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in accordance with the invention and with reference to fig2 - 4 a well capping system is described that provides an effective system for efficiently capping an abandoned well whilst also minimizing the risk to personnel on subsequent re - entry . as shown in fig2 and 3 , the well capping system 20 includes a production casing plate 22 having a production casing nipple 26 and coupling 24 mounted through an appropriate bore 24 a on the production casing plate 22 . the lower and upper outer edges of the production casing nipple 26 and inner surface of the coupling 24 may be provided with appropriate threads to enable threaded connection between the production casing nipple 26 , the coupling 24 and a valve 32 a . the coupling is welded to the production casing plate in such a manner that it will not effect the fillet weld around the circumference of the plate to the production casing . the system further includes a surface casing plate 28 having a surface casing nipple 30 attached to the surface casing plate 28 through an appropriate bore 30 a in the surface casing plate 28 . generally , the production casing plate 22 includes a threaded coupling to allow the production casing nipple 26 to be removed to allow welding around the circumference of the production casing plate and then re - installed . the surface casing plate 28 does not require as long a nipple and thus does not interfere with the weld around the circumference of the surface casing plate . the surface casing plate 28 is also provided with a second bore 30 b to allow the production casing nipple 26 to pass through the surface casing plate . the surface casing nipple 30 is provided with appropriate threads on the upper outer surface to enable threaded connection with a valve 32 b . each of valves 32 a and 32 b may be provided with a rubber stopper 34 a , 34 b that may be inserted within the valve as an indicator of gas release ( as may be required by regulators ). the system further includes a surface casing cap 36 dimensioned to fit over the surface casing 12 . the casing cap prevents unwanted soils and rocks coming into contact or damaging the valves 32 a , 32 b after installation . appropriate labeling 38 may also be provided on the casing cap 36 with information such as a unique well identifier , the licensee of the well , and the surface abandonment date as may be required or desired . in particular , this information may be particularly useful to re - entry personnel to confirm previous operation documentation and / or that the correct well has been identified , if and when an abandoned well is re - entered . the system is configured to an abandoned well having production 10 and surface 12 casing using the following procedure : a . the area around an abandoned well is excavated to an appropriate depth beneath the surface ; b . the surface casing is trimmed to a desired height beneath the surface ; c . the production casing is trimmed to a height approximately 8 - 12 inches beneath the trimmed height of the surface casing ; d . the production casing plate is tack - welded and then fully welded to the top of the production casing approximately 1 inch beneath the upper edge of the production casing . the production casing plate is preferably pre - manufactured to standard production casing dimensions with the coupling 24 pre - welded to the production casing plate . e . the production casing nipple 26 is threaded to the coupling 24 such that it projects upwardly ; f . the surface casing plate is preferably pre - manufactured to standard surface casing dimensions together with the surface casing nipple pre - welded through the surface casing plate . g . the bore 30 b may or may not be pre - cut in the surface casing plate . if not , service personnel with measure and cut bore 30 b at the site to allow production casing nipple 26 to pass through the surface casing plate . h . once bore 30 b has been located and / or cut , surface casing plate is placed over the top of the production casing nipple 26 such that it protrudes above the surface casing plate by 1 - 4 inches . i . the surface casing plate 28 is tack - welded and then fully welded to the surface casing . the surface casing nipple is fully welded to the surface casing plate . j . valves 32 a and 32 b are attached to the production casing and surface casing nipples 26 and 30 , respectively . k . rubber stoppers 34 a and 34 b may be configured to valves 32 a and 32 b respectively and may be color coded in accordance with regulations to indicate venting of either production casing or surface casing gas . the surface casing plate will preferably be stamped to mark the surface casing valve and production casing valve respectively or otherwise identified as the valve communicating with either the production casing or surface casing volume . l . casing cap 36 is placed over the surface casing . no permanent welding is required . m . appropriate labeling of the cap is completed . n . the abandoned well is back - filled and leveled . upon assembly , the system provides an effective system and method to both safely release leaking gas from the well and prevent ground water contamination to the well . the valves 32 a and 32 b may be pressure release valves ( such as a ball valve ), burst plates or no - release valves . in either case , personnel re - entering the well can safely release any pressure from within the well by opening both valves . ball valves having a pressure rating of approximately 2000 psi are preferred . pressure readings and / or gas composition can be obtained by configuring appropriate pressure reading or gas sampling equipment to the valves after removal of stoppers 34 a or 34 b . this is particularly important in the event that toxic h 2 s may be within the leaking gas . the system also allows the ready connection of a well kill line to allow fluids to be pumped into the well in advance of re - entry . the ability to kill the well through the system while maintaining well control is the most important safety characteristic of the system that is not possible using current oilfield capping systems . upon determining that there are no unsafe gases in the well , the service personnel can safely removing the capping system 20 by cutting the production and surface casings below the assembly and removing the assembly and casing stubs . importantly , the system allows service personnel to more clearly understand if leaking gases are arising from the production casing or surface casing which may assist in determining the most - appropriate re - entry plan . although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to preferred embodiments and preferred uses thereof , it is not to be so limited since modifications and changes can be made therein which are within the full , intended scope of the invention . | 4 |
the following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings . the same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements . also , the following detailed description does not limit the invention . instead , the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents . employees may access servers over a network , such as a local - area network ( lan ) or the internet , for example , to request resources ( e . g ., services and applications ) provided by those servers . for example , an employee may want to access a document management database . the employee may also want to access benefits information from the corporate human resources web page . these two services may be hosted on separate servers within a corporate network and behind a firewall . access through the firewall for the employee may be provisioned . embodiments disclosed herein may allow for a user ( e . g ., a user name or user device ) to authenticate with a policy server ( e . g ., an identity provider ) that handles authentication for a number of network servers or other resources . when the user device requests resources from an application server ( e . g ., a service provider ), the firewall may initially redirect the user device to the policy server and request the provisioning of access through the firewall by the user device . in one embodiment , after access is provisioned , the policy server may redirect the user device back to the requested resource in the application server . fig1 is a block diagram of an exemplary environment 100 that may include a network 102 , user devices 104 - 1 through 104 - n ( individually “ user device 104 - x ,” collectively “ user devices 104 ”), a policy server 106 , application servers 108 - 1 through 108 - m ( individually “ application server 108 - x ,” collectively “ application servers 108 ”), and a firewall 110 . in practice , there may be more , different , or fewer devices or a different arrangement of devices than what is shown in fig1 . for example , environment 100 may include thousands or even millions of user devices 104 ( the number of which is denoted in fig1 by n ). environment 100 may also include dozens of application servers 108 ( the number of which is denoted in fig1 by m ). further , while fig1 shows user devices 104 , policy server 106 , application servers 108 , and firewall 110 in environment 100 , one or more of these devices may be remotely located from the others , e . g ., the devices may be geographically diverse . although arrows in fig1 may indicate communication between devices and network 102 , communication may be direct between devices or indirect through one or more networks . user devices 104 , policy server 106 , application servers 108 , and firewall 110 may be considered “ nodes ” or “ devices ” coupled to or located within network 102 . communication among user devices 104 , policy server 106 , application servers 108 , and firewall 110 may be accomplished via wired and / or wireless communication connections . network 102 may include a wide - area network ( wan ) ( e . g ., the internet ), a local - area network ( either wired or wireless ), a telephone network ( e . g ., the public switched telephone network ( pstn )), an intranet , a private corporate network , or a combination of networks . user devices 104 may include computers , telephones , personal digital assistants , or any other communication devices that may transmit or receive data . user devices 104 may include , for example , computers that send and / or receive data through network 102 . user devices 104 may also include , for example , telephones that send and / or receive voice conversations , video conferences , etc ., through network 102 . policy server 106 may receive requests , such as authentication , authorization , and / or access requests , from user devices 104 , application servers 108 , and / or firewall 110 . for example , policy server 106 may receive a request from user device 104 - x to be authenticated and to establish a session with policy server 106 . in response , policy server 106 may provision authorization and access for user device 104 - x after authenticating user device 104 - x and may establish a channel for communication between user device 104 - x and policy server 106 . policy server 106 may communicate with firewall 110 to provision access for user device 104 - x through firewall 110 . application servers 108 may provide application services to user devices 104 ( or other nodes ) in environment 100 . such services may include document management services , email services , calendar services , instant messaging services , etc . although application servers 108 are shown in fig1 as separate devices , in one embodiment , one or more application servers 108 may be configured as virtual machines running in one or more computers . in addition , although policy server 106 is shown separate from application servers 108 , in one embodiment , policy server 106 may also be configured as a virtual machine running in a computer that may also host other virtual machines , such as one or more application servers 108 implemented as virtual machines . in one embodiment , application servers 108 and policy server 106 may be part of a common corporate environment , for example . in other words , application servers 108 may provide applications to corporate employees who may be authenticated by policy server 106 . firewall 110 may prevent devices , e . g ., user devices 104 , from accessing application servers 108 without permission ( e . g ., authentication and authorization ). to do this , packets ( e . g ., data units ) going to and from application servers 108 may pass through firewall 110 . firewall 110 may enforce rules that define which packets may pass through firewall 110 — in one or both directions . for example , firewall 110 may compare a received packet to a criterion or criteria , which may define a rule , to determine whether the packet may be forwarded to its destination , forwarded to a different destination , and / or dropped . comparisons to criteria , for example , may include comparing a received packet &# 39 ; s source and destination address , source and destination port number , and / or protocol type to a table of allowed source and destination addresses , source and destination port numbers , and / or protocol types . by performing this comparison , firewall 110 may help protect application servers 108 from malicious traffic or from unauthorized and / or unauthenticated user devices 104 . besides forwarding or dropping packets , firewall 110 may perform other functions on packets , such as monitoring packets to police user bandwidth , etc . although device 110 is referred to as a “ firewall ,” it may perform any other networking functions , such as that of a switch , router , etc . fig2 is a block diagram of exemplary components of user device 104 - x . as illustrated , device 104 - x may include a bus 210 , processing logic 220 , an input device 230 , an output device 240 , a communication interface 250 , and a memory 260 . device 104 - x may include other components ( not shown ) that aid in receiving , transmitting , and / or processing data . moreover , other configurations of components in device 104 - x are possible . further , one or more components of device 104 - x may be remotely located from the other components . bus 210 may include a path that permits communication among the components of device 104 - x . processing logic 220 may include any type of processor or microprocessor ( or groups of processors or microprocessors ) that interprets and executes instructions . for example , processing logic 220 may include an application - specific integrated circuit ( asic ), a field - programmable gate array ( fpga ), or the like . input device 230 may include a device that permits a user to input information into device 104 - x , such as a keyboard , a keypad , a mouse , a pen , a microphone , a remote control , a touch - screen display , one or more biometric mechanisms , or the like . input device 230 may be used , for example , for receiving passwords ( or biometric data ) for authenticating a user of user device 104 - x . output device 240 may include a device that outputs information to the user , such as a display , a printer , a speaker , etc . output device 240 may include a vibrator to alert a user . input device 230 and output device 240 may allow the user of device 104 - x to receive a menu of options . the menu may allow the user to select various functions or services associated with applications executed by device 104 - x or other devices coupled to network 102 . input device 230 and output device 240 may allow the user to activate a particular service or application , such as a service or application provided by one of application servers 108 - 1 or policy server 106 . communication interface 250 may include any transceiver - like mechanism that enables device 104 - x to communicate with other devices and / or systems . communication interface 250 may include a transmitter that may convert baseband signals from processing logic 220 to radio frequency ( rf ) signals and / or a receiver that may convert rf signals to baseband signals . alternatively , communication interface 250 may include a transceiver to perform functions of both a transmitter and a receiver . communication interface 250 may be coupled to an antenna ( not shown ) for transmission and reception of the rf signals . communication interface 250 may include a network interface card , e . g ., ethernet card , for wired communications or a wireless network interface ( e . g ., wifi ) card for wireless communications . memory 260 may include a random access memory ( ram ) or another type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions , e . g ., an application , for execution by processing logic 220 ; a read - only memory ( rom ) device or another type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions for use by processing logic 220 ; and / or some other type of magnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive , e . g ., a hard disk drive ( hdd ), for storing information and / or instructions . in accordance with embodiments described herein , memory 260 may include a network browser application 264 (“ browser 264 ”). browser 264 may include a web browser , such as the mozilla firefox browser , epiphany browser , opera browser , konquerer browser , safari browser , internet explorer browser , etc . browser 264 may be any application that may request a universal resource indicator ( uri ) or a universal resource locater ( url ). other examples of browsers may include a soft phone ( e . g ., x - lite or ekiga ), an e - mail reader or client ( e . g ., thunderbird or outlook ), or other programs ( e . g ., google earth ). device 104 - x may perform certain operations , as described in detail below . device 104 - x may perform these operations in response to processing logic 220 executing software instructions contained in a computer - readable medium , such as memory 260 . a computer - readable medium may be defined as a physical or logical memory device . the software instructions may be read into memory 260 from another computer - readable medium or from another device via communication interface 250 . the software instructions contained in memory 260 may cause processing logic 220 to perform processes that are described below . fig3 is a block diagram of exemplary components of a server computing module 300 (“ module 300 ”). policy server 106 , application servers 108 , and / or firewall 110 may each include one or more computing modules 300 . that is , policy server 106 , application servers 108 , and / or firewall 110 may each include a rack of one or more computing modules , such as computing module 300 . module 300 may include a bus 310 , processing logic 320 , a communication interface 330 , and a memory 340 . module 300 may include other components ( not shown ) that aid in receiving , transmitting , and / or processing data . moreover , other configurations of components in module 300 are possible . in addition , policy server 106 and application servers 108 may include other components ( not shown ) or configurations of components . bus 310 may include a path that permits communication among the components of module 300 . processing logic 320 may include any type of processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions . in other embodiments , processing logic 320 may include an asic , fpga , or the like . communication interface 330 may include any transceiver - like mechanism ( e . g ., a receiver / transmitter combination ) that enables module 300 to communicate with other devices and / or systems . communication interface 330 may allow for wired or wireless communications . in one embodiment , communication interface 330 may allow for module 300 to be controlled and / or administered remotely by an operator or an administrator . memory 340 may include a ram or another type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions for execution by processing logic 320 ; a rom device or another type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions for use by processing logic 320 ; and / or some other type of magnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive for storing information and / or instructions . according to embodiments described herein , memory 340 may store one or more server applications 342 (“ server application 342 ”) and database tables 344 . in the case of policy server 106 , for example , server application 342 may include an authorization , authentication , and / or access application for providing identity services to a network ( e . g ., network 102 ). in the case of application servers 108 , server application 342 may include applications such as a web - based document management system , a content management system , a human resources application , etc . server application 342 may include any other type of application . server application 342 may include instructions for causing module 300 to implement and provide services and processes described herein . database tables 344 may include data stored and used by server application 342 , for example , for providing the network services described herein . computing module 300 may perform certain operations , as described in detail below . computing module 300 may perform these operations in response to processing logic 320 executing software instructions contained in a computer - readable medium , such as memory 340 . the software instructions may be read into memory 340 from another computer - readable medium or from another device via communication interface 330 . the software instructions contained in memory 340 may cause processing logic 320 to perform processes that are described below . fig4 is an exemplary functional block diagram of policy server 106 . policy server 106 may include a firewall server 402 , a web server 404 , and bus 210 . policy server 106 may include other functional blocks not shown in fig4 . in one embodiment , each of web server 404 and firewall server 402 may be hosted on one or more separate computing modules , such as computing module 300 . in another embodiment , firewall server 402 and web server 404 may be hosted in the same computing module , such as computing module 300 . in yet another embodiment , firewall server 402 and web server 404 may be hosted in virtual machines in one or more computing modules , such as computing module 300 . although web server 404 and firewall server 402 are described as servers , each may be a program or lines of code being executed in policy server 106 . firewall server 402 may communicate with firewall 110 to provision access for user devices 104 . for example , firewall server 402 may communicate with firewall 110 so that firewall 110 may allow user device 104 - 1 to communicate with application server 108 - 1 , e . g ., so that firewall 110 will pass packets between user device 104 - 1 and application server 108 - 1 . more specifically , firewall server 402 may send a command to firewall 110 indicating to firewall 110 that packets that meet a rule , such as a packet with the source ip address , source port , source protocol , etc ., may be allowed to pass through firewall 110 . firewall server 402 may also receive communications from firewall 110 indicating the status of firewall 110 , e . g ., a list of current rules being enforced by firewall 110 . firewall server 404 may perform other functions . a rule may be said to open a pinhole in firewall 110 for packets that meet the rule to pass through the pinhole . web server 404 may interact with user devices 104 until web server 404 confirms with firewall server 402 that firewall 110 has appropriately provisioned access . for example , web server 404 may interact with user device 104 - 1 until web server 404 confirms with firewall server 402 that firewall 110 has provisioned access for user device 104 - 1 for user device 104 - 1 to reach an application server , such as application server 108 - 1 . web server 404 may perform other functions . as described above , bus 210 may include a path , either physical and / or logical , that permits communication among the components of policy server 106 , such as web server 404 and firewall server 402 . fig5 a and 5b are block diagrams of an exemplary rule table 500 representing different time periods . rule table 500 may store information regarding the rules established by firewall 110 for acting on packets passing through firewall 110 . rule table 500 may be stored , for example , in memory 340 as one of database tables 344 of computing module 300 in firewall 110 . in addition , rule table 500 or portions of rule table 500 may be stored in other devices coupled to network 102 . each entry , ( e . g ., row ) in rule table 500 may correspond to a different data stream allowed to pass through firewall 110 , e . g ., a different pinhole or rule . any number of rules may be found in rule table 500 . as illustrated , rule table 500 may include a destination address field 502 , a source address field 504 , a destination port number field 506 , and a source port number field 508 . rule table 500 may include additional , different , or fewer fields than illustrated in fig5 . for example , rule table 500 may include a field ( not shown ) for protocol type . as another example , rule table 500 may exclude source address field 504 , source port number field 508 , and / or acknowledgment field 510 . as yet another example , rule table 500 may include a field ( not shown ) for an action to be performed when a packet matches the rule . an action may include inspect if firewall 110 performs a policing function , such as monitoring a user &# 39 ; s bandwidth . destination address field 502 may identify the destination network address of packets that may pass through firewall 110 . source address field 504 may identify the source network address of packets that may pass through firewall 110 . destination port number field 506 may identify the destination port number of packets that may pass through firewall 110 . source port number field 508 may identify the source port number of packets that may pass through firewall 110 . in the exemplary rule table of fig5 a , rule table 500 may store information related to a rule , e . g ., rule 520 . rule 520 , for example , indicates that a packet with a destination address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 , a source address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 5 , a destination port of 80 , and a source port of 2222 may pass through firewall 110 . in the exemplary rule table of fig5 b , rule table 500 ′ may store an additional rule to that of rule table 500 of fig5 a , e . g ., rule 522 . rule 522 , for example , indicates that a packet with a destination address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 , a source address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 , a destination port of 80 , and a source port of 2323 may pass through firewall 110 . fig6 a , 6 b , and 6 c are block diagrams of an exemplary rule table 600 , each representing different time periods . like rule table 500 , rule table 600 may store information regarding the rules established by firewall 110 for acting on packets passing through firewall 110 . rule table 600 , however , may be stored in policy server 106 so that policy server 106 may keep track of the rules in firewall 110 and the rules that policy server 106 has requested that firewall 110 provision . thus , rule table 600 may be stored , for example , in memory 340 as one of database tables 344 of computing module 300 in web server 404 . in addition , rule table 600 or portions of rule table 600 may be stored in other devices coupled to network 102 . like rule table 500 , each entry , e . g ., row , in rule table 600 may correspond to a different data stream allowed to pass through firewall 110 . any number of rules may be found in rule table 600 . as illustrated , rule table 600 may include a destination address field 602 , a source address field 604 , a destination port number field 606 , a source port number field 608 , and an acknowledgment field 610 . like rule table 500 , rule table 600 may include additional , different , or fewer fields than illustrated in fig6 . the fields 602 through 608 in rule table 600 may have similar functions and purposes as the fields 502 through 508 in rule table 500 . specifically , destination address field 602 may identify the destination network address of packets that may pass through firewall 110 ; source address field 604 may identify the source network address of packets that may pass through firewall 110 ; destination port number field 606 may identify the destination port number of packets that may pass through firewall 110 ; source port number field 608 may identify the source port number of packets that may pass through firewall 110 . in one embodiment , acknowledgment field 610 is found in rule table 600 , but not in rule table 500 . acknowledgment field 610 may indicate whether an acknowledgment of the corresponding rule has been received . for example , firewall server 402 may use acknowledgment field 610 to indicate that an acknowledgment of the provisioning of the corresponding rule has been received from firewall 110 . in the exemplary rule table of fig6 a , rule table 600 may store information related to a rule , e . g ., rule 620 . rule 620 ( stored in firewall server 402 ) may correspond to rule 520 stored in firewall 110 . rule 620 , for example , indicates that a packet with a destination address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 , a source address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 5 , a destination port of 80 , and a source port of 2222 may pass through firewall 110 . acknowledgment field 610 in rule 620 (“ y ”) may indicate that an acknowledgment of the provisioning of rule 620 has been received from firewall 110 . in the exemplary rule table of fig6 b , rule table 600 ′ may store an additional rule to that of rule table 600 of fig6 a , e . g ., rule 622 . rule 620 ( stored in firewall server 402 ) may correspond to rule 520 stored in firewall 110 . rule 622 , for example , indicates that a packet with a destination address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 , a source address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 , a destination port of 80 , and a source port of 2323 may pass through firewall 110 . acknowledgment field 610 of rule 622 (“ n ”) indicates that an acknowledgment of the provisioning of rule 622 has not been received from firewall 110 . in the exemplary rule table of fig6 c , rule table 600 ″ may store the same two rules as rule table 600 ′ of fig6 b , e . g ., rules 622 and 624 . in rule table 600 ″, however , acknowledgment field 610 of rule 622 (“ y ”) indicates that an acknowledgment of the provisioning of rule 622 has been received from firewall 110 . fig7 is a block diagram of an exemplary privilege table 700 . privilege table 700 may store values representing privileges or access levels afforded to user devices , such as user device 104 - 1 . for example , privilege table 700 may include a record indicating that , after authentication , user device 104 - 1 may be authorized to access application server 108 - 1 , which may store benefits information . in one embodiment , privilege table 700 may include a device network address field 702 and a permission field 704 . privilege table 700 may include additional , different , or fewer fields than illustrated in fig7 . network address field 702 may include the network address of an authenticated user device . permissions field 704 may include the permissions afforded the user device having the network address in corresponding address field 702 . the exemplary privilege table 700 may include two records , e . g ., entries or rows , for the user devices authenticated at network addresses 1 . 2 . 3 . 5 and 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 . as shown in an exemplary record 720 , user device 104 - x authenticated at 1 . 2 . 3 . 5 may have permission ( defined in permission field 704 ) to access network address 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 ( e . g ., application server 108 - 2 ) using source port 2222 and destination port 80 . as shown in an exemplary record 722 , the user device authenticated at 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 ( e . g ., user device 104 - 1 ) may have permission ( defined in permission field 704 ) to access network address 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 ( e . g ., application server 108 - 1 ) using source port 2323 and destination port 80 . privilege table 700 is for exemplary purposes . other configurations of privilege tables are possible . for example , one configuration may include a separate user table that includes a user name field and a privilege group field . a corresponding privilege group table may define permissions afforded different privilege groups . fig8 is a flowchart of an exemplary process 800 for provisioning access through firewall 110 . process 800 is described with respect to fig9 . fig9 is a signal ( e . g ., message ) diagram of exemplary signals that may be sent between application server 108 - 1 , user device 104 - 1 , policy server 106 ( including firewall server 402 and web server 404 ), and firewall 110 . in the example of fig9 , user device 104 - 1 may have a network address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 and application server 108 - 1 may have a network address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 . process 800 may begin when a policy server receives a user request to authenticate a user device ( block 802 ). for example , user device 104 - 1 may be authenticated with policy server 106 for accessing application servers 108 protected by firewall 110 . as shown in fig9 , signals 902 may pass between user device 104 - 1 and policy server 106 for authentication . policy server 106 may authenticate user device 104 - 1 ( and may establish a session with user device 104 - 1 ) using any number of authentication protocols , including , for example , the transport layer security ( tls ) protocol , the secure sockets layer ( ssl ) protocol , etc . in one embodiment , a user of device 104 - 1 may be required to type ( using , e . g ., input device 230 ) a user name , password , and / or enter a pass code from a security fob or mobile phone . in one embodiment , user device 104 - 1 and policy server 106 may exchange secret keys . policy server 106 may create record 722 in permission table 700 indicating that the user device with the network address 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 ( e . g ., network device 104 - 1 ) may have permission to access the resources at network address 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 ( e . g ., application server 108 - 1 ) using a destination port of 80 and a source port of 2323 . a request for a server resource may be received ( block 804 ). as shown in fig9 , signal 904 may pass from user device 104 - 1 ( e . g ., using browser 264 ) to firewall 110 requesting a resource from application server 108 - 1 . signal 904 may include a tcp ( transmission control packet ) packet to establish a connection to application server 108 - 1 . signal 904 may include a packet with a destination address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 ( e . g ., network address of application server 108 - 1 ) and a source address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 ( e . g ., network address of user device 104 - 1 ). firewall 110 , however , may not have provisioned a rule for user device 104 - 1 to pass messages to application server 108 - 1 . for example , rule table 500 may be in the state as shown in fig5 a without any rule for a packet with a destination address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 and a source address of 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 . as such , firewall 110 may drop the packet or not let it pass through firewall 110 to its intended destination , e . g ., application server 108 - 1 . in one embodiment , firewall 110 may store the packet for later processing . an indication of no provision for a resource request in the firewall may be received ( block 806 ). because firewall 110 may not have provisioned a rule for user device 104 - 1 to access resources in application server 108 - 1 , firewall 110 may send a message 906 to firewall server 402 indicating that data , e . g ., a packet , has been dropped . message 906 may include the source address , destination address , source port , destination port , etc ., of the dropped packet . in the current example , message 906 may indicate that a packet from network address 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 ( user device 104 - 1 ) to network address 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 ( application server 108 - 1 ) has been dropped . armed with the information received from firewall 110 , firewall server 402 may access privilege table 700 to determine whether firewall 110 should or should not provision access for user device 104 - 1 and may take appropriate action as described below with respect to block 810 . the request for the server resource may be redirected to a web server in a policy server ( block 808 ). in addition to sending a message to firewall server 402 regarding the dropped packet , firewall 110 may redirect user device 104 - 1 ( e . g ., redirect browser 264 ) to web server 404 in policy server 106 . as shown in fig9 , signal 908 may be a redirection signal , which may be passed by user device 104 - 1 ( e . g ., by browser 264 ) to web server 404 in policy server 106 as signal 910 . in one embodiment , user device 104 - 1 may not recognize that redirection signal 908 is from firewall 110 and not application server 108 - 1 . as such , firewall 110 may be masquerading as application server 108 - 1 . redirection signal 908 may include query information ( that may pass , in turn , to web server 404 through signal 910 ) that may enable web server 404 to query firewall server 402 as to whether firewall 110 has provisioned a rule allowing user device 104 - 1 access to application server 108 - 1 . a request for the provisioning of a rule to allow the user device to access the application server may be sent ( block 810 ). after consulting privilege table 700 , firewall server 402 may determine that resource request 904 from user device 104 - 1 should have been allowed to pass through firewall 110 to application server 108 - 1 . firewall server 402 may send a message 912 to firewall 110 instructing firewall 110 to provision a rule in rule table 500 to allow messages from user device 104 - 1 to application server 108 - 1 to pass through firewall 110 . message 912 may include the source network address ( 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 ), the destination network address ( 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 ), the source port ( 2323 ), and the destination protocol ( 23 ) to afford user device 104 - 1 to access application server 108 - 1 . in another embodiment , message 912 may include a confirmation that firewall 110 may provision access in response to signal 906 to firewall server 402 . in addition to sending message 912 , firewall server 402 may add a rule to rule table 600 ′ stored in its memory 260 . for example , firewall server 402 may add rule 622 as shown in fig6 b . rule 622 may be for packets to destination address 1 . 2 . 3 . 6 , from source address 1 . 2 . 3 . 7 , with a destination port of 80 , and a source port of 2323 to pass through firewall 110 . as indicated in acknowledgment field 610 , however , firewall 110 has yet to acknowledge that it actually added the rule to its rule table . acknowledgment of provisioning of the rule in the firewall may be received ( block 812 ). firewall 110 may receive message 912 from firewall server 402 to provision a rule in rule table 500 such that user device 104 - 1 may access application server 108 - 1 . firewall 110 may send a message 916 to firewall server 402 to acknowledge that the rule provisioning access for user device 104 - 1 has been added to rule table 500 . firewall server 402 may receive message 916 acknowledging that the rule provisioning access for user device 104 - 1 to application server 108 - 1 . after receiving signal 916 , firewall server 402 may update acknowledgment field 610 of rule 622 to indicate that firewall server 402 has received acknowledgment from firewall 110 that rule 622 has been added ( e . g ., rule 622 ′, field 610 is changed from “ n ” to “ y ” as shown in rule table 600 ″). whether access has been provisioned in the firewall may be determined ( block 814 ). after firewall server 402 requests provisioning of the rule in firewall 110 in block 810 , it may take time before firewall 110 actually provisions access . in one embodiment , user device 104 - 1 may wait until access is actually provisioned in firewall 110 before reattempting to access application server 108 - 1 . in this embodiment , web server 404 may communicate over bus 406 ( using signals 914 and / or 918 ) to firewall server 402 to determine whether firewall server 402 has received acknowledgment from firewall 110 that a rule has been provisioned in firewall 110 for user device 104 - 1 . if firewall server 402 has received acknowledgment from firewall 110 , then firewall server 402 may indicate so to web server 404 . as shown in fig9 , at the time signals 914 were passed between web server 404 and firewall server 402 , firewall server 402 had yet to receive acknowledgment from firewall 110 that access was provisioned for user device 104 - 1 . at the time signals 916 were passed between web server 404 and firewall server 402 , however , firewall server 402 had received acknowledgment message 916 from firewall 110 that access was provisioned for user device 104 - 1 . the user device may be redirected to the requested resource ( block 816 ). for example , after web server 404 receives a message from firewall server 402 that firewall 110 has provisioned assess for user device 104 - 1 , web server 404 may redirect ( using signal 920 ) user device 104 - 1 ( e . g ., browser 264 ) back to application server 108 - 1 . in this embodiment , therefore , redirection signal 920 occurred after signals 918 were exchanged between web server 404 and firewall server 402 . as shown in fig9 , the redirect message ( signal 920 ) may include information regarding the requested resources of the original request ( e . g ., signal 904 ). through this redirection , browser 264 may re - request the resources of signal 904 in signal 922 . in one embodiment , web server 404 may choose not to wait for acknowledgment of the provision of the rule in firewall 110 before redirecting ( signal 920 ) to user device 104 - 1 to application server 108 - 1 . alternatively , user device 104 - 1 may re - request the resource ( signal 404 ) again without waiting for redirection signal 920 . the requested resources may be delivered or otherwise made available to the requesting user device ( block 818 ). because signal 922 may pass through firewall 110 , application server 108 - 1 may provide the resources requested in signal 922 ( which may be the same as the resources requested in signal 904 ). as shown in fig9 , the originally requested resources may be delivered in signal 924 . embodiments described herein may use the internet - protocol ( ip ), asynchronous transfer mode ( atm ) protocol , or any other type of network protocol . as such , embodiments described herein may use ip addresses , atm addresses , or any other type of network addresses . although some embodiments may be described in terms of packets , other embodiments may use any form of data ( packet or non - packet ). as used herein , the term “ data unit ” may include a packet , cell , or datagram ; a fragment of a packet , cell , or datagram ; a group of packets , cells , or datagrams ; or other types of data . it will be apparent that aspects , as described above , may be implemented in many different forms of software , firmware , and hardware in the embodiments illustrated in the figures . the actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement these aspects is not limiting of the present invention . thus , the operation and behavior of the aspects were described without reference to the specific software code — it being understood that software or control hardware could be designed to implement the aspects based on the description herein . further , although the processes described above , including process 800 , may indicate a certain order of blocks , the blocks in these figures may be configured in any order . even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification , these combinations are not intended to limit the invention . in fact , many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification . no element , act , or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such . also , as used herein , the article “ a ” is intended to include one or more items . where only one item is intended , the term “ one ” or similar language is used . further , the phrase “ based on ” is intended to mean “ based , at least in part , on ” unless explicitly stated otherwise . | 7 |
in accordance with the present invention , there are provided methods of performing array - based comparative genomic hybridization ( cgh ) to detect a chromosomal abnormality in a test sample , or to diagnose a genetic abnormality in an individual . cgh is a molecular cytogenetics approach that can be used to detect regions in a genome undergoing quantitative changes , e . g ., gains or losses of sequence or copy numbers . cgh is especially useful in the analysis and diagnosis of cancer , and the analysis and diagnosis of genetic disorders , such as in prenatal diagnosis . cgh reactions are typically used to compare the genetic composition of an unknown test sample with a known normal reference sample . in one aspect , the methods of the present invention can be used to detect a chromosomal abnormality in a test sample . in a preferred embodiment , the test sample is obtained from a patient . in another preferred embodiment , the test sample contains cells , tissues or fluid obtained from a patient suspected of having a pathology or a condition associated with a chromosomal or genetic abnormality . the causality , diagnosis or prognosis of the pathology or condition may be associated with genetic defects , e . g ., with genomic nucleic acid base substitutions , amplifications , deletions and / or translocations . the test sample may be suspected of containing cancerous cells or nucleic from such cells . samples may include , but are not limited to , amniotic fluid , biopsies , blood , blood cells , bone marrow , cerebrospinal fluid , fecal samples , fine needle biopsy samples , peritoneal fluid , plasma , pleural fluid , saliva , semen , serum , sputum , tears , tissue or tissue homogenates , tissue culture media , urine , and the like . samples may also be processed , such as sectioning of tissues , fractionation , purification , or cellular organelle separation . methods of isolating cell , tissue or fluid samples are well known to those of skill in the art and include , but are not limited to , aspirations , tissue sections , drawing of blood or other fluids , surgical or needle biopsies , and the like . samples derived from a patient may include frozen sections or paraffin sections taken for histological purposes . the sample can also be derived from supernatants ( of cell cultures ), lysates of cells , cells from tissue culture in which it may be desirable to detect levels of mosaicisms , including chromosomal abnormalities and copy numbers . in a preferred embodiment , a sample suspected of containing cancerous cells is obtained from a human patient . samples can be derived from patients using well - known techniques such as venipuncture , lumbar puncture , fluid sample such as saliva or urine , tissue or needle biopsy , and the like . in a patient suspected of having a tumor containing cancerous cells , a sample may include a biopsy or surgical specimen of the tumor , including for example , a tumor biopsy , a fine needle aspirate , or a section from a resected tumor . a lavage specimen may be prepared from any region of interest with a saline wash , for example , cervix , bronchi , bladder , etc . a patient sample may also include exhaled air samples as taken with a breathalyzer or from a cough or sneeze . a biological sample may also be obtained from a cell or blood bank where tissue and / or blood are stored , or from an in vitro source , such as a culture of cells . techniques for establishing a culture of cells for use as a sample source are well known to those of skill in the art . in another aspect , the methods of the present invention can be used to detect a chromosomal or genetic abnormality in a fetus . prenatal diagnosis of a fetus may be indicated for women at increased risk of carrying a fetus with chromosomal or genetic abnormalities . risk factors are well known in the art , and include , for example , advanced maternal age , abnormal maternal serum markers in prenatal screening , chromosomal abnormalities in a previous child , a previous child with physical anomalies and unknown chromosomal status , parental chromosomal abnormality , and recurrent spontaneous abortions . the invention methods can be used to perform prenatal diagnosis using any type of embryonic or fetal cell . fetal cells can be obtained through the pregnant female , or from a sample of an embryo . thus , fetal cells are present in amniotic fluid obtained by amniocentesis , chorionic villi aspirated by syringe , percutaneous umbilical blood , a fetal skin biopsy , a blastomere from a four - cell to eight - cell stage embryo ( pre - implantation ), or a trophectoderm sample from a blastocyst ( pre - implantation or by uterine lavage ). body fluids with sufficient amounts of genomic nucleic acid also may be used . the method of the present invention utilizes a first population of genomic nucleic acids obtained from the test sample , and a second population of genomic nucleic acids obtained from a reference sample . the reference sample may be any cells , tissues or fluid as provided herein , obtained from an individual , or any cell culture or tissue culture , that does not contain any genetic abnormality , i . e ., that has a normal genetic complement of all chromosomes . the genomic nucleic acids of both the test sample and the reference sample are associated with the same detectable label , either prior to or subsequent to hybridization . in preferred embodiments , the label is detectable by optical means , and is most preferably a fluorescent label or fluorophore . the detectable label can be incorporated into , associated with or conjugated to a nucleic acid . the association between the nucleic acid and the detectable label can be covalent or non - covalent . according to the methods of the present invention , the same detectable label is used to label both the genomic nucleic acids of the test sample and the genomic nucleic acids of the reference sample . label can be attached by spacer arms of various lengths to reduce potential steric hindrance or impact on other useful or desired properties . see , e . g ., mansfield , mol . cell . probes 9 : 145 - 156 , 1995 . useful labels include , e . g ., fluorescent dyes ( e . g ., cy5 ™, cy3 ™, fitc , rhodamine , lanthamide phosphors , texas red ), 32 p , 35 s , 3 h , 14 c , 125 i , 131 i , electron - dense reagents ( e . g ., gold ), enzymes , e . g ., as commonly used in an elisa ( e . g ., horseradish peroxidase , beta - galactosidase , luciferase , alkaline phosphatase ), colorimetric labels ( e . g ., colloidal gold ), magnetic labels ( e . g ., dynabeads ™), biotin , dioxigenin , or haptens and proteins for which antisera or monoclonal antibodies are available . the label can be directly incorporated into the nucleic acid to be detected , or it can be attached to a probe ( e . g ., an oligonucleotide ) or antibody that hybridizes or binds to the nucleic acid to be detected . in preferred embodiments , the detectable label is a fluorophore . the term “ fluorophore ” as used herein refers to a molecule that absorbs a quantum of electromagnetic radiation at one wavelength , and emits one or more photons at a different , typically longer , wavelength in response . suitable fluorescent moieties include the following fluorophores known in the art : alexa fluor ® 350 , alexa fluor ® 488 , alexa fluor ® 546 , alexa fluor ® 555 , alexa fluor ® 568 , alexa fluor ® 594 , alexa fluor ® 647 ( molecular probes ) 5 -( 2 ′- aminoethyl ) aminonaphthalene - 1 - sulfonic acid ( edans ) 4 - amino - n -[ 3 - vinylsulfonyl ) phenyl ] naphthalimide - 3 , 5 disulfonate ( lucifer yellow vs ) n -( 4 - anilino - 1 - naphthyl ) maleimide anthranilamide black hole quencher ™ ( bhq ™) dyes ( biosearch technologies ) bodipy ® r - 6g , bopipy ® 530 / 550 , bodipy ® fl brilliant yellow coumarin and derivatives : 7 - amino - 4 - trifluoromethylcouluarin ( coumarin 151 ) cy2 ®, cy3 ®, cy3 . 5 ®, cy5 ®, cy5 . 5 ® cyanosine 4 ′, 6 - diaminidino - 2 - phenylindole ( dapi ) 5 ′, 5 ″- dibromopyrogallol - sulfonephthalein ( bromopyrogallol red ) 7 - diethylamino - 3 -( 4 ′- isothiocyanatophenyl )- 4 - methylcoumarin diethylenetriamine pentaacetate 4 , 4 ′- diisothiocyanatodihydro - stilbene - 2 , 2 ′- disulfonic acid 4 , 4 ′- diisothiocyanatostilbene - 2 , 2 ′- disulfonic acid 5 -[ dimethylamino ] naphthalene - 1 - sulfonyl chloride ( dns , dansyl chloride ) 4 -( 4 ′- dimethylaminophenylazo ) benzoic acid ( dabcyl ) 4 - dimethylaminophenylazophenyl - 4 ′- isothiocyanate ( dabitc ) eclipse ™ ( epoch biosciences inc .) eosin and derivatives : 5 - carboxyfluorescein ( fam ) 5 -( 4 , 6 - dichlorotriazin - 2 - yl ) aminofluorescein ( dtaf ) 2 ′, 7 ′- dimethoxy - 4 ′ 5 ′- dichloro - 6 - carboxyfluorescein ( joe ) fluorescein fluorescein isothiocyanate ( fitc ) hexachloro - 6 - carboxyfluorescein ( hex ) qfitc ( xritc ) tetrachlorofluorescein ( tet ) fluorescamine ir144 ir1446 malachite green isothiocyanate 4 - methylumbelliferone ortho cresolphthalein nitrotyrosine pararosaniline phenol red b - phycoerythrin , r - phycoerythrin o - phthaldialdehyde oregon green ® propidium iodide pyrene and derivatives : qsy ® 7 , qsy ® 9 , qsy ® 21 , qsy ® 35 ( molecular probes ) reactive red 4 ( cibacron brilliant red 3b - a ) rhodamine and derivatives : 6 - carboxy - x - rhodamine ( rox ) 6 - carboxyrhodamine ( r6g ) lissamine rhodamine b sulfonyl chloride rhodamine ( rhod ) rhodamine b rhodamine 123 rhodamine green rhodamine x isothiocyanate sulforhodamine b sulforhodamine 101 sulfonyl chloride derivative of sulforhodamine 101 ( texas red ) n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethyl - 6 - carboxyrhodamine ( tamra ) tetramethyl rhodamine tetramethyl rhodamine isothiocyanate ( tritc ) riboflavin rosolic acid terbium chelate derivatives other fluorescent nucleotide analogs can be used , see , e . g ., jameson , meth . enzymol . 278 : 363 - 390 , 1997 ; zhu , nucl . acids res . 22 : 3418 - 3422 , 1994 . u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 652 , 099 and 6 , 268 , 132 also describe nucleoside analogs for incorporation into nucleic acids , e . g ., dna and / or rna , or oligonucleotides , via either enzymatic or chemical synthesis to produce fluorescent oligonucleotides . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 135 , 717 describes phthalocyanine and tetrabenztriazaporphyrin reagents for use as fluorescent labels . detectable labels can be incorporated into nucleic acids by covalent or non - covalent means , e . g ., by transcription , such as by random - primer labeling using klenow polymerase , or nick translation , or , amplification , or equivalent as is known in the art . for example , in one aspect , a nucleoside base is conjugated to a detectable moiety , such as a fluorescent dye , e . g ., cy3 ™ or cy5 ™, and then incorporated into genomic nucleic acids . nucleic acids can be incorporated with cy3 ™- or cy5 ™- dctp conjugates mixed with unlabeled dctp . in another aspect , when using pcr or nick translation to label nucleic acids , modified nucleotides synthesized by coupling allylamine - dutp to the succinimidyl - ester derivatives of the fluorescent dyes or haptens ( such as biotin or digoxigenin ) can be used ; this method allows custom preparation of most common fluorescent nucleotides , see , e . g ., henegariu , nat . biotechnol . 18 : 345 - 348 , 2000 . alternative non - covalent incorporation of label can be achieved using other methods known in the art . for example , kreatech biotechnology &# 39 ; s universal linkage system ® ( uls ®) provides a non - enzymatic labeling technology , wherein a platinum group forms a co - ordinative bond with dna , rna or nucleotides by binding to the n7 position of guanosine . this technology may also be used to label proteins by binding to nitrogen and sulphur containing side chains of amino acids . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 580 , 990 ; 5 , 714 , 327 ; and 5 , 985 , 566 ; and european patent no . 0539466 . thus , this system provides a method of associating any detectable label with members of a nucleic acid population , either directly into a nucleic acid or peptide molecule associated thereto , or indirectly via a complementary nucleic acid molecule or other partner molecule . labeling with a detectable label also can include a nucleic acid attached to another biological molecule , such as a nucleic acid , e . g ., an oligonucleotide , or a nucleic acid in the form of a stem - loop structure as a “ molecular beacon ” or an “ aptamer beacon ”. molecular beacons as detectable moieties are well known in the art ; for example , sokol ( proc . natl . acad . sci . usa 95 : 11538 - 11543 , 1998 ) synthesized “ molecular beacon ” reporter oligodeoxynucleotides with matched fluorescent donor and acceptor chromophores on their 5 ′ and 3 ′ ends . in the absence of a complementary nucleic acid strand , the molecular beacon remains in a stem - loop conformation where fluorescence resonance energy transfer prevents signal emission . on hybridization with a complementary sequence , the stem - loop structure opens increasing the physical distance between the donor and acceptor moieties thereby reducing fluorescence resonance energy transfer and allowing a detectable signal to be emitted when the beacon is excited by light of the appropriate wavelength . see also , e . g ., antony ( biochemistry 40 : 9387 - 9395 , 2001 ), describing a molecular beacon comprised of a g - rich 18 - mer triplex forming oligodeoxyribonucleotide . see also u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 277 , 581 and 6 , 235 , 504 . aptamer beacons are similar to molecular beacons ; see , e . g ., hamaguchi , anal . biochem . 294 : 126 - 131 , 2001 ; poddar , mol . cell . probes 15 : 161 - 167 , 2001 ; kaboev , nucl . acids res . 28 : e94 , 2000 . aptamer beacons can adopt two or more conformations , one of which allows ligand binding . a fluorescence - quenching pair is used to report changes in conformation induced by ligand binding . see also , e . g ., yamamoto , genes cells 5 : 389 - 396 , 2000 ; smimov , biochemistry 39 : 1462 - 1468 , 2000 . in a preferred embodiment , genomic nucleic acids are labeled using an oligonucleotide linkage . the genomic nucleic acids are first digested into fragments with a restriction enzyme ( e . g ., alui ); fragments are then associated with a unique capture sequence using a bridging oligonucleotide . when properly designed , the unique fragment is positioned directly adjoining the end of a nucleic acid such that ligation can be used to obtain covalent linkage . each fragment can then be labeled with a dendrimeric construct comprising an oligonucleotide which hybridizes to the unique capture sequence associated with each fragment . the fragments of two or more samples of nucleic acids can be labeled via a unique capture sequence associated with each respective sample . in an especially preferred embodiment , multiple copies of the detectable label are attached to a dendrimer to achieve signal amplification . preferably , the use of a dendrimer in the methods of the present invention allows more than 10 , 20 , 50 , 100 , or 200 fluorophore molecules to be attached to the genomic acids . labeling of the fragments can be prior to hybridization of two or more nucleic acid samples , or preferably following hybridization to maximize signal intensity . alternatively , the genomic nucleic acid may be labeled via a peptide . a peptide can be made detectable by incorporating predetermined polypeptide epitopes recognized by a secondary reporter ( e . g ., leucine zipper pair sequences , binding sites for secondary antibodies , transcriptional activator polypeptide , metal binding domains , epitope tags ). a label may also be attached via a second peptide ( such as on a dendrimer construct as above ) that interacts with the first peptide ( e . g ., s - s association ). in another embodiment , the genomic nucleic acid may be labeled via a peptide nucleic acid . the term “ peptide nucleic acid ” ( or pna ) as used herein refers to a molecule comprising bases or base analogs such as would be found in natural nucleic acid , but attached to a peptide backbone rather than the sugar - phosphate backbone typical of nucleic acids . the attachment of the bases to the peptide is such as to allow the bases to base pair with complementary bases of nucleic acid in a manner similar to that of an oligonucleotide . these small molecules , also designated anti gene agents , stop transcript elongation by binding to their complementary strand of nucleic acid ( nielsen et al ., anticancer drug des . 8 : 53 63 , 1993 ). indirect labeling may be performed prior to or preferably , after hybridization to maximize signal intensity . in a preferred embodiment , the hybridized surface is contacted with a first complex containing a detectable label and a first entity , wherein the first complex selectively reacts with the nucleic acids of either the test sample or the reference sample ; and either simultaneously or subsequently with a second complex containing the same detectable label and a second entity , wherein the second complex selectively reacts with the nucleic acids of the other sample . in one embodiment , the first complex or the second complex may comprise a differential linkage of the detectable label , such that one sample may be subjected to selective removal of the detectable label ( i . e ., a subtractive approach ). alternatively , in another embodiment , the first complex and the second complex do not comprise a differential linkage of the detectable label , but instead , are added one following the other ( i . e ., an additive approach ). in certain embodiments , isolated or purified molecules may be preferred . as used herein , the terms “ isolated ”, “ purified ” or “ substantially purified ” refer to molecules , either nucleic acid or amino acid sequences , that are removed from their natural environment , isolated or separated , and are at least 60 % free , preferably 75 % free , and most preferably 90 % free from other components with which they are naturally associated . an isolated molecule is therefore a substantially purified molecule . the methods of the present invention can incorporate all known methods and means and variations thereof for carrying out comparative genomic hybridization , see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 197 , 501 ; 6 , 159 , 685 ; 5 , 976 , 790 ; 5 , 965 , 362 ; 5 , 856 , 097 ; 5 , 830 , 645 ; 5 , 721 , 098 ; 5 , 665 , 549 ; 5 , 635 , 351 ; diago , am . j . pathol . 158 : 1623 - 1631 , 2001 ; theillet , bull . cancer 88 : 261 - 268 , 2001 ; werner , pharmacogenomics 2 : 25 - 36 , 2001 ; jain , pharmacogenomics 1 : 289 - 307 , 2000 . generally , nucleic acid hybridizations comprise the following major steps : ( 1 ) immobilization of target nucleic acids ; ( 2 ) pre - hybridization treatment to increase accessibility of target dna , and to reduce nonspecific binding ; ( 3 ) hybridization of the mixture of nucleic acids to the nucleic acid on the solid surface ; ( 4 ) post - hybridization washes to remove nucleic acid fragments not bound in the hybridization and ( 5 ) detection of the hybridized nucleic acid fragments . if indirect detection is used , an additional step of hybridization with the labeled agent ( e . g . dendrimer ) and washing is needed . the reagent used in each of these steps and their conditions for use vary depending on the particular application . in some applications it is necessary to block the hybridization capacity of repetitive sequences . a number of methods for removing and / or disabling the hybridization capacity of repetitive sequences are known ( see , e . g ., wo 93 / 18186 ). for instance , bulk procedures can be used . in many genomes , including the human genome , a major portion of shared repetitive dna is contained within a few families of highly repeated sequences such as alu . these methods exploit the fact that hybridization rate of complementary sequences increases as their concentration increases . thus , repetitive sequences , which are generally present at high concentration will become double stranded more rapidly than others following denaturation and incubation under hybridization conditions . the double stranded nucleic acids are then removed and the remainder used in hybridizations . methods of separating single from double stranded sequences include using hydroxyapatite or immobilized complementary nucleic acids attached to a solid support , and the like . alternatively , the partially hybridized mixture can be used and the double stranded sequences will be unable to hybridize to the target . alternatively , unlabeled sequences which are complementary to the sequences whose hybridization capacity is to be inhibited can be added to the hybridization mixture . this method can be used to inhibit hybridization of repetitive sequences as well as other sequences . for example , cot - 1 dna can be used to selectively inhibit hybridization of repetitive sequences in a sample . to prepare cot - 1 dna , dna is extracted , sheared , denatured and renatured . because highly repetitive sequences reanneal more quickly , the resulting hybrids are highly enriched for these sequences . the remaining single stranded ( i . e ., single copy sequences ) is digested with s1 nuclease and the double stranded cot - 1 dna is purified and used to block hybridization of repetitive sequences in a sample . although cot - 1 dna can be prepared as described above , it is also commercially available ( brl ). hybridization conditions for nucleic acids in the methods of the present invention are well known in the art . hybridization conditions may be high , moderate or low stringency conditions . ideally , nucleic acids will hybridize only to complementary nucleic acids and will not hybridize to other non - complementary nucleic acids in the sample . the hybridization conditions can be varied to alter the degree of stringency in the hybridization and reduce background signals as is known in the art . for example , if the hybridization conditions are high stringency conditions , a nucleic acid will bind only to nucleic acid target sequences with a very high degree of complementarity . low stringency hybridization conditions will allow for hybridization of sequences with some degree of sequence divergence . the hybridization conditions will vary depending on the biological sample , and the type and sequence of nucleic acids . one skilled in the art will know how to optimize the hybridization conditions to practice the methods of the present invention . as used herein the term “ stringency ” is used in reference to the conditions of temperature , ionic strength , and the presence of other compounds , under which nucleic acid hybridizations are conducted . with high stringency conditions , nucleic acid base pairing will occur only between nucleic acids that have sufficiently long segment with a high frequency of complementary base sequences . exemplary hybridization conditions are as follows . high stringency generally refers to conditions that permit hybridization of only those nucleic acid sequences that form stable hybrids in 0 . 018m nacl at 65 ° c . high stringency conditions can be provided , for example , by hybridization in 50 % formamide , 5 × denhardt &# 39 ; s solution , 5 × ssc ( saline sodium citrate ) 0 . 2 % sds ( sodium dodecyl sulphate ) at 42 ° c ., followed by washing in 0 . 1 × ssc , and 0 . 1 % sds at 65 ° c . moderate stringency refers to conditions equivalent to hybridization in 50 % formamide , 5 × denhardt &# 39 ; s solution , 5 × ssc , 0 . 2 % sds at 42 ° c ., followed by washing in 0 . 2 × ssc , 0 . 2 % sds , at 65 ° c . low stringency refers to conditions equivalent to hybridization in 10 % formamide , 5 × denhardt &# 39 ; s solution , 6 × ssc , 0 . 2 % sds , followed by washing in 1 × ssc , 0 . 2 % sds , at 50 ° c . as used herein , the terms “ complementary ” or “ complementarity ” are used in reference to polynucleotides ( i . e ., a sequence of nucleotides such as an oligonucleotide or a target nucleic acid ) related by the base - pairing rules . the complement of a nucleic acid sequence as used herein refers to an oligonucleotide which , when aligned with the nucleic acid sequence such that the 5 ′ end of one sequence is paired with the 3 ′ end of the other , is in “ antiparallel association .” for example , the sequence “ 5 ′- a - g - t - 3 ′” is complementary to the sequence “ 3 ′- t - c - a - 5 ”. certain bases not commonly found in natural nucleic acids may be included in the nucleic acids of the present invention and include , for example , inosine and 7 - deazaguanine . complementarity need not be perfect ; stable duplexes may contain mismatched base pairs or unmatched bases . those skilled in the art of nucleic acid technology can determine duplex stability empirically considering a number of variables including , for example , the length of the oligonucleotide , base composition and sequence of the oligonucleotide , ionic strength and incidence of mismatched base pairs . complementarity may be “ partial ” in which only some of the nucleic acids &# 39 ; bases are matched according to the base pairing rules . or , there may be “ complete ” or “ total ” complementarity between the nucleic acids . the degree of complementarity between nucleic acid strands has significant effects on the efficiency and strength of hybridization between nucleic acid strands . this is of particular importance in amplification reactions , as well as detection methods that depend upon binding between nucleic acids . either term may also be used in reference to individual nucleotides , especially within the context of polynucleotides . for example , a particular nucleotide within an oligonucleotide may be noted for its complementarity , or lack thereof , to a nucleotide within another nucleic acid strand , in contrast or comparison to the complementarity between the rest of the oligonucleotide and the nucleic acid strand . the term “ homology ” and “ homologous ” refers to a degree of identity between two sequences . there may be partial homology or complete homology . a partially homologous sequence is one that is less than 100 % identical to another sequence . preferably , homologous sequences have an overall identity of at least 70 % or at least 75 %, more preferably at least 80 % or at least 85 %, most preferably at least 90 % or at least 95 %. as used herein , the term “ t m ” is used in reference to the “ melting temperature ”. the melting temperature is the temperature at which a sample of double - stranded nucleic acid molecules becomes half dissociated into single strands . several equations for calculating the t m of nucleic acids are well known in the art . as indicated by standard references , a simple estimate of the t m value may be calculated by the equation : t m = 81 . 5 + 0 . 41 (% g + c ), when a nucleic acid is in aqueous solution at 1 m nacl ( see , e . g ., anderson and young , quantitative filter hybridization , in nucleic acid hybridization , 1985 ). other references ( e . g ., allawi and santalucia , biochemistry 36 : 10581 - 94 , 1997 ) include more sophisticated computations which take structural and environmental , as well as sequence characteristics into account for the calculation of t m . nucleic acids used in the methods of the present invention can be immobilized to or applied to an array or “ biochip ”. the term “ array ” or “ microarray ” or “ biochip ” or “ chip ” as used herein refers to a plurality of elements arranged onto a defined area of a substrate surface . in practicing the methods of the invention , any known array and / or method of making and using arrays can be incorporated in whole or in part , or variations thereof , as disclosed , for example , in u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 277 , 628 ; 6 , 277 , 489 ; 6 , 261 , 776 ; 6 , 258 , 606 ; 6 , 054 , 270 ; 6 , 048 , 695 ; 6 , 045 , 996 ; 6 , 022 , 963 ; 6 , 013 , 440 ; 5 , 965 , 452 ; 5 , 959 , 098 ; 5 , 856 , 174 ; 5 , 830 , 645 ; 5 , 770 , 456 ; 5 , 632 , 957 ; 5 , 556 , 752 ; 5 , 143 , 854 ; 5 , 807 , 522 ; 5 , 800 , 992 ; 5 , 744 , 305 ; 5 , 700 , 637 ; 5 , 556 , 752 ; 5 , 434 , 049 ; see also , e . g ., wo 99 / 51773 ; wo 99 / 09217 ; wo 97 / 46313 ; wo 96 / 17958 ; see also , e . g ., johnston , curr . biol . 8 : r171 - r174 , 1998 ; schummer , biotechniques 23 : 1087 - 1092 , 1997 ; kern , biotechniques 23 : 120 - 124 , 1997 ; solinas - toldo , genes , chromosomes & amp ; cancer 20 : 399 - 407 , 1997 ; bowtell , nature genetics supp . 21 : 25 - 32 , 1999 . see also published u . s . patent applications nos . 20010018642 ; 20010019827 ; 20010016322 ; 20010014449 ; 20010014448 ; 20010012537 ; 20010008765 . arrays are generically a plurality of “ target elements ” or “ spots ,” each target element containing a defined amount of one or more biological molecules , e . g ., polypeptides , nucleic acid molecules , or probes , immobilized at discrete locations on a substrate surface . in preferred embodiments , the plurality of spots comprises nucleic acid segments , immobilized at preferably at least about 50 , at least about 100 , at least about 300 , or at least about 500 discrete locations on the surface . the plurality may comprise multiple repeats of the same nucleic acid segments to produce , e . g ., duplicate spots , triplicate spots , quadruplicate spots , quintuplicate spots , etc . the resolution of array - based cgh is primarily dependent upon the number , size and map positions of the nucleic acid elements within the array , which are capable of spanning the entire genome . each nucleic acid of interest to be immobilized may be contained within a nucleic acid vector ( e . g ., plasmids , cosmids , etc . ), or an artificial chromosome , such as a bacterial artificial chromosome ( bac ) or p - 1 derived artificial chromosome as is known in the art , which are capable of incorporating large inserts of nucleic acid . typically , bacterial artificial chromosomes , or bacs , which can each accommodate on average about 150 kilobases ( kb ) of cloned genomic dna , are used in the production of the array . preferably , each nucleic acid segment of interest is between about 1 , 000 ( 1 kb ) and about 1 , 000 , 000 ( 1 mb ) nucleotides in length , more preferably between about 100 , 000 ( 100 kb ) and 300 , 000 ( kb ) nucleotides in length . nucleic acid segments of interest may be chosen to span ( i . e . collectively represent ) the sequence of at least one chromosome , spaced at intervals along the chromosome ( i . e . containing segments of chromosomal sequence ) of about 3 - 4 megabases ( mb ), more preferably at intervals of about 2 - 3 megabases along the chromosome , most preferably at intervals of about 1 - 2 megabases along the chromosome . to represent the entire genomic complement , nucleic acid segments may be chosen to span all chromosomes at such intervals . alternatively , selected genomic regions of interest , e . g ., known mutational hotspots , may be selected from one or more chromosomes . such genomic regions of interest may be nucleic acid segments associated with a chromosomal abnormality , a contiguous gene abnormality , a genetically linked disease or syndrome . typically , the immobilized nucleic acid molecules are contacted with a sample for specific binding , e . g ., hybridization , between molecules in the sample and the array . immobilized nucleic acids segments can contain sequences from specific messages ( e . g ., as cdna libraries ) or genes ( e . g ., genomic libraries ), including , e . g ., substantially all or a subsection of a chromosome or substantially all of a genome , including a human genome . other target elements can contain reference sequences , such as positive and negative controls , and the like . the target elements of the arrays may be arranged on the substrate surface at different sizes and different densities . different target elements of the arrays can have the same molecular species , but , at different amounts , densities , sizes , labeled or unlabeled , and the like . the target element sizes and densities will depend upon a number of factors , such as the nature of the label ( the immobilized molecule can also be labeled ), the substrate support ( it is solid , semi - solid , fibrous , capillary or porous ), and the like . each target element may comprise substantially the same nucleic acid sequences , or , a mixture of nucleic acids of different lengths and / or sequences . thus , for example , a target element may contain more than one copy of a cloned piece of dna , and each copy may be broken into fragments of different lengths , as described herein . the length and complexity of the nucleic acid fixed onto the array surface is not critical to the invention . the array can comprise nucleic acids immobilized on any substrate , e . g ., a solid surface ( e . g ., nitrocellulose , glass , quartz , fused silica , plastics and the like ). see , e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 063 , 338 describing multi - well platforms containing cycloolefin polymers if fluorescence is to be measured . arrays used in the methods of the invention can comprise housing containing components for controlling humidity and temperature during the hybridization and wash reactions . the cgh methods of the invention can be performed using any type of array . commercially available cgh arrays or prepared slides for array printing include , for example , genechips ™ from affymetrix , santa clara , calif . ; spectral chip ™ mouse bac arrays and spectral chip ™ human bac arrays and other custom arrays from spectral genomics , houston , tex . ; codelink ™ human bioarrays from amersham biosciences ( ge healthcare ); and ultragap ™ from dow corning , elizabethtown , ky . ultragap ™ slides used in accordance with the manufacturer &# 39 ; s suggested protocol are preferred . in a preferred embodiment , the surface comprises an array containing one , several or all of the human genomic nucleic acid segments provided in a compendium of bacterial artificial chromosomes ( bacs ) compiled by the bac resource consortium , and referred to in the art by their rpi or ctb clone names , see cheung et al ., nature 409 : 953 - 958 , 2001 . this compendium contains 7 , 600 cytogenetically defined landmarks on the draft sequence of the human genome ( see mcpherson et al ., nature 409 : 934 - 41 , 2001 ). these landmarks are large - insert clones mapped to chromosome bands by fluorescence in situ hybridization , each containing a sequence tag that is positioned on the genomic sequence . these clones represent all 24 human chromosomes in about 1 mb resolution . sources of bac genomic collections include the bacpac resources center ( chori — children &# 39 ; s hospital oakland research institute ), resgen ( research genetics through invitrogen ) and the sanger center ( uk ). many methods for immobilizing nucleic acids on a variety of solid surfaces are known in the art . for instance , the solid surface may be a membrane , glass , plastic , or a bead . the desired component may be covalently bound or noncovalently attached through nonspecific binding . the immobilization of nucleic acids on solid surfaces is discussed more fully below . a wide variety of organic and inorganic polymers , as well as other materials , both natural and synthetic , may be employed as the material for the solid surface . illustrative solid surfaces include nitrocellulose , nylon , glass , diazotized membranes ( paper or nylon ), silicones , polyformaldehyde , cellulose , and cellulose acetate . in addition , plastics such as polyethylene , polypropylene , polystyrene , and the like can be used . other materials which may be employed include paper , ceramics , metals , metalloids , semiconductive materials , cermets or the like . in addition substances that form gels can be used . such materials include proteins ( e . g ., gelatins ), lipopolysaccharides , silicates , agarose and polyacrylamides . where the solid surface is porous , various pore sizes may be employed depending upon the nature of the system . in preparing the surface of a solid support for array printing , a plurality of different materials may be employed , particularly as laminates , to obtain various properties . for example , proteins ( e . g ., bovine serum albumin ) or mixtures of macromolecules ( e . g ., denhardt &# 39 ; s solution ) can be employed to avoid non - specific binding , simplify covalent conjugation , enhance signal detection or the like . if covalent bonding between a compound and the surface is desired , the surface may be polyfunctional or be capable of being polyfunctionalized . functional groups which may be present on the surface and used for linking can include carboxylic acids , aldehydes , amino groups , cyano groups , ethylenic groups , hydroxyl groups , mercapto groups and the like . the manner of linking a wide variety of compounds to various surfaces is well known and is amply illustrated in the literature . for example , methods for immobilizing nucleic acids by introduction of various functional groups to the molecules is known ( see , e . g ., bischoff et al ., anal . biochem . 164 : 336 - 344 , 1987 ); kremsky et al ., nucl . acids res . 15 : 2891 - 2910 , 1987 ). modified nucleotides can be placed on the target using pcr primers containing the modified nucleotide , or by enzymatic end labeling with modified nucleotides . alternative surfaces include derivatized surfaces such as chemically coated glass slides . on example , is the codelink ™ activated slide from amersham biosciences . these slides are coated with a novel 3 - d surface chemistry comprised of a long - chain , hydrophilic polymer containing amine - reactive groups , to react with and covalently immobilize amine - modified dna for microarrays . this polymer is covalently crosslinked to itself and to the surface of the slide and is designed to orient the immobilized dna away from the surface of the slide to improve hybridization . another such 3d slide is ultragap ™, sold by dow corning . use of membrane supports ( e . g ., nitrocellulose , nylon , polypropylene ) for the nucleic acid arrays of the invention is advantageous because of well developed technology employing manual and robotic methods of arraying targets at relatively high element densities ( e . g ., up to 30 - 40 / cm 2 ). in addition , such membranes are generally available and protocols and equipment for hybridization to membranes is well known . many membrane materials , however , have considerable fluorescence emission , where fluorescent labels are used to detect hybridization . to optimize a given assay format one of skill can determine sensitivity of fluorescence detection for different combinations of membrane type , fluorophore , excitation and emission bands , spot size and the like . in addition , low fluorescence background membranes have been described ( see , e . g ., chu et al ., electrophoresis 13 : 105 - 114 , 1992 ). the sensitivity for detection of spots of various diameters on the candidate membranes can be readily determined by , for example , spotting a dilution series of fluorescently end labeled dna fragments . these spots are then imaged using conventional fluorescence microscopy . the sensitivity , linearity , and dynamic range achievable from the various combinations of fluorophore and membranes can thus be determined . serial dilutions of pairs of fluorophore in known relative proportions can also be analyzed to determine the accuracy with which fluorescence ratio measurements reflect actual fluorophore ratios over the dynamic range permitted by the detectors and membrane fluorescence . arrays on substrates with much lower fluorescence than membranes , such as glass , quartz , or small beads , can achieve much better sensitivity . for example , elements of various sizes , ranging from about 1 mm diameter down to about 1 μm can be used with these materials . small array members containing small amounts of concentrated target dna are conveniently used for high complexity comparative hybridizations since the total amount of probe available for binding to each element will be limited . thus , it is advantageous to have small array members that contain a small amount of concentrated target dna so that the signal that is obtained is highly localized and bright . such small array members are typically used in arrays with densities greater than 10 4 / cm 2 . relatively simple approaches capable of quantitative fluorescent imaging of 1 cm 2 areas have been described that permit acquisition of data from a large number of members in a single image ( see , e . g ., wittrup et al ., cytometry 16 : 206 - 213 , 1994 ). covalent attachment of the target nucleic acids to glass or synthetic fused silica can be accomplished according to a number of known techniques . such substrates provide a very low fluorescence substrate , and a highly efficient hybridization environment . there are many possible approaches to coupling nucleic acids to glass that employ commercially available reagents . for instance , materials for preparation of silanized glass with a number of functional groups are commercially available or can be prepared using standard techniques . alternatively , quartz cover slips , which have at least 10 - fold lower auto fluorescence than glass , can be silanized . the targets can also be immobilized on commercially available coated beads or other surfaces . for instance , biotin end - labeled nucleic acids can be bound to commercially available avidin - coated beads . streptavidin or anti - digoxigenin antibody can also be attached to silanized glass slides by protein - mediated coupling , using e . g ., protein a following standard protocols ( see , e . g ., smith et al ., science 258 : 1122 - 1126 , 1992 ). biotin or digoxigenin end - labeled nucleic acids can be prepared according to standard techniques . hybridization to nucleic acids attached to beads is accomplished by suspending them in the hybridization mix , and then depositing them on the glass substrate for analysis after washing . alternatively , paramagnetic particles , such as ferric oxide particles , with or without avidin coating , can be used . the copy number of particular nucleic acid sequences in a test sample and a reference sample are compared by hybridizing the samples to one or more target nucleic acid segments . the hybridization signal intensity , and the ratio of intensities , produced by the detectable label associated with each sample is determined . typically , the greater the ratio of the signal intensities on a target nucleic acid segment , the greater the copy number ratio of sequences in the two samples that bind to that element . thus comparison of the signal intensity ratios among target nucleic acid segments permits comparison of copy number ratios of different sequences in the genomic nucleic acids of the two samples . in addition to labeling nucleic acids with fluorescent dyes , the invention can be practiced using any apparatus or methods to detect detectable labels associated with nucleic acids of a sample , an individual member of the nucleic acids of a sample , or an array - immobilized nucleic acid segment , or , any apparatus or methods to detect nucleic acids specifically hybridized to each other . devices and methods for the detection of multiple fluorophores are well known in the art , see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 539 , 517 ; 6 , 049 , 380 ; 6 , 054 , 279 ; 6 , 055 , 325 ; and 6 , 294 , 331 . any known device or method , or variation thereof , can be used or adapted to practice the methods of the invention , including array reading or “ scanning ” devices , such as scanning and analyzing multicolor fluorescence images ; see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 294 , 331 ; 6 , 261 , 776 ; 6 , 252 , 664 ; 6 , 191 , 425 ; 6 , 143 , 495 ; 6 , 140 , 044 ; 6 , 066 , 459 ; 5 , 943 , 129 ; 5 , 922 , 617 ; 5 , 880 , 473 ; 5 , 846 , 708 ; 5 , 790 , 727 ; and , the patents cited in the discussion of arrays , herein . see also published u . s . patent application nos . 20010018514 ; 20010007747 ; and published international patent applications nos . wo0146467 a ; wo9960163 a ; wo0009650 a ; wo0026412 a ; wo0042222 a ; wo0047600 a ; and wo0101144 a . for example a spectrograph can image an emission spectrum onto a two - dimensional array of light detectors ; a full spectrally resolved image of the array is thus obtained . photophysics of the fluorophore , e . g ., fluorescence quantum yield and photodestruction yield , and the sensitivity of the detector are read time parameters for an oligonucleotide array . with sufficient laser power and use of cy5 ™ or cy3 ™, which have lower photodestruction yields an array can be read in less than 5 seconds . charge - coupled devices , or ccds , are used in microarray scanning systems , including practicing the methods of the invention . color discrimination can also be based on 3 - color ccd video images ; these can be performed by measuring hue values . hue values are introduced to specify colors numerically . calculation is based on intensities of red , green and blue light ( rgb ) as recorded by the separate channels of the camera . the formulation used for transforming the rgb values into hue , however , simplifies the data and does not make reference to the true physical properties of light . alternatively , spectral imaging can be used ; it analyzes light as the intensity per wavelength , which is the only quantity by which to describe the color of light correctly . in addition , spectral imaging can provide spatial data , because it contains spectral information for every pixel in the image . alternatively , a spectral image can be made using brightfield microscopy , see , e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 294 , 331 . a specific advantage of the methods of the present invention is that a single detectable label may be used . this eliminates the need to read and co - ordinate multiple colored fluorophores . thus , signal intensity at the lower range is uniform and can readily be normalized , as opposed to having to account for differences in signal intensity amongst more than one fluorophore . other advantages of the present invention &# 39 ; s array - based cgh approach include the increased resolution by spanning across the entire genomic sequence of each chromosome and the increased sensitivity achieved as compared to traditional in situ chromosomal hybridization . the methods of the invention further comprise data analysis , which can include the steps of determining , e . g ., fluorescent intensity as a function of substrate position , removing “ outliers ” ( data deviating from a predetermined statistical distribution ), or calculating the relative binding affinity of the targets from the remaining data . the resulting data can be displayed as an image with color in each region varying according to the light emission or binding affinity between targets and probes . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 324 , 633 ; 5 , 863 , 504 ; and 6 , 045 , 996 . the invention can also incorporate a device for detecting a labeled marker on a sample located on a support , see , e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 5 , 578 , 832 . the invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to the following non - limiting examples . a variety of microarray equipment ( e . g ., biorobotics microgrid and others ; collectively “ arrayers ”) are available for printing the nucleic acid material onto a plurality of discrete locations of a solid surface . two specific surfaces were printed with native bac dna to establish a protocol for the specific application of large - insert clone microarray fabrication ( e . g ., bacs , pacs , cosmids ). typical prior art arrayer installation and validation protocols assess the printing performance of an arrayer using either dye - only solutions or dye - oligo dna solutions . these conditions do not reflect the fluid dynamics associated with large clone array manufacturing and hence are sub - optimal for generating printing parameters . the present example described herein establishes a simple and qualitative approach to validating arrayers and establishing printing parameters for large insert clone microarray fabrication . a sample collection of the large insert dna clones ( bacs , pacs , cosmids ) intended for printing was resuspended in a salt containing printing buffer ( e . g ., 50 - 150 mm sodium phosphate , ph 8 - 9 ) at a concentration of 75 - 100 ng / μl . the dna was briefly fragmented using an ultrasonic water - bath processor set at 100 a with 70 w output for 5 seconds . gel electrophoreses ( 0 . 8 - 1 . 