are to be construed in accordance with the established doctrines of claim interpretation , along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled . | 6 |
the base thermoplastic elastomer used in the present invention may be any of the a - b -- b - a ) n block copolymers where a represents a monovinyl aromatic compound block , b represents a conjugated diene block and n is an integer of 1 to 20 . obviously , this includes both linear triblock and radial or star - block copolymers . the copolymers contain 25 to 55 percent by weight , preferably 30 to 50 percent by weight , or a monovinyl aromatic compound and 45 to 75 percent by weight , preferably 50 to 70 percent by weight , of a conjugated diene having 4 to 8 carbon atoms . the monovinyl aromatic compound is preferably styrene , but may be alkyl substituted styrenes which have similar copolymerization charcteristics , such as , alphamethylstyrene and the ring substituted methylstyrenes , ethylstyrenes and t - butylstyrene . the amount of monovinyl aromatic compound useful in the invention is between 25 and 55 percent by weight , and preferably 30 to 50 by weight , based on the total weight of monomers utilized . the hydrocarbyllithium initiators useful in the polymerization are the known alkyllithium compounds , such as methyllithium , n - butyllithium , sec - butyllithium ; the cyclo - alkyllithium compounds , such as cyclo - hexyllithium ; and the aryllithium compounds , such as phenyllithium , p - tolyllithium and naphthyllithium . the amounts of hydrocarbyllithium added should be between 0 . 2 and 10 . 0 millimoles per mole of monomer . the total amount of initiator used depends on the molecular weight and number of polymer chains desired . the conjugated dienes are those having from 4 to 8 carbon atoms in the molecule , such as 1 , 3 - butadiene , isoprene , 2 , 3 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - butadiene , piperylene and mixtures thereof . the polymerization is conducted in an inert hydrocarbon solvent such as isobutane , pentane , cyclohexane , benzene , toluene , xylene and the like . the polymerization is carried out in the absence of air , moisture or any other impurity which is known to be detrimental to anionic catalyst systems . the temperature of polymerization may be conventionally from 0 ° to 120 ° c ., and preferably between 40 ° and 80 ° c . the polyfunctional coupling agents may be the polyvinyl aromatic compounds such as divinylbenzene , which although only difunctional , as monomers , can polymerize to form polyfunctional agents in situ and serve as coupling agents . suitable are the ortho -, meta -, or para - divinylbenzenes , or mixtures thereof . in the case of difunctional agents which polymerize during the coupling reaction , such as divinylbenzene , the amounts of agent to be used must be determined for the conditions of reaction , since the number of equivalent functional sites is variable . however , the amounts will vary only from 0 . 5 to 3 . 5 parts by weight , and preferably 0 . 8 to 2 . 0 parts by weight , of divinylbenzene per 100 parts by weight of total monomers . the extender oils useful in this invention , usually referred to as paraffinic / naphthenic oils , are usually fractions of refined petroleum products . commercial extender oils include the shellflex ® oils manufactured by shell chemical company and the tufflo ® oils manufactured by arco petroleum products company . these oils are used in amounts between 50 and 200 parts per hundred of elastomer ( phr ). the polystyrene material may be selected from the low molecular weight polystyrenes , poly - α - methylstyrenes , polyvinyltoluenes , polyindene resins , coumarone - indene resins and mixtures of these . the amount of polystyrene material used may vary from 0 - 250 phr , preferably 50 - 200 phr . the inorganic fillers are well known in the art of both shoe sole compounds and adhesives . these include talc , clays , silica , titanium dioxide , calcium carbonate and other pigmenting additives such as carbon black . the amount of filler used depends on the final use of the compounded elastomer , but generally varies from 0 - 200 phr , preferable 25 - 150 phr . the stabilizers used may be any one or a combination of more than one of the known antioxidants , ultraviolet stabilizers and heat stabilizers . these are used in minor amounts of between 0 and 3 . 0 phr , preferably from 0 . 1 to 2 . 0 phr . in the process of this invention , the base thermoplastic elastomer is prepared by polymerizing the appropriate monomers in an inert solvent . then , without cooling the polymer / solvent mixture , the mixture is immediately transferred to a mixing tank and the mineral oil , reinforcing resins , inorganic fillers , antioxidants and stabilizers are added and dispersed with mixing . the dispersion is then pumped directly to a devolatilizing extruder and extruded into a strand while removing the inert solvent from the mixture through the devolatilizing parts of the extruder . the resulting devolatilized strand of shoe sole compound is then chopped into pellets which are suitable for use in shoe sole molding applications . if only the oil is added to the elastomer / solvent mixture prior to devolatilization , the product is an oil - extended thermoplastic elastomer useful for later compounding . the following examples are given to illustrate the invention , but not to limit the claims . all parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified . a one gallon stirred reactor was charged with 2 , 000 g of purified cyclohexane and heated to 60 ° c . a trace of diphenylethylene ( 0 . 