0 % agarose ) was used to confirm that the size of the fragmented dna ranged homogenously within 500 base pairs and larger . to a 30 μl aliquot of the sonicated dna was added 1 μl of fluorescent nucleotide dye - conjugate ( 1 mm ) of choice . samples were mixed and transferred to a printing surface . upon completion of the printing process , the resulting image was evaluated by scanning with a laser scanner ( e . g ., axon 4000 , 4100 , 4200 ) set at the wavelength of fluorescent dye used . under these typical parameters , two surfaces were tested . the first surface was plain glass slides cleaned according to a standard base / acid protocol . fluorescent measurements on plain glass slides indicated a background reading of about 3000 , with a spot intensity of about 10 , 000 , and a spot size of approximately 290 μm . the second surface was the codelink ™ activated slide ( amersham biosciences ). fluorescent measurements on the codelink ™ activated slide indicated a background reading of about 15 , 000 , with a spot intensity of about 65 , 000 , and a spot size of approximately 180 μm . labeling . genomic dna may be labeled by any standard protocol to incorporate a detectable label . an exemplary random priming with a fluorophore is as follows . in a 100 μl reaction containing 1 ng to 1 μg dna , combine 1 × random primers solution ( bioprime dna labeling system , gibco brl ), 1 mm tris , ph 7 . 6 , 0 . 1 mm edta , 0 . 2 mm each of datp , dttp and dgtp , 0 . 1 mm dctp , 0 . 4 mm cy3 or cy5 - dctp ( amersham ) and 160 u klenow fragment ( bioprime dna labeling system , gibco brl ). the dna and random primers solution is incubated at 100 ° c . for 10 minutes in a total volume of 84 μl , prior to adding the other reagents , and then the final 100 μl reaction is incubated overnight at 37 ° c . unincorporated nucleotides are removed using a sephadex g - 50 column . dendrimeric labeling . genomic dna may contain a tag contained within a dendrimeric construct . a dendrimer is a highly branched molecule created to integrate multiple copies of the desired detectable label to amplify detection . kits for dendrimer labeling and construction are commercially available ( e . g ., genisphere inc .). briefly , genomic dna is digested with alui to yield digested fragments of about 256 bp on average . the genomic dna fragments are then treated with 3 ′ tdt to attach a poly - t tail to each fragment . a ligation containing ( i ) a bridging oligonucleotide with a poly - a tail , ( ii ) a capture sequence oligonucleotide ( with one end complementary to the bridging oligonucleotide ), and ( iii ) the t - tailed fragments is then performed , resulting in each genomic dna fragment having the same unique capture sequence at its 3 ′ end . each sample of genomic dna ( i . e ., the test and the reference samples of nucleic acids ) is coupled to a unique capture sequence prior to hybridization . following hybridization , the genomic dna fragments can then be labeled using a dendrimer that contains an oligonucleotide complementary to the unique capture sequence of a one sample and multiple copies of label , typically fluorescent dye molecules . alternatively , genomic mrna is first reverse transcribed with unlabelled datp , dttp , dgtp and dctp using a primer oligonucleotide that contains a unique capture sequence and a poly - t tail to hybridize to the poly - a tail of the mrna molecules . the reaction is then stopped and the mrna is degraded to yield genomic cdnas containing the unique capture sequence . these genomic cdnas can then be labeled using a dendrimer that contains an oligonucleotide complementary to the unique capture sequence and multiple copies of label , typically fluorescent dye molecules . genisphere , inc . offers a variety of dendrimers that vary in size and fluorescence intensity . the array 900 and 350 series kits contain four - layer dendrimers . a four layer dendrimer theoretically has 324 single stranded dna arms in the outer layer . the diameter of a four layer dendrimer is 182 - 190 nm and the molecular weight is 1 . 2 × 10 7 daltons . the array 50 series kit contains a two layer dendrimer . a two layer dendrimer theoretically has 45 single stranded dna arms in the outer layer . the diameter of a two layer dendrimer is 70 - 90 nm and the molecular weight is 1 . 3 × 10 6 daltons . genomic nucleic acids obtained from a test sample and a reference sample , each population containing a unique capture sequence , are combined ( about 1 - 2 μg each ) with cot - 1 dna ( 80 - 100 μg ) and precipitated with ethanol . precipitate is collected by centrifugation and allowed to air dry for 10 minutes before re - dissolving it in a 50 μl hybridization mixture containing 50 % formamide , 2 × ssc , 10 % dextran sulfate , 4 % sds and 500 μg yeast trna , ph 7 . the hybridization mixture is incubated at 70 ° c . for 10 - 15 minutes to denature the dna and subsequently at 37 ° c . for 60 minutes to allow blocking of repetitive sequences . to the array is added 50 μl of slide blocking solution containing 500 μg salmon sperm dna in 50 % formamide , 2 × ssc , 10 % dextran sulfate and 4 % sds , ph 7 . after a 30 minute incubation at room temperature , approximately three - quarters of the blocking solution is removed , and the denatured and re - annealed hybridization mixture is added and hybridized at 37 ° c . for 16 - 72 hours . after hybridization , excess hybridization fluid is rinsed off with 0 . 1 m sodium phosphate , 0 . 1 % np40 , ph 8 , then the array is washed once in 50 % formamide , 2 × ssc , ph 7 at 45 ° c . for 15 minutes , and finally with 0 . 1 m sodium phosphate , 0 . 1 % np40 , ph 8 at room temperature for 15 minutes . an exemplary selective removal can be achieved by making the label associated with either the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the test sample or the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the reference sample susceptible to removal with atmospheric ozone . certain fluorophores ( e . g ., cy5 ™ and alexa 647 ) are susceptible to ozone levels as low as about 5 - 10 ppm for periods as short as 10 - 30 seconds . following hybridization , arrays are placed in an enclosed chamber with an ozone generator to achieve at atmospheric ozone level of about 60 - 85 ppm for about 10 - 30 minutes . selective removal of the label from one population of genomic nucleic acids may be achieved by modifying the physical nature of the labeling process , such as increasing the distance of the label from the genomic dna to increase exposure to the atmospheric ozone . another exemplary selective removal can be achieved by making the label associated with either the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the test sample or the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the reference sample susceptible to removal by cleavage with a restriction endonuclease or a homing endonuclease . in this example , reference sample genomic nucleic acids are prepared with a first unique capture sequence to which is linked a dendrimer containing an oligonucleotide complementary to this first unique capture sequence and a fluorescent label . the test sample genomic nucleic acids are prepared with a second unique capture sequence containing a stretch of nucleotides representing the recognition sequence for an endonuclease to which is linked a dendrimer containing an oligonucleotide complementary to this second unique capture sequence and the same fluorescent label as used for the first sample . following hybridization of the test and reference genomic nucleic acids to an array containing a plurality of immobilized nucleic acid segments of interest , the fluorescence of the array is measured . the array is then contacted with the endonuclease recognizing the sequence contained within the second unique capture sequence under conditions allowing cleavage of the dendrimeric construct from the genomic nucleic acids to selectively remove the fluorescent label from the test sample nucleic acids . another exemplary selective removal can be achieved by making the label associated with either the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the test sample or the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the reference sample susceptible to removal by uv irradiation . the label is incorporated using a linker that is photocleavable , such as a linker containing a 2 - nitrobenzyl group ( see , e . g ., bai et al ., proc . natl . acad . sci . 100 : 409 - 413 , 2003 ). following hybridization , arrays are placed in a chamber with water and irradiated with a uv lamp at 340 nm ( light intensity of about 20 mw / cm 2 ) for about 5 - 10 minutes to selectively remove the label from one population of genomic nucleic acids only ( i . e ., the nucleic acids containing the photocleavable linker ). thus , in these examples of selective removal , data from the array is acquired at two time points , with the same fluorophore being read . the first acquisition is after the comparative genomic hybridization ( e . g ., before the selective removal of the label from the test sample genomic nucleic acids ), in part to determine the fluorescence of the combined nucleic acid samples ( f total ). the second acquisition is after the selective removal of the label , in part to determine the remaining fluorescence of the reference sample genomic nucleic acids ( f reference ). the fluorescence of the test sample genomic nucleic acids ( f test ) is then equal to ( f total − f reference ). thus , the same fluorophore can be used to achieve maximal uniformity between the two genomic nucleic acid samples , and between tests performed with different samples . if the selective removal is designed to remove nucleic acid associated with the reference genomic dna , then the second read would be f test and the difference between f test and f total would be f reference . as a quality control in single label cgh the two linkers for the test and reference labels are switched and comparative hybridization repeated . exemplary additive labeling for single label cgh can be achieved by performing a first comparative hybridization wherein the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the reference sample comprise a first unique oligonucleotide tag and the genomic nucleic acids obtained from the test sample comprise a second unique oligonucleotide tag . following hybridization of the test and reference genomic nucleic acids to an array containing a plurality of immobilized nucleic acid segments of interest , the array is exposed to a first dendrimeric complex containing an oligonucleotide complementary to the first unique oligonucleotide tag and a fluorescent label . this provides a selective labeling of the reference sample genomic nucleic acids . preferred conditions for dendrimer hybridization include use of pronto !™ hybridization buffer ( corning , inc .) with 50 μg of cot i dna and 50 - 100 μg of sst ( shredded ( sonicated ) salmon testis dna ). cot i dna may be replaced by any other non - mammalian genomic dna such as plant dna , fish dna , bacterial dna , and non - natural dna , e . g . dendrimeric dna . after 30 min . hybridization , the array is washed as follows : 1 . soak slide in 2 × ssc containing 0 . 01 % sds ( ph 7 . 5 - 8 . 0 ) at room temperature until coverslip is loosened (& lt ; 3 minutes ). 2 . incubate for 5 min . with gentle agitation at 50 c in 2 × ssc containing 0 . 01 % sds ( ph 7 . 5 - 8 . 0 ). 3 . incubate for 5 min . with gentle agitation at room temperature in 2 × ssc ( ph 7 . 5 - 8 . 0 ). 4 . incubate for 5 min . with gentle agitation at room temperature in 0 . 2 × ssc ( ph 7 . 5 - 8 . 0 ). sds : sodium doedecyl sulfate ( detergent ) 1 × ssc : 0 . 15 molar sodium chloride and 0 . 015 molar sodium citrate data from the array is then acquired , in part to determine the fluorescence of the first reference sample genomic nucleic acids ( f reference ). the array is then exposed to a second dendrimeric complex containing an oligonucleotide complementary to the second unique oligonucleotide tag and the same fluorescent label as used in the first dendrimeric complex . data from the array is then acquired for a second time , in part to determine the fluorescence of the combined nucleic acids ( f total ). the fluorescence of the test sample genomic nucleic acids ( f test ) is then equal to ( f total − f reference ). thus , the same fluorophore can be used to achieve maximal uniformity between the two genomic nucleic acid samples , and between tests performed with different samples . if the first dendrimeric complex binds to f test , then the difference between f test and f total would be f reference . this method is depicted schematically in fig3 . a variant of this method where one labeled dendrimer is hybridized together during the hybridization with the tag labeled genomic nucleic acids is shown in fig4 . as a quality control in single label cgh the unique tag sequences attached to the test and reference genomic nucleic acids are switched and comparative hybridization repeated . unless otherwise defined , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . the inventions illustratively described herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element or elements , limitation or limitations , not specifically disclosed herein . thus , for example , the terms “ comprising ”, “ including ,” containing ”, etc . shall be read expansively and without limitation . additionally , the terms and expressions employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation , and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof , but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed . thus , it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features , modification , improvement and variation of the inventions embodied therein herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art , and that such modifications , improvements and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention . the materials , methods , and examples provided here are representative of preferred embodiments , are exemplary , and are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention . the invention has been described broadly and generically herein . each of the narrower species and subgeneric groupings falling within the generic disclosure also form part of the invention . this includes the generic description of the invention with a proviso or negative limitation removing any subject matter from the genus , regardless of whether or not the excised material is specifically recited herein . in addition , where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of markush groups , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the markush group . all publications , patent applications , patents , and other references mentioned herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety , to the same extent as if each were incorporated by reference individually . in case of conflict , the present specification , including definitions , will control . | 2 |
in the fig1 embodiment , an environmentally stable linear phase delay is provided between two interfering polarization directions of a kerr - type modelocked fiber laser . in the fig1 embodiment , a passively modelocked laser is generally designated 100 , and includes a means for generating laser energy generally designated as a laser cavity 200 . the laser energy generating means can be , for example , a fabry - perot cavity . the passively modelocked laser further includes a means for pumping the laser energy generating means , the pumping means being generally designated 300 . in the fig1 embodiment , the laser cavity 200 includes a gain medium 202 for amplifying energy in the cavity 200 . the gain medium can be any rare - earth - doped fiber capable of providing light amplification ( i . e ., gain ). for purposes of the following discussion , reference will be made to an optically pumped laser having an active fiber doped with erbium ions as the gain medium 202 . however , those skilled in the art will appreciate that other rare - earth - doped fibers , such as fibers doped with neodymium ions , can be used . further , the present invention is not limited to fiber lasers , but can also be used with other types of lasers such as bulk solid - state lasers comprising again medium of bulk solid - state materials , and semiconductor lasers . optical or electrical pumping can be used , although optical pumping is generally preferred for use with bulk solid - state lasers while electrical pumping is generally preferred for semiconductor lasers . the laser cavity 200 further includes means for reflecting energy along an axis which passes through the gain medium , the axis being generally designated by the arrow 204 . the energy reflecting means includes a first cavity mirror 206 located at a first end of the cavity 200 . the cavity mirror 206 reflects signal light within cavity 200 . the cavity mirror can be any standard laser mirror readily available and known to those skilled in the art . in an exemplary embodiment , the cavity mirror 206 also functions as a laser energy outputting means . in such an embodiment , the cavity mirror 206 serves two functions ; it reflects a fraction of energy impinging onto it back into the laser cavity 200 , and it allows the remaining fraction to leak through the cavity mirror 206 to provide output energy . alternately , the first cavity mirror 206 can be separate from an output coupler means if desired . the fig1 embodiment includes two interfering polarization directions of a kerr - type modelocked fiber laser . these interfering polarization directions include two linear polarized eigenmodes of a highly - birefringent fiber ( hbf ). in the exemplary fig1 embodiment , the erbium - doped fiber used as the gain medium 202 can be a highly - birefringent fiber . the interfering polarization directions can be better understood by reference to fig2 . fig2 , illustrates a cross - section 203 of the highly - birefringent , erbium - doped fiber in gain medium 202 . in the fig2 coordinate system , axes labelled x and y can be considered the two interfering polarization directions . in accordance with the present invention , the fig1 cavity 200 also can include low - birefringent fiber ( lbf ). in exemplary embodiments , the length of low - birefringent fiber 220 used in the cavity 200 is relatively short in comparison to the length of the highly - birefringent fiber ( e . g ., on the order of eight to ten times shorter ). the highly - birefringent fiber thereby dominates non - linear pulse - shaping , with such pulse - shaping being negligible in the low - birefringent fiber . by using both highly - birefringent fiber and low - birefringent fiber in the cavity , non - polarization maintaining couplers can be used for coupling light into and out of the laser cavity 200 . such a feature simplifies laser assembly and packaging , and significantly reduces overall costs . in accordance with the present invention , the laser cavity 200 further includes means for compensating linear phase drifts of the gain medium 202 . for example , a phase drift compensating means 210 includes at least one device to control polarized light generated within the cavity and thereby compensates for linear phase drifts of the gain medium 202 . for example , faraday rotator mirrors are known devices which , when properly chosen , reflect , in an orthogonal state , any polarization state which impinges them . the phase drift compensating means can therefore include at least one faraday rotator mirror to compensate for linear phase drifts between the polarization eigenmodes of a gain medium such as the erbium - doped fiber 202 . in an exemplary embodiment , the phase drift compensating means eliminates linear phase drifts between the two polarization eigenmodes of the laser cavity 200 by using a pigtailed faraday rotator mirror 210 as a second cavity mirror of the reflecting means . the faraday rotator mirror 210 can be a 45 ° rotator which rotates the polarization of reflected light by 90 ° relative to incoming light . reflected light therefore propagates back down the gain medium 202 in exactly an orthogonal polarization state . due to the faraday rotator mirror 210 , the total linear phase delay between the polarization eigenmodes of the fiber is exactly zero after one round - trip . non - linear phase changes remain uncompensated and accumulate along the polarization eigenmodes of the highly - birefringent fiber after reflection by the faraday rotator mirror 210 . because the highly - birefringent fiber eliminates random mode - coupling , and because the low - birefringent fiber is relatively short in length , the non - linear phase changes are governed by the relative power in the polarization eigenmodes and are not susceptible to environmental influence . the faraday rotator mirror 210 also eliminates spatial hole - burning in the laser cavity 200 to further improve initiation of pulse generation . the faraday rotator mirror provides a second polarization direction which is rotated by 90 °, thereby providing a relatively constant intensity along the cavity length . in addition , the faraday rotator mirror suppresses spurious back - reflections from intra - cavity fiber ends ( e . g ., fiber , including the gain medium 202 , included within cavity 200 ) and consistently eliminates continuous wave lasing background . for example , scattered light which is reflected back to the faraday rotator mirror 210 will be rotated therein and absorbed by a polarizer 216 . the faraday rotator mirror further compensates for group - velocity walk - off of the polarization eigenmodes which can be significant in a highly - birefringent fiber . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the differing refractive indices of polarization maintaining fiber cause light to propagate faster along one axis of the fiber ( e . g ., x - axis ) relative to another axis ( e . g ., y - axis ). within each round - trip of light within the cavity , pulses of the light signal continue to spread . however , the faraday rotator mirror 210 inhibits such group - velocity walk - off by rotating the light signal 90 ° with each reflection such that pulses of the light signal which spread during one round - trip come closer together during a subsequent round - trip . the faraday rotator mirror can be incorporated at a point in the laser cavity 200 at which walk - off between polarization eigenmodes is maximum . thus , non - linearity of fiber components in front of the faraday rotator mirror can be reduced to minimize unwanted non - linearity of the low - birefringent fiber . given these characteristics , environmentally stable operation in accordance with the present invention can be achieved using relatively long lengths of low - birefringent fiber . the phase drift compensating means can further include a second faraday rotator mirror 212 . the second faraday rotator 212 is also a 45 ° faraday rotator which , in an exemplary embodiment , can be centrally placed in the cavity to compensate for polarization rotation of the faraday rotator mirror 210 . although the phase drift compensating means provides environmental stability , a polarization transformation is necessary for non - linear polarization evolution to be optimized for modelocking . this action is performed by including a means for transforming linear polarization of energy , such as the incorporation of 1 or more bulk waveplates 214 within the laser cavity 200 for introducing a linear phase delay . the cavity of fig1 also includes the polarizer 216 . polarization eigenmodes interfere at the polarizer 216 in the cavity . the polarizer 216 can be any optical polarizing element . the polarization change induced by the waveplate 214 depends on the tilt and rotation of the waveplate or waveplates . although use of a single waveplate will minimize scattering of light , two waveplates can be used to provide independent control of the ellipticity and rotation angle of elliptically polarized light . the polarization change induced by the waveplate , or by any arbitrary number of such waveplates , or any arbitrary polarization transformer , is considered with respect to the polarization axis of the polarizer 216 . the erbium - doped fiber of gain medium 202 can be aligned at any axis with respect to the polarizer . polarization transformation is then uniquely defined by its overall result ; i . e ., the polarization transformation transforms the linearly polarized light emerging from the polarizer 216 into elliptically polarized light with an ellipticity ψ , where the ellipse is rotated by an angle α with respect to the x - axis of the fiber , and wherein the tangent of ψ is b / a ; where b and a are minor and major axes of the polarization ellipse . the representation of this polarization transformation on the poincaré sphere ( which is well known in the field ) is ( 0 , 0 )→( 2ψ , 2α ). in the presence of the two faraday rotators 210 and 212 , the nonlinear response r ( p ) as a function of intra - cavity power p in the cavity is completely defined by this polarization transformation ( i . e ., by the values for ψ and α ) and an effective non - linear reflectivity r ( p ) of the cavity mirror 206 can be defined as follows : where f ( α , ψ , φ nl ( α , ψ , p )) represents a function of α , ψ , φ nl ( α , ψ , p ) and φ nl ( α , ψ , p ) is the differential non - linear phase delay accumulated between the polarization eigenmodes of the highly - birefringent fiber as a function of intra - cavity power p . the range of r ( p ) is between 0 and 1 . passive modelocking is obtained when r ( p ) increases with an increase in p . the passively modelocked laser of the exemplary fig1 embodiment further includes a laser pumping means 300 . the pumping means includes an energy source ( e . g ., electrical or optical energy source , depending on laser type ) generally represented as a pump 302 . in the fig1 embodiment , wherein an erbium fiber is used as the gain medium 202 , the pump 302 can be an optical pump . a wavelength - division multiplexing coupler 304 is provided for coupling the pumping means to the cavity 200 . the wavelength division multiplexing coupler can be any multiplexer which allows pumping of the laser cavity 200 without loss of signal light ; i . e ., one which allows differential coupling between the pump 302 and the signal light . in an exemplary embodiment , the pump 302 can produce energy in the 980 nanometer wavelength range , and the wavelength division multiplexer coupler can be an aster wdm 1550 / 980 to accommodate a 980 nanometer pump and a 1550 nanometer signal . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , the first faraday rotator mirror 210 and the wavelength division multiplexer coupler 304 include low - birefringent fiber . however , those skilled in the art will appreciate that such a configuration is by way of example only . it is only significant in the exemplary embodiments described herein that the total length of the highly - birefringent fiber in the cavity 200 be relatively long in comparison with the low - birefringent fiber sections . in accordance with the exemplary fig1 embodiment , the highly - birefringent fiber section starts at the intra - cavity fiber end of the gain medium 202 ( e . g ., adjacent to a first lens 228 ) or as close to it as possible , to ensure that an amount of power in the polarization eigenmodes of the highly - birefringent fiber stays absolutely constant . the first faraday rotator mirror 210 , the wavelength division multiplexer coupler 304 and the highly - birefringent fiber 218 can , in an exemplary embodiment , be interconnected using fusion splices . the exemplary embodiment of fig1 further includes means for focusing energy generated along the axis 204 . the fig1 energy focusing means includes at least the first lens 228 for focusing energy received from the gain medium 202 onto the first cavity mirror 206 , and for directing energy from the cavity mirror 206 onto the gain medium 202 . the lens can be any optical element available for focusing light from the gain medium . in exemplary embodiments , the focal point of the lens should be selected to coincide with the first cavity mirror 206 so that the power density on the cavity mirror 206 is maximized . similarly , the focal point of the lens should be selected to coincide with maximizing power density on the gain medium 202 . in an exemplary implementation of a cavity , 2 . 6 meters ( m ) of highly - birefringent fiber were used with 0 . 6 m of standard communications - type low - birefringent fiber . the highly - birefringent fiber had a polarization beat length of 10 centimeters ( cm ) at the lasing wavelength of 1 . 567 microns ( μm ). it had an effective core area of 28 μm and the numerical aperture was 0 . 19 . the highly - birefringent fiber was doped with ≈ 5 × 10 18 erbium ions / cm 3 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the laser system configuration of the fig1 embodiment is by way of example only and that alternate embodiments can be used in accordance with the present invention . for example , the entire fig1 configuration can be reversed so that the faraday rotator mirror is to the left - hand side of the cavity and the cavity mirror 206 is to the right - hand side of the cavity . in accordance with the present invention , the exact locations of the faraday rotator mirror 210 and the faraday rotator 212 can readily be determined by those skilled in the art . however , in accordance with exemplary embodiments , the faraday rotator mirror 210 and the faraday rotator 212 define an intra - cavity portion of the cavity 200 wherein all fibers ( i . e ., highly - birefringent fiber and low - birefringent ) are located . further , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the non - polarization maintaining , low - birefringent fiber 220 can be located between the lens 228 and the gain medium 202 in an alternate embodiment . in such an embodiment , the erbium - doped , highly - birefringent fiber can be contained within the wavelength division multiplexer coupler 304 and / or the faraday rotator mirror 210 . once again , those skilled in the art will appreciate that further embodiments of the present invention can be readily implemented , with the significance being the relative lengths of low - birefringent fiber and highly - birefringent fiber within the intra - cavity portion of cavity 200 . equally , sections of fiber with different magnitudes of group - velocity dispersion can be concatenated to maximize the energy of the oscillating pulses . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , an 80 % reflecting cavity mirror 206 , and an ar - coated prism polarizer 216 can be used . further , an ar - coated 45 ° faraday rotator 212 with a 4 mm aperture , and an ar - coated quartz zero - order waveplate 214 can be used . the waveplate 214 can be optically contacted with a thickness of 3 mm . the intra - cavity fiber end contacted with the highly - birefringent fiber 218 can be cleaved at an angle of 10 ° and need not be ar - coated . a movable cavity mirror 206 can be employed , in an exemplary embodiment , for translation along the axis 204 and to start the modelocking process . in accordance with an exemplary operation of the fig1 embodiment , pulses as short as 360 femptoseconds or less can be produced with an energy content of approximately 60 picojoules . pump power variations of , for example , plus or minus seven percent will not introduce instabilities such as the onset of a continuous wave lasing background ( i . e ., a laser output which is not completely modelocked ) or multiple pulsing . stable modelocking can be obtained with exemplary values of δ ≈ 130 ° and α ≈ 10 °. once the waveplate 214 and the polarizer 216 are set , additional adjustment is unnecessary and they can remain permanently fixed . in accordance with exemplary embodiments , the laser is insensitive to perturbations of the low - birefringent fiber and allowed perturbations of the highly - birefringent fiber , when the perturbation period is large compared to its beat length . even when a strong perturbation is applied ( e . g ., by applying a strong twist to the fiber ) and modelocking is lost , once released , the fiber springs back to its original position and modelocking characteristics . further , such exemplary embodiments are insensitive to remaining residual intra - cavity reflections . further , a modelocking threshold can be achieved which is , for example , fifty percent higher than the pump power level of 70 mw ( measured in front of the wavelength division multiplexer coupler ) at which clean continuous wave - free single pulses cap be obtained in the cavity . in an alternate embodiment , the modelocking threshold can be reduced by incorporating an ar - coated intra - cavity fiber end . exemplary pulse spectra at the edges of an exemplary stability range are shown in fig3 a and 3b . as the pump power is increased , the pulses get shorter and their spectral width broadens , leading to an increased number of soliton periods per cavity length and a corresponding increased shedding of energy into a dispersive wave ( as indicated by the increased height of the spectral resonances ). a typical autocorrelation trace of exemplary pulses is shown in fig4 . the generated pulses are shown to include a typical fwhm width of 360 fsec with a time - bandwidth product of ≈ 0 . 30 for an exponentially decaying ( e . g ., sech 2 ) pulse shape , and are completely free of pedestals . the repetition rate of the pulses is 27 mhz and the average pulse energy measured after the output coupler is 10 picojoules . note that a pulse energy of 60 picojoules or higher can be extracted when using the light rejected by the polarizer . these values translate into an exemplary average intra - cavity pulse energy of 55 picojoules , which gives a round - trip non - linear phase delay of about 1 . 1 π which is comparable to results obtained in standard non - polarization - maintaining kerr - type modelocked fiber lasers . those skilled in the art will appreciate that alternate embodiments of the present invention are possible . for example , alterations to the basic laser cavity design , in addition to those already mentioned , can be used in accordance with the present invention . for example , rather using bulk components for a polarizer , waveplate , faraday rotator , cavity mirror and lens , integrated or pigtailed components can be used to perform these same functions . further , alternate cavity designs can be used to output laser energy . in fig5 , an alternate cavity includes a readily available pigtailed , all - fiber polarizer or polarization beam splitter ( fpbs ) 502 and two readily available fiber collimators 504 ( fc ). output coupling can be obtained at the all - fiber polarizer or polarization beam splitter 502 and additional fiber isolators ( fi ) 506 can be used to suppress unwanted back - reflections from the fiber output . in fig6 , an alternate embodiment of a cavity includes an output coupler at the faraday rotator mirror 210 or an additional fiber output coupler via fiber isolator 602 instead of the output coupler at the polarizers . in fig7 , an alternate embodiment of a cavity includes a semiconductor saturable absorber 702 or a fiber stretcher 704 to start - up the modelocking process . such features eliminate need to move the cavity mirror 206 to start up the modelocking process . the saturable absorber 702 can be any semiconductor saturable absorber formed on a substrate and having its band edge located in a vicinity of the laser wavelengths produced by the cavity . however , for purposes of the following discussion , reference will be made to a multiple quantum well ( mqw ) saturable absorber which can , for example , be based on alinas barriers and gainas wells . the saturable absorber saturation energy can be matched to the soliton energy of the fiber laser , and the total cavity length can be matched to the soliton period to ensure high - quality pulse generation without pedestals ( e . g ., by trial - and - error ). in another alternate embodiment , the saturable absorber can be used as the principal modelocking element . in this case , there is no need for high - birefringent fiber and the cavity can be assembled completely with non - polarization - maintaining fiber . the faraday elements thus only serve to stabilize the polarization state in the cavity . while the foregoing embodiments illustrate significant features of the present invention , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that alternate embodiments of the invention can readily be implemented . for example , the lens illustrated in the fig1 embodiment can focus the laser energy to a point with a beam diameter of less than approximately 10 micrometers . however , the desired accuracy for a given application can be selected by the designer . further , while lens 228 is illustrated for interconnecting various fig1 elements , those skilled in the art will appreciate that direct coupling to the fiber can be implemented such that this lens can be removed . alternately , additional lenses can be used if desired . further , while only a single saturable absorber is illustrated in the fig7 embodiment , more than one saturable absorber can be used if desired . in an exemplary embodiment , the power of the pump 302 can be up to 400 milliwatts or greater ( e . g ., typically less than 1 watt ). for example , the pump can be a 980 nanometer titanium sapphire source which produces a signal wavelength of 1 . 55 micrometers . input / output leads ( or ports ) of the wavelength division multiplexing coupler are labelled 1 - 4 , with the lead 1 being connected to the pump 302 , the lead 3 being directed to an output coupler via gain medium 202 , the output lead 2 being terminated with all fiber ends angle - cleaved to minimize spurious reflections , and the lead 4 being connected to the faraday rotator mirror 210 . the wavelength division multiplexing coupler can , for example , be an aster wavelength division multiplexer coupler having two input ports and two output ports , with light being directed from the first input port ( i . e ., from the pump ) to the output coupler via the gain medium . light which passes from the gain medium ( e . g ., erbium fiber ) to the faraday rotator mirror 210 is reflected back through the wavelength division multiplexing coupler to the third input port 3 of the wavelength division multiplexing coupler 304 . of course , alternate embodiments of the invention can include altered connections of the wavelength division multiplexer which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art ( see , for example , fig6 wherein port 4 of the wavelength division multiplexer is connected to the output coupler ). the laser 100 of fig1 can be operated in a continuous mode or can be operated in a pulsed oscillation mode ( pom ). a typical fiber laser can produce an output power ranging from 1 to 50 milliwatts or greater ( e . g ., for less than 1 watt power input ). note that the cavity 200 can also include additional bandwidth - limiting elements such as etalons or birefringent tuning plates , which can be used for wavelength - tuning the laser output . the cavity can also optionally include soliton shaping or no soliton shaping , in the presence of group - velocity walk - off between the polarization eigenmodes of the fiber or in the presence of soliton - trapping between the polarization eigenmodes of the fiber . these processes can occur simultaneously or in any combination and can stabilize the pulse formation . thus , the foregoing has described exemplary embodiments of the present invention which relate to use of a kerr - type modelocked fiber laser that incorporates an environmentally stable phase delay between its interfering cavity modes . the cavity is of great practical and commercial value since it operates without any continuously adjustable “ knobs ” to provide phase adjustment . the laser can therefore be easily assembled in a completely enclosed and sealed box . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted . 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 and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein . | 8 |
referring to the figures , a cylindrical chuck body designated generally by reference numeral 10 includes a cylinder portion 11 , and outboard end plate 12 and an inboard end plate 14 . end plates 12 and 14 are threadably received by cylinder portion 11 or are otherwise suitably secured by means of a flange 16 and bolts 17 to the end plate 12 . it will be understood trunion 15 may be keyed , if desired , for connection to appropriate driving means for rotating the chuck such as gears , belts or other suitable means . cylinder portion 11 is provided with an outboard opening 20 and an inboard opening 21 each of which receive check valves 22 and 24 , respectively , such check valves being similar to check valves commonly employed for pneumatic tires of automobiles and which may cooperate with the type of air hose valve used for applying air pressure to pneumatic tires . conventional regulating valves may be employed to select an appropriate air pressure which is supplied from a conventional pressure tank for compressed air or other appropriate source for compressed air . it will be noted that each check valve 22 and 24 communicates with a chamber 25 in chuck body 10 which is defined by the interior of cylinder portion 11 and the two end plates 12 and 14 . chamber 25 is hermetically sealed , or substantially hermetically sealed , and for this purpose o - rings 28 and 29 or other suitable sealing material are provided . chamber 25 which is of cylindrical configuration , receives a piston 26 which hermetically divides chamber 25 and has rigidly connected at its center a piston rod 27 extending normally therefrom in an inboard direction through an aperture 30 which is located centrally in inboard end plate 14 . piston 26 together with piston rod 27 are adapted to be reciprocated horizontally in chamber 25 between end plates 12 and 14 . piston 26 is thus moved in an inboard direction by applying a charge of compressed air to check valve 22 and is returned , moving in an opposite outboard direction by the further application of compressed air to check valve 24 . to ensure air pressure applied on one side of chamber 25 to move piston 26 exceeds that in its opposite side , outboard and inboard needle valves 31 and 32 are provided in cylinder portion 11 . o - rings 34 and 35 , received in grooves in aperture 30 , prevent air leakage from chamber 25 outwardly between piston rod 27 and surfaces defining aperture 30 . the inboard end of piston rod 27 is a tapered arbor portion 36 which is provided with a plurality , three in this embodiment of inclined plane wedge surfaces 37 which are displaced by an equal angle relative to each other ( 120 °) about arbor portion 36 . bearing against each surface 37 is a radial gripping element 40 . the elements are retained against end plate 14 of chuck body 10 by interlocking keyways and shaft members comprising t - slots 41 and corresponding profiled t - formation end portions 42 of elements 40 which are snugly but slideably received within slots 41 . each gripping element 40 has on its inward side a planar surface 44 which mates with a wedge surface 37 . each gripping element 40 has an outward gripping surface 45 which , with the corresponding portion 42 received in slot 41 , extends perpeneicularly to the outboard surface of end plate 14 and parallel to the longitudinal centerline 46 of piston rod 27 . each surface 45 may , if desired , be provided with transverse grooves , as shown , or longitudinal grooves , or knurling or the like to increase its capacity frictionally to engage the interior of a core 54 . if desired , surfaces 37 may be curved , convex or concave , as seen in cross - section at a right angle to centerline 46 in which case the mating surfaces of gripping elements 40 are curved in a corresponding manner . t - slots 41 , which , as seen in fig3 are 120 ° apart , are defined by the outer surface 47 of end plate 14 and three identical segments 50 which are included in body 10 and are each affixed to end plate 14 by a plurality of bolts 51 or other suitable securing means . each segment 50 has an inset or channel portion 52 which , with an adjoining segment 50 , define t - slots 41 for receiving the t - portions 42 . surfaces 45 of each gripping element 40 engage in an gripping relationship the internal cylindrical surface of the core 54 as will be disclosed in more detail subsequently . it is to be noted from fig2 the external cylindrical surface of core 54 receives a roll 55 of webbing which may be paper , film , foil , metal sheet coil , textile web material , etc . the slidable fit of the t - portion 42 within each t - slot 41 is sufficiently snug , whereby gripping elements 40 do not fall therefrom by reason of gravity when they do not bear against the interior surface of core 54 or are otherwise disengaged from core 54 . alternate gripping elements are manufactured for different size cores and they may be readily removed and replaced manually . a chuck in accordance with the invention is caused to engage core 54 by applying a charge of compressed air to valve 22 moving piston 26 and piston rod 27 in an inboard direction . as rod 27 so moves , the inclined plane wedge surfaces 37 , which are mated with the planar surfaces 44 of each gripping element 40 , move each gripping element 40 radially outwardly to engage the interior surface of core 54 with a force as determined by the net pressure applied to piston 26 . the combination of forces developed by the air pressure in chamber 25 against piston 26 and the inclined mating surfaces thus result in a selected torque capacity as required for the engagement of the chuck to core 54 and to maintain the web of roll 55 in a desired predetermined tension caused by the braking action applied to the web . because the mating inclined surfaces are identical and equally spaced radially in three places at 120 ° relative to each other , gripping elements 40 are caused to engage core 54 concentrically . as indicated above , gripping elements 40 are retained by the chuck body 10 through the t - slots 41 defined in its inboard face by end plate 14 and segments 50 and the corresponding t - portions which are on the outboard ends of gripping elements 40 . to change core sizes from , for example , a three inch core to a six inch core , chuck body 10 need not be removed from the winding equipment by disengaging trunion 15 ; instead only gripping elements 40 need be replaced to accommodate the six inch core . thus , it will be appreciated gripping elements 40 may be manufactured to any core size which may be reasonably anticipated . to disengage gripping elements 40 from the interior surface of core 54 , a charge of compressed air is applied to valve 24 , air having previously been bled by needle valve 31 from the outboard side of chamber 25 ( or , optionally , by holding valve 22 open in the absence of a needle valve ). this releases the original engagement charge of air and drives the piston 26 together with piston rod 27 in an outboard direction thus disengaging the outward gripping surface 45 of each gripping element 40 from the interior of core 54 . fig5 through 8 are directed to a preferred embodiment wherein , in effect , segments 50 are integral with and constructed with the same piece of material as end plate 14 which , together , are similarly integral with cylindrical portion 11 of the first embodiment and wherein the grip elements have an outer surface which extends substantially through an arc of 120 °. in the further embodiment , the same reference numerals have been applied to a number of components which are the same or essentially the equivalent of elements in the first embodiment having the same reference numeral . in the further embodiment , the cylindrical chuck body is designated generally by reference numeral 10a . a cylinder part 61 and an end plate 62 of body 10a define the chamber 25 . end plate 62 is secured to cylinder part 61 by a plurality of shoulder screws 64 which extend through openings 65 into threaded aligned bores 66 of end portion 62 . piston 26 is secured to piston rod 27a by a flat head bolt 67 threadably received in a bore 68 which is threaded and has the same longitudinal axis 46 as the axis of piston rod 27a . an o - ring 70 surrounds the bore 68 and bolt 67 to ensure that chamber 25 is hermatically sealed . this result is also contributed to by o - ring 35 which surrounds the piston rod 27a and is received in a groove in the cylinder part 61 . also to contribute to the hermatic sealing of chamber 25 , portion 62 is provided adjacent chamber 25 with a seal plate 71 which is secured thereto by a plurality of flat head bolts 72 received in aligned bores 74 which are threaded and extend through plate 71 into end portion 62 . end portion 62 is secured to a trunion or bearing shaft by threaded openings 75 which extend completely through end portion 62 wherein they are terminated by plate 71 . surrounding the threaded openings 75 is an o - ring 76 received in a groove in end portion 62 and end portion 62 is further sealed relative to the cylinder part 61 by an o - ring 28a which is received in a circular slot provided for such purpose in end portion 62 . it will be noted that as with the previous embodiment the cylindrical part 61 is provided with an outboard opening 20 and an inboard opening 21 , each of such openings receiving check valves 22 and 24 respectively for connection to an air hose valve for applying air pressure in chamber 25 for moving piston 26 together with piston rod 27a , depending upon which side of piston 26 air pressure is applied . the inboard part of piston rod 27a is provided with three slots , only one slot 75 being shown in fig5 the three slots being disposed at 120 ° about centerline 46 in the inboard portion of piston rod 27a . each slot receives a wedge member 36a which has an inclined plane wedge surface 37a and is secured to rod 27a by a bolt 76 which is threadably received in a bore 78 which is threaded at least in part and is aligned with a bore 79 in wedge member 36a with the head of the bolt 76 being countersunk in bore 78 whereby it is below surface 37a . a gripping element 40a has on its inward side a planar surface 44a which mates with wedge surface 37a . in this embodiment it will be noted that the gripping element 40a , only one of which is shown in fig5 extends through an arc of about 120 ° whereby it is roughly pie - shaped as seen in cross section and includes an outer surface 45a which , in this embodiment , is provided with longitudinal grooves and has a profiled t - formation end portion 42a which is received in a slot 41 which is a t - slot . accordingly , it will be understood that end portions 42a of elements 40a are snugly but slidably received within slots 41 . although each wedge member 36a is provided with a bolt 76 for securing same to the rod 27a , it will be appreciated that the aligned bores 78 and 79 are off - set longitudinally relative to each other as shown in this embodiment to preclude interference with one another in the vicinity of the centerline 46 . each gripping element 40a includes a transverse slot 80 which receives an o - ring 81 which serves the purpose of acting as an elastic or resilient member to urge each gripping element 40a towards the centerline 46 , the o - ring 81 being , as conventional , composed of an elastic material such as rubber . each gripping elements 40a is provided with an internal shoulder 82 which assists in maintaining the position of gripping element 40a relative to wedge member 36a . it will be appreciated that t - slots 41 are 120 ° apart and are machined into the inboard end of the chuck body 10a to receive the t - portions 42a of gripping elements 40a . the surfaces 45a of each gripping element 40a engage in gripping relationship with the internal cylindrical surface of a core in a manner as shown in fig2 for the previous embodiment except that in this embodiment the gripping surface which engages the internal surface of the core 54 is much larger . a chuck as shown in the embodiment of fig5 through 8 is caused to engage a core such as core 54 by applying a charge of air to valve 22 , thus moving piston 26 and piston rod 27a in an inboard direction . with such movement of rod 27a , the inclined plane wedge surfaces 37a of each wedge member 36a are mated with the planar surfaces 44a of each gripping element 40a thus moving each of the latter elements radially outwardly to engage the interior surface of the core with a force as determined by the net pressure applied to piston 26 . the forces developed by air pressure in chamber 25 against piston 26 in combination with the forces resulting from the inclined mating surfaces provide a torque capacity as desired for engagement of the chuck to the core and as necessary to maintain a web on the roll carried by the core in a desired predetermined tension caused by the braking action applied to the web . with the mating inclined surfaces identical and equally spaced radially in three places 120 ° relative to each other , gripping elements 40a engage the core concentrically . when it is desired to disengage such core , air is applied to the valve 24 thus causing the rod 27a to move outboard and the resilient force of o - ring 81 keeps the mating surfaces 37a and 44a in contact whereby the effective diameter of the outer surfaces 45a is reduced thereby releasing the core . in the event that larger gripping elements 40a are desired , the o - ring 81 is removed whereby gripping elements 40a are easily pulled from the t - slots 41 and replaced by different sized gripping elements 40a which , if necessary , may be held together by a somewhat larger o ring 81 which is placed in tension in slot 80 . by having removable gripping elements 40a , all standard core sizes may be used with the same chuck body 10a and change - over time is reduced . with the concentric engagement provided as shown in this embodiment , the frictional engagement with the interior of the core is increased whereby maximum winding speeds are possible with minimum vibration . moreover , there is a high torque capacity with the equipment as disclosed herein which allows relatively rapid starts and emergency stops . the chuck assemblies are preferably constructed of heavy alloy steel and it will be noted that with only one internal moving part , wear and maintenance are reduced . the usual different size gripping elements 40a provided to be interchangeable are for 3 inch , 4 inch , 5 inch and 6 inch internal diameter core sizes . air pressure is generally available in a general range of 60 to 100 psi . with 3 inch gripping elements at 60 psi , a torque capacity of over 6000 inches / pounds is provided . with gripping elements for 6 inch cores used with air pressure at 100 psi , the torque capacity exceeds 20 thousand inches / pounds . also it will be understood that the size of the piston is such ( about 7 inches in diameter ) that up to 2000 pounds of force is provided to engage and disengage the gripping elements 40a . the positive air engagement together with the positive air disengagement reduces jamming and core hang - ups . it is also important to appreciate that the simplicity of the design provides a chuck assembly which is relatively inexpensive as an initial investment and various gripping elements of different sizes can be purchased as required . fig5 and 6 are proportionally closely correct . the overall diameter of the chuck body 10a is 81 / 2 inches . its overall length is 57 / 8 inches with the piston 26 having a thickness of 3 / 4 inches in a chamber which is 15 / 8 inches in width whereby movement of the piston is about 0 . 875 inches . each gripping element extends outwardly from chuck body 40a 33 / 4 inches . it is intended that the drawings , particularly fig5 and 6 , be considered more than merely for illustration and generally representing the relationship of the various elements , but drawn to scale with the gripping elements 40a shown in fig5 and 6 being disposed for cores having a 3 inch internal diameter . nevertheless , it will be understood that the claims of the invention are not restricted to the exact form of construction , dimensions and proportions as shown in the drawings unless specifically stated . in view of the foregoing it is to be understood , although preferred embodiments of the invention are described above , the invention is capable of other adaptations and modifications within the scope of the claims which follow . for example , a larger number of gripping elements such as six may be provided , in which case , for the second embodiment , the arc displaced by each gripping element is proportionately reduced . moreover , other inventive concepts which may be disclosed in the specification or drawings or both which , if not set forth in the claims of this instrument , may be subject matter in applications subsequently filed under appropriate rules and statutes . | 8 |
referring now to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout , there is seen a lead frame for a chip package ( such as , for example , a qfn package ), designated generally by reference numeral 10 , comprising a central region ( commonly referred to in the industry as a “ die pad ”) 12 and a peripheral edge 14 extending in spaced relation to central region 12 , and upper and lower sets of conductive leads 16 , 18 , respectively , extending inwardly from peripheral edge 14 . as will be described in greater detail hereinafter , upper leads 16 are spaced from successively positioned ones of lower leads 18 in each of the three dimensions of a cartesian coordinate system ( x , y , and z ). lead frame 10 is manufactured using traditional etching processes , such as chemical etching , or equivalent chip package manufacturing processes , such as mechanical punching . referring to fig1 upper mask 20 includes a central region 24 of resist material that corresponds to central region ( die pad ) 12 of lead frame 10 , a peripheral edge region 26 of resist material that corresponds with the peripheral edge 14 of lead frame 10 , diagonally extending regions ( commonly referred to in the industry as “ tie bars ”) 28 of resist material diagonally extending fully between the corners of central region 24 and peripheral edge region 26 , and a series of laterally spaced apart , rectangular - shaped projections 30 extending inwardly from peripheral edge region 26 towards central region 24 a predetermined distance where they terminate at terminal ends 31 . it should be understood that the mask 20 is entirely symmetrical in that each side of mask 20 is identical to all other sides . projections 30 are of a generally uniform thickness , t , and extend along a longitudinal axis x - x . referring to fig2 lower mask 22 includes a central region 32 of resist material that corresponds to central region 12 of lead frame 10 , a peripheral edge region 34 of resist material that corresponds with peripheral edge 14 of lead frame 10 , a series of laterally spaced apart , rectangular - shaped projections 38 of resist material extending inwardly from peripheral edge region 34 towards central region 32 a predetermined distance where they terminate at terminal ends 40 , and a series of laterally spaced apart rectangular - shaped ( may be square - shaped ) projections 42 of resist material that are of the same thickness t as projections 30 , and positioned between central region 32 and peripheral edge region 34 and include terminal ends 44 nearest peripheral edge region 34 . the terminal ends 40 and terminal ends 44 positioned along any one side of mask 22 each extend along respective , common longitudinal axes a - a and b - b , respectively , that are substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart by a predetermined distance a . in addition , the side edges of projections 38 and the side edges of projections 42 that are successively positioned adjacent one another extend along respective longitudinal axes . c - c and d - d , respectively , that are substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart by a predetermined distance b . when manufacturing lead frame 10 , mask 20 is laid over the top surface of the metal lead frame ( preferably composed of copper ), and mask 22 is laid over the bottom surface of lead frame 10 , with the central regions 24 , 32 , and peripheral edge regions 26 , 34 , being vertically aligned with one another , thereby creating a lead frame having a masking that will produce an asymmetrical lead pattern . when aligned in this manner , projections 42 are vertically spaced from , but co - linearly aligned along axis x - x with corresponding ones of projections 30 , as illustrated in fig5 . when etching away material from the top surface of lead frame 10 and then away from the bottom surface of lead frame 10 , the material removed from the regions not covered with resist material leaves central region 12 , peripheral edge 14 , and leads 16 , 18 . due to the positioning of the resist material on masks 20 , 22 , and the amount of material removed during the etching ( or over - etching ) process ( the etching process removes material to a depth that is slightly greater than one half the thickness of the lead frame ), leads 16 take on an l - shape with the bottom surface 46 of the leg of the l extending in a first plane , and the upper surface 48 of leads 18 extending in a second plane that is parallel to and spaced from the first plane by a predetermined distance c , as illustrated in fig4 and 5 . although there are no currently known preferred distances for distances a , b , and c , because the spacing between the leads is in three dimensions , the combination of distances a , b and c preferably meet the following criteria : 1 . allow for minimum spacing between adjacent leads so as to maximize the effective lead pitch , and 2 . ensure that adjacent leads stay apart and no shorting occurs , especially due to solder bridging caused by the second level package chip attach process . both of these criteria are desirable goals to problems that are well understood in the art . also note that as illustrated in fig5 the distances a and c need not be the same . a chip package , designated generally by reference numeral 50 , as illustrated in fig6 includes a chip 52 attached to the central region ( die pad ) 12 and wire interconnects 54 extending between the chip &# 39 ; s i / os and leads 16 , 18 , all of which are encapsulated in an epoxy resin 56 . hence , once the partial etching process is completed , chip 52 may be attached to central region 12 of lead frame 10 , conductive wires 54 may interconnect the input and outputs of the chip to leads 16 , 18 , and epoxy 56 may be used to encapsulate the chip , lead frame , and conductive interconnects , while leaving the bottom surface of the central region 12 and leads 16 , 18 exposed , performed in a conventional manner that is well understood in the art . a conventional saw singulation process may then be used to cut away the peripheral edge 14 , thereby altering the package in order to expose the ends of leads 16 , 18 . the package may then be soldered to an integrated circuit board in a conventional manner . it should be understood that the lead frame described herein , and the process for manufacturing lead frame 10 , could be employed to manufacture a “ sheet ” of lead frames ( for instance a 4 × 4 sheet containing 16 lead frames ), a process that is well understood in the art . the present invention has been shown and described by way of a presently preferred embodiment , and many variations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention , as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
while various aspects of the inventive subject matter are described with reference to a particular illustrative embodiment , the inventive subject matter is not limited to such embodiments , and additional modifications , applications , and embodiments may be implemented without departing from the inventive subject matter . in the figures , like reference numbers will be used to illustrate the same components . those skilled in the art will recognize that the various components set forth herein may be altered without varying from the scope of the inventive subject matter . the disclosed subject matter is directed to providing trailer backup assist functionality in a manner that is relatively low cost and that offers an intuitive user interface . in particular , such trailer backup assist functionality provides for controlling curvature of a path of travel of a trailer attached to a vehicle ( i . e ., trailer path curvature control by allowing a driver of the vehicle to specify a desired path of the trailer by inputting a desired trailer path curvature as the backup maneuver of the vehicle and trailer progresses ). the various systems and methods disclosed herein may provide audible and / or visual information to the operator of a trailer backup assist system . particularly , the methods described herein are directed to a method of utilizing a trailer backup assist system or various systems that may be operable to measure a hitch angle of a trailer relative to a vehicle to determine a maximum controllable hitch angle . the maximum controllable hitch angle may correspond to a maximum angle of a trailer relative to a vehicle undertaking a reverse or backup maneuver based on various dimensional and functional characteristics of the vehicle and the trailer . the maximum controllable hitch angle may be determined by the method while the vehicle and the trailer are operating in a forward direction by monitoring the hitch angle . as such , under steady state conditions , the measurement of the hitch angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle may be utilized to determine the maximum controllable hitch angle . the measurement of the hitch angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle may also be utilized to estimate a length of a trailer . in various embodiments , the method may provide for a trailer backup assist system to learn or correct a trailer length input by an operator of a vehicle or stored in a memory of a trailer backup assist system . in this way , the systems and methods disclosed provide for a method of setup for a trailer backup assist system that is operable to both learn a trailer length of a trailer utilized by the system , but also is operable to correct a trailer length inputted or stored in a trailer backup assist system . as such , the disclosure provides for improved safety and accuracy in setting up and operating a trailer backup assist system by safely and accurately determining a trailer length and a corresponding maximum hitch angle of a trailer relative to a vehicle . referring to fig1 , a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle 2 coupled to a trailer 4 is shown in accordance with the disclosure . the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 are coupled about a hitch point 6 and are shown in a turning configuration angled at a hitch angle γ . the hitch angle γ is defined by the difference between a vehicle heading 8 and a trailer heading 10 about the hitch point 6 . when the trailer 4 is angled relative to the vehicle 2 at the hitch angle γ , it may be challenging for the operator of the vehicle to determine if the hitch angle γ is approaching a jackknife condition and a corresponding maximum hitch angle γ max . the vehicle 2 may be equipped with a trailer backup assist system 12 configured to control the vehicle 2 during a reversing or backup operation of the trailer 4 . based on the particular dimensional and functional characteristics of each combination of vehicle and trailer , the trailer backup assist system 12 is operable to maneuver the trailer according to specific dimensional limitations , such as the maximum hitch angle γ max . as such , for the trailer backup assist system 12 to account for the specific dimensional and functional characteristics of the vehicle and the trailer , certain dimensions must be input and / or identified by alternative measure techniques . the disclosure provides for various methods and techniques that may be utilized to safely determine such dimensions and ensure efficient and safe operation of the trailer backup assist system 12 . the backup assist system 12 is controlled by the operator of the vehicle 2 via an interface configured to receive a directional input , for example a steering input apparatus 14 disposed in a passenger compartment 16 of the vehicle 2 . the steering input apparatus 14 may be configured to control a reversing operation of the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 by receiving a rotational input corresponding to the hitch angle γ . as referred to herein , the trailer heading 10 may refer to a trailer heading that will result from a vehicle operator maintaining a current control input into the steering input apparatus 14 . the trailer heading 10 , the vehicle heading 8 , and additional heading information discussed herein may be updated by the trailer backup assist system 12 in response to a detected change in the steering input apparatus 14 . the vehicle 2 is further equipped with a display or screen 18 disposed in the passenger compartment 16 . the screen 18 is operably coupled to a display controller 20 . in response to the trailer hitch angle γ and other kinematic properties of the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 , the display controller 20 may be operable to generate and display a graphical representation of the vehicle heading 8 , the trailer heading 10 , and in some implementations , may be operable to display a predicted heading on the screen 18 . the graphical representation provides a reference for the vehicle operator to utilize to ensure safe operation of the steering input apparatus to maneuver the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 . referring to fig2 and 3 , a kinematic model 30 of the vehicle 2 coupled to the trailer 4 is shown . the kinematic model 30 is based on various parameters associated with the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 . from the kinematic model 30 , a maximum trailer heading 32 is shown at a maximum hitch angle γ max relative to the vehicle 2 . the kinematic model 30 parameters include : δ : steering angle at front wheels 34 of the vehicle 2 ; γ : hitch angle between the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 ; γ : maximum hitch angle of a particular vehicle 2 and trailer 4 ; l : length between a hitch point 6 and a rear axle center - line 36 of the vehicle 2 ; d : length between hitch point 6 and a trailer axle center - line 38 , wherein the position of the rear axle center - line 36 may be an effective , or equivalent , axle length for a trailer having a multiple axle configuration ; and the kinematic model 30 of fig2 relates the dimensions of the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 to the steering angle δ and the hitch angle γ . the steering angle δ and the hitch angle γ may be measured by a plurality of sensors of the trailer backup assist system 12 as discussed further in reference to fig4 . from the kinematic model 30 , a maximum hitch angle γ max and a trailer length d may be determined for a particular vehicle 2 and trailer 4 combination . the maximum hitch angle γ max and trailer length d may be determined based on a relationship of the steering angle δ and the hitch angle γ in relation to the radius of curvature r of the vehicle 2 . a simplified diagram 40 demonstrating the relationship of the steering angle δ and the hitch angle γ in relation to the radius of curvature r of the vehicle 2 is shown in fig3 . based on the relationships shown in fig3 , the minimum radius of curvature r min for the vehicle 2 is dependent on a maximum steering angle δ max and the wheel base w of the vehicle 2 . the maximum hitch angle γ max for the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 corresponds to the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 turning at the minimum radius of curvature r min . as such , the trailer length d and the δ max may be determined based on the trigonometric relationship shown demonstrated in eq . 1 . the wheel base w , the maximum steering angle γ max , and length l correspond to static dimensions that may not change when changing from a first trailer to a different , second trailer . the static dimensions of the vehicle 2 may correspond to dimensions that are not generally subject to change based on many common hitching configurations . as such , a control module of the trailer backup assist system 12 may be configured to calculate the maximum hitch angle γ max using eq . 2 . it is noted that the methods and equations discussed may be utilized similarly for other common hitching configurations , such as fifth wheel hitching configurations . based on eq . 2 , it is shown that the maximum hitch angle γ max may be determined based on the trailer length d and the static dimensions of the vehicle 2 . in this way , the trailer length d may be input by an operator of the trailer backup assist system 12 in order to calculate the maximum hitch angle γ max . in operation , the trailer backup assist system 12 may be configured to underestimate the trailer length in order to ensure that safe operation of a trailer backup assist function may be accomplished even if the trailer length is unknown . for example , if the trailer length is unknown , the system 12 may be configured to assign a minimum trailer length as the trailer length d . by utilizing the minimum trailer length as the trailer length in eq . 2 , the maximum hitch angle γ max is underestimated for the vehicle 2 and trailer 4 . as such , the maximum hitch angle γ max calculated based on the minimum trailer length ensures that the controller of the trailer backup assist system 12 will control the hitch angle γ within an underestimated range . underestimating the safe operating range of the hitch angle 8 may ensure that the trailer 4 is not accidentally placed in a jackknife condition during a reversing operation . while underestimating the trailer length d and the corresponding maximum hitch angle γ max may ensure safe operation of the trailer backup assist system 12 , it may also limit the utility of the system 12 by limiting the maximum hitch angle γ max . to ensure that safe operation and maximum performance are achieved , the system 12 provides for improving the trailer length d programmed into the system 12 by estimating the trailer length by utilizing eq . 3 . eq . 3 may be used to update and improve the trailer length d during forward operation of the vehicle 2 while monitoring the hitch angle γ of the trailer 4 . the estimated trailer length as d calc is calculated by measuring and updating the maximum hitch angle γ max of the trailer 4 during forward motion of the vehicle 2 . by monitoring and updating the maximum hitch angle γ max the trailer length d corresponding to the actual dimensions of the trailer may be improved . according to eq . 2 , an increase in the trailer length d results in an increase in the maximum hitch angle γ max . by updating and calculating the max hitch angle γ max and the trailer length d , the system 12 is operable to improve the performance of a reverse or backup operation of the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 . the performance is improved by accurately estimating the trailer length d and consequently increasing the maximum hitch angle γ max . in operation , this means that system 12 is operable to automatically configure the kinematic model 30 including the trailer length d and the maximum hitch angle γ max by operating the vehicle 2 in the forward direction through a range of steering angles and corresponding hitch angles . referring to fig4 , a block diagram of the trailer backup assist system 12 of the vehicle 2 is shown . the trailer backup assist system 12 is operable to control the curvature of path of the trailer 4 by adjusting the vehicle 2 in response to the steering input apparatus 14 . the backup assist system 12 operates by controlling the steering of the vehicle 2 via a power steering assist system 52 . the steering input apparatus 14 may comprise a touchscreen , knob or other various forms of input devices , and in some implementations may be in communication with a human machine interface ( hmi ) coupled to the screen 18 . the trailer backup assist system 12 includes a trailer backup assist control module 54 , the trailer backup steering input apparatus 14 , and a hitch angle detection apparatus 58 operable to monitor the hitch angle γ . the trailer backup assist control module 54 is in communication with the trailer backup steering input apparatus 14 and the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 . the control module 54 of the trailer backup assist system 12 is further in communication with a power steering assist control module 60 and may be indirectly in communication with a steering angle detection apparatus 62 of the power steering assist system 52 . the trailer backup assist system 12 may also in communication with a brake system control module 64 and a powertrain control module 66 for controlling motion of the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 . the trailer backup assist control module 54 ( e . g ., a trailer curvature algorithm thereof ) is operable to generate vehicle steering information as a function of information received from the trailer backup steering input apparatus 14 , the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 , the power steering assist control module 60 , the brake system control module 64 , and the powertrain control module 66 . in operation , the trailer backup assist control module 54 is operable to maneuver the vehicle 2 to achieve a commanded curvature of a path for the trailer 4 . the path of travel and the hitch angle γ are adjusted in response to an operator input into the steering input apparatus 14 . the control module is further operable to adjust the hitch angle γ of the trailer 4 relative to the vehicle in response to a hitch angle γ received from the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 . further detailed implementations of a trailer backup assist module are described in further detail in u . s . patent application ser . no . 14 / 294 , 489 , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 may operate in conjunction with a hitch angle detection component 68 which may be coupled to the vehicle 2 or the trailer 4 . the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 may be utilized in combination with the hitch angle detection component 68 to communicate information relating to the hitch angle γ to the trailer backup assist control module 54 . the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 may be implemented by proximity or distance sensors ( e . g . an ultrasonic sensor ), a camera - based sensor configured to visually monitor a target , or any angular measurement device . the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 may also be implemented as a device mounted proximate the hitch point 6 to measure the hitch angle γ . the trailer backup assist system 12 as discussed herein provides an intuitive system for maneuvering the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 by monitoring and controlling the hitch angle γ during a reverse operation . referring now to fig5 , the steering input apparatus 14 is shown as a component of an interface 74 configured to receive a directional input to control the trailer backup assist system 12 . the steering input apparatus 14 may be disposed in a center console portion 76 of the passenger compartment 16 of the vehicle 2 as an input device in communication with an hmi 78 . the hmi 78 may further be in communication with the display controller 20 and the screen 18 to provide the operator of the vehicle 2 with reference information generated by the display controller 20 . the reference information may include a graphical representation 80 of the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 including the maximum trailer heading 32 to assist the operator of the vehicle in utilizing the steering input apparatus 14 . in some implementations , the steering input apparatus 14 may comprise a rotatable control element in the form of a knob 82 . the knob 82 is further coupled to a movement sensing device 84 . the knob 82 may be biased ( e . g ., by a spring return ) to an at - rest position p ( ar ) between opposing rotational ranges of motion r ( r ), r ( l ). a force that biases the knob 82 toward the at - rest position p ( ar ) can increase ( e . g ., non - linearly ) as a function of the amount of rotation of the knob 82 with respect to the at - rest position p ( ar ). even in a spring biased configuration , an operator may have difficulty determining a relative position of the knob 82 and a corresponding trailer heading 10 in response to an input . the graphical representation 80 provides visual feedback to the operator to improve the intuitive nature of the steering input apparatus 14 . for example , as shown in fig5 , the knob 82 is rotated in the direction of the right rotational range r ( r ). in response to the rotation detected by the sensing device 84 of the steering input apparatus 14 , the trailer backup assist control module 54 has positioned the vehicle such that the trailer 4 is angled toward a passenger side of the vehicle 2 as shown in the graphical representation 80 . to assist the driver in operation of the vehicle 2 , the display controller 20 includes the vehicle heading 8 , the trailer heading 10 , and the maximum trailer heading 32 , as calculated from eq . 2 . the maximum trailer heading 32 may notify the operator of the vehicle 2 of a maximum hitch angle γ max that may be achieved to maneuver the trailer 4 . though the steering input apparatus 14 is discussed in detail in reference to the knob 82 and a corresponding rotating configuration , the steering input apparatus 14 may be implemented by any form of user input configured to direct the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 . for example , in some implementations , the screen 18 may be configured as a touchscreen . the touchscreen may be of any type suited to a particular application and may be resistive , capacitive , surface acoustic wave , infrared , or optical . the touchscreen may utilize a plurality of soft keys in communication with the display controller 20 and the trailer backup assist system 12 to select a location or path for the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 . the touchscreen may further provide options for the operator to select the vehicle 2 or the trailer 4 and control a direction of each via a plurality of directional inputs 86 . in some implementations , the hmi 78 may provide feedback to an operator of the vehicle 2 while the operator is waiting for the vehicle 2 to complete a command received by the trailer backup assist control module 54 . for example , the hmi 78 may provide feedback to the operator during control tasks and maneuvers of the vehicle 2 and the trailer 4 that may require an extended period to execute . in this way , the hmi 78 may provide a reassurance to the driver that the trailer backup assist control module 54 is functioning properly . the feedback may also serve to limit an operator from prematurely adjusting an input to the steering input apparatus 14 prior to the completion of a control task . the hmi 78 and the knob 82 may be configured to provide feedback to the operator of the vehicle 2 in a variety of ways . for example , a notification may be displayed on the screen 18 showing a remaining change in the trailer heading 10 based on an input received by the steering input apparatus . in some implementations , the remaining change in the trailer heading 10 may be displayed numerically on the screen 18 as an angle . the remaining change may also be displayed by updating the graphical representation 80 and / or the direction of the arrows denoting the trailer heading 10 . the graphical representation 80 may further be configured to flash on and off during the completion of a control task . one or more icons or symbols may also be overlaid on the screen notifying the operator that the trailer backup assist system 12 is active . the operator of the vehicle 2 may further be provided feedback for a turning operation of the trailer backup assist system 12 by audible or tactile feedback that may be provided by the hmi 78 and / or additional systems in the vehicle 2 . in some implementations , a steering wheel of the vehicle may vibrate or oscillate in response to conditions requiring that the steering angle δ be maintained at a maximum steering angle to complete a steering maneuver . also , periodic audible tones may be provided through one or more speakers in the vehicle 2 . the audible tones may increase in frequency as the vehicle heading 8 approaches the maximum hitch angle γ max with the trailer heading 10 ( e . g . a jack knife condition ). as the hitch angle γ decreases , the audible tone may change from continuous or high frequency tones to less frequent tones until the hitch angle γ is approximately zero and the tone stops . in some implementations , a steering warning may be displayed on the screen 18 alerting the operator of the vehicle 2 that the hitch angle γ is approaching the maximum hitch angle γ max . additionally , a steering error may be displayed on the screen 18 alerting the operator that the hitch angle γ has exceeded the maximum hitch angle γ max . the steering error displayed on the screen 18 may inform the operator that the vehicle 2 must be pulled forward to avoid a jackknife condition . in this way , the system 12 may alert the operator of the vehicle 2 that the steering angle γ as calculated by the method disclosed herein may be exceeded such that the operator may correct a current direction of the trailer 4 to avoid an error condition . referring now to fig6 , a method 90 for operating the trailer backup assist system 12 is shown . the method may begin by initializing the trailer backup assist system 12 ( 92 ). the trailer backup assist system 12 may be initialized in response to the connection of a trailer 4 to the hitch of the vehicle 2 . in response to the initialization of the trailer backup assist system 12 , the control module 54 may cause the display controller 20 to display a prompt on the screen 18 requesting that the operator input a trailer length d ( 94 ). in decision block 96 , if the trailer length d is not received , the trailer length d may be set to a minimum trailer length d min by proceeding to step 98 . in decision block 96 , if the trailer length d is received , the method 90 may complete an additional decision step 100 . in decision step 100 , the received trailer length d may be compared to an error threshold or the minimum trailer length d min . if the received trailer length d is less than the minimum trailer length d min , the method 90 may set the trailer length d to the minimum trailer length d min by proceeding to step 98 . if the received trailer length d is not less than the minimum trailer length d min , the method 90 may set the trailer length d to the received trailer length by proceeding to step 102 . steps 92 to 102 may serve as initialization or initial setup steps for the trailer length d . based on these steps it may be noted that the trailer length may initially set to a low estimate or minimum trailer length to ensure that the maximum hitch angle γ max is underestimated . in this configuration , the trailer backup assist system 12 can avoid approaching a jackknife condition even if the trailer length d is unknown . the minimum trailer length d min may correspond to a variety of lengths that may correspond to a particular style and / or type of vehicle 2 utilizing the trailer backup assist system 12 . in some embodiments , a minimum trailer length d min may correspond to a minimum length of trailer that is supported for backup assistance by the trailer backup assist system 12 . the minimum trailer length d min may also correspond to an average minimum trailer length based on customer surveys for a particular make and model of the vehicle 2 . in an exemplary embodiment , the minimum trailer length d min may be approximately 1 m . accordingly , the system is configured to underestimate the maximum hitch angle γ max to ensure safe operation . following steps 98 or 102 , the method 90 may continue to step 104 . in step 104 , the control module 54 may receive updated hitch angle data from the hitch angle detection apparatus 58 identifying an operating range of the hitch angle γ when the vehicle 2 is traveling in the forward direction . the maximum observed value of the hitch angle γ of the trailer 4 identified when the vehicle 2 is traveling in the forward direction may be set by the control module to update the maximum hitch angle γ max . the maximum hitch angle γ max may be changed in response to identifying an increased range or increased maximum hitch angle γ max . based on the updated maximum hitch angle γ max from step 104 , the system may further determine a calculated trailer length d calc by utilizing eq . 3 ( 106 ). in this way , the system is operable to improve an input or calculated trailer length d such that the operating range corresponding to the maximum hitch angle γ max may be improved and increased in response to observed hitch angles γ identified while the vehicle 2 is operating in the forward direction . as an additional safety precaution , the system 12 may continue to decision step 108 to determine if the calculated trailer length d calc is less than the error threshold or the minimum trailer length d min . if the calculated trailer length d calc is not less than the minimum trailer length d min , the method 90 may continue to step 110 to set the trailer length d to the calculated trailer length d calc . if the calculated trailer length d calc is less than the minimum trailer length d min , the method 90 may continue to decision step 112 to determine if the value of d calc converges toward a value less than the minimum trailer length d min . if the calculated trailer length d calc converges toward a value less than the minimum trailer length d min , for a plurality of cycles or calculations over time , the control module 54 may set the trailer length d to a value less than the minimum trailer length d min in step 114 . if in decision step 112 , the control module 54 does not identify that the calculated trailer length d calc is converging toward a value less than the minimum trailer length d min , the control module 54 may continue to step 104 to update and observe hitch angle γ while the vehicle is operating in the forward direction . over time the trailer length may converge toward an increased trailer length . the increased trailer length will allow the trailer backup assist system 12 to increase an operating range for maneuvering by estimating the maximum hitch angle γ max as discussed herein . in this way the system 12 may provide for an accurate estimation of a trailer length and improve a maneuvering range while avoid jackknife conditions . it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention , and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise . | 1 |
two coaxial contact parts 8 a and 8 b for the positive pole and , contact parts 9 a and 9 b for the negative pole are provided in each case as contact elements in the switching mechanism 1 . the contact parts 8 a and 9 a are arranged on the operating slide 4 or connected thereto , and simultaneously also make the respective contact wiht the supply leads to the switching mechanism 1 . the contact parts 8 b and 9 b are located in the end face 10 , directed toward the tripping mechanism , or the switching mechanism 1 . however , they are separated from the coded magnet parts 5 a - 5 d . the embodiment represented is suitable , in particular , for the low - voltage range , for example 12 volts , and for direct current . of course , however , it is also suitable in principle for higher voltages and also for alternating current . with reference to their design principle and to the fact that they are switched via coded magnets , the switching mechanism 1 and the tripping mechanism 2 are designed in a similar way to the device described in ep 0 573 471 b1 . thus , the switching mechanism 1 has a closed assembly with a housing 3 . in the state of rest , that is to say when the tripping mechanism 2 is not mounted on the switching mechanism 1 , an operating slide 4 on which actuating magnets 5 in the form of coded magnet parts 5 a - 5 d are arranged is held on the base of the housing 3 by a ferromagnetic retaining plate 6 . as may be seen , in particular , from fig1 , the coded magnet parts 5 a - 5 d are arranged in the central or inner region of the switching mechanism 1 in such a way that north and south poles adjoin one another in each case on the side directed toward the tripping mechanism 2 . this provides a coded actuating magnet 5 with two north poles and two south poles in a specific arrangement which cooperate only in the sense of an attractive force with magnet parts which are of correspondingly opposite polarity . together with the ferromagnetic retaining plate 6 , resetting springs 7 ensure resetting of the operating slide 4 after separation of the tripping mechanism 2 from the switching mechanism 1 . two coaxially sequential contact parts 8 a and 8 b for the positive pole and , contact parts 9 a and 9 b for the negative pole are provided in each case as contact elements in the switching mechanism 1 . the contact parts 8 a and 9 a are arranged on the operating slide 4 or connected thereto , and simultaneously also make the respective contact with the supply leads to the switching mechanism 1 . the contact parts 8 b and 9 b are located in the end face 10 , directed toward the switching mechanism , of the switching mechanism 1 . however , they are separated from the coded magnet parts 5 a - 5 d . located in the outer circumferential region on the end face 10 , facing the tripping mechanism , of the switching mechanism 1 is a projection which can be constructed as a partial annular bead 11 . in this case , the partial annular bead 11 extends over 330 degrees , for example . this means that there remains a corresponding free space 12 of approximately 30 degrees . located diametrically opposite the free space 12 in the partial annular bead 11 is an elevation 13 which likewise extends over an angular range of approximately 30 degrees . the tripping mechanism 2 represented in fig4 and 5 is provided in the same circumferential region with a depression which is complementary or adapted to the partial annular bead 11 and can be constructed as a partial annular groove 14 . just like the partial annular bead 11 , the partial annular groove 14 extends over a range of approximately 330 degrees . likewise present is a free space 15 with a width , again , of approximately 30 degrees . located opposite the free space 15 in the partial annular groove 14 is a deeper trough 16 which likewise extends over an angular range of approximately 30 degrees . the tripping mechanism 2 also has coded tripping magnets 17 with tripping magnet parts 17 a to 17 d . the polarities of the tripping magnet parts 17 a to 17 d are selected such that when the tripping mechanism is mounted on the switching mechanism ( see fig6 ) north and south poles are respectively situated opposite one another so that an appropriate attractive force is exerted on the operating slide 4 . contact elements 18 and 19 separated from the tripping magnet parts 17 a - 17 d are likewise provided for introducing current into the tripping mechanism 2 so that a consumer ( not represented ) can be supplied appropriately with current or voltage . this purpose is served by cables 20 and 21 connected to the contact elements 18 and 19 . as may be seen from fig5 , the contact elements 18 and 19 are configured under the pretensioning of a spring device 22 in such a way that the correspondingly spring - mounted contact elements 18 and 19 project slightly from the end face 23 , directed toward the switching mechanism 1 , of the tripping mechanism 2 . a good current contact is created in this way when the switching mechanism 1 is connected to the tripping mechanism 2 . for reasons of assembly , the tripping mechanism 2 is provided in two parts with a cover 24 on the side averted from the end face 23 . when the cover 24 is removed , it is possible to access the cables 20 and 21 and the contact elements 18 and 19 , and likewise the tripping magnets 17 . this also provides the fastening of an earthing spring 25 whose front end projects in the form of a loop 26 in a resilient fashion beyond the front end face 23 in the region of a centering nose 27 of the tripping mechanism 2 . one or more earthing springs 25 arranged along the circumferential wall of the tripping mechanism cooperates in this way in the case of coupling of the switching mechanism 1 and the tripping mechanism 2 with an earthing ring 28 of the switching mechanism 1 ( see fig6 ). fig6 shows the switching mechanism 1 and the tripping mechanism 2 in the mutually connected state , current being transmitted from a current source ( not represented ) via the contact parts 8 a , 8 b and 9 a , 9 b onto the contact elements 18 and 19 . as soon as the tripping mechanism 2 is mounted on the switching mechanism 1 , the operating slide 4 is raised out of its rest position from the ferromagnetic retaining plate 6 by the magnetic force of the coded magnets 5 and 17 . because of the partial annular bead 11 with its elevation 13 , the tripping mechanism 2 can in this case be placed on the switching mechanism 1 only in a fashion so accurate to fit that the elevation 13 comes to lie in the deepened trough 16 of the partial annular groove 14 . this ensures that it is always only the two positive poles and the two negative poles of the contact parts 8 and 9 which come to one another . in this way , the current is transmitted from the contact parts 8 a and 9 a , which are connected to the power supply , onto the contact parts 8 b and 9 b , and thus onto the contact elements 18 and 19 of the tripping mechanism 2 . this position is to be seen in fig3 , while fig2 shows the operating slide 4 in the rest position . the earthing ring 28 is connected to an earthing line ( not represented ), thus providing the cooperation with the earthing spring 25 , and thus additional safety against short circuiting or other instances of malconduction of current . in order to separate the tripping mechanism 2 from the switching mechanism 1 , which is installed in any desired position in a part surrounding the switching mechanism 1 , for example a dashboard 29 , all that is required is to disengage the tripping mechanism 2 from the switching mechanism 1 through a slight rotation . in this case , the interruption of current is facilitated by the partial annular bead 11 with its elevation 13 in cooperation with the partial annular groove 14 and the trough 16 . as is to be seen from fig6 , specifically , in the switched state the elevation 13 of the switching mechanism 1 is situated in the trough 16 of the tripping mechanism 2 . the remaining region of the partial annular bead 11 is situated in the partial annular groove 14 . the two free spaces 12 and 15 are likewise situated one above another . if the tripping mechanism 2 is now rotated appropriately , the elevation 13 “ rises ” out of the trough 16 and at the same time a part of the partial annular bead 11 likewise passes out of the partial annular groove 14 into the region of the free space 15 . this means that during the rotation a spacing is necessarily created between the end face 10 of the switching mechanism and the end face 23 of the tripping mechanism 2 , the coded tripping magnets 17 distancing themselves from the actuating magnets 5 in such a way that the operating slide 4 cooperates with the resetting springs 7 to return into its rest position on the ferromagnetic plate 6 . this provides quick and reliable separation of the contact elements , and thus interruption of the current to the tripping mechanism 2 and thus to the consumer . the formation of sparks is avoided in this way . numerous applications are possible for the electromechanical connecting device according to the invention . computer engineering may be mentioned here purely by way of example . a further field of application is motor vehicles , it being possible for the switching mechanism 1 to be installed in the dashboard 29 , for example . as may be seen , the switching mechanism projects only slightly above the front of the dashboard , and the overall depth is also very shallow . further fields of application are , for example , consumer electronics such as , for example , video equipment and hi - fi towers with their controls . it is also possible for other controlling and monitoring devices to be provided with the electromechanical connecting device according to the invention . | 7 |
the present application is directed toward a portion of a wireless access system . additional disclosure of the wireless access system may be found in the following applications which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety : application ser . no . 10 / 261 , 933 , entitled “ rf channel linking method and system ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 207 , entitled “ energy saving motor - driven locking subsystem ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 509 , entitled “ cardholder interface for an access control system ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 196 , entitled “ system management interface for radio frequency access control ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 194 , entitled “ power management for locking system ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 507 , entitled “ general access control features for a rf access control system ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 077 , entitled “ rf wireless access control for locking system ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 508 , entitled “ maintenance / trouble signals for a rf wireless locking system ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 ; and application ser . no . 10 / 262 , 249 , entitled “ rf dynamic channel switching method ” filed sep . 30 , 2002 . fig1 illustrates a block diagram of the components of a wireless access system 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the wireless access system 100 includes several components installed at one of two generalized locations , an access control panel location 102 and an access point location 103 . the access control panel location 102 includes an access control panel ( acp ) 110 and a wireless panel interface module ( wpim ) 120 . the access point location 103 includes a wireless access point module ( wapm ) 130 and an access point 140 . the access control panel 110 communicates with the wpim 120 through a bi - directional wired communication link 115 . the wpim 120 communicates with the wapm 130 through a bi - directional rf communication link 125 . the wapm 130 communicates with the access point 140 through a bi - directional wired communication link 135 . the access point 140 is preferably a door or portal , but may be a container , secure location , or a device of some kind , for example . in operation , an access signal is read at the access point 140 . the access signal may be a signal from an access card , for example , a magnetic stripe or wiegand access card . alternatively , the access signal may be a biometric or a numeric sequence or some other access signal . the access signal is relayed from the access point 140 to the wapm 130 through the wired communication link 135 . as further described below , the access point 140 may be integrated into the wapm 130 to form a single component or may be a separate component wired to the wapm 130 . once the wapm 130 receives the access signal from the access point 140 , the wapm 130 transmits the access signal to the wpim 120 over the rf communication link 125 . the wpim 120 receives the access signal and relays the access signal to the acp 110 over the wired communication link 115 . fig2 illustrates a block diagram of the components of an expanded wireless access system 200 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the expanded wireless access system 200 includes an acp 210 , multiple wired communication links 220 , 222 numbered 1 to n , multiple wpims 222 , 252 numbered 1 to n , multiple rf communication links 230 , 232 , 260 , 262 numbered 1 to k and 1 to j , and multiple wapms 240 , 242 , 270 , 272 numbered 1 to k and 1 to j . the expanded wireless access system 200 is similar to the access system 100 of fig1 , and includes the same components , but has been expanded to include multiple access points , wapms , and wpims . in the expanded wireless access system 200 , a single acp 210 communicates with a number n of wpims 222 , 252 over a number n of wired communication links 220 , 250 . that is , the acp supports communication with and provides access decisions for plurality of wpims 222 , 252 . each wpim 222 , 252 may in turn support a plurality of wapms 240 , 242 , 270 , 272 each wapm positioned at a single access point . for example , wpim # 1 communicates with a number k of wapms 240 , 242 over a number k of rf communication links 230 , 232 . additionally , wpim # n communicates with a number j of wapms 270 , 272 over a number j of rf communication links 260 , 262 . in a preferred embodiment , the acp 210 supports three wpims and each pim can support up to six wapms . however , as more advanced and configurable systems are developed , the total numbers of wpims and wapms supported is expected to rise . additionally , the n wired communication links 220 , 250 are illustrated as the preferred embodiment of rs486 communication links . alternatively , other well - known communication protocols may be employed . fig3 illustrates a wireless access point module ( wapm ) 300 for the wireless access system 100 of fig1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the wapm 300 includes a housing 310 , indicators 320 , a wired communication link 330 , a rf communication link 332 , and an antenna 325 . the housing 310 includes a locking control circuit 340 , an access / monitoring processor 350 , a transceiver 360 , a power supply 370 , an override port 380 , and an access reader 390 . the indicators 320 may include one or both of an audio indicator 322 and a visual indicator 324 . an access point 301 is also shown in fig3 . the power supply 370 provides power to all of the other systems of the housing 310 , including the transceiver 360 , the locking control circuit 340 , and the access / monitoring processor 350 . the power supply 370 may be an internal battery or other internal type of power supply . alternatively , an ac power supply may be employed . the transceiver 360 is coupled to the antenna 325 to allow signals to be sent and received from the housing 310 to an external point such as a wpim through the rf communication link 332 . the locking control circuit 340 is coupled to the access point 301 and provides locking control signals to the access point 301 through the wired communication link 330 . additionally , the locking control circuit 340 may receive feedback from the access point 301 through the wired communication link 330 , for example to verify that the access point is secured . the access reader 390 receives access signals such as from an integrated card reader or other access device , for example . the indicators 320 may provide a visual or audio indication , for example , of the state of the wapm 300 or that an access signal has been read by the access reader 390 . in operation , an access signal may be received from the access reader 390 . the access signal is then relayed to the access / monitoring processor 350 . the access / monitoring processor 350 then sends the access signal to the transceiver 360 . the transceiver 360 transmits the access signal to wpim 120 of fig1 that is interfaced to the acp 110 . as further explained below , the acp 110 includes a database of authorized access signals . if the access signal received from the wapm 300 is determined by the acp 110 to be a signal corresponding to an authorized user , a confirmation is transmitted from the acp 110 to the wpim 120 and then to the transceiver 360 of the wapm 300 . the confirmation is relayed from the transceiver 360 to the access / monitoring processor 350 . the access / monitoring processor 350 then sends a locking control signal to the locking control unit 340 . when the locking control unit 340 receives the locking control signal , the locking control unit 340 activates the access point 301 through the wired communication link 330 to allow access . the indicators 320 may be a visual or audible signal that the housing 310 has read an access signal , transmitted the access signal to the remote access control panel , received a confirmation , or activated the locking member , for example . the wapm 300 may include several variations . for example , the wapm may be an integrated reader lock ( irl ), a wireless reader interface ( wri ), a wireless integrated strike interface ( wisi ), a wireless universal strike interface ( wusi ), or a wireless portable reader ( wpr ). the irl includes an integrated access reader and lock . that is , the irl is similar to fig3 , but includes the access point as part of the housing . the wri is similar to the irl , but does not include an integrated access reader and instead receives signals from a third party access reader . the wisi includes an integrated reader and lock and is mounted directly into the strike of the access point , such as a door , for example . the wusi is similar to the wisi , but does not include an integrated reader and lock and may instead be connected to a third party reader and / or lock . the wpr is a portable reader that may be taken to a remote location and determine access decisions at the remote location , for example , for security checks or badging checks . fig4 illustrates a wpim 400 for the wireless access system 100 of fig1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the wpim 400 includes a housing 410 , an antenna 465 , and indicators 420 . the housing 410 includes a data port 430 , a control processor 450 , a transceiver 460 and an acp interface 470 . fig4 also shows an rf communication link 467 , a wired communication link 472 , and an acp 480 . power is typically supplied to the wpim via an ac power supply or through the wired communication 472 . the transceiver 460 is coupled to the antenna 465 to allow signals to be sent and received from the housing 410 to an external point such as a wapm through the rf communication link 467 . the acp 480 is coupled to the wpim 400 through the wired communication link 472 . the data port 430 is coupled to the control processor 450 to allow an external user such as a technician , for example , to interface with the control processor . the indicators 420 may provide a visual or audio indication , for example of the state of the wpim 400 or that an access signal has been passed to the acp 480 or an authorization passed to a wapm 300 . in operation , the wpim 400 receives access signals from the wapm 300 through the antenna 465 and transceiver 460 . the wpim relays the access signals to the acp 480 for decision making . once the access decision has been made , the acp 480 transmits the access decision through the wired communication link 472 to the wpum 400 . the wpim 400 then transmits the access decision to the wapm 300 . as mentioned above , the wpim 400 includes a data port 430 . the data port 430 is preferably an rs485 port . the data port 430 may be used , for example , by an operator to connect a computer to the wpim 400 to perform various tasks , such as configuring the wpim 400 , for example . some exemplary wpim items for configuration include the transmission frequency for the communication link with the wapm and the performance of the indicators 420 . additionally , configuration information may be received by the data port 430 of the wpim 400 and relayed to the wapm 300 via the transceiver 460 . the configuration information that is received by the wapm 300 may then by relayed to the access / monitoring processor 350 of the wapm 300 for implementation at the wapm 300 . the wpim may include several variations including a panel interface module ( pi ) and a panel interface module expander ( pime ). as mentioned above , a single pim may communicate with multiple wapms . additionally , the housing for the pim is preferably constructed to allow additional pim modules to be installed in the pim housing to form the pime . because the pime includes multiple pim modules , the pime may service more access points . the features of one of the preferred embodiments present a method and system for conserving battery life in an access control system . thus , one aspect of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is an access system that employs a piezo electronic locking subsystem as further described below . the exemplary discussion below focuses on the use of the wireless access system 100 of fig1 configured to provide access through a door . although the access point below is presented as a door , it is only one example of the possible access points . fig5 is a schematic block diagram of a piezo - electronic locking subsystem 500 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the piezo - electronic locking subsystem 500 includes an electronic control processor 510 , a piezo - electric lock 520 , a dc power supply 530 , a bolt 535 , and a latch 540 . an authorizing unit signal 501 is also shown . the dc power supply is preferably a battery , but any device for supplying dc power may be substituted . in operation , the electronic control processor 510 of the piezo - electronic locking subsystem 500 receives an authorizing unit signal 501 . the authorizing unit signal 501 may be received from the locking control unit 340 of fig3 , for example , in response to a user access decision . the electronic control processor 510 then sends a command to the piezo - electric lock 520 in response to the received authorizing unit signal 501 . the piezo - electric lock 520 preferably includes an internal piezo - electric element as well as a positional displacement amplifier . the piezo - electric element may be any element having a physical dimension that varies when an electric voltage is applied across the element , such as a piezo - electric crystal , for example . the positional displacement amplifier is preferably in cooperation with the piezo - electric element and serves to increase the displacement arising when a voltage is applied cross the piezo - electric element . for example , the positional displacement amplifier may increase the displacement generated by the piezo - electric element by a factor of 10 . the positional displacement amplifier is preferably connected to and used to position the bolt 535 . the piezo - electric lock 520 is preferably configured so that the piezo - electric lock 520 is in a locked position when voltage is applied to the piezo - electric element . that is , voltage applied across the piezo - electric element causes the piezo - electric element &# 39 ; s shape to change and the change in shape is amplified by the positional displacement amplifier which drives the bolt 535 closed . when no voltage is applied to the piezo - electric element , the bolt 535 is not displaced . consequently , the piezo - electric lock is open when no voltage is applied . alternatively , the polarity of the piezo - electric lock may be reversed so that the piezo - electric lock is in an open configuration when a voltage is applied and transitions to a locked configuration when no voltage is applied . when the dc power supply 530 receives the command from the electronic control processor 510 to initiate a locking operation , the dc power supply 530 is enabled to apply a voltage across the piezo - electric element . the applied voltage causes the bolt 535 to be displaced into the latch 540 consequently locking the piezo - electric lock and securing the door . to unlock the door , an authorizing unit signal 501 is sent to the electronic control processor 510 . the electronic control processor 510 then removes the voltage applied to the piezo - electric element in the piezo - electric lock 520 . once the voltage is no longer supplied to the piezo - electric element , the piezo - electric element reverts to its original shape and the bolt 353 assumes an unlocked position . fig6 illustrates a flowchart 600 of the operation of the piezo - electronic locking subsystem 500 of fig5 . the flowchart begins at step 610 when the piezo - electronic locking subsystem 500 is turned on . the flowchart then proceeds to step 620 and queries whether the door is currently locked . as mentioned above , the piezo - electric lock is preferably configured to assume a locked configuration when a voltage is applied to the lock . if the door is locked , the flowchart then proceeds to step 630 . at step 630 , the process queries whether an authorizing signal has been received by the piezo - electronic locking subsystem 500 in order to unlock or open the door . if no authorizing signal has been received , the process then proceeds back to step 620 . conversely , if an authorization signal has been received , the process proceeds to step 640 and the voltage is removed from the piezo - electric element in order to unlock the bolt . the process then proceeds back to step 620 . returning to step 620 , if the process determines that the door is unlocked , the process proceeds to step 650 . at step 650 , the process determines whether a pre - determined time limit has elapsed . that is , the piezo - electric lock is preferably configured to remain open only for a certain pre - determined time . after the predetermined time has lapsed , the piezo - electric lock preferably re - locks to secure the door . if the pre - determined time limit has elapsed at step 650 , then the process proceeds to step 670 and a voltage is applied to the piezo - electric lock in order to lock the door . if the pre - determined time limit has not elapsed at step 650 , then the process proceeds to step 660 . at step 660 , the process queries whether an authorization signal has been received to lock the door . if no locking signal has been received , the process proceeds back to step 620 . conversely , if an authorization signal to lock the door has been received , the process proceeds to step 660 and the voltage is reapplied across the piezo - electric element in order to lock the door . the process then proceeds back to step 620 . while particular elements , embodiments and applications of the present invention have been shown and described , it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art , particularly in light of the foregoing teaching . it is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover such modifications and incorporate those features that come within the spirit and scope of the invention . | 7 |
fig3 is a block diagram of the apparatus of the present invention employing an adaptive filter for polarity detection . for the sake of simplicity , many of the basic components in an auto - setup home theater system are not illustrated here . referring to fig3 , a noise source 41 may be used to generate a sound pattern or series of impulses or the like . as discussed above , this sound source could comprise a number of sound patterns generated from a stored sound pattern or generated spontaneously . in this embodiment , the output of noise source 41 may first be passed through a second order 400 hz low pass filter 42 to pass only those frequencies substantially below 400 hz . a digital to analog converter ( dac ) 43 converts this digital sound pattern into an analog signal , which is then driven through speaker 44 . the digital signal from noise source 41 may also be sent as an input to impulse response generator 46 , which in the preferred embodiment is an adaptive filter . microphone 45 , placed in the listening space , picks up the sound produced by speaker 44 , which is then converted to digital form in analog to digital converter ( adc ) 48 . the resultant digital signal is then transmitted to adaptive filter 46 , which then determines the impulse response of the system . a further description of this adaptive filtering technique is set forth in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 038 , 577 , filed on jan . 21 , 2005 ( cirrus logic docket no . tune 1539 - dsp ), and incorporated herein by reference . in that application , system response was used to determine speaker distance from the microphone as well as the phase response of the system . the term “ phase ” may be used in the art two slightly different ways . first , the “ phase of the speaker ” is sometimes used to refer to the polarity of a loudspeaker , that is , which way the two wires are connected . this version of “ phase ” may take one of two values , either “ in - phase ” or “ out - of - phase ”. in the present application , to avoid confusion , the term “ speaker polarity ” will be used to describe the wiring connection to the loudspeaker . secondly , the “ phase response ” of the speaker in the room is a function of frequency . the magnitude response ( often inaccurately just called the “ frequency response ”) is the power level ( y - axis , usually in db ) plotted against frequency ( x - axis in hz ). also , the magnitude and phase responses are really two aspects of the overall “ frequency response ” of the system . sometimes this term “ frequency response ” may be referred to by the phrase “ the magnitude and phase response ”, which is a singular term instead of a plural term , as the response that contains both magnitude and phase information before they are separated into two responses fig4 is a block diagram of an alternative embodiment of the present invention employing an adaptive filter for polarity detection . for the sake of simplicity , many of the basic components in an auto - setup home theater system are not illustrated here . referring to fig4 , a noise source 51 may be used to generate a sound pattern or series of impulses or the like . as discussed above , this sound source could comprise a number of sound patterns generated from a stored sound pattern or generated spontaneously . in this embodiment , the output of noise source 51 may be sent to a digital to analog converter ( dac ) 53 , which converts this digital sound pattern into an analog signal , which is then driven through speaker 54 . the digital signal from noise source 51 may be sent as an input to impulse response generator 56 , which in the preferred embodiment is an adaptive filter . microphone 55 , placed in the listening space , picks up the sound produced by speaker 54 . the output of microphone 55 may be first converted to digital form in analog to digital converter 58 . the resultant digital signal may then be sent to adaptive filter 56 , which determines impulse response of the system . the impulse response may then be filtered in second order 400 hz low pass filter 52 , and from this filtered system response , the polarity of speaker 54 can then be determined as in fig3 . the polarity of the speaker may be determined from the impulse response of fig3 or 4 as follows . the fundamental concept behind both embodiments of fig3 and 4 is that instead of analyzing the impulse response for the entire frequency range , only a band - limited range is analyzed . when the frequency response is limited , the associated impulse response is different than that associated with the full spectrum . for a hypothetical ideal system with completely flat magnitude response and zero delay , the impulse response will be a perfect impulse . fig5 illustrates this hypothetical perfect response as a ( 0 , 1 ) followed by ( n , 0 ) for all n & gt ; 0 , when graphed on an x , y ordinate . given the same hypothetical “ perfect ” system , if the loudspeaker is hooked up backward , the impulse is inverted . fig6 illustrates this hypothetical response as a ( 0 ,− 1 ), followed by ( n , 0 ) for all n & gt ; 0 . if there is a delay in the system ( i . e ., the distance between the speaker and microphone ), then the impulse is delayed accordingly . fig7 illustrates this hypothetical response as m zeros followed by ( m , 1 ), followed by ( n , 0 ) for all n & gt ; m + 1 . the distance can be computed as ( speed_of_sound * m / samplerate ). fig6 - 8 illustrate the response for a hypothetical ideal system . however , for a system operating in real - world conditions , the impulse response may appear more like fig8 . not only is the impulse “ wider ” than it should be , it is not the only peak ; several other pulses appear in the response profile . to determine speaker wiring polarity ( for clarity the term “ phase ” is not used in this context ), the determination could be based off the first “ large ” peak shown in fig8 . the small dip prior to 100 in the graph of fig8 would be ignored . one problem may occur when the loudspeaker comprises a 2 - or 3 - way loudspeaker , and not all the drivers are wired with the same polarity . the reason some driver wiring may be reversed is to compensate for phase differences introduced by the speaker crossover filter , as noted previously . this wiring is especially common in 2 - way systems , where the tweeter is wired with inverse polarity , and the woofer is wired with correct polarity . for these cases , the impulse response of the full frequency range of the speaker may have a largest , first peak that is not indicative of the wiring of the loudspeaker . this scenario is covered in the present invention by analyzing the impulse response of just the low - frequency range of the loudspeaker . as the woofer is more likely to be wired with correct polarity ( inside the loudspeaker ), filtering out the higher frequency ranges yields an impulse response , which more faithfully indicates overall loudspeaker polarity . this filtering technique can be done two ways . first , as part of the test ( in the preferred embodiment of fig3 ), the noise source is passed through a low pass filter and the impulse response measured will reflect that filtering ( whether by direct , mls , lms , whatever ). a second - order 400 hz lpf filter is used on the noise source , which may already be band - limited to 12 khz in a second technique , as illustrated in fig4 , the filtering may be performed as part of the analysis . once the full - spectrum impulse response is determined , the impulse response can be filtered instead . the results are largely the same between the embodiments of fig4 and 5 . the filtering step may take place elsewhere in the process . for example , the output of microphone 55 in fig4 could be filtered , and the filtered response fed to adaptive filter 56 , instead of filtering the impulse response signal . only one speaker is needed for polarity determination in the present invention . thus , the present invention can determine whether each speaker in a system is properly connected , not just whether only one speaker is out of phase with respect to another speaker . as a result , the system can indicate to a user which speaker needs to have its speaker wires reversed to correct polarity problems . once the polarity has been corrected , the user can then re - run the test , and the system indicate which remaining speakers need correction , or if indeed the previous correction was performed properly . once all speakers have been properly connected , the system will indicate that the connections are indeed correct . as noted previously , the present invention may be provided alone or in combination with other audio system calibration and setup routines . since many techniques can also determine speaker distance ( location ), the present invention can be added to an existing system at little additional cost . a complete setup system with equalization , speaker distance measuring ( for delay calibration ) and polarity checking can be offered using many common hardware and software elements . to make the system completely automatic , the polarity of each speaker circuit may be made adjustable at the receiver unit , such that when polarity reversal is detected , the system will detect such reversal when the calibration routine is executed , and the polarity of the corresponding speaker circuits reversed to correct reversed wiring at the speaker . this polarity correction can take the form of a physical switching element , or may be achieved through hardware or software means , by adjusting phase or timing of the audio output signals . while described herein as being used in a home theater system , the present invention may also be used in other types of audio systems , including , but not limited to , commercial audio , home stereo , car audio , outdoor audio , and the like . in addition , while the method of detecting the impulse response of the system is illustrated here in the preferred embodiment as an adaptive filtering system , other types of systems for detecting impulse response may be used within the spirit and scope of the present invention . impulse response can be measured using one of a variety of known techniques in the art . impulse response can also be determined using one of the novel techniques developed in part by the inventor of the present application , as set forth in the co - pending parent patent applications previously incorporated by reference . while the preferred embodiment and various alternative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein , it may be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof . | 7 |
the gas solid mixture separator 10 , shown in fig2 includes a support frame 12 , a separator housing 14 supported by the support frame , a rotor support shaft 16 , a drive motor 18 and a separation rotor assembly 20 . dirty gas is supplied to the separator housing 14 by a supply pipe 22 . clean gas is discharged from the separation rotor assembly 20 through a discharge pipe 24 . the clean gas may be air or other gasses that need to be cleaned . solids separated from the gas are collected in a lower portion 26 of the separator housing 14 and discharged into a container 28 for use or disposal . dirty gas may be forced into the supply pipe 22 by a blower 30 . clean gas may be sucked from the discharge pipe 24 by a clean gas fan 32 . the clean gas fan 32 may be replaced by a stack if the gas to be separated is at an elevated temperature . the blower 30 may be eliminated thereby permitting the clean gas fan 32 to suck dirty gas from the supply pipe 22 and into the housing 14 . alternatively the clean gas fan 32 can be eliminated thereby permitting the blower 30 to force clean air through the clean gas discharge pipe 24 . the rotor support shaft 16 is journaled in two spaced apart bearings 34 and 36 that are attached to and supported by the support frame 12 . the motor 18 is mounted on the support frame 12 . the motor output shaft 38 is connected to the rotor support shaft 16 by a shaft coupler 40 . the rotor support shaft 16 passes into the separator housing 14 as explained below . the separator housing 14 includes a first side wall plate 42 that is fixed to the support frame 12 and perpendicular to the axis of rotation 44 of the rotor support shaft 16 . a second side wall plate 46 is parallel to the first side wall plate 42 and spaced from the first side wall plate . a wall 48 is connected to the first side wall plate 42 and the second side wall plate 46 and encloses the top and both ends of the separator housing 14 . the bottom of the separator housing 14 is closed by a hopper 50 that forms the lower portion 26 of the separator housing 14 . the hopper 50 is connected to the first side wall plate 42 the wall 48 , the second side wall plate 46 and forms a substantially sealed rotor chamber 52 . a valve assembly 54 closes the bottom of the hopper 50 . the rotor support shaft 16 passes through a shaft seal 56 and a passage through the first side wall plate 42 . a clean gas outlet pipe 58 with a flange 60 is coaxial with the axis of rotation 44 and fixed to the second side wall plate 46 . the discharge pipe 24 is connected to the flange 60 . the separation rotor assembly 20 includes a rotor hub 62 that is mounted on the rotor support shaft 16 . a first disk 64 is connected directly to the rotor hub 62 . the outer edge 66 of the disk 64 is a cylindrical surface that is concentric with the rotor axis 44 . a second disk 68 is parallel to and spaced from the first disk 64 . an outer edge 70 of the second disk 68 is a cylindrical surface that is concentric with the rotor axis 44 . the second disk 68 has a circular central passage 72 . a discharge pipe 74 , for clean gas is fixed to the second disk 68 . the pipe 74 rotates with the second disk 68 and extends from the second disk through a passage 76 in the second side wall plate and into the gas outlet pipe 58 . a seal 78 is provided to seal between the discharge pipe 74 and the second side wall plate 46 . a web 80 is secured to the first disk 64 and the second disk 68 . the web 80 has four radially extending portions 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 that extend radially inward from the outer edge 66 of the first disk 64 and the outer edge 70 of the second disk 68 . each radially extending portion 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 extends almost half the distance from the outer edges 66 and 70 to the rotor axis 44 . the radially extending portions 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 are spaced ninety degrees apart about the rotor axis 44 from each other as shown in fig1 . second web portions 90 extend from an inner end of each radially extending portion 82 , 84 86 and 88 in a clock wise direction as shown in fig1 . each web portion 90 is normal to the radially extending portion 82 , 84 , 86 or 88 it is integral with and extends from . a web portion 92 is integral with an end 94 of each web portion 90 and extends away from the rotor axis 44 at an angle of about thirty degrees from the web portion 88 , 84 , 86 or 88 which it is adjacent to . a fourth web portion 96 extends from an integral end 98 of the web portion 92 to an arc portion 100 of the web 80 . each arc portion 100 has a radius from the rotor axis 44 that is equal to the radius of the outer edges 66 and 70 of the first disk 64 and the second disk 68 . each of the four arc portions 100 extend about forty five degrees about the rotor axis 44 and have an end that is integral with an end 102 of the adjacent forth web portion 96 and an end 104 that is connected to the radially outer end of one of the web portions 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 . the web 80 is preferably made from one strip of material and has only one end joint . the continuous web 80 creates a clean gas chamber 106 in the center of the rotor 20 . the continuous web 80 could be fabricated from two or more separate parts if desired . the continuous web 80 also creates four suspension chambers 110 . each suspension chamber 110 has a radially facing open side 112 . the open side 112 is encircled by the one of the radially extending portions 82 , 84 , 86 or 88 , a first disk 64 , and end 102 of a forth web portion 96 and the second disk 68 . the suspension chambers 110 are defined by a forth web portion 96 , a web portion 92 a second web portion 90 , a radially extending portion 82 , 84 , 86 or 88 , a first disk 64 and a second disk 68 . each of the radially extending portions 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 of the web 80 has a central opening 114 . an orifice plate 116 is fixed to the side , of each radially extending portion 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 of the web 80 facing a suspension chamber 110 . the orifice plate 116 includes an orifice 118 that is smaller than the central opening 114 . the orifice 118 has beveled edges 120 . the beveled surfaces 120 provide a passage that increases in cross section area from the suspension chamber 110 side to the clean gas chamber 106 side . the beveled surfaces 120 form a sharp edge 122 encircling the orifice 118 and reduce flow restriction . the orifice plate 116 includes a flat surface 124 that faces the suspension chamber 110 . this surface 124 includes a surface portion 126 that extends from the second disk 68 to the orifice 118 , a surface portion 128 that extends from the first disk 64 to the orifice , a surface portion 130 that extends from outer edge 66 of the first disk and the outer edge 70 of the second disk to the orifice , and a surface portion 132 that extends radially outward from the second web portion 90 to the orifice . the orifice plate 116 is a separate member as described above . as a separate member , the orifice plate 116 can be replaced from time to time if there is excessive wear . however , the orifice 118 can be formed in the radially extending portions 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 of the web 80 . if the orifice 118 is formed directly in the web 80 , the orifice plate 116 and the central opening 114 are eliminated . passages 140 are provided in the first disk 64 for the passage of gas and solids into each suspension chamber 110 . the passages 140 are formed by making a radial cut 142 adjacent to each of the flat surface 124 around each orifice 118 . short cuts 144 and 146 that extend away from the flat surface 124 are made at each end of the radial cut 142 to form a flap 148 . the flap 148 is bent inwardly toward the second disk 68 to open the passage 140 and to direct gas and solids passing through the passage toward the surface portion 128 . the flap 148 is bent to an angle θ of about sixty degrees from the vertical first disk 64 . passages 150 are provided in the second disk 68 for the passage of gas and solids into each suspension chamber 110 . the passages 150 are formed by making a radial cut 152 adjacent to each of the flat surfaces 124 around each orifice 118 . short cuts 154 and 156 that extend away from the flat surface 124 are made at each end of the radial cut 152 to form a flap 158 . the flap 158 is bent inward toward the first disk 64 to open the passage 150 and to direct gas and solids passing through the passage toward the surface portion 126 . the flap 158 is bent to an angle θ of about sixty degrees from the vertical second disk 68 . fig5 shows flaps 160 that are adjustable to change the size of the passage 162 through the first disk 64 . adjustable flaps 160 are generally not needed . the separator housing 14 has an inside width between the first side wall plate 42 and the second side wall plate 46 that is about twice the outside width of the separation rotor assembly 20 . there are therefore substantial areas 166 and 168 between the rotor assembly 20 and both side wall plates 42 and 46 . a wall 48 of the separator housing 14 extends from plate 42 to plate 46 . the wall 48 is a substantial distance from the outer edges 66 and 70 of the first disk 64 and the second disk 68 of separation rotor assembly 20 . there is therefore a substantial gas and solids passage 170 and connected areas 166 and 168 which gas and solids can pass through . the separation rotor assembly 20 , shown in the drawing figures , works well between seven hundred and fourteen hundred revolutions per minute . the number of suspension chambers 110 can be increased or decreased if desired . increases in the number of suspension chambers 110 can be accommodated by reducing the length of arc portions 100 of the web 80 to provide additional space for the suspension chambers 110 . additional suspension chambers 110 can also be added by increasing the diameter of the separation rotor 20 . increasing the rotor diameter will change the dynamics and the forces on the solids . a larger diameter separation rotor assembly 20 may rotate slower . capacity can also be increased by adding additional rotor assemblies . during operation of the gas and solids mixture separator 10 , the separation rotor assembly 20 is driven in a counter clockwise direction , as shown in fig1 , by the motor 18 through the rotor support shaft 16 . a mixture of gas and solids enters the separator housing 14 through an inlet pipe 190 . the inlet pipe 190 receives the mixture of gas and solids from supply pipe 22 attached to a flange 192 on the inlet pipe 190 . the mixture of gas and solids enters the separator housing tangentially to an inside surface to an arcuate portion of the wall 48 secured to the first side wall plate 42 and the second side wall plate 46 . while moving through the passage 170 , solids mixed with gas tend to move radially outward toward the wall 48 and then into the lower portion 26 of the separator housing 14 . the solids collect in the lower portion 26 and are held until the valve assembly 54 is opened . the mixture of gas with a reduced quantity of solids moves radially toward the axis of rotation 44 and into areas 166 and 168 adjacent to outside surfaces of the first disk 64 and the second disk 68 . the mixture of gas and solids in engagement with the first disk 64 and the second disk 68 tends to move with the disks . the solids in the gas will be moving with the outer surfaces of the first disk 64 and the second disk 68 and will be moved radially outward due to centrifugal force . gas and some mixed solid in area 166 will move close to one of the passages 140 and will make a ninety degree change in direction of movement and pass through the passages and into a suspension chamber 110 . some solid particles will not make the ninety degree direction change and will be collected in the lower portion 26 of the housing 14 . gas and some mixed solids in area 168 will move close to one of the passages 150 and will make a ninety degree change in direction of movement and pass through the passages and into a suspension chamber 110 . some solid particles will not make the ninety degree direction change and will be collected in the lower portion 26 of the housing 14 . the gas and mixed solids that pass through the passage 140 are directed by the flap 148 toward the surface 128 of the orifice plate 116 . the gas and mixed solids that pass through the passage 150 are directed by the flap 158 toward the surface 126 of the orifice plate 116 . the passages 140 and 150 are offset radially toward the axis of rotation 44 of the separation rotor assembly 20 . the flow of gas and mixed solids through the passages 140 and 150 is fast . however , this flow is cancelled out when the two flows meet on the suspension chamber 110 near the orifice 118 in the orifice plate 116 . the passages 140 and 150 are offset , as explained above , so that the suspension zone where the gas flows from both passages meet is substantially centered over the orifice 118 . centrifugal force shifts the location of intersection of the gas flows from passages 140 and 150 radially outward from the location of the passages . the passages 140 and 150 are positioned radially inward toward the axis 44 relative to the orifice 118 to accommodate the shift . the floor of the suspension chamber 110 including the fourth web portion 96 tends to move gas out of the suspension chamber and away from the orifice 118 in the orifice plate 116 . the suction of gas through the orifice 118 by the clean gas fan 32 balances the force of the floor of the suspension chamber 110 and suspends gas directly over the orifice . when the fixed suspension zone is created in alignment with the orifice 118 indicating no flow relative to the rotor 20 , and spaced from the orifice , centrifugal force discharges solids through the radially facing open side and cleaned gas passes through the orifice plate 116 . the centrifugal force is relative strong due to the high density of solids relative to the density of air . the gas in the suspension zone adjacent to the orifice 118 appears to be stationary . it is believed that gas molecules may be moving in random directions . use of the clean gas fan 32 is preferred for changing the direction of flow of cleaned gas toward and through the orifice 118 . | 1 |
fig1 shows a typical point of sale ( pos ) touch screen for , as an example only , a pretzel store . there are touch keys for pretzels 11 and for drinks 12 . selecting these keys would typically bring up secondary screens displaying specific product keys for ordering different types of pretzels and drinks respectively . in addition , the screen in fig1 has some specific pretzel product keys 13 and specific pretzel topping keys 14 . currently in the prior art , a touch screen as shown in fig1 is manually configured by a programmer who knows the specific proprietary point of sale system used by a store or business . the fig1 screen design involves the specific key layout and size of keys . in addition , the fig1 screen keys must have corresponding hooks or references to product data such as item name , price , cost , group , taxable , and inventory as shown in fig4 . in this invention , this product data and the touch key structure is stored in relational databases in the back office which is stored on the web servers 36 shown in fig3 . as an example only , fig2 shows a touch screen for the drinks page of a pizza restaurant . again in the prior art , a specialized programmer had to design the layout and data for these pos touch keys . typically , the programmer is located remotely from the store or business . he or she must learn about the store &# 39 ; s pos requirements via phone calls , emails , and meetings with store operators . in addition , the programmer would need to iterate several passes of the touch screen design and allow the store operator to test the screens . with this invention , the store operator will be able to build his pos screens online over the internet . with input from the store operator , the pos builder can specify and display the number , shape and arrangement of selection keys or buttons on said pos screens . the store operator , who does not have to be technically trained , will be able to edit and test his screens until he is satisfied with the end results . the testing of said pos screens can be done iteratively by the store operator in real time while said pos terminals are simultaneously in use during store and business operation hours or after store hours . alternatively , the testing of said pos screens can be done iteratively by a remotely located person such as a store manager or director in real time while said pos terminals are simultaneously in use during store hours or after store hours . all backoffice changes which include screen changes , price changes , employee validation changes are submitted to a batch bucket or queue . these changes have to be submitted for final posting at a scheduled time . for example , the phasing in of new screens and / or new data such as prices and employee validation can be scheduled . the time schedule for uploading or posting these screen changes and / or new data can be specified as follows . only as examples , the changes can take place after the present transactions are completed . alternatively , the changes can take place at the end of the business day , during the night , at the start of the next day or at the next application restart for example . typically , screen changes will take place at the next application start at the beginning of a business day . this automatic online pos builder will reduce the development time for pos screens by weeks . in addition , the store operator will be able to edit the pos screens and its relational databases any time as often as desired . in addition , the store operator will be able to edit , change and test the screens within minutes in real time . the store operator can iterate these changes instantly until he gets the desired screen appearance . this real - time testing and iteration of screen designs is an important feature of this invention . this feature motivates the store operator to keep his screens up to date and accurate . previously , the store operator would avoid updating screens , since it involved the time and expense of working with programmers off line . fig3 shows a high level diagram of this invention . there are n pos terminals ( pos 1 , pos 2 . . . pos n ) in “ store ” 31 and in “ store n ” 32 . pos 31 is in store 1 and pos 2 ( 32 ) is in store 2 . each pos includes personal computer hardware and software . additional pos terminals beyond those shown , as well as additional stores beyond the two shown , are within the scope of the invention . each pos normally operates with a hardware / software connection 35 to the internet or web . however , if the web goes down , the pos terminal continues to operate . there is a “ loose coupling ” of the pos to the back office ( bo ): the pos to bo connection is not required for the basic business functions of the pos . all transaction data is stored in a relational database on the hard drive in the pos . a relational database stores all of its data inside tables . all operations on data are done on the tables themselves . some operation produce other tables as the result . a table is a set of rows and columns . each row is a set of columns with only one value for each . all rows from the same table have the same set of columns , although some columns may have null values . a null value is an “ unknown ” value . the rows from a relational table are analogous to a record , and the columns are analogous to a field . below is an example of a relational table . there are two basic operations one can perform on a relational table . the first one is retrieving a subset of its columns . the second is retrieving a subset of its rows . the field names such as company describe the content of the columns of the relational table . the rows delineate the individual records stored in the relational tables . as transactions are created at a pos a log entry for the newest transaction is also created , this log entry is used to flag if the transaction has been uploaded to the web server . part of the pos application , the bo interface is continuously running in the background . this component reads the log of transactions . if a transaction needs to be sent , it tries to send it . if the send fails ( for example , if the connection to , or the internet itself , is down ), it goes to sleep and tries again later . additionally , the bo interface requests update from the bo such as new items , price changes , employees , etc . the pos terminals communicate via http protocol ( hypertext transfer protocol ) 35 with back - office bo software , which is implemented on web servers 36 , which can be located anywhere in the world . in addition , the bo software and data can be viewed from any store employee at any pc 33 who has internet access 37 and a password . the pos such as 31 send transaction data to the bo in the form of an http post or communication . the packet 35 sent from the pos to the bo consists of transactions , employee clock , customer add / update , item add / update , promotions and more . promotions are configured in the back office and associated with items or customers or departments . for example , a promotion may be associated with a customer to implement customer loyalty points or a promotion may be associated with a certain item for a % discount . a client who is the store manager or owner selects a promotion type , associates it with an item , department , etc , then sets the parameters that control how that promotion works . these transaction transmissions between the pos and the bo can be encrypted to insure privacy and security . a typical encryption method is 128 bit ssl ( secure sockets layer ). a further element of security is that each bo client ( individual pos , store or multi - store owner ) gets their own instance of a database . when they log into the bo they are attached to their own relational database associated and validated via their user login and password . fig4 a and 4 b show a typical web - based pos builder interface . fig4 a shows a grid of boxes labeled with screen numbers 1 - 4 . typically , screens will have screen names such as in 21 , “ subs ”. under each screen box column are boxes labeled “ add item ”. these boxes allow the addition of different products such as small pizza , large pizza , etc . as shown in fig4 b . fig4 b shows the data interface which would appear when selecting the large pizza box . the store operator would be able to enter and / or modify item name , price , cost , group , taxable and inventory . the above illustrates the ease of building pos screens by store operators via the web . fig5 shows a flowchart of the point of sale builder methodology . the flow in fig5 also refers to fig4 a and 4 b . the begin pos build block 51 is entered when the builder program is initiated 50 from a web page action . when creating a new pos , block 51 brings up a screen such as that shown in fig4 a . the screens in fig4 a need to be defined . block 53 allows the store operator to select which screen number to define . fig4 b shows what appears on the web screen after the store operator selects screen # 1 ( 53 ) to work on . in fig5 , block 54 allows the store operator to enter / edit the screen name being worked on , such as pizza , as an example only , in fig4 b . in fig5 , block 54 allows the store operator to enter the number of touch keys planned for the pizza screen , as an example only . fig4 b shows the screen after a few touch screen buttons have been defined . screen 1 has been labeled pizza . the pizza screen in fig4 b currently has 1 touch screen button item defined on the screen , large pizza 22 . the large pizza item button was entered by hitting add item 20 in fig4 a . after hitting add item , fig4 b appears with the template 23 to be filled in . this step is shown in block 56 of fig5 . the template includes item name , price , cost , group , taxable , inventory . item name is large pizza . price is easily changeable , cost is the cost of making materials . group is the pizza group , taxable is as yes or no selection . inventory can be used to monitor the number of large pizza &# 39 ; s makeable with the dough , cheese and sauce on hand . other template items can be added to the template 23 in fig4 b . in fig5 , block 57 asks whether the screen being worked on i . e .) pizza screen is done . if the store operator answers yes 59 , the flowchart flows to node 52 in fig5 . this allows the store operator to select another screen # as shown in fig4 a . if the store operator answers no 58 , the flowchart flows to node 55 in fig5 . this allows the store operator to select , add , or edit another item on the pizza screen . the key advantages of the web - based pos builder are that it is completely built on the foundation of the web . the pos builder is accessible anywhere in the world . it can be used by a person of any skill level . the pos builder builds , edits , and tests new pos terminals in real time . in addition , all screen designs and changes are reflected real - time into the back office ( bo ) server &# 39 ; s screen database . for example , all screen designs inputted from any pc in the world appear instantly in the bo screen database , which is instantly viewable anywhere in the world via web browsers . another big advantage is that all screen design software is located and executed in the bo server . since all screen designs and changes are immediately visible from any manager &# 39 ; s pc at their home or at headquarters , there is always management oversight of these changes . therefore , this screen builder allows for local in - store flexibility by the individual store operator or manager , but also provides for corporate visibility of screens instantly for control and standardization . also , this screen builder does not require the need for any server to be located in the store . another advantage of this system is the use of standard pc and web architecture which offers both full - scalability without degrading system performance . this results in improved performance and lower cost of implementing these business systems . there is a lower cost associated with projects developed with the technology of this invention due to the flexibility of easy design changes and well - understood software . there is less training required for programmers and system testers . projects can draw on the huge talent pool in the open source development community . the invention allows configurable software modules for different types of businesses and sales promotions . the invention allows remote monitoring of screen designs from anywhere via the web . there is minimal time required for the implementation and installation of the pos builder system , since the pos builder setup is as basic as a home pc setup . another advantage is that the pos builder system can be provided as a service or deployed within a corporation . for example , software as a service ( saas ) is a software distribution model in which applications are hosted by a vendor or service provider and made available to customers over a network , typically the internet . another advantage of this invention is that the pos builder system is maintained in customer centric databases , making it impossible for customers to see other &# 39 ; s data . each pos builder system client gets their own instance of a database . when they log into the bo they are attached to their own relational database associated and validated via their user login and password . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention . | 6 |
the polyphenylene ether component used in the present invention is homopolymer or copolymer composed of the following repeating unit ( i ) or ( i ) and ( ii ): ## str1 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 and r 6 which may be identical or different , each represents a monovalent residue such as an alkyl group of 1 - 4 carbon atoms excluding tert - butyl group , an aryl group , a halogen atom or a hydrogen atom , and r 3 and r 5 cannot be simultaneously hydrogen atom . the polyphenylene ether may be a mixture of the said homopolymer and the said copolymer , or a graft copolymer of the said polymers with styrene . the copolymer of polyphenylene ether includes polyphenylene ether copolymers mainly composed of polyphenylene ether structure which is obtained by copolymerization with o - cresol or an alkyl - substituted phenol such as 2 , 3 , 6 - trimethylphenol which is represented by the formula ( iii ): ## str2 ## wherein r 3 r 4 r 5 and r 6 each represents a monovalent residue such as an alkyl group of 1 - 4 carbon atoms excluding tert - butyl group , an aryl group , a halogen atom or a hydrogen atom , and r 3 and r 5 cannot be simultaneously hydrogen atom . preferred polyphene ether resin is poly ( 2 , 6 ,- dimethyl - l , 4 - phenylene ) ether . the styrene resins are well known in the art and are polymers or copolymers of repeating unit derived from a vinyl aromatic compound of the formula : ## str3 ## wherein r is hydrogen , lower alkyl or halogen ; y is vinyl , halogen or lower alkyl ; and n is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 5 . the term &# 34 ; lower alkyl &# 34 ; means alkyl of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms . examples of styrene resins are homopolymers such as polystyrene and polychlorostyrene , poiystyrenes modified with natural or sythetic rubber , e . g ., polybutadiene , styrene butadiene rubber , ethylene propylene copolymer rubber , ethylene butene - 1 copolymer rubber , ethylene propylene polyene terpolymer rubber , urethane rubber , natural rubber and the like ; styrene copolymers such as styrene acrylonitrile copolymer , styrene acrylate copolymers such as styrene methylmethacrylate copolymer , styrene maleic anhydride copolymer , styrene methyl styrene copolymer and the like , and blends of homopolystyrenes and copolymers of the aforementioned type . the styrene resin may be present in any amount . examples of impact strength improving polymers that may be employed in the practice of the present invention are , d ) vinyl aromatic compound grafted olefin polymers of a ), b ), and c ), e ) functionalized aforementioned olefin polymers of a ), b ), and c ) by grafting at least one unsaturated functional compound alone or in combination with vinyl aromatic compound thereto , f ) copolymers or terpolymers of ethylene and at least one unsaturated functional compound , h ) hydrogenated or nonhydrogenated block copolymers of vinyl aromatic compound and diene . polyolefins suitable for use in the practice of the present invention include high density polyethylene , low density polyethylene , linear low density polyethylene , propylene / ethylene blockcopolymer , polybutene - 1 , polyisobutylene and the like . ethylene / alpha - olefin copolymer rubbers for use in the practice of the present invention include ehylene / propylene copolymer rubber , often called epr , ethylene / butene - 1 copolymer rubber , often called ebr , and the like . ethylene / alpha - olefin / polyene terpolymer rubbers for use in the practice of the present invention include ethylene / propylene / ethylidenenorbornene terpolymer rubber , ethylene / propylene / dicyclopentadiene terpolymer rubber , ethylene / propylene / 1 , 4 - hexadiene terpolymer rubber and the like , often called epdm . examples of vinyl aromatic compound grafted olefin polymers include styrene grafted epr , styrene grafted epdm , styrene grafted ebr , and the like . functionalized olefin polymers useful for the practice of the present invention include olefin polymers described in the above a ), b ), and c ) with at least one unsaturated functional compound alone or in combination with a vinyl aromatic compound grafted thereto . the illustrative examples of the unsaturated functional compounds are acrylic acid , methacrylic acid , alkylester derivatives thereof , such as methyl ( meth ) acrylate , ethyl ( meth ) acrylate , butyl ( meth ) acrylate and the like , dicarboxylic acid or acid anhydride such as fumaric acid , maleic acid , maleic anhydride , itaconic acid and the like , acrylamide , n -( hydroxyrnethyl ) acrylamide , glycidyl derivatives of ( meth ) acrylic acid such as glycidyl ( meth ) acrylate , vinyl acetate , acrylonitrile , and the like . the illustrative examples of vinyl aromatic compounds are styrene , alpha - methyl styrene and the like . method for the grafting of an unsaturated functional compound and / or vinyl aromatic compound to the olefin polymers is not critical in the practice of the present invention and any known method in the art may be employed . melt mixing of the olefin polymers and the unsaturated functional compound and / or vinyl aromatic compound with a suitable amount of a free radical initiator may be employed . grafting of an unsaturated functional compound and / or vinyl aromatic compound under an aqueous suspension of olefin polymers with a suitable amount of a free radical initiator and a dispersing agent may also be employed . copolymers or terpolymers of ethylene and at least one unsaturated functional compound useful for the practice of the present invention include ethylene /( meth ) acrylic acid copolymer , ethylene / alkyl ( meth ) acrylate copolymer , ethylene / vinylacetate copolymer , ethylene / alkyl ( meth ) acrylate / maleic anhydride termpolymer , ethylene / alkyl ( meth ) acrylate / glycidyl ( meth ) acrylate terpolymer and the like . diene rubbers useful for the practice of the present invention include polybutadiene , styrene butadiene random copolymer , often called sbr , natural rubber , polyisoprene , and the like . hydrogenated or nonhydrogenated block copolymers of vinyl aromatic compound and diene are well known in the art . illustrative examples of the block copolymers are styrene butadiene diblockcopolymer , styrene isoprene diblock copolymer , styrene butadiene styrene triblock copolymer , styrene isoprene styrene triblock copolymer , radial teleblock copolymers of styrene and butadiene , hydrogenated products of the foregoing block copolymers and the like . the foregoing impact strength improving polymer may be used alone or in any combination of one another . examples of preferred impact strength improving polymers are functionalized ethylene alpha - olefin ( polyene ) copolymer rubbers , styrene grafted ethylene alpha - olefin ( polyene ) copolymer rubbers , styrene / unsaturated functional monomer co - grafted ethylene alpha - olefin ( polyene ) copolymer rubbers , copolymers or terpolymers of ethylene and unsaturated functional monomers , hydrogenated styrene / conjugated diene block copolymers . although the aforementioned styrene / conjugated diene block copolymers of a - b - a or a - b type wherein a is polystyrene and b is a polymer of a conjugated diene , and hydrogenated derivetives thereof , and styrene grafted polymers such as high impmact polystyrene , styrene grafted epdm , styrene grafted epr , styrene grafted ebr , and styrene / unsaturated functional monomer co - grafted epdm have good compatibility with polyphenylene ether , impact strength improving polymers other than these polymers do not exhibit very good compatibility with polyphenylene ether . if these impact strength improving polymers having lower compatibility with polyphenylene ether are to be employed , it is desirable to use compatibilizing techniques to improve the compatibility of polyphenylene ether and impact strength improving polymers having lower compatibility with polyphenylene ether . compatibilization of polyphenylene ether resin and other thermoplastics incompatible therewith has long been known in numerous patents and patent applications . ueno et al u . s . pat . no . 4 , 315 , 086 , for example , discloses compatibilized polyphenylene ether / polyamide compositions wherein the compatibilization is achieved by chemical bonding of polyphenylene ether and polyamide using a compatibilizer such as unsaturated acids and epoxy compounds . lee u . s . pat . no . 4 , 166 , 055 , for example , discloses polyphenylene ether / polyolefin composition wherein the compatibility of polyphenylene ether and polyolefin is enhanced by adding a hydrogenated styrene - butadienestyrene blockcopolymer . the term &# 34 ; chemical compatibilization &# 34 ; herein used in the present invention means chemical bonding of polyphenylene ether and other thermoplastics or elastomers using a functional compound or compounds . examples of suitable impact strength improving polymers to be chemically compatibilized with polyphenylene ether are functionalized olefin polymers and copolymers or terpolymers of ethylene and at least one unsaturated functional monomer , herein described in e ) and f ) of impact strength improving polymers . the chemical compatibilization of polyphenylene ether and an olefin polymer has also been disclosed in numerous patents and patent applications . yamauchi et al . japanese kokai patent no . sho and 63 - 105022 discloses epoxy functionalized polyphenylene ether and carboxylated polyolefin . kitagawa et al . japanese kokai patent no . sho 63 - 130660 discloses a polymer composition comprising alcoholic hydroxy functionalized polyphenylene ether and maleated polyolefin . higashiyanagi et al . japanese kokai patent no . sho 63 - 221154 discloses a polymer composition comprising maleated polyphenylene ether and styrene / 2 - hydroxy ethylacrylate co - grafted polyolefin . okabe et al . japanese kokai patent no . hei 2 - 3442 discloses a polymer composition comprising maleated polyphyenylene ether , styrene / malelic anhydride co - grafted polyolefin and paraphenylene diamine . hirose japanese kokai patent no . hei 2 - 173137 discloses a polymer composition comprising amino group containing compound grafted polyolefin and carboxylated polyphenylene ether . suitable plasticizers that may be employed in the practice of the present invention include aromatic phosphate compounds such as triphenyl phosphate ( tpp ), mineral oil , wax , n , n &# 39 ;- diphenyl hexane diamide or adipic dianilide , and the like . the following examples are set forth as further illustration of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention . seven thermoplastic compositions are prepared by blending , using a tumbler mixer , poly ( 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 1 , 4 - phenylene ) ether having a reduced viscosity of 0 . 46 dl / g ( hereinafter referred to as ppe - a ) measured at 25 ° c in a chloroform solution of 0 . 5 g / dl concentration ; high impact polystyrene ( sumitomo kagaku &# 39 ; s sumibrite m - 566 , hereinafter referred to as hips ), adipic dianilide ( ada ) if employed , carbon black ( denki kagaku &# 39 ; s acetylene black , denka black bead ®), with talc ( micron white ® 5000s made by hayashi kasei ) the formulation recipe is shown in table i wherein the ratio of the ingredients is shown in parts by weight . the resulting samples are individually extruded at a product output rate of about 30 kg / hr , using toshiba kikai &# 39 ; s tem 50 twin screw extruder at a temperature of about 330 ° c . and pelletized , and injection molded at an injection temperature of about 320 ° c . and the mold temperature of about 120 ° c . to fabricate test plates . the molded test plates are tested for their comparative physical properties and electroresistivity at room temperature . as shown in table - i , the combined use of a carbon black and a mineral filler gives the polymer compositions a lower surface resistivity as opposed to the one without a mineral filler incorporated therein . table i______________________________________ ( composition , parts by weight ) a b c d e f g______________________________________ppe - a 62 58 58 58 65 58 65hips 26 25 25 25 25 35 28ada * 7 7 7 7 -- 7 7talc 5 10 -- -- 10 -- 10wollastonite -- -- 10 -- -- -- -- mica -- -- -- 10 -- -- -- acetylene black 18 18 18 18 18 18 1 ( physical properties3 . 2 mm test plate ) tensile strength 51 51 56 50 60 62 68 (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) flexural strength 97 81 99 83 95 90 100 (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) izod impact stength 17 15 19 14 16 22 62un - notched , kg · cm / cm . sup . 2 ) surface resistivity 12 5 3 5 6 90 . sup . 10 . sup . 11 (× 10 . sup . 5 ohm ) ______________________________________ * adipic dianilide graft rubbers used in the examples herein are prepared in the following manner ; in a 100 liter stainless steel autoclave , 10 kg of epdm ( esprene ® e 502 , ethylene / propylene / ethylidene norbornene terpolymer rubber , made by sumitomo kagaku ) and 45 kg of demineralized water are fed and intensively stirred by a stirrer . while stirring , a solution of 75 grams of benzoyl peroxide in 3 . 35 kg of styrene and 0 . 2 kg of acrylonitrile , and a solution of 400 grams of polyvinyl alcohol ( gosenol gl - 05 made by nihon gosei co ., ltd .) as a dispersion stabilizer in 10 kg of demineralized water are added , in order . the mixture is stirred for one hour at a room temperature to render the impregnation of styrene , acrylonitrile and benzoyl peroxide into the epdm . then , the grafting reaction is allowed at 90 degree centigrade for 2 hours . after the reaction is over , the resulting product is filtered , washed with water and dried to obtain about 13 . 3 kg of graft rubber ( graft rubber a ). graft rubber b is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of graft rubber a except that epdm is substituted with epr ( sumitomo kagaku &# 39 ; s esprene e - 100 ). graft rubber c is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of graft rubber b except that acrylonitrile is substituted with methylmethacrylate . graft rubber d is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of graft rubber c except that epr is substituted with ethylene butene - 1 copolymer rubber ( hereinafter referred to as ebr ; ebr used herein is sumitomo kagaku &# 39 ; s ethylene butene - 1 copolymer rubber having mooney viscosity of 36 measured at 121 ° c . and ethylene content of about 82 wt % and butene - 1 content of about 18 wt %) graft rubber e is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of graft rubber d except that ebr is substituted with epdm and the quantity of the rubber , styrene and methylmethacrylale charged are changed as shown in each column of table v , and that the quantity of benzoyl peroxide is adjusted in proportion to the total quantity of , the rubber , styrene , and the functional monomer . graft rubber f is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of graft rubber e except that methyl methacrylate is substituted with acrylonitrile , and that the ratio of styrene and acrylonitrile is changed as shown in table v . graft rubber g is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of graft rubber f except that acrylonitrile is substituted with styrene . nine thermoplastic compositions are prepared by blending , using a tumbler mixer , poly ( 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 1 , 4 - phenylene ) ether having a reduced viscosity of 0 . 38 dl / g ( hereinafter referred to as ppe - b ) measured at 25 ° c . in a chloroform solution of 0 . 5 g / dl concentration ; triphenylphosphate ( tpp ) and / or adipic dianilide ( ada ) and / or mineral oil if employed ; acetylene black ; either talc ( micro ace x500 made by nihon talc ) or mica , with graft rubber a ; graft rubber b ; graft rubber c ; graft rubber d ; graft rubber e ; graft rubber f , or graft rubber g . the formulation recipe is shown in table ii wherein the ratio of the ingredients is shown in parts by weight . the resulting samples are individually extruded , pelletized and injection molded in the same manner as in example i . the molded test plates are tested for their comparative physical properties and electroresistivity at room temperature . table ii______________________________________ ( composition , parts by weight ) a b c d e f g h i______________________________________ppe - b 80 80 80 80 75 85 80 85 85tpp 5 5 -- -- -- -- 5 -- -- ada * -- -- 5 5 5 -- -- -- -- mineral oil 5 5 5 5 5 -- -- -- -- talc 10 10 10 -- 10 10 10 -- 10mica -- -- -- 10 -- -- -- 10 -- graft rubber a 10 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- b -- 10 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- c -- -- 10 -- -- -- -- -- -- d -- -- -- 10 -- -- -- -- -- e -- -- -- -- 15 -- -- -- -- f -- -- -- -- -- 15 -- -- -- g -- -- -- -- -- -- 15 15 15acetylene black 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 ( physical properties3 . 2 mm test plate ) tensile strength 47 47 51 50 48 43 48 46 41 (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) flexural strength 67 64 69 69 63 60 65 67 62 (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) izod impact stength 25 27 26 23 24 23 24 22 23 ( un - notched , kg · cm / cm . sup . 2 ) surface resistivity 5 7 4 6 3 6 8 6 5 (× 10 . sup . 4 ohm ) ______________________________________ * adipic dianilide preparation of chemically conpatibilized polyphenylene ether / olefin polymer composition ( hereinafter referred to as ppe - po ). 85 parts by weight of ppe - b , 0 . 1 parts by weight of peroxide , 4 parts by weight of diallylamine and 1 parts by weight of styrene , are tumbled and fed to the first feed port of toshiba kikai &# 39 ; s tem 50 twin screw extruder and 15 parts by weight of maleated ethylene propylene rubber ( epr ) having a mooney viscosity of 15 measured at 121 ° c ., and containing about 60 weight % of ethylene and 40 weight % of propylene is fed to the second feed port of the extruder and extruded at a temperature of about 330 ° c . and pelletized to obtain compatibilized ppe - polyolefin composition a . ppe - po , b is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of ppe - po , a , except that maleated epr is substituted with maleated ethylene butene - 1 rubber ( ebr ) having a mooney viscosity of about 15 measured at 121 ° c . and containing about 30 weight % of butene - 1 and 70 weight % of ethylene . ppe - po , c is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of ppe - po , a , except that maleated epr is substituted with ethylene - ethylacrylate - maleic anhydride terpolymer ( ato chem &# 39 ; s lotader 4700 ). ppe - po , d is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of ppe - po , a , except that diallyl amine is substituted with maleic anhydride , and maleated epr with glicidylmethacrylate grafted epr , having a money viscosity of 15 measured at 121 ° c ., and containing about 60 weight % of ethylene and 40 weight % of propylene . ppe - po , e is prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of ppe - po , d , except that glicidylmethacrylate grafted epr is substituted with ethylene - methylacrylate - glicidylmethacrylate terpolymer having melt index measured at 190 ° c . and at 2 . 16 kg / cm 2 load , of 15 g / 10 min ., containing about 65 weight % of ethylene , about 15 weight % of methylacrylate , and about 20 weight % of glicidylmethacrylate . 85 parts by weight of maleated ppe - b and 0 . 3 parts by weight of maleic anhydride are tumbled and fed to the first feed port of toshiba kikai &# 39 ; s tem 50 twin screw extruder , and 15 parts by weight of maleated epr containing about 0 . 5 % of maleicanhydride and 1 part by weight of diaminododecane are tumbled , and fed to the second feed port of the extruder , and extruded at a temperature of about 330 ° c . and pelletized , to obtain ppe - po , f . 85 parts by weight of ppe - b and 3 parts by weight of sumitomo kagaku &# 39 ; s sumiepoxy ® escn - 195x are tumbled and fed to the first feed port of the extruder and 15 parts by weight of maleated epr was fed to the second feed port of the extruder and extruded at a temperature of about 330 ° c . and pelletized to obtain ppe - po , g . in the preparation of the above described compatibilized polyphenylene ether / olefin polymer compositions , the feed rate of the raw materials to the extruder is so adjusted to maintain the product output at about 40 kg / hr . seven thermoplastic compositions are prepared by blending , using a tumbler mixer , 10 parts by weight of either talc ( micro ace x500 ) or mica , 5 parts by weight of mineral oil , 9 parts by weight of either tpp or ada , 25 parts by weight of acetylene black , with 76 parts by weight of ppe - po , a ; ppe - po , b ; ppe - po , c ; ppe - po , d ; ppe - po , e ; ppe - po , f ; or ppe - po , g . the resulting samples are individually extruded , pelletized , injection molded in the same manner as in example - i to obtain test plates . the molded test plates are tested for their comparative physical properties and surface resistivity at room temperature . the data obtained are shown in table iii . table iii______________________________________ ( composition , parts by weight ) a b c d e f g______________________________________ppe - po , a 76 -- -- -- -- -- -- b -- 76 -- -- -- -- -- c -- -- 76 -- -- -- -- d -- -- -- 76 -- -- -- e -- -- -- -- 76 -- -- f -- -- -- -- -- 76 -- g -- -- -- -- -- -- 76tpp 9 9 -- 9 9 9 -- ada * -- -- 9 -- -- -- 9mineral oil 5 5 5 5 5 5 5talc 10 -- 10 10 -- 10 10mica -- 10 -- -- 10 -- -- acetylene black 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 ( physical properties3 . 2 mm test plate ) tensile strength (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) 43 43 48 44 43 46 49flexural strength (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) 45 48 45 46 45 55 60izod impact stength 29 25 30 27 24 29 28 ( un - notched , kg · cm / cm . sup . 2 ) surface resistivity 7 4 8 6 5 8 6 (× 10 . sup . 3 ohm ) ______________________________________ * adipic dianilide four thermoplastic compositions are prepared by blending , using a tumbler mixer , 75 parts by weight of ppe - b , 5 parts by weight of tpp , 5 parts by weight of mineral oil , 5 parts by weight of either talc ( micron white 5000s ) or wollastonite , 8 parts by weight of ketjen black ec 600jd with 10 parts by weight of kraton g 1652 , or 10 parts by weight of kraton g 1701 or a combination of 5 parts by weight of kraton g 1701 and 5 parts by weight of epr . the resulting samples are individually extruded , pelletized and injection molded in the same manner as in example - i to obtain test plates . the injection molded test plates are tested for their comparative physical properties and surface resistivity at room temperature . table iv______________________________________ ( composition , parts by weight ) a b c d______________________________________ppe - b 75 75 75 75tpp 5 5 5 5mineral oil 5 5 5 5talc 5 -- 5 -- wollastonite -- 5 -- 5kraton g 1652 10 -- -- 10kraton g 1701 -- 10 5 -- epr -- -- 5 -- ketjen black 8 8 8 8 ( physical properties3 . 2 mm test plate ) tensile strength (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) 70 65 60 71flexural strength (× 10 kg / cm . sup . 2 ) 76 67 65 70izod impact stength 28 23 20 29 ( un - notched , kg . cm / cm . sup . 2 ) surface resistivity (× 10 . sup . 5 ohm ) 3 8 5 7______________________________________ table v__________________________________________________________________________ analytical result of graft rubbersmaterial charged ethyleneethylene - olefineolefinecopolymer copolymer an . sup . ( 1 ) mma . sup . ( 2 ) species weight ( kg ) styrene an . sup . ( 1 ) mma . sup . ( 2 ) wt % wt %. sup . ( 3 ) wt %. sup . ( 3 ) __________________________________________________________________________a epdm 10 3 . 35 0 . 20 -- 75 . 3 5 . 1 -- b epr 10 3 . 35 0 . 20 -- 76 . 0 4 . 8 -- c epr 10 3 . 35 -- 0 . 20 74 . 9 -- 5 . 6d ebr 10 3 . 35 -- 0 . 20 75 . 1 -- 5 . 2e epdm 5 5 . 3 -- 0 . 50 48 . 2 -- 7 . 5f epdm 5 5 . 5 0 . 30 -- 47 . 9 4 . 8 -- g epdm 5 5 . 8 -- -- 47 . 6 -- -- __________________________________________________________________________ . sup . ( 1 ) acrylonitrile . sup . ( 2 ) methylmethacrylate . sup . ( 3 ) calculated by the formula : 100 × an ( mma )/[ an ( mma ) + styren | 8 |