2 g ) was added to te cyclohexane by means of a hypodermic needle . a solution of sec - butyllithium in cyclohexane was added to the reactor portionwise until a permanent orange - yellow color was obtained . the solution was then backtitrated with cyclohexane until the color just disappeared . the solvent and reactor were now ready for the polymerization of monomer . into the closed reactor was charged 13 . 7 m moles of sec - butyllithium and 307 g of styrene and the reactor held at 60 ° c . for 20 minutes . analysis of the solution by u . v . analysis showed that less than 0 . 01 % by weight of the styrene monomer remained . number average molecular weights ( m n ) of the polystyrene blocks were determined by gel permeation chromatography to be 28 , 000 . at this point , 361 g of butadiene was added to the reactor and the whole mixture held for 60 minutes to complete the polymerization of the butadiene . the diblock arms thus formed were analyzed by refractive index and found to be 46 % by weight styrene and 54 % butadiene . there was then added 14 . 7 g of divinylbenzene of 53 % purity and the whole was held for 1 - 2 hours at 70 ° c . to complete the linking reaction . the system was terminated by the addition of 1 g of methanol . the resulting star - block polymer was found to have about 8 linear arms . each arm has m n of about 60 , 900 , made up of a polystyrene block of m n 28 , 000 and a polybutadiene block of m n 32 , 900 . the divinylbenzene was used in an amount of 1 . 2 parts per hundred of monomer ( phm ). the polymer / solvent mixture was transferred to a mixing tank where 670 g cyclohexane was added to produce a solution containing 20 % solids . the mixture was maintained at 65 ° c . while 334 g of a mineral oil , shellflex 311 ( a naphthenic mineral oil sold by shell chemical company ) was added and completely dissolved into the polymer / solvent mixture . the resulting solution was then pumped into a devolatilizing extruder where the solvent was removed through the devolatilizing vents while the oil - extended elastomer was extruded as a strand and pelletized . the resulting pellets contain a 2 : 1 ratio of elastomer : oil and were labeled &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; for future reference . the star - block elastomer was prepared as in example i up through the point of termination of the polymerization with methanol . the polymer solution was transferred to a 5 gallon polyethylene liner , diluted further with acetone and the polymer was precipitated by adding isopropanol under high speed stirring . the polymer was then treated with 0 . 5 part polygard hr , a commercial antioxidant , and 0 . 5 part 2 , 6 - ditert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol per 100 parts by weight of polymer . the wet polymer was dried at 50 ° c . in an oven under vacuum at less than 100 microns of mercury to form neat elastomer . oil - extended , star - block copolymer was prepared by placing the neat elastomer in a 1 gallon screw cap jar and redissolving in sufficient cyclohexane to produce a 15 % by weight solids solution . enough oil to give a mixture of 50 parts of oil per hundred parts of elastomer ( phr ) was then added and the jar was rolled until the oil and elastomer were completely mixed . the mineral oil added was shellflex 311 , a naphthenic mineral oil sold by shell chemical company . the oil - elastomer - cyclohexane solution was dried in a vacuum oven following the same procedure used for drying neat polymer , above . the oil - extended product was labeled &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; for future reference . this product also had a 2 : 1 ratio of elastomer : oil . the physical properties of the oil - extended elastomers i and a were determined and were found to be as follows : table i______________________________________sample i a______________________________________tensile strength , 300 % elong . ( psi ) 240 270tensile strength , break ( psi ) 2210 2080elongation , break (%) 990 945permanent set at 10 minutes (%) 31 . 1 27 . 1______________________________________ as can be seen , the properties of the two oil - extended elastomers are essentially equivalent . the method of the invention produces a product at considerable savings in manufacturing effort and cost , yet having comparable properties . a one gallon stirred reactor was charged with 2 , 000 g of purified cyclohexane and heated to 60 ° c . a trace of diphenylethylene ( 0 . 2 g ) was added to te cyclohexane by means of a hypodermic needle . a solution of sec - butyllithium in cyclohexane was added to the reactor portionwise until a permanent orange - yellow color was obtained . the solution was then backtitrated with cyclohexane until the color just disappeared . the solvent and reactor were now ready for the polymerization of monomer . into the closed reactor was charged 13 . 