the following description is provided alongside all chapters of the present invention , so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention . various modifications however , will remain apparent to those skilled in the art , since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide a wireless communication system for tracking assets and methods thereof . in accordance with the current invention , the preferred technical solution constitutes precisely tracking a plurality of gps smart tags affixed to the movable objects of interest . the gps smart tags are wirelessly linked to a service center via a plurality of ground stations covering a tracking area . additionally , a plurality of beacon devices is disposed in the aforesaid tracking area . the beacon devices are adapted to rf transmit their id data to the smart tags situated within the beacon service area . each smart tag situated in the coverage zone of the base station is initialized under command of a service center . one method for determining the location of the smart tag comprises the following steps : ( i ) determining an approximate location of the smart tag by identifying the nearest beacon device or by triangulating the smart tag position using beacon signal measurements and ( ii ) determining a precise location of the smart tag by means of an assisted gps ( agps ) technology . the system , which is known as assisted gps or agps , uses a wireless network to provide the gps receiver with data , thereby assisting it to acquire the satellite &# 39 ; s signal . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the system provides ephemeris data to the gps receiver , which improves the time - to - first - fix ( ttff ). the data provided to the gps receiver can be either the ephemeris data for visible satellites or , more helpfully the code phase and doppler ranges over which the gps device has to search , i . e . ‘ acquisition assistance ’. this technique improves the ttff by many orders of magnitude , thus minimizing energy consumption . agps is also used to improve the sensitivity of the gps device , thus improving the performance within buildings . by providing so called ‘ sensitivity assistance ’ ( based roughly on the estimated position of the gps receiver ) to the gps device , it is able to better correlate the signal being received from the satellite when the signal is low in strength . being provided with assisted data , the smart tag receives satellite - broadcasted signals and calculates pseudo - ranges from the tag to the satellites . after transferring data , the smart tag is restored to a cold standby condition . the calculated pseudo - range data is transferred to the service center adapted to determine a smart tag location . the term ‘ assisted gps ’ ( agps ) relates to a configuration consisting of a gps server and plurality of simple mobile gps receivers connected via a communication link . the mobile gps receivers are assisted by the gps server providing data and processing power for position measurement . the term ‘ gps smart tag ’ relates to tags consisting of a gps receiver , limited processing power and an interface to a dedicated wireless communication link . the term ‘ almanac ’ relates to coarse time information and status information about the satellites included in the primary navigation signal broadcasted by a satellite . the term ‘ ephemeris ’ relates to information that allows the receiver to calculate the position of the satellite . the term ‘ assisted data ’ relates to data generated by the service center and provided to the gps smart tag for shortening time to first fix (“ acquisition assistance ”) and increasing sensitivity (“ sensitivity assistance ”). the aforesaid data comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of almanac , ephemeris , code phase , and doppler ranges characterizing the satellite - broadcasted signal . the term ‘ pseudo - range ’ relates to the range of each of the satellites used by a gps receiver and is calculated by the time delay of signals received from each satellite . the pseudo - range values are further used to calculate the gps receiver position by triangulation . the term ‘ pseudo random ’ relates to numbers that are generated digitally and approximate the properties of random numbers . the term ‘ radio frequency ( rf ) beacon ’ relates to a radio transmitter transmitting identification data within an area of the transmitter antenna . the term ‘ central processing server ’ relates to a central processing platform recording location data obtained from all the system smart tags in the database . the term ‘ application interface ’ ( api ) relates to user interface software running on the central processing server and the application server . the term ‘ system console ’ relates to a terminal usable for operating the system . the term ‘ receive signal strength indicator ’ refers to a circuit to measure the strength of an incoming signal . the basic circuit is designed to pick an rf signal and to generate an output equivalent to the signal strength . reference is now made to fig1 , schematically illustrating a block diagram of an agps smart tag system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention . as seen in fig1 , the system 100 comprises a service center 16 , a ground base station 18 , a beacon 32 , and a smart tag 14 adapted to releasably affix to an object of interest 12 . the ground base station 18 is connected to the service center 16 via ip network 30 . the service center 16 further comprises a central processing server 24 , a customer application server 26 connected to the central processing server 24 via a application programming interface 25 , and stationary gps receiver 22 furnished with an antenna 20 . the receiver 22 and the smart tag 14 are adapted for to receive signals broadcasted by satellites 10 a . . . 10 d via wireless communication channels 40 and 42 , respectively . the ground base station 18 is adapted to wirelessly rf - communicate with the smart tag 14 via a channel 44 . the stationary gps receiver 22 furnished with the antenna 20 is adapted for search and receive signals broadcasted by the satellites available for receiving . as seen in fig1 , the beacon device 32 has a service zone 34 . in accordance with the current invention , the smart tag 14 affixed to an object of interest 12 is situated in the service zone 34 of the beacon device 32 . the smart tag 14 is woken up by either itself when sensing predefined events ( such as motion or time elapsed ) or a command sent from the service center 16 . being woken up , for example , by the service center 16 , the smart tag 14 receives a signal from the beacon device 32 via wireless communication channel 46 . the aforesaid signal carries id data of this specific beacon 32 . the smart tag 14 measures parameters of the beacon signal and derives the beacon id data . further the beacon 32 retransmits the received beacon id and signal measurement data to the service center 16 . the beacon id data enables the service center 16 to determine an approximate location of the smart tag 14 and provide the smart tag 14 with assisted data . the aforesaid data is generated according to satellite - broadcasted signals receivable by the stationary reference gps receiver 22 . as said above , providing the smart tag 14 with assisted data enables the system 100 to reduce energy consumption due to shortening ttff ( acquisition assistance ) and more reliable reception ( sensitivity assistance ) that is very important in indoor conditions . the smart tag 14 performs signal search according to the received assisted data , receives satellite - broadcasted signals and calculates pseudo - ranges from the tag 14 to the available satellites 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , and 10 d . the calculated pseudo - ranges are transmitted to the service center 16 for further processing . the central processing server 24 is adapted to calculate a location of the smart tag 14 by means of triangulating the obtained pseudo - ranges . reduced power consumption comes about because the smart tag 14 is in standby condition and is woken up for a short time on demand . reference is now is made to fig2 , presenting a block diagram of the agps smart tag 14 . the aforesaid smart tag comprises an agps receiver 50 , an rf - transceiver 52 , a data bus 54 , a microcontroller unit 56 , a motion sensor 58 , a battery 60 , and i / o port 62 . as said above , the agps smart tag 14 is in standby condition by default . the tag is woken up by either itself when sensing predefined events ( such as motion or time elapsed ) or a command sent from the service center 16 via the wireless rf - communication channel 44 . the transceiver 52 receives a signal from the beacon device 32 via wireless communication channel 46 . the aforesaid signal carries id data of the specific beacon 32 . the microcontroller 56 measures signal parameters and derives the beacon id data . optionally , a received signal strength indicator and a phase delay or any combination thereof are measured by microcontroller 56 . further , the transceiver 52 retransmits the received beacon id and signal measurement data to the service center 16 . the beacon id data enables the service center 16 ( not shown ) to determine an approximate location of the smart tag 14 , generate the assisted data , and provide the smart tag 14 with the approximate location and the assisted data . being provided with assisted data , the agps receiver 50 searches and receives the satellite - broadcasted signals . the pseudo - random waveform received by gps receiver 50 is compared with an internally generated version of the same code with delay control , until both waveforms are synchronized . the obtained delay of internal pseudo - random form corresponding to the waveform synchronization defines the travel time of the gps signal from the satellite to the receiver 50 . the obtained delay values are provided via the data bus 54 to the microcontroller unit 56 . the delay values ( pseudo - ranges ) further are transferred to the service center 16 via an rf - communication link 44 for calculating the smart tag location . thereafter , the smart tag 14 restores to the standby condition . the smart tag 14 is a mobile battery - powered device . therefore , it is important that the suggested mode of short - time sessions of pseudo - range measurements secures a long battery service life . the smart tag 14 further comprises a motion sensor 58 enabling the service center to assist tracking the smart tag 14 outside the service area . i / o port 62 provides a connection of peripheral devices ( not shown ) to the smart tag 14 and two - way data interchange between the aforesaid device and the service center 16 . reference is now made to fig3 , schematically illustrating a block diagram of the architecture of the ground base station 18 . the aforesaid base station 18 is a ground communication unit communicating with the plurality of mobile smart tags via wireless communication links . the base station 18 comprises four independent rf transceiver modules 70 a , 70 b , 70 e , and 70 d ( rack transceiver ) operating simultaneously . the rack transceiver is required for supporting the frequency diversity mode of operation , providing the required capabilities for withstanding external interferences . microcontroller units 72 a , 72 b , 72 c , and 72 d perform management of the data stream in transceivers 70 a , 70 b , 70 e , and 70 d , respectively . a central microcontroller unit 74 is responsible for activating and controlling internal operational logic of the base station 18 . a serial port 76 connects peripheral devices to the base station 18 . as seen in fig4 , the base station 18 further comprises ethernet chipset 78 for connecting to the ethernet 30 . the base station 18 is controlled by central processing server 24 via the ethernet connection 30 . reference is now made to fig4 , presenting a block diagram of the ac / dc ( 84 )- powered beacon device 32 comprising an rf - transceiver 80 capable of transmitting beacon device id data at the predetermined frequency and time . the beacon device 32 is furnished with an attenuator 82 and the serial or usb port 76 enabling the service center to change over the air a level of emitted power and configuring and maintaining the beacon device 32 , respectively . reference is now made to fig5 , showing a flowchart of a method 300 for using a preferred embodiment of an agps system for tracking an object of interest , according to the invention . in step 200 , an agps system is provided having a smart tag . the smart tag is woken up at step 210 . the aforesaid smart tag measures rf - signals of the nearest beacon devices in - view and derives signal id data of the nearest beacon device at step 220 . the smart tag then retransmits signal measurement and id data to the service center ( step 230 ). the service center determines an approximate location of the smart tag ( step 240 ) and generates and transmits the assisted data ( step 250 ). as stated above , the assisted data provides both acquisition and sensitivity assistance . stated another way , using the assisted data shortens ttff and increases reliability of the objects location in indoor conditions . the smart tag receives the satellite - broadcasted signals at the further step 260 according the assisted data . calculating the pseudo - ranges at step 270 is based on the obtained satellite signals . the calculated pseudo - ranges are transferred to the service center at the step 280 . restoring the smart tag to the cold standby condition at the step 290 secures reduced power consumption and enhances battery life . calculating the tag location at the step 310 ends the flowchart 300 . the obtained result provides coordinates characterizing the smart tag location . thus , in accordance with the current invention , the reduction of power consumption is attained due to initializing the smart tag by the service center during determining the smart tag location and restoring the aforesaid tag to the cold standby condition after transmitting the pseudo - ranges . the preliminary determination of the approximate tag location using the beacon devices enables the service center to provide improved gps assistance by means of transmitting more precise satellite data to the smart tag . | 6 |
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 . in this regard , directional terminology , such as “ top ,” “ bottom ,” “ front ,” “ back ,” “ leading ,” “ trailing ,” etc ., is used with reference to the orientation of the figure ( s ) being described . because components of embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations , the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting . it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . the following detailed description , therefore , is not to be taken in a limiting sense , and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims . it is to be understood that the features of the various exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined with each other , unless specifically noted otherwise . the term “ proximal ” as employed in this application means that the referenced part is situated next to or near the point of attachment or origin or a central point : as located toward a center of the human body . the term “ distal ” as employed in this application means that the referenced part is situated away from the point of attachment or origin or the central point : as located away from the center of the human body . a distal end is the furthest endmost location of a distal portion of a thing being described , whereas a proximal end is the nearest endmost location of a proximal portion of the thing being described . for example , the glans penis is located distal , and of the crus of the penis is located proximal relative to the male body such that a distal end of a corpora cavernosum of the patient extends about midway into the glans penis . multiple different tools and instruments are employed in a typical penile prosthetic implantation procedure to form a recess sized to receive the implant . in general , the fewer tools employed during a body implant procedure , the better . embodiments provide an instrument configured to prepare a penis for implantation of a penile prosthetic , where the instrument includes a dilation head that is movable longitudinally along a shaft of the instrument . the dilation head is movable to a proximal end of the shaft such that the shaft has a substantially uniform diameter that is unobstructed and thus configured for measuring a length of the corpora cavernosum . the dilation head is configured to be reversibly movable along the length of the shaft to “ core out ” and / or dilate the corpora cavernosum . thus , a single one of the instruments as described herein provides improved dilation of the corpora with improved procedural efficiency by performing the tasks of the multiple different tools and instruments typically employed in a penile prosthetic implantation procedure . fig1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of an instrument 20 that is configured to prepare a penis for implantation of a penile prosthetic . the instrument 20 includes a shaft 22 , a plunger 24 that couples with and moves relative to the shaft 22 , and a dilation head 26 that couples with the plunger 24 . in one embodiment , the plunger 24 is inserted within the shaft 22 and the dilation head 26 is attached to the plunger 24 around the shaft 22 . longitudinal movement of the plunger 24 relative to the shaft 22 moves the dilation head 26 longitudinally along the shaft 22 . during use , as describe below , the plunger 24 is retracted proximally to draw the dilation head 26 toward a proximal end of the shaft 22 , which configures the shaft 22 for unobstructed insertion into a corpora cavernosa of the penis to allow the shaft 22 to measure the length of the corpora cavemosa . after the length measurement is taken , and while the shaft 22 is inserted into the corpora cavemosa , the plunger 24 is pushed proximally into the shaft 22 to pass the dilation head 26 along the shaft 22 in the distal direction . the movement of the dilation head 26 along the shaft 22 dilates the tissue in the corpora cavernosa . the dilation head 26 is removable from the shaft 22 and the plunger to allow other differently sized dilation heads 26 to be attached to the plunger 24 for selective dilation of the corpora . fig2 a is a perspective view and fig2 b is a cross - sectional view of one embodiment of the shaft 22 . in one embodiment , the shaft 22 has an exterior surface 30 that extends between a distal end 32 and a proximal end 34 and includes a first channel 36 and a second channel 38 that are formed in the exterior surface 30 . the exterior surface 30 defines an outside diameter of the shaft 22 , and in one embodiment the shaft 22 has a constant outside diameter that is suited for insertion into and measurement of a length of each corpora cavernosum . in one embodiment , the channels 36 , 38 are open channels formed from a circular arc of greater than 180 degrees , where the first channel 36 is spaced a first distance h 1 apart from the second channel 38 . in one embodiment , the shaft 22 is formed as a single monolithic shaft molded as a unit between the distal end 32 and the proximal end 34 , and a handle 40 is attached to the proximal end 34 of the shaft 22 . in one embodiment , at least a portion of the exterior surface 30 of the shaft 22 is provided with indicia 42 placed at selected intervals , for example a series of markings spaced 1 cm apart , although other spacing is also acceptable . in one embodiment , the shaft 22 is fabricated from a circular rod to include the channels 36 , 38 and a flat surface on which the indicia 42 are marked . in one embodiment , the indicia 42 are marked on the flat surface of the shaft 22 and over the exterior surface 30 . marking the indicia 42 on the flat surface minimizes the deleterious effects of glare , which can occur in the typically brightly - lighted operating rooms . fig3 a is a perspective view and fig3 b and 3c are cross - sectional views of one embodiment of the plunger 24 . in one embodiment , the plunger 24 extends between a distal end 52 and a proximal end 54 and includes a first rod 56 and a second rod 58 spaced apart from the first rod 56 , where the rods 56 , 58 extend from a handle 60 . the rods 56 , 58 are sized to slide within the channels 36 , 38 ( fig2 b ). for example , the rods 56 , 58 are formed to have a diameter that is similar to or slightly less than the diameter of the channels 36 , 38 ( in order to allow for clearance between the rods 56 , 58 and the channels 36 , 38 ). in one embodiment , the first channel 36 and the second channel 38 are open channels such that at least a portion of the first rod 56 and the second rod 58 is visibly exposed through the exterior surface 30 of the shaft 22 ( fig2 b ) when the instrument 20 is assembled . in one embodiment , the rods 56 , 58 are flexible and pre - flexed or stressed such that the distal ends 52 deflect inwardly toward each other as illustrated by the distance h 2 in fig3 c showing the distal ends 52 are more narrowly spaced apart than the distance h 1 between the rods 56 , 58 near the handle 60 ( fig3 b ). in particular , in one embodiment the rods 56 , 58 are spaced by the first distance h 1 apart near the handle 60 as illustrated in the cross - sectional view of the proximal end portion of fig3 b and the distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 are tensioned ( e . g ., bent ) to flex together such they are spaced apart by a distance h 2 that is less than the distance h 1 as illustrated in the cross - sectional view of the distal end portion of fig3 c . in this manner , when the rods 56 , 58 are engaged with the channels 36 , 38 ( fig2 b ) the shaft 22 maintains the rods 56 , 58 apart , one from the other , by the distance h 1 . alternatively , when the distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 extend beyond the distal end 32 of the shaft 22 ( fig2 a ) the ends 52 are unconstrained and thus flex and pinch together a distance h 2 apart . in one embodiment , the rods 56 , 58 are formed to be substantially parallel with each other , for example as illustrated by the rods of plunger 134 in fig9 . fig4 a is a side view , fig4 b is an end view , and fig4 c is a cross - sectional view of the dilation head 26 . in one embodiment , the dilation head 26 includes an exterior surface 70 having an outside diameter of d 1 and an inside surface 72 that is formed to provide a recess 74 . the dilation head 26 is attachable to the distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 and its annular conformation is configured to be disposed over the shaft 22 . in one embodiment , the recess 74 is provided as an annular groove formed around the inside surface 72 of the dilation head 26 . in one embodiment , the diameter d 1 is larger than the diameter of the shaft 22 ( fig2 b ) and the inside surface 72 of the dilation head 26 includes clearance notches 76 sized to move over the rods 56 , 58 ( fig3 b ) of the assembled instrument 20 . in one embodiment , the dilation head 26 is removably attachable and re - attachable to the plunger 24 ( fig3 a ). suitable examples of mechanisms that allow the dilation head to be removed from the plunger 24 include tension latches , threads , snap fits , friction fits , and quarter - turn quick attachment mechanisms ( e . g ., post - and - slot arrangements ). in one embodiment , the instrument 20 is configured to be reusable and is fabricated from a suitable material such as a polymer . suitable polymers include polysulfone , polyetherimide , or polyester , or blends or derivatives of polysulfone , polyetherimide , or polyester . in one example , the shaft 22 , the plunger 24 , and the dilation head 26 are each fabricated from polysulfone and thus configured for disposable single surgical use . fig5 a is a cross - sectional view of the dilation head 26 disengaged from the plunger 24 . in one embodiment , the plunger 24 is longer than the shaft 22 such that the distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 extend beyond the distal end 32 of the shaft 22 when the handle 60 of the plunger 24 is in contact with a handle 40 of the shaft 22 . in one embodiment , the distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 combine to provide a tension latch 80 . the tension latch 80 is flexible and compresses to release from the dilation head 26 ( fig5 a ) and expands to engage with the dilation at 26 ( fig5 b ). for example , in one embodiment the tension latch 80 includes a boss 82 that extends from an exterior surface of the each of the rods 56 , 58 . the tension latch 80 is characterized in that the distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 deflect inwardly together when the ends 52 of the plunger 24 extend beyond the shaft 22 , which provides clearance for the bosses 82 to pass inside the interior surface 72 of the dilation at 26 for attachment / removal of head 26 from plunger 24 . for example , and with additional reference to fig3 c , the distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 deflect inwardly to a spacing of approximately h 2 , which provides clearance for the bosses 82 to enter inside the interior surface 72 of the dilation head 26 . that is to say , the inside diameter of the inside surface 72 is about equal to the distance h 1 plus twice the diameter of one of the proximal portion of the rods 56 , 58 . fig5 b is a cross - sectional view of the dilation head 26 attached to and engaged with the plunger 24 . when the dilation head 26 is placed over the compressed distal ends 52 of the rods 56 , 58 ( fig5 a ) and the plunger 24 is retracted such that the ends 52 no longer extend beyond the shaft 22 , then the bosses 82 of the tension latch 80 are forced outward to engage with the recess 74 of the dilation head 26 . in this manner , a removable dilation head 26 is provided for the instrument 20 , which allows the surgeon to select differently sized dilation heads 26 to selectively dilate the corpora of the penis to a desired diameter , as described below . the plunger 24 is movable longitudinally relative to the shaft 22 . movement of the plunger 24 back and forth relative to the shaft 22 moves the dilation head 26 longitudinally back and forth along the shaft 22 . in one embodiment , the handle 40 attached to the shaft 22 is separated from the handle 60 attached to the plunger 24 when the distal ends 52 of the plunger 24 are located between the distal end 32 and a proximal end 30 of the shaft 22 . fig6 is an end view of the instrument 20 . the plunger 24 is engaged with the shaft and 22 such that the rods 56 , 58 are engaged with the channels 36 , 38 formed in the shaft 22 . the dilation head 26 is attached to the rods 56 , 58 of the plunger 24 such that the dilation head 26 is disposed around the shaft 22 . fig7 a is a schematic view of one embodiment of a penis p prepared for implantation of a penile prosthetic showing the instrument 20 a in a corpora measurement configuration and fig7 b is a cross - sectional view of the corpora c 1 and c 2 of the penis p . while the penile prosthetic is not shown , it would typically include a pair of inflatable cylinders , a reservoir , and a pump employed to transfer fluid to / from the reservoir , where the instrument 20 is employed to dilate the corpora for insertion of the cylinders . the penis p is reclined against the torso such that the urethra u , surrounded by corpus spongiosum tissue , is oriented upward . the penis p has been incised to expose the corpora cavernosa ( c 1 and c 2 ) and the instrument 20 a has the dilation head 26 fully retracted proximally to allow the shaft 22 to measure the length of each of the corpora cavernosum ( c 1 or c 2 ). in the corpora measurement configuration , the entire distal portion of the shaft 22 is unobstructed from the dilation head 26 . the groin area 100 of the patient is shaved , cleaned and suitably prepped with a surgical solution prior to draping with a sterile drape as directed by the healthcare provider &# 39 ; s procedures . a retraction device , such as a retractor 102 sold under the trademark lone star and available from lone star medical products of stafford , tex ., is placed around the penis p if so desired by the surgeon to establish a surgically clean field . a catheter 103 is inserted into the urethra u from the distal end 104 of the penis p . thereafter , the surgeon forms an incision to access the corpora cavernosa c 1 and c 2 of the penis . suitable examples of incisions include either an infrapubic incision or a transverse scrotal incision . the infrapubic incision is initiated between the umbilicus and the penis ( i . e ., above the penis ), whereas the transverse scrotal incision is made across an upper portion of the patient &# 39 ; s scrotum sc . as an example of the transverse scrotal approach , with reference to fig7 b , the surgeon forms a 2 - 3 cm transverse incision through the subcutaneous tissue of the median raphe of the upper scrotum sc and dissects down through the darto &# 39 ; s fascia df and buck &# 39 ; s fascia bf to expose the tunicae albuginea ta of the penis p . thereafter , each corpora cavernosum c 1 and c 2 is exposed in a corporotomy where a small ( approximately 1 . 5 cm ) incision is formed to allow the surgeon to access and subsequently dilate the corpora cavernosa c 1 and c 2 . with reference to both fig7 a and 7b , the surgeon typically will insert a blunt - ended scissors or other elongated tool to separate a portion of the spongiosum material to open a pathway for the instrument 20 a . the surgeon inserts the shaft 22 ( instrument 20 a ) into the corpora cavernosa c 1 and c 2 to measure the proximal and distal length of each corpora cavernosum c 1 and c 2 . for example , the shaft 22 is inserted into one of the corpora cavernosa c 1 or c 2 forward in the distal penis toward the glans penis , the distal measurement is recorded by reading the indicia 42 , and the shaft 22 is inserted into the same corpora cavernosa c 1 or c 2 rearward in the proximal penis toward the crus of the penis to record the proximal length of the corpora by reading the indicia 42 . the distal and proximal measurements would typically be made in reference to a “ stay stitch ” temporarily placed in the incision . the sum of the distal and the proximal measurements represent the length of the corpora into which the implant is placed . this procedure is repeated for the other of the corpora cavernosa c 1 or c 2 to measure the length of the companion corpora . thereafter , each corpora cavernosum c 1 and c 2 is dilated distally and proximally with the instrument 20 . fig8 a and 8b illustrate the instrument 20 in the dilation configurations with the dilation head 26 moved midway along the shaft 22 ( fig8 a ) and the dilation head 26 moved to the distal end of the shaft ( fig8 b ). in one exemplary approach , the surgeon begins dilation of the distal and proximal corpora cavernosum c 1 and c 2 by introducing a dilation head 26 having an 8 mm outside diameter ( d 1 in fig4 a ) into the spongy tissue of one of the corpora c 1 or c 2 . the plunger 24 is moved into the shaft 22 to move the dilation head 26 from a proximal location ( instrument 20 a in fig7 a ) to a distal location ( instrument 20 c ) to open the spongy tissue of the corpora along the length of the penis p . the plunger 24 is withdrawn proximally with the shaft 22 remaining in the penis p , and if the surgeon determines it to be desirable , once again advances the dilation head 26 distally and longitudinally along the shaft 22 to fully dilate the tissue of the corpora . thereafter , the surgeon may optionally remove the instrument 20 from the penis p , remove the 8 mm dilation head , for example , and attach a larger diameter dilation head 26 to the plunger 24 , and insert the newly configured tool 20 into the penis p to sequentially dilate the corpora cavernosum c 1 and c 2 to a width that accommodates the selected cylinder diameter of the implant . in another exemplary approach , the surgeon may choose to dilate the distal and proximal corpora by a single introduction of a dilation head having a 14 mm outside diameter . alternatively , the surgeon may choose to sequentially dilate the corpora with a series of dilation heads 26 having an outside diameter ranging from 8 mm to 10 mm to 12 mm and outward to 14 mm in diameter , in the manner described above . other dilation heads 26 wider than 14 mm are also within the scope of this disclosure . in any regard , the dilation head 26 is introduced and pushed distally toward the glans penis and proximally toward the crus of the penis to dilate each of the corpora cavernosum c 1 and c 2 along its length . after dilation of the corpora cavernosum c 1 and c 2 , the surgeon selects a proper length of implant and proceeds with placement of cylinders of the implant within the fully dilated corpora . fig9 is a cross - sectional view of an instrument system 120 including a set 122 of dilation heads 26 , each removably attachable to the tension latch 80 of the plunger 24 . in one embodiment , the set 122 of dilation heads includes multiple dilation heads 26 a , 26 b , 26 c each having a different diameter , where each dilation head 26 a , 26 b , 26 c is configured to couple to the distal ends 52 of the plunger 24 . in one embodiment , the instrument 20 ( fig1 ) and the set 122 of dilation heads are provided as a kit of parts . in one embodiment , dilation head 26 a is provided with an outside diameter d 1 , dilation head 26 b is provided with an outside diameter d 2 , and dilation head 26 c is provided with an outside diameter d 3 , where d 3 is greater than d 2 , and d 2 is greater than d 1 . as an example , in one embodiment the diameter d 1 is about 8 mm , the diameter d 2 is about 10 mm , and a diameter d 3 is about 12 mm . it is to be understood that the set 122 of dilation heads 26 could be provided with diameters ranging from 6 mm to 18 mm or more , in increments of about 2 mm , for example , depending upon the patient size or surgeon preference . each of the dilation heads 26 a , 26 b , 26 c is provided with a recess 74 that is configured to couple with the bosses 82 of the tension latch 80 . during use , the surgeon would initially measure the length of the corpora cavernosa c 1 and c 2 with the shaft 22 , dilate the distal and proximal corpora cavernosa c 1 and c 2 ( fig7 b ) in the range of d 1 with the dilation head 26 a , remove the dilation head 26 a and attach the larger diameter d 2 of the dilation head 26 b to the plunger 24 , dilate the distal and proximal corpora cavernosa c 1 and c 2 in the range of d 2 , and remove the dilation head 26 b and attach the even larger diameter of the dilation head 26 c to the plunger 24 to sequentially and fully dilate the distal and proximal corpora cavernosa c 1 and c 2 of the penis p in the range of d 3 . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of one embodiment of an instrument 130 that is configured to prepare a penis for implantation of a penile prosthetic and including a dilation head 136 threaded onto a distal end of a plunger 134 . the instrument 130 includes a shaft 132 that supports the plunger 134 in a manner similar to that described above for instrument 20 . in one embodiment , the distal end of the plunger 134 is threaded to receive threads formed on an inside surface of the dilation head 136 . in this manner , the dilation head 136 is removable from the distal end of the plunger 134 in a twist - on and twist - off approach . as described above in fig8 , one embodiment of instrument 130 includes a set of dilation heads , where each dilation head is removably attachable to the plunger 134 to allow the surgeon to sequentially dilate the corpora cavernosa to an increasingly larger diameter . embodiments provide an instrument that is configured to prepare a penis for implantation of a penile prosthetic , where the instrument includes a shaft suited for measuring a length of the corpora cavernosum and a dilation head that is movable longitudinally along the shaft of the instrument to dilate the corpora cavernosum . thus , a single instrument is provided that has improved cost effectiveness and procedural efficiency over the prior tools , and is suited to measure and dilate the corpora cavernosum of the penis . although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein , it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and / or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention . this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of medical devices as discussed herein . therefore , it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof . | 0 |
referring now to the figures , in which like reference numerals and names refer to structurally and / or functionally similar elements thereof , fig1 shows an isometric view of a cube - shaped dobie . referring now to fig1 , cube - shaped dobie 100 has a dimension a on all three sides that are essentially equal . the trays that have the cavities that produce cube - shaped dobies 100 are made with a slight draft ( slope ) from top to bottom ( larger at the top of the tray , and narrower at the bottom of the tray ) so that the trays will nest and stack for shipping and so that the cube - shaped dobies 100 will easily release from the tray once cured . the draft of the cavities is typical to all dobie types manufactured with this present approach . fig2 shows an isometric view of a pan or multi - use dobie . referring now to fig2 , the dimensions a , b , and c of pan or multi - use dobie 200 may all be different . fig3 a and 3b show a top and front view of a pool / euro dobie . referring now to fig3 a and 3b , pool / euro dobie 300 is similar to pan or multi - use dobie 200 ( fig2 ) in that it has three different side dimensions . it has concave sides on two sides and a central tapered hole for tie wire insertion . the central hole allows for pool / euro dobie 300 to be tie wired to the reinforcement that it is supporting while the concave sides help to insure that , once tied , pool / euro dobie 300 will not rotate about the tapered hole and allow the support dimension to change . the tapered tie wire hole may be utilized with any of the dobie types described herein . other types of securing appliances besides tie wire , such as metal or plastic clips , or springs , may be compatible with the central holes . in another embodiment , securing appliances such as steel tie wire , metal or plastic clips , or springs for securing the reinforcement to the dobie can be embedded into the devices by affixing the securing appliances to the tray cavities prior to filing the tray cavities with grout , with the top portion of the securing appliances extending above the top surface of the tray . thus , once cured , the securing appliances are securely embedded in each dobie , eliminating the step of securing the securing appliances to the dobies after they have cured . this approach may be utilized with any of the dobie styles described herein . a recess may be formed in the bottom of each cavity which supports the securing appliances in a vertical position while the grout is poured into the cavities . the securing appliances in one embodiment may be inserted from the bottom of the tray and then positioned to extend above the top surface of the tray . fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c show a top , front , and right side view of a legged pool / euro dobie . referring now to fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c , legged pool / euro dobie 400 is similar to pool / euro dobie 300 ( see fig3 a and 3b ) with the addition of four legs 402 on the bottom face . legs 402 allow legged pool / euro dobie 400 to be used on a surface that will be exposed to view after removal of the forms . legs 402 allow concrete , when it is being poured , to fill in under legged pool / euro dobie 400 and conceal it from view . only the contact points of legs 402 on the casting face are visible . if legged pool / euro dobie 400 is made out of grout similar in color and texture to the concrete ; the contact points of legs 402 would be nearly indistinguishable from the poured concrete . fig5 a , 5 b , and 5 c show a front , right , and isometric view of a dobie that is a frustum of a pyramid . referring now to fig5 a , 5 b , and 5 c , pyramid dobie 500 optimizes the use of material by eliminating unnecessary material and is therefore lighter in weight . pyramid dobie 500 can be made with or without slot 502 in the top , which positions and supports the reinforcement , such as rebar . pyramid dobie 500 may also have a central tapered hole for tie wire insertion . ( see fig3 a , 3 b , 4 a , 4 b , and 4 c ). fig6 a , 6 b , and 6 c show a front , top , and isometric view of a dobie that is a frustum of a right circular cone . referring now to fig6 a , 6 b , and 6 c , cone dobie 600 , like pyramid dobie 500 ( see fig5 a , 5 b , and 5 c ) also optimizes the use of material by eliminating unnecessary material and therefore is lighter in weight . cone dobie 600 may also be made with or without slot 602 in the top to position and support the reinforcement . cone dobie 600 may also have a central tapered hole for tie wire insertion . ( see fig3 a , 3 b , 4 a , 4 b , and 4 c ). fig7 a and 7b show a front and top view of a tri - legged dobie . referring now to fig7 a and 7b , tri - legged dobie 700 has three legs 702 and is similar to legged pool / euro dobie 400 . ( see fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c ). the tri - legged shape optimizes the use of material . it also reduces the area under tri - legged dobie 700 that the poured concrete has to fill to conceal tri - legged dobie 700 on an exposed to view surface . the tri - legged shape also allows tri - legged dobie 700 to be stable on an irregular or uneven surface commonly encountered in the manufacture of architectural concrete products . fig8 a and 8b show a front and top view of a cube dobie having a reinforcement securing clip . referring now to fig8 a and 8b , cube dobie 800 has a pair of voids 802 that are shaped in a frustum of a pyramid . within voids 802 are interior offsets 804 in the outboard interior walls . interior offsets 804 provide anchorage for a steel , plastic or wire spring - clip 806 that is placed over the top of the reinforcement 808 ( not shown in fig8 b ), inserted into the top of voids 802 and allowed to spring outward against interior offsets 804 in the outboard walls of voids 802 . interior offsets 804 retain the bent ends 810 of spring - clip 806 , thus preventing it from coming out of voids 802 of cube dobie 800 . spring - clip 806 may be used with any of the dobie types described herein that are featured with voids and interior offsets similar to voids 802 and interior offsets 804 . fig9 shows an isometric view of a typical dobie tray . referring now to fig9 , dobie tray 900 has a plurality of cavities 902 formed into the tray that can be quickly and efficiently filled with grout to form a plurality of dobies . edges 904 of the tray have a vertical rise , and then slope down to a top surface of dobie tray 900 at an angle , typically 45 °, but the angle could be more or less than 45 °. when dobie tray 900 is placed into a box ( see fig1 ) for filling cavities 902 with grout , the edges 904 of dobie tray 900 form a seal against the sides of the box and substantially prevent the fluidic grout from running into the bottom of the box or into a lower tray already placed and filled in the box . dobie tray 900 has a first lip 906 adjacent to a second lip 908 , the function of which is explained in reference to fig1 a , 10 b , and 10 c . fig1 a , 10 b , and 10 c show a top view of a first dobie tray oriented in a first position , a top view of a second dobie tray oriented in a second position for stacking purposes , and a cross section view of several dobie trays stacked on top of each other in the alternating first and second positions . referring now to fig1 a , a first dobie tray 1000 has a plurality of cavities 1002 and a first lip 1006 adjacent to a second lip 1008 . first dobie tray 1000 is placed in the bottom of a box ( see fig1 ) and its cavities 1002 are filled with grout . referring now to fig1 b , a second dobie tray 1010 having a plurality of cavities 1012 and a first lip 1016 adjacent to a second lip 1018 is placed on top of first dobie tray 1000 in the box oriented in the position shown , which is rotated 180 ° in relation to that of first dobie tray 1000 . first dobie tray 1000 and second dobie tray 1010 are identical to each other , being made from the same form or mold in the manufacturing process . fig1 c shows a cross section view of several dobie trays stacked on top of each other when viewed along line 10 c in fig1 b . due to the first and second lips of each dobie tray , when the dobie trays are stacked in the 180 ° rotated position relative to each other , the cavities in each dobie tray are offset by a distance equal to one - half of the width and length of the cavities as shown in fig1 c . as successive dobie trays are put into the box for filling , they are rotated 180 ° so that the intersecting walls of a lower tray support the centers of the cavities of the dobie tray immediately above it . this helps to prevent marring or damage to the dobies in a lower tray during the filling of an upper tray . fig1 c shows another first dobie tray 1000 and another second dobie tray 1010 stacked on top of the first two dobie trays 1000 and 1010 . the stacking ( with alternating rotated positions ) and filling process is repeated until the box is filled with dobie trays . boxes may be designed to hold differing numbers of dobie trays based upon practical considerations , such as weight , size , and ease of handling . once the box is filled , the box is closed up and sealed , and the grout is allowed to cure for an appropriate period of time . though first dobie tray 1000 and second dobie tray 1010 are shown as being square , one skilled in the art will recognize that a rectangular shape , with two adjacent lips , would also accomplish the same functionality as the square shape when a first rectangular dobie tray is overlaid with a second rectangular dobie tray rotated 180 ° in respect to the first rectangular dobie tray . the cavities in each rectangular dobie tray are offset by a distance equal to one - half of the width and length of the cavities . the boxes for the rectangular dobie trays would therefore have to be rectangular as well and sized to fit the rectangular dobie trays snugly on all four sides . one skilled in the art will also recognize that a rectangular dobie tray with only one lip , and over laid with an identical rectangular dobie tray with one lip rotated 180 ° in respect to the lower tray , would result in an offset of the cavities only in one direction ( length only or width only depending upon what side the lip is located ), and not two , which is not as optimal as having two lips on the dobie trays . dobie trays 1000 / 1010 may also have a plurality of spacing pins 1014 located at the intersection of the walls of the plurality of cavities 1002 / 1012 of dobie trays 1000 / 1010 to support the plurality of cavities of an upper tray . spacing pins 1014 are formed into the trays . trays may or may not have spacing pins 1014 , and spacing pins 1014 may not be located on every intersection of the walls of the cavities , but separated from each other on every - other wall intersection , as shown in fig1 c , or a greater spacing as desired . spacing pins 1014 not only support an upper tray but may also help to insure that a set of dobie trays within a box ( see fig1 ) completely fill the inside height of the box . this allows for a given box depth to be utilized with a variety of dobie types . it is desirable for the dobie trays to fill the boxes to the top so that when boxes are stacked one atop the other , the lower boxes are not crushed or buckled by the weight of the upper boxes and made to look unsightly . if boxes do collapse or crush slightly , when stacked , it typically does not affect or damage the dobies within the boxes due to the structural support supplied by each individual dobie tray . fig1 shows a section view through a box with one dobie tray inserted inside . referring now to fig1 , dobie tray 1100 is placed in the bottom of box 1110 . edges 1104 , typically having a slope of 45 °, fit snugly against the interior walls 1106 of box 1110 forming a seal such that any grout that is sprayed on the interior walls 1106 will run down and be deflected by the 45 ° slope into one or more of the plurality of cavities 1102 that are located along the perimeter of dobie tray 1100 . as described above , dobie tray 1100 may also have a plurality of spacing pins 1108 located at the intersection of the walls of the plurality of cavities 1102 of dobie tray 1100 to support the plurality of cavities of an upper tray . fig1 shows a flow chart of a general method for manufacturing dobies according to the present invention . referring now to fig1 , the manufacturing process 1200 begins with step 1202 where a first empty dobie tray is placed in the bottom of a first box sized so that the angled edges of the dobie tray contact the interior walls of the box . the box is typically placed on a pallet at or near the work site or the point of sale so that after curing , the pallet with multiple boxes is where the dobies will be used , or can be conveniently moved closer to where the dobies will actually be used . in step 1204 the cavities in the first empty dobie tray are filled with grout utilizing a grout mixing and pumping machine . one example of a grout mixing and pumping machine is the utiform quattro continuous mixing grouting system available from chemgrout , inc ., 805 e . 31 st street , lagrange park , ill . 60526 . other grout mixing and pumping machines are available from other suppliers and may be suitably used for the method described herein . in step 1206 it is determined if the box has been filled to the top with dobie trays . if not , then the method returns to step 1202 where a next empty dobie tray is positioned on top of the already placed and filled dobie tray . as described above in relation to fig1 a , 10 b , and 10 c , the dobie tray currently being placed is rotated 180 ° in relation to the already placed and filled dobie tray so that the intersecting walls of the already placed and filled dobie tray support the centers of the cavities of the dobie tray currently being placed . steps 1202 and 1204 are repeated until the box is full , as determined in step 1206 . once the box is full of dobie trays that have been filled with grout , in step 1208 the box is closed up and sealed . step 1210 determines if there are more boxes on the pallet to be filled with dobie trays . if yes , then the method returns to step 1202 where a next empty dobie tray is positioned in the bottom of the next box . steps 1202 through 1208 are repeated until all the boxes on the pallet have been filled and sealed , as determined in step 1210 . after all the boxes on the pallet have been filled and sealed , the grout is allowed to cure in step 1212 . the cure time will vary depending upon the type of grout . a cure time of about seven days is required before the dobies can be shipped . approximately 28 days is required for full curing . after curing , in step 1214 the boxes are opened and the dobie trays are removed . the individual dobies are then removed from the cavities and are ready to be used . one skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications to the above described method may be employed . for example , all the boxes that will fit on the pallet in a first layer may be placed on the pallet , and then , an empty dobie tray may be placed in each empty box . the dobie trays are filled with grout , and then a next dobie tray is placed in each of the boxes on top of the filled dobie trays . these new empty dobie trays are filled , and next dobie trays are added . this process is repeated until the boxes are full . the boxes are then sealed , and a next layer of boxes , if desired , can be placed on top of the first layer of boxes . the entire process above is then repeated until this new layer of boxes are filled with grout - filled dobie trays and the boxes are sealed . the entire process repeats again if another layer of boxes is desired . there are many other possible dobie types , configurations , and appliances that may be developed in conjunction with the above described manufacturing method . the dobie types , dimensions , and methods described above are in no way intended to describe the full scope of the capabilities of the method nor limit this disclosure to the specific contents and embodiments shown . although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts , it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above . rather , the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims . it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the disclosed subject matter . | 4 |
the apparatus 10 shown in the drawings includes a carrier body 11 which may advantageously comprise a rear section 11a and a front section 11b joined together as by a fastener or fasteners 12 , or by a bonding agent at parting plane 13 . the two sections preferably consist of insulative material such as a suitable plastic . a row of needles 14 is carried by the body , the needles typically extending in a vertical row as shown , and defining a vertical plane 15 which is perpendicular to the sheet in fig2 . a photographic film strip 16 is shown being transported to the right in fig2 perpendicular to and through plane 15 . one means to support the film strip is shown to comprise rollers 17 , although other supports or holders for the transported film may be used , and associated with apparatus 10 . the tips 14a of the needles are exposed within a vertically elongated recess 18 sunk in body section 11b , the recess depth &# 34 ; t &# 34 ; from front face 19 being less than the thickness of section 11b . the recess width &# 34 ; w &# 34 ; is preferably sufficiently narrow that a user &# 39 ; s finger placed against the front face 19 and over the recess does not protrude into the recess far enough to contact any of the neeldes . this safety feature reduces electrical shocking by the needles , to which high voltage ( between 3 , 500 and 5 , 500 volts ) is normally applied . at the same time , no screen is then needed to cover the recess . such a screen would interfere with the outward flow of air ( or other gas ) and ions required to treat , i . e . electrically neutralize , the film 16 . the width &# 34 ; w &# 34 ; is less than 10 mm , for best results , and preferably about 7 mm . depth &# 34 ; t &# 34 ; may be about 2 to 3 mm . for simplicity , the needles are carried by the other body section 11a , and are typically embedded in the plastic material of that section as shown . structure on the carrier defines a line or row of orifices 20 through which the ends of the needles projects , and typically through thinned wall portion 21 of section 11b inwardly of recess 18 . note that the ends of the needles are very close to recess bottom wall 22 , i . e . they do not project deeply into recess 18 . the diameter of the orifices is typically less than 0 . 5 mm , and preferably about 0 . 2 to 0 . 4 mm . the needles also project within a cavity 25 sunk in the body section 11a , and a length greater than the length of recess 18 . accordingly , the metallic , electrically conductive needles can easily be joined to a bus wire 26 , as at locations 27 in the cavity . wire 26 , sheathed at 26a , extends through the wall of section 11a , and supplied with high voltage from a source 28 , via cable 29 and resistor 30 , which may be varied , as indicated . it has been observed that the use of resistor array 30 produces voltage spikes which enhance performance . in addition , means is provided to supply pressurized gas , such as air or nitrogen to cavity 25 . a source of such air flow is indicated at 32 , connected as via flexible tubing 33 to port 34 in body 11 . such pressurized air in the cavity jets from the orifices 20 in well defined streams which are vertically spaced apart , recess 18 also aiding this shaping of the sharp lateral air flow streams to have an &# 34 ; air knife &# 34 ; effect , thereby to sweep opposite sides of the film strip as is clear from fig1 . the high voltage applied to the needles results in the production of ions which are carried by the air streams to sweep against the opposite sides of the film , and also to zones 60 and 61 above and below the film strip , neutralizing static on the film and also sweeping dust off the film surfaces , the amount of air and quantity of ions being such as to achieve this purpose . in this regard , best results are achieved when the peak voltage above zero applied to the needles is between 3 , 500 and 5 , 500 volts . the voltage at the output of source 28 may be at a higher level ( as for example 12 , 000 volts ) which is then reduced by a resistor or staggered array of resistors 30 . the latter may be variable or varied to allow &# 34 ; tuning &# 34 ; of the voltage at the needles , for optimized performance . one usuable voltage source is described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 308 , 344 although others may be used , including an ac source . the polarity of the voltage may also be changed or alternated between positive and negative as by appropriate circuitry , indicated for example at 28a . the polarity change may be at 60 cycles per second , for very good results . the location of the resistor or resistors should be close to the needles , for best results . power supply 28a may be remote from the body 11 and from the resistors . as is clear from fig1 if the film plane intersects the mid - portion of recess 18 , the down pressure of air jets above the film is balanced by the up - pressure of air jets below the film , whereby the film strip is not substantially deflected , and need not be supported near the zones 60 and 61 . for best results , the air of gas pressure supplied to the plenum cavity 25 is above 25 psi . positive or negative ions may be produced by the needles , as determined by the selected polarity of the voltage source output . | 7 |
first , the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiment shown in fig1 to 3 . indicated at 1 is the main body of a refrigerator having an inner case 2 and an outer case 3 , with an expanded heat insulator 4 filled in the space therebetween . the interior of the main body 1 is separated by a partition 5 to provide a freezer compartment 6 in the upper portion and a refrigerator compartment 7 in the lower portion . the freezer compartment 6 and the refrigerator compartment 7 have doors 8 and 9 , respectively , for openably closing their front openings . the refrigerator has a cooling device 10 disposed above a frost water receptacle 11 within the partition 5 , an electric fan 12 disposed in the rear of the cooling device for forcedly circulating cold air through the two compartments 6 and 7 , a compressor 13 disposed in a machine chamber 14 at a lower rear portion of the main body 1 , and an evaporator tray 15 provided above the compressor 13 for evaporating the water resulting from defrosting , utilizing the heat released from the compressor 13 . the compressor 13 , a condenser 17 , a capillary tube 18 serving as an expansion valve , the cooling device 10 serving as an evaporator and the compressor 13 are interconnected in a loop form in the order mentioned by a refrigerating cycle 16 incorporating a refrigerant . cold air is circulated through the refrigerator compartment 7 and the freezer compartment 6 through a cold air circulation channel 19 . the cooling device 10 has the following construction . tubes ( or pipes ) 11a , 12a of copper or like material having high thermal conductivity are provided , over the entire periphery thereof , with radial spine fins 11b , 12b of aluminum material to form spine fin tubes 10 &# 39 ;, 10 &# 34 ;, which are helically wound into a tubular form . the spine fin tube 10 &# 39 ; is positioned upstream ( the flow of cold air is indicated by arrows a in fig1 ) from the other spine fin tube 10 &# 34 ; in parallel therewith and in opposite relation thereto in respect of the direction of helix . the tubes 10 &# 39 ;, 10 &# 34 ; are interconnected by a pipe 13c of the same material as the tubes 11a , 12a . thus , the cold obtained by evaporation of the refrigerant is delivered to air through the spine fins on the entire peripheral surfaces of the tubes . moreover , since air flows through the cooling device 10 in bent streams as indicated by arrows b1 and b2 , air effectively comes into contact with the fin tubes to be fully cooled by the device . the pitch of helix p1 of the spine tube 10 &# 39 ; in the upstream position is larger than the pitch of helix p2 of the spine tube 10 &# 34 ; in the downstream position . ( for example , p1 = and p2 = 41 mm ). accordingly frosting occurs uniformly over the entire device to preclude uneven flow of cold air , whereby an increased cooling efficiency can be achieved by the device . the fins 11b , 12b are attached to the tubes 11a , 12a ( for example , 9 . 0 mm in outside diameter and 8 . 0 mm in inside diameter ) by the following method . first , a thin aluminum strip ( 24 . 0 mm in width and 0 . 2 mm in thickness ) is bent into a channel form having elongated opposed pieces ( 11 . 0 mm in length ) and an interconnecting portion ( 2 . 0 mm in length ) of the opposed pieces , and incisions are formed in the opposed pieces at a small spacing ( 0 . 8 mm ) to provide spines . the bent strip formed with the spine fins is then wound around the tube , with the outer surface of the interconnecting portion in intimate contact with the surface of the tube ( see , for example , u . s . pat . no . 3 , 134 , 166 ). the spine fin tube thus obtained is helically wound by the method to be described below with reference to fig4 ( a ) and ( b ). a jig 29 for helically bending a spine fin tube 26 has an outside diameter d2 ( 8 . 0 mm ) slightly smaller than the inside diameter d1 ( 9 . 0 mm ) of the tube 26 by an amount for forming a suitable clearance . the jig extends substantially straight and has a forward end 29a which has a curve ( indicated by an arrow a ) corresponding to the curve of the helix and a twist ( indicated by an arrow b ) corresponding to the pitch p of helix . the straight portion of the jig 29 is inserted through the tube 26 , and a fixing jig 30 is then secured to the exposed portion 29b of the jig 29 to thereby fixedly support the jig 29 . a feeding member 31 is thereafter sliding moved on the jig 29 in the direction of arrow c by a feeder ( not shown ). consequently the tube 26 is pushed forwardly of the jig 29 by the feeding member 31 . when the tube 26 passes over the forward end 29a of the jig 29 , the tube is helically bent in conformity with the curve ( of arrow a ) and , at the same time , bent inconformity with the twist ( of arrow b ) so as to have the pitch p . thus the tube is helically bent as desired . in this way , the spine fin tube can be easily formed into a helix without causing damage to the spine fins on its entire peripheral surface , by utilizing the internal space of the tube , i . e . by inserting the jig through the tube . when a spine fin tube is to be helically wound , it is usually necessary to apply an external force thereto , but the spine fins , which have very low rigidity , then inevitably become deformed , failing to perform the comtemplated function . to avoid this problem , it was therefore necessary to provided spine fins limitedly on a portion of the surface of the tube as is the case with the cooling device disclosed in the aforementioned u . s . pat . no . 3 , 766 , 976 . however , the problem has been overcome by the forming method of the invention wherein the internal space of the tube is utilized . the embodiment shown in fig5 and 6 will now be described . the cooling device 100 , like the one shown in fig1 to 3 , is provided in a suitable portion of the cold air circulation channel . however , the second embodiment differs from the first in that it has a defrosting electric pipe heater . a spine fin tube 120 is made of copper , aluminum or like metal having relatively high thermal conductivity and is in the form of a helix having a pitch p and an inside diameter d1 as specified . a pipe heater 123 comprises a heater wire 124 covered with an insulator and inserted in a metal pipe 125 , which is completely sealed off at its opposite ends with rubber or like elastic member 126 . the outside diameter d2 ( 9 . 0 mm ) of the heater is slightly larger than the inside diameter d1 ( 8 . 0 mm ) of the helix , i . e . through bore , of the spine fin tube 120 . the pipe heater 123 , as inserted in the interior of the helix of the tube 120 , is resiliently supported by spine fins 122 . the metal pipe 125 of the heater 123 is made of copper , aluminum or like material having high thermal conductivity . accordingly the heat of the metal pipe 125 rapidly diffuses through the spine fins 122 . the present embodiment has the same dimensions as the embodiment of fig1 . indicated at 127 in fig5 is a portion for interconnecting two opposed tubes . the connecting portion has no spine fins . this renders the metal pipe 125 easily insertable through the two tubes in the direction of arrow shown . indicated at 128 is a flat pipe portion which is suitable for mounting a defrosting sensor thermostat thereon . because the heat of the pipe heater rapidaly diffuses through a large number of spine fins in contact with the heater , the surface of the heater is maintained at a low temperature close to frost thawing temperature to prevent generation of steam and preclude undesired rise of the internal temperature of the refrigerator which is equipped with the present device . the pipe heater , which is supported by the spine fins , does not require a specific support or the like . this assures a simple construction . the cooling device 10 shown in fig1 to 3 can be provided with a pipe heater such as the one shown in fig5 and 6 ( in the position indicated in a broken line h in fig2 ). irrespective of the presence or absence of the pipe heater , the spine fin tubes of fig1 to 3 can be identical in the direction and pitch of the helix . | 5 |
the preferred embodiment herein described is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . it is chosen and described to illustrate the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to enable others skilled in the art to practice its teachings . referring now to the drawings , reference numeral 10 generally designates the ic chip connector of this invention . reference numeral 12 generally designates the chip carrier shown in the drawings , which for illustrative purposes , is shown as a typical single piece quadpack carrier for leaded ic chip 14 . carrier 12 is shown in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 435 , 724 , incorporated herein by reference , and includes body 16 and tabs 18 which hold the ic 14 in place for testing . grooves ( not shown ) are defined in body 16 to accommodate ic leads 20 ( fig4 - 8 ). slots 22 are defined in body 16 to allow for firm connection to connector 10 . connector 10 includes a body 24 which is defined by side walls 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 and a central opening 30 . posts 32 extend upwardly from walls 27 , 29 to accommodate carrier slots 22 as shown in fig2 and 3 . body 24 defines grooves 34 facing center opening 80 as shown to accommodate leads 20 of chip 14 . leads 36 extend from grooves 84 to below the bottom surface 38 of body 24 for electrical connection to a pc board ( not shown ). leads 20 and leads 86 are in electrical contact when the ic 14 and carrier 12 are secured to the connector to insure proper testing conditions . it should be noted that the configuration of carrier 12 and the orientation of grooves 84 will depend on the configuration and leads of ic 14 . the configuration and orientation illustrated does not limit the invention to those designs but is shown for purposes of description only . side wall 28 of connector 10 includes a catch plate 40 which defines spaced slots 42 43 as shown . each slot 42 , 43 defines an upper lip 46 . opposite side wall 26 of connector 10 includes raised tabs 48 . a rod 50 extends through tabs 48 and is secured stationary relative to connector 10 . latching mechanism 52 shown in fig1 - 3 includes latch plate 54 which has ears 56 through which rod 50 extend as shown in fig1 . helical spring 58 acts to force the rotative movement of the plate 54 about rod 50 . plate 54 has a vent hole 60 aligned with connector center opening 30 when the plate is in a latched position ( fig3 ). plate 54 also includes raised side walls 62 , 63 and top lips 64 , 65 . lips 64 , 65 each include opposed extensions 66 , 67 which project towards the center of plate 54 , with an end of spring 58 housed in the space between the extension 67 and side wall 62 . a rod 68 is connected between and spans plate walls 62 , 63 . actuator plate 70 is rotatably connected to rod 68 as shown in fig2 . actuator 70 , as shown in fig2 includes legs 72 which have feet 73 through which rod 68 extends and oppositely located side flanges 74 , 75 which bear against extensions 66 , 67 to secure the actuator and plate 54 in the latched position of fig3 . actuator 70 also includes inclined handle part 76 to facilitate use and a vent hole 78 which is aligned with vent hole 60 of plate 54 . springs 80 force rotative movement of actuator 70 relative to plate 54 and connector 10 . latch hook part 82 is rotatably connected to actuator plate 70 through a rod 84 which spans actuator feet 73 and is secured thereto by retainer ring 86 . hook part 82 includes a one - piece upper portion 87 which overlies rod 84 and a depending lower hook portion 88 which includes side located peripheral hooks 90 ( one shown ). spring 92 which is connected to rod 84 and bears on rod 68 biases hook part 82 in a latched position . as actuator plate 70 rotates about rod 68 , projection 94 of hook part 82 contacts plate 54 which serves to urge hook part 82 into an unlatched or loading position as shown in fig5 . fig4 - 8 show the connector 10 through a series of sectional views of its securing operations . fig4 illustrates the connector 10 with latching mechanism 52 in a full open position which allows the carrier 12 ( with ic 14 ) to be placed in the connector such that ic leads 20 contact connector leads 36 as shown . latching mechanism 52 is then pivoted as shown in fig5 - 8 to secure the carrier 12 for testing . normally , connector 10 will be secured to a pc board ( not shown ) before latching mechanism 52 is closed . this will allow one handed operation of the latching mechanism 52 . in fig5 a user ( not shown ) grasps actuator handle 76 and pushes in the direction of arrow 96 . this action causes latch plate 54 to pivot about rod 50 . as hook part 82 is lowered , the projection 94 of hook portion 88 contacts plate 54 urging the hook part 90 to position in slots 42 , 43 of catch plate 40 . actuator 70 is then pivoted about rod 68 to properly position the hook part 82 as shown in fig6 . the user then pulls actuator handle 76 in the direction of arrow 100 ( fig7 ). this action pulls rod 84 and its connected hook part forward , towards rod 50 and over the center axis of the rod 68 . this over - center pivoting creates a moment which is related to the ratio of the distance between the centerline of rod 68 to the end of plate 70 over the diminishing angle x as shown in fig9 . in the embodiment shown this ratio is approximately 18 to 1 and the force transferred from handle 76 through rods 68 , 84 to hook part 82 is greater than 200 : 1 . any workable ratio greater than 1 : 1 may be used . as the user continues to pivot actuator 70 , the actuator is secured in a snap - fit manner between side wall 62 , 63 by extensions 66 , 67 . due to the over - center arrangement of rods 50 , 68 and 84 , a user need exert only about 4 ounces of force on actuator 70 to exert a clamping force of about 75 pounds on ic carrier 12 . to disengage latch mechanism 52 , the reverse of the above procedure is followed . with the latch 62 in the locked position of fig8 the user pulls up on actuator plate handle 76 . this causes rod 84 to shift away from rod 50 urging rod 84 over the center axis of rod 68 . projection 94 then rides on plate 54 forcing hook part 88 to move away from rod 50 . when hook portion 88 disengages from slots 42 , 43 the latching mechanism 52 may be pivoted into the open position . the carrier 14 may then be removed from connector 10 and a new carrier inserted for ic testing . it is understood that the above description does not limit the invention to the details given , but may be modified within the scope of the following claims . | 7 |
referring to fig1 , an embodiment of the invention is described which is a system for operating a plurality of loyalty programs for respective merchants who each supply goods and / or services ( collectively referred to here as “ products ”). the system of fig1 includes a payment network 1 for processing payment transactions using a plurality of payment cards , each of which is issued by an issuing bank . each payment card is associated with a respective customer . each card is to be used to make a purchase from one of a plurality of merchants who offer products . the area of fig1 marked 2 indicates schematically elements of a merchant system controlled by one of the merchants . the merchant system 2 includes one or more point - of - sale ( pos ) terminals 3 , 4 located in one or more retail premises . optionally , the merchant may also operate an e - commerce website controlled by an e - commerce server 5 within the merchant system 2 . the merchant furthermore operates a loyalty program , having a number of loyalty accounts associated with respective customers . although fig1 only illustrates only one merchant system 2 , in reality there are a plurality of merchants , and each merchant may have a respective system of the form of merchant system 2 . each merchant operates a respective loyalty program , which has a number of loyalty accounts associated with respective customers . the payment network 1 includes a payment engine 6 , which may be of conventional design , for processing authorization request messages from the merchants specifying a payment transaction made using one of the payment cards of the payment network . the payment network further includes a loyalty program engine 7 with an associated database 8 . the database 8 stores data specifying , for each of the payment cards , one or more of the loyalty programs with which the payment cards is registered . there may be payment cards operated by the payment network 1 which are not registered with any of the merchants &# 39 ; loyalty programs , and the database 8 either does not contain data about these payment cards , or stores data specifying that these cards are not registered with any loyalty program . the payment engine 6 and loyalty program engine 7 may be provided by a single server , or the work of running these two engines may be shared between a plurality of servers . turning now to fig2 , the method performed by the embodiment is shown . it begins with a customer using his or her payment card to make a purchase ( step 21 ) from the merchant who operates the system shown in area 2 . the purchase may be made by presenting the payment card to one of the pos terminals 3 , 4 . the pos terminal 3 , 4 sends an authorization request message detailing the payment transaction to a payment engine 6 of the payment network . the message includes card identity data identifying the payment card , such as a primary account number ( pan ) of the payment card , and further includes data specifying the identity of the merchant , and the money amount of the transaction . alternatively , the purchase may be made using the e - commerce server 5 . in this case , the user may use a computer device 9 operated by the customer to communicate with the e - commerce server 5 ( e . g . over the internet ) to make an online payment using the payment card . the computer device may be any computer system , such as a personal computer ( pc ), a laptop computer , or a mobile device , such as a smartphone . the e - commerce server 5 sends an authorization request message detailing the payment transaction to the payment engine 6 of the payment network 1 . this message too includes : card identity data identifying the payment card , e . g . the pan number ; data identifying the merchant ; and the money amount of the transaction . in step 22 , the payment engine 6 of the payment network 1 processes the authorization request messages it receives by determining whether to authorize the payment transaction ( this may include contacting the issuing bank 10 of the payment card to obtain information about whether a payment of the money amount can be authorized ), and if so sending a payment authorization message to the issuing bank 10 of the payment card , instructing it to make a payment to the receiving bank 11 ( also known as an acquirer or acquiring bank ) where the merchant holds an account , and a confirmation message to the merchant terminal / e - commerce server . in fig1 only a single issuing bank 10 is shown ( i . e . the one which issued the payment card which was used to make this particular payment transaction ). however , typically the payment network 1 will handle payment transactions for a large number of payment cards , each issued by one of a plurality of issuing banks , so , whichever payment card is used the payment network will send the message to the corresponding issuing bank . similarly , fig1 only shows the receiving bank 11 associated with the merchant system 2 , but typically the plurality of merchants will each hold a bank account with one of a plurality of receiving banks . the payment engine 6 also sends ( step 23 ; note that steps 22 and 23 may be performed in any order ) a message to the loyalty program engine 7 of the payment network 1 , containing the card identity data of the payment card and also merchant identity data indicating the identity of the merchant . upon the loyalty program engine 7 receiving the card identity data , the loyalty program engine uses it to looks up in database 8 whether the payment card is associated with a loyalty program operated by the same merchant identified by the merchant identity data ( step 24 ). if no match is found the method terminates . conversely , if such a match is found , then in step 25 the loyalty program engine 10 sends a message to a loyalty program server 12 operated by the same merchant where the payment transaction was made . the message specifies the amount of the purchase , and also contains data identifying a loyalty account associated with the customer . this data may just be the card identity data , or alternatively it may a loyalty account number associated with the payment card and which the loyalty program engine 7 has obtained from the database 8 . in step 26 , the loyalty program server 12 uses the message to update a database 13 which records how many loyalty points are in each of the loyalty accounts . the update increases the number of loyalty points by an amount which typically depends upon the size of the purchase . the method then ends . when the customer wishes to redeem the loyalty points in his or her loyalty account for a specific merchant ( e . g . at a time when the user is at one of the pos terminals 3 , 4 or is using the computing device 9 to communicate with the e - commerce server 5 ), the customer can instruct the merchant to interrogate the loyalty program server 12 , to obtain from the database 13 the number of available points . the merchant may then reward the customer . although in the explanation above , the loyalty program engine 7 and the loyalty program server 12 are shown as separate , in fact a given merchant may opt not to maintain its own loyalty program server 12 , but instead to use the loyalty program engine 7 to implement the functionality of the loyalty program server 12 also , i . e . to maintain each of the loyalty accounts , and record ( e . g . in the database 8 ) how many loyalty points are stored in each loyalty account ). in this case , when a user wishes to redeem the loyalty points in his or her loyalty account ( e . g . at a time when the user is at one of the pos terminals 3 , 4 or is using the computing device 9 to communicate with the e - commerce server 5 ), the customer can instruct the merchant to interrogate the loyalty program engine 7 , to obtain from the database 8 the number of available points . the merchant may then reward the customer . furthermore , although the example above refers to a single merchant , in fact a group of merchants ( i . e . a plurality of merchants ) may decide to operate a single common loyalty program . that is , the loyalty program may have a plurality of merchants associated it . the group of merchants may for example agree that when a payment is made to any of the merchants by a payment card registered with the loyalty program , points are credited into an account of the loyalty program associated with the payment card . the group of merchants would typically agree how the points are to be used , e . g . that the points may be spent in future transactions at any of the group of merchants . the group of merchants may together operate a single loyalty program server 12 which maintains the loyalty accounts and records how many points they contain , or the group of merchants may rely on the loyalty program engine 7 to play this role , as described in the preceding paragraph . in both cases , the database 8 of the loyalty program engine 7 would contain data to implement the scheme the group of merchants have agreed : specifically , when it receives information about a payment transaction at any of of the group of merchants , it would identify the loyalty program associated with the group of merchants , and credit the loyalty points to the loyalty account associated with the payment card . note that it is already known for use of a payment card to earn loyalty points , which may be stored in a respective loyalty account by a server of the issuing bank 10 . that is , in some conventional systems when the equivalent of the payment engine 6 instructs the issuing bank 10 to make a payment to a receiving bank 11 , the issuing bank also credits loyalty points to a loyalty account associated with the payment card and maintained in the issuing bank . in embodiments of the present invention , a certain merchant may decide not to run a loyalty program at all , but instead instruct the loyalty program engine 7 , when it is informed of a purchase involving the merchant , to credit loyalty points to the loyalty account at the issuing bank . in this case , the merchant does not need the server 12 or the database 13 , so , for such a merchant , neither of these may exist . a transfer of funds may be made to the issuing bank from the merchant to compensate for the transfer of loyalty points ( i . e . the issuing bank whose loyalty account now contains more loyalty points is financially compensated for the greater obligation to the customer which this implies ). furthermore , if the same payment card has been registered with the loyalty program of a second merchant , it is also possible for the merchant to arrange that the loyalty points are credited to the same customer &# 39 ; s loyalty account in the loyalty program of the second merchant . thus , for example , if a consumer uses a merchant which is bookshop , the bookshop may have instructed the loyalty program engine to deposit the loyalty points into a loyal program of a second merchant which is a coffee shop . we now turn to the initiation of the system of fig1 . initially , before the loyalty program begins to operate , the merchant ( or group of merchants ) who operates the system 2 needs to register with the payment network 1 . specifically , the loyalty program is recorded with the loyalty program engine 7 . the merchant provides the loyalty program engine 7 with information (“ rules data ”) describing loyalty program , and this information is stored in the database 8 . the rules data specifies which operation ( s ) the loyalty program engine should perform when the loyalty program engine 7 determines that a payment card has been used which is registered to one of the loyalty programs . if the loyalty program is one in which the loyalty accounts are maintained in a loyalty program server 12 ( as shown in fig1 ), the rules data would specify how to communicate with the loyalty program server 12 ( e . g . an internet address of the loyalty program server 12 ). alternatively , if no loyalty program server 12 exists ( as described above , this could be because the loyalty program engine 7 performs this role ; of because loyalty points are credited to a loyalty account maintained by an issuer bank ), the rules data would specify what the loyalty program engine 7 should do when loyalty points are to be awarded ( e . g . to credit the loyalty points to an account maintained by the loyalty program engine 7 , or to send a message to the issuer bank to instruct the issued bank to credit loyalty points to the loyalty account maintained by the issuer bank ). when a new customer signs up to a loyalty program , the database 8 is updated by entering into it the card identity data of the customer &# 39 ; s payment card together with associated data specifying the loyalty program to which the customer signs up ( and optionally also an account number of the customer &# 39 ; s loyalty account in the loyalty program , if that account number is different from the card identity data ). thus , the payment card is registered to the loyalty program . if this is not the first loyalty program for which the payment card is registered , then the database 8 stores for that payment card a list of all the multiple loyalty programs for which the payment card is registered . conveniently , the process of updating the database 8 can be carried out by an application installed on the computer device 9 operated by the customer . the application is downloadable from the payment network 1 , e . g . when the user obtains the payment card . the application makes contact with the loyalty program engine 7 . the customer then provides input to the computer device 9 to specify the payment card identity data , and to specify the loyalty program . for example , the loyalty program engine 7 may be able to supply to the application data giving details of all the loyalty programs which have been recorded with the loyalty program engine 7 , and the user may specify which of the programs he or she wishes to register the payment card with . alternatively , the customer may be able to control the application to do a search of all the loyalty programs recorded with the loyalty program based on customer - specified criteria ( e . g . seeking the loyalty programs of merchants who supply a particular category of product , or who have an outlet in a particular geographical region ), and the loyalty program engine 7 may download into the computing device 9 the details of all the loyalty programs matching these criteria . subsequently , the customer can use the same application to obtain information about the status of his or her loyalty account with a specific merchant , such as the number of loyalty points accumulated in the loyalty account and / or when these points will expire . the application obtains this information by communicating with the loyalty program engine 7 , which in turn requests the information from the loyalty program server 12 of the corresponding merchant . the loyalty program server 12 of the corresponding merchant obtains the data from the corresponding database 13 , and passes it to the loyal program engine 7 , which in turn transmits it to the application on the computer device 9 . note that the process above may be performed automatically , for example periodically or whenever the application is activated , so that the computer device 9 always has up - to - date information about the loyalty point of all the loyalty accounts associated with the payment card . a single customer may have multiple payment cards , each registered with a different set of one or more of the loyalty programs . in this case , the application may obtain information for each payment card , specifically about each of the loyalty program ( s ) for which the payment card is registered . further , is common for a group of customers ( e . g . two or more members of the same household or the same commercial organisation ) to have associated respective payment cards . in this case , registration of one of the payment cards with a loyalty program may have the effect that all the associated payment cards are registered with the loyalty program , either being associated with respective loyalty accounts ( so that the customers individually accumulate loyalty points in their own respective loyalty accounts ) or a single loyalty account ( so that the group of customers collectively accumulate loyalty cards in the same loyalty account ). using the application on the computing device 9 , the user may also be able to perform other control operations on the loyalty program engine 7 . for example , the loyalty program engine 7 may be controllable by the application to transfer points to / from a loyalty account of the issuing bank from / to a customer &# 39 ; s loyalty account with one of the merchants . a money payment may be made to / from the issuing bank from / to the merchant to compensate for the transfer of loyalty points ( i . e . the one of the merchant and issuing bank whose loyalty account now contains more loyalty points is financially compensated for the greater obligation to the customer which this implies ). in another example , in the case of a customer whose payment card is registered with the respective loyalty programs of two or more merchants , the application may be operative to control the loyalty program engine 7 to transfer loyalty points from the customer &# 39 ; s loyalty account at one of those merchants to a loyalty account at another of those merchants . again a money payment may be made between the merchants to compensate for the transfer of loyalty points . in this way , a customer who tends to earn points when purchasing products with one merchant can use them in a loyalty program of another merchant whose rewards the customer regards more highly for some reason . this makes the loyalty points earned at a certain merchant intrinsically more valuable , since there are more options for redeeming them . indeed , a certain merchant may cease to offer rewards at all , knowing its customers will still be able to benefit from by using the loyalty points in the reward programs of other merchants . there may be restrictions on which loyalty accounts customers are empowered to transfer loyalty points between , for example preventing them from transferring loyalty points between merchants which are competitors . the payment network 1 may be able to automatically suggest pairs of merchants for which transfers of loyalty points may be valuable . for example , the payment network may be operative to notice that statistically customers who tend to patronise a certain merchant in a first industry , tend to patronise a certain second merchant in a second industry . in this case , the possibility of transferring loyalty points earned from a purchase at one of those merchants to a loyalty program operated by the other of the two merchants may be attractive . so , the payment network may be operative to suggest to the two merchants that such a tie - up should be made possible . if the merchants agree , they may together instruct the loyalty program engine 7 accordingly , to make the loyalty program engine 7 operative to transfer points between the loyalty programs of the respective merchants in at least one direction . although in the explanation above , some of the control of the loyalty program engine 7 is by an application running on the user &# 39 ; s computer device 9 , the server implementing the loyalty program engine 7 may alternatively provide a web interface to which the computing device 9 can connect to issue these commands . that is , a browser on the computer device 9 can be used to interact with the web interface , to have some or all of the functionality of the application described above . although only a single embodiment of the invention has been explained in detail , many variations are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention , as will be clear to a skilled reader . for example , the loyalty program server 12 for a given merchant may be omitted , and instead its role can be played by functionality of the loyalty program engine 7 . that is , the loyalty program engine 7 may maintain the loyalty accounts for the each of one more of the merchant &# 39 ; s respective loyalty programs . in this case , the loyalty program engine 7 would store ( e . g . in the database 8 ) for each loyalty account , the number of loyalty points accumulated ( and optionally data specifying when they will expire ). when the user wishes to redeem the points ( e . g . at a time when the user is at one of the pos terminals 3 , 4 or using the computing device 9 to communicate with the e - commerce server 5 ), the user can provide the payment card and instruct the merchant to interrogate the loyalty program engine 7 to determine how many loyalty program points are available . | 6 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with reference now to the drawings in general and to fig1 in particular , there is shown therein a 9 mm semi - automatic pistol , specifically a 1999 5900 series smith & amp ; wesson . the pistol is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 . as the structure and function of this type of pistol is well known , it will not be described in detail herein . generally , such a pistol 10 comprises a frame or receiver 12 which supports the other components . the other main components include a barrel 14 , a slide assembly 16 , a grip 18 , a trigger 20 , and a hammer 22 . a magazine 24 is received inside the handle 18 . in use of the pistol 10 , the hammer 22 first is cocked either by retracting the slide 16 or manually pulling back on the hammer . then , when the trigger 29 is pulled , it releases the hammer which impacts the firing pin , driving it forward . when the firing pin hits the primer on the back of the bullet cartridge , the propellant in the casing ignites , forcing the bullet out of the barrel and , at the same time , pushing the slide 16 back over the hammer 22 recocking it . simultaneously , the empty casing is ejected , and a new round is moved up from the magazine 24 into the firing chamber . shown in fig2 is a training firearm constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention and designated generally by the reference numeral 30 . as the drawings illustrate , the appearance of the training firearm 30 is virtually identical to the actual weapon 10 it is intended to replace . indeed , as will be described hereafter , in the preferred practice of this invention , an actual firearm is merely modified in accordance with this invention by retrofitting it with the blow back assembly . while the present invention is illustrated as a smith & amp ; wesson 9 millimeter pistol particularly popular with law enforcement , the present invention is not so limited . as will become apparent , the invention is easily adapted to a wide range of firearms , including other types of semi - automatic pistols ( double and single action ). in addition , gas - operated weapons , such as ar 15 type weapons , mp - 5 &# 39 ; s and p - 90 &# 39 ; s may be modified in accordance with this invention . still further , pump shotguns , such as rem 870 pump riot guns , can be modified to incorporate the recoil system of this invention . with reference now also to fig3 , the preferred training firearm 30 will be described in more detail . like the original pistol , the training pistol 30 comprises a receiver 32 that forms the main structure of the weapon . a barrel 34 is supported on the receiver 32 , as in the authentic pistol . a slide 36 is slidably mounted on the receiver over the barrel 34 for bidirectional movement forwardly and rearwardly relative to the receiver 32 . in this preferred training pistol 30 , there is a firing pin 38 , but it is substantially shorter than in the comparable , unmodified pistol . the firing pin 38 is mounted in the receiver for movement between a retracted position and a firing position , which will be explained in more detail below . the pistol 30 also includes a firing assembly 40 , which may vary widely depending on the firearm . generally , the firing assembly comprises a driver and a trigger . the driver is movable between a cocked position and firing position . in the firing position , the driver is adapted to impact the firing pin propulsively . that is , the driver is designed to impact the firing pin with sufficient force and speed to activate the primer in the bullet cartridge . in the cocked position , the driver is held in biased condition in preparation for release by the trigger . the trigger is adapted to release the driver when pulled or activated in the normal fashion by the operator of the weapon . thus , provides a training firearm that looks , feels and functions like the unmodified firearm . where the firearm is a semi - automatic pistol , as shown and described herein , the firing assembly 40 comprising a hammer 42 and a trigger 44 , which function as the corresponding components do in the original weapon . accordingly , no detailed description will be provided herein . similarly , the slide 36 in this preferred embodiment is adapted to recock the hammer 42 , or other driver , when the slide is pushed back rearwardly either manually or automatically during repeated “ firing ” of the weapon . as used herein , “ slide ” denotes the corresponding component in any automatic or semi - automatic weapon , such as the bolt in a semi - automatic rifle . the firearm 30 preferably comprises a handle 46 depending from the receiver 32 . as mentioned above , training firearms typically are provided with a laser device of some sort that is interactive with other components in a larger system , such as a laser - sensitive screen and a computer for recording , analyzing and playing back the officer &# 39 ; s performance on the course . to that end , the training pistol 30 of the present invention , preferably is equipped with a suitable laser assembly 50 in a known manner . this laser assembly 50 may take a variety of forms , depending on the particular training system employed . some laser devices are activated by the vibration in the weapon when the trigger is pulled . others utilize an electronic switch . for purposes of illustrating this training firearm , a laser with a simple mechanical switch 52 is shown . activation of this switch may be accomplished by the blow black assembly , yet to be described . referring still to fig3 , the training firearm 30 is provided with a blow back assembly 60 interposed between the barrel 34 and the firing pin 38 . the blow back assembly 60 is adapted to cycle the slide 36 in response to activation of the trigger 44 , as in the unmodified weapon . preferably , the blow back assembly 60 comprises a tube 62 that defines an external pressure chamber 64 . in the embodiment illustrated herein , the tube is fixed inside the rear of the slide 36 . more preferably , the tube 62 has a closed rear end 66 with a firing pin passage 68 therethrough . when retrofitting an authentic pistol , a cylindrically shaped recess is reamed into the rear of the slide . a cylinder is fixed inside this recess with a suitable bedding compound , such as a two - part epoxy , although other fixation methods will be apparent . the firing pin is shortened to form the firing pin 38 with a forward end 70 . the firing pin 38 and passage 68 in the tube 62 are sized to permit reciprocal movement of the pin in the passage for a reason which will become apparent . it should be noted that , though the tube 62 is shown cylindrical in shape , this configuration is not essential and will vary with shape of other cooperating components . referring still to fig3 and now also to fig4 , the blow back assembly 60 may also include a housing 72 defining an internal pressure chamber 74 . the housing 72 is sized to be movable , preferably telescopically movable , in the tube 62 . in the preferred form , the housing 72 has a first or front end 76 and a second or rear end 78 . a valve opening 80 is formed in the rear end 78 . the valve opening 80 fluidly connects the internal pressure chamber 74 in the housing 72 with the external pressure chamber 64 in the tube 62 . in this embodiment , where the tube 62 is fixed to the moving slide 36 , the housing 72 preferably is fixed relative to the receiver 32 , and more preferably is fixed to the barrel 34 and aligned therewith . to that end , the housing 72 is provided with external threads 82 on its front end 76 to mate with internal threads 84 ( fig5 a and 5b ) on the breech end of the barrel 34 . it will be apparent now that the preferred placement of the valve housing 72 is generally aligned between the firing pin 38 and the barrel 34 generally in the position of what would be the firing chamber in the unmodified pistol . it will also be appreciated that there are other ways to mount the housing 72 in this position . for example , the housing 72 could be fixed to the top of the gas cartridge frame 94 , eliminating the need to thread the barrel breech of the forward end of the housing . these and other configurations are contemplated by the present invention . the housing 72 conveniently may be formed of brass tubing . preferably , the rear end 78 of the housing 72 is formed of nylon , and may take the form of a firing pin breech plug that is threadedly received in the brass tubing . with continuing reference to fig3 , the blow black assembly 60 includes a compartment contained somewhere within the weapon to contain a cartridge of compressed gas . the gas is used to drive the valve movement , as will be explained . preferably , the cartridges to be used with the present invention are commercially available cartridges of 12 gm carbon dioxide ( co 2 ), such as the cartridge 90 show in fig3 . these cartridges are widely available , inexpensive and disposable . where the firearm is a hand gun or pistol with a grip , such as the handle 46 , the gas cartridge compartment may be advantageously placed inside the handle . when retrofitting an existing weapon , the magazine well provides an ideal compartment 92 for the gas cartridge 90 . a frame 94 of some sort for supporting the cartridge may be installed in the magazine well after the magazine is removed . the grip panels of the handle 46 may be perforated to prevent ice build - up around the cartridge 90 . a conduit 98 is included to fluidly connect the internal chamber 74 in the housing 72 with the gas cartridge 90 . preferably , the conduit 98 is flexible and will be rated at 1000 p . s . i . or higher . the firearm 30 may be provided with quick connect or push fittings 100 and 102 for attaching the conduit to the housing and the cartridge , respectively . the fitting 100 may be fixed as by welding to the housing 72 over a passage 104 in the wall of the housing . the fitting 102 may be affixed to the cartridge frame 94 for convenient connection to the cartridge as it is inserted in the compartment 92 . where the housing 72 is fixed to the top of the cartridge frame 90 , the conduit could take the form of a passageway formed through a block of metal forming the upper portion of the frame 94 . referring still to fig4 , the blow back assembly 60 further comprises a closure member movable in the housing 72 between an open position and a closed position . in the open position , the valve opening 80 is open fluidly connecting the external pressure chamber 64 to the gas cartridge 90 . in the closed position , the valve opening 80 is closed . in addition , the closure member is adapted in some manner to move in response to advancement or forward movement of the firing pin 38 . in the preferred embodiment , the closure member comprises a rod 110 movable between a rearward position , illustrated in fig1 , and a forward position , shown in fig5 b . preferably , the rod includes a rear portion 112 comprising a rear end 114 and an enlarged portion , such as the conical section 116 . the rear end 114 is sized to be extendable through the valve opening 80 , and the tapered or conical section 116 is sized to seat in and thereby obstruct the forward end of the valve opening 80 . although the shape can vary , in this preferred embodiment a taper angle of 12 degrees per side , or 24 degrees included , works well . now it will be noted that the front end 70 of the firing pin 38 and the rear end 114 of the rod 110 are correspondingly formed so that forward movement of the firing pin causes the front end to impact the rear end of the rod , thereby pushing the rod forwardly towards the position shown in fig5 b . this opens the valve opening 80 and allows a rush of pressurize gas therethough . the forward end 70 of the firing pin 38 may be provided with an annular seal or check valve , such as the o - ring 120 . this seal will seat in the firing pin passage 68 when the gas pushes the pin 38 and tube 62 rearwardly , as shown in fig5 b . as shown in fig4 , 5 a and 5 b , it is advantageous to bias the rod 110 in the rearward position to maintain it in a closed position keeping the valve opening closed . to that end , the blow back assembly 60 may include a coil spring 122 around the rod 110 . thus , when the advancing firing pin 38 pushes the rod forward ( fig5 b ), the spring 122 will compress . however , upon withdrawal of the firing pin 38 , the spring 122 pulls the rod 110 back into the resting or closed position , shown in fig5 a . as indicated above , where the laser assembly 50 is activated by a simple mechanical switch 52 , it is desirable to have the blow back assembly 60 activate this switch at the same time it is recycling the weapon . to this end , the rod 110 is provided with a forward end 124 sized and positioned to impact the switch 52 when the rod is in the forward or open position , as shown in fig5 b . to support and align the forward end 124 of the rod 110 , the housing 72 may be equipped with a plug 126 threadedly received in the front end 76 of the housing . a compression spacer 128 may be included , immediately behind the plug 126 to contain the front end of the spring 122 . seals , such as o - rings 130 and 132 , may be included . now that the preferred structure of the training firearm 30 has been described , its operation will be explained . to the trainee , the weapon 30 will operate the same as the original , unmodified weapon . initially , the hammer 42 is cocked for the first shot . the weapon 30 is fired by pulling the trigger 44 . the trigger 44 releases the hammer 42 , which in turn impacts the firing pin 38 . the advancing firing pin 38 pushes forward the rear end 114 of the rod 110 , opening the valve opening 80 and advancing the forward end 124 of the rod to activate the laser switch 52 . thus , simultaneously , the laser “ shoots ” and the gas forces back the slide 36 to recock the firearm , readying the weapon for next shot . the weapon will cycle every time the trigger is pulled until the gas supply in the cartridge 90 is spent . the propulsive effect of the burst of gas through the valve assembly in the training pistol 30 closely simulates the feel of normal recoil in an actual weapon . however , all the components of this training weapon , including the source of compressed gas , are contained entirely within the weapon . thus , the trainee is not encumbered by a back pack or tethered to a remote supply of gas . it is almost as easy to replace a spent gas cartridge in this training weapon as it is to replace a magazine in an actual weapon . no spent shells are expelled , which have to be retrieved and recharged . the gas cartridges used by the training firearm are so inexpensive that the modified weapon can be used for dry - firing exercises . most importantly , the blow back assembly of this invention can be retro - fitted into an actual weapon of the same type that the trainee uses in the field . thus , the training exercise precisely duplicates the look , feel and function of the actual weapon , including its true - to - life lock time , recoil and heft . changes can be made in the combination and arrangement of the various parts and elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims . | 6 |