7 m moles of sec - butyllithium and 307 g of styrene and the reactor held at 60 ° c . for 20 minutes . analysis of the solution by u . v . analysis showed that less than 0 . 01 % by weight of the styrene monomer remained . number average molecular weights ( m n ) of the polystyrene blocks were determined by gel permeation chromatography to be 28 , 000 . at this point , 361 g of butadiene was added to the reactor and the whole mixture held for 60 minutes to complete the polymerization of the butadiene . the diblock arms thus formed were analyzed by refractive index and found to be 46 % by weight styrene and 54 % butadiene . there was then added 14 . 7 g of divinylbenzene of 53 % purity and the whole was held for 1 - 2 hours at 70 ° c . to complete the linking reaction . the system was terminated by the addition of 1 g of methanol . the resulting star - block polymer was found to have about 8 linear arms . each arm has m n of about 60 , 900 , made up of a polystyrene block of m n 28 , 000 and a polybutadiene block of m n 32 , 900 . the divinylbenzene was used in an amount of 1 . 2 parts per hundred of monomer ( phm ). the polymer / solvent mixture was transferred to a mixing tank where 670 g cyclohexane was added to produce a solution containing 20 % solids . the mixture was maintained at 65 ° c . while 334 g of a mineral oil , shellflex 311 ( a naphthenic mineral oil sold by shell chemical company ) was added and completely dissolved into the polymer / solvent mixture . after a uniform solution was obtained , the organic soluble ingredients ( i . e ., 22 . 0 phr polystyrene , 11 . 5 phr resin 18 - 290 , 0 . 3 phr irganox 1010 , 0 . 3 phr tinuvin p and 0 . 3 phr dltdp ) were added in amounts shown in the formulation below . then the inorganic fillers ( 19 . 2 phr hi - sil 233 ) were added and stirring continued until a uniform dispersion was obtained . the resulting dispersion was then pumped into a 0 . 8 &# 34 ; devolatilizing extruder where the solvent was removed through the devolatilizing vents while the shoe sole compound was extruded at 138 ° c . as a strand and pelletized . the resulting pellets were designated &# 34 ; compound ii &# 34 ;. the star - block elastomer was prepared as in example i up through the point of termination of the polymerization with methanol . the polymer solution was transferred to a 5 gallon polyethylene liner , diluted further with acetone and the polymer was precipitated by adding isopropanol under high speed stirring . the polymer was then treated with 0 . 5 part polygard hr , a commercial antioxidant , and 0 . 5 part 2 , 6 - ditert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol per 100 parts by weight of polymer . the wet polymer was dried at 50 ° c . in an oven under vacuum at less than 100 microns of mercury to form neat elastomer . oil - extended , star - block copolymer was prepared by placing the neat elastomer in a 1 gallon screw cap jar and redissolving in sufficient cyclohexane to produce a 15 % by weight solids solution . enough oil to give a mixture of 50 parts of oil per hundred parts of elastomer ( phr ) was then added and the jar was rolled until the oil and elastomer were completely mixed . the mineral oil added was shellflex 311 , a naphthenic mineral oil sold by shell chemical company . the oil - elastomer - cyclohexane solution was dried in a vacuum oven following the same procedure used for drying neat polymer , above . a shoe sole compound , b , was prepared by melt - blending ingredients as follows : ______________________________________ ingredient parts ( by weight ) ______________________________________elastomer / oil ( 2 : 1 ratio ) 100 . 0shellflex 311 oil 53 . 7crystal polystyrene 22 . 0resin 18 - 290 11 . 5hi - sil 233 19 . 2tinuvin p 0 . 3irganox 1010 0 . 3dltdp 0 . 3______________________________________ the crystal polystyrene used was cosden 500s , a crystal polystyrene containing 6 % oil sold by cosden chemical co . resin 18 - 290 is a poly - α - methylstyrene resin of molecular weight 960 and softening point of about 141 ° c ., sold by amoco chemicals corporation . hi - sil 233 is an amorphous silica sold by ppg industries . irganox 1010 is a hindered phenol antioxidant sold by ciba - geigy corp . dltdp is the stabilizer , dilaurylthiodiproprionate , sold by cincinnati milacron . tinuvin p is a light stabilizer sold by ciba - geigy corp . the resulting shoe sole compound had the same final composition as the &# 34 ; compound ii &# 34 ; made by the process of this invention . the properties of the shoe sole compounds were measured on compression molded plaques which were prepared at 140 ° c . the ross flexural test was determined by astm - d - 1052 . the shore a hardness values were determined on an a - 2 durometer 10 seconds after initial contact with the plaque . the tensile strengths and elongation were determined by by astm - d412 at a test rate of 20 in / min . the melt index was determined by astm - d1238 - 65t at 190 ° c . under a load of 2 . 16 kg . the results are shown in table ii . table ii______________________________________sample compound ii compound b______________________________________shore a hardness 48 46ross flextural test 7 . 78 4 . 20 (× 10 . sup .- 5 ) adhesion 48 45 - 55 * tensile strength , 300 % 325 380 elong ( psi ) tensile strength , break ( psi ) 335 390elongation , break (%) 430 430melt index ( e ) 4 . 1 6 . 6______________________________________ * nominal values on similar materials . once again the process of this invention gave compound ii directly from the polymerization reactor which has properties comparable to compound b made by separation of neat elastomer , oil - extending , reheating to melt blend the elastomer , oil and and formulation ingredients and pelletizing . | 2 |