fig1 is a top perspective view of an inventive damping mechanism . the inventive damping mechanism is utilized in a belt tensioner , see fig1 . the belt tensioner engages a belt through a pulley journaled to a lever arm . the tensioner is used to apply a preload to the belt and to damp oscillatory movements of the belt . the damping mechanism damps oscillatory movements of a tensioner lever arm . the lever arm generally experiences a bi - directional or oscillatory motion caused by changes in the operating status of a belt drive , for example by load changes . damping is necessary to remove energy from the belt system , thereby ensuring proper operation of the tensioner in order to maximize belt life and operational efficiency . more particularly , an inventive damping mechanism is shown in fig1 . damping mechanism 100 comprises damping band 102 . damping band 102 is connected to an outer arcuate surface 104 of damping shoe 101 . spring , or biasing member , receiving portion 103 comprises a slot in damping shoe 101 . receiving portion 103 receives an end tang ( not shown , see 500 in fig1 ) of a coil spring . surface 105 engages a coil of a spring to provide support during operation . damping band 102 comprises a lubricated plastic such as nylon , pa and ppa , and their equivalents . fig2 is a cross - section view of an inventive damping mechanism at line 2 - 2 in fig1 . ring cut 106 extends about an outer perimeter of outer arcuate surface 104 . rim or protrusion 107 extends about a partial circumference of damping shoe 101 . ring cut 106 in combination with protrusion 107 serve to mechanically attach damping band 102 to damping shoe 101 . fig3 is a top perspective view of an alternate damping mechanism . inventive damping mechanism 200 comprises a first arcuate member 210 and a second arcuate member 220 . first arcuate member 210 has a spring receiving portion 211 into which a spring end tang may be inserted , see fig1 . a wall of the spring receiving portion has maximum thickness 211 a at the spring contact area . wall 211 a may be tapered from the contact area in one direction or in both directions as it extends in both directions . by comparison , a like wall of the previous art has uniform thickness . first arcuate member 210 comprises a damping band 213 attached to a damping shoe 212 . second arcuate member 220 comprises a damping band 215 attached to a damping shoe 214 . first arcuate member 210 is in pivotal contact with the second arcuate member 220 at a point of contact 216 . point of contact 216 comprises end 228 of damping shoe 212 and end 219 of damping shoe 214 . point of contact 216 may vary from a minimum radius to a maximum radius across a width w of each damping shoe with respect to a lever arm axis of rotation r - r , see fig1 . in order to achieve the desired asymmetric damping factor , point of contact 216 is located at a predetermined radial distance from a lever arm axis of rotation r - r . a minimum radius location for point of contact 216 , shown in fig3 , results in the highest asymmetric damping factor for the damping mechanism in operation in a tensioner . point of contact 216 may be disposed at an outer radius 288 which produces a reduced asymmetric damping factor as compared to the foregoing minimum radius location . in an alternate arrangement , end 218 of first arcuate member 210 is in contact with the second arcuate member end 217 . in this alternate embodiment , a spring ( not shown ) having a coil direction opposite that used for the embodiment in fig3 is used . therefore , by switching the point of contact from one end of the first arcuate member and second arcuate member to another end , either a left hand or right hand spring can be used . damping band 213 , 215 are made of frictional material such as plastics , phenolics and metallics . a working surface 230 , 231 of damping band 213 , 215 respectively is slideably engaged under pressure with a tensioner base or arm by operation of a spring , see fig1 and fig1 . a frictional damping force is generated when the damping band slides on the base or arm . damping shoes 212 , 213 are each made of structural material such as steel , molded plastic or equivalents thereof . each damping shoe can be manufactured by utilizing a powder metal process , a die cast process , injection molding or similar processes . materials that can be used include steel , aluminum ( for low load parts ), thermoplastics with various fillers , and equivalents thereof . damping band 215 of the second arcuate member has a material thickness less than the damping band 213 of the second portion . this has two advantages , first , increased spring hook - up size can be realized therefore a larger spring can be used . second , due to the fact of that the second portion 220 of the damping mechanism has higher load than the first portion 210 , a reduced thickness of the first damping band 213 will equalize durability life of both parts . fig4 is a cross - section view of an alternate damping mechanism at line 4 - 4 in fig3 . ring cut 221 extends about an outer perimeter of damping shoe 212 . protrusion 222 extends about a partial circumference of damping shoe 212 . ring cut 223 extends about an outer perimeter of damping shoe 214 . protrusion 224 extends about a partial circumference of damping shoe 214 . each ring cut 221 , 223 in combination with each protrusion 222 , 224 serve to mechanically attached each damping band 213 , 215 to each damping shoe 212 , 214 respectively . fig5 is a top perspective view of a locking mechanism on the damping shoe of an inventive damping mechanism . locking mechanism 300 joins damping shoe 101 to damping band 102 , see fig6 . locking mechanism 300 comprises a plurality of vertical grooves 110 on an arcuate outer engaging surface 111 of damping shoe 101 . ring cut 112 is included to a top edge of the arcuate outer surface 111 to enhance the interconnection of the damping band 102 to the damping shoe 101 . accordingly , lip portion 227 on damping band 102 engages over ring cut 112 . the disclosed multiple groove locking mechanism provides an improved , strong and uniform connection between the damping shoe and damping band . the connection distributes a frictional load imparted to the damping band 102 during operation , thereby extending an operational life over the prior art . fig6 is a top perspective view of a locking mechanism on the damping band of an inventive damping mechanism . the damping band portion of locking mechanism 300 comprises a plurality of spaced vertical ribs 120 on an arcuate inner engaging surface 121 of damping band 102 . ribs 120 of damping band 102 cooperatively engage grooves 110 of damping shoe 101 . protrusions 228 extend from a lower portion 229 of damping band 102 . protrusions 228 engage cooperating recesses or dimples 231 in a base of damping shoe 101 to further affix damping band 102 . the inventive locking mechanism significantly reduces weakening of the damping shoe , therefore , the inventive damping mechanism is much stronger than those in prior art . loading conditions on the damping shoe / damping band are also much improved due to an improved load distribution across the damping shoe realized by the force distributive nature of the locking mechanism . fig7 is a top perspective view of a prior art damping mechanism . prior art damping band db is connected to prior art damping shoe ds . tabs t mechanically connect the damping band db , see fig9 , to the damping shoe ds , see fig8 . fig8 is a top perspective view of a prior art damping mechanism damping shoe . damping shoe ds comprises slots s . slots s receive tabs t in order to mechanically connect damping band db to damping shoe ds , see fig9 . fig9 is a top perspective view of a prior art damping mechanism damping band . damping band db comprises tabs t . each of tabs t mechanically cooperate with corresponding slots s in order to connect damping band db to damping shoe ds . fig1 is a diagram of forces acting on a damping mechanism . the damping mechanism depicted is the embodiment described in fig3 and fig4 . forces f 1 are spring contact reaction forces caused by contact of spring end 500 with the spring receiving portion 211 . spring end 500 contacts the spring receiving portion 211 at two points , creating a pair of reaction forces f 1 . f 2 is a normal reaction force on the damping surface 230 . f 3 is a tangent friction force on the damping surface 230 . f 8 is a normal reaction force on the damping surface 231 . f 9 is a tangent friction force on the damping surface 231 . f 4 is the normal reaction force on damping mechanism arcuate member 220 imparted by a contact of damping shoe 214 with a lever arm 1030 , see fig1 . the asymmetric damping factor is a function of a difference in frictional forces f 3 and f 9 for a movement of the lever arm 1030 . in operation , a normal reaction force f 8 on damping surface 231 is larger than normal reaction force f 2 on damping surface 230 . more particularly , when the lever arm 1030 moves in the + a direction the vectors for the friction forces , f 3 and f 9 operate as shown in fig1 . as the lever arm moves in a direction − a , friction force vectors f 3 and f 9 reverse direction . the change of direction of frictional force vectors f 3 and f 9 causes a resultant force on each damping surface 230 , 231 to change . as a result , when lever arm moves in the − a direction , a normal reaction force on damping mechanism f 4 is larger than when the lever arm moves in direction + a . proportionally , the torque generated on the lever arm in reference to the lever arm axis of rotation r - r by the force f 4 is larger when the lever arm moves in the − a direction than when the lever arm moves in the direction + a . the value of the torque on the lever arm when the arm moves in the direction − a is larger than the value of torque generated by the pair of forces f 1 . the difference between the two values of torque is defined as the damping torque in the direction − a . the value of the torque on the lever arm when the arm moves in the direction + a is smaller than the value of torque generated by the pair of forces f 1 . the difference between the two values of torque is defined as the damping torque in the direction + a . the ratio between the value of the damping torque in the direction − a and the value of the damping torque in the direction + a represents the asymmetric damping factor . the asymmetric damping factor is adjustable depending upon the radial location of point of contact 216 described in fig3 and fig4 . the asymmetric damping factor will be increased as the point of contact 216 is placed radially closer to an axis of rotation of the lever arm 1030 . in the alternative , the asymmetric damping factor will be decreased as the point of contact 216 is placed radially farther from an axis of rotation of the lever arm 1030 . by radially moving point of contact 216 the asymmetric damping factor can be varied in the range of approximately 1 . 5 to 5 . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of forces acting on a tensioner at line 11 - 11 in fig1 . force f 7 is a normal reaction force acting on the arm at the damping mechanism contact point . force f 7 has the same magnitude as force f 4 acting on the damping mechanism . f 6 is a pivot bushing reaction force acting at the interface between bushing 1040 and lever arm 1030 . f 5 is a hub load caused by a load on a belt b , see fig1 . fig1 is a plan view of forces acting on a tensioner . depicted in fig1 is a plan view of the forces described in fig1 . fig1 is a diagram of the forces acting on a damping mechanism . the damping mechanism is that depicted in fig1 and fig2 . forces f 11 are spring contact reaction forces caused by contact of the end 500 with the spring receiving portion 103 . one can see that spring end 500 contacts the spring receiving portion at two points creating a pair of reaction forces f 11 . f 12 is a normal reaction force on the damping surface 109 . f 13 is a tangent friction force on the damping surface 109 . f 14 is the reaction force on damping mechanism portion 102 imparted by a contact with a lever arm 2030 , see fig1 . the asymmetric damping factor is realized by a difference in frictional force f 13 for a movement of the lever arm 2030 . more particularly , when lever arm 2030 moves in the + a direction , f 13 operates as shown in fig1 . as the lever arm moves in the − a direction , f 13 operates in the reverse direction . the change in direction in f 13 causes a resultant force on damping surface 109 to change . as a result when lever arm 2030 moves in the + a direction , a force f 14 on the damping mechanism is larger than when the lever arm moves in direction − a . proportionally , the torque generated on the lever arm in reference to the lever arm axis of rotation r - r by the force f 14 is larger when the lever arm moves in the + a direction than when the lever arm moves in the direction − a . the value of the torque on the lever arm when the arm moves in the direction + a is larger than the value of torque generated by the pair of spring forces f 11 . the difference between the two values of torque is defined as the damping torque in the direction + a . the value of the torque on the lever arm when the arm moves in the direction − a is smaller than the value of torque generated by the pair of spring forces f 11 . the difference between the two values of torque is defined as the damping torque in the direction − a . the ratio between the value of the damping torque in the direction + a and the value of the damping torque in the direction − a represents the asymmetric damping factor . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of forces acting on a tensioner at line 14 - 14 in fig1 . force f 17 is a normal reaction force acting on the damping mechanism contact point . f 16 is a pivot bushing reaction force acting at the interface between bushing 1040 and lever arm 1030 . f 15 is a hub load caused by a load on a belt b . fig1 is a plan view of the forces acting on a tensioner . depicted in fig1 is a plan view of the forces described in fig1 . fig1 is an exploded view of a tensioner having a damping mechanism . damping mechanism 200 engages lever arm 1030 at tab 1031 . biasing member or spring 1020 has one end connected to base 1010 and the other end connected to damping mechanism spring receiving portion 211 as described elsewhere in this specification . lever arm 1030 is pivotably connected to base 1010 through bushing 1040 . dust seal 1050 prevents foreign material from entering the tensioner during operation . pulley 1060 is journaled to lever arm 1030 through bearing 1070 . a belt ( not shown ) engages pulley surface 1061 . bearing 1070 is connected by a fastener such as bolt 1080 . damping mechanism surfaces 230 , 231 are in sliding engagement with an inner surface 1011 of tensioner base 1010 . tab 1031 engages damping shoe 212 during operation , thereby causing a movement of base inner surface 1011 across damping mechanism surface 230 . fig1 is an exploded view of a tensioner having a damping mechanism . damping mechanism 100 is engaged with lever arm 2030 at tab 2031 . biasing member or spring 2020 has one end connected to base 2010 and the other end connected to damping mechanism spring receiving portion 103 as described elsewhere in this specification . lever arm 2030 is pivotably connected to base 2010 through bushing 2040 . dust seal 2050 prevents foreign material from entering the tensioner during operation . pulley 2060 is journaled to lever arm 2030 through bearing 2070 . a belt ( not shown ) engages pulley surface 2061 . bearing 2070 is connected by a fastener such as bolt 2080 . damping mechanism surface 109 is in sliding engagement with an inner surface 2011 of tensioner base 2010 . tab 2031 engages damping mechanism 100 during operation , thereby causing a movement of base inner surface 2011 across damping mechanism surface 109 . although a single form of the invention has been described herein , it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations may be made in the construction and relation of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described herein . | 5 |
a technical object to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a method for defining a maximum of 8 distinguishable drs patterns in a system supporting 8 transmission antennas . technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above - mentioned technical problems , and other technical problems not mentioned above can be clearly understood by one skilled in the art from the following description . in an embodiment of the present invention to solve the above problems , a method for transmitting data demodulation reference signals in a radio mobile communication system includes generating a subframe including the data demodulation reference signals , and transmitting the generated subframe , wherein a first demodulation reference signal pattern group and a second demodulation reference signal pattern group which include a plurality of orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are distinguished from each other in a time - frequency resource , and if a rank is n , m ( m ≦ n ) orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns out of the data demodulation reference signals are included in the first demodulation reference signal pattern group , and n − m orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are included in the second demodulation reference signal pattern group . each of n and m may correspond to any one integer of 1 to 8 . the m demodulation reference signal patterns included in the first demodulation reference signal group and the n − m reference signal patterns included in the second demodulation reference signal group may be multiplexed using code division multiplexing ( cdm ). in another aspect of the present invention , a method for demodulating data of a user equipment in a radio mobile communication system includes receiving a subframe including data and data demodulation reference signals , and demodulating the data using the data demodulation reference signals , wherein a first demodulation reference signal pattern group and a second demodulation reference signal pattern group which include a plurality of orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are distinguished from each other in a time - frequency resource , and if a rank is n , m ( m ≦ n ) orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns out of the data demodulation reference signals are included in the first demodulation reference signal pattern group , and n − m orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are included in the second demodulation reference signal pattern group . each of n and m may correspond to any one integer of 1 to 8 . the m demodulation reference signal patterns included in the first demodulation reference signal group and the n − m reference signal patterns included in the second demodulation reference signal group may be multiplexed using code division multiplexing ( cdm ). in a further aspect of the present invention , an apparatus for transmitting data demodulation reference signals in a radio mobile communication system includes a processor for generating a subframe including data and including data demodulation reference signals for demodulating the data , and a transmitter for transmitting the generated subframe , wherein the processor is configured such that a first demodulation reference signal pattern group and a second demodulation reference signal pattern group which include a plurality of orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are distinguished from each other in a time - frequency resource , and if a rank is n , m ( m ≦ n ) orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns out of the data demodulation reference signals are included in the first demodulation reference signal pattern group , and n − m orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are included in the second demodulation reference signal pattern group . each of n and m may correspond to any one integer of 1 to 8 . the m demodulation reference signal patterns included in the first demodulation reference signal group and the n − m reference signal patterns included in the second demodulation reference signal group may be multiplexed using code division multiplexing ( cdm ). in still another aspect of the present invention , an apparatus for demodulating data in a radio mobile communication system includes a receiver for receiving a subframe including data and data demodulation reference signals , and a processor for demodulating the data using the data demodulation reference signals , wherein a first demodulation reference signal pattern group and a second demodulation reference signal pattern group which include a plurality of orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are distinguished from each other in a time - frequency resource , and if a rank is n , m ( m ≦ n ) orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns out of the data demodulation reference signals are included in the first demodulation reference signal pattern group , and n − m orthogonal demodulation reference signal patterns are included in the second demodulation reference signal pattern group . each of n and m may correspond to any one integer of 1 to 8 . the m demodulation reference signal patterns included in the first demodulation reference signal group and the n − m reference signal patterns included in the second demodulation reference signal group may be multiplexed using code division multiplexing ( cdm ). according to the present invention , it is possible to transmit a drs while maintaining compatibility with a legacy system even though the number of antennas increases in a radio communication system . the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above - mentioned effect , and other effects not mentioned above can be clearly understood by one skilled in the art from the following description . fig1 shows the structure of a type 1 radio frame ; fig2 shows the structure of a type 2 radio frame ; fig3 shows the structure of an lte downlink slot ; fig4 shows the structure of an lte uplink slot ; fig5 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 0 - n and type 1 - 0 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to a first embodiment of the present invention ; fig6 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 0 - n and type 1 - 0 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the first embodiment of the present invention ; fig7 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 2 - n and type 1 - 2 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the first embodiment of the present invention ; fig8 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 3 - n and type 1 - 3 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the first embodiment of the present invention ; fig9 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 0 - n and type 2 - 0 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to a second embodiment of the present invention ; fig1 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 1 - n and type 2 - 1 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the second embodiment of the present invention ; fig1 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 2 - n and type 2 - 2 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the second embodiment of the present invention ; fig1 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 3 - n and type 2 - 3 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the second embodiment of the present invention ; fig1 to 17 are diagrams explaining a multiplexing method within a drs pattern group using cdm or cdm / tdm according to a third embodiment of the present invention ; fig1 and 19 are diagrams showing drs patterns according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention ; fig2 to 23 are diagrams showing drs patterns according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention ; and fig2 a block diagram showing the configuration of a device which is applicable to a ue or a bs and through which the above embodiments can be implemented . hereinafter , embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the present invention can be easily realized by those skilled in the art . the present invention can be practiced in various ways and is not limited to the embodiments described herein . in the drawings , parts which are not related to the description are omitted to clearly set forth the present invention and similar elements are denoted by similar reference symbols throughout the specification . throughout this specification , when an element is referred to as “ including ” a component , it does not preclude another component but may further include the other component unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . also , as used herein , the terms “. . . unit ”, “. . . device ”, “. . . module ”, etc ., denote a unit of processing at least one function or operation , and may be implemented as hardware , software , or a combination of hardware and software . a rank - adaptive drs may be used by defining , in units of rbs , a specific data dm - rs pattern which is precoded by a transmission pmi for each layer or stream according to a rank value in a transmission mode . here , a series of orthogonal or quasi - orthogonal code sequences , as well as a pattern in a time - frequency re , is included in a resource region in which the dm - rs pattern is defined . hereinbelow , the present invention proposes multiplexing methods for all dm - rs res considering patterns for individual layers and overhead for the total number of layers ( i . e . rank value ), as a detailed configuration method of a dm - rs for each rank . in the following description , the drs may be understood as the same term as the dm - rs . a drs pattern proposed in the present invention may include not only a drs pattern itself but also all types of patterns which can be configured through cyclic shift in a frequency domain for all patterns expressed through rb grids in all subframes . in addition , the drs pattern proposed in the present invention may include patterns configured through cyclic shift in an independent frequency domain in an individual ofdm symbol in patterns expressed through rb grids . to solve the problem mentioned in the above technical problems , the generation of another drs pattern which is distinguished in a time - frequency resource may be considered . at this time , an rs pattern which is distinguished in a time - frequency resource may be defined as an additional antenna port . a drs pattern of an antenna port 5 of a legacy system or a modified drs pattern is referred to as a drs pattern group # 0 and another drs pattern which is distinguishably defined in a time - frequency resource is referred to as a drs pattern group # 1 . assuming that the number of distinguishable drs patterns , which should be provided in correspondence to an arbitrary rank ( a maximum value of a rank is 8 ) or the number of virtual antenna ports , is n ( 1 ≦ n ≦ 8 ), m ( 1 ≦ m ≦ 8 ) distinguishable drs patterns may be multiplexed through a drs pattern group # 0 and ( n − m ) distinguishable drs patterns may be multiplexed through a drs pattern group . # 1 . here , n is greater than or equal to m . if there is no distinguishable drs pattern applicable to a system in an arbitrary drs pattern group , that is , if m is 0 , then the drs pattern group # 0 is not defined in an rb , and if m is equal to n , then the drs pattern group # 1 is not defined in an rb . individual layers in an arbitrary rank or virtual antenna ports may be mapped to drs patterns using a drs pattern group index first mapping scheme or may be first mapped to drs patterns of a drs pattern group # 0 and to drs patterns of a drs pattern group # 1 in the case where the drs patterns of the drs pattern group # 0 are not sufficient . a drs pattern may be adaptively defined by applying a precoding scheme according to rank , used layer , or the number of virtual antenna ports . the present invention provides detailed embodiments of a combination of all patterns located in res in a time - frequency rb of two groups in an environment in which a drs pattern group # 0 and a drs pattern group # 1 are simultaneously used . for optimization in terms of overhead of a drs pattern group # 0 , patterns which are modified from an antenna port 5 of a legacy system ( e . g . lte system ) having low rs density are proposed . in the present invention , these modified types of drs patterns may replace patterns corresponding to a drs pattern group # 0 . each drs pattern group may be defined as an antenna port . if a drs pattern group # 0 conforms to a drs pattern of an antenna port 5 of a legacy system , the drs pattern group # 0 may be set to the antenna port 5 and an rs of a drs pattern group # 1 may be set to another antenna port ( e . g . antenna port 6 ). hereinbelow , drs pattern groups are distinguished from each other by type x - y - z . in type x - y - z , x denotes a pattern design criterion , y denotes a cyclic shift frequency offset of a drs pattern group # 1 compared with a drs pattern group # 0 , and z denotes a type of cyclic prefix ( cp ) to which a proposed drs pattern is applied . z may be expressed as n which denotes a normal cp or e which denotes an extended cp . among types proposed below , type 1 series proposes a drs pattern group # 1 and a drs pattern group # 0 in which a drs pattern of an antenna port of a legacy system ( e . g . lte system ) is shifted by p ( p ≧ 1 ) ofdm symbols in a time domain and cyclically shifted in units of subcarriers of an arbitrary number in a frequency domain . in the following embodiments , p is set to 1 . type 2 proposes a drs pattern group # 1 and a drs pattern group # 0 when a modified pattern having the same rs density as in an antenna port 5 of a legacy system is applied . if collision occurs when all drs patterns including the proposed drs pattern group # 0 and drs pattern group # 1 and other types of rs patterns for other purposes defined in a system of the present invention are mapped to a time - frequency resource region , rs symbols colliding in the all drs patterns may be punctured or rs symbols colliding in other types of rs patterns may be punctured . first , a drs pattern of type 1 will now be described . type 1 has motivation to introduce another drs pattern group in addition to a drs pattern group based on an antenna port 5 of a legacy system ( e . g . lte system ) in a rank above a prescribed value , and a drs pattern group # 0 and a drs pattern group # 1 may have substantially the same structure as a pattern of the antenna port 5 . fig5 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 0 - n and type 1 - 0 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to a first embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig5 , since type 1 corresponds to the cases where p = 1 and y = 0 , a drs pattern group # 1 is shifted from a drs pattern group # 0 by one symbol in an ofdm symbol axis and is not cyclically shifted in a subcarrier direction . fig6 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 0 - n and type 1 - 0 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the first embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig6 , since this type 1 corresponds to the case where p = 1 and y = 1 , a drs pattern group # 1 is shifted from a drs pattern group # 0 by one symbol in an ofdm symbol axis and is cyclically shifted by one subcarrier in a subcarrier direction . fig7 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 2 - n and type 1 - 2 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the first embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig7 , since this type 1 corresponds to the case where p = 1 and y = 2 , a drs pattern group # 1 is shifted from a drs pattern group # 0 by one symbol in an ofdm symbol axis and is cyclically shifted by two subcarriers in a subcarrier direction . fig8 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 1 - 3 - n and type 1 - 3 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the first embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig8 , since this type 1 corresponds to the case where p = 1 and y = 3 , a drs pattern group # 1 is shifted from a drs pattern group # 0 by one symbol in an ofdm symbol axis and is cyclically shifted by three subcarriers in a subcarrier direction . hereinafter , a drs pattern of type 2 will be described . in type 2 , drs patterns of the first two ofdm symbols are not shifted and drs patterns of the other one or two ofdm symbols are cyclically shifted by offset of 1 in a frequency domain in each of the drs pattern group # 0 and drs pattern group # 1 of type 1 . fig9 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 0 - n and type 2 - 0 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to a second embodiment of the present invention . each of a drs pattern group # 0 and a drs pattern group # 1 of type 2 of fig9 is configured such that the first two ofdm symbols are not shifted and the other two symbols are shifted by one subcarrier in a frequency axis in each of the drs pattern group # 0 and drs pattern group # 1 of type 1 of fig5 . fig1 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 1 - n and type 2 - 1 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the second embodiment of the present invention . each of a drs pattern group # 0 and a drs pattern group # 1 of type 2 of fig1 is configured such that the first two ofdm symbols are not shifted and the other two symbols are shifted by one subcarrier in a frequency axis in each of the drs pattern group # 0 and drs pattern group # 1 of type 1 of fig6 . fig1 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 2 - n and type 2 - 2 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the second embodiment of the present invention . each of a drs pattern group # 0 and a drs pattern group # 1 of type 2 of fig1 is configured such that the first two ofdm symbols are not shifted and the other two symbols are shifted by one subcarrier in a frequency axis in each of the drs pattern group # 0 and drs pattern group # 1 of type 1 of fig6 . fig1 is a diagram showing drs patterns of type 2 - 3 - n and type 2 - 3 - e for supporting 8 transmission antennas according to the second embodiment of the present invention . each of a drs pattern group # 0 and a drs pattern group # 1 of type 2 of fig1 is configured such that the first two ofdm symbols are not shifted and the other two symbols are shifted by one subcarrier in a frequency axis in each of the drs pattern group # 0 and drs pattern group # 1 of type 1 of fig6 . meanwhile , for multiplexing distinguishable drs patterns in an arbitrary drs pattern group ( e . g . drs pattern group # 0 or drs pattern group # 1 ), cdm may be used . fig1 to 17 are diagrams explaining a multiplexing method within a drs pattern group using cdm or cdm / tdm according to a third embodiment of the present invention . although examples shown in fig1 to fig1 have the same rs pattern as in an antenna port 5 of a legacy system , they may be applied to all the cases proposed in the present invention . in fig1 to fig1 , pn denotes pseudo noise and oc denotes an orthogonal code . fig1 shows , in a normal cp case , the generation distinguished in the unit of a slot of a cdm orthogonal resource code or scrambling code for a dm - rs defined in a specific prb in a specific resource region , that is , in an arbitrary downlink subframe . meanwhile , fig1 shows the same method as in fig1 wherein the method is applied to an extended cp case . meanwhile , fig1 shows , in a normal cp case , the generation distinguished by tdm in the unit of one or more symbols of a cdm orthogonal resource code or scrambling code for a dm - rs defined in a specific prb in a specific resource region , that is , in an arbitrary downlink subframe . fig1 shows the same method as in fig1 wherein the method is applied to an extended cp case . fig1 shows , in a normal cp case , the generation distinguished in the unit of one subframe of a cdm orthogonal resource code or scrambling code for a dm - rs defined in a specific prb in a specific resource region , that is , in an arbitrary downlink subframe . for rank - 1 to rank - 3 , 12 res may be used per rb for a drs pattern , and for rank - 4 to rank - 8 , 24 res may be used per rb for a drs pattern . in addition , one of tdm , fdm , and cdm or a combination thereof may be used as a multiplexing method . a pattern when l = 2 is a frequency - shifted version while maintaining the same patterns as all drs patterns proposed in the present invention when a rank is 1 . a method is proposed for allocating a drs pattern for 12 added res to the second layer of rank - 2 by additionally defining the drs pattern in a frequency domain in ofdm symbols in which a drs pattern when a rank is 1 is defined . the present invention includes cases of all possible values of a frequency shifting offset of the newly additionally defined drs pattern . a drs pattern for 12 added res may be defined as a drs pattern allocated for an added layer when a rank is 2 ( l = 2 ). moreover , a total aggregated pattern with respect to all methods proposed in the present invention when a rank is 1 may be divided and allocated according to each layer using one of tdm , fdm , and cdm , or a combination thereof up to rank - n . for layers which should be additionally defined when a rank value is greater than n , a drs pattern for 12 additional res proposed in the present invention may be set as the total aggregated pattern and may be divided and allocated according to each layer using one of tdm , fdm , and cdm , or a combination thereof with respect to corresponding layers . fig1 and fig1 are diagrams showing drs patterns according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention . meanwhile , when a rank proposed in the present invention is 1 , a multiplexing method using one of tdm , fdm , and cdm , or a combination thereof is described . when l = 2 , a method is proposed for dividing and allocating the same patterns as all drs patterns when a rank is 1 proposed in the present invention according to each layer using tdm , fdm , or cdm up to rank - l . in addition to the above three basic multiplexing methods , combinations of two or more multiplexing methods may be defined as total multiplexing methods . the method proposed in the present invention includes a normal cp case and an extended cp case . all proposals of drs patterns for each layer derived from a multiplexing method proposed in the present invention may be applied as a detailed multiplexing method in total or partial domains of a multiplexing method applied according to an individual pattern of the two drs patterns of embodiment 4 . fig2 to 23 are diagrams showing drs patterns according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention . in fig2 to 23 , drs patterns mapped according to each layer when l = 2 are proposed . indexes of the drs patterns mapped according to each layer may be mapped in a descending or ascending order . for the above proposed drs patterns , individual drs patterns depicted in the embodiments proposed in the present invention , and / or all drs patterns on an rb grid , a cdm method may be applied to res in an arbitrary drs pattern in a frequency , time , or frequency - time domain using an orthogonal code sequence , such as walsh , orthogonal variable spreading function ( ovsf ), cazac ( cyclic sequence ), zadoff - chu ( zc ) sequence , or zadoff - chu zero correlation zone ( zc - zcz ) sequence , or a quasi - orthogonal sequence , such as an m - sequence , gold code , or kasami sequence . at this time , the number of used code resources ( indicating cyclic shift in case of cazac sequence series ) is designated within a range which maintains orthogonality in a resource region to which cdm in a radio channel is applied , and the code resources may configure all multiplexing methods in conjunction with a multiplexing method of cdm , tdm , fdm , or tdm / fdm . mapping to specific drs patterns and / or code resources of l individual layers in rank - l may be performed by a time - first , frequency - first , or code - first scheme . in case of a multiplexing method in three resource regions , mapping may be performed in order of time - frequency - code , time - code - frequency , frequency - time - code , frequency - code - time , code - time - frequency , or code - frequency - time . a ue which receives a subframe including a drs generated by the above - described methods may demodulate received data using the drs . fig2 a block diagram showing the configuration of a device which is applicable to a ue or a bs and through which the above embodiments can be implemented . as shown in fig2 , a device 240 includes a processing unit 241 , a memory unit 242 , a radio frequency ( rf ) unit 243 , a display unit 244 , and a user interface unit 245 . a layer of a physical interface protocol is performed in the processing unit 241 . the processing unit 241 provides a control plane and a user plane . a function of each layer may be performed in the processing unit 241 . the memory unit 242 is electrically connected to the processing unit 241 and stores an operating system , applications , and general files . if the device 240 is a ue , the display unit 244 may display a variety of information and may be achieved using a known liquid crystal display ( lcd ), an organic light emitting diode ( oled ), etc . the user interface 245 may be configured by combination with a known user interface such as a keypad or a touchscreen . the rf unit 243 is electrically connected to the processing unit 241 and transmits or receives radio signals . in this specification , the bs means a terminal node of a network , which performs direct communication with a mobile terminal . a specific operation which has been described as being performed by the bs may be performed by an upper node of the bs as the case may be . in other words , various operations performed for communication with the mobile terminal in a network which includes a plurality of network nodes along with the bs may be performed by the bs , or network nodes other than the bs . the bs may be replaced with the terms such as evolved node b ( enb ), fixed station , node b , access point , and relay node as an uplink receiving subject . also , in the present invention , a mobile terminal corresponds to a user equipment ( ue ) and the mobile terminal may be replaced with terms such as mobile station ( ms ), subscriber station ( ss ), mobile subscriber station ( mss ), and relay node as an uplink transmitting subject . the embodiments according to the present invention can be implemented by various means , for example , hardware , firmware , software , or combination thereof . in a hardware configuration , a method in a radio communication system according to the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by one or more application specific integrated circuits ( asics ), digital signal processors ( dsps ), digital signal processing devices ( dspds ), programmable logic devices ( plds ), field programmable gate arrays ( fpgas ), processors , controllers , microcontrollers , microprocessors , etc . in a firmware or software configuration , a method in a radio communication system according to the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by a type of a module , a procedure , or a function , which performs functions or operations described above . software code may be stored in a memory unit and then may be executed by a processor . the memory unit may be located inside or outside the processor to transmit and receive data to and from the processor through various means which are well known . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms than those set forth herein without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present invention . the above description is therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims and all changes coming within the equivalency range of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention . claims which are not explicitly dependent on each other can be combined to provide an embodiment or new claims can be added through amendment after this application is filed . the present invention may be used for a ue , a bs , or other devices of a radio mobile communication system . | 7 |
the motor represented schematically in fig1 exhibits a structure which is derived from the symmetric structures of the traveling wave piezoelectric motors described in the u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 648 , 696 and 5 , 726 , 519 , the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference . the structure is here asymmetric , that is to say the motor has a single rotor 1 applied against a stator 2 associated with four electromechanical transducers 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 bearing on a rigid bedplate 7 . the rotor and the stator are annular in shape . the electromechanical transducers 3 to 6 are of the piezoelectric or magnetostrictive type or of any other type . in the description of the exemplary execution , it will be assumed that one is dealing with piezoelectric transducers in the form of cylindrical ceramic bars such as described in the u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 648 , 696 and 5 , 726 , 519 . these bars are identical and paired as 3 - 5 and 4 - 6 , the bars of each pair being diametrically opposed and symmetric relative to the axis of the motor . the bars are furthermore regularly distributed about the axis , in such a way that they are angularly offset mutually by 90 °. the bars of each pair are polarized in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in the drawing . consequently , on going around the stator , one encounters in succession two bars 3 and 4 polarized in one direction , then two bars 5 and 6 polarized in the other direction . the transducers 3 to 6 bear against the stator 2 via conical articulation pieces 8 as described in the u . s . pat . no . 6 , 093 , 994 , which pieces limit the flexing of the bars . the stator 2 is pressed firmly by a central pillar , not represented , against the transducers 3 to 6 . the rotor 1 is itself pressed elastically against the stator 2 . the means of prestress and of pressure are , for example , embodied as described and represented in the u . s . pat . no . 5 , 726 , 519 . the central pillar can be hollowed out for the passage of a shaft on which the rotor 1 is mounted with slight radial play . the diametrically opposed transducers form a group supplied by the same signal . they therefore vibrate in phase opposition . the two groups are supplied via two phase quadrature signals , that is to say ones which are π / 2 out of phase . the supply is effected , for example , by means of the circuit described in patent u . s . pat . no . 6 , 072 , 265 , the content of which is incorporated by reference , by way of a connector placed on the bedplate 7 . the structure could of course be symmetric as described in the u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 648 , 696 and 5 , 726 , 519 with a connector according to the u . s . pat . no . 5 , 828 , 158 placed in the nodal plane , at the common base of the transducers . the stator 2 differs from the stators according to the prior art in that its contact with the rotor 1 spans only two diametrically opposed ring segments 9 and 10 of the same angular length . advantageously , but not necessarily , these segments 9 and 10 are themselves subdivided , for example into four teeth 9 a to 9 d and 10 a to 10 d as represented in fig2 . this makes it possible , as is known , to amplify the tangential speeds without giving rise to overly rigid stators . furthermore , the aggregate span of the segments 9 and 10 in the circumferential direction is chosen to be less than or equal to a wavelength of the traveling wave produced in the stator . in the example represented , the eight bearing teeth represent the teeth which remain out of the twenty - four teeth of a stator embodied according to the prior art . within the dimensional limit indicated hereinabove , and if one wishes to avoid having to grind the stator once assembled , this span will be further reduced until the static deformation produced by the prestress becomes less than the useful dynamic deformation . the segments 9 and 10 are situated either facing two transducers , or between two transducers . the effect obtained will be better understood through the simulation represented in fig5 representing a motor according to the prior art supplied in mode 3 . the figure shows the traveling wave with three wavelengths and the simulation portrays the radial deformation , highly exaggerated : the zones corresponding to a peak undergo a centripetal displacement , whereas the zones corresponding to a trough undergo a centrifugal displacement . if all the teeth are retained and the rotor is pressed against the stator , then three antagonist forces at 120 ° occur , localized on the peaks . the centripetal motions give rise to noise , heating and wear of the rotor . according to the invention only a third ( one wavelength ) of the available contact zone is kept . let us assume that at a given instant the segment 9 corresponds to a peak : then the segment 10 is on a trough . the two radial forces therefore have the same direction and no antagonist effect causes noise . the fact of keeping two diametrically opposed contact zones no longer affords any constraint to the radial motion . it is of prime importance to avoid contact over three 120 ° zones . the segments 9 and 10 , and their teeth 9 a to 9 d and 10 a to 10 d respectively , exhibit either a plane contact face perpendicular to the axis of the stator , that is to say of the motor , or a face inclined relative to this axis , more precisely a face situated on a conical surface whose vertex is situated on the axis of the motor . depending on whether the bearing faces of the segments are planar or conical , the rotor will exhibit a planar or conical surface of contact with the stator and its link with the shaft of the motor exhibits play compatible with radial motions . each rotor could consist of two concentric rotors , preferably elastically interlinked , of which one bears via a plane face on plane - faced segments and the other bears via a frustoconical face on conical - faced segments . in this case , the stator can exhibit two pairs of bearing segments offset by 90 °, one exhibiting plane faces and the other inclined , respectively , conical faces . on supplying the transducers , elliptical motions of the segments 9 and 10 appear both in the tangential and radial directions . there is considerable dynamic contact of the rotor with one of the segments during one half - period , then with the opposite segments during the other half - period . in each case , the contact is driving in the tangential direction . there is also radial motion of the rotor towards the opposite zone during one half - period , motion tolerated by the play with the shaft , and reverse motion during the following half - period . the structure lends itself equally well to operation in mode 3 as in mode 1 . in the latter case , the span of the contact segments is limited only by the amplitude of the static deformation warping of the stator , whose effects must be masked . apart from the fact that it makes it possible to eliminate the noise emitted and the energy dissipated by radial friction , the structure according to the invention exhibits the advantage of making it possible to extract , from the supply signals , information regarding the speed of the rotor . this is because the dynamic contact pressure directly influences the amplitudes and the relative phases of the currents absorbed on each supply pathway . fig3 illustrates an exemplary recording of the relative phase p between the current i of a pathway and the supply voltage u for a motor with two contact segments . the circuit used for this purpose is a circuit well known to the person skilled in the art and which is represented as a reminder in fig4 . a and b represent the two pairs of transducers supplied from a source s . the voltage u and the current i in a supply pathway are respectively measured , which voltage and current are shaped and applied to a phase comparator . the signal p is obtained at the filtered output of the comparator . depicted on the same recording is the logic signal f emanating from an angular sensor giving eight pulses per revolution . the periodicity of the signal p is noted . careful examination shows that a signal period has two very slightly different alternations : this involves two alternating contacts on the other two segments 9 and 10 which are not strictly identical . the person skilled in the art is able through this alone to reconstruct , from this signal p , a logic signal whose frequency is therefore twice the frequency of rotation of the motor , this giving a measure of the speed of the motor . in the case described previously , where two pairs of bearing segments , offset by 90 °, are used , one plane and the other inclined , the frequency of the signal resulting from the variations in the contact pressures becomes quadruple the frequency of rotation of the rotors . since it is of prime importance to avoid contact over three 120 ° zones , it is possible to envisage contact over four segments . it is possible , at best , to reduce the contact to four contact segments situated respectively facing each of the transducers and whose aggregate span is less than one wavelength . in this case , it is noted that there are four contact pressure maxima per complete period . the speed measurement is therefore twice as accurate . multiple variations and modifications are possible in the embodiments of the invention described here . although certain illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described here , a wide range of modifications , changes , and substitutions is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure . in some instances , some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features . accordingly , it is appropriate that the foregoing description be construed broadly and understood as being given by way of illustration and example only , the spirit and scope of the invention being limited only by the appended claims . | 7 |
referring to the drawings , and initially to fig1 to 3 , there is shown a sucker device 1 for use in securing to generally gas impermeable surfaces such as , for example , glazing panels , enabling lifting or attachment of other apparatus . the device 1 comprises a hard plastics mounting shell 2 , to the underside of which is secured a flexible rubber membrane having a body disc 3 and an integral peripherally extending flexible skirt 4 . an actuation lever 6 is pivotally mounted at pivot 7 , to the hard plastics mounting shell 2 , the primary purpose of the actuation lever being to energize or de - energize the sucker . such arrangements are known in the art and an exemplary such lever actuator arrangement is disclosed , for example , in de 20103755 , in which a lever having a cam is movable to urge a cam follower pin to push down the concave dish of the flexible sucker body 3 , so energizing or de - energizing the suction device . the present arrangement is designed to operate in this manner . the lever 6 includes an aperture 10 locating a cross pin 11 , to which is attached the proximal end of a flexible link tether 15 . flexible link tether 15 is connected at its distal end to a pull tab 17 which is formed integrally with the skirt 4 and projects upwardly therefrom . the purpose of the pull tab 17 is to enable the rim lip 18 of the flexible skirt to be selectively lifted in order to enable full release the suction applied by the device . the present invention enables the lip to be released by means of actuation remote from the rim lip 18 . alternative means may be provided for securing the distal end of the flexible link tether 15 to the portion of the skirt to be lifted . in the embodiment shown , the flexible linkage is received in a guide channel 19 formed in the hard plastics mounting shell 2 . referring to fig2 , the device 1 is shown in with the actuator lever 6 in a neutral position standing upright from the hard plastics mounting shell 2 . in this position the vacuum is not fully applied and the rim lip 18 is not being lifted . in the energized configuration , with the actuator lever 6 pivoted forward ( as shown in dashed line in fig2 ), the cam action causes push down of the flexible sucker body 3 , so energizing the suction . in this arrangement the underside of the flexible skirt 4 is pressed face down against the substrate surface . when seeking to release the applied suction , the lever 6 is returned to the neutral position and then pivoted forward over centre ( as shown in fig3 ). this has the effect of causing flexible link tether 15 to slide in the direction of arrow a in guide channel 19 , pulling upwardly on pull tab 17 and on so doing , lifting the rim lip 18 of skirt 4 . this permits air to pass under the skirt and body of the sucker membrane 3 , relieving the applied suction . the suction device can then easily be lifted from the substrate surface . the present invention enables a lever or other actuator to be used to lift the rim lip of the skirt . by making this the primary suction application actuator lever 6 , convenient and single handed release actuation may be achieved . the other hand may be used to support the device , for example by means of gripping a grip handle . such an arrangement is shown in fig5 , where a grip handle 21 extends between 2 suction devices 1 a , 1 b in accordance with the invention . as most clearly shown in fig4 , the sucker membrane is provided on its underside ( the side arranged to contact the substrate surface ) with a suction relieving groove 25 extending across the junction between the flexible skirt 4 and the flexible body 3 of the sucker membrane . the groove 25 provides a conduit enabling rapid pressure equalization when the rim lip 18 is sufficiently lifted . the pressure relieving groove 25 coincides substantially with the position of the lifting tab 17 . it has been found that the operation of the pressure relieving groove 25 is enhanced in configurations in which the groove 25 tapers from a relatively wider distal end 28 positioned toward the periphery of the sucker membrane to a relatively narrower proximal end 29 positioned toward the center of the sucker membrane . additionally , the arrangement of the invention provides enhanced operation when securing the device to a substrate surface . this is achieved by placing the sucker device on the substrate surface and , with downward pressure applied via the device , first moving the lever 6 to the over - center position ( as shown in fig3 ), with downward force applied via the device to the substrate , before moving the lever 6 all the way forward to the energized position ( shown by the dashed line in fig2 ). the initial over - center movement with downward force applied lifts the skirt 4 and expels air from under the body 3 of the sucker membrane . this results in a greater vacuum effect . | 5 |
our invention concerns the use of a radially - expandable tubular element in the construction of medical devices containing tubular components and / or channels . in particular , our invention concerns the use of the tubular elements in the construction of device components and channels that function to conduct or convey medical instruments and / or guidewires therethrough . the use of radially expandable tubular elements in the construction of delivery catheters enables their manufacture with lower composite profiles relative to prior art device delivery catheters of comparable delivery capacity . the use of radially expandable guidewire channels in the construction of exchangeable guidewire - directed diagnostic / therapeutic devices enables their manufacture with lower shaft profiles than heretofore possible . although our invention applies to the construction of all devices containing tubular components and / or channels that function to conduct or convey devices and / or guidewires therethrough , we will confine our remarks to the use of radially - expandable tubular elements in the construction of a guiding catheter , percutaneous intravascular sheath and guidewire channel , with the understanding that the scope of our invention is not limited to the focus of this discussion . fig1 a - 1d are detailed phantom profile views and two cross - sectional views of an ultra - low profile radially - expandable subselective guiding catheter . the device consists of a shaft , stress riser 27 and proximal adapter 20 . the shaft is composed of three sections 5 , 6 , and 7 of progressively increasing rigidity . the luminal profile of shaft section 7 is sufficient to accommodate the profile of the largest device intended for delivery therethrough . the corresponding profiles of shaft sections 5 and 6 are considerably smaller . this circumstance enables the construction of shaft sections 5 and 6 with lower external profiles relative to shaft section 7 . ( see fig1 b and 1d .) the shaft of the device contains at least two layers ; an inner relatively inelastic layer and an outer relatively elastic layer . these are bonded together to provide a delivery channel 15 that is continuous therethrough . the inner layer affords column strength to the shaft . the outer layer functions as a barrier to the flow of fluid and serves to compress the inner layer , thereby reducing the composite profile of the device . because the outer layer is not required to provide column strength , it can be constructed with particularly thin walls . in the preferred embodiment , a lubricous coating is applied to the outer layer to facilitate the introduction and withdrawal of the device within the confines of the body . section 5 is composed of at least two tubular elements ; an outer relatively elastic tubular element 14 and an inner relatively inelastic , yet flexible tubular element 11 . in one embodiment element 14 comprises a low density polyurethane and element 11 comprises a medium density polyurethane . these two layers are joined distally . additionally , these two layers are joined longitudinally by means of an eccentric bond 4 ( see fig1 b ), typically provided by heat or an adhesive . shaft section 6 is similar in configuration to shaft section 5 . the rigidity of the respective inner tubular elements , however , is different . the inner tubular element 10 , contained within shaft section 6 , is more rigid relative to the inner tubular element 11 , contained within shaft section 5 . preferably element 10 comprises a high density polyurethane . this difference affords shaft section 6 enhanced rigidity relative to shaft section 5 . inner tubular elements 10 and 11 are joined together at joint 12 ( see fig1 a ), also by heat or an adhesive . shaft section 7 is composed of three tubular elements ; a low density polyurethane outer tubular element 14 , a high density polyurethane tubular element 10 and a wire braid tubular element 28 sandwiched therebetween . ( see fig1 d .) the wire braid tubular element 28 enhances the rigidity of shaft section 7 compared to shaft section 6 . this design permits the construction of a shaft that is particularly flexible at the distal end and yet relatively rigid at the proximal end . our invention further permits the construction of a similar structure wherein the transition in rigidity occurs gradually . we achieve this variable flexibility by a co - tapered extrusion of the inner and outer tubular elements . variable shaft flexibility affords the device enhanced ` pushability ` and guidewire ` trackability ` relative to conventional devices containing shafts of uniform rigidity throughout . inner tubular elements 10 and 11 contain a slit 13 that extends the length of shaft sections 5 and 6 and terminates distally to shaft section 7 . slit 13 , in conjunction with the elasticity of tubular element 14 enables shaft sections 5 and 6 , and the delivery channel 15 contained within these sections , to expand radially in response to the passage of devices of relatively large profile therethrough . this feature enables the shaft of the delivery catheter described herein to accommodate the passage of devices of larger profile than the baseline dimensions of the distal lumen of the catheter . thus our catheter provides superior device delivery capacity relative to prior art delivery catheters of comparable baseline distal shaft and delivery channel profiles . correspondingly , this feature enables the construction of our catheter with lower baseline distal delivery channel and shaft profiles compared to prior art guiding catheters of comparable delivery capacity and shaft wall thickness . given the recognized relationship between device profile and morbidity , our invention enables the construction of a device delivery catheter that is safer to use than prior art catheters of comparable delivery capacity . in the preferred embodiment , the opposing surfaces of the inner tubular elements , contained within shaft sections 5 and 6 , are superimposed upon one another . ( see fig1 b .) this configuration enables the tubular elements to expand radially within the distal aspect of the catheter and yet remain circumferentially intact , thus precluding the inadvertent escape of a device contained therein through the confines of slit 13 . in the preferred embodiment , the distal shaft expands radially in response to the application of minimal outward directed force . in the preferred embodiment , the tubular elements comprising shaft section 7 are circumferentially bonded together , preferably with heat . the layers comprising shaft sections 5 and 6 are eccentrically bonded together by means of bond 4 that extends longitudinally the length of the shaft sections . the use of an eccentric bond precludes coaxial rotation of the respective tubular elements and yet permits modest inter - component mobility , facilitating radial expansion . the proximal adapter 20 consists of component 23 , side - arm 21 , rotator 24 , and adjustable o - ring valve 25 . ( see fig1 c .) the interface between component 23 and rotator 24 is a right - hand screw . the o - ring valve 25 is disposed within the lumen of the proximal adapter 20 at the interface between component 23 and rotator 24 . this valve allows the distal aspect of the shaft lumen 15 to be sealed and thus preclude the loss of blood therethrough . the function of the o - ring valve 25 can be adjusted by rotation of rotator 24 , relative to component 23 . clockwise rotation of rotator 24 relative to element 23 compresses the o - ring , thus closing the valve , whereas counter - clockwise rotation accomplishes the opposite effect . the use of an adjustable valve enables the operator to control blood loss despite the introduction and withdrawal of devices of variable profile therethrough . side arm 21 provides access to lumen 15 of said device . the infusion of fluid into side arm 21 flushes lumen 15 . side arm 21 is designed to interface with luer - locking components . the proximal adapter is joined to the catheter shaft section 7 by means of a cap 26 and stress riser 27 . the configuration of the catheter tip depends upon the intended use of the device . clearly , the shaft can be shaped to accept a variety of configurations , including tip configurations that are well known to facilitate negotiation of prior art delivery devices within various regions of the body . typically , the device is prepared with a guidewire and advanced within the confines of the body under fluoroscopic control . rotation of the guidewire enables the operator to steer the device within relatively remote regions . the flexibility of the distal shaft facilitates introduction of the device within regions of the vasculature subserved by particularly tortuous vessels . once suitably installed , the guidewire can be removed to enable the subsequent introduction of a diagnostic or therapeutic device therethrough . fig2 a - 2c illustrate the changes in distal shaft configuration that transpire consequent with the withdrawal therethrough of a guidewire of uniform profile . fig2 d - 2f illustrate the changes in distal shaft configuration that transpire consequent with the introduction of a relatively large profile diagnostic / interventional device of non - uniform dimensions therethrough . an ultrasonic delivery catheter ball - tipped laser catheter ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 773 , 413 ) is one example of prior art interventional devices of non - uniform dimensions that require introduction within selected regions of the vasculature via guiding catheters . prior art guiding catheters contain delivery channels that are uniformly larger in profile relative to the maximal profiles of the devices intended for delivery therethrough . hence , the delivery of an interventional / diagnostic device of non - uniform profile via a guiding catheter of the prior art requires the use of a particularly capacious and thus large profile catheter . as evident in fig2 a - 2f , the use of radially expandable tubular elements enables the construction of lower profile and hence safer delivery devices than prior art devices of comparable delivery capacity . the use of radially expandable guidewire channels in the construction of guidewire - directed diagnostic / interventional devices enables the manufacture of these devices with lower composite profiles than prior art devices . fig3 a - 3d and 4b - 4d illustrate this principle . these figures depict an angioscopy catheter containing a guidewire channel using an embodiment of our invention . fig3 a - 3d contain a phantom profile view and two shaft cross - sectional views of the device . the shaft contains a relatively low profile , relatively flexible section 30 and a relatively larger profile , relative inflexible section 31 . the shaft is composed of at least two tubular elements , an outer relatively elastic element 36 and an inner relatively inelastic tubular element 38 . two fiber - optic bundles 40 and 41 , are imbedded within tubular element 38 . ( see fig3 b .) these bundles function respectively to conduct light in an antegrade direction and return an image in the retrograde direction . these fiber - optic bundles exit the confines of the device via side arm 46 . the guidewire channel 34 , contained within shaft section 30 is radially expandable by virtue of slit 44 and the elasticity of tubular element 36 . slit 44 extends longitudinally the length of shaft section 30 and terminates distal to shaft section 31 . the guidewire channel 34 contained within shaft section 31 is sufficiently large in profile to accommodate the largest profile segment of the guidewire intended for introduction or withdrawal therethrough and it does not permit radial expansion . fig3 e is a cross section of the section 30 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention . for the embodiment depicted in fig3 b , a slit was employed to allow radial expansion . for the embodiment depicted in fig3 e , the inner tubular element 38 includes a section 45 which is contiguous , but which has been folded in the overlapped configuration shown . in this manner , as channel 34 is expanded , that portion 45 of the inner element will unfold as necessary . because the guidewire lumen within the distal aspect of this device is radially expandable , the device can be constructed to conform to the surface of a guidewire of non - uniform profile and yet accommodate the introduction and withdrawal of said guidewire therethrough . hence , the use of this device , in conjunction with a guidewire component containing a low profile segment that extends through the distal confines of the catheter component , provides a lower composite profile than functionally comparable guidewire - directed systems of the prior art that are designed to accommodate guidewires of uniform profile throughout . reducing the profile of the guidewire channel of a prior art device , with the intent to reduce the composite profile of the device , is constrained by the need to maintain the dimensions of the guidewire channel sufficiently large to accommodate the largest profile segment of the guidewire disposed proximal to this region . stated differently , reducing the profile of the distal guidewire channel obligates reducing the profile of the proximal aspect of the guidewire mandrel . any departure from this basic principle precludes the ability to separate the guidewire component from the catheter component of the device intraoperatively . reducing the profile of the mandrel invariably compromises the directional control of the composite device . hence , further progress in reducing the profile of guidewire - directed diagnostic / therapeutic devices of the prior art , that afford independent catheter - guidewire coaxial mobility , is constrained by the need to : ( 1 ) maintain the proximal profile of the guidewire mandrel within a range that confers satisfactory directional control to the system and ( 2 ) maintain the corresponding profile of the distal guidewire channel sufficiently large to accommodate the proximal profile of said guidewire mandrel , thus enabling withdrawal of the catheter component from the guidewire component of the system . a guidewire of non - uniform profile , containing a low profile region , can be constructed that is functionally comparable to prior art stand alone guidewires of uniform profile throughout . this circumstance obtains because : ( 1 ) the mandrel components are largely responsible for the function of prior art guidewires and ( 2 ) prior art guidewires of uniform profile contain progressively tapered mandrels with low profile distal segments . the wire coil components of stand alone guidewires of the prior art : ( 1 ) afford flexibility to the distal aspect of the guidewire that extends beyond the region of the mandrel and ( 2 ) render the device uniform in profile . in effect , the coil disposed proximal to the end of the mandrel , in the case of prior art stand alone guidewires , functions largely to enhance the profile of the tapered segment of the mandrel and affords no significant advantage to the wire in terms of directional control ( i . e ., rotational torque delivery potential ). hence , this coil can be removed , exposing the tapered mandrel contained therein , enabling the construction of a guidewire of non - uniform profile , that contains a low profile distal segment and yet provides comparable directional control relative to prior art guidewires of uniform profile . fig4 a is an enlarged profile view of such a guidewire of our design . the guidewire contains a progressively tapered mandrel 50 , a flat wire ribbon ( not shown ) and a radiopaque tip coil 52 . the radiopaque tip coil 52 extends over the distal aspect of mandrel 50 . the wire ribbon ( not shown ) extends throughout the length of the interior of the tip coil 52 . the tip coil 52 is joined proximally to mandrel 50 and to the flat wire ribbon . distally , the tip coil is joined to the flat wire ribbon . the use of a guidewire of this configuration , in conjunction with a diagnostic / therapeutic catheter containing a radially expandable guidewire channel that is designed to conform to the surface configuration of said guidewire , enables the construction of a guidewire - directed assembly with comparable steerability and coaxial guidewire mobility relative to the prior art . it further enables the assembly to have a lower composite profile than functionally comparable devices of the prior art . fig4 b - 4d are a series of profile views of the angioscopy catheter illustrated in fig3 a - 3d . these figures illustrate the changes in shaft and guidewire channel configuration that transpire consequent with the withdrawal of the angioscopy catheter over the guidewire illustrated in fig4 a . given the recognized relationship between device profile and safety , the use of a radially expandable guidewire channel in conjunction with a guidewire of non - uniform profile , containing at least one low profile distal segment , enables the construction of a highly steerably system that is lower in distal profile and thereby safer to use than functionally comparable devices of the prior art . although we describe the use of our guidewire / guidewire channel system in conjunction with an angioscopy catheter , it should be understood that our system has application to all guidewire - directed exchangeable interventional / diagnostic systems and that the use of our system in their construction enables their manufacture with lower composite profiles than heretofore possible . in addition to the aforementioned applications , the use of radially expandable tubular elements can be applied to the construction of intravascular sheaths . fig5 a is a profile view of a side - arm guidewire - directed intravascular sheath and dilator assembly that contains a radially expandable shaft of our design . fig5 b contains an enlarged mid - shaft cross - sectional view of same . fig6 a is a longitudinal cross - sectional view of the side arm sheath 90 . fig6 b and 6c are corresponding views of two guidewire - directed dilators 150 , 160 intended for use with the sheath . the sheath assembly consists of a side arm sheath 90 and one or more dilators 150 , 160 . the sheath consists of a shaft and a proximal hub . the shaft is composed of an inner tubular element 100 and an outer tubular element 101 . a relatively rigid material , for example polypropylene , is preferable for the construction of inner tubular element 100 . conversely , a thermoplastic elastomer is preferable for the construction of outer tubular element 101 . the inner tubular element 100 is designed to accommodate positive radial expansion over a specific range of radial dimensions . this is accomplished by constructing the element with overlapping surfaces and disposing at their interface a ratcheting mechanism consisting of a series of longitudinally disposed teeth 103 and a latch 102 . the passage of a device therethrough of larger profile than the baseline luminal profile of the shaft engages latch 102 with successive teeth 103 and thereby radially expands the shaft of the sheath and maintains the shaft in its expanded configuration . the outer tubular element 101 is bonded eccentrically to the inner tubular element 100 forming an interior lumen 104 . this outer tubular element : ( 1 ) prevents the passage of fluid through the walls of the shaft and ( 2 ) compresses the inner tubular element 100 and thereby maintain the desired degree of expansion of said element . because the outer tubular element 101 is not required to provide column strength to the shaft , it can be constructed with particularly thin walls . the external surface of outer component 101 is preferably coated with a lubricous substance to facilitate the introduction of the device within the confines of the body . the proximal hub contains a side - arm 107 and hemostatic valve 106 . the side arm terminates with a stop - cock 108 designed to interface with luer - locking components . the lumen of said side - arm is continuous with the lumen of the sheath . the infusion of fluid into the side - arm functions to flush the contents of the sheath . the hub consists of a body 105 which contains a one - way multi - leaved valve 106 . valve 106 functions to accommodate the passage of devices introduced therethrough and yet prevent the exit of blood and / or bodily fluids therefrom . the port 110 at the proximal end of the proximal hub is coaxial to the center of valve 106 and channel 104 and functions to expedite the introduction of devices therethrough . a strain relief 109 extends across the interface between the hub and shaft . the leading edge of said strain relief is tapered . typically , the sheath is prepared with the dilator 150 illustrated in fig6 b and this assembly is introduced over a guidewire within the confines of the vasculature . the dilator 150 contains a guidewire channel 122 and provides : ( 1 ) increased column strength to the sheath during introduction within the body , ( 2 ) a wedge shaped leading edge to the assembly and ( 3 ) a means of dilating the sheath to a suitable channel profile following introduction of the sheath within the confines of the vasculature . the dilator 150 is formed of a rigid material . proximally , it contains a groove 128 that is designed to interface with taper 111 contained in port 110 of the sheath . this tongue and groove configuration functions to couple the two assembly components together during the process of introducing the sheath within the confines of the vasculature and yet permit separation of said components following introduction of said sheath therein . distally , the dilator 150 contains a bulbous region 127 . this bulbous region is defined by a leading taper 123 and expansion taper 124 . the sheath and dilator are designed such that the distal end of the sheath is proximal to the bulbous region 127 of said dilator . this sheath / dilator assembly configuration affords numerous advantages over prior art assemblies containing radially non - expandable shafts . this configuration enables the introduction of the assembly through a lower profile arteriotomy or venotomy than the prior art because our device is designed to be introduced in a radially contracted state and to expand radially subsequent to insertion . the maximal profile of the bulbous region 127 of dilator 150 corresponds to the intended channel profile of the device . introduction of the sheath assembly is accomplished in the conventional manner . withdrawal of the dilator , however , through the confines of the sheath , increases the profile of the delivery channel to the desired profile as bulbous region 127 is withdrawn through the shaft . as with the above - described devices , this feature enables the insertion of our assembly with decreased morbidity relative to prior art devices of similar device delivery capacity . our device further can be reconfigured to accept progressively larger profile devices simply by installing dilators of progressively larger cross - sectional profiles therethrough . fig6 c is a profile view of such a dilator . this feature enables the insertion of an intra - aortic counter - pulsation balloon catheter or angioplasty guiding catheter through the confines of a baseline low profile sheath that otherwise could not be used to convey these devices . this feature circumvents the need to exchange sheaths to enable the introduction of such devices , among others , following the performance of an angiography . angiography is commonly performed , prior to the performance of an angioplasty or the insertion of an intra - aortic balloon pump . angiography can be accomplished with the use of a 6 french sheath whereas the performance of an angioplasty and intra - aortic counter - pulsation requires the use of substantially larger sheaths . this circumstance currently mandates exchanging sheaths , a process that invariably provokes local trauma to the vasculature and blood loss . our sheath permits the performance of both procedures without the need to exchange the sheath in the interim and circumvents the need to install a large bore sheath at the outset to accomplish this end . in summary , our invention concerns the use of radially - expandable tubular elements in the manufacture of medical devices and components of medical devices that conduct or convey devices and / or guidewires therethrough . the use of our invention enables the construction of guiding catheters of lower profile and superior delivery capacity than prior art devices . the use of our tubular elements enables the construction of percutaneous sheaths with lower profiles and superior functional versatility than prior art devices . the use of our tubular elements in the construction of guidewire channels for guidewire - directed diagnostic / therapeutic systems enables the construction of assemblies with lower composite profiles and comparable directional control and inter - component coaxial mobility than functionally comparable systems of the prior art . given the relationship between device profile and morbidity , the use of radially - expandable tubular elements enables the construction of medical devices containing tubes and / or channels that are safer to use than prior art devices . | 0 |
an exemplary embodiment of the anti - theft device 100 of the present invention is shown in fig1 . the anti - theft device comprises a set of wheel cradles 110 attached by a central shaft 120 . a wheel cradle may comprise a support element 111 and a first and second tire bracket 112 extending perpendicular to the support element 111 . the first and second tire bracket are separated by a distance sufficient for a bottom portion of a tire to sit therein . in certain exemplary embodiments the tire brackets 112 are adjustable along the supporting bracket 111 to provide flexibility in accepting different vehicle tire sizes . the wheel cradle may optionally further comprise a mounting bracket 113 . the mounting bracket 113 may be positioned or integrated directly into the supporting bracket 111 . alternatively , the mounting bracket 113 may be attached at a point along the first and second tire brackets 112 parallel to the supporting element 111 . the mounting bracket is designed to allow the anti - theft device 100 to be securely fastened to a solid surface , such as an asphalt or concrete surface , a truck bed , or a trailer bed . the mounting bracket may be secured to the solid surface using any standard mounting means for attaching fixtures to such surfaces . in one exemplary embodiment , the mounting bracket 113 contains one or more holes for the insertion of bolts for securing the anti - theft device 100 to the solid surface . the wheel cradles 110 may be manufactured from any suitable material with sufficient strength and durability to allow a vehicle to be securely attached thereto . the second supporting bracket 115 may be attached to the opposite end of first and second tire brackets 112 from the first support bracket 112 . in certain exemplary embodiments , a plate 116 may be attached at a bottom end to either to the second support bracket 115 or directly to tire brackets 112 . the top end of the plate extends vertically and is of a sufficient height to block access to a tire &# 39 ; s lug nuts , thereby preventing tire removal . the plate may be a square plate , a rectangular shape , a half - round shape , or any shape sufficient to block access to a tire &# 39 ; s lug nuts or other means for securing the tire to the axle of the vehicle . in certain exemplary embodiments , the central shaft may comprise a fixed component 121 attached to one wheel cradle and an adjustable shaft component 122 attached to the other wheel cradle that inserts into and is movable relative to the fixed shaft component . the adjustable shaft further comprises an adjustable shaft lock 123 to secure the central shaft 120 in a fixed position . an adjustable shaft lock 123 may comprise a bolt insertable into a first hole on the fixed portion of the central shaft 120 and a second hole in the adjustable portion of the central shaft when the fixed portion and adjustable portion of the central shaft are properly aligned . in such an embodiment , the holes in the fixed and adjustable portions of the central shaft may be machined at multiple points to allow for adjustment of the shaft over a range of widths providing flexibility to secure vehicles with varying wheel bases . continuing in reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in fig1 , the device contains two locking slides 130 around the central shaft 120 wherein the sliding locks are moveable along the central shaft allowing for optimum positioning of the sliding locks relative to a given vehicle &# 39 ; s axle . the sliding locks of the present invention allow the locks to be positioned between any gearbox and transfer case arrangement for a given vehicle , while ensuring the device is secured to the vehicle in - line with the axle and the wheel . each locking slides comprises an axle attachment mechanism 131 for locking the device 100 to the axle of a vehicle . an exemplary axle attachment mechanism is a chain , however other suitable mechanisms that allow secure attachment of the device to the vehicles axle may be used . turning now to fig2 , a more detailed drawing of an exemplary sliding lock is provided . the sliding lock 200 comprises the slide body 210 , a central channel for receiving the device &# 39 ; s central shaft 120 , and a locking mechanism 220 . in the exemplary embodiment shown in fig2 , a chain 240 may be welded to one side of the sliding lock opposite the locking mechanism 220 . the chain is then looped over the vehicle axle and secured to the locking mechanism . an exemplary locking mechanism can comprise one or more chain notches 222 and lock pin 221 for locking the free end of the chain to the locking mechanism . in use , the device 100 is secured to an appropriate surface . the wheel cradles 110 are set to an appropriate width based on the wheel base of the vehicle to be secured . once the appropriate width is set the central shaft 120 may be locked into position . the vehicle is then driven onto the device so that the front or rear tires rest within the wheel cradle 110 . in those embodiments in which the tire brackets 112 are adjustable , said brackets may be adjusted to more securely engage the tire . the sliding locks 130 are then positioned along the axle . the optimum point along an axle at which the vehicle may be secured will vary by vehicle . one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and be able to position the sliding locks in the appropriate positions . the axle attachment mechanisms 131 are then looped over the vehicle axle and secured to the locking mechanism 221 of the sliding locks 130 , thereby securing the vehicle to the device . components of the device may be manufactured of a variety of materials from metals to rigid plastic materials . exemplary materials suitable for use in the present invention include , but are not limited to , steel , stainless steel , high carbon steels , aluminum , or combinations thereof . design considerations to be considered when selecting suitable component materials include strength , durability , weight , and cost of manufacturing . although specific embodiments of the invention may have been described above in detail , the description is merely for purposes of illustration . various modifications can be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the following claims , the scope of which is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass such modifications and equivalent structure . | 8 |
fig1 - 1b show a power inserter connector 1 according to the present invention . the power inserter connector 1 comprises a body 10 , a first terminal 20 having a first seizure mechanism having a seizure screw 70 at a first end , a front insulator 40 , a rear insulator 30 and a second terminal 50 which includes a second seizure mechanism having a seizure screw 60 . in this embodiment the seizure mechanism includes a threaded bore 55 and a seizure screw 60 inserted within the threaded bore . other embodiments may include other seizure mechanisms as would be known by those of reasonable skill in the art . the connector accepts a pair of conductors , one at each of the respective first and second terminals . once the conductors have been installed and secured to their respective terminals , the end of the connector is wrapped with tape or covered with heat shrink tubing to insulate the terminals from unintended contact . fig2 - 2b show power inserter connector body 10 . body 10 is comprised of aluminum or other corrosion resistant material . a first end of the body 10 includes a threaded section 12 which is configured to mate with a cooperating catv power inserter housing ( not shown ). a center section 14 is hexagonally shaped in order to provide a surface that allows for sufficient tightening of first end 12 to the catv power inserter housing . a central bore 11 extends through body 10 . threaded section 18 is provided adjacent hexagonally shaped center section 14 and allows for removal of center section 14 . a semi - circular portion 16 having a flat upper surface comprises the second end of body 10 . the flat surface is useful for supporting the first terminal , the second terminal , and the rear insulator as will be described in detail below . fig3 - 3a show first terminal 20 , which is comprised of tin - plated brass or other conductive material . the terminal 20 has a rectangular shaped first end 21 which includes an opening 23 , in this embodiment a threaded bore , which is part of a first seizure mechanism . in other embodiments other seizure mechanisms which are known to those skilled in the art may be utilized . a second bore 24 extends centrally into the first end 21 and is configured to receive a first conductor ( not shown ) therein . the first conductor comprises copper or aluminum and is sized from awg # 14 to awg # 2 . if an aluminum conductor is used , an anti - oxidant compound should be applied to the conductor before it is secured within the terminal . the terminal 20 includes a long , solid cylindrical section 26 extending to the second end 22 . the cylindrical section 26 has an angular section 25 which offsets the remaining portion of the cylindrical section 26 with respect to the first end 21 . the terminal is configured to carry an electrical current of up to thirty amperes and a voltage of up to ninety volts . in this embodiment the second end of terminal 20 is rounded , however other embodiments could incorporate differently shaped ends . fig4 - 4a show front insulator 40 . front insulator 40 is comprised of nylon , delrin or other insulative material and includes a first bore 41 centrally disposed a predetermined distance within insulator 40 . second bore 42 , smaller in diameter than first bore 41 , extends from the end of first bore 41 through insulator 40 . first bore 41 and second bore 42 are configured such that terminal cylindrical section 26 including angled section 25 are received therein and insulates that portion of terminal 20 from the power inserter connector body 10 . fig5 - 5b show rear insulator 30 . rear insulator 30 is comprised of nylon , delrin or other insulative material and is configured to isolate the first end 21 of terminal 20 from the body 10 of the power inserter connector . rear insulator 30 has a first bore 31 which is configured to allow a section of the first seizure mechanism to pass through . a second bore 33 extends a predetermined distance within the insulator 30 and is configured to receive and secure the first end 21 of terminal 20 therein . third bore 32 extends from second bore 33 through the remaining section of the insulator and is configured to fit around a section of terminal 20 . a fourth bore 34 allows for a mounting screw to pass therethrough and to secure the rear insulator 30 to the flat surface 16 of connector body 10 . referring now to fig6 - 6b , second terminal 50 is shown . second terminal 50 is comprised of a tin plated aluminum alloy or other conductive material . second terminal 50 includes a flat section 51 having a hole 52 disposed therethrough for mounting the second terminal 50 within body 10 . the second terminal 50 further includes a rectangular section 54 having a first bore 55 for receiving a seizure screw 60 . a second bore 53 extends into section 54 and is configured to receive a second conductor ( not shown ) therein , the second conductor being secured within the second bore 53 by seizure screw 60 . the second conductor comprises copper or aluminum and is sized from awg # 14 to awg # 2 . if an aluminum conductor is used , an anti - oxidant compound should be applied to the conductor before it is secured within the terminal 50 . other embodiments may implement other seizure mechanisms as would be known by those skilled in the art . the power inserter connector 1 is assembled as follows . o - ring 80 is lubricated and installed adjacent the threaded section 12 of body 10 . front insulator 40 is installed within body 10 . anti - oxidant compound is applied to the threads of mounting screw 90 and the mounting portions of second terminal 50 . screw 90 is placed through second terminal 50 , through rear insulator 30 and into body 10 . terminal 20 is then inserted through the front and rear insulators . mounting screw 90 is tightened , securing first terminal 20 , second terminal 50 and rear insulator 30 to body 10 . seizure screws 70 and 60 are installed into terminals 20 and 50 respectively . the power inserter connector 1 is installed into the power inserter housing as follows . anti - oxidant joint compound is applied to the threaded section 12 of body 10 . the power inserter body 10 is installed onto the power inserter housing . nut section 14 is removed and placed over the conductors . approximately 1 / 2 inch of cable jacket is removed from the conductors . a conductor , typically the neutral conductor , is inserted into bore 53 of second terminal 50 . seizure screw 60 is tightened , securing the conductor to the second terminal 50 . another conductor , typically the hot conductor , is inserted into bore 24 of terminal 20 . seizure screw 70 is tightened , securing the hot conductor to the terminal 20 . nut section 140 is installed on body 10 and tightened . heat shrink tubing or insulative tape is installed over the exposed end of the connector body 10 . the power inserter connector 1 is disconnected as follows . the heat shrink tubing or tape is removed . the mounting screw 90 is loosened . the seizure screws 60 and 70 are loosened , and the conductors removed from the terminals . the power inserter connector 1 is then removed from the catv power inserter housing . a second embodiment of a power inserter connector is shown in fig7 - 7c . in this embodiment the power inserter connector 100 is waterproof . this embodiment 100 is similar to power inserter connector 1 with the addition of a subassembly insert 120 , a seal 130 , an o - ring 160 , a sealing ring 150 and a sealing nut 140 . fig8 - 8a show subassembly body 110 . subassembly body 110 is comprised of aluminum or other noncorrosive material and includes a central bore 111 extending therethrough . a first plurality of threads 112 are disposed about the interior surface of bore 111 adjacent a first end of the subassembly body 110 . a second plurality of threads 113 are disposed about the interior surface of bore 111 adjacent a second end of the subassembly body 110 . the second end of subassembly body 110 is configured to mate with a cooperating section of body 10 . referring now to fig9 the subassembly insert 120 is shown . insert 120 is comprised of aluminum or other corrosion resistant material . a bore 121 is centrally disposed through insert 120 . a first plurality of threads 122 are disposed about an external surface adjacent the first end of insert 120 . a second plurality of threads 123 are disposed about an external surface of the insert adjacent the second end . the first plurality of threads are configured to mate with the second end of sub - assembly body 110 . fig1 - 10a show seal 130 . seal 130 is comprised of neoprene or other material capable of providing a waterproof seal . seal 130 is cylindrical in shape and includes a bore 131 disposed therethrough which has an oval cross - sectional shape . seal 130 also includes a beveled edge 132 about the first end thereof . bore 131 is configured to securely receive a conductor pair therethrough and to provide a waterproof seal about the conductor pair . a first end of seal 130 is configured to fit inside the second end of insert 120 . sealing ring 150 is shown in fig1 . sealing ring 150 is comprised of aluminum or other corrosion resistant material . ring 150 includes a central bore 151 disposed therethrough . a first end of the central bore 151 includes a tapered end 152 . the tapered end 152 is configured to align with the tapered end of seal 130 when the ring is positioned abutting the second end of insert 120 . fig1 shows sealing nut 140 . nut 140 is comprised of die cast zinc or other corrosion resistant material . nut 140 includes a central bore 141 disposed therethrough and contains a plurality of threads 142 disposed along an interior surface adjacent the first end of nut 140 . nut 140 is configured to mate with the second end of insert 120 and to secure seal 130 and sealing ring 150 therein , thereby providing a waterproof interface at the entrance of the conductors to the power inserter connector . the power inserter connector 100 is assembled as follows . o - ring 80 is lubricated and installed adjacent the threaded section 12 of body 10 and o - ring 160 is lubricated and installed adjacent the threaded section 18 of body 10 . front insulator 40 is then installed within body 10 . anti - oxidant compound is applied to the threads of screw 90 and the mounting portions of second terminal 50 . screw 90 is placed through second terminal 50 , through rear insulator 30 and into body 10 . terminal 20 is then inserted through the front and rear insulators . mounting screw 90 is tightened , securing terminal 20 , terminal 50 and rear insulator 30 to body 10 . seizure screws 70 and 60 are installed into terminals 20 and 50 respectively . subassembly body 110 is mated with body 10 , subassembly insert 120 is mated with subassembly body 110 , seal 130 is installed into the end of subassembly insert 120 , sealing ring 150 is installed adjacent the end of seal 130 and sealing nut 140 is mated with insert 120 . the power inserter connector 100 is installed into the power inserter housing as follows . anti - oxidant joint compound is applied to the threaded section 12 of body 10 . the power inserter body 10 is installed onto the power inserter housing . the subassembly body 110 , including inset 120 , seal 130 , sealing ring 150 and sealing nut 140 are removed from the connector and placed over the conductors . approximately 1 / 2 inch of cable jacket is removed from the conductors . if aluminum conductors are used , anti - oxidant joint compound should be applied to the exposed conductors . a conductor , typically the neutral conductor , is inserted into bore 53 of second terminal 50 . seizure screw 60 is tightened , securing the conductor to the second terminal 50 . another conductor , typically the hot conductor , is inserted into bore 24 of terminal 20 . seizure screw 70 is tightened , securing the hot conductor to the terminal 20 . the subassembly body 110 , including the subassembly insert 120 , seal 130 , sealing ring 150 and sealing nut 140 are mated with the connector body 10 . subassembly body is tightened to connector body 10 . sealing nut 140 is tightened until the seal is fully compressed against the conductors jackets . the power inserter connector 110 is disconnected as follows . the sealing nut 140 is loosened , then the subassembly body 110 is loosened from the connector body 10 . the mounting screw 90 is loosened . the seizure screws 60 and 70 are loosened , and the conductors removed from the terminals 20 and 30 . the power inserter connector 110 is removed from the power inserter housing . fig1 - 13b show another embodiment of a power inserter connector 200 . the same style terminal 20 is used as is used with the other embodiments 1 and 100 described above . a single insulator 230 is utilized to isolate terminal 20 from body 210 . body 210 includes an integral seizure mechanism 260 for securing a second conductor to the body 210 , thus a second terminal is not required , reducing the parts count and making the connector lower in cost and assembly time . referring now to fig1 - 14a , the power inserter connector body 210 is shown . the body 210 is comprised of aluminum or other corrosion resistant material , and includes a threaded first end 211 for mating with a cooperating connector such as a catv power inserter housing . a second end of the connector body 210 includes a cavity 213 for receiving the first end of terminal 20 and is configured to allow access to the seizure mechanism of terminal 20 . a first central bore 212 extends from the cavity through the connector body . a second bore 214 is partially disposed within body 210 and is configured to receive a conductor therein . a seizure mechanism bore 261 is provided which allows the securement of the second conductor to the body when the conductor is inserted within bore 214 and seized by seizure mechanism 260 . fig1 and 15a show insulator 230 . insulator 230 is configured to fit within body 210 . a first end of insulator 230 includes a cavity 231 which aligns within the body 210 to allow access to the terminal seizure mechanism within terminal 20 . the insulator 230 isolates a section of the terminal 20 and the seizure mechanism from the body 210 . the power inserter connector 200 is assembled as follows . o - ring 80 is lubricated and installed adjacent the threaded section 211 of body 210 . insulator 230 is then installed within body 210 . terminal 20 is then inserted through insulator 230 . seizure screws 260 and 270 are installed into bore 261 and terminal 20 respectively . the power inserter connector 200 is installed into the power inserter housing as follows . anti - oxidant joint compound is applied to the threaded section 211 of body 210 . the power inserter body 210 is installed onto the power inserter housing . approximately 1 / 2 inch of cable jacket is removed from the conductors . if aluminum conductors are used , anti - oxidant joint compound should be applied to the exposed conductors . a conductor , typically the neutral conductor , is inserted into bore 214 of body 210 . seizure screw 60 is tightened , securing the conductor to the body 210 . another conductor , typically the hot conductor , is inserted into bore 24 of terminal 20 . seizure screw 70 is tightened , securing the hot conductor to the terminal 20 . heat shrink tubing or insulative tape is installed over the exposed end of the connector body 210 . the power inserter connector 200 is disconnected as follows . the heat shrink tubing or tape is removed . the seizure screws 60 and 70 are loosened and the conductors removed . the power inserter connector 200 is removed from the power inserter housing . the power inserter connector of this embodiment includes a one piece body , a one piece insulator and a one piece terminal , all of which make the connector easier to manufacture and assemble as well as being lower in cost . having described preferred embodiments of the invention it will now become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating these concepts may be used . accordingly , it is submitted that the invention should not be limited to the described embodiments but rather should be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
fig1 is diagram of an exemplary computer network that serves to illustrate aspects of the invention . here computers 100 a - 100 e may host various ones of the computing objects such as games and other applications . although the physical environment shows the connected devices as computers , such illustration is merely exemplary and may comprise various digital devices such as pdas , game consoles , etc . moreover , communications network 160 may itself comprise a number of computers , servers and network devices such as routers and the like . there are a variety of systems , components , and network configurations that support distributed computing environments . for , example , computing systems may be connected together by wireline or wireless systems , by local networks or widely distributed networks . currently , many of the networks are coupled to the internet which provides the infrastructure for widely distributed computing and encompasses many different networks . aspects of the present invention could be usable to distribute computer - readable instructions , code fragments , applications and the like to various distributed computing devices . the network infrastructure enables a host of network topologies such as client / server , peer - to - peer , or hybrid architectures . the “ client ” is a member of a class or group that uses the services of another class or group to which it is not related . thus , in computing , a client is a process ( i . e ., roughly a set of instructions or tasks ) that requests a service provided by another program . the client process utilizes the requested service without having to “ know ” any working details about the other program or the service itself . in a client / server architecture , particularly a networked system , a client is usually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer ( i . e ., a server ). a server is typically a remote computer system accessible over a remote network such as the internet . the client process may be active in a first computer system , and the server process may be active in a second computer system , communicating with one another over a communications medium , thus providing distributed functionality and allowing multiple clients to take advantage of the information - gathering capabilities of the server . clients and servers communicate with one another utilizing the functionality provided by a protocol layer . for example , hypertext - transfer protocol ( http ) is a common protocol that is used in conjunction with the world wide web ( www ) or , simply , the “ web .” typically , a computer network address such as a uniform resource locator ( url ) or an internet protocol ( ip ) address is used to identify the server or client computers to each other . communication among computing devices is provided over a communications medium . in particular , the client and server may be coupled to one another via tcp / ip connections for high - capacity communication . in general , the computer network may comprise both server devices and client devices deployed in a network environment ( in a peer - to - peer environment devices may be both clients and servers ). communications network 160 may be a lan , wan , intranet or the internet , or a combination of any of these that facilitates communication among a number of computing devices 10 a - 10 e . moreover , communication network 160 may comprise wireless , wireline , or combination wireless and wireline connections . additionally , the computer network may comprises a distributed computing environment . in such an environment a computing task may be spread over a number of computing devices that are addressable elements in a computer network . according to an aspect of the invention , communication network 160 may host a service 150 that is accessible from the plurality of computers 100 a - 100 e . the service 150 gathers information and tracks users of computers 100 a - 100 e to provide computing services for all of the users of the service . fig2 illustrates the functional components of a multimedia / gaming console 100 that may be used as the computers 100 a - 100 e in the network of fig1 . the multimedia console 100 has a central processing unit ( cpu ) 101 having a level 1 cache 102 , a level 2 cache 104 , and a flash rom ( read only memory ) 106 . the level 1 cache 102 and a level 2 cache 104 temporarily store data and hence reduce the number of memory access cycles , thereby improving processing speed and throughput . the cpu 101 may be provided having more than one core , and thus , additional level 1 and level 2 caches 102 and 104 . the flash rom 106 may store executable code that is loaded during an initial phase of a boot process when the multimedia console 100 is powered on . a graphics processing unit ( gpu ) 108 and a video encoder / video codec ( coder / decoder ) 114 form a video processing pipeline for high speed and high resolution graphics processing . data is carried from the graphics processing unit 108 to the video encoder / video codec 114 via a bus . the video processing pipeline outputs data to an a / v ( audio / video ) port 140 for transmission to a television or other display . a memory controller 110 is connected to the gpu 108 to facilitate processor access to various types of memory 112 , such as , but not limited to , a ram ( random access memory ). the multimedia console 100 includes an i / o controller 120 , a system management controller 122 , an audio processing unit 123 , a network interface controller 124 , a first usb host controller 126 , a second usb controller 128 and a front panel i / o subassembly 130 that are preferably implemented on a module 118 . the usb controllers 126 and 128 serve as hosts for peripheral controllers 142 ( 1 )- 142 ( 2 ), a wireless adapter 148 , and an external memory device 146 ( e . g ., flash memory , external cd / dvd rom drive , removable media , etc .). the network interface 124 and / or wireless adapter 148 provide access to a network ( e . g ., the internet , home network , etc .) and may be any of a wide variety of various wired or wireless adapter components including an ethernet card , a modem , a bluetooth module , a cable modem , and the like . system memory 143 is provided to store application data that is loaded during the boot process . a media drive 144 is provided and may comprise a dvd / cd drive , hard drive , or other removable media drive , etc . the media drive 144 may be internal or external to the multimedia console 100 . application data may be accessed via the media drive 144 for execution , playback , etc . by the multimedia console 100 . the media drive 144 is connected to the i / o controller 120 via a bus , such as a serial ata bus or other high speed connection ( e . g ., ieee 1394 ). the system management controller 122 provides a variety of service functions related to assuring availability of the multimedia console 100 . the audio processing unit 123 and an audio codec 132 form a corresponding audio processing pipeline with high fidelity and stereo processing . audio data is carried between the audio processing unit 123 and the audio codec 132 via a communication link . the audio processing pipeline outputs data to the a / v port 140 for reproduction by an external audio player or device having audio capabilities . the front panel i / o subassembly 130 supports the functionality of the power button 150 and the eject button 152 , as well as any leds ( light emitting diodes ) or other indicators exposed on the outer surface of the multimedia console 100 . a system power supply module 136 provides power to the components of the multimedia console 100 . a fan 138 cools the circuitry within the multimedia console 100 . the cpu 101 , gpu 108 , memory controller 110 , and various other components within the multimedia console 100 are interconnected via one or more buses , including serial and parallel buses , a memory bus , a peripheral bus , and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures . by way of example , such architectures can include a peripheral component interconnects ( pci ) bus , pci - express bus , etc . when the multimedia console 100 is powered on , application data may be loaded from the system memory 143 into memory 112 and / or caches 102 , 104 and executed on the cpu 101 . the application may present a graphical user interface that provides a consistent user experience when navigating to different media types available on the multimedia console 100 . in operation , applications and / or other media contained within the media drive 144 may be launched or played from the media drive 144 to provide additional functionalities to the multimedia console 100 . the multimedia console 100 may be operated as a standalone system by simply connecting the system to a television or other display . in this standalone mode , the multimedia console 100 allows one or more users to interact with the system , watch movies , or listen to music . however , with the integration of broadband connectivity made available through the network interface 124 or the wireless adapter 148 , the multimedia console 100 may further be operated as a participant in the larger network community as illustrated in fig1 . according to an aspect of the invention , when a game is executed on console 100 , it provides information to a service operating on communications network 160 . the service tracks the information for all of the users connected to the service to provide a rich user experience . the service tracks user information across games , consoles , computing devices , etc . by tracking the information for all users of the service , the service can aggregate statistics for all users and measure game playing ability , provide a richer user experience by providing information about friends ( e . g ., what game they are playing and what skill level they have attained ), track user achievements and generally measure statistics for a game aggregated over a large user community . in order to provide a consistent data set across games , the invention contemplates a schema driven process where each game generates a schema that defines the game data for a particular game . through a game configuration process , games use a service - defined schema to describe the data the game generates about each game player . by using the configuration process , the service will be able to understand the data as it flows from the game , and it will be able to integrate it in meaningful ways with the other data that the service understands to create a rich profile of each user of the service . the profile will follow the user wherever he goes on the service , i . e . it is game and location independent . some of the profile , in fact , will be viewable by every user of the service . fig3 illustrates the overall process that allows a game developer to configure a game for use with the service . a game developer 301 wants to create a game for use with the service by user 302 . to that end , the developer provides a set of game configuration data 304 that will be shared with the service using the tools described more fully below . the output from the use of the tool is a set of api header files 306 that are included with the game to communicate with the service and a set of xml files 308 that define the schema of the data to be shared with the service . game developer 301 then burns a game disk 310 or creates a game program that contains the game code instrumented with the apis 306 an the xml schema files 306 ( or an equivalent representation ). the xml files are also communicated to the service 312 so that the service can use the data output from the game to update the online user profile 312 for user 302 when user 302 uses the game 310 online . when user 302 uses game 310 without a network connection , information is collected and stored on the users offline profile in a hard drive or memory unit 316 . thereafter , when user 302 connects to the service , the online and offline profile is synchronized . user 302 can then view profile information locally 318 , i . e . on the console 100 or pc or log on to the service and view the user profile 314 . fig4 further illustrates the flow of configuration tool 400 used to generate the xml files 308 for use with the service . initially , game developer 301 selects the game genre 402 , e . g ., shooter , racing , etc . the genre selection is then used to generate a set of templates that have predefined types of data that would generally be collected by the service when such a game is being played . game developer 301 then reviews and edits the various session information and competition information generated by the templates at steps 404 , 406 , 408 . the edits are used to modify xml file 308 that underlies the tool . game developer 302 then edits the xml file ( via the tool ) with respect to the presence data to be generated by the game 410 , statistics 412 , trophy achievements 414 , game usage 416 and competition statistics 420 . after completing those edits , the system checks for unused genre tags and suggests alternative tag usage in order to enforce a certain level of cross game compliance with genre information ( step 422 ). thereafter , api header files are automatically generated ( step 424 ) based on the xml definition , and a list of tags is create for localized views of the information ( e . g ., japanese , spanish , and so on ) ( step 426 ). a set of identifiers are created that are specific to achievements defined for a specific game ( step 428 ) and the process is complete ( step 434 ). the pre - defined , genre - specific values , which will be extensible , will capture the key bits of stats , achievements , presence , and other data that the service will need to understand and show a user &# 39 ; s activity inside and outside of the game . the game developers do not have to interact directly with these values ; instead , they can adopt them using the configuration tool . the configuration tool allows game developers to input their game &# 39 ; s description using both values pre - defined in the tool and the game &# 39 ; s own extended set of trackable values . on the back end , the tool produces an xml configuration file that provides a formatted enumeration of all of the values entered in the tool . match session editor : here , the game tells the console the steps a user will need to go through to create a gameplay session for matchmaking . this definition makes sure that the console understands all of the key game permutations ( from map names to difficulty levels ) so that console can capture the starting point of a game session . view editor : view editors are the pieces of the tool that allow game developers to tell the service how particular bits of game data are to be used to construct key service features like stats and presence . the views allow the developer literally to specify the types of stats they want to track and which aggregations methods to use on the stats ( e . g . “ track total kills per map ” or “ track kills / deaths per map ”). the config toole will provide a number of default views to make sure that each game has a minimum set of required stats and presence fields defined . context , property , and achievements editor : the tool includes a mechanism for game developers to define an achievement and display it ( including description , title , and trophy image ), to create a context ( e . g . map and its enurerations ), and to create a new property ( e . g . kills stat ). rich presence mode editor : a game developer uses the rich presence mode editor to author a rich presence string that contains static text and variable tokens ( defined by contexts and properties that can be updated during the game ). outputs for developers : the tool outputs api header files , a list of strings to localize , the format of a “ start session ” message that games will receive from the service when gamers create a session outside of the game , and a config file that the game will need to include on the game disk ( so that the console client , even offline , can interpret the data flowing out of the game ). the game talks to the service with the setcontext , setproperty and session apis . since most of the complex structure of the game is captured in the configuration tool , the apis for writing data to the service are relatively simple . in fact , there are essentially only three things a game needs to tell the service for the service to be able to construct a user profile : setcontext : game “ contexts ” are sets of discrete , enumerate values like maps , vehicles , guns , and other game states that may change but that don &# 39 ; t have any aggregation methods associated with them . the setcontext api , then , tells the service when a context has changed ( and how it has changed ). setproperty : game “ properties ” are game elements or events that have an operation or aggregation methods that need to be applied to them . properties include such things as kills ( add ), bullets fired ( add ), wins ( add ), health ( subtract or add ), or time ( take lowest time , in a racing game ). the setproperty api , then , is a message to the service that a property is coming in and it needs to operate on it in the appropriate way . setachievement : game achievements are trophies earned during game play . the setachievement api is a message to the service ( or offline storage ) that a user has earned an achievement . session information : games must tell the service when a session has begun , when a user has been added ( or has left ) the session , and when the session has ended . the session information , coupled with context and property information and a view definition , allows the client software to know which properties need to be aggregated together in a game , who they belong to , and when the data set is complete for exporting . localization : to make stats , presence , and achievements visible on the console and on the web world wide , it is essential that games provided localized strings for all of the extensions xml values . the config tool includes a localization tool that will allow games to track which strings still need to be localized . pre - defined values will already have localized strings associated with them . read apis : user profile data feature that the service provides to games will have an associated api for reading data back for display or other purposes ( stats , achievements , matchmaking etc .). with this process completed , games are connected to the user profile data stream . this means that stats , presence , and achievement information for each gamer is advertised to the entire community even after the game disk is removed . it means that features built into the system that leverage the game &# 39 ; s user profile data will be improved over time after the game has shipped . it means that matchmaking players for a game will draw from a host of data that virtually insures a good fit for the players even if none of them have ever played the game before . in conjunction with fig5 , the paragraphs that follow detail the ways in which all of this user profile data being sent by games to the service will be consumed and reflected back to users , games , and the entire user community . as illustrated in fig5 , after use of configuration tool 400 , the game program 310 has configuration file 308 a that describes the information to be written during the use of the game and shared with service 150 . additionally service 150 has copies of the xml configuration file 308 b so that it understands the data points that it will collect from the game . thereafter , when console 100 is connected to service 150 , the game communicates typical game data for multiplayer online gaming . this communication happens via a console gateway component 502 which aggregates data on the client and communicates information about the user during game play that is collected in accordance with the configuration file 308 a . this console gateway component prevents the network from being flooded with overly frequent updates from the game program . that information is periodically routed to service 150 by way of game service gateway 504 . notably , the system contemplates that data about the game play can be collected even when a user is offline . various information and statistics are recorded to memory unit 146 and then shared with service 150 when the console 100 connects to service 150 . similarly , even when the user is online the information collected can be buffered in memory unit 146 so that it can be uploaded to the service in an efficient way ( i . e . not necessarily in real - time ). further , the service can , by parsing the game &# 39 ; s xml configuration file , determine the one or more service features that need to consume the game data ( for example , services such as 510 , 512 , 514 and 516 , representing game usage data , rich presence , achievements and statistics , respectively ). the following paragraphs further illustrate the use of the collected information . statistics service 516 assists in tracking and displaying a wide - variety of in - game stats , such as number of kills , best lap times or high scores . all stats have to be schematized in terms of properties , contexts and views . for example , a first - person shooter title may want to define a ‘ kills ’ property to be tracked independently for each ‘ map ’ context ( e . g . 5 kills on blood creek vs . 10 kills on battle range ). the last step needed to display these stats ( in - game or on the web or elsewhere ) is to define a view , e . g . : in the example above , the ‘ kills ’ property uses the sum aggregation method to combine the series of stats updates from every game session . in addition to sum , the system supports other aggregation methods , such as min , max , elo and last . by virtue of being captured in the game &# 39 ; s xml config file in a stats view , properties are aggregated on the client and set to the service where they are correctly stored and made available for formatting and display . each game should support a minimal set of properties , contexts and views that match the character of the game . achievements service 514 takes a different approach to tracking player stats by emphasizing individual progress and accomplishments ( e . g . a trophy case ) over global ranking against the entire population of players . achievements are intended to track check - point completion , advancing to a new skill level , hitting a career milestone , earning / unlocking new content , placing in live events , such as tournaments and / or any notable in - game events . achievements are explicitly called out in the xml config file and are written via the setachievement api . each game title should support several pre - defined achievements , such as “ ten hours played ” and “ 100 sessions played ”. additionally , each game should define a minimum of five game - specific achievements that are associated with points awards . rich presence service 512 compiles online presence / status information for all players . as a result , a user will not just be able to tell if his or her friend is online , and what title the friend is playing , but also where the friend is in the game , what the score is , and / or how much time is left in the game . for use with rich presence service 512 games should update the context and property associated with the current game state of a user . games have the ability to create a custom , localizable context based rich presence string / parser for their game . the rich presence strings can consist of the predefined , genre - specific properties or contexts or game customizable properties or contexts . some of the same contexts or properties used in rich presence ( e . g . map ) may also be used for setting the matchmaking session parameters . the rich presence string / parser can be thought of as a printf statement where properties or lookups can be substituted in . client software will manage the ui and presence requirements for friends , groups , and recent players . it will also provide a richer cross - title view of gamers who are online and offline . the game does not have to have code to deal with how the user defines their state , time online , idle etc . the game only needs to have code to deal with the context and properties that are most important for other people to broadcast from their game . fig6 - 8 further illustrates the tools used for generating the configuration files for communication between the console and the service . in general , the configuration tools make it easy for the game developer to standardize the communication process . fig6 illustrates the process for determining which statistics information will be shared between the game and the service . this figure illustrates the tool view 602 after the developer ( e . g ., 301 ) selects stats view at step 620 . thereafter , at step 624 the developer begins creating a statistics configuration . insert button 604 a allows the developer to specify one or more contexts from the insert context menu shown in box 604 b ( step 626 ) and gets back to the main screen 602 . boxes 608 allows a developer to set a number of properties to track . the example here shows that developer has selected four properties to track . box 610 allows a developer to add a label for the property . box 612 , allows the developer to select an aggregation method , e . g ., sum . box 616 lets the developer set a min and max ranges , e . g ., 2 to 100 . box 620 allows the developer to set a format for the property e . g ., number , time , percentage , etc . after the developer has entered all of the information for a particular context , button 618 saves the configuration and allows the developer to review and edit the data . fig7 further illustrates the rich presence editor . starting at step 704 , a user selects rich presence and determines whether to edit an existing string ( step 706 ), create a new string ( step 708 ), or choose an existing presence string to translate ( step 718 ). if step 706 is chosen , then the developer selects , e . g ., from a menu , a presence string to edit . as shown in box 702 a , the developer enters a string and inserts it into the configuration file using the insert button 716 . if step 708 is chosen , a presence id and a string id are generated at step 712 . thereafter at step 714 , the developer fills in the string name , description , etc . if step 718 is selected , the developer enters the translation for the text as shown in box 702 b . finally , in fig8 , the context and property editor is further illustrated . at step 808 , a developer desires to create a new context or property . if a context is selected , a unique id and string id is assigned . at step 816 , the developer fills in the name , description , enum type ( string or number ). if the enum type is set to string , the developer enters the enumeration in box 820 as shown in box 818 . for example , the developer can list the various map names that exist for a game . as each is defined , a unique id and string id is assigned . if the enum type is set to number , box 822 allows the developer to enter the number information in box 824 . at box 828 , the developer defines which enums are locked and which one is the default in a menu displayed to a user as shown in check box 826 . if at step 808 the developer selects a property , then a unique id and string id are assigned for the property ( step 810 ) and the developer fills in the property names , description and types . as a result of all of the information entered by the developer , an xml file is generated describing the various statistics , rich presence , etc . information for the game that describes the various contexts and properties . this information is used by gateway 502 to determine which information the console should aggregate before sending to the service , which information should be sent to the service raw , how the information should be formatted and how , what labels should be displayed for the information and so on . an example xml output file is as follows : of course , the xml is but one example of an output format . other output formats could also be used . moreover , the xml can be converted to a different form such as a binary file format . while the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figs ., it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom . | 0 |
fig1 illustrates a control element 1 , as is commonly used in motor vehicles , in a front view , that is , the side facing the operator . the control element 1 is comprised of a frame part 2 , which houses the control elements 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8 . the frame part 2 can be inserted in the dashboard of a motor vehicle , for example . the control elements 3 to 8 can all be configured as freely programmable control elements . thus making it possible to display a different function with a different symbol on each of the control elements 3 to 8 . symbols are to be understood as alphanumerical characters , numeric characters , numbers , symbols , or even pictograms . it goes without saying , of course , that a combination of alphanumerical characters , numeric characters , numbers , symbols , or pictograms can also be displayed . a combination of several symbols or pictograms is conceivable as well . the exemplary illustration of control element 6 , which represents a seat air conditioning system , shows in more detail how the control element 6 of the present invention is displayed to the user . in an off - position , the control element 6 indicates to the operator of the motor vehicle that the seat air conditioning can be turned on by activating this control element 6 . not only can the function illumination of this common function be intensified , but an animated symbol can be displayed on the surface of the control element as well when the control element 6 is activated . it is hereby conceivable , for example , that with alternating symbols showing different positions of the fan blade 9 , it is suggested to the operator that the fan blade is in motion , that is , is oscillating . this provides the operator with a visual confirmation that the seat air conditioning is turned on . this can be of particular advantage when due to incident light , for example , sun light , a positive differentiation between search illumination and function illumination in the control elements is not possible . an additional advantage is that an animated symbol is always easier to recognize , which makes it substantially easier for the operator to monitor the often large array of control elements in the motor vehicle . control element 4 symbolizes a distance control , which can be activated when parking , for example . with such a control element 4 in particular , the use of an animated symbol can be of great importance and is a further benefit of the present invention . when various symbols not only indicate that the distance control is activated , but also indicate the actual distance by displaying different symbols , which , for example , can also show different distances between the displayed p and the obstacle 10 , a visual impression can be transmitted to the operator as to how close the vehicle is to the obstacle 10 . a further benefit of the present invention is realized when color - changing symbols are generated by a color - changeable display unit . for example , in the control element 4 described above , the space between the vehicle p to be parked and the obstacle 10 could be more clearly indicated by displaying the imaged radio signals 11 in different colors . it is thus conceivable , for example , to initially display the first strip of the radio signal in one color when approaching the obstacle 10 , and to color - code the second , and finally the third stripe of the radio signal 11 when closing in on the obstacle 10 . this would make it considerably easier for the operator to move his / her vehicle towards the obstacle 10 , or to maneuver the vehicle . with regard to the heating system , which is illustrated in control element 7 as a seat heating system , it is possible , for example , to show the temperature fluctuations during the warm - up period of the vehicle in color . for example , immediately after the motor vehicle is started and the seat heating system is directly actuated , the temperature of the air introduced into the seat could be visually indicated , whereby the arrows appear first in blue , for cold air , and subsequently in red , for warm air . this color - coded cold and hot identification can be of particular benefit when , as is commonplace in motor vehicles these days , the cooling vents are integrated in glove compartments or separate placement areas . it would then be very easy for the operator to see that the air conditioning was not functioning in this subarea because the blue symbol indicating cold air , for example , could appear in a different color . it is explicitly noted that the number of different symbols to be displayed on control elements 3 to 8 is not limited in any way . the movement of fan blade 9 in control element 6 , for example , can be displayed in a plurality of possible positions of the fan blade . the approach of obstacle 10 by the vehicle , as illustrated in control element 4 and explained in the description , is also not limited to a number of possible symbol images . rather , it is even conceivable to select a reasonable number of appropriate symbols to make it easy for the operator to observe the approach of the obstacle by the motor vehicle in a movie - like fashion . by using a black translucent material for the control element , either the symbol itself of the surface surrounding the symbol can be illuminated , in accordance with the present invention . in this way , and with a combination of animated and alternating images , it is very easy to alert the operator of the motor vehicle to a warning function , for example , or to clarify a menu sequence . fig2 illustrates a freely programmable symbolic system according to an example embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the freely programmable symbolic system includes a controllable display unit 200 , a light amplifer / transferor 205 , a transmissive layer 210 and an operator 215 . the controllable display unit 200 may be , for example , a liquid crystal display ( lcd ) unit . the light amplifier / transferor 205 may be embodied in any number of ways , including but not limited to an illuminating device ( e . g ., a backlight ), optics and / or a light guide . the transmissive layer may be , for example , a glass or plastic screen on the control element 1 , as is illustrated in fig1 as control elements 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , etc . the operator 215 is simply indicative of a user ( e . g ., a driver of a motor vehicle ). accordingly , the controllable display unit 200 may generate a symbol ( e . g ., one or more graphic images ), which may be output and transferred / amplified by the light amplifier / transferor 205 . the light may pass through the transmissive layer 210 within the control element 1 , and may thereafter be output to the operator 215 , where the displayed image may be viewed . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims . | 7 |
referring now to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the views , and particularly referring to fig1 - 3 there is shown the robot 10 incorporating the invention . the robot 10 includes a fixed base 12 and a statically - balanced , direct - drive arm 14 . the arm 14 includes a four bar linkage . the arm 14 is supported and driven by three actuators in a way which achieves static balance by elimination of gravity forces on the drive system without counterweights , large actuators , and / or amplifiers aswill be explained more fully hereinbelow . a first rotary actuator 16 , such as a motor , is mounted on the base 12 . in particular the housing of actuator 16 is fixed to the base 12 while its drive shaft 18 is connected to a clevis or yoke 1 on which the arm 14 is supported . it will thus be appreciated that the arm 14 is supported on yoke 1 for pivotal movement about a vertical axis 20 responsive to actuator 16 . yoke 1 also supports the arm 14 for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis 22 . in particular , a second rotary actuator 24 which can be a motor , is provided for this purpose . the housing of actuator 24 is fixed to the yoke 1 while its drive shaft 26 is connected to the arm 14 for effecting pivotal movement thereof about the horizontal axis 22 . it will thus be appreciated that arm 14 is mounted for independent pivotal movement about axes 20 and 22 responsive to actuators 16 and 24 , respectively . actuators 16 and 24 preferably comprise high torque , low speed , brush - less ac synchronous motors . for example , such motors are commercially availablefrom powertron of pittsburgh , pa ., as well as other sources . the arm 14 comprises a four - bar linkage including links 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 . the base link 2 is pivotally connected to the yoke 1 for pivotal movement about axis 22 responsive to actuator 24 . arm 14 is thus pivotal with respect to yoke 1 , which is pivotal / rotatable relative to the base 12 . theinput link 5 is coupled between one end of the base link 2 and the adjacentend of the connecting link 4 . the output link 3 is coupled between the other ends of links 2 and 4 . the output link 3 is pivotally supported in aclevis 28 at the other end of link 2 , but controlled by link 4 . pivotal movement of the output link 3 is a function of the positions of the input link 5 and connecting link 4 . links 2 , 3 and 4 are preferably tubular members of graphite epoxy composite material . a suitable end effector ( not shown ) is connected to the terminal end of output link 3 . for example , an active compliant end effector like that shown in my co - pending application ser . no . 031 , 679 filed mar . 30 , 1987 , can be used . pivotal movement of the input link 5 is controlled by another rotary actuator 30 which is mounted on one end of base link 2 . in particular , thehousing of actuator 30 is fixed to link 2 , while its drive shaft 32 is connected to one end of link 5 . actuator 30 preferably comprises an electric motor similar to that used for actuators 16 and 24 . the arm 14 is supported and driven in a way which eliminates the gravity terms of its components from the dynamic equations . axes 20 and 22 are positioned to intersect at the center of gravity of the arm 14 , which can be located by conventional analysis . the horizontal axis 22 lies generallyin the plane of arm 14 . the center of gravity of arm 14 lies along axis 20 within the plane of the arm and coaxial with the drive shaft 18 of motor 16 . as a result , the drive system of robot 10 does not experience any static loads . this comprises a critical feature of the invention . this balanced mechanismeliminates the need for extra counterbalance weights and provides the following advantages . since motors 16 , 24 and 30 are never affected by gravity factors of arm 14 , the static load will be zero with little or no overheating . this in turn means that smaller actuators or motors with lower torque ratings and thus smaller amplifiers can be used to achieve the desired acceleration . similarly , better accuracy can be obtained because the links of the arm 14 have a constant deflection . this also provides better repeatability for fine manipulation tasks . the anaylsis is as follows . the coordinate frame x 1 y 1 z 1 has been assigned to the yoke 1 of the robot for i = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 . the center of the coordinate frame x 1 y 1 z 1 corresponding to yoke 16 is located at point 0 as shown in fig2 . the center of the inertial global coordinate frame ( not shown ) x 0 y 0 z 0 is also located at the arm &# 39 ; s center of gravity , point 0 . the joint angles arerepresented by the angles θ 1 , θ 2 and θ 3 . the angle θ 1 represents rotation of the yoke 1 and arm 14 aboutthe vertical axis 20 . the angle θ 2 represents the pitch angle ofthe arm 14 about the horizontal axis 22 . the angle θ 3 representsthe angle between links 2 and 3 . in the following analysis , yoke 1 corresponds to link 1 with links 2 - 5 corresponding to the numbered links of arm 14 . motor 3 corresponds to actuator 30 . the conditions under which the gravity terms are eliminated from the dynamic equations are as follows . fig4 and 5 show the four bar linkage of arm 14 with assigned coordinate frames . by inspection , the conditions under which the vector of gravity passes through point 0 , which is the origin or center of gravity , for all possible values of θ 1 and θ 3 are given by the following two equations . g [ mt . sub . 3 + m . sub . 5 ]- m . sub . 2 x . sub . 2 - m . sub . 3 [ l . sub . 2 - g ]- m . sub . 4 [ x . sub . 4 - g ]-[ m . sub . 3 x . sub . 3 - m . sub . 4 l . sub . 5 - m . sub . 5 x . sub . 5 ] cosθ . sub . 3 = 0 x i = the distance of center of mass from the origin of each coordinate frame , mt 3 = mass of motor 3 . if the last two equations are satisfied , then the center of gravity of the arm 14 passes through point 0 for all of the possible configurations of the arm . note that the gravity force still passes through 0 even if the plane of the arm 14 is pivoted by motor 24 about the horizontal axis 22 for all values of θ 2 . from the foregoing , it will thus be apparent that the present invention comprises a statically - balanced direct drive robot arm having several advantages over the prior art . the primary advantage is that the particular configuration , mounting and drive of the arm eliminates the gravity factor without counterweights in order to achieve better response . the mechanism herein results in closed - form solutions for dynamics and inverse kinematics . better accuracy and repeatability can be attained within a relatively large workspace . the arm herein lends itself well to adaptive electronic compliance / impedance control at the robot . other advantages will be evident to those skilled in the art . although particular embodiment of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description , it will be understood that the invention is not limited only to the embodiments disclosed , but is intended to embrace any alternatives , equivalents , modifications and / or rearrangements of elements falling withinthe scope of the invention as defined by the following claims . | 8 |
referring firstly to fig1 it should be understood that the sides of the illustrated cleaning machine 2 lying in planes parallel to the plane of the drawing have been omitted to illustrate internal details . the cleaning machine 2 has an entrance 4 shown at the left - hand side of the figure and an exit 6 shown at the right - hand side . an endless mesh belt transport conveyor 8 passes through various treatment zones in the machine from the entrance to the exit with the return loop 8 &# 39 ; of the conveyor being located outside the treatment zones . the conveyor 8 is carried on rollers , some of which are illustrated at 10 , which constrain the conveyor to a predetermined path and also provide the driving force for the conveyor . starting from the entrance 4 , the conveyor 8 passes along and down a sloping channel 11 which opens out into a tank 12 which contains a quantity of liquid cleaning solvent 14 through which the conveyor 8 passes . tank 12 thus defines an immersion wash stage for the workpieces 16 carried on the conveyor 8 . the liquid cleaning solvent in the tank is at room temperature or at some other temperature which is below the flash point of the solvent . this immersion wash stage can be described as a relatively quiet zone in the sense that there is little physical disturbance of the body of liquid solvent . this is enhanced by virtue of a vertical wall 18 extending down from the roof 20 of the tank into the liquid solvent 14 , the lower end 22 of the wall being below the surface of the liquid solvent 14 and thereby serving as a liquid seal . the left - hand side of tank 12 is sloped to conform to the slope of channel 11 and the right - hand side 24 of tank 12 is inclined in the opposite direction , terminating in a lip 26 at its upper end , this defining the uppermost level of the liquid solvent 14 . the conveyor 8 follows the contours of tank 12 into a central zone 28 defined between liquid seal 18 and another liquid seal 30 , described below , and comprising additionally a tray or tank 32 and a top 34 extending between liquid seals 18 and 30 . the central zone 28 should be understood to form a closed chamber formed by tank 32 , top 34 , liquid seals 18 and 30 and portions of the sides ( omitted from the drawing ) of the machine . at least one set of spray nozzles 36 is located above and below the conveyor in zone 28 , the nozzles being directed towards the conveyor for providing a spray 38 of low to ultra - high pressure of the solvent onto the workpiece to clean residue from the workpiece . the pump ( or pumps ) for providing the necessary pressure and the plumbing are omitted from the drawing as these features are not per se germane to the present invention . reference may be made to u . s . pat . no . 3 , 868 , 272 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference , for further details of specific novel arrangements which may be utilized with the present invention . the tank 32 in central zone 28 is shown dry but , in practice , there would be some liquid solvent in the tank which originated from the nozzles 36 . a drain and or recirculating system could be provided for the liquid solvent which collects in tank 32 . a valved inlet 40 is provided in the top 34 of tank 32 for introducing an inert gas ( or mixture of gases ) such as n 2 into the central zone 28 . this inert gas is retained in zone 28 by the liquid seals 18 and 30 and fills the entire spray zone including spaces between the droplets forming the spray . the exclusion of oxygen from this zone greatly reduces the risk of fire or explosion . preferably , the pumps ( and any other potentially fire producing components ) for producing the spray are located under top 34 within the inert gas environment . the right - hand side of the machine 2 is a mirror image of the left - hand side , comprising a tank 42 similar to tank 12 containing liquid cleaning solvent into which the liquid seal 30 extends from tank top 44 and an exit channel 46 sloping up to exit 6 . again the path of the conveyor 8 conforms to the slope of the sides and bottom of tank 42 . tank 42 is an immersion rinse stage which is functionally identical to the immersion wash stage provided by tank 12 except the solvent used in tank 42 is pure to ensure that any remaining contaminants are removed from the workpiece . as with tank 12 , tank 42 defines a relatively quiet zone separated from the central zone 28 by a liquid seal . although the greatest potential fire hazard is believed to be in the central zone 28 and this has been neutralized by the inert gas , potentially flammable vapours above tanks 12 and 42 may be extracted through ports 43 in the tank tops 20 and 44 . alternatively , instead of withdrawing vapours in the quiet zones , the same or different inert gas as is pumped into the central zone could be pumped into the quiet zones through inlets located , for example , where the ports 43 are located . as another alternative a blanket of a compatible liquid could be floated on top of the liquid solvent in the tanks 12 and 42 . such a compatible liquid preferably would be a freon based solvent less powerful and less dense than the potentially flammable solvent and immiscible therewith . of course , in tank 12 the liquid blanket would be confined to the left of liquid seal 18 and , in tank 42 , the liquid blanket would be confined to the right of liquid seal 30 . the need for such safety precautions in the quiet zones would depend on the vapour pressure and other characteristic properties of the solvent used . as a further safety feature the entrance 4 to the quiet zone 12 and the exit 6 from the quiet zone 42 could be in the form of a fluid barrier curtain system as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 696 , 226 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . instead of the system described in that patent , the entrance 4 could consist of a double door arrangement to permit workpieces to enter via a first door which then closes before a second door opens to permit passage of the workpieces into the quiet zone 12 . a similar double door arrangement would be provided at exit 6 . it is envisioned that each of the three zones could be monitored by detectors which detect and control the ratio of oxygen to other gases or liquids or at least set off an alarm indicating a hazardous mixture . other cleaning stages or components could be added to the machine of the instant invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . for example , ultrasonic transducers 48 are shown in the bottom of each tank 12 and 42 . such ultrasonic components are commonly used in the art to provide improved cleaning in the two immersion stages . furthermore , although in the embodiment described above two immersion stages are used , it is envisaged that under some circumstances one immersion stage would suffice . referring now to fig2 this shows a modified central zone in which a shallow tray 32 &# 39 ; replaces the relatively deep tank 32 . by reducing in this way the volume of the central zone the fire or explosion hazard is greatly reduced . the rest of the machine can be as illustrated in fig1 . however , fig2 shows the liquid solvent in tanks 12 and 42 not quite coming up to the lips 26 . in the further modification of fig3 the central zone lacks entirely a tank or tray , the run off from the nozzles 36 going directly into the tanks 12 and 42 . thus , the volume of the central zone has been reduced further . referring now to fig4 the cleaning machine 2 &# 39 ; is virtually identical to the cleaning machine 2 of fig1 except that the tank 32 of the central zone is not contiguous with the tanks 12 and 42 of the two immersion stages . in fact , two upper edges or lips 50 of tank 32 are connected to upper edges 52 of tanks 12 and 42 , respectively , by means of two inverted v shaped surfaces 54 forming a ridge 56 intermediate tank 32 and tank 12 or 42 . in contrast to the first machine 2 , cleaning machine 2 &# 39 ; uses a conventional non - flammable ( or low flammability ) solvent in tank 12 of the first immersion stage and uses water in tank 42 of the second immersion stage . only the spray stage uses the low flash point solvent . the v - shaped surfaces 54 allow run back of liquid to the proper tanks although there would be some carry - over of liquid from one tank to the next . this could be minimized by means of n 2 knives . it is noted that there would be no carry over of water to the tank 32 and so no foaming of the low flash point solvent would occur . make - up water for tank 42 could be provided by means of spray nozzles which would also operate as a final rinse . fig5 shows a further proposal for a machine designed to use low flash point solvent . in this case , the machine 2 &# 34 ; consists of a single stage , which is an immersion stage comprising a tank 12 &# 34 ; connected directly to an inlet channel &# 34 ; and an outlet channel 46 &# 34 ;. spray nozzles 36 &# 34 ; are located below the surface of the solvent in tank 12 &# 34 ; on either side of conveyor 8 . pump 58 is shown connected to nozzles 36 &# 34 ;. two liquid seals 60 are located near opposite ends of the tank 12 &# 34 ; to isolate the more turbulent portion of the liquid surface and an inert gas such as n 2 is introduced into the space between the two seals . n 2 could additionally be introduced into the entry and exit zones 62 and 64 . because the spray jets are beneath the liquid surface atomization of the potentially flammable solvent is reduced . | 7 |
with respect to solar energy absorbing panels or workpieces made from either a zincated aluminum substrate or a copper substrate , those are most preferred wherein solar absorptance ( α ) is at least 0 . 91 and solar emittance ( ε ) is less than about 0 . 07 . of the methods of making a solar energy absorbing panel from aluminum , that which is most preferred is that wherein the substrate is cleaned by the steps of : ( b ) soaking at 140 °- 180 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes in an aqueous solution of an alkaline cleaner , ( c ) immersion in an agitated bright dip solution at 180 °- 200 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes , ( d ) soaking at 140 °- 180 ° f . for 30 seconds in an aqueous solution of an alkaline cleaner , and ( e ) desmutting with aqueous acid at room temperature . and wherein the layer of nickel is electroplated from a basic nickel sulfamate bath at 110 °- 140 ° f . at a current density of 20 amperes / ft . 2 for 25 - 45 minutes , the thus - produced layer of nickel is 0 . 0004 - 0 . 0008 inch in thickness and is oxidized in air at 900 °- 950 ° f . for 3 - 5 minutes . among the methods for making a solar energy absorbing panel from copper , the most preferred is that wherein the copper substrate is cleaned by the steps of : ( b ) soaking at 140 °- 180 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes in an aqueous solution of an alkaline cleaner , and ( c ) pickling at 140 °- 180 ° f . for 5 - 15 seconds in a copper cyanide bath , &# 34 ; metallic substrate ,&# 34 ; as used in the specification and claims , means aluminum and copper , both of which have good heat exchange properties and which can be fabricated into structures which can carry tubes or other means for subsequent heat exchange in a heating or cooling operation . other metal substrates which are platable with nickel and which are stable at the temperatures required for oxidation of the nickel can also be used . it will be appreciated that &# 34 ; aluminum ,&# 34 ; as used in the specification and claims , means essentially pure aluminum such as alloy type aa 1100 , which contains about 1 . 0 % of iron and silicon , 0 . 20 % of copper , 0 . 05 % of manganese , and 0 . 10 % of zinc . also included within the definition of aluminum are al - mn alloys , such as aa 3003 ; al - mg alloys , e . g ., aa 5005 ; al - mg - si alloys , for example , aa 6061 ; al - cu - mg alloys , e . g . aa 2014 and 2024 ; and al - mg - zn alloys such as aa 7075 . the compositional details of the foregoing types of aluminum alloys can be found in kirk - othmer , &# 34 ; encyclopedia of chemical technology ,&# 34 ; ii , volume 1 , interscience publishers , new york ( 1963 ), at 975 . aluminum alloys especially preferred for the practice of this invention include the al - cu - mg alloys , e . g . aa 3003 , and 5005 ; and essentially pure aluminum , as exemplified by aa 1100 . &# 34 ; copper ,&# 34 ; as used in the specification and claims , includes relatively pure copper and copper alloys . copper alloys which can be used in the practice of this invention include both single - phase and polyphase alloys . see , kirk - othmer , &# 34 ; encyclopedia of chemical tehnology ,&# 34 ; ii volume 6 , at 256 - 265 ( 1965 ). included within this group of alloys are brass , which are essentially alloys of cu and zn ; bronzes , which contain tin and a small amount of phosphorus ; nickel silvers , which are cu - zn - ni alloys ; and cupronickels , which are cu - ni alloys which can contain minor amounts of mn , fe and zn . of the foregoing , cupronickels are preferred as substrates for heat exchanger elements fabricated in accordance with the invention . unalloyed copper , i . e ., copper containing less than about 0 . 5 % by weight of impurities or alloying elements is also preferred for the practice of this invention . metallic substrates used in the practice of the invention are generally 10 - 125 mils in thickness . preferably , sheets 20 - 60 mils thick are selected . good heat transfer characteristics are obtained using oxide - coated sheets 20 mils thick . as the thickness of the sheet or other substrate increases , thermal conductivity becomes less efficient owing to an inertia effect . it will be understood that the substrates may be fabricated in any shape , including tubing of any selected diameter . in such a case , the thickness of the tube wall may need to be increased to avoid &# 34 ; hot spots &# 34 ; where solar energy is applied on one side . &# 34 ; a layer of zinc &# 34 ; on the aluminum substrate means a thin film or layer of zinc , of the order of 0 . 00015 - 0 . 0002 inch thickness , such as is obtained using a zincating bath , e . g . zn - 77 with catalyst sold by the diversey corp . of chicago , ill . typical conditions for the zincating of aluminum consists of immersing the clean aluminum surface into a bath containing about 13 ounces per gallon of zinc oxide and about 70 ounces per gallon of sodium hydroxide for 30 seconds to one minute at a bath temperature of around 70 °- 90 ° f . &# 34 ; a layer of nickel &# 34 ; on a zincated aluminum or on a copper substrate means a thin film or layer of 0 . 0004 - 0 . 0008 inch in thickness , as deposited by electroplating from a basic nickel sulfamate bath at a temperature of 110 °- 140 ° f . and a current density of 20 amperes / ft . 2 for 25 - 45 minutes . other heat - treatable nickel coatings such as the 700 series niklad electroless nickel plating by allied kelite can also be employed . preferably , the electroplating is done at 120 ° f . at a current density of 20 amperes / ft . 2 for 30 minutes . typically , a sulfamate nickel bath contains nickel metal at a concentration of 72 - 80 grams / liter , and boric acid at a concentration of 37 - 45 grams / liter . the thus - produced nickel coating is oxidized in an oxygen - containing gas , conveniently air , at a temperature of 800 ° to 1050 ° f . for 2 to 7 minutes , and preferably at 900 to 950 ° f . for 3 to 5 minutes . the required heating time depends upon the thickness of the substrate , a longer heating time being required for thicker substrates . the resulting exterior layer of nickel oxide is extremely thin , which characteristic is critical to attainment of a low emittance value , along with high absorptance . although accurate measurement is difficult because of surface roughness on the microscopic level , thickness of the oxide layer is believed to be in the range of 400 to 1000 angstroms . formation of the oxide layer can be observed visually , the outer surface turning dark blue in color when the reaction is complete . the solar panels , in accordance with this invention , have absorptance greater than about 0 . 89 , preferably as high as 0 . 93 or greater and emittance less than about 0 . 10 , preferably as low as 0 . 04 . it will be understood that the significance of the α / ε ratio , where α is solar absorptance and ε is emittance , is that a high α / ε ratio indicates a high efficiency in terms of collecting solar thermal radiation . when conventional black nickel coatings are prepared on aluminum , such coatings are dark black , relatively thick , and have a high solar absorptance as well as high emittance , so that the ratio approaches unity or less . thus , it is imperative that the nickel oxide solar absorber layer be very thin . in the foregoing cases , when α is 0 . 93 and ε is 0 . 04 , as measured , for example , by gier - dunkle instruments , the α / ε ratio is 0 . 93 / 0 . 04 or 23 . 25 . among instruments typically used to determine α and ε are the model db - 100 infrared reflectometer and the model ms - 250 solar reflectometer by gier - dunkle instruments of santa monica , calif . in the above case , a measured solar reflectance of 0 . 07 gives the absorptance of 0 . 93 , whereas the measured infrared reflectance is 0 . 96 and emittance 0 . 04 . aluminum substrates used for solar energy absorbing workpieces are cleaned prior to the zincating step . a preferred sequence of steps for the cleaning operation includes immersion of the workpiece in a bright dip solution , specifically the steps of : ( b ) soaking at 135 °- 145 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes in an aqueous solution of an alkaline cleaner , ( c ) immersion in an agitated bright dip solution at 180 °- 200 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes , ( d ) soaking at 140 °- 180 ° f . for 30 seconds in an aqueous solution of mild alkaline cleaner , and degreasing is preferably carried out by use of perchloroethylene vapor degreasing solvent at a temperature of 250 ° f . the degreased workpiece is soaked in a mild alkaline cleaner , e . g ., embond s - 64 ( enthone , inc ., new haven , conn .) or altrex ( wyandotte corp ., wyandotte , mich ). although the compositions of these materials are proprietary , they are thought to contain alkaline salts , e . g . naoh silicates or carbonates . this step is generally done at 140 °- 180 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes at a concentration of 8 oz ./ gal . &# 34 ; immersion in a bright dip solution &# 34 ; means application of a solution which selectively etches the aluminum surface to cause a leveling effect of the surface and , therefore , increase specularity which in turn lowers infrared emissivity . a preferred technique for the practice of the present invention is a non - electrolytic technique using a bath which typically consists of 80 % of phosphoric acid , 2 - 2 . 5 % of nitric acid , 1 - 2 % of sulfuric acid and 100 p . p . m . ( parts per million ) of copper sulfate and 20 - 40 grams / liter of aluminum , particularly , as aluminum phosphate . generally , this step is done at 170 °- 220 ° f . preferably 180 °- 200 ° f . &# 34 ; desmutting &# 34 ; means contacting the metal workpiece with an acid to remove smut formed by reaction of aluminum with an alkaline reagent in a preceding step . this is conveniently done using 45 - 55 % nitric acid at room temperature . an alternative technique for cleaning and preparing an aluminum workpiece having a good surface finish consists of the following steps : ( b ) soaking at 135 °- 145 ° f ., for 5 - 10 minutes in an aqueous solution of an alkaline cleaner , ( d ) immersion in sodium hydroxide solution at 180 °- 200 ° f . for 10 seconds and then checking for uniform smut . the concentration of sodium hydroxide is preferably 12 ounces / gallon , but can range from 10 - 15 ounces / gallon . these steps are generally carried out at 190 ° f . &# 34 ; basic nickel sulfamate &# 34 ; solution means a solution of nickel sulfamate , sulfamic acid , boric acid and proprietary anti - pitting agents ( snap ). typical of the commercially available baths is barrett sulfamate nickel concentrate &# 34 ; snr &# 34 ; made by allied - kellite corp . which is thought to consist of sulfamic acid and nickel sulfamate . the electroplating operation is done at a temperature of 130 °- 150 ° f . and a current density of 20 - 25 amperes / ft . 2 for 20 - 25 minutes , preferably 20 amperes / ft . 2 at 140 ° f . for 20 - 40 minutes . it will be understood that in the cleaning and subsequent treatment of the copper or aluminum workpieces , washes with deionized water , either by spraying therewith or immersion therein , are customary and preferred between each of the steps specifically set forth above . in fig1 is represented the structure of an aluminum workpiece prepared in accordance with the invention . the aluminum substrate 1 is coated by a layer of zinc 2 , over which is coated a layer of nickel 3 , the surface of which is solar thermal energy absorbing nickel oxide 4 . in a copper workpiece prepared in accordance with this invention and represented by fig2 a copper substrate 11 is coated with a layer of nickel 12 , the surface of which is in the form of highly adherent nickel oxide 13 . without further elaboration , it is believed that one skilled in the art can , using the preceding description , utilize the present invention to its fullest extent . the following preferred specific embodiments are , therefore , to be construed as merely illustrative and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever . in the following examples , the temperatures are set forth uncorrected in degrees fahrenheit ; unless otherwise indicated , all parts and percentages are by weight . substrates of aluminum ( 1100 or 3003 series alloys ) in the form of 0 . 042 inch thick sheet material are converted to selective absorbers for solar thermal energy by the following steps : ( 1 ) hand clean thoroughly at room temperature by wiping with a non - abrasive cloth moistened with acetone , ( 2 ) degrease at 250 ° f . by immersion until vapor ceases to condense in a stainless steel tank in perchloroethylene , ( 4 ) soak at 140 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes in an alkaline bath ( altrex ) containing 8 oz ./ gal . of alkaline cleaner , ( 6 ) desmut with 50 % nitric acid solution in a stainless steel tank at room temperature ( optional step ), ( 8 ) immerse in an agitated bright dip solution of : 80 % phosphoric acid 2 - 2 . 5 % nitric acid 100 p . p . m . copper sulfate 20 - 40 g ./ liter of al +++ ( as aluminum phosphate ) 1 - 2 % sulfuric acid balance deionized water in a stainless steel tank at 180 °- 200 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes , ( 9 ) rinse with deionized water in a stainless steel tank at room temperature for 5 minutes using a hydrospray at room temperature . ( 10 ) immerse in a stirred alkaline solution as in ( 4 ) above , at 140 °- 180 ° f . for 30 seconds , ( 11 ) rinse in deionized water , with agitation , at room temperature for 30 seconds , ( 12 ) desmut with 50 % nitric acid in a stainless steel tank for 30 seconds at room temperature , ( 13 ) rinse with deionized water at room temperature in a stainless steel tank , ( 14 ) zincate with zincating solution ( zn - 77 ) at a level of 4 - 4 . 5 pounds / gallon in a stainless steel tank at 70 °- 90 ° f . for 30 seconds , ( 16 ) treat with 50 % nitric acid and deionized water in a stainless steel tank at room temperature for 30 seconds , ( 17 ) rinse with deionized water in a stainless steel tank at room temperature for 5 minutes , ( 20 ) nickel plate immediately with sulfamate nickel bath of the following composition : the plating solution is in an agitated polypropylene lined tank with electrolyte nickel anode chips being utilized . the plating is done at 20 - 25 amperes / ft . 2 for 30 minutes at 120 ° f . ( 21 ) rinse with deionized water at room temperature as in ( 9 ), ( 22 ) dry at room temperature with air which is free of moisture , oils and particulates , the thus - produced coating is deep blue in color and is believed to be about 1000 a in thickness , as determined by scanning electron microscope ( sem ) and stylus profilometer . the absorptivity of the specimens is 0 . 85 - 0 . 92 and the emissivity is 0 . 04 to 0 . 08 . workpieces of 1100 or 3003 series aluminum with a good surface finish , i . e ., a no . 6 mil finish with an emissivity of 0 . 03 or less were processed as in example 1 , except for steps ( 8 ) - ( 11 ) which were replaced by : ( a ) etch with naoh at 12 ounces / gallon at 190 ° f . for 1 minute in a steel - lined tank , ( b ) rinse with deionized water in a steel - lined tank at room temperature for 1 minute , ( c ) desmut with 50 % nitric acid in a stainless steel - lined tank at room temperature for 1 minute , ( d ) rinse with deionized water in a stainless steel tank at room temperature for 1 minute , ( e ) check with naoh ( 12 ounces / gallon ) in a steel tank at 190 ° for 10 seconds . if the smut is not uniform , repeat steps ( a ) - ( f ), ( f ) rinse with deionized water in a stainless steel - lined tank at room temperature for 1 minute . the thus - obtained coatings are deep blue in color and are believed to be about 1000 a in thickness . the absorptivity of the specimens is 0 . 85 - 0 . 92 and the emissivity is 0 . 04 to 0 . 08 . substrates of copper in the form of 0 . 042 inch thick sheet material are converted to selective absorbers for solar energy by the following steps : ( 1 ) hand clean thoroughly at room temperature by wiping with a non - abrasive cloth moistened with acetone , ( 2 ) degrease at 250 ° f . by immersion in a stainless steel tank , in perchloroethylene , ( 4 ) soak at 140 ° f . for 5 - 10 minutes in an alkaline bath ( altrex ) containing 8 ounces / gallon of alkaline cleaner , ( 6 ) pickle by immersion in aqueous cucn at 160 ° f . for about 10 seconds , ( 8 ) electroplate with nickel sulfamate bath against a nickel anode as in example 1 , step ( 20 ), ( 9 ) rinse with deionized water in a stainless steel tank at room temperature for 5 minutes using a hydrospray at room temperature , ( 10 ) dry at room temperature with air free of moisture , oils and particulates , the thus - produced coatings are deep blue in color and are believed to be about 1000 a in thickness . the absorptivity of the specimens is 0 . 84 to 0 . 92 and the emissivity is 0 . 04 to 0 . 08 . the preceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described reactants and / or operationg conditions of this invention for those used in the preceding examples . from the foregoing description , one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and , without departing from the spirit and scope thereof , can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions . | 2 |