referring initially to fig1 a solid state radiation detector 10 utilizes a layer 11 having a pair of opposed layer surfaces 11a and 11b . the electrical conductance measurable between the opposed surfaces is responsive to absorption of radiation quanta . in particular , for detection of x - ray flux , layer 11 is fabricated of solid materials such as lead oxide , cadmium selenide , selenium and the like . in the presently preferred embodiment , selenium is utilized as the x - ray - responsive photoconductive material , due to the very low dark conductivity thereof . selenium , having at atomic number of only 34 , is not an optimum x - ray absorber ; however , the ease of deposition , as by evaporation and the like proceses , and the previously mentioned very low dark conduction ( very high dark resistance , on the order of 10 15 ohm - centimeters ) overcome the less - than - optimum radiation absorption characteristics of the material . the selenium layer 11 is deposited to a thickness a of about 500 microns ( 20 milli - inches ) upon one surface of a first electrode 12 having a thickness t 1 from about 500 angstroms to about 6 milli - inches . advantageously , electrode 12 is a nickel - tungsten member , although , gold , indium oxide , tin oxide , indium tin oxide , nickel - coated tungsten , aluminum and nickel may be equally as well utilized . it is preferable , although not necessary , that a thin layer , having a thickness t of about 1 , 000 angstroms , of zinc sulfide be fabricated upon electrode 12 prior to the fabrication of the photoconductive layer 11 thereon . similarly , it is preferable , although not necessary , that a similar layer 16 of zinc sulfide be fabricated upon the remaining surface 11b of the photoconductive layer . a second electrode 18 is fabricated either directly upon photoconductive layer surface 11b or , if film 16 of zinc sulfide is utilized , upon the surface of layer 16 furthest from photoconductive layer surface 11b . electrode 18 is fabricated of any of the aforementioned materials , or of a metalized plastic material , to a thickness t 2 of between about 500 angstroms to about 4 milli - inches . in one preferred embodiment , second electrode 18 is fabricated of aluminum with a nickel - coated steel electrode being used as first electrode 12 . the resistivity of the selenium layer is about 10 15 ohm - cm and a 0 . 05 cm thick layer will have a dark resistance of about 2 . 5 × 10 13 ohms . the absorption coefficient of selenium , for x - radiation at about 100kev ; is about 2 / cm , whereby the product of the layer thickness a and the absorption coefficient is about 0 . 1 for 100kev . x - ray quanta . the detector is positioned to receive x - ray quanta at some small angle θ to the normal n to one end plane 11c thereof , with absorption of the x - ray quanta occurring along the length b of the detector . preferably , length b is from about 0 . 35 cm . to about 1 cm ., with the larger values being preferred to reduce beam - hardening tracking errors . it will be seen that the response of the detector to scattered radiation quanta is minimized by reducing the angle θ at which quanta may enter the detection layer ; the angle θ is related to the ratio of layer thickness a to layer length b and is optimized if surface 11c is substantially traverse to the planes of the opposed layer surfaces 11a and 11b . the width c of the quanta - receiving detector face is about two centimeters . the conversion efficiency of the detector is on the order of 2 × 10 - 16 coulombs per x - ray quanta , yielding a dark current shot noise level on the order of one x - ray equivalent in a one milli - second interval . a potential source 20 is coupled to first electrode 12 with a positive potential of magnitude v , with respect to ground potential . second electrode 18 is coupled to the input 25a of an operational amplifier 25 having its output 25b coupled both to input 25a through a feedback resistance r f and to electrical ground potential through an equivalent load resistance r 1 . the electrical output signal of the detector is proportional to the magnitude of the radiation - responsive photoconductance and is taken from operational amplifier output 25b . typically , magnitude v of potential source 20 is on the order of 5 , 000 volts , while the dark resistance of the detector , as previously mentioned , is on the order of 2 . 5 × 10 13 ohms , whereby a dark current of about 0 . 