the present invention provides polyoxymethylene polymers containing photosensitive , but thermally stabilizing groups . it is well known that polyoxymethylenes degrade thermally and under the influence of base by chain unzippering to give formaldehyde , and that such polymers can be stabilized by end - capping , especially with acetate groups and by the interposition of groups in the body of the chain derived from ethylene glycol or propylene glycol , which blocks the progress of the unzippering degradation . the polymers of the present invention contain such end caps and copolymerized groups which confer thermal stability , i . e . groups of the type : ## str6 ## wherein both ends are joined to oxygen . at least one of r 1 and r 2 is a phenyl ring containing an orthonitro substituent , preferably o - nitrophenyl , which confers photochemical instability on the polymer . the mechanism of the photolytic reaction is not known for certain , but is believed to involve reaction of the type : ## str7 ## the breaks in the polymer chain thus produced provide points at which degradation can proceed by chain unzippering . likewise end caps hoa - which contain o - nitrophenyl groups at the carbon adjoining the acetal chain can be removed photochemically to give unstable chains which can be further degraded by heating , preferably in the presence of base . the radiation sensitive polymers of the invention are prepared by intercalation of the corresponding 1 , 3 - dioxlolanes or 1 , 3 - dioxanes into preformed uncapped or acetate capped polyoxymethylene to obtain random incorporation of the dioxolane or dioxane units into the polymer chain . the resulting copolymer may contain dioxolane or dioxane end groups . the intercalated polymer number average molecular weight may range from ˜ 1000 - 100 , 000 i . e . from lower molecule weight oligomers to high molecular weight polymer , depending upon the molecular weight of the polyoxymethylene starting weight . in the intercalation process , the dioxolane or dioxane is incorporated randomly into the polymer chain . purified solvents and an anhydrous medium should be employed to prevent chain cleavage of the polymer from protonic impurities . intercalation is carried out by reaction of the polyoxymethylene polymer with an excess of a suitable dioxolane or dioxane in the presence of an acid catalyst . preferred catalysts for the process of the present invention are phosphorus pentafluoride , triethyl oxonium fluoborate and boron trifluoride . examples of other acids or acidreacting compounds that may be used as catalysts within the scope of this invention to provide a mildly acidic reaction medium include lewis acids usually of the friedel - crafts type , such as aluminum trichloride , titanium tetrachloride , boron trichloride , antimony trichloride , antimony pentachloride , antimony pentafluoride ; protonic or bronsted acids with a pka or less than 5 . 5 including organic acids such as hydroxyacetic , trichloroacetic and para - toluenesulfonic and inorganic acids such as sulfuric , hydrochloric and phosphoric acids and the like . the salts of strong acids ( pka less than 2 . 0 ) with weak bases may also be used . the acid catalyst should be compatible with the dioxolanes and dioxanes , i . e ., should not form insoluble complexes therewith or cause decomposition . strong acids and acids which are strong oxidizing or reducing agents are not preferred and , if used , should be used sparingly to prevent excessive degradation of the polymer by causing the reaction medium to be more than mildly acidic . excessive degradation may also be avoided by adding these acids in such a manner that the contact time of the acid with the polymer is held at a minimum . the preferred range of concentration of acid catalyst is from 0 . 001 - 0 . 10 part per part of polymer . the same range is preferred for their salts with weak bases . certain complexes of the aforementioned acid halides are operable in the present invention and may be preferred when it is desired to employ a liquid catalyst , e . g ., ether complexes , the preferred ether being diethyl ether . examples of other ethers are the dialkyl ethers , such as dimethyl ether , dibutyl ether , and dipropyl ether . the complexes of the lewis acids with ether may be prepared by mixing the respective materials in a suitable solvent . the catalyst complex may also be prepared by adding the lewis acid to the ether . the resultant product which is an ether complex is more easily manipulated than some of the aforementioned gases . intercalation can be accomplished in any compatible medium in which the polymer can be intimately contacted with the desired dioxolane or dioxane . a compatible medium should be an inert liquid hydrocarbon such as toluene , ether or an aliphatic hydrocarbon , but any material which does not react with the polymer or the dioxolane or dioxane and does not excessively deactivate the catalyst may be employed . aliphatic hydrocarbons are preferred solvents with heptane being particularly preferred . the time of reaction may be as long as is necessary to reach completion of the reaction without excessive decomposition of the unstabilized polymer . with long reaction times , temperatures as low as 25 ° c . may be employed and with short reaction times , temperatures as high as 200 ° c . may be employed . the temperature , time , concentration of reactants and strength of catalyst must be balanced , as in most other reactions , so as to cause an acceptable amount of reaction in a reasonable time . the chains of the polymer are susceptible to attack by acids and may be cleaved by such an attack : therefore , it is important to adjust the reaction temperature and time so that the cleavage and other side reactions that take place are slow enough and yet intercalation of the polymer is fast enough to obtain an acceptable product . generally , impurities which adversely affect the polymerization of anhydrous formaldehyde to high molecular weight polymers and oxygen should be avoided in this process . in a preferred embodiment of the process , intercalation is carried out with bf 3 . ( c 2 h 5 ) 2 0 catalyst in heptane at a temperature of 70 °- 100 ° c . for a reaction time of 0 . 5 - 3 hours . any unreacted dioxolane or dioxane may be recovered at the conclusion of the intercalation . the intercalated polymer may possess sufficient thermal stability to be molded without further refining ; however , it is desirable to neutralize the catalyst and to remove unreacted polyoxymethylene or uncapped polyoxymethylene end groups . a suitable method for such refining includes dissolving the polymer in the absence of oxygen in a solution containing an amine or caustic , and heating the solution to depolymerize unreacted polymer . solvents which may be used in the presnce of an amine include the aliphatic and aromatic hydroxy compounds , such as cyclohexanol , ethylene glycol , benzyl alcohol and phenol . the preferred solvents for caustic treatment are benzyl alcohol or cyclohexanol . amines and caustics which are useful in the purification step include triethylamine , tripropylamine , tributylamine , sodium hydroxide , and potassium hydroxide . another procedure which may be employed for removing the uneacted polyoxymethylene is thermal degradation of the polymer either solid , molten or in solution without addition of an amine or a caustic after removal or deactivation of the catalyst . intercalation of polyoxymethylene polymers with nonphotodegradable dioxolanes is discussed in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 477 , 994 , 3 , 437 , 640 and 3 , 183 , 211 . the intercalated polymers may have a number average molecular weight between 1000 and about 100 , 000 . the preferred polymers have an inherent viscosity , measured at 30 ° c . using a 0 . 5 % solution in hexafluoroisopropanol solvent , of 0 . 7 to 1 . 5 . this corresponds to a number average molecular weight of about 15 , 000 to about 40 , 000 . the radiation - sensitive - a - group should be present to the extent of from 1 unit for 20 -- ch 2 o -- units ( especially in low molecular weight polymers ) to 1 for 1000 -- ch 2 o -- units , preferably 1 unit per 100 - 500 formaldehyde units . the concentration of the - a - groups can be conveniently determined by ultraviolet spectroscopy using the molar extinction coefficient of the aromatic substituents , which can be obtained from the dioxane or dioxolane starting materials or their glycol antecedents . for o - nitrophenyl groups , a band at 267 nm is employed having an extinction coefficient ε = 4 , 500 . transparent films of the intercalated polymers can be obtained by melt pressing the polymer at elevated temperatures , preferably 170 °- 180 ° c ., at 300 - 2000 psi . precautions should be taken to prevent exposure of the polymer to air at these elevated temperatures to prevent oxidation and formation of bubbles . additions of known antioxidants or thermal stabilizers to prevent chemical or physical decomposition during the molding operation is sometimes desirable . films of the polymers may also be obtained by solution casting . the novel 1 , 3 - dioxolanes and 1 , 3 - dioxanes required as starting materials for the intercalated polymers are prepared from the corresponding glycols by procedures well known in the art . for example , reaction of the glycol with an aldehyde or ketone in the presence of an acid catalyst , preferably in an inert solvent , readily gives the corresponding 1 , 3 - dioxolane , or dioxane , i . e ., ## str8 ## excess aldehyde or ketone may be employed to force the reaction to completion . alternatively , the water formed in the reaction may be removed by azeotropic distillation and the product subsequently recovered . preferred catalysts include sulfuric acid , benzenesulfonic acid and particularly p - toluenesulfonic acid . reaction is conveniently carried out at the reflux temperature of the solvent . preferred solvents include aromatic hydrocarbons with benzene , toluene , and the xylenes being particularly preferred . alternatively , the dioxolanes and dioxanes may be prepared by an exchange reaction : ## str9 ## the group r 5 of the acetal reactant should preferably be lower alkyl . the exchange reaction is preferably carried out in the same inert solvents used in the process of equation 2 , and it is also catalyzed by an acid catalyst , preferably p - toluenesulfonic acid . this exchange process is preferably used for the preparation of dioxolanes and dioxanes in which both r 3 and r 4 are h . the 1 , 2 - glycols are prepared by hydroxylation of the corresponding styrenes and stilbenes using conventional oxidation procedures . for example , hydroxylation may be achieved with hydrogen peroxide or potassium chlorate , catalyzed by osmium tetraoxide . alternatively , oxidation of the olefin to the corresponding epoxide followed by alkaline or acid hydrolysis to the corresponding glycol may be employed . when potassium chlorate oxidation is employed , the reaction is preferably carried out in aqueous tetrahydrofuran solution in the presence of a catalytic amount of osmium tetraoxide . the oxidation is completed by either stirring at 25 ° or heating the reaction mixture under reflux for several hours . thus hydroxylation of the known substituted styrenes and stilbenes of column a , table i , can give the corresponding substituted 1 , 2 - glycols of column b . table i__________________________________________________________________________column a column b__________________________________________________________________________ ## str10 ## ## str11 ## ## str12 ## ## str13 ## ## str14 ## ## str15 ## ## str16 ## ## str17 ## ## str18 ## ## str19 ## ## str20 ## ## str21 ## ## str22 ## ## str23 ## ## str24 ## ## str25 ## ## str26 ## ## str27 ## ## str28 ## ## str29 ## ## str30 ## ## str31 ## ## str32 ## ## str33 ## ## str34 ## ## str35 ## ## str36 ## ## str37 ## ## str38 ## ## str39 ## ## str40 ## ## str41 ## ## str42 ## ## str43 ## ## str44 ## ## str45 ## ## str46 ## ## str47 ## ## str48 ## ## str49 ## ## str50 ## ## str51 ## ## str52 ## ## str53 ## ## str54 ## ## str55 ## ## str56 ## ## str57 ## ## str58 ## ## str59 ## ## str60 ## ## str61 ## __________________________________________________________________________ in a similar manner , hydroxylation of the following substituted styrenes and stilbenes will give the corresponding substituted glycols . __________________________________________________________________________column a column b__________________________________________________________________________ ## str62 ## ## str63 ## ## str64 ## ## str65 ## ## str66 ## ## str67 ## ## str68 ## ## str69 ## ## str70 ## ## str71 ## __________________________________________________________________________ 1 -( o - nitrophenyl )- 1 , 3 - dihydroxypropane can be made by the reaction of o - nitrobenzaldehyde with ethyl bromoacetate followed by lithium aluminum hydride reduction , cf . schaal , bull . soc . chem ., part 2 , 11 3083 ( 1973 ) for preparation of the isomeric 1 -( m - nitrophenyl )- 1 , 3 - dihydroxypropane . preparation of the dioxane of 1 -( o - nitrophenyl )- 1 , 3 - dihydroxypropane can also be made by the prins reaction of o - nitrostyrene with formaldehyde and dilute sulfuric acid ., cf . coussemant et . al ., bull . soc . chim . fr ., ( 12 ), 4355 ( 1970 ); ibid ., ( 3 ) 877 ( 1971 ), showing the preparation of the dioxane of 1 -( m - nitrophenyl )- 1 , 3 - dihydroxypropane by this method . 1 , 3 - di ( o - nitrophenyl )- 1 , 3 - dihydroxypropane can be prepared by forming vinyl o - nitrobenzoate by ester exchange of vinyl acetate with o - nitrobenzoic acid . self - condensation of vinyl o - nitrobenzoate in the presence of aluminum chloride gives 1 , 3 - di ( o - nitrophenyl ) propane - 1 , 3 - dione which can be reduced with lithium aluminum hydride to the desired 1 , 3 - diol . cf . rao and filler , j . org . chem ., 36 , 1447 ( 1971 ), disclosing the self - condensation of vinyl p - nitrobenzoate . in this specification and claims the term &# 34 ; lower alkyl &# 34 ; refers to an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms . the imaging process of this invention may employ suitable sheet material having a radiation sensitive coating on one surface thereof . this sheet material is formed by coating or impregnating a suitable substrate with the radiation sensitive copolymer following known techniques . by &# 34 ; substrate &# 34 ; is meant any natural or synthetic support which is capable of existing in film or sheet form and can be flexible or rigid . for example , the substrate could be a metal sheet or foil , a sheet or film of synthetic organic resin , cellulose paper , fiberboard , and the like , or a composite of two or more of these materials . specific substrates include alumina - blasted aluminum , alumina - blasted polyester film , polyester film , polyvinyl alcohol - coated paper , crosslinked polyester - coated paper , nylon , glass , heavy paper such lithographic paper , and the like . when the copolymer compositions are coated on metal surfaces , they are useful for making lithographhic printing plates . for example , use of a grained aluminum base in combination with a radiation sensitive copolymer results in a developed lithographic plate . the plate , after radiation and image development , is first coated with an aqueous solution of age ( pitman co .) and is then contacted with a roller which wets only the photopolymer image with ink . the inked plate can then be used in lithographic printing in the usual way . the photodegradable copolymer compositions may optionally contain other materials inert to the photodepolymerization reaction . such materials include thermoplastic and nonthermoplastic binders useful for varying the physical properties of the resultant polymeric images . in addition , plasticizers may be added to lower the glass transition temperature and facilitate selective stripping . if desired the polymers may also contain immiscible polymeric or nonpolymeric organic or inorganic fillers or reinforcing agents which are essentially transparent , e . g ., the organophilic silicas , bentonites , silica , powdered glass , colloidal carbon , as well as various types of dyes and pigments . other useful additives which may be employed include sesitizers to improve the efficiency of the radiation and adhesion promoters . the radiation sensitive copolymer , as a solution in a carrier solvent , may be sprayed , brushed , applied by a roller or an immersion coater , flowed over the surface , picked up by immersion or applied to the substrate by other means . the solvent is then allowed to evaporate . useful solvents include those known in the art to dissolve polyoxymethylene , e . g ., hexafluoroisopropanol , phenol and substituted phenols including the halophenols , nitrophenols and cresols , benzyl alcohol and other fluorinated alcohols such as α , α - di ( trifluoromethyl ) benzyl alcohol . coating temperatures range from about 0 °- 150 ° c . depending upon the solvent employed . alternatively , substrate coating may be achieved by hot - pressing a film of the copolymer to the substrate or by melt - coating techniques . the radiation sensitive copolymers are exposed to radiation of wavelength in the 2000 - 8000a range , preferably 2000 - 5000a . suitable sources of such light , in addition to sunlight , include carbon arcs , mercury - vapor arcs , fluorescent lamps with ultraviolet radiation - emitting phosphors , electronic flash units , and photographic flood lamps . where artifical radiation sources are used , the distance between the photosensitive layer and the radiation source may be varied according to the radiation sensitivity of the copolymer . customarily , mercury - vapor arcs are used at a distance of 1 . 5 to 20 inches from the photosensitive layer . imagewise exposure , for example , in preparing printing plates , is conveniently carried out by exposing a layer of the photoactive copolymer to radiation through a process transparency ; that is , an image - bearing transparency consisting solely of areas substantially opaque and substantially transparent to the radiation being used where the opaque areas are substantially of the same optical density , for example , a so - called line or halftone negative or positive . variable depth images may also be obtained by exposure through a continuous tone transparency . process transparencies may be constructed of any suitable materials including cellulose acetate film and oriented polyester film . the length of time for which the compositions are exposed to radiation may vary upwards from a few seconds . exposure times will vary , in part , according to the nature of the copolymer and the concentration and types of o - nitrophenyl moieties present , and the type of radiation . image development is accomplished by depolymerization of the unstable polymer chains formed in the irradiated areas of the copolymer composition . the depolymerizations , which can be assisted by basic materials , are carried out at temperatures 25 °- 170 ° c . for times of a few minutes to several hours . the basic materials can be organic amines such as tributyl amine or inorganic bases such as potassium hydroxide , sodium hydroxide , or sodium carbonate dissolved in water , organic solvents , such as methanol , ethanol , propanol , iospropanol , butyl alcohols , benzyl alcohols , tetrahydrofuran , and dioxane , or in aqueous - organic mixtures thereof . when a basic material is not used , heating the composition at 120 °- 160 ° c . is preferred ,. when a basic organic material is used for more rapid development , the preferred method is to apply to the composition enough tributylamine to totally cover the surface and to heat the composition at 120 °- 160 ° c . when an inorganic basic solution is employed , lower development temperatures may be used , and the preferred method is to use 0 . 1 %- 20 % potassium hydroxide in isopropanol at 68 °- 100 ° c . after development , there results a positive image , i . e ., polymer remains under the opaque areas of the process transparency , that is the areas not struck by radiation passing through the transparency . this invention is further illustrated by the following specific embodiments , which should not , however , be construed as fully delineating the scope of this discovery . care was taken to exclude moisture during the intercalation procedures for the preparation of polymers . all apparatus for intercalation runs was dried in a vacuum over for several hours prior to the experiments and material transfers were done under a nitrogen atmosphere . o - nitrostyrene ( 42 . 15 g , 0 . 28 mole ) in 300 ml of tetrahydrofuran ( thf ) was added to a suspension of 43 . 0 g of potassium chlorate ( 0 . 35 mole ) in 300 ml of water . osmium tetroxide ( 0 . 25 g ) in 25 ml of thf was added to give immediately the brown color of osmate ester . the reaction mixture was heated at reflux for 48 hrs . under nitrogen with efficient stirring . the layers were separated and the lower , predominantly aqueous , layer was saturated with sodium chloride and extracted twice with 450 ml of thf . the thf extracts and original upper layer were combined , dried , and concentrated in vacuo to give 58 g of dark oil . this material was chromatographed on a silicic acid column ( 325 g ). elution with hexane and 25 % ether - hexane gave small amounts of the desired glycol and further elution with 50 % etherhexane gave 20 g of crystalline crude glycol . the product was purified by washing with ether to give 14 . 5 g of pure glycol . rechromatography of the other fractions and ether washing gave an additional 5 . 0 g of glycol for a total yield of 19 . 5 g of o - nitrophenylethylene glycol . recrystallization of the product from thf - hexane gave pale yellow crystals , mp 95 °- 96 °. ir ( nujol ): ( μ ) 3 . 0 - 3 . 1 , 6 . 55 , 7 . 50 , 9 . 4 - 9 . 5 , 9 . 82 , 11 . 03 , 11 . 70 , 12 . 05 , 12 . 65 , 13 . 50 . hnmr ( dmso - d 6 ): ( δ ) 7 . 40 - 7 . 96 ( 4h , mult ., arom . ); 5 . 57 ( 2h , doub . choh ); 5 . 18 ( 1h , quart ., choh ); 4 . 83 ( 1h , trip ., ch 2 oh ); 3 . 53 ( 2h , trip ., ch 2 oh ). uv ( ch 3 oh ): ( nm λ max 345 ( ε403 ); λ max 257 ( ε4410 ). anal . calcd for c 8 h 9 no 4 : c , 52 , 46 ; h , 4 . 95 ; n , 7 . 65 ; found : c , 52 . 30 ; h , 4 . 73 ; n , 7 . 51 . o , o &# 39 ;- dinitrostilbene , the starting material for 1 , 2 - di - o - nitrophenylethylene glycol , was prepared by the following procedure : addition of 50 ml of 58 % hi to 10 . 0 g of trans -( o , o &# 39 ;- dinitro ) stilbene oxide resulted in a mildly exothermic reaction , and the reaction mixture became partially homogeneous with concomitant iodine color formation . after being stirred at 25 ° for 17 hr ., the reaction mixture was filtered to leave a gummy solid . this material was washed with water and with saturated sodium bisulfite solution , and it was triturated with ether to leave 5 . 03 g ( 54 %) of o , o &# 39 ;- dinitrostilbene , mp 195 °- 197 ° c . when shorter reaction times were used or when the reaction was cooled in ice during the addition of hi , the corresponding iodohydrin was isolated . o , o &# 39 ;- dinitrostilbene ( 9 . 2 g ) in 270 ml of thf was added to a suspension of 9 . 0 g of potassium chlorate in 150 ml of water . osmium textroxide ( 0 . 25 g ) in 25 ml of thf was added , and the reaction mixture was heated at reflux for 48 hrs . under nitrogen with efficient stirring . the layers were separated and the lower , predominantly aqueous , layer was saturated with sodium chloride and extracted with thf . the thf extracts and original upper layer were combined , dried , and concentrated in vacuo to give 8 . 35 g of dark oil . this material was chromatographed on a silicic acid column . elution with 20 % ether - hexane gave o - nitrobenzaldehyde , and further elution with 50 % ether - hexane gave 4 . 22 g of crystalline glycol . recrystallization from thf - hexane gave pure 1 , 2 - di - o - nitrophenylethylene glycol , mp 129 °- 131 ° c . ir ( nujol ): ( μ ) 2 . 90 - 3 . 00 , 6 . 55 , 7 . 43 , 8 . 42 , 9 . 50 , 9 . 70 , 11 . 63 , 12 . 70 , 13 . 32 , 14 . 15 . hnmr ( dmso - d 6 ): ( δ ) 7 . 0 - 7 . 9 ( 8h , mult ., arom . ); 5 . 90 ( 2h , doub ., oh ); 5 . 60 ( 2h , doub ., ch ). anal . calcd for c 14 h 12 n 2 o 6 : c , 55 . 26 , h , 3 . 98 ; n , 9 . 21 o - nitrophenylethylene glycol ( 46 . 0 g , 0 . 25 mole ), diethoxymethane ( 28 . 0 g , 0 . 27 mole ), and 10 p - toluenesulfonic acid in 300 ml benzene were heated under reflux under nitrogen for 7 hrs . the reaction mixture was diluted with 200 ml of benzene and extracted three times with 5 % aqueos sodium hydroxide solution , and dried . the solution was concentrated in vacuo to give 39 . 7 g of yellow liquid . the product was purified by distillation to give 38 . 4 g of pure 4 - o - nitrophenyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane , bp 85 ° ( 0 . 15 mm ), n d 25 1 . 5562 . ir ( neat ): ( μ ) 6 . 55 , 7 . 50 , 8 . 68 , 9 . 23 , 10 . 55 , 10 . 70 , 11 . 70 , 12 . 65 , 13 . 50 , 13 . 90 . hnmr ( cdcl 3 ): ( δ ) 7 . 25 - 8 . 17 ( 4h , mult ., arom . ); 5 . 50 ( 1h , ch ); 5 . 28 ( 1h , sing ., och 2 o ); 5 . 00 ( 1h , sing ., och 2 o ); 4 . 42 ( 1h , trip ., ch 2 ); 3 . 70 ( 1h , ch 2 ). uv ( ch 3 oh ): ( nm ) λ max 345 ( 369 ); λ max 260 ( 5870 ). anal . calcd . for c 9 h 9 no 4 : c , 55 . 39 ; h , 4 . 65 ; n , 7 . 18 ; found : c , 55 . 27 ; h , 4 . 73 ; n , 7 . 23 . a solution of o - nitrophenylethylene glycol ( 31 . 25 g , 0 . 17 mole ) and 2 g of p - toluenesulfonic acid in 120 ml of acetone was heated under reflux under nitrogen for 15 hrs . the reaction mixture was diluted with benzene , extracted twice with 5 % aqueous sodium hydroxide solution , and dried . the solution was concentrated in vacuo to give 17 . 9 g of yellow liquid . the product was purified by distillation to give 14 . 6 g of pure 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 4 - o - nitrophenyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane , bp 93 ° ( 0 . 2 mm ), n d 24 1 . 5292 . ir ( neat ): ( μ ) 6 . 55 , 7 . 30 , 7 . 45 , 8 . 2 - 8 . 3 , 8 . 65 , 9 . 45 , 11 . 60 , 11 . 80 , 12 . 65 , 13 . 45 . hnmr ( cdcl 3 ): ( δ ) 7 . 2 - 8 . 1 ( 4h , mult ., arom . ); 5 . 57 ( 1h , trip ., ch ); 4 . 60 ( 1h , trip ., ch 2 ); 3 . 70 ( 1h , ch 2 ); 1 . 50 ( 6h , doub ., ch 3 ). uv ( ch 3 oh ); ( nm ) λ max 345 ( 390 ); λ max 260 ( 5420 ). anal . calcd for c 11 h 13 no 4 : c , 59 . 19 ; h , 5 . 87 ; n , 6 . 27 . found : c , 59 . 01 ; h , 5 . 94 ; n , 6 . 29 . a solution of 4 . 5 g of 1 , 2 - di - o - nitrophenylethylene glycol , 2 . 0 g of diethoxymethane , and 2 . 0 g of p - toluenesulfonic acid in 30 ml benzene was heated under reflux under nitrogen for 15 hrs . the reaction mixture was diluted with ether , extracted with 5 % aqueous sodium hydroxide solution , and dried . the solution was concentrated in vacuo to give 4 . 42 g of gummy solid . recrystallization from thf - hexane gave 3 . 7 g of pale yellow 4 , 5 - di - o - nitrophenyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane , mp 137 °- 139 °. ir ( nujol ): ( μ ) 6 . 55 , 7 . 40 , 7 . 50 , 8 . 70 , 9 . 15 , 9 . 75 , 10 . 50 , 10 . 70 , 11 . 60 , 11 . 68 , 12 . 50 , 12 . 60 , 13 . 30 , 13 . 45 , 13 . 65 . hnmr ( dmso - d 6 ): ( δ ) 7 . 5 - 8 . 2 ( 8h , mult ., arom . ); 5 . 70 ( 2h , sing ., char ); 5 . 05 ( 2h , sing ., ch 2 ). anal . calcd for c 15 h 12 n 2 o 6 : c , 56 . 96 ; h , 3 . 82 ; n , 8 . 86 . found : c , 57 . 16 ; h , 4 . 00 ; n , 8 . 94 . uncapped polyoxymethylene ( 10 . 00 g , mw 25 , 000 - 30 , 000 ) was dried in vacuo in a 100 ml 2 - necked flask at 100 ° c . for 1 hr . the center neck had a stopcock adaptor to a vacuum pump , and the side arm was fitted with a serum cap . the weight of dried polymer was 9 . 47 g ( 5 . 3 % loss ). a nitrogen bubbler was substituted for the vacuum pump and 30 ml of heptane ( freshly distilled from calcium hydride ) and 2 . 0 ml of freshly distilled 4 - o - nitrophenyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane were added via syringe through the serum cap under nitrogen . the nitrogen bubbler valve was closed , and the reaction mixture was immersed in a preheated 75 ° bath for 15 mins . with magnetic stirring . after the addition of 0 . 05 ml of fresh bf 3 . ( c 2 h 5 ) 2 o the slurry was maintained at 70 °- 75 ° for 1 hr . the reaction was quenched with 5 ml of tributylamine , and the product was cooled , filtered , and washed thoroughly with methanol and acetone . the weight of dried , light sensitive , intercalated polymer , obtained as a colorless or very pale yellow solid , was 9 . 97 g . to improve its thermal and base stability , the polymer was post - treated by suspension in 150 ml of benzyl alcohol and 10 ml of tributylamine followed by a 30 minute nitrogen purge . the polymer was dissolved by heating the suspension rapidly to 160 ° and the clear yellow solution was further heated at 160 ° for 30 minutes followed by rapid cooling with an ice bath . the swelled and voluminous reprecipitated polymer was filtered , washed extensively with methanol and acetone and dried in vacuo at 70 °. the weight of purified polymer was 4 . 63 g , η inh = 0 . 59 ( 30 ° c ., 0 . 5 % in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol ( hfip ), mw ˜ 15 , 000 . ultraviolet analysis ( hfip ) showed the presence of 113 formaldehyde units / oxyethylene unit . when uncapped polyoxymethylene polymer of molecular weight ˜ 60 , 000 was intercalated as described , 9 . 97 g of intercalated polymer was obtained . after post - treatment as described , 4 . 15 g of polymer remained , η inh = 0 . 63 ( 30 ° c ., 0 . 5 % in hfip ). ultraviolet analysis showed the presence of 117 - 128 formaldehyde units / oxyethylene unit . unsupported flexible , transparent films , 2 mils in thickness , were pressed from the purified polymer at 175 °, 500 psig for 30 seconds . use of an aluminum panel gave a film supported on the panel . use of higher pressures , i . e . 20 , 000 psi , for 1 minute gave thin (& lt ; 0 . 5 mil ) films . acetate - capped polyoxymethylene ( 10 . 00 g , mw ˜ 60 , 000 ) was intercalated with 2 . 0 ml of 4 - o - nitrophenyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane using the procedure described in example 6 . the weight of dried , light sensitive , intercalated polymer , obtained as a colorless or very pale yellow solid , was 9 . 85 g . the polymer was post - treated as described to give 6 . 64 g of thermal and base - stable polymer , η inh = 0 . 97 ( 30 ° c ., 0 . 5 % in hfip ), mw ˜ 25 , 000 . ultraviolet analysis ( hfip ) showed the presence of 200 - 250 formaldehyde units / oxyethylene unit . the intercalation experiment described in example 7 was repeated on a larger scale with 110 . 0 g of acetate - capped polyoxymethylene ( mw ˜ 60 , 000 ) and 23 ml of 4 - o - nitrophenyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane in 240 ml of heptane in a 500 - ml flask . reaction was initiated with 0 . 5 ml of bf 3 . ( c 2 h 5 ) 2 o and it was quenched with 10 ml of tributylamine . the weight of dried , light sensitive intercalated polymer was 110 . 3 g . the polymer was post - treated as described in example 6 ( 600 ml of benzyl alcohol and 30 ml of tributylamine were used ; nitrogen purge of 2 hrs .) to give 61 . 2 g of stabilized polymer , η inh = 0 . 72 ( 30 ° c ., 0 . 5 % in hfip ), mw ˜ 18 , 000 . acetate capped polyoxymethylene ( 7 . 00 g , mw ˜ 60 , 000 ) was dried in vacuo in a 50 ml three - neck flask at 100 °- 105 ° for 1 hr . as the flask was allowed to cool to 70 °, the internal pressure was raised to one atmosphere with dry nitrogen gas . to the flask was added 21 . 0 ml heptane ( freshly distilled from cah 2 ) and 2 . 29 g of 4 , 5 - di ( o - nitrophenyl )- 1 , 3 - dioxolane . the reaction mixture was stirred well and then immersed in an oil bath preheated to 75 °. when the reaction mixture temperature reached 66 °, there was added 0 . 005 ml bf 3 . et 2 o . after the mixture was stirred 30 mins . at 66 °- 68 °, an additional 0 . 005 ml bf 3 . et 2 o was added . after the mixture was stirred a further 30 mins . at 68 °- 69 °, the reaction was quenched by adding 1 . 0 ml tri - n - butylamine . the solid polymer was collected on a filter and washed thoroughly , first with methanol and finally with acetone . there was obtained 6 . 37 g of dry white solid intercalated polymer . η inh 0 . 88 ( 30 ° c ., 0 . 5 % in hfip ), mw ˜ 21 , 000 . ultraviolet analysis ( hfip ) showed the presence of 2890 formaldehyde units / oxyethylene unit . acetate capped polyoxymethylene ( 7 . 00 g , mw ˜ 60 , 000 ) was dried in vacuo in a 50 ml three - neck flask at 100 °- 105 ° for 1 hr . as the flask was allowed to cool to 70 °, the internal pressure was raised to one atmosphere with dry nitrogen gas . to the flask was added 21 . 0 ml of heptane ( freshly distilled from cah 2 ) and 3 . 00 ml of 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 4 -( o - nitrophenyl )- 1 , 3 - dioxolane . the reaction mixture was stirred at 73 °- 78 ° for 15 mins ., then 0 . 005 ml bf 3 . et 2 o was added and the reaction mixture was stirred an additional 30 mins . at 75 °- 78 °. a second portion of 0 . 005 ml bf 3 . et 2 o was added followed by an additional 30 mins . of stirring at 75 °. the reaction was quenched by addition of 1 . 0 ml tri - n - butylamine . the solid polymer was collected on a filter and washed thoroughly with 2 - propanol , methanol and finally acetone . there was obtained 6 . 20 g of dry white solid intercalated polymer , η inh 1 . 21 ( 30 ° c ., 0 . 5 % in hfip ), mw ˜ 33 , 000 . ultraviolet analysis ( hfip ) showed the presence of 167 formadehyde units / oxyethylene unit . a 0 . 5 mil thick film of an intercalated polyoxymethylene polymer , prepared as described in example 6 , was pressed into an aluminum panel . the film was exposed through a process transparency held in place with a vacuum frame to provide good contact of the transparency with the film , to radiation from a 275 w sunlamp at a distance of 12 inches for 5 minutes . no visible latent image was observed . the plate was placed in a 140 ° oven ; after 3 minutes an image was clearly visible in the areas of the film not struck by radiation . heating was continued for 1 . 5 hours , and a positive relief image with good resolution was obtained . optionally , the use of an amine , e . g . tributylamine , may be employed to increase the rate of image development . a 0 . 25 - 0 . 50 mil thick film of an intercalated polyoxymethylene polymer , prepared as described in example 6 , was pressed into a grained aluminum panel . the film was exposed through a process transparency as described in example 11 . the exposed film was treated with tributylamine , and the plate was heated at 120 °- 156 ° for 2 . 5 hours . a positive relief image was observed after 19 minutes of development , and the further heating caused little further visible change . the plate was immersed in an hfip bath for a few seconds to dissolve a small amount of organic &# 34 ; scum &# 34 ; present in the radiation - struck areas , and the plate was quickly flushed with water to leave a hydrophilic aluminum surface in the exposed areas and residual oleophilic polymer in the non - radiation struck areas . the plate was treated with gum arabic , inked and the inked plate used to print the transparency image on paper . a thin (˜ 0 . 5 mil ) film , prepared by hot pressing the intercalated polymer of example 9 , was irradiated through a process transparency with a 275 watt sunlamp for 10 minutes at a distance of six inches . the irradiated film was developed by heating in air at 160 ° for 20 minutes . a good positive image with deep relief was obtained . this experiment was repeated with the intercalated polymer of example 10 . after image development for 30 minutes at 160 °, an excellent positive image with deep relief was obtained . a 5 . 7 % solution of the intercalated polyoxymethylene polymer of example 6 , in hexafluoroisopropanol , was bar - coated onto a grained aluminum panel to yield an air - dried coating weight of 0 . 05 g / dm 2 . the coated plate was next heated ( one hour ) at 125 °- 170 ° c . to improve adhesion , then exposed through a positive litho film . the positive transparency was positioned over the photosensitive coating and held in intimate contact with a 6 . 5 - mm - thick glass plate . the plate was exposed for 15 minutes to a fluorescent source producing 1 . 9 mj / cm 2 of radiant energy between 300 - 420 nm at the plane of the coated plate ( ca . 2 cm . from the ultraviolet lamps ). the exposed plate , minus transparency and glass plate , was next immersed in isopropanol saturated with potassium hydroxide for 5 minutes at room temperature . this development step left a positive image since the radiation - struck areas were soluble in the alcoholic - potassium hydroxide solution . after rinsing with water , the plate was used to print the positive litho film image on paper as described in example 12 . results substantially equivalent to examples 12 and 14 were obtained when repeated with the following changes : ( a ) grained aluminum was spin - coated using a solution containing the polymer of example 6 ( 4 . 5 g ) in a mixture of hexafluoroisopropanol ( 60 ml )/ α , α - di -( trifluoromethyl ) benzyl alcohol ( 60 ml ); air - drying left a coating & lt ; 0 . 0025 mm thick , a coating weight of ca . 0 . 2 mg / cm 2 . ( b ) the photosensitive layer was imagewise exposed ( 5 minutes ) in a commercial nuarc ® vacuum frame ( model ft 26l ) containing a 2000 - watt xenon source , 43 . 2 cm . from the sample . ( c ) the image was developed by immersion ( 5 minutes ) in basic isopropanol ( 2 % koh ) maintained at 70 ° c . the following two examples illustrate image formation resulting from the formaldehyde generated in the irradiated areas . the polymer of example 6 ( 0 . 6 g ), dissolved in hexafluoroisopropanol ( 10 ml ), was brush - coated onto biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film ( 0 . 127 mm - thick ); air drying left a very thin (& lt ; 0 . 0025 mm ), transparent , photosensitive layer . the photosensitive layer was then overcoated with polyvinyl alcohol ( 1 g ), ( viscosity 28 - 32 cp ., 4 % aqueous solution , 20 ° c ., heoppler falling ball ) dissolved in water ( 20 ml ) using a doctor blade with a clearance of 0 . 127 mm . after drying at 120 ° c ., the sample was imagewise exposed ( 6 minutes ) to the nuarc ® source described in example 15 . a vesicular image was then obtained in the thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol layer on brief (& lt ; 1 minute ) heating to 240 ° c . the formaldehyde , released imagewise , produced bubbles in the exposed areas . a relatively thick coating ( ca . 0 . 038 mm ) of the polymer of example 6 was applied onto a glass microscope slide . the photosensitive layer was then imagewise exposed ( 5 minutes ) through a transparency , bearing an electrical circuit design , using the ultraviolet source described in example 14 . the resulting latent image was developed by treating the surface with tollens &# 39 ; reagent ( an ammoniacal solution of silver hydroxide ), which is a test reagent for ( oxidizing ) aldehydes . that is , the exposed areas , which contain formaldehyde or aldehyde - containing polymer fragments , reduce silver ion to metallic silver , which precipitates onto the irradiated areas . the thin , finely - divided , black , metallic , image precipitated is readily visible against the colorless to pale - yellow background of the unexposed areas . the silvered , electrical circuit image was immersed ( 30 minutes ) in a conventional electroless copper plating bath at room temperature . upon removal from the bath and rinsing with water , a copper - plated circuit replica was obtained . the initially precipitated metallic silver catalyzed electroless copper deposition . the photosensitive polymers of this invention can be photodepolymerized to yield a gravure cell relief pattern on the polymer surface . a film of the intercalated polymer of example 6 , ˜ 0 . 07 mm thick , was pressed onto a grained aluminum plate . the film was imaged in a vacuum frame with a 275 w sunlamp at 15 . 2 cm for 10 minutes through a 30 step gray scale and a 175 line negative gravure screen . after exposure the imaged film was developed with a solution of 2 % koh in i - propyl alcohol at 70 ° for 45 minutes . the plates were inked with a black publication ink let down with hydrocarbon solvent ( 25 % aromatic , 75 % saturated ), hand doctored with a steel blade , and hand printed by rolling immediately with a paper - covered rubber roller . the first seven steps hand printed and the depth of the first 21 steps were determined . the results demonstrate a potentially useful continuous tone response for conventional gravure . ______________________________________ optical cellstep density depth ( μ ) ______________________________________1 . 06 26 . 72 . 15 22 . 93 . 25 16 . 54 . 32 13 . 35 . 43 9 . 526 . 53 6 . 987 . 63 4 . 838 . 75 2 . 799 . 84 2 . 0610 . 92 1 . 5311 1 . 02 1 . 0912 1 . 12 1 . 0213 1 . 19 0 . 7614 1 . 29 0 . 6915 1 . 38 0 . 4616 1 . 49 0 . 3817 1 . 59 0 . 2618 1 . 72 0 . 2519 1 . 82 0 . 1520 1 . 92 0 . 1321 2 . 00 0 . 05______________________________________ | 2 |
referring now to fig2 to 9 , more specifically fig2 a preferred embodiment of a control system of the present invention is illustrated by the reference character c and forms part of an occupant restraint system r for protecting a vehicle occupant ( s ) from coming into direct contact with a steering wheel , a windshield and / or the like ( not shown ) upon a vehicle collision or the like . the control system c comprises a deceleration sensor 1 which is disposed , for example , at a floor tunnel section within a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle ( not shown ), and adapted to detect a deceleration g of the automotive vehicle and output a signal representative of the deceleration g to a control circuit 2 . the control circuit 2 includes a microcomputer and its peripherals though not shown , and is adapted to carry out control programs discussed after thereby controlling operation of the occupant restraint system r . the control circuit 2 includes an operation necessary - unnecessary deciding section 2a electrically connected to the deceleration sensor 1 , an operation timing determining section 2b electrically connected to the deceleration sensor 1 , and an operation control section 2c electrically connected to the sections 2a , 2b . the operation necessary - unnecessary deciding section is adapted to decide as to whether the operation of the occupant restraint system r is necessary or unnecessary . the operation timing deciding section 2b is adapted to determine an operation timing of the occupant restraint system r . the operation control section 2c is electrically connected to a drive circuit 3 forming part of the occupant restraint system r and adapted to output an operation command signal ( commanding the operation of the occupant restraint system r ) to the drive circuit 3 at the operation timing decided by the operation timing decision section 2b when a decision of the operation of the occupant restraint system r being necessary is made by the operation necessary - unnecessary decision section 2a . the drive circuit 3 is electrically connected to an airbag module 5 forming part of the occupant restraint system r . in this embodiment , the airbag module 5 is stored in a central pad of a steering wheel of the automotive vehicle though not shown , so that the airbag module 5 protects a driver on a driver &# 39 ; s seat . the airbag module 5 includes an airbag ( not shown ) which can inflate and develop to protect the driver from coming into direct contact with the steering wheel , the windshield and / or the like upon a vehicle collision or the like . the airbag module 5 further includes an inflator ( not shown ) for causing the airbag to inflate , and an electrical firing device or squib 5a for the inflator . the squib 5a is electrically connected to the drive circuit 3 which is electrically connected to an electric source or battery 5 so that electric current is suppliable from the electric source 4 to the squib 5a . first , a method of deciding as to whether the occupant restraint system is necessary or unnecessary will be discussed with reference to fig3 and 4 . fig3 shows changes in deceleration g ( after intiation of a vehicle collision ) in three typical collision modes . one of the three modes is a light collision in which the deceleration g exhibits a characteristics indicated by a curve &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; similar to a sine curve having a low peak value . in case of such a light collision , it is unnecessary to operate the occupant restraint system r . accordingly , such a collision is also called an &# 34 ; operation unnecessary collision &# 34 ;. another one of the three modes is a strong or serious collision in which the deceleration g exhibits a characteristics indicated by a curve &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; similar to a sine curve having a high peak value . in case of such a strong collision , the occupant restraint system r is required to be securely operated to protect the driver . a further one of the three modes is a collision in which the deceleration g exhibits such a characteristics as to be relatively low and vibratory at a time immediately after intiation of the collision but thereafter suddenly increase , as indicated by a curve &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; in fig3 . in case of such a collision , the occupant restraint system is required to be securely operated to protect the driver . accordingly , such a collision is called a &# 34 ; low speed collision &# 34 ;. now , both the light collision &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; and the low speed collision &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; exhibit low values in deceleration g for a while after initiation of the collision , and therefore it is difficult to accurately distinguish them from each other only in accordance with the decelerations g . in view of this , a variance bu of deceleration g showing a deceleration condition of each collision mode is calculated by the following equation ( 1 ): where g ( n ) is a deceleration which is repeatedly detected , in which n = 1 to n ; n is the number of samples ( or sampling ) of the detected deceleration g ; σ is a sum obtained from n = 1 to n = n ; and l is a mean value of g ( n ). fig4 shows the variance bu of each of collisions a , b and c in fig3 . in case of the low speed collision c , a variation in deceleration g is considerably large at the initial stage of the collision as shown in fig3 and therefore the variance bu becomes large . in case of the light collision a , the variation in deceleration g is relatively small thereby minimizing the variance bu . in case of the high speed collision b , the deceleration g is large as compared with the above two collisions and exhibits a large value in variance bu . as apparent from fig4 the high and low speed collisions b , c requiring the operation of the occupant restraint system r can be accurately and clearly distinguished from the light collision which does not require the operation of the same . in this connection , a threshold value buo in the variance bu is set , in which the operation of the occupant restraint system r is decided when the variance bu exceeds the threshold value buo . fig5 shows a control program for accomplishing a decision as to whether the operation of the occupant restraint system r is necessary or unnecessary . the operation necessary - unnecessary deciding section 2a of the control circuit 2 operates according to the flow chart of this control program . the microcomputer makes the execution of the control program of fig5 for example , every 0 . 5 msec . at a step s101 , a signal representative of the deceleration g is input to the microcomputer from the deceleration sensor 1 . at a step s102 , the variance bu is calculated in accordance with the detected deceleration g , by using the above equation ( 1 ). at a step s103 , a decision is made as to whether the variance bu exceeds the set threshold value buo or not . in case that the variance bu exceeds the threshold value buo , a flow goes to a step s104 at which &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at an operation necessary - unnecessary flag f1 . in case that the variance bu is not higher than the threshold value buo , the execution of the control program of fig5 is terminated . the operation control section 2c judges that the operation of the occupant restraint system r is decided to be necessary or to be made in case that &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the operation necessary - unnecessary flag f1 . in other words , &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; at the flag f1 represents that a decision of operation of the occupant restraint system has been made . fig6 and 7 show a control program for determining the operation timing of the occupant restraint system r . the operation timing determining section 2b of the control circuit 2 operates according to the flowchart of this control program . the microcomputer makes the execution of this control program , for example , every 0 . 5 msec . at a step s201 , the signal representative of the deceleration g is input to the microcomputer from the deceleration sensor 1 . at a step s202 , the deceleration ( g ) signal is subject to a low pass filter treatment to remove unnecessary high frequency components contained in the deceleration signal thereby obtaining a signal representative of a deceleration g &# 39 ;. at a step s203 , a decision is made as to whether the deceleration g &# 39 ; exceeds a previously set threshold value g0 or not . in case that the deceleration g &# 39 ; is larger than the threshold value g0 , a flow goes to a step s204 . in case that the deceleration g &# 39 ; is not larger than the value g0 , the flow goes to a step s205 bypassing the step s204 . it will be understood that the threshold value g0 is used to distinguish a vehicle collision from normal vehicle movements , and therefore it is set as an optimum value under experiments . at the step s204 , &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at a collision anticipation flag f2 showing a high possibility of occurrence of a vehicle collision . at the step s205 , a decision is made as to whether &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the collision anticipation flag f2 or not . in case that &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the flag f2 , an operation timing calculation program at or downstream of a step s206 will be executed . in case that &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is not set at the flag f2 , the execution of the program is terminated . in other words , in case that the deceleration g &# 39 ; has once exceeded the threshold value g0 , the execution of the operation timing calculation program is continued even if the deceleration g &# 39 ; is thereafter lowered to or below the threshold value g0 , thus preventing unstable execution of the calculation program due to variation of the deceleration g &# 39 ;. in case that the possibility of vehicle collision occurrence is high upon &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; being set at the collision anticipation flag f2 , an increment of time t is made in a timer ( not shown ) at a step s206 in fig7 . this timer is adapted to time a lapsed time from a timing at which the deceleration g &# 39 ; has exceeded the threshold value g0 . at a step s207 , the deceleration g &# 39 ; is integrated to obtain an integrated value s . the integrated value s is obtained by integrating the decelerations g &# 39 ; each of which is detected every execution of this control program from the timing at which the deceleration g &# 39 ; has exceeded the threshold value g0 . at a step s208 , a decision is made as to whether &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at an operation timing calculation flag f3 or not . the setting of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; represents that the operation timing of the occupant restraint system r has been calculated . in case that &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the flag f3 , the flow goes to a step s212 since calculation of the operation timing is unnecessary . in case that &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is not set at the flag f3 , the flow goes to a step s209 at which calculation of the operation timing is made . at the step s209 , a decision is made as to whether the integrated value s exceeds a previously set threshold value s0 . in case that the integrated value s exceeds the threshold value s0 , the flow goes to a step s210 . in case that the integrated value s is not higher than the threshold value s0 , the execution of this control program is terminated . at a step s210 , the operation timing ft of the occupant restraint system r is calculated . as shown in fig8 the operation timing ft is calculated by the following equation ( 2 ), in which the starting point t0 for the operation timing ft is a timing at which the deceleration g &# 39 ; has exceeded the threshold value g0 : where t is a time or time duration ( timed by the timer ) from the timing t0 to the present time ; and c1 and offset are respectively constants decided by experiment or the like . when the operation timing ft has been calculated , the flow goes to a step s211 at which &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the operation timing calculation flag f3 . at a step s212 , a decision is made as to whether the time t has reached the operation timing ft of the occupant restraint system r . in case that the the time t has reached the operation timing ft , the flow goes to a step s213 at which &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at an operation timing flag f4 , indicating the operation timing of the occupant restraint system has come or been reached . then , the execution of the control program is terminated . fig9 shows a control program of operational control of the occupant restraint system r . the operation control section 2c of the control circuit 2 operates according to the flowchart of this control program . the microcomputer initiates the execution for this control program when an ignition key or switch ( not shown ) is switched on . after initiation of the execution of this program , at a step s301 , an initialization is made in which the time t ( timed by the timer ), set values at the flags f1 to f4 and the likes are set at the respective initial values . at a step s302 , a decision is made as to whether the decision of operation of the occupant restraint system r is made or not according to setting of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; or not at the operation necessary - unnecessary flag f1 provided from the operation necessary - unnecessary decision section 2a . in case that the operation has been decided to be made , a flow goes to a step s303 . at the step s303 , a decision is made as to whether &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the operation timing flag f4 according to setting of the operation timing decision section 2b , in which a stand - by is made until &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the flag f4 . when &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set at the operation timing flag f4 so that the operation timing ft has been reached , the flow goes to a step s304 at which the operation command signal is output from the operation control section 2c to the drive circuit 3 to operate the airbag module 5 . upon receiving the operation command signal , the drive circuit 3 causes electric current to flow from the electric source 4 to the squib 5a . thus , the squib 5a ignites the inflator thereby momentarily inflating the airbag of the airbag module 5 . while the operation timing ft of the occupant restraint system r has been shown and described as being calculated according to the equation ( 2 ) and in accordance with the time ( duration ) t from the timing at which the deceleration g &# 39 ; of the vehicle exceeds its threshold value to the timing at which the integrated value of the deceleration exceeds the threshold value in the above - discussed embodiment , it will be understood that the operation timing ft may be memorized as a tabulated data ( an operation timing table ) in the memory in the microcomputer upon determining the operation timings ft respectively corresponding to a variety of the times t or upon determining optimum values of the operation timing ft through experiments , in which a search is made on the operation timing table in the memory to read the operation timing ft according to the time t at the timing at which the integrated value of the deceleration exceeds the threshold value . it will be appreciated that the method of deciding as to whether operation of the occupant restraint system is necessary or unnecessary may not be limited to that of the above - discussed embodiment . although only the occupant restraint system r including the airbag for the driver has been shown and described as being controlled by the control system c of the present invention , it will be understood that the principle of the present invention may be applicable to other occupant restraint systems including airbag and / or seat belt and to those systems for protecting vehicle occupants on a front seat aside the driver &# 39 ; s seat and on a rear seat . | 1 |
referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views , there is shown in fig1 a machine tool which is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 incorporating a height / angle adjustment mechanism for the cutting tool and motor carrier in accordance with the present invention . while the height / angle adjustment mechanism of the present invention is being illustrated for exemplary purposes as being used in conjunction with machine tool 10 in the form of a table saw , it is within the scope of the present invention to incorporate the height / angle adjustment mechanism of the present invention into any type of machine tool which utilizes a cutting tool . referring to fig1 machine tool 10 comprises a base 12 which supports a generally rectangular work table 14 defining a working surface 16 . work table 14 includes a throat plate 18 which includes an elongated slot 20 through which a circular saw blade 22 protrudes . saw blade 22 is capable to being adjusted for angularity with respect to working surface 16 by an angle or bevel adjustment mechanism 24 as well as being capable of being adjusted for depth of cut by a height adjustment mechanism 26 . machine tool 10 is illustrated as a portable table saw which is easily movable from one job site to another . table saw 10 can easily be picked up and carried utilizing work table 14 as the supporting locations when it becomes necessary to lift and carry table saw 10 from one job site to another . referring now to fig2 table saw 10 is illustrated with working surface 16 of work table 14 partially removed and a portion of base 12 cut away . circular saw blade 22 is rotated by a motor 28 which powers saw blade 22 through a gear case 30 . bevel adjustment mechanism 24 adjusts the angular position of saw blade 22 by pivoting saw blade 22 , motor 28 and gear case 30 . height adjustment mechanism 26 adjusts the cutting depth of saw blade 22 by longitudinal movement of saw blade 22 , motor 28 and gear case 30 . referring now to fig2 and 3 , bevel adjustment mechanism 24 comprises a pair of pivot quadrants 32 , a support plate 34 , and a locking system 36 . each pivot quadrant 32 is attached to a plurality of bosses 38 extending from the bottom of work table 14 using a plurality of bolts 40 . each pivot quadrant 32 is designed to pivot around a center which is located on working surface 16 of work table 14 coincident with the plane of saw blade 22 . thus , the axis for pivoting support plate 34 lies on working surface 16 and extends through the plane of saw blade 22 when saw blade 22 is generally perpendicular with working surface 16 . as shown in fig7 pivot quadrant 32 is comprised of a support bracket 42 , a pivot bracket 44 and a retaining strap 46 . support bracket 42 is an l - shaped bracket which defines a plurality of holes 48 to facilitate the attachment of pivot quadrant 32 to work table 14 on one leg of the l . the opposite leg of the l defines an arcuate slot 50 which controls the pivotal movement of pivot bracket 44 and locates the center of the pivoting at working surface 16 of work table 14 . pivot bracket 44 extends between support bracket 42 and support plate 34 and defines a plurality of holes 52 at one end to facilitate the attachment of support plate 34 . the opposite end of pivot bracket 44 defines a stamped arcuate protrusion 54 which mates with slot 50 to control the pivoting of pivot bracket 44 . protrusion 54 is formed out of the material of pivot bracket 44 and this forming operation defines an arcuate slot 56 once protrusion 54 has been formed . retaining strap 46 extends across pivot bracket 44 and is attached to support bracket 42 to maintain the engagement of protrusion 54 with slot 50 . retaining strap 46 defines a formed protrusion 58 which extends into slot 56 to both guide the pivotal movement of pivot bracket 44 and to act as a stop to limit the pivotal movement of pivot bracket 44 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , support plate 34 is a shallow drawn plate which is attached to pivot quadrants 32 . support plate 34 is designed to support both height adjustment mechanism 26 and locking system 36 . locking system 36 comprises a bearing block 60 , a locking rod 62 , a locking arm 64 , a bearing block cam 66 , a locking arm cam 68 and a return spring 70 . bearing block 60 is a curved member which is attached to a bracket 72 which is in turn attached to support plate 34 . bearing block 60 thus pivots with support plate 34 and bearing block 60 extends through an arcuate slot 74 in the front face of base 12 . while the pivotal movement of support plate 34 moves bearing block 60 within slot 74 , it should be understood that the movement of support plate 34 is controlled by pivot quadrants 32 and that a clearance will always exist between bearing block 60 and slot 74 . locking rod 62 extends across support plate 34 and through bracket 72 and bearing block 60 in the front of support plate 34 and through a bracket 76 and a bracket 78 located at the rear of support plate 34 . bracket 76 is attached to support plate 34 and defines an aperture for accepting and guiding locking rod 62 . bracket 78 is attached to work table 14 and it defines an arcuate slot 80 which accepts locking rod 62 and allows for the pivotal movement of support plate 34 . while the pivotal movement of support plate 34 moves locking rod 62 within slot 80 , it should be understood that the movement of support plate 34 is controlled by pivot quadrants 32 and that a clearance will always exist between locking rod 62 and slot 80 . once locking rod 62 has been inserted through brackets 76 and 78 , a washer 82 and a nut 84 are assembled to locking rod 62 to provide adjustment for locking system 34 . the front end of locking rod 62 extends through bearing block 60 and through a d - shaped embossment 86 which is an integral part of bearing block 60 . locking arm 64 is assembled over the end of locking rod 62 and secured to locking rod 62 using a hardened washer 88 , a thrust bearing 90 , a hardened washer 92 and a nut 94 threadingly received on locking rod 62 as shown in fig4 . bearing block cam 66 and locking arm cam 68 are disposed between locking arm 64 and bearing block 60 . d - shaped embossment 86 extends from bearing block 60 through slot 74 in the front face of base 12 . bearing block cam 66 includes a d - shaped aperture which mates with embossment 86 and cam 66 is positioned such that the front face of base 12 is sandwiched between bearing block 60 and bearing block cam 66 . the engagement of the d - shaped aperture of cam 66 with d - shaped embossment 86 prohibits the rotational movement of cam 66 with respect to bearing block 60 . the face of cam 66 opposite to the front surface of base 12 defines a camming surface 96 which reacts with locking arm cam 68 to activate locking system 34 . locking arm 64 defines a d - shaped embossment 98 which mates with a d - shaped aperture extending through locking arm cam 68 such that locking arm cam 68 pivots with locking arm 64 when locking arm 64 pivots on locking rod 62 . the face of cam 68 opposite to locking arm 64 defines a camming surface 100 which mates with camming surface 96 on cam 66 such that pivoting motion of locking arm 64 with respect to locking rod 62 will cause longitudinal movement of locking rod 62 to activate locking system 36 . return spring 70 is disposed on locking rod 62 between an ear 102 formed on locking rod 62 and bearing block 60 in order to urge locking rod 62 towards the rear of base 12 or towards bracket 78 . locking rod 62 is shown with an additional ear 102 on the opposite side of return spring 70 to capture spring 70 in the unassembled condition of locking rod 62 . the additional ear 102 requires that the aperture in bearing block 60 which accepts locking rod 62 be provided with a slot ( not shown ) to accept the additional ear 102 . in this arrangement , the engagement of the additional ear 102 with the slot in bearing block 60 will prohibit any rotational movement of locking rod 62 . when camming surface 96 is aligned with camming surface 100 , pivoting of support plate 34 and thus saw blade 22 and motor 28 is permitted . the biasing of locking rod 62 towards the rear of base 12 causes embossment 98 to bottom against embossment 86 . in this condition , there is a clearance created between camming surface 96 and camming surface 100 as well as a clearance created between bracket 76 and bracket 78 . these clearances allow for a smooth pivoting of support plate 34 and thus a smooth angular adjustment for saw blade 22 . the pivoting of support plate 34 is controlled by pivot quadrants 32 while bearing block 60 moves within slot 74 in the front face of base 12 and locking rod 62 moves within slot 80 in bracket 78 . when the desired angle of saw blade 22 is obtained , locking system 36 is activated by pivoting locking arm 64 on locking rod 62 which rotates cam 68 with respect to cam 66 . camming surface 100 is cammed away from camming surface 96 causing longitudinal movement of locking rod 62 . the longitudinal movement of locking rod 62 compresses support plate 34 between bracket 78 and the front face of base 12 due to washer 82 and nut 84 engaging bracket 78 and bearing block cam 66 engaging the front surface of base 12 . the flexibility of locking rod 62 due to a center off - set area 104 and the flexibility of bracket 78 permit the compression of support plate 34 . the adjustment for locking system 36 is provided for by nut 84 . referring now to fig2 , 6 and 9 , height adjustment mechanism 26 comprises a pivot link 110 , a biasing spring 112 , a follower nut 114 , a height adjustment screw 116 and a crank handle 118 which function to move saw blade 22 , motor 28 and gear case 30 longitudinally with respect to support plate 34 . support plate 34 defines a generally rectangular opening 120 within which gear case 30 is located . located adjacent to and extending generally the entire length of opening 120 are a pair of formed ribs 122 which provide stiffness to support plate 34 . gear case 30 includes a housing 124 disposed on one side of support plate 34 and a cover 126 disposed on the opposite side of support plate 34 . cover 126 is secured to housing 124 by a plurality of bolts 128 such that support plate 34 is sandwiched between cover 126 and housing 124 . gear case 30 includes a pair of longitudinally extending surfaces 130 which engage the opposing sides of opening 120 to guide the movement of gear case 30 within opening 120 . motor 28 is attached to housing 124 and includes an armature shaft 132 having a pinion 134 which meshes with an output gear 136 which is rotatably supported within gear case 30 . the output gear includes an arbor shaft 138 which provides for the attachment of saw blade 22 . thus , when motor 28 is powered , armature shaft 132 and pinion 134 rotate which rotates output gear 136 and arbor shaft 138 which in turn rotates saw blade 22 . referring now to fig8 the accurate positioning of saw blade 22 is required in order to provide accurate cuts . in order to accurately position saw blade 22 , the front face , or the face adjacent saw blade 22 , of support plate 34 is defined as a datum face . cover 126 is provided with a plurality of accurately machines pads 140 which accurately position cover 126 and thus saw blade 22 with respect to support plate 34 . machine pads 140 are biased against the datum face on support plate 34 by a plurality of elastomeric springs 142 each of which is disposed within an aperture 144 defined by housing 124 . a low friction wear pad 146 is disposed between each elastomeric spring 142 and support plate 34 to facilitate the movement of gear case 30 within opening 120 . thus , gear case 30 , motor 28 and saw blade 22 move longitudinally within opening 120 guided by surfaces 130 with gear case 30 being biased against the datum face of support plate 34 by elastomeric springs 142 . as shown in fig2 and 5 , cover 126 includes an extension 148 which can be utilized for supporting a splitter and / or guard mechanism for table saw 10 if desired the mounting of the splitter and / or guard mechanism on cover 126 allows the components to travel with saw blade 22 during cutting depth and / or angular adjustments . referring back to fig2 , 5 , 6 and 9 , pivot link 110 is pivotably secured to support plate 34 by an appropriate fastener 150 . one arm of pivot link 110 defines a slot 152 which engages a pin 154 attached to gear case 30 . the second arm of pivot link 110 defines a slot 156 which engages follower nut 114 . biasing spring 112 is a tension spring positioned around fastener 150 and is disposed between pivot link 110 and a retainer 158 . retainer 158 is attached to follower nut 114 and biasing spring 112 is positioned such that its spring force biases gear case 30 towards a downward position . by biasing pivot link 110 in this direction , the play between the various components of height adjustment mechanism 26 can be eliminated . in addition , the biasing load provided by biasing spring 112 is resisted by follower nut 114 and not by adjustment screw 116 as in many prior art table saws . height adjustment screw 116 is rotatably secured at one end by a bracket 160 which is a separate component or bracket 160 can be formed out of support plate 34 . a nylon bushing 162 is disposed between screw 116 and bracket 160 to facilitate the rotation of screw 116 and provide a smoothness of operation . the loading and thus the wear between screw 116 , bushing 162 and bracket 160 is significantly reduced due to the reaction of spring 112 occurring through follower nut 114 and not through screw 116 . the opposite end of adjustment screw 116 extends through and is rotatably supported by bearing block 60 . the portion of adjustment screw 116 which extends beyond bearing block 60 is adapted for securing crank handle 118 to adjustment screw 116 such that rotation of crank handle 118 causes rotation of adjustment screw 116 . disposed between bearing block 60 and bracket 72 of support plate 34 is a hardened washer 164 , a powdered metal washer 166 , a spring thrust washer 168 and a hardened washer 170 . powdered metal washer 166 is secured to adjustment screw 116 by press fitting or other means known in the art . the biasing of spring thrust washer 168 produces frictional resistance to the rotation of adjustment screw 116 allowing for the accurate positioning of saw blade 22 and the ability of height adjustment mechanism 26 to maintain the position of saw blade 22 during the cutting operation . the frictional resistance or drag produced by spring thrust washer 168 maintains the position of adjustment screw 116 and is not affected by the vibration produced by motor 28 and / or the cutting operation . in addition , the biasing porduced by spring thrust washer 168 removes any play which may exist between the various components of height adjustment 26 . follower nut 114 is threadingly received on a threaded portion 172 of screw 116 which is located between bracket 160 and bearing block 60 . follower nut 114 includes a cylindrical finger 174 which extends into retainer 158 , into slot 156 of pivot link 110 and into a slot 176 located in support plate 34 to cause the pivoting of pivot link 110 by follower nut 114 . slot 176 in support plate 34 prohibits rotation of follower nut 114 and tends to guide follower nut 114 as it moves along screw 116 . in addition , the contact between finger 174 and the edge of slot 176 provides the reaction point for spring 112 . thus , when crank handle 118 is rotated , adjustment screw 116 is rotated which causes follower nut 114 to move longitudinally along threaded portion 172 of adjustment screw 116 . the direction of movement of follower nut 114 will be determined by the design of threaded portion 172 and the direction of rotation of crank handle 118 . the longitudinal movement of follower nut 114 causes pivotal movement of pivot link 110 due to the engagement of finger 174 which engages slot 156 . the pivotal movement of pivot link 110 causes the longitudinal movement of gear case 30 , motor 28 and saw blade 22 due to the engagement of slot 152 with pin 154 . the longitudinal movement of gear case 30 , motor 28 and saw blade 22 sets the height of saw blade 22 extending through work table 14 and thus the depth of cut . referring to fig8 and 11 , cover 126 of gear case 30 supports another unique feature for machine tool 10 . one of the problems associated with machine tools is the changing of the cutting tool . saw blade 22 is assembled to arbor shaft 138 and is frictionally held in position by a pair of washers 180 , 182 and an arbor nut 184 . arbor shaft 138 includes a pair of flats 186 which accept a wrench ( not shown ) in order to stop arbor shaft 138 from rotating when arbor nut 184 is to be loosened or tightened during the changing of saw blade 22 . the wrench for engaging flats 186 is normally a separate piece which is easily misplaced which then leads to the wedging of a block of wood or other material against saw blade 22 to hold arbor shaft 138 . the wedging of the block against saw blade 22 is both dangerous and leads to unnecessary loading of the bearings supporting arbor shaft 138 . the present invention includes a lever 188 which is pivotably secured to cover 126 . a wrench 190 is pivotably secured to lever 188 and moves within a pocket 192 formed by a ridge 194 which is an integral part of cover 126 between an unlocked position shown in fig1 and a locked position shown in fig1 . a spring 196 biases wrench 190 into its unlocked position . the unlocked position of wrench 190 is shown in fig1 where wrench 190 is disconnected from flats 186 and arbor shaft 138 is free to rotate . the locked position is shown in fig1 where wrench 190 engages flats 186 to prohibit rotation of arbor shaft 138 . the end of wrench 190 engages ridge 194 at both the front of wrench 190 adjacent arbor shaft 138 to provide support for wrench 190 in the locked position and at the rear of wrench 190 adjacent to lever 188 to provide support to counteract the torque being allied to arbor nut 184 . lever 188 is accessible to the operator of table saw 10 through the opening in work table 14 which accepts throat plate 18 . lever 188 is designed to extend into the throat plate opening of work table 14 when wrench 190 is in the locked position and saw blade 22 is in its full upward position as shown in fig1 to prohibit the assembly of throat plate 18 with work table 14 while wrench 190 is in the locked position . once wrench 190 is moved to its unlocked position , lever 188 will be removed from the throat plate opening in work table 14 and throat plate 18 can be assembled to work table 14 . [ 0038 ] fig1 illustrates a bevel angle stop system for bevel adjustment mechanism 24 . an adjustment cam 200 is attached to the front panel of work table 14 at opposite ends of slot 74 . a protrusion 202 is formed at both ends of bearing block 60 . when saw blade 22 is positioned at a point perpendicular to working surface 16 , adjustment cam 200 at the zero degree position is rotated until it contacts the zero degree protrusion 202 on bearing block 60 . adjustment cam 200 is tightened in position using a bolt 204 to set the zero degree position of saw blade 22 . the tightening of bolt 204 has a tendency to rotate cam 200 in a clockwise direction . the rotation of cam 200 in a clockwise direction urges cam 200 into contact with protrusion 202 due to the external spiral shape of cam 200 to provide an accurate positioning of the bevel angle for saw blade 22 . the perpendicularity of saw blade 22 can be set by a square or other means known well in the art . in a similar manner , the 45 ° position of saw blade 22 with respect to working surface 16 can be set by a similar adjustment and locking of adjustment cam 200 located on the opposite side of slot 74 . while the above detailed description describes the preferred embodiment of the present invention , it should be understood that the present invention is susceptible to modification , variation and alteration without deviating from the scope and fair meaning of the subjoined claims . | 8 |
a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig1 . according to an embodiment of the present invention an electrospray ionisation (“ esi ”) ion source is provided together with a control system which includes a look - up table . the electrospray ionisation ion source includes a capillary and is preferably coupled to a liquid chromatography separator . the liquid chromatography separator preferably supplies an eluent to the electrospray ionisation ion source and the electrospray ionisation ion source preferably ionises the eluent which emerges from the liquid chromatography device . the look - up table preferably includes details of how the voltage applied to the capillary of the electrospray ionisation ion source should be varied , preferably increased , as a function of time in a coordinated manner with , for example , increasing the percentage of organic solvent in the mobile phase which is supplied to the liquid chromatography separator . the control system preferably utilises the look - up table to change or otherwise alter the capillary voltage applied to the electrospray ionisation ion source throughout or during the course of a single liquid chromatography run , separation or acquisition . alternatively , the capillary voltage look - up table may be created automatically based upon the liquid chromatography conditions . table 1 as shown below illustrates an embodiment of the present invention wherein the ratio of organic solvent to water (“% organic ”) of a liquid chromatography separator was pre - arranged to vary as a function of time and illustrates how the capillary voltage applied to the electrospray ionisation ion source may be arranged to vary as a function of time in close relationship to the pre - arranged variation in the concentration of the organic solvent . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention wherein the percentage of organic solvent and the applied capillary voltage were varied in a very similar manner to that illustrated by table 1 above . it will be apparent from fig1 that the change of the capillary voltage may be arranged so as to lag slightly behind the gradient change in order to take into account the time taken for the mixture of solvents to reach the ion source . according to an embodiment this delay may be incorporated automatically . however , it is not essential that the variation in the voltage applied to the electrospray ion source lags behind the change in the concentration of the organic solvent of the mobile phase . according to other embodiments the capillary voltage or another parameter of the ion source may be changed based on one or more of the following parameters : ( i ) mobile phase flow rate ; ( ii ) time ; ( iii ) mobile phase composition including percentage organic and percentage aqueous ; ( iv ) ph ; ( v ) viscosity ; ( vi ) surface tension ; and ( vii ) conductivity . although above preferred embodiment has been described in terms of varying a capillary voltage as a function of time in a coordinated manner with increasing the percentage of organic solvent in the mobile phase which is supplied to the liquid chromatography separator , according to a more preferred embodiment the back pressure of the liquid chromatography column is preferably monitored . according to a particularly preferred embodiment the capillary voltage is varied in dependence upon the monitored liquid chromatography back pressure . fig2 illustrates a liquid chromatography system in accordance with this preferred embodiment . the liquid chromatography system preferably comprises a solvent or fluid delivery system 1 , a pressure sensor 2 , a liquid chromatography ( lc ) column 3 and an electrospray ionisation source 4 . in use , the solvent delivery system 1 preferably delivers a sample liquid to the liquid chromatography column 3 . the sample liquid preferably comprises an aqueous solvent or solution , an organic solvent such as acetonitrile , methanol or propanol , and an analyte . the pressure sensor 2 is preferably arranged and adapted to monitor the back pressure of the liquid chromatography column 3 as the sample liquid is passed though the liquid chromatography column 3 . the sample liquid is preferably passed to the electrospray ionisation source 4 as it elutes from the liquid chromatography column 3 , and is preferably ionised by the electrospray ionisation source 4 . the monitored back pressure is preferably used to provide information regarding equilibrium , overpressure , etc . of the lc system and / or to facilitate the diagnosis of problems within the lc system . according to the preferred embodiment , the monitored back pressure is also used to determine the optimal voltage that should be applied to the capillary of the electrospray ionisation source 4 so as to maintain optimal ionization conditions , e . g . throughout a liquid chromatography separation experiment . for a simple tube , the back pressure or change in pressure δp of a liquid chromatography column can be calculated by the poiseuille equation : wherein η is the viscosity of the sample liquid , l is the length of the tube , q is the flow rate of the sample liquid and r is the radius of the tube . since the back pressure δp is related to the viscosity η of the sample liquid within the liquid chromatography column 3 , which is in turn related to the composition ( i . e . solvent ratio ) of the sample liquid , by varying the capillary voltage in dependence upon the monitored back pressure optimal ionisation conditions can be maintained throughout a liquid chromatography separation experiment . as will be appreciated from eqn . 1 , the relationship between the back pressure and the viscosity applies for any constant flow rate and thus the present invention is applicable over the entire range of liquid chromatography flow rates ( e . g . flow rates of nl / min , μl / min , ml / min , etc .). varying the capillary voltage in dependence upon the monitored back pressure is advantageous because the monitored back pressure effectively provides direct , real - time information about the conditions within the liquid chromatography column 3 during an lc run . furthermore , the back pressure will typically already be monitored in liquid chromatography systems , e . g . to provide information regarding equilibrium , overpressure , etc . of the system and / or to facilitate the diagnosis of problems within the system , so that it is not necessary to provide additional sensors ( e . g . over and above the pressure sensor 2 which is typically already present in a liquid chromatography system ) for the monitoring . in one embodiment , the relationship between the monitored back pressure and the applied capillary voltage is fixed e . g . by an initial calibration run , and used for all experimental runs . in another embodiment , the relationship between the monitored back pressure and the applied capillary voltage may be periodically updated e . g . by periodically performing a calibration run . according to a particularly preferred embodiment , the relationship is set based on a first lc run or a calibration or set - up run that is performed for or during a particular set of experiments ( the set of experiments may comprises , for example , a plurality of lc runs that are performed using the same or similar lc methods or conditions ). that is , the relationship between the monitored back pressure and the applied capillary voltage is preferably determined before or during each set of lc experiments , and the determined relationship is then preferably used for all lc experiments performed during that set of lc experiments . advantageously , this can avoid problems associated with the back pressure changing as the liquid chromatography column 3 ages . although the preferred embodiment relates to varying the voltage applied to a capillary of an electrospray ionisation ion source , e . g . in dependence upon the change in percentage solvent of the mobile phase which is pumped through a liquid chromatography column as a function of time , other embodiments are also contemplated wherein another parameter of the ion source may be varied such as the probe distance , the probe height , a liquid flow rate or a nebuliser gas flow rate . although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims . | 6 |
fig1 is a diagram illustrating the software components underlying the system 10 of the present invention . there are three basic components of the underlying software . these components are the user interface ( ui ) 20 , the file management ( fm ) component 30 , and the compression / extraction engine ( ce ) 40 . the lowest level component is the compression / extraction engine 40 . the compression / extraction component 40 consists of the actual compression , extraction , and crc - 32 algorithms . these are written as a set of portable c language routines , with higher level c ++ routines interfacing with the higher level file management component 30 . the file management component 30 consists of the central directory 32 which holds a cached tree - like structure of the archive independent of the actual archive type . actual archive implementation is used by the central directory 22 to read / write data to the archives 34 and the user interface 20 . the central directory 32 consists of folder objects and file objects 36 . a services object 38 is also part of the file management component 30 . the services object 38 acts as a helper interface between the user interface component 20 and the file management component 30 . the user interface 20 consists of a shell 22 , a graphical user interface ( gui ) 24 , and a call level interface ( cli ) 26 . the data object 36 supports one or more standard file formats ( explorer or file manager drag and drop ), and one or more custom formats ( zip compressed non - encrypted and zip compressed ). when files are dropped from explorer to the archive , the archive requests available standard data formats to compress the data . when files are dropped from archive to explorer , explorer requests available standard data formats . in this instance , the data object will need to uncompress the data . when files are dropped from one zip archive to another zip archive , the target archive will be able to detect the native data and copy it without modification . when files are dropped from an arj archive to a zip archive , the zip archive will be able to recognize only standard formats , as a result , the arj data object will uncompress the data and the zip archive will compress the data . so it is possible to convert data between different archives . fig2 a - 2 e illustrate the different compression and extraction used by the present invention . in fig2 a , regular compression and extraction chains are shown . in fig2 b , compression data chains are shown , including the use of a generic converter involving no compression . in fig2 c , data here compression chains are shown . in fig2 d , getdata extraction chains are shown . in fig2 e , getdatahere extraction chains are shown . the compression / extraction engine 40 and the file management component 30 form the data compression library that is used to build applications , such as the present invention , needing zip compatible compression and file management . the present invention provides a software utility program that is integrated into microsoft windows explorer for managing and manipulating archive files without leaving the explorer environment . the invention includes an archive manager which allows a user to open , view , modify ( add / delete ), and extract data from an existing archive , or create a new archive using modified windows explorer right - click context menus , pull - down menus , toolbars , copy and paste operators , or drag and drop operators . fig3 displays a right - click context menu 50 of the present invention which may be used to open , modify and extract files from an exiting zip file , or create a new zip file . in opening a zip file , a user may simply double - click the file to view the contents of the file . alternatively , the following is an example of the steps one might follow to open and view the contents of a zip file . first , the zip archive to be opened is located by using windows explorer . then , the user right - clicks on the zip file he wants to open . a context menu appears . pkzip / explore is selected . the contents of the zip file will be displayed in the right pane under the archive manager . as another alternative , a user may select pkzip / explore pkzip folder to create a folder shortcut under the current folder , and display the contents of the zip file via this folder . to extract individual files and / or folders archived in a zip file , a user opens the zip file in explorer as discussed above and invokes the extract dialog , by selecting the extract menu item in the right - click context menu . the extract dialog appears , fig7 , allowing the user to manually specify a destination directory . alternatively , a user may select pkzip / extract here to extract the contents of the archive into the directory where the zip archive resides . to create a directory ( e . g ., “ test ”) under the directory where the zip archive resides , and extract all files in that directory , the user selects the “ extract - to ” menu item . alternatively , files may be extracted using a drag and drop operation . the user highlights the files and / or folders he wishes to extract , drags the files to a destination , and drops the files in the enabled destination . the files and / or folders will be automatically extracted into the drop destination . as the extraction process proceeds , the progress is displayed in a progress dialog , as shown in fig4 . if there is an error encountered during the extraction process , the error is indicated in the progress dialog and a log dialog , shown in fig9 . the present invention also allows a user to create a new zip file . the following is an example of the steps one might follow to create a new zip file . first , the user highlights the files and / or folders he wishes to archive . the user then clicks his right mouse button to bring up the context menu . pkzip / compress is then selected . the “ save as ” dialog appears , fig5 . a name and destination are specified for the zip file , and the save button is clicked to proceed . the progress dialog appears to monitor completion and to indicate errors in the process . the new zip file should now reside in the specified destination directory . a user may alternatively create a new zip file by other means as well . a user may create a new folder in an archive by selecting the new folder menu toolbar item and specifying a folder name as desired . adding or deleting files in a zip file works somewhat differently than these same operations do in explorer . for example , in explorer , when a user highlights a file and clicks the delete key , that file is immediately deleted . the present invention includes an edit - before - saving function , so that when a user highlights a file and clicks the delete key , a graphic instruction cue icon is displayed directly to the left of the file icon , indicating that this file is to be deleted . similarly , when a file is added to an archive , the program will display an add icon directly to the left of the file icon indicating that this file is to be added . in other words , a zip file is not actually modified until the user specifically instructs the program to save the zip file . the following is an example of the steps one might follow to modify an existing zip file . a user first locates and opens the zip file he wishes to modify . next , the files and / or folders to add to the archive are specified by clicking the add toolbar button , thereby invoking the add dialog , or by dragging the files and / or folders from their source and dropping them at a destination . a user may alternately use the copy and past operation to specify files and / or folders to add to the archive . the program will display an add icon ( such as plus symbol ) indicating that these files and / or folders are to be added when the archive is saved . in a similar manner , a user may specify files and / or folders to delete in the archive by highlighting the files the user wishes to delete , and clicking the delete key , or by selecting the delete menu item . the program will display a delete icon ( such as a circle with a slash through it ) indicating that these files and / or folders are to be deleted when the archive is saved . after the user is finished modifying the zip file , the file may be saved by selecting the save menu item available under the file menu , or by use of the right - click context menu . a user may also click the save button on the toolbar . to save the modifications to another zip file , select the save as or save copy as menu items . fig6 a and 6 b display modifications and additions to the explorer toolbar buttons and menu items used in the present invention . the present invention may also include many options which may be configured in the options tab dialog accessible via the menu / tool bar or via the right - click context menu . one option is the compression method . under this option , a user may specify a compression algorithm other than the default algorithm . the compression algorithms to choose from may include store , dcl implode , and deflate . by default , all files are compressed using the deflate algorithm . as one example , a user may wish to use the store feature for all jpeg files , since the compression ratios on files of this type are typically negligible . a user may specify a default method or extension specific method under the extension column . depending on the compression method specified , a user may wish to configure one or more of the storage parameters , as described below . there are no available settings for the store method . the program simply archives the specified files without compression . since the program does not expend time compressing files , this is the fastest method of archival . under the dcl implode method of compression , the dictionary byte size ( i . e ., 1024 , 2048 , 4096 ) a user wishes to use when compressing files is configurable along with the data type . the binary setting should be selected to optimize compression of program files or other non - text files . the ascii setting should be selected to optimize compression of text files . most zip utilities use the deflate algorithm to compress files . under this algorithm , the compression level may be set using a slide bar to specify the level of compression you wish to apply when archiving files . moving the slide bar all the way left instructs the program to use the fastest method of compression . moving the slide bar right increases the time the program expends compressing the file which , as a result , improves compression . moving the slide bar all the way right instructs the program to apply maximum compression to files . this is the slowest method of file archival because the program must expend time maximizing compression on the files . typically , applying maximum compression results in the smallest zip file . in addition , the dictionary kilobyte size may be selected when using the deflate algorithm . the dictionary size is selectable between a 32k dictionary and a 64k dictionary . the 64k dictionary provides slightly better compression ratios , but may not be compatible with all zip utilities . the present invention also allows the user to digitally sign and encrypt the individual files archived in a zip file as well as the central end directory , and subsequently to authenticate and decrypt those files upon extraction . the signing and encrypting functionality is based on pkcs no . 7 , and related public key encryption standards and is therefore compatible with security functionality in other applications such as microsoft &# 39 ; s internet explorer . signing a zip file allows one to detect whether a zip file &# 39 ; s integrity has been compromised . encrypting a file denies access to the file &# 39 ; s contents by unauthorized users . before a user can sign or encrypt files , he must first have a digital certificate with which to sign or encrypt . a digital certificate may be obtained from verisign or thawte or from another certificate authority . the present invention also provides a software utility program that integrates the compression / extraction engine into microsoft outlook to compress , encrypt and authenticate email attachments without leaving the outlook environment . the invention includes a toolbar button and a tooltray menu that allows turning the compression of email attachments on or off . the compression of email attachments reduces the storage and transfer time of email messages and can reduce the spread of common email attachment viruses . the system of the present invention may further include a more generally applicable mail attachment compressor module . most email programs support sending file attachments along with the main body of the email message . most users can choose to send the attached file as it originally exists , or compress it prior to attachment to the mail message so it is smaller and more efficient to send and store . currently , the file to be attached must be manually compressed outside the email program and then attached using the attachment features of the email program . the mail attachment compressor module of the present invention integrates compression into the standard microsoft outlook mail message edit form so compressing attachments can be done automatically as the message is sent . the mail attachment compressor module also provides the ability to digitally sign attachments as they are sent for greater security . after installing the program of the present invention , the mail faun of microsoft outlook will have two additional buttons in its “ standard ” toolbar . these buttons include a toggle compression button and an options button . if the toggle compression button is not depressed ( the default state ), all mail attachments will be compressed automatically when the standard “ send ” button is used to send the message . attachments already compressed when attached will be left as is , while attachments that are not compressed will be compressed into a single . zip file that will replace the original uncompressed attachments . when the toggle compression button is depressed , the compression will not be done and the files will be sent as attached . the options button will display the options configuration dialogs from the compression / extraction engine so that the compression actions can be configured . the primary use of this button is to configure digital certificates , but any configurable parameters supported by the compression / extraction engine can be set . these parameters include digital certificates , passwords and compression method options . operation of the mail attachment compressor program is initiated by installing the mail attachment compressor module software onto the users system , and initiating microsoft outlook . if the mail attachment compression feature is enabled through the toggle button , the attachments will automatically be compressed when the message is sent using the send button . if the mail attachment compression feature is not enabled , then the attachments will be sent unaltered . the components of the mail attachment compressor module provide the functionality to be implemented within microsoft outlook and provide integration between this module and the underlying compression / extraction engine . when compressing an attachment , the files to be compressed will be passed off to the compression / extraction engine of the underlying software program . after compression , the compressed file will be reattached to the original message , the original copies of the attachments that are now compressed will be removed from the message , and any temporary files created during compression will be deleted . the mail attachments module uses the compression / extraction engine to hook directly into microsoft outlook to allow users to compress email attachments into zip files . this module provides an automation hook so that email attachments appended to outlook mail messages can be automatically compressed when the message is sent . the scan and add dialog of the archive manager is invoked via the scan and add toolbar button or the explorer file / right - click menu . once the user is finished specifying files to add to the archive manager list , the user clicks ok to add the selected file shortcuts to his list and return to explorer , or he clicks apply to add the selected files and remain in the scan and add dialog . the options available via this dialog include files and folders , multiple selection scan , and scan and add form . the archive manager allows the user to add unopened archives to the archive manager list , and to add multiple files using the multiple selection scan option under the archive manager . while the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments , those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain substitutions , alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention . accordingly , the foregoing description is meant to be exemplary only , and should not limit the scope of the invention set forth in the following claims . | 6 |