2 nanoamperes flows through the series circuit of the detector and the equivalent input resistance req of the amplifier . in operation , reception of radiation quanta , through detector surface 11c and into the volume of layer 11 , increases electrical conductivity of layer 11 between electrodes 12 and 18 . the increased conductive ( or decreased resistance ) increases the current flow through the detector layer and causes an increase in the magnitude of the output signal from the current - measuring amplifier 25 . the output signal is thus varied in amplitude responsive to the intensity of radiation flux incident on the detector . referring now to fig2 a solid state detector array 30 includes an insulative substrate 35 having a plurality n of electrodes 37a - 37n fabricated upon a first surface 35a thereof , with each electrode being parallel to , but spaced from , each of the other electrodes . a thin film 39 of zinc sulfide may be fabricated over all of the parallel , spaced - apart electrodes 37 . a layer of 42 of radiation - responsive photoconductive material is fabricated upon a portion of insulative substrate surface 35a ( or upon film 39 , if used ) to cover the area bounded by all of the plurality of electrodes 37 . the surface of photoconductive material layer 42 furthest from substrate 35 may be covered by a thin film 44 of zinc sulfide , and a conductive first electrode 46 is fabricated upon either the zinc sulfide layer 44 or , if layer 44 is not utilized , directly upon the surface of photoconductive layer 42 furthest from the substrate . advantageously , first electrode 46 may extend across one edge of the photoconductive layer and onto a portion of the substrate 35 , for mechanical stability . a potential source 20 &# 39 ;, of magnitude v , is coupled to electrode 46 to place a bias potential of positive polarity thereon to bias the photoconductive ( e . g . selenium ) layer 42 . each detector of the array is defined by the photoconductive layer bounded by electrode 46 and by one of electrodes 37 . each elongated one of electrodes 37a - 37n has a width of about 3 to 4 milli - inches with an electrode - to - electrode spacing s of about 5 milli - inches . the length l of each electrode is about 1 centimeter and the height h of the selenium photoconductor layer is on the order of 20 milli - inches . thus , the array comprises a plurality of abutting detectors of about 5 milli - inches width , at the radiation - receiving surface . each individual one of electrodes 37a - 37n is coupled to the input of a like plurality of operational amplifiers 50a - 50n , each having an associated feedback resistance r f , l - r f , n coupled between the input and output thereof , and an equivalent load resistance r l , 1 - r l , n coupled from the output thereof to ground . each of the plurality of individual output signals o 1 - o n appear at the output of the respective operational amplifiers 50a - 50n , responsive to a change in the photoconductance p of the column of photoconductive material between electrode 46 and that one of electrodes 37a - 37n associated with the operational amplifier from which a particular output is taken . thus , if x - ray quanta impinge upon detector layer face 42a at an angle θ &# 39 ; to the normal n &# 39 ; thereto , and within the acceptance angle of the detector , each of the radiation quanta is absorbed in the volume of photoconductive layer associated with one of electrodes 37a - 37n and increases the photoconductivity between that one of electrodes 37 and electrode 46 , causing an increase in that associated one of output signals o 1 - o n , respectively . while the present invention is described with reference to several presently preferred embodiments , many variations or modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art . it is my intent , therefore , to be limited only by the scope of the appending claims , and not by the specific details set forth herein . | 7 |
referring now to fig3 a diagram is shown of one embodiment of a unified message delivery system . the system provides for a service that allows the user to define where messages are routed across multiple devices , which portions of messages are routed to which devices , etc . the system allows for ready integration with an enduser &# 39 ; s primary e - mail service and is end - user configurable . as compared to fig1 in which the electronic message delivery path proceeds through the internet directly to one of a multiplicity of servers or gateways , in the system of fig3 an intermediate pre - processing service 301 is inserted into the message delivery path . the intermediate pre - processing service 301 preferably comprises an noc including an array of mail handling machines , a database , a file store , web servers and utility machines . the intermediate pre - processing service 301 is in turn connected to the various servers and gateways of fig1 including , for example , a user &# 39 ; s primary isp 303 , if any . such connection typically also occurs through the internet ( 305 ). the collection of servers and gateways 307 provide e - mail access for a variety of wired and wireless client devices 309 , which may include , for example , a main e - mail system ( typically a home or office desktop computer ), a free web - based mail system ( e . g ., yahoo or the like ), a pda ( e . g ., palm vii ), a cell phone and a pager . a typical user will use two or more of the foregoing electronic message delivery options and some users will use most or all of these options . by established user - defined preferences , the user is able to control the flow of messages to the various devices . preferences are configured using web browser software to create or modify a user profile . user profiles are stored in a relational database ( not shown ) accessible to the intermediate pre - processing service . note that end - user configuration may occur via any web - enabled device , either wired or wireless . wireless web access may be supported using technologies presently - known in the art such as palm &# 39 ; s “ web clipping ” technologies , the uplink server suite of phone . com of redwood city , calif ., wireless application protocol ( wap ) - enabled cellphones , etc . to take a concrete example , there may be three e - mail messages delivered to the intermediate pre - processing service 301 for a particular user , an urgent message , a message from the user &# 39 ; s boss , and a message from the user &# 39 ; s friend . in this example , the e - mail from the user &# 39 ; s friend might be delivered to the user &# 39 ; s main e - mail system and to the user &# 39 ; s free web mail system the e - mail from the user &# 39 ; s boss might be delivered to the user &# 39 ; s pda . the urgent message might be delivered to the user &# 39 ; s cell phone and to the user &# 39 ; s pager . [ 0028 ] fig3 illustrates the different manner of operation of the message delivery system of fig3 including the intermediate pre - processing service 301 , as compared to the conventional electronic message delivery path of fig1 . say , for example , that user a , ( e . g ., sue @ standford . edu ) wishes to send a e - mail to user b ( e . g ., tom @ aol . com ). sue uses an e - mail program to create , address and send the e - mail . the mail is sent from sue &# 39 ; s computer to the local mail server for sue &# 39 ; s computer , which may reside on sue &# 39 ; s local area network or at an isp . the local mail server queries a domain name server ( dns ) 311 to obtain the ip address for tom @ aol . com . normally , the local mail server uses the ip address returned by dns to send the e - mail to the destination e - mail server for tom &# 39 ; s computer , ( e . g ., mail . aol . com ). the e - mail is then delivered to tom &# 39 ; s computer . in one embodiment of the present system , the normal electronic message delivery path is broken and the intermediate pre - processing service 301 is inserted into the electronic message delivery path . this result is easily accomplished by modifying the appropriate dns record ( such as the mx — mail exchange — record , for example ) to point to the intermediate pre - processing service 301 instead of the destination e - mail server ( e . g ., 303 ). in this manner , the electronic message delivery path is modified such that the intermediate pre - processing service 301 handles all of the electronic messages that would otherwise have been handled by the destination e - mail server . given the ease with which the intermediate pre - processing service may be inserted into the message delivery path , the enrollment of internet service providers ( isps ) in cooperative messaging service agreements with the operator of the intermediate pre - processing service ( electronic messaging service provider , or emsp ) may be automated to a great extent . for example , the isp may visit the web site of emsp , indicate assent to terms and conditions , and specify billing information and a service start date . prior to the service start date , the isp advises subscribers and arranges for its dns entries to be modified appropriately as of the service start date . prior to the start date , users are advised by e - mail of additional available message center services . each user is assigned a user name and password in order to access a message center web site . when the user first visits the message center web site , the user creates a profile that will be used thereafter to select and configure value - added service ( e . g ., junk e - mail filtering and virus checking ) and to control message delivery . within the profile , the user may designated a particular e - mail server as the user &# 39 ; s main e - mail system . profiles place users in control of their mail experience . alternatively , a service provider can create a default profile of services and the user can visit the message center web site to modify the default configuration . when the intermediate pre - processing service 301 receives an e - mail , it look ups the addressee &# 39 ; s user profile . the intermediate pre - processing service then performs value - added processing of the message . for example , the intermediate pre - processing service may apply user - selected junk e - mail filters and user - selected virus checkers for checking attachments . junk - e - mail blocking may be