referring to the drawings , and more particularly to fig1 , a watercraft having an engine cover constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is generally shown at 10 . the watercraft 10 has a bow b , a stern s , a port side p and a starboard side d . the watercraft 10 has two main parts , namely a hull 12 defining an underside of the watercraft 10 , and a deck 14 . the hull 12 buoyantly supports the watercraft 10 on the water . the deck 14 has a recessed passenger area 16 designed to accommodate passengers . an inner cavity ( not shown ) is defined between the hull 12 and the deck 14 , and the engine 18 of the watercraft 10 is received therein , at the stern s of the watercraft 10 , as well a propulsion system ( not shown ). the watercraft 10 is a jet - powered boat , and may have more than one engine . an engine cover 20 is positioned generally above the engine 18 , and between the passenger area 16 and the stern s of the watercraft 10 , so as to selectively provide access to the engine , for repair or maintenance . seating 19 is positioned at a rear end of the recessed passenger area 16 , adjacent and forward to the engine cover 20 . in fig1 , the engine cover 20 is in its closed position on the deck 14 . in this closed position , the engine cover 20 is sealingly positioned on the deck 14 so as to substantially prevent water from entering the inner cavity of the watercraft 10 . in the closed position , the engine cover 20 defines a sundeck 21 outside of normal passenger area 16 , whereupon passengers may sit or lie when the watercraft 10 is idle . referring to fig2 and 3 , the engine cover 20 is shown in its opened position . the engine cover 20 has a base structure 22 and a top panel 23 , fixed to a top end of the base structure 22 . the base structure 22 has a hollow body , for instance consisting of the same material as the deck 14 ( e . g ., fiberglass ) or other suitable material ( e . g ., plastic ). in fig2 , an underside of the top panel 23 is visible through the hollow body of the base structure 22 . the base structure 22 is pivotally mounted to the deck 14 by hinges 24 ( fig2 ). the rotation axis of the hinges is generally transverse to a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft 10 . although the base structure 22 is shown pivotally mounted at its rear end to the deck 14 , it is contemplated to pivotally connect the front end of the base structure 22 to the deck 14 , rather than the rear end . the engine cover 20 is latched to the deck 14 , by a latching mechanism ( not shown ) in the deck 14 cooperating with a latch stud 25 on an underside 31 of the base structure 22 . the latch mechanism of the deck 14 is , for instance , remotely triggered by a lever positioned at the driver &# 39 ; s seat of the watercraft 10 , or in a lockable compartment ( e . g ., glove compartment ). it is preferred that the latch mechanism be lockable to lock the engine cover 20 to the deck 14 . cylinders 26 d and 26 p ( fig2 ) are provided to maintain the engine cover 20 in its opened position , but retract under manual force for the engine cover 20 to be closed . it is pointed out that like elements positioned on opposed sides of the watercraft 10 will be affixed with letters “ d ” and “ p ” in the figures to indicate the starboard side or the port side ( e . g ., cylinders 26 d and 26 p ). grab handles 27 ( fig3 ) are conveniently positioned on a stern - facing portion of the base structure 22 , and on the deck 14 at the stern s of the watercraft 10 . an engine access opening 28 ( fig3 ) is defined in the deck 14 , and the inner cavity and the engine of the watercraft 10 may be accessed therethrough . a ledge 30 ( fig3 ) bounds the engine access opening 28 ( fig3 ). a storage tray panel , as illustrated at 29 in fig6 , is held onto the ledge 30 and a flange 30 a in the engine access opening 28 , so as to block the engine access opening 28 . a seal 29 a ( fragmented in fig6 ) may be provided to seal the contact surfaces between the storage tray panel 29 and the engine access opening 28 . an insulator layer 29 b ( fragmented in fig6 ) may be provided on an underside of the storage tray panel to form a heat barrier between the engine compartment and a tray 29 d of the storage tray panel . the storage tray panel is simply supported by gravity . the storage tray panel may alternatively have a pair of trays ( e . g ., a port tray and a starboard tray ). referring to fig2 and 3 , the underside 31 of the base structure 22 has a gasket 32 ( fig2 ) that will be seated onto the ledge 30 when the engine cover 20 is in its closed position . the ledge 30 and the gasket 32 cooperate to substantially prevent water from infiltrating the inner cavity of the watercraft 10 . referring to fig1 and 3 , the sundeck 21 has the top panel 23 and doors 36 d and 36 p supported by the top panel 23 . the doors 36 d and 36 p are separated from one another at a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft 10 . the doors 36 d and 36 p can be opened so as to access the storage trays supported in the engine access opening 28 ( fig3 ). however , in fig1 and 3 , the doors 36 d and 36 p are in their closed position . the doors 36 d and 36 p each typically consist of a rigid base ( e . g ., plastic ) supporting a cushion or cushions . referring to fig5 , the doors 36 d and 36 p are shown in their opened position with respect to the top panel 23 . the top panel 23 has openings 38 d and 38 p . the openings 38 d and 38 p provide access to the inside of the base structure 22 , and hence to the storage trays supported in the engine access opening 28 ( fig3 ) or to the inner cavity of the watercraft 10 in the absence of a storage tray panel . alternatively , the top panel 23 may have a single large opening ( not shown ) rather than the openings 38 d and 38 p , that would be partially covered by either one of the doors 36 d and 36 p . the doors 36 d and 36 p are pivotally mounted to the top panel 23 by hinges 40 d and 40 p , respectively . cylinders 42 d and 42 p are respectively provided for maintaining the doors 36 d and 36 p in their opened position , but retract under manual force for the doors 36 d and 36 p to be closed . gaskets 44 d and 44 p are provided on the undersides of the doors 36 d and 36 p , respectively . the gaskets 44 d and 44 p ensure a generally watertight relation between the doors 36 d and 36 p , respectively , and the top panel 23 , such that water is substantially prevented from entering the inner cavity of the watercraft 10 through the openings 38 d and 38 p , when the doors 36 are in their respective closed positions . in fig4 , the door 36 p is shown in its closed position with respect to the top panel 23 , whereas the door 36 d is in its opened position . the door 36 d has a pair of locking mechanisms . firstly , a latch mechanism 46 is positioned on the underside of the door 36 d and cooperates with a latch stud 48 on the top panel 23 . the latch stud 48 is positioned in a recess 49 in the top panel 23 , in which the latch mechanism 46 is accommodated when the door 36 d is in its closed position . the latch mechanism 46 can be released by a flexible handle 50 thereof . the handle 50 emerges from between the doors 36 d and 36 p when same are closed ( fig1 and 3 ) to be pulled for opening the door 36 d . the recess 49 is provided with drain holes to drain water out of the recess 49 , to substantially prevent accumulation of water therein . secondly , a slide bolt 52 is also positioned on the underside of the door 36 d . the slide bolt 52 cooperates with a catch 53 provided on the periphery of the opening 38 d in the top panel 23 . the slide bolt 52 can only be triggered to lock / unlock the door 36 d to / from the top panel 23 from an inside of the base structure 22 . accordingly , the slide bolt 52 can be used to lock the door 36 d to the top panel 23 . as the base structure 22 is preferably lockable onto the deck 14 , as mentioned previously , the door 36 d can be locked to the top panel 23 for restricted access to the storage trays through the door 36 d . referring to fig5 , the door 36 p has a tab 54 . the tab 54 extends planar with the underside of the door 36 p beyond an edge 55 of the door 36 p . the tab 54 has a groove 56 that is in register with the latch stud 48 of the top panel 23 when the door 36 p is in its closed position , so as not to interfere with the latch mechanism 46 . the tab 54 will extend partly under the door 36 d when both doors 36 are in their respective closed positions . accordingly , the door 36 p cannot be opened unless the door 36 d has been previously opened . as the door 36 d is lockable to the top panel 23 with the slide bolt 52 , the door 36 p is also locked to the top panel 23 . referring to fig5 , the top panel 23 has gutters 58 d and 58 p formed therein , so as to guide water off the top panel 23 . other gutters may be provided on the top panel 23 , to substantially prevent water from pooling thereon . it is contemplated to provide each of the doors 36 d and 36 p with its own latch mechanism 46 . in such an embodiment , both doors 36 d and 36 p could be opened separately , as opposed to the previously described embodiment . it is also contemplated to provide each of the doors 36 d and 36 p with its own slide bolt 52 . ultimately , each of the doors 36 d and 36 p may each have an own latch mechanism 46 and an own slide bolt 52 . each of the openings 38 d and 38 p may be provided with an individual storage tray panel ( not shown ). these individual storage tray panels could be hung on the periphery of the openings 38 d and 38 p , similarly to the positioning of the storage tray panel 29 in the engine access opening 28 in fig6 . it is appreciated that the above described preferred embodiment of the engine cover 20 is practical in that a person seated on the door 36 p can have access to one of the storage trays under the engine cover 20 . however , it is also contemplated to provide the hinges on other edges of the doors 36 d and 36 p . the above described configuration allows for a single latch mechanism ( i . e ., the latch mechanism 46 ) to be used while nonetheless having both doors 36 d and 36 p lockable onto the base structure 22 , by way of the tab 54 . | 1 |
a radial tire constructed in accordance with the present invention , as shown at 10 in fig1 is comprised of a tire body including a tread 11 , a carcass 14 located in the body and a liner 15 disposed peripherally over the carcass 14 . a first belt ply 12 is formed of an aramid fiber cord and arranged adjacent to the tread 11 . interposed between the belt ply 12 and the carcass 14 is a second belt ply 13 formed of a steel wire cord . importantly , each of the belt plies 12 and 13 has coated on both sides a rubber composition later described . while fig1 is taken to illustrate two belt plies , an additional ply or plies may be used . the belt plies 12 and 13 may be assembled in various ways as seen from fig2 a to 2c . in either case , the aramid fiber cord is preferred for the first ply 12 and the steel wire cord for the second ply 13 . the rubber composition used for the purpose of the invention is essentially comprised of : ( 3 ) 0 . 5 - 3 parts by weight of resorcinol , its precondensate or their combination ; ( 5 ) 0 . 05 - 0 . 5 part by weight of a cobalt compound derived from an organic acid . component ( 1 ) typically includes natural rubber ( nr ), isoprene rubber ( ir ), acrylonitrile - butadiene copolymer rubber ( nbr ), butyl rubber ( iir ), styrene - butadiene rubber ( sbr ), butadiene rubber ( br ), styrene - butadiene copolymer rubber ( sbr ) and their combinations . no particular restriction is imposed on these rubbers , and any rubbers known for tire belts may suitably be used . the amount of each of components ( 2 ) to ( 5 ) to be added with component ( 1 ) should not depart from the above specified range . greater amounts of component ( 2 ) would result in a rubber mix being physically poor . component ( 3 ) if smaller amounts would not be effective in improving mechanical strength and if larger amounts would mar destruction resistance . component ( 4 ) has an important role to impart sufficient adhesion to tire reinforcements such as steel cords , but excess hmmm would render the finished rubber mix physically deteriorative . specific examples of component ( 5 ) include cobalt naphthenate , cobalt octylate and complexes of boron and organic acid - derived cobalt compounds such as for example one tradenamed &# 34 ; manobond 680c &# 34 ; manufactured by manchem co ., ltd . smaller amounts would invite inadequate adhesiveness , whereas greater amounts would lead to fast deterioration and insufficient adhesion . the rubber composition according to the invention may be incorporated with various other additives such as carbon black , vulcanization accelerators , antioxidants and the like . carbon black of an haf type is preferred . the sequence of admixing components ( 2 ) to ( 5 ) with component ( 1 ) is not particularly limited . blending may be effected in known manner . the following examples are given to further illustrate the present invention , but should not be construed as limiting the invention . four different rubber mixes were prepared as shown in table 1 , followed by coating on aramid fiber cords and steel wire cords as given in table 2 , after which seven tires of a 205 / 50 vr15 size were provided . indoor running test was carried out as regards each of the tires as produced , after aging at 80 ° c . for 2 weeks and after disposition at 96 % rh and at 70 ° c . for 4 weeks with the results shown in terms of indices in table 2 . performance evaluation was made by the running distance required for tire destruction took place with a speedup of 8 km / hr at an interval of 30 minutes starting from 121 km / hr on fmvss &# 39 ; s no . 109 high - performance extension tester . the rubber mixes of inventive example 2 ( composition d ) and comparative example 5 ( composition a ) were coated respectively onto bias - plied kevlar cords of 1500 d / 2 , followed by vulcanization at 160 ° c . for 15 minutes . on dipping in water at room temperature for one day and for 3 days , the resulting samples were examined by peel test for water - resistant adhesion . in addition , the same mixes were coated onto parallel - plied kevlar cords of 1500 d / 2 , and measurement was made of peel strength at 100 ° c ., i . e . heat stability . the results of both tests were given in table 3 . as is apparent from tables 2 and 3 , the rubber compositions according to the invention are highly satisfactory in respect of all the physical characteristics tested . this is attributable to the fiber and steel cords being coatable with one and the same composition , physically identical between the belt plies and free from ply separation , whereby modulus and other important physical properties are uniformly attainable . the inventive composition is sufficiently adhesive to aramid fibers and to steel wires and highly resistant to water and to heat and hence immune from ply separation upon moisturing . although the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments , it will be noted that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims . table 1______________________________________ rubber compositionsformulations a b c d______________________________________nr 100 . 0 100 . 0 100 . 0 100 . 0carbon black ( haf ) 60 . 0 60 . 0 60 . 0 60 . 0zinc oxide 10 . 0 10 . 0 10 . 0 10 . 0antioxidant ( 3c )* 1 . 0 1 . 0 1 . 0 1 . 0process oil 2 . 0 2 . 0 2 . 0 2 . 0vulcanization accelerator 0 . 5 0 . 5 0 . 5 0 . 5cobalt naphtherate 2 . 0 -- 2 . 0 2 . 0 ( co content : 10 %) insoluble sulfur ( 80 %) 8 . 0 4 . 0 8 . 0 4 . 0resorcinol condensate ** -- 2 . 0 2 . 0 2 . 0hmmm -- 3 . 5 3 . 5 3 . 5______________________________________ * nocrac 3c , nphenyl - n ( 1 , 3 - dimethylbutyl - p - phenylenediamine , ohuchi shinko kagaku kogyo k . k . ** b18s , koppers company , inc . table 2__________________________________________________________________________ standard comparative examples inventive standard comparative examplestires example 1 1 2 example 1 example 2 3 4__________________________________________________________________________rubber - coated a b c d b c daramid cordrubber - coated a b c d a a asteel cordtire as 100 88 106 107 107 102 107producedheat - aged tire 91 95 89 101 100 90 96moistened tire 83 65 90 95 80 88 92__________________________________________________________________________ table 3______________________________________ comparative inventivephysical properties example 5 example 2______________________________________water resistancebefore dipping 13 . 0 kg ( 4 . 5 ) 15 . 0 kg ( 5 . 0 ) 1 - day dipping 8 . 5 kg ( 1 . 0 ) 12 . 5 kg ( 2 . 5 ) 3 - day dipping 8 . 5 kg ( 1 . 0 ) 12 . 0 kg ( 2 . 5 ) heat resistancebefore heating 14 . 5 kg ( 3 . 5 ) 15 . 5 kg ( 4 . 5 ) after heating 9 . 0 kg ( 2 . 0 ) 16 . 5 kg ( 3 . 0 ) ______________________________________ parentheses : ratios of rubber covering 5 . 0 : release surface entirely covered with rubber 1 . 0 : sample cord fully exposed | 8 |
the polyolefins used in this invention are generally thermoplastic resins , which are crosslinkable . they can be homopolymers or copolymers produced from two or more comonomers , or a blend of two or more of these polymers , conventionally used in film , sheet , and tubing , and as jacketing and / or insulating materials in wire and cable applications . the monomers useful in the production of these homopolymers and copolymers can have 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and preferably have 2 to 12 carbon atoms . examples of these monomers are alpha - olefins such as ethylene , propylene , 1 - butene , 1 - hexene , 4 - methyl - 1 - pentene , and 1 - octene ; unsaturated esters such as vinyl acetate , ethyl acrylate , methyl acrylate , methyl methacrylate , t - butyl acrylate , n - butyl acrylate , n - butyl methacrylate , 2 - ethylhexyl acrylate , and other alkyl acrylates ; diolefins such as 1 , 4 - pentadiene , 1 , 3 - hexadiene , 1 , 5 - hexadiene , 1 , 4 - octadiene , and ethylidene norbornene , commonly the third monomer in a terpolymer ; other monomers such as styrene , p - methyl styrene , alpha - methyl styrene , p - chloro styrene , vinyl naphthalene , and similar aryl olefins ; nitriles such as acrylonitrile , methacrylonitrile , and alpha - chloroacrylonitrile ; vinyl methyl ketone , vinyl methyl ether , vinylidene chloride , maleic anhydride , vinyl chloride , vinylidene chloride , vinyl alcohol , tetrafiuoroethylene , and chlorotrifiuoroethylene ; and acrylic acid , methacrylic acid , and other similar unsaturated acids . the homopolymers and copolymers referred to can be nonhalogenated , or halogenated in a conventional manner , generally with chlorine or bromine . examples of halogenated polymers are polyvinyl chloride , polyvinylidene chloride , and polytetrafiuoroethylene . the homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene and propylene are preferred , both in the non - halogenated and halogenated form . included in this preferred group are terpolymers such as ethylene / propylene / diene monomer rubbers . other examples of ethylene polymers are as follows : a high pressure homopolymer of ethylene ; a copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha - olefins having 3 to 12 carbon atoms ; a homopolymer or copolymer of ethylene having a hydrolyzable silane grafted to their backbones ; a copolymer of ethylene and a hydrolyzable silane ; or a copolymer of an alpha - olefin having 2 to 12 carbon atoms and an unsaturated ester having 4 to 20 carbon atoms , e . g ., an ethylene / ethyl acrylate or vinyl acetate copolymer ; an ethylene / ethyl acrylate or vinyl acetate / hydrolyzable silane terpolymer ; and ethylene / ethyl acrylate or vinyl acetate copolymers having a hydrolyzable silane grafted to their backbones . with respect to polypropylene : homopolymers and copolymers of propylene and one or more other alpha - olefins wherein the portion of the copolymer based on propylene is at least about 60 percent by weight based on the weight of the copolymer can be used to provide the polyolefin of the invention . the polypropylene can be prepared by conventional processes such as the process described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 414 , 132 . the alpha - olefins in the copolymer are preferably those having 2 or 4 to 12 carbon atoms . the homopolymer or copolymers can be crosslinked or cured with an organic peroxide , or to make them hydrolyzable , they can be grafted with an alkenyl trialkoxy silane in the presence of an organic peroxide which acts as a free radical generator or catalyst . useful alkenyl trialkoxy silanes include the vinyl trialkoxy silanes such as vinyl trimethoxy silane , vinyl triethoxy silane , and vinyl triisopropoxy silane . the alkenyl and alkoxy radicals can have 1 to 30 carbon atoms and preferably have 1 to 12 carbon atoms . the homopolymers or copolymers of ethylene wherein ethylene is the primary comonomer and the homopolymers and copolymers of propylene wherein propylene is the primary comonomer may be referred to herein as polyethylene and polypropylene , respectively . hydrolyzable polymers can be cured with moisture in the presence of a conventional silanol condensation catalyst such as dibutyltin dilaurate , dioctyl tin maleate , stannous acetate , and stannous octoate . the polyethylenes can have a density in the range of about 0 . 850 to about 0 . 970 gram per cubic centimeter . the density is preferably in the range of about 0 . 926 to about 0 . 970 gram per cubic centimeter . medium and high density polyethylenes are preferred . hydrocarbon cable filler grease is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds , which is semisolid at use temperatures . it is known industrially as &# 34 ; cable filling compound &# 34 ;. a typical requirement of cable filling compounds is that the grease has minimal leakage from the cut end of a cable at a 60 ° c . or higher temperature rating . another typical requirement is that the grease resist water leakage through a short length of cut cable when water pressure is applied at one end . among other typical requirements are cost competitiveness ; minimal detrimental effect on signal transmission ; minimal detrimental effect on the physical characteristics of the polymeric insulation and cable sheathing materials ; thermal and oxidative stability ; and cable fabrication processability . cable fabrication can be accomplished by heating the cable filling compound to a temperature of approximately 100 ° c . this liquefies the filling compound so that it can be pumped into the multiconductor cable core to fully impregnate the interstices and eliminate all air space . alternatively , thixotropic cable filling compounds using shear induced flow can be processed at reduced temperatures in the same manner . a cross section of a typical finished grease - filled cable transmission core is made up of about 52 percent insulated wire and about 48 percent interstices in terms of the areas of the total cross section . since the interstices are completely filled with cable filling compound , a filled cable core typically contains about 48 percent by volume of cable filler . the cable filling compound or one or more of its hydrocarbon constituents enter the insulation through absorption from the interstices . generally , the insulation absorbs about 3 to about 30 parts by weight of cable filling compound or one or more of its hydrocarbon constituents , in toto , based on 100 parts by weight of polyolefin . a typical absorption is in the range of a total of about 5 to about 25 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of polyolefin . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the combination of resin , cable filling compound constituents , and antioxidants in the insulation is more difficult to stabilize than an insulating layer containing only resin and antioxidant , and no cable filling compound constituent . examples of hydrocarbon cable filler greases are petrolatum ; petrolatum / polyolefin wax mixtures ; oil modified thermoplastic rubber ( etpr or extended thermoplastic rubber ); paraffin oil ; naphthenic oil ; mineral oil ; the aforementioned oils thickened with a residual oil , petrolatum , or wax ; polyethylene wax ; mineral oil / rubber block copolymer mixture ; lubricating grease ; and various mixtures thereof , all of which meet industrial requirements similar to those typified above . generally , cable filling compounds extract insulation antioxidants and , as noted above , are absorbed into the polymeric insulation . since each cable filling compound contains several hydrocarbons , both the absorption and the extraction behavior are preferential toward the lower molecular weight hydrocarbon wax and oil constituents . it is found that the insulation composition with its antioxidant not only has to resist extraction , but has to provide sufficient stabilization ( i ) to mediate against the copper conductor , which is a potential catalyst for insulation oxidative degradation , ( ii ) to counter the effect of residuals of chemical blowing agents present in cellular and cellular / solid ( foam / skin ) polymeric foamed insulation ; and ( iii ) to counter the effect of absorbed constituents from the cable filling compound . the first and second antioxidants are known antioxidants and the second antioxidant is a known metal deactivator . it is found that this mixture of antioxidants substantially resists the effects of extraction by grease as opposed to each alone , in particular , and other antioxidants in general . the amount of the mixture of first and second antioxidants typically used in the polyolefin is in the range of about 0 . 06 to about 2 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of polyolefin ; preferably , the amount of first antioxidant is in the range of about 0 . 01 to about 1 part by weight and the second antioxidant is in the range of about 0 . 05 to about 1 part by weight . optionally , about 0 . 05 to about 2 parts of conventional blowing agent can be included to provide foam rather than solid insulation . the mixture can be used in combination with disulfides , phosphites , hindered phenols , and hindered amines , as well as other conventional primary antioxidants in ratios of about 10 : 1 to about 1 : 10 for additional oxidative and thermal stability , but , of course , it must be determined to what extent these latter compounds are extracted by the grease since this could affect the efficacy of the combination . the following conventional additives can be added in conventional amounts if desired : ultraviolet absorbers , antistatic agents , pigments , dyes , fillers , slip agents , fire retardants , stabilizers , crosslinking agents , halogen scavengers , smoke inhibitors , crosslinking boosters , processing aids , e . g ., metal carboxylates , lubricants , plasticizers , viscosity control agents , and foaming or blowing agents such as azodicarbonamide . the fillers can include , among others , magnesium hydroxide and alumina trihydrate . as noted , other antioxidants and / or metal deactivators can also be used , but for these or any of the other additives , resistance to grease extraction must be considered . additional information concerning grease - filled cable can be found in eoll , the aging of filled cable with cellular insulation , international wire & amp ; cable symposium proceeding 1978 , pages 156 to 170 , and mitchell et al , development , characterization , and performance of an improved cable filling compound , international wire & amp ; cable symposium proceeding 1980 , pages 15 to 25 . the latter publication shows a typical cable construction on page 16 and gives additional examples of cable filling compounds . the patents and publications mentioned in this specification are incorporated by reference herein . 10 mil polyethylene plaques are prepared for testing . the polyethylene is a copolymer of ethylene and 1 - hexene . the density of the copolymer is 0 . 945 gram per cubic centimeter and the melt index is 0 . 75 gram per 10 minutes . a laboratory procedure simulating the grease filled cable application is used to demonstrate performance . polyethylene samples incorporating specified antioxidants are prepared using standard melt mixing techniques . in particular , there is a final melt mixing on a laboratory brabender ™ type mixer followed by preparation of the test plaques ( approximately 0 . 010 inch thick ) using a compression molding press at 150 ° c . with astm d - 1928 as a guideline . initial oxygen induction time ( oit ) is measured on these test plaques . a supply of hydrocarbon cable filler grease is heated to about 80 ° c . and well mixed to ensure uniformity . a supply of 30 millimeter dram vials are then each filled to approximately 25 millimeters with the cable filler grease . these vials are then cooled to room temperature for subsequent use . an oil extended thermoplastic rubber ( etpr ) type cable filler grease is the hydrocarbon cable filler grease used in these examples . it is a typical cable filling compound . each ten mil test plaque is then cut to provide about twenty approximately one - half inch square test specimens . before testing , each vial is reheated to about 70 ° c . to allow for the easy insertion of the test specimens . the specimens are inserted into the vial one at a time together with careful wetting of all surfaces with the cable filler grease . after all of the specimens have been inserted , the vials are loosely capped and placed in a 70 ° c . circulating air oven . specimens are removed after 4 weeks . the specimens are wiped dean with dry tissue for oxidation induction time ( oit ) testing . oit testing is accomplished in a differential scanning calorimeter with an oit test cell . the test conditions are : uncrimped aluminum pan ; no screen ; heat up to 200 ° c . under nitrogen , followed by a switch to a 50 milliliter flow of oxygen . oxidation induction time ( oit ) is the time interval between the start of oxygen flow and the exothermic decomposition of the test specimen . oit is reported in minutes ; the greater the number of minutes , the better the oit . oit is used as a measure of the oxidative stability of a sample as it proceeds through the cable filler grease exposure and the oxidative aging program . relative performance in the grease filled cable applications can be predicted by comparing initial sample oit to oit values after 70 ° c . cable filler grease exposure ( examples 1 to 11 ) followed by 90 ° c . oxidative aging ( in examples 12 to 14 ). the samples for examples 12 to 14 are prepared by extruding the polyethylene described above blended with the relevant antioxidants and 0 . 5 percent by weight ( based on the weight of the polyethylene ) of the blowing agent azodicarbonamide to provide a 0 . 008 inch foamed layer of insulation on 24 gauge copper wire . initial oit is measured at this time . the samples are then aged for 4 weeks in cable filler grease at 70 ° c . in the same manner as the above plaques . the samples are removed ; wiped clean ; and aged in air for 16 weeks at 90 ° c . the insulation is stripped from the copper wire and subjected to oit testing at the indicated intervals . as above , oit testing is accomplished in a differential scanning calorimeter with an oit test cell . the test conditions are : uncrimped aluminum pan ; no screen ; heat up to 200 ° c . under nitrogen , followed by a switch to a 50 milliliter flow of oxygen . oit is measured after 4 , 8 , and 20 weeks . antioxidant a is tetrakis methylene ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyhydrocinnamate )! methane . this antioxidant is widely used commercially in grease filled cable . antioxidant c is the reaction product of diphenylamine and acetone ( cas registry number 9003 - 79 - 6 ) in the table , the amounts of the antioxidants are given in percent by weight based on the weight of the formulation . the balance of each formulation is polyethylene . the only components of the formulations are polyethylene and the antioxidant ( s ), and , in examples 12 to 14 , a blowing agent . the experimental results summarized in the table show the improved performance in examples 1 to 11 with the mixture of antioxidants b and c or d versus the mixture of antioxidants a and b ; antioxidant b alone ; and antioxidant d alone , after the exposure to 70 ° c . cable filler grease . the experimental results summarized in the table also show the improved performance in examples 12 to 14 with the mixture of antioxidants b and c or d versus the mixture of antioxidants a and b after the exposure to 70 ° c . cable filler grease , and oxidative aging at 90 ° c . the laboratory results are expected to correspond to improved performance in the commercial grease filled cable application . table______________________________________example 1 2 3 4 5 6 7______________________________________a 0 . 21 -- -- -- -- -- -- b 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 30 0 . 50 0 . 50 -- c -- 0 . 21 0 . 30 0 . 18 0 . 30 0 . 10 0 . 30initial oit 234 300 274 229 267 314 314 week oit 144 279 269 221 236 216 75______________________________________example 8 9 10 11 12 13 14______________________________________a -- -- -- -- 0 . 21 -- -- b -- 0 . 50 -- 0 . 50 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 54c 0 . 10 -- -- -- -- 0 . 30 -- d -- 0 . 30 0 . 30 -- -- -- 0 . 30initial oit 17 300 21 170 237 262 2804 week oit 64 237 18 127 124 239 2178 week oit -- -- -- -- 85 184 12120 week oit -- -- -- -- 37 128 83______________________________________ | 7 |
preferred reaction products include the products of one or more crosslinked polymers having the formulae set forth in the summary of the invention , above , and one or more alkylating agents . the polymers are crosslinked . the level of crosslinking makes the polymers completely insoluble and thus limits the activity of the alkylated reaction product to the gastrointestinal tract only . thus , the compositions are non - systemic in their activity and will lead to reduced side - effects in the patient . by “ non - toxic ” it is meant that when ingested in therapeutically effective amounts neither the reaction products nor any ions released into the body upon ion exchange are harmful . cross - linking the polymer renders the polymer substantially resistant to absorption . when the polymer is administered as a salt , the cationic counterions are preferably selected to minimize adverse effects on the patient , as is more particularly described below . by “ stable ” it is meant that when ingested in therapeutically effective amounts the reaction products do not dissolve or otherwise decompose in vivo to form potentially harmful by - products , and remain substantially intact so that they can transport material out of the body . by “ salt ” it is meant that the nitrogen group in the repeat unit is protonated to create a positively charged nitrogen atom associated with a negatively charged counterion . by “ alkylating agent ” it is meant a reactant which , when reacted with the crosslinked polymer , causes an alkyl group or derivative thereof ( e . g ., a substituted alkyl , such as an aralkyl , hydroxyalkyl , alkylammonium salt , alkylamide , or combination thereof ) to be covalently bound to one or more of the nitrogen atoms of the polymer . one example of preferred polymer is characterized by a repeat unit having the formula or a salt or copolymer thereof ; wherein x is zero or an integer between about 1 to 4 . a second example of a preferred polymer is characterized by a repeat unit having the formula a third example of a preferred polymer is characterized by a repeat unit having the formula the polymers are preferably crosslinked prior to alkylation . examples of suitable crosslinking agents include acryloyl chloride , epichlorohydrin , butanedioldiglycidyl ether , ethanedioldiglycidyl ether , and dimethyl succinate . the amount of crosslinking agent is typically between 0 . 5 and 25 weight %, based upon combined weight of crosslinking agent and monomer , with 2 . 5 – 20 %, or 1 – 10 %, being preferred . typically , the amount of crosslinking agent that is reacted with the amine polymer is sufficient to cause reaction of between about 0 . 5 and twenty percent of the amines . in a preferred embodiment , between about 0 . 5 and six percent of the amine groups react with the crosslinking agent . crosslinking of the polymer can be achieved by reacting the polymer with a suitable crosslinking agent in an aqueous caustic solution at about 25 ° c . for a period of time of about eighteen hours to thereby form a gel . the gel is then combined with water and blended to form a particulate solid . the particulate solid can then be washed with water and dried under suitable conditions , such as a temperature of about 50 ° c . for a period of time of about eighteen hours . alkylation involves reaction between the nitrogen atoms of the polymer and the alkylating agent ( which may contain additional nitrogen atoms , e . g ., in the form of amido or ammonium groups ). in addition , the nitrogen atoms which do react with the alkylating agent ( s ) resist multiple alkylation to form quaternary ammonium ions such that less than 10 mol % of the nitrogen atoms form quaternary ammonium ions at the conclusion of alkylation . preferred alkylating agents have the formula rx where r is a c 1 – c 20 alkyl ( preferably c 4 – c 20 ), c 1 – c 20 hydroxy - alkyl ( preferably c 4 – c 20 hydroxyalkyl ), c 7 – c 20 aralkyl , c 1 – c 20 alkylammonium ( preferably c 4 – c 20 alkyl ammonium ), or c 1 – c 20 alkylamido ( preferably c 4 – c 20 alkyl amido ) group and x includes one or more electrophilic leaving groups . by “ electrophilic leaving group ” it is meant a group which is displaced by a nitrogen atom in the crosslinked polymer during the alkylation reaction . examples of preferred leaving groups include halide , epoxy , tosylate , and mesylate group . in the case of , e . g ., epoxy groups , the alkylation reaction causes opening of the three - membered epoxy ring . examples of preferred alkylating agents include a c 1 – c 20 alkyl halide ( e . g ., an n - butyl halide , n - hexyl halide , n - octyl halide , n - decyl halide , n - dodecyl halide , n - tetradecyl halide , n - octadecyl halide , and combinations thereof ); a c 1 – c 20 dihaloalkane ( e . g ., a 1 , 10 - dihalodecane ); a c 1 – c 20 hydroxyalkyl halide ( e . g ., an 11 - halo - 1 - undecanol ); a c 1 – c 20 aralkyl halide ( e . g ., a benzyl halide ); a c 1 – c 20 alkyl halide ammonium salt ( e . g ., a ( 4 - halobutyl ) trimethylammonium salt , ( 6 - halohexyl ) trimethyl - ammonium salt , ( 8 - halooctyl ) trimethylammonium salt , ( 10 - halodecyl ) trimethylammonium salt , ( 12 - halododecyl )- trimethylammonium salts and combinations thereof ); a c 1 – c 20 alkyl epoxy ammonium salt ( e . g ., a ( glycidylpropyl )- trimethylammonium salt ); and a c 1 – c 20 epoxy alkylamide ( e . g ., an n -( 2 , 3 - eoxypropane ) butyramide , n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) hexanamide , and combinations thereof ). it is particularly preferred to react the polymer with at least two alkylating agents , added simultaneously or sequentially to the polymer . in one preferred example , one of the alkylating agents has the formula rx where r is a c 1 – c 20 alkyl group and x includes one or more electrophilic leaving groups ( e . g ., an alkyl halide ), and the other alkylating agent has the formula r ′ x where r ′ is a c 1 – c 20 alkyl ammonium group and x includes one or more electrophilic leaving groups ( e . g ., an alkyl halide ammonium salt ). in another preferred example , one of the alkylating agents has the formula rx where r is a c 1 – c 20 alkyl group and x includes one or more electrophilic leaving groups ( e . g ., an alkyl halide ), and the other alkylating agent has the formula r ′ x where r ′ is a c 1 – c 20 hydroxyalkyl group and x includes one or more electrophilic leaving groups ( e . g ., a hydroxy alkyl halide ). in another preferred example , one of the alkylating agents is a c 1 – c 20 dihaloalkane and the other alkylating agent is a c 1 – c 20 alkylammonium salt . the reaction products may have fixed positive charges , or may have the capability of becoming charged upon ingestion at physiological ph . in the latter case , the charged ions also pick up negatively charged counterions upon ingestion that can be exchanged with bile salts . in the case of reaction products having fixed positive charges , however , the reaction product may be provided with one or more exchangeable counterions . examples of suitable counterions include cl − , br − , ch 3 oso 3 − , hso 4 − , so 4 2 − , hco 3 − , co 3 − , acetate , lactate , succinate , propionate , butyrate , ascorbate , citrate , maleate , folate , an amino acid derivative , a nucleotide , a lipid , or a phospholipid . the counterions may be the same as , or different from , each other . for example , the reaction product may contain two different types of counterions , both of which are exchanged for the bile salts being removed . more than one reaction product , each having different counterions associated with the fixed charges , may be administered as well . the alkylating agent can be added to the cross - linked polymer at a molar ratio between about 0 . 05 : 1 to 4 : 1 , for example , the alkylating agents can be preferably selected to provide hydrophobic regions and hydrophilic regions . the amine polymer is typically alkylated by combining the polymer with the alkylating agents in an organic solvent . the amount of first alkylating agent combined with the amine polymer is generally sufficient to cause reaction of the first alkylating agent with between about 5 and 75 of the percent of amine groups on the amine polymer that are available for reaction . the amount of second alkylating agent combined with the amine polymer and solution is generally sufficient to cause reaction of the second alkylating agent with between about 5 and about 75 of the amine groups available for reaction on the amine polymer . examples of suitable organic solvents include methanol , ethanal , isopropanol , acetonitrile , dmf and dmso . a preferred organic solvent is methanol . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture is heated over a period of about forty minutes to a temperature of about 65 ° c ., with stirring . typically , an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution is continuously added during the reaction period . preferably , the reaction period at 65 ° c . is about eighteen hours , followed by gradual cooling to a room temperature of about 25 ° c . over a period of about four hours . the resulting reaction product is then filtered , resuspended in methanol , filtered again , and then washed with a suitable aqueous solution , such as two molar sodium chloride , and then with deionized water . the resultant solid product is then dried under suitable conditions , such as at a temperature of about 60 ° c . in an air - drying oven . the dried solid can then be subsequently processed . preferably , the solid is ground and passed through an 80 mesh sieve . in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention , the amine polymer is a crosslinked poly ( allylamine ), wherein the first substituent includes a hydrophobic decyl moiety , and the second amine substituent includes a hexyltrimethylammonium . further , the particularly preferred crosslinked poly ( allylamine ) is crosslinked by epichlorohydrin that is present in a range of between about two and six percent of the amines available for reaction with the epichlorohydrin . the invention will now be described more specifically by the examples . the first step involved the preparation of ethylidenebisacetamide . acetamide ( 118 g ), acetaldehyde ( 44 . 06 g ), copper acetate ( 0 . 2 g ), and water ( 300 ml ) were placed in a 1 l three neck flask fitted with condenser , thermometer , and mechanical stirred . concentrated hcl ( 34 ml ) was added and the mixture was heated to 45 – 50 ° c . with stirring for 24 hours . the water was then removed in vacuo to leave a thick sludge which formed crystals on cooling to 5 ° c . acetone ( 200 ml ) was added and stirred for a few minutes , after which the solid was filtered off and discarded . the acetone was cooled to 0 ° c . and solid was filtered off . this solid was rinsed in 500 ml acetone and air dried 18 hours to yield 31 . 5 g of ethylidenebis - acetamide . the next step involved the preparation of vinylacetamide from ethylidenebisacetamide . ethylidenebisacetamide ( 31 . 05 g ), calcium carbonate ( 2 g ) and celite 541 ( 2 g ) were placed in a 500 ml three neck flask fitted with a thermometer , a mechanical stirred , and a distilling heat atop a vigroux column . the mixture was vacuum distilled at 24 mm hg by heating the pot to 180 – 225 ° c . only a single fraction was collected ( 10 . 8 g ) which contained a large portion of acetamide in addition to the product ( determined by nmr ). this solid product was dissolved in isopropanol ( 30 ml ) to form the crude vinylacetamide solution used for polymerization . crude vinylacetamide solution ( 15 ml ), divinylbenzene ( 1 g , technical grade , 55 % pure , mixed isomers ), and aibn ( 0 . 3 g ) were mixed and heated to reflux under a nitrogen atmosphere for 90 minutes , forming a solid precipitate . the solution was cooled , isopropanol ( 50 ml ) was added , and the solid was collected by centrifugation . the solid was rinsed twice in isopropanol , once in water , and dried in a vacuum oven to yield 0 . 8 g of poly ( vinylacetamide ), which was used to prepare poly ( vinylamine as follows ). poly ( vinylacetamide ) ( 0 . 79 g ) was placed in a 100 ml one neck flask containing water ( 25 ml ) and conc . hcl ( 25 ml ). the mixture was refluxed for 5 days , after which the solid was filtered off , rinsed once in water , twice in isopropanol , and dried in a vacuum oven to yield 0 . 77 g of product . infrared spectroscopy indicated that a significant amount of the amide ( 1656 cm − 1 ) remained and that not much amine ( 1606 cm − 1 ) was formed . the product of this reaction (˜ 0 . 84 g ) was suspended in naoh ( 46 g ) and water ( 46 g ) and heated to boiling (˜ 140 ° c .). due to foaming the temperature was reduced and maintained at ˜ 100 ° c . for 2 hours . water ( 100 ml ) was added and the solid collected by filtration . after rinsing once in water the solid was suspended in water ( 500 ml ) and adjusted to ph 5 with acetic acid . the solid was again filtered off , rinsed with water , then isopropanol , and dried in a vacuum oven to yield 0 . 51 g of product . infrared spectroscopy indicated that significant amine had been formed . polyethyleneimine ( 120 g of a 50 % aqueous solution ; scientific polymer products ) was dissolved in water ( 250 ml ). epichlorohydrin ( 22 . 1 ml ) was added dropwise . the solution was heated to 60 ° c . for 4 hours , after which it had gelled . the gel was removed , blended with water ( 1 . 5 l ) and the solid was filtered off , rinsed three times with water ( 3 l ) and twice with isopropanol ( 3 l ), and the resulting gel was dried in a vacuum oven to yield 81 . 2 g of the title polymer . to a 2 liter , water - jacketed reaction kettle equipped with ( 1 ) a condenser topped with a nitrogen gas inlet , ( 2 ) a thermometer , and ( 3 ) a mechanical stirrer was added concentrated hydrochloric acid ( 360 ml ). the acid was cooled to 5 ° c . using circulating water in the jacket of the reaction kettle ( water temperature = 0 ° c .). allylamine ( 328 . 5 ml , 250 g ) was added dropwise with stirring while maintaining the reaction temperature at 5 – 10 ° c . after addition was complete , the mixture was removed , placed in a 3 liter one - neck flask , and 206 g of liquid was removed by rotary vacuum evaporation at 60 ° c . water ( 20 ml ) was then added and the liquid was returned to the reaction kettle . azobis ( amidinopropane ) dihydrochloride ( 0 . 5 g ) suspended in 11 ml of water was then added . the resulting reaction mixture was heated to 50 ° c . under a nitrogen atmosphere with stirring for 24 hours . additional azobis ( amidinopropane ) dihydrochloride ( 5 ml ) suspended in 11 ml of water was then added , after which heating and stirring were continued for an additional 44 hours . at the end of this period , distilled water ( 100 ml ) was added to the reaction mixture and the liquid mixture allowed to cool with stirring . the mixture was then removed and placed in a 2 liter separatory funnel , after which it was added dropwise to a stirring solution of methanol ( 4 l ), causing a solid to form . the solid was removed by filtration , re - suspended in methanol ( 4 l ), stirred for 1 hour , and collected by filtration . the methanol rinse was then repeated one more time and the solid dried in a vacuum oven to afford 215 . 1 g of poly ( allylamine ) hydrochloride as a granular white solid . to a 5 gallon vessel was added poly ( allylamine ) hydrochloride prepared as described in example 3 ( 1 kg ) and water ( 4 l ). the mixture was stirred to dissolve the hydrochloride and the ph was adjusted by adding solid naoh ( 284 g ). the resulting solution was cooled to room temperature , after which epichlorohydrin crosslinking agent ( 50 ml ) was added all at once with stirring . the resulting mixture was stirred gently until it gelled ( about 35 minutes ). the crosslinking reaction was allowed to proceed for an additional 18 hours at room temperature , after which the polymer gel was removed and placed in portions in a blender with a total of 10 l of water . each portion was blended gently for about 3 minutes to form coarse particles which were then stirred for 1 hour and collected by filtration . the solid was rinsed three times by suspending it in water ( 10 l , 15 l , 20 l ), stirring each suspension for 1 hour , and collecting the solid each time by filtration . the resulting solid was then rinsed once by suspending it in isopropanol ( 17 l ), stirring the mixture for 1 hour , and then collecting the solid by filtration , after which the solid was dried in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . for 18 hours to yield about 677 g of the cross linked polymer as a granular , brittle , white solid . to a 5 gallon plastic bucket was added poly ( allylamine ) hydrochloride prepared as described in example 3 ( 500 g ) and water ( 2 l ). the mixture was stirred to dissolve the hydrochloride and the ph was adjusted to 10 by adding solid naoh ( 134 . 6 g ). the resulting solution was cooled to room temperature in the bucket , after which 1 , 4 - butanedioldiglycidyl ether crosslinking agent ( 65 ml ) was added all at once with stirring . the resulting mixture was stirred gently until it gelled ( about 6 minutes ). the crosslinking reaction was allowed to proceed for an additional 18 hours at room temperature , after which the polymer gel was removed and dried in a vacuum oven at 75 ° c . for 24 hours . the dry solid was then ground and sieved to − 30 mesh , after which it was suspended in 6 gallons of water and stirred for 1 hour . the solid was then filtered off and the rinse process repeated two more times . the resulting solid was then air dried for 48 hours , followed by drying in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . for 24 hours to yield about 415 g of the crosslinked polymer as a white solid . to a 100 ml beaker was added poly ( allylamine ) hydrochloride prepared as described in example 3 ( 10 g ) and water ( 40 ml ). the mixture was stirred to dissolve the hydrochloride and the ph was adjusted to 10 by adding solid naoh . the resulting solution was cooled to room temperature in the beaker , after which 1 , 2 - ethanedioldiglycidyl ether crosslinking agent ( 2 . 0 ml ) was added all at once with stirring . the resulting mixture was stirred gently until it gelled ( about 4 minutes ). the crosslinking reaction was allowed to proceed for an additional 18 hours at room temperature , after which the polymer gel was removed and blended in 500 ml of methanol . the solid was then filtered off and suspended in water ( 500 ml ). after stirring for 1 hour , the solid was filtered off and the rinse process repeated . the resulting solid was rinsed twice in isopropanol ( 400 ml ) and then dried in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . for 24 hours to yield 8 . 7 g of the crosslinked polymer as a white solid . to a 500 ml round bottom flask was added poly ( allylamine ) hydrochloride prepared as described in example 3 ( 10 g ), methanol ( 100 ml ), and triethylamine ( 10 ml ). the mixture was stirred and dimethylsuccinate crosslinking agent ( 1 ml ) was added . the solution was heated to reflux and the stirring discontinued after 30 minutes . after 18 hours , the solution was cooled to room temperature , and the solid filtered off and blended in 400 ml of isopropanol . the solid was then filtered off and suspended in water ( 1 l ). after stirring for 1 hour , the solid was filtered off and the rinse process repeated two more times . the solid was then rinsed once in isopropanol ( 800 ml ) and dried in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . for 24 hours to yield 5 . 9 g of the crosslinked polymer as a white solid . into a 5 l three neck flask equipped with a mechanical stirred , a thermometer , and an addition funnel was added poly ( ethyleneimine ) ( 510 g of a 50 % aqueous solution , equivalent to 255 g of dry polymer ) and isopropanol ( 2 . 5 l ). acryloyl chloride crosslinking agent ( 50 g ) was added dropwise through the addition funnel over a 35 minute period while maintaining the temperature below 29 ° c . the solution was then heated to 60 ° c . with stirring for 18 hours , after which the solution was cooled and the solid immediately filtered off . the solid was then washed three times by suspending it in water ( 2 gallons ), stirring for 1 hour , and filtering to recover the solid . next , the solid was rinsed once by suspending it in methanol ( 2 gallons ), stirring for 30 minutes , and filtering to recover the solid . finally , the solid was rinsed in isopropanol as in example 7 and dried in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . for 18 hours to yield 206 g of the crosslinked polymer as a light orange granular solid . 9 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with butanedioldiglydicyl ether with 1 - iodooctane alkylating agent poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with butanedioldiglycidyl ether prepared as described in example 5 ( 5 g ) was suspended in methanol ( 100 ml ) and sodium hydroxide ( 0 . 2 g ) was added . after stirring for 15 minutes , 1 - iodooctane ( 1 . 92 ml ) was added and the mixture stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hours . the mixture was then cooled and the solid filtered off . next , the solid was washed by suspending it in isopropanol ( 500 ml ), after which it was stirred for 1 hour and then collected by filtration . the wash procedure was then repeated twice using aqueous sodium chloride ( 500 ml of a 1 m solution ), twice with water ( 500 ml ), and once with isopropanol ( 500 ml ) before drying in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . for 24 hours to yield 4 . 65 g of alkylated product . the procedure was repeated using 2 . 88 ml of 1 - iodooctane to yield 4 . 68 g of alkylated product . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 5 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 9 except that 3 . 84 ml of 1 - iodooctane was used . the procedure yielded 5 . 94 g of alkylated product . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 10 g ) was suspended in methanol ( 100 ml ) and sodium hydroxide ( 0 . 2 g ) was added . after stirring for 15 minutes , 1 - iodooctadecane ( 8 . 1 g ) was added and the mixture stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hours . the mixture was then cooled and the solid filtered off . next , the solid was washed by suspending it in isopropanol ( 500 ml ), after which it was stirred for 1 hour and then collected by filtration . the wash procedure was then repeated twice using aqueous sodium chloride ( 500 ml of a 1 m solution ), twice with water ( 500 ml ), and once with isopropanol ( 500 ml ) before drying in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . for 24 hours to yield 9 . 6 g of alkylated product . 12 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with butanedioldiglycidyl ether with 1 - iodododecane alkylating agent poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with butanedioldiglycidyl ether prepared as described in example 5 ( 5 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 2 . 47 ml of 1 - iodododecane was used . the procedure yielded 4 . 7 g of alkylated product . 13 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with butanedioldiglycidyl ether with benzyl bromide alkylating agent poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with butanedioldiglycidyl ether prepared as described in example 5 ( 5 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 2 . 42 ml of benzyl bromide was used . the procedure yielded 6 . 4 g of alkylated product . 14 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin with benzyl bromide alkylating agent poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 5 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 1 . 21 ml of benzyl bromide was used . the procedure yielded 6 . 6 g of alkylated product . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 20 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 7 . 15 g of 1 - iododecane and 2 . 1 g of naoh were used . the procedure yielded 20 . 67 g of alkylated product . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 20 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 22 . 03 g of 1 - iodobutane and 8 . 0 g of naoh were used . the procedure yielded 24 . 0 g of alkylated product . the procedure was also followed using 29 . 44 g and 14 . 72 g of 1 - iodobutane to yield 17 . 0 g and 21 . 0 g , respectively , of alkylated product . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 5 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 2 . 1 ml of 1 - iodotetradecane was used . the procedure yielded 5 . 2 g of alkylated product . the procedure was also followed using 6 . 4 ml of 1 - iodotetradecane to yield 7 . 15 g of alkylated product . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 8 ( 5 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 1 . 92 ml of 1 - iodooctane was used . the procedure yielded 5 . 0 g of alkylated product . 19 . alkylation of a copolymer of diethylene triamine and epichlorohydrin with 1 - iodooctane alkylating agent a copolymer of diethylene triamine and epichlorohydrin ( 10 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 1 . 92 ml of 1 - iodooctane was used . the procedure yielded 5 . 3 g of alkylated product . 20 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin with 1 - iodododecane and glycidyl - propyltrimethylammonium chloride alkylating agents poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 20 g ) was alkylated according to the procedure described in example 11 except that 23 . 66 g of 1 - iodododecane , 6 . 4 g of sodium hydroxide , and 500 ml of methanol were used . 24 grams of the alkylated product was then reacted with 50 g of 90 % glycidylpropyltrimethylammonium chloride in methanol ( 1 l ). the mixture was stirred at reflux for 24 hours , after which it was cooled to room temperature and washed successively with water ( three times using 2 . 5 l each time ). vacuum drying afforded 22 . 4 g of dialkylated product . dialkylated products were prepared in an analogous manner by replacing 1 - iodododecane with 1 - iododecane and 1 - iodooctadecane , respectively , followed by alkylation with glycidylpropyltrimethylammonium chloride . 21 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin with glycidylpropyltrimethylammonium chloride alkylating agent poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 5 g ) was reacted with 11 . 63 g of 90 % glycidylpropyltrimethylammonium chloride ( 1 mole equiv .) in methanol ( 100 ml ). the mixture was stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hours , after which it was cooled to room temperature and washed successively with water ( three times using 400 ml each time ) and isopropanol ( one time using 400 ml ). vacuum drying afforded 6 . 93 g of alkylated product . alkylated products were prepared in an analogous manner using 50 %, 200 %, and 300 % mole equiv of 90 % glycidylpropyltrimethylammonium chloride . 22 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin with ( 10 - bromodecyl ) trimethylammonium bromide alkylating agent the first step is the preparation of ( 10 - bromodecyl ) trimethylammonium bromide as follows . 1 , 10 - dibromodecane ( 200 g ) was dissolved in methanol ( 3 l ) in a 5 liter three neck round bottom flask fitted with a cold condenser (− 5 ° c .). to this mixture was added aqueous trimethylamine ( 176 ml of a 24 % aqueous solution , w / w ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 4 hours , after which is was heated to reflux for an additional 18 hours . at the conclusion of the heating period , the flask was cooled to 50 ° c . and the solvent removed under vacuum to leave a solid mass . acetone ( 300 ml ) was added and the mixture stirred at 40 ° c . for 1 hour . the solid was filtered off , resuspended in an additional portion of acetone ( 1 l ), and stirred for 90 minutes . at the conclusion of the stirring period , the solid was filtered and discarded , and the acetone fractions were combined and evaporated to dryness under vacuum . hexanes ( about 1 . 5 l ) were added and the mixture then stirred for 1 hour , after which the solid was filtered off and then rinsed on the filtration funnel with fresh hexanes . the resulting solid was then dissolved in isopropanol ( 75 ml ) at 40 ° c . ethyl acetate ( 1500 ml ) was added and the temperature raised to about 50 ° c . to fully dissolve all solid material . the flask was then wrapped in towels and placed in a freezer for 24 hours , resulting in the formation of solid crystals . the crystals were filtered off , rinsed in cold ethyl acetate , and dried in a vacuum oven at 75 ° c . to yield 100 . 9 g of ( 10 - bromodecyl ) trimethyl - ammonium bromide as white crystals . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 10 g ) was suspended in methanol ( 300 ml ). sodium hydroxide ( 3 . 3 g ) was added and the mixture stirred until it dissolved . ( 10 - bromodecyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ( 20 . 7 g ) was added and the mixture was refluxed with stirring for 20 hours . the mixture was then cooled to room temperature and washed successively with methanol ( two times using 1 l each time ), sodium chloride ) two times using 1 l of 1 m solution each time ), water ( three times using 1 l each time ), and isopropanol ( one time using 1 l ). vacuum drying yielded 14 . 3 g of alkylated product . 23 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin with ( 10 - bromodecyl ) trimethylammonium bromide and 1 , 10 - dibromodecane alkylating agents 1 , 10 - dibromodecane ( 200 g ) was dissolved in methanol ( 3 l ) in a 5 liter round bottom flask fitted with a cold condenser (− 5 ° c .). to this mixture was added aqueous trimethylamine ( 220 ml of a 24 % aqueous solution , w / w ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 4 hours , after which it was heated to reflux for an additional 24 hours . the flask was then cooled to room temperature and found to contain 3350 ml of clear liquid . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 30 g ) was suspended in the clear liquid ( 2 l ) and stirred for 10 minutes . sodium hydroxide ( 20 g ) was then added and the mixture stirred until it had dissolved . next , the mixture was refluxed with stirring for 24 hours , cooled to room temperature , and the solid filtered off . the solid was then washed successively with methanol ( one time using 10 l ), sodium chloride ( two times using 10 l of a 1 m solution each time ), water ( three times using 10 l each time ), and isopropanol ( one time using 5 l ). vacuum drying afforded 35 . 3 g of dialkylated product . 24 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin with ( 10 - bromodecyl ) trimethylammonium bromide and 1 - bromodecane alkylating agents poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 10 g ) was suspended in methanol ( 300 ml ). sodium hydroxide ( 4 . 99 g ) was added and the mixture stirred until it dissolved . ( 10 - bromodecyl ) trimethylammonium bromide prepared as described in example 22 ( 20 . 7 g ) and 1 - bromodecane were added and the mixture was refluxed with stirring for 20 hours . the mixture was then cooled to room temperature and washed successively with methanol ( two times using 1 l each time ), sodium chloride ( two times using 1 l of a 1 m solution each time ), water ( three times using 1 l each time ), and isopropanol ( one time using 1 l ). vacuum drying yielded 10 . 8 g of dialkylated product . dialkylated products were also prepared in analogous fashion using different amounts of 1 - bromodecane as follows : ( a ) 3 . 19 g 1 - bromodecane and 4 . 14 g sodium hydroxide to yield 11 . 8 g of dialkylated product ; ( b ) 38 . 4 g 1 - bromodecane and 6 . 96 g sodium hydroxide to yield 19 . 1 g of dialkylated product . dialkylated products were also prepared in analogous fashion using the following combinations of alkylating agents : 1 - bromodecane and ( 4 - bromobutyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ; 1 - bromodecane and ( 6 - bromohexyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ; 1 - bromodecane and ( 8 - bromooctyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ; 1 - bromodecane and ( 2 - bromoethyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ; 1 - bromodecane and ( 3 - bromopropyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ; 1 - bromohexane and ( 6 - bromohexyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ; 1 - bromododecane and ( 12 - bromododecyl ) trimethyl - ammonium bromide ; and 1 - bromooctane and ( 6 - bromohexyl ) trimethylammonium bromide . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 5 . 35 g ) was suspended in methanol ( 100 ml ). sodium hydroxide ( 1 . 10 g ) was added and the mixture stirred until it dissolved . 11 - bromo - 1 - undecanol ( 5 . 0 g ) was added and the mixture was refluxed with stirring for 20 hours , after which it was cooled to room temperature and washed successively with methanol ( one time using 3 l ), sodium chloride ( two times using 500 ml of a 1 m solution each time ), and water ( three times using 1 l each time ). vacuum drying yielded 6 . 47 g of alkylated product . the reaction was also performed using 1 . 05 g sodium hydroxide and 10 g 11 - bromo - 1 - undecanol to yield 8 . 86 g of alkylated product . the first step is the preparation of n - allyl butyramide as follows . butyroyl chloride ( 194 . 7 g , 1 . 83 mol ) in 1 l of tetrahydrofuran was added to a three neck round bottom flask equipped with a thermometer , stir bar , and dropping funnel . the contents of the flask were then cooled to 15 ° c . in an ice bath while stirring . allylamine ( 208 . 7 g , 3 . 65 mol ) in 50 ml of tetrahydrofuran was then added slowly through the dropping funnel while maintaining stirring . throughout the addition , the temperature was maintained at 15 ° c . after addition was complete , stirring continued for an additional 15 minutes , after which the solid allylamine chloride precipitate was filtered off . the filtrate was concentrated under vacuum to yield 236 . 4 g of n - allyl butyramide as a colorless viscous liquid . n - allyl butyramide ( 12 . 7 g , 0 . 1 mol ) was taken into a 1 l round bottom flask equipped with a stir bar and air condenser . methylene chloride ( 200 ml ) was added to the flask , followed by 3 - chloroperoxybenzoic acid ( 50 – 60 % strength , 200 g ) in five portions over the course of 30 minutes and the reaction allowed to proceed . after 16 hours , tlc analysis ( using 5 % methanol in dichloromethane ) showed complete formation of product . the reaction mixture was then cooled and filtered to remove solid benzoic acid precipitate . the filtrate was washed with saturated sodium sulfite solution ( two times using 100 ml each time ) and then with saturated dosium bicarbonate solution ( two times using 100 ml each time ). the dichloromethane layer was then dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated under vacuum to yield 10 . 0 g of n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) butyramide as a light yellow viscous liquid . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 10 g , − 80 sieved ) and methanol ( 250 ml ) were added to a 1 l round bottom flask , followed by n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) butyramide ( 0 . 97 g , 0 . 0067 mol , 5 mol %) and then sodium hydroxide pellets ( 0 . 55 g , 0 . 01375 mol ). the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature . after 16 hours , the reaction mixture was filtered and the solid washed successively with methanol ( three times using 300 ml each time ), water ( two times using 300 ml each time ), and isopropanol ( three times using 300 ml each time . vacuum drying at 54 ° c . overnight yielded 9 . 0 g of the alkylated product as a light yellow powder . alkylated products based upon 10 mol %, 20 mol %, and 30 mol % n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) butyramide were prepared in analogous fashion except that ( a ) in the 10 mol % case , 1 . 93 g ( 0 . 013 mol ) n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) butyramide and 1 . 1 g ( 0 . 0275 mol ) sodium hydroxide pellets were used to yield 8 . 3 g of alkylated product , ( b ) in the 20 mol % case , 3 . 86 g ( 0 . 026 mol ) n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) butyramide and 2 . 1 g ( 0 . 053 mol ) sodium hydroxide pellets were used to yield 8 . 2 g of alkylated product , and ( c ) in the 30 mol % case , 5 . 72 g ( 0 . 04 mol ) n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) butyramide and 2 . 1 g ( 0 . 053 mol ) sodium hydroxide pellets were used to yield 8 . 32 g of alkylated product . the first step is the preparation of n - allyl hexanamide as follows . hexanoyl chloride ( 33 g , 0 . 25 mol ) in 250 ml of tetrahydrofuran was added to a three neck round bottom flask equipped with a thermometer , stir bar , and dropping funnel . the contents of the flask were then cooled to 15 ° c . in an ice bath while stirring . allylamine ( 28 . 6 g , 0 . 5 mol ) in 200 ml of tetrahydrofuran was then added slowly through the dropping funnel while maintaining stirring . throughout the addition , the temperature was maintained at 15 ° c . after addition was complete , stirring continued for an additional 15 minutes , after which the solid allylamine chloride precipitate was filtered off . the filtration was concentrated under vacuum to yield 37 g of n - allyl hexanamide as a colorless viscous liquid . n - allyl hexanamide ( 16 g , 0 . 1 mol ) was taken into a 1 l round bottom flask equipped with a stir bar and air condenser . methylene chloride ( 200 ml ) was added to the flask , followed by 3 - chloroperoxybenzoic acid ( 50 – 60 % strength , 200 g ) in five portions over the course of 30 minutes and the reaction allowed to proceed . after 16 hours , tlc analysis ( using 5 % methanol in dichloromethane ) showed complete formation of product . the reaction mixture was then cooled and filtered to remove solid enzoic acid precipitate . the filtrate was washed with saturated sodium sulfite solution ( two times using 100 ml each time ) and then with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution ( two times using 100 ml each time ). the dichloromethane layer was then dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated under vacuum to yield 14 . 2 g of n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) hexanamide as a light yellow viscous liquid . poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin prepared as described in example 4 ( 10 g , − 80 sieved ) and methanol ( 250 ml ) were added to a 1 l round bottom flask , followed by n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) hexanamide ( 4 . 46 g , 0 . 026 mol , 20 mol %) and then sodium hydroxide pellets ( 2 . 1 g , 0 . 053 mol ). the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature . after 16 hours , the reaction mixture was filtered and the solid washed successively with methanol ( three times using 300 ml each time ), water ( two times using 300 ml each time ), and isopropanol ( three times using 300 ml each time . vacuum drying at 54 ° c . overnight yielded 9 . 59 g of the alkylated product as a light yellow powder . an alkylated product based upon 30 mol % n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) hexanamide was prepared in analogous fashion except that 6 . 84 g ( 0 . 04 mol ) n -( 2 , 3 - epoxypropane ) hexanamide was used to yield 9 . 83 g of alkylated product . 28 . alkylation of poly ( allylamine ) crosslinked with epichlorohydrin with ( 6 - bromohexyl ) trimethylammonium bromide and 1 - bromodecane alkylating agent to a 12 - 1 round bottom flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a thermometer , and a condenser is added methanol ( 5 l ) and sodium hydroxide ( 133 . 7 g ). the mixture is stirred until the solid has dissolved and crosslinked poly ( allylamine ) ( 297 g ; ground to − 80 mesh size ) is added along with additional methanol ( 3 l ). ( 6 – bromohexyl ) trimethylammonium bromide ( 522 . 1 g ) and 1 - bromodecane ( 311 . 7 g ) are added and the mixture heated to 65 ° c . with stirring . after 18 hours at 65 ° c . the mixture is allowed to cool to room temperature . the solid is filtered off and rinsed by suspending , stirring for 30 minutes , and filtering off the solid from : methanol , 12 l ; methanol , 12 l ; 2 m aqueous nacl , 22 l ; 2 m aqueous nacl , 22 l ; deionized water , 22 l ; deionized water , 22 l ; deionized water , 22 l and isopropanol , 22 l . the solid is dried in a vacuum oven at 50 ° c . to yield 505 . 1 g of off - white solid . the solid is then ground to pass through an 80 mesh sieve . sodium carbonate ( 1 . 27 g ) and sodium chloride ( 1 . 87 g ) were dissolved in 400 ml of distilled water . to this solution was added either glycocholic acid ( 1 . 95 g , 4 . 0 mmol ) or glycochenodeoxycholic acid ( 1 . 89 g , 4 . 0 mmol ) to make a 10 mm solution . the ph of the solution was adjusted to 6 . 8 with acetic acid . these solutions were used for the testing of the various polymers . to a 14 ml centrifuge tube was added 10 mg of polymer and 10 ml of a bile salt solution in concentrations ranging from 0 . 1 – 10 mm prepared from 10 mm stock solution ( prepared as previously described ) and buffer without bile salt , in the appropriate amount . the mixture was stirred in a water bath maintained at 37 ° c . for three hours . the mixture was then filtered . the filtrate was analyzed for total 3 - hydroxy steroid content by an enzymatic assay using 3a - hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase , as described below . solution 1 — tris - hcl buffer , containing 0 . 133 m tris , 0 . 666 mm edta at ph 9 . 5 . solution 2 — hydrazine hydrate solution , containing 1 m hydrazine hydrate at ph 9 . 5 . solution 4 — hsd solution , containing 2 units / ml in tris - hcl buffer ( 0 . 03 m tris , 1 mm edta ) at ph 7 . 2 . to a 3 ml cuvette was added 1 . 5 ml of solution 1 , 1 . 0 ml of solution 2 , 0 . 3 ml of solution 3 , 0 . 1 ml of solution 4 and 0 . 1 ml of supernatant / filtrate from a polymer test as described above . the solution was placed in a uv - vis spectrophotometer and the absorbance ( o . d .) of nadh at 350 nm was measured . the bile salt concentration was determined from a calibration curve prepared from dilutions of the artificial intestinal fluid prepared as described above . all of the polymers previously described were tested in the above manner and all were efficacious in removing bile salts from the artificial intestinal fluid . the polymers according to the invention may be administered orally to a patient in a dosage of about 1 mg / kg / day to about 10 g / kg / day ; the particular dosage will depend on the individual patient ( e . g ., the patient &# 39 ; s weight and the extent of bile salt removal required ). the polymer may be administrated either in hydrated or dehydrated form , and may be flavored or added to a food or drink , if desired to enhance patient acceptability . additional ingredients such as other bile acid sequestrants , drugs for treating hypercholesterolemia , atherosclerosis or other related indications , or inert ingredients , such as artificial coloring agents may be added as well . examples of suitable forms for administration include pills , tablets , capsules , and powders ( e . g ., for sprinkling on food ). the pill , tablet , capsule , or powder can be coated with a substance capable of protecting the composition from the gastric acid in the patient &# 39 ; s stomach for a period of time sufficient to allow the composition to pass undisintegrated into the patient &# 39 ; s small intestine . the polymer may be administered alone or in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier substance , e . g ., magnesium carbonate , lactose , or a phospholipid with which the polymer can form a micelle . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 0 |
the following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention . this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense , but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention . the scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims . it is noted that the present invention combines an ablative removal technique with a particular optical detection technique in order to remove one or more coatings from a substrate surface . ablative removal techniques using radiant energy , e . g ., a flashlamp , combined with a different type of detection system , are described in applicants &# 39 ; copending application entitled &# 34 ; method and system for control of a material removal process using spectral emission discrimination &# 34 ;, ser . no . 07 / 813 , 865 , filed concurrently herewith . referring first to fig1 there is shown a block diagram that diagrammatically illustrates the main components of a coating removal system 11 made in accordance with the present invention . advantageously , the system 11 removes coatings 24 and / or 26 from a substrate 28 without damaging the substrate . ( note , the coated substrate 28 may hereafter be referred to as the &# 34 ; work surface &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; structure &# 34 ; 22 .) further , the system 11 includes a digital control processor 200 that coordinates and controls the scan rate of optical energy 18 and particle stream 30 across the surface of substrate 22 . control is effected using feedback provided by an optical detecting circuit 100 that detects the optical character of the surface of the work surface 22 . referring to fig1 data processor 200 ( which may be an ibm at or at compatible personal computer , or equivalent ) generates output signal 5 to enable particle stream source 6 , output signal 7 to enable vacuum system 37 , output control signal 12 to control light control circuit 13 ( which may be of a type well known by those skilled in the art ), and output signal 202 to provide path and speed instructions to robotic controller 204 . particle stream source 6 , in turn , is coupled to nozzle 32 , which nozzle is adapted to direct a stream 30 of particles , explained more fully below , across the surface of the workpiece 22 . similarly , vacuum system 37 is coupled to exhaust nozzle 36 , which exhaust nozzle is positioned to receive the residue 45 of any materials that are ablated by radiant energy 18 generated by ablative light source 14 and / or the spent particle stream . light control circuit 13 generates a control signal 15 which establishes the repetition rate and pulse width of the output of ablative light source 14 . in some embodiments of the invention , light control circuit 13 also generates another control signal 17 which turns on auxiliary light 29 for a desired time period during the coating removal cycle , as explained more fully below in connection with fig5 . nozzle 32 , ablative light source 14 , auxiliary light source 29 ( when used ), and exhaust nozzle 36 are all housed within a scanning head assembly 10 that is adapted to move above the work surface 22 as controlled by robotic positioner 19 , as indicated by the arrow 21 . advantageously , electrical , optical , and other coupling to the elements within the scanning head assembly 10 is achieved through appropriate flexible cabling 31 , thereby facilitating movement of the scanning head assembly , including the elements housed therein , while allowing the control circuits for such elements , such as the particle stream source 6 , the light control circuit 13 , and the vacuum system 37 , to be stationary at a position remote from the scanning head assembly 10 . in order to provide a feedback signal to the system 11 that allows it to control the coating removal process , a photodetecting circuit 100 detects the optical condition at the work surface 22 by monitoring radiant energy 27 reflected from the work surface 22 . the photodetecting circuit 100 receives the optical signals and generates electrical feedback signal ( s ) 194 therefrom that are conveyed to the control processor 200 . the control processor 200 processes the feedback signals 194 and converts them into a composite output signal 202 . robotic controller 204 transforms signal 202 into control or instructional signals 206 that direct the path and speed of robotic positioner 19 . such instruction signal 206 directs robotic positioner 19 to move the scanning head assembly across the work surface 22 so as to effectively scan ablative energy source 14 and particle stream 30 across the surface of the structure 22 in accordance with a prescribed pattern . the path of robotic controller 204 is determined in accordance with a suitable path generating processing routine implemented by data processor 200 in accordance with techniques well known by those skilled in the art . photodetector circuit 100 is preferably located within or attached to the scanning assembly 10 , with the output signal 194 of the photodetector circuit 100 being coupled to the remotely positioned control processor 200 through appropriate flexible electrical cable . referring next to fig2 there is shown a schematic diagram of the scanning head assembly 10 used with the coating removal system 11 . as seen in fig9 the scanning head assembly 10 , comprising optical energy source 14 and reflector 16 , is supported by robotic positioner 13 at a predetermined standoff distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; from the surface of structure 22 . the optimum standoff distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; for ablative removal of coatings is a function of the amount of output power contained in the radiant energy 18 output by the ablative energy source 14 . in general , the closer the source 14 is positioned to the work surface 22 , the more power there is to ablate the upper coatings 24 and / or 26 covering the substrate 28 . however , care must be exercised to prevent too much ablative power from being delivered , else more than the desired coating ( s ) may be ablated . while the ablative power may be controlled by adjusting the repetition frequency and pulse width of the light 18 generated by the light source 14 , the intensity of optical energy 18 incident on the surface of structure 22 is preferably controlled by simply controlling the standoff distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; . initially , an approximate distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; for nominal output power levels of the light source 14 is determined experimentally . for example , where the ablative energy source is a flashlamp , as described in applicants &# 39 ; copending applications referenced above , and where such flashlamp provides an incident intensity at the surface of the structure of about 1 - 10 joules / cm 2 and has a pulse width that may range from about 1000 - 2400 microseconds ( μsec ) and a repetition rate of 4 - 5 hz , and further where a coating of paint having a nominal thickness of 4 - 8 mils overlays an aluminum substrate , the initial standoff distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; is on the order of 1 to 3 cm . robotic positioner 19 is controlled to move the assembly 10 along a predetermined path at a controlled scan speed over the surface of structure 22 so that ablative energy source 14 and particle stream 30 may be directed to scan and impinge , respectively , the coating or coatings formed on the surface of substrate 28 . the radiant energy ( light ) 18 from the source 14 ablates the coating to be removed in the immediate area of exposure to the radiant energy 18 . the particle stream 30 limits the temperature rise of structure 22 as a result of absorbing optical energy in the form of heat provided by light 18 . robotic positioner 19 may be implemented as a cimroc 4000 robot controller manufactured by cimcorp precision systems , inc ., shoreview , minn . the scan speed is functionally related to the output signal 194 by a function bounded by upper and lower limits , as described more fully in the referenced patent application . such function may be increasing or decreasing , depending on the particular application . material removed from the surface of substrate 28 and the expended particle stream 30 after it impinges structure 22 are collected by vacuum system 37 through nozzle 25 mounted to housing 12 . particle stream 30 is provided by particle stream source 6 which may provide gas , liquid , or solid particles , or any combination of particles . for example , particle stream source 6 may be a gas tank if particle stream 30 is a gas , or a carbon dioxide pellet source of the type commercially available from cold jet , inc ., of loveland , ohio . the particles which comprise particle stream 30 are delivered to nozzle 32 via duct 34 . note that as depicted in fig1 and 2 , the system 11 is configured to remove an upper layer 24 from the substrate 28 while leaving a lower layer 26 , e . g ., a primer paint coat . such removal is only exemplary , as the system 11 could just as easily be configured to remove both layers 24 and 26 , leaving the surface of the substrate 28 exposed . the mechanism by which the system 11 determines when the proper layer has been ablatively removed is to monitor light 27 reflected from the surface 22 for a specific color and intensity , i . e ., color intensity . such monitoring assumes , of course , that a distinguishing color intensity difference exists between the layer 26 to be removed and the layer 24 to remain , or between the layers 24 and 26 to be removed and the substrate surface . this assumption will almost always be true . the reflected light 27 is detected , collected , and analyzed by photodetector circuit 100 . the reflected light that is monitored may be either the trailing edge of the ablative light pulse 18 , as explained more fully below in connection with fig4 or light obtained from an auxiliary light source 29 , as explained more fully below in connection with fig5 . regardless of the source of the reflected light 27 , the reflected light is monitored by the photodetector circuit 100 for the presence of a specific wavelength , or a band of wavelengths , characteristic of the color of the layer or surface that is to remain . immediately upon detection of such characteristic wavelengths , the control processor 200 is notified via the signal 194 so that it knows that sufficient material has been removed at the present location of the incident radiant energy 18 . thus , the control processor 200 immediately generates the requisite control signals so as to move the scanning head 10 to a new location , adjust the scanning speed , and / or adjust the output power of the light source 14 , in order to assure that no further material is removed at the location where the characteristic wavelength was detected . in the preferred embodiment , as seen in fig2 photodetector circuit 100 is attached to the outside of a water cooled housing 12 wherein the light source 14 is housed . water , or other suitable coolant , enters and exits the housing 12 through parts 44 and 46 . photodetector circuit 100 is mounted to the exterior of housing 12 such that it is able to detect reflected light 27 from the surface of structure 22 . advantageously , the particle stream 30 , directed at the surface 22 at an approximate angle θ , helps to keep the lens cover 20 of the housing 12 clean from debris and other foreign matter that might otherwise accumulate thereon . the angle θ will typically range from 5 to 60 degrees , but is not felt to be critical for ablation as described herein . photodetector circuit 100 should be oriented to receive reflected light from immediately behind the same area impinged by the incident ablative light source 18 . in some embodiments , in order to monitor the status or condition of the surface 22 over a wide &# 34 ; footprint &# 34 ;, it is desirable that the reflected footprint area , i . e ., that area from which the reflected light 27 is received , actually be somewhat larger and behind the irradiated footprint . the irradiated footprint may be referred to as the &# 34 ; target area &# 34 ; because it is the area at which incident light 18 is directed . for such wide area monitoring to provide useful information , it is necessary that the photodetector circuit 100 