based on both content and ip routing information . “ clean ” e - mail is delivered to the user &# 39 ; s mail server as normal . suspect messages , instead of being deleted without notification to the user , is held in a quarantine area , and the user is notified . the user can then , if desired , download messages flagged as suspect by accessing the message center web site . alternatively or in addition , the intermediate pre - processing service may deliver to the message to one or more wireless devices in accordance with the user profile , e . g ., by forwarding the message to one or more servers or gateways 307 the addresses of which have been specified by the user in the user &# 39 ; s profile . prior to forwarding the message to a server or gateway , the intermediate pre - processing service 301 may perform any necessary reformatting to meet the requirements of a particular recipient device . in general , a user may configure an arbitrary number of communication “ channels ,” each channel including a destination and , optionally , one or more message modification procedures including filters , reformatters , etc . that may affect message presentation , be required for message transport , etc . the intermediate pre - processing service 301 may perform myriad other types of services . one example of such services involves certain attachments , e . g ., rich media items such as mp3 , jpeg , mpeg , etc . such items are notorious “ bandwidth hogs ” and can easily clog up the message delivery system . rather than simply delete such items , however , the intermediate pre - processing service 301 allows such items to be intelligently managed . one option is to treat rich media in like manner as junk e - mail . that is , rich media items , instead of being delivered with the e - mail messages to which they are attached , are delivered to the message center web site , and the user is notified . the user can then view / play or ignore the items as desired . another option is to produce replacement attachments , i . e ., “ thumbnail ” versions of the rich media items . an option may be provided for the original full attachment ( s ) to be delivered to the user with a subsequent system - generated e - mail message . for example , a link may be embedded in the thumbnail along with appropriate text advising the user to click on the link to receive the full attachment . in one embodiment , clicking on the link takes the user to a complete , high resolution image residing in the user &# 39 ; s personal message center . note that the functionality of the intermediate pre - processing service may be implemented at isps rather than at a central noc without any sacrifice of functionality or any noticeable effect on the end user . in this instance , dns information remains unchanged . in this scenario , however , isps must be persuaded to invest in additional hardware and / or software . referring to fig4 a generalized block diagram is shown of one embodiment of the intermediate pre - processing service 301 of fig3 . one or more messaging servers 401 , e . g ., e - mail servers , are provided , realizing a receive and store function 403 and a forward function 405 . the forward function incorporates various value - added services such as filtering , formatting , routing , multicasting , etc . due to the multicasting feature of the forward block 405 , a single incoming message may result in the forwarding of some greater number of outgoing messages . the forward block 405 communicates with storage 407 , which may include one or more relational databases or file servers . storage 407 includes profile and local dns information 409 for each subscriber , as well as a “ quarantine ” area 411 for storing filtered messages , e . g ., messages determined to be unfit to forward . subscribers are provided access to storage 407 through one or more web servers 413 , allowing subscribers to configure their profiles , view filtered messages , etc . referring to fig5 a , a more detailed block diagram is shown of the intermediate pre - processing service 301 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention . multiple hosts are defined on both the inbound mail server and the outbound mail server . each host runs a copy of an appropriate mail program such as freebsd qmail . in one alternate embodiment , a machine or a cluster of machines operates as a mail - receiving machine and a mail - delivering machine . this machine will accept a connection from a sending smtp server and begin receiving data . simultaneously , the machine will begin receiving the message data , querying the database for a specific user configuration , processing messages based on configuration , opening a connection to a receiving smtp server , and delivering it . standard mail server software is not required for this alternate embodiment . incoming mail is routed to an available host by a load balancer 505 , or load - sharing switch / router , of a type commonly available from cisco and other network equipment manufacturers . the server cluster 501 can include a server running a relational database management system such as oracle , for example . the host queries the database to identify the user and user preferences . the host then processes the message as specified in the user profile . for spam checking , each host runs a copy of an appropriate spam filter . virus checking can be done using a virus scanning application such as that available from trend . good e - mails are addressed with one or more addresses in accordance with information specified in the user profile and sent to the outbound mail server cluster to be sent out . to deliver a message addressed to user @ isp . com , our intermediate preprocessing lookup service looks up user @ postini - mail . isp . com and delivers this allows the isp to update the final delivery location without requiring the intermediate preprocessing service to make any changes . the e - mail is sent to the isp mail server 511 and possibly to other servers or gateways in accordance with the user profile . bad e - mails are saved “ in quarantine ” on a message center web site , and a notification e - mail is sent to the user . in the illustrated embodiment , the inbound mail server cluster is connected to a file store 521 . the file store is in turn connected to a web server 523 . when a user logs on to the web server , a web page is displayed that includes a link for displaying a summary of quarantined messages and / or attachments . by clicking on a selected item , the user is able to view the item and , depending on the attachment type , may be able to view the attachment . if the user so chooses , the user may be allowed to download an item suspected to contain a virus after the user has been given appropriate warning . [ 0045 ] fig5 b shows an alternate diagram of a system of the present invention . [ 0046 ] fig6 shows an example of a web form screen display that may be filled out by the user to configure message delivery for that user and subsequently modified to modify the configuration . in the example shown , a subsequent screen display is shown after one of the mail filter items is selected . in accordance with a further feature of the invention , devices may be provided with a background software routine that periodically notifies the messaging system , automatically , of the time of last user input to the device . this information may be used to dynamically route messages to increase the likelihood of early receipt by the user . for example , a user may specify messages to normally be delivered to the user &# 39 ; s cellphone between the hours of 8 - 9am , 12 - 1pm and 6 - 7pm , and to the user &# 39 ; s work between the hours of 9 - 12am and 1 - 6pm , in accordance with the user &# 39 ; s normal routine . on a particular afternoon , however , the user may be away from the office and may have used his / or her cellphone to receive or make one or more calls , or to access information , etc . if the user has selected a “ find me ” configuration option , then this usage information may be used to intelligently route messages to the user &# 39 ; s cellphone , for example . the value - added electronic messaging system detailed in the foregoing description provides an elegant solution to the multiple e - mail box conundrum . user - centric in design , the system is end - user configurable and uses an intuitive web metaphor . based on a scalable architecture , the system works with existing e - mail accounts and does not require hardware or software integration . [ 0049 ] fig7 is a diagram of one embodiment of the system of the present invention emphasizing end user configuration and mail processing . it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof . the presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description , and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein . additionally , the section headings herein are provided for consistency with the suggestions under 37 cfr 1 . 77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues . these headings shall not limit or characterize the invention ( s ) set out in any claims that may issue from this disclosure . specifically and by way of example , although the headings refer to a “ technical field ,” the claims should not be limited by the language chosen under this heading to describe the so - called technical field . further , a description of a technology in the “ background ” is not to be construed as an admission that technology is prior art to any invention ( s ) in this disclosure . neither is the “ brief summary ” to be considered as a characterization of the invention ( s ) set forth in the claims found herein . furthermore , any reference in this disclosure to “ invention ” in the singular should not be used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty claimed in this disclosure . multiple inventions may be set forth according to the limitations of the multiple claims associated with this disclosure , and the claims accordingly define the invention ( s ), and their equivalents , that are protected thereby . in all instances , the scope of the claims shall be considered on their own merits in light of the specification , but should not be constrained by the headings set forth herein . | 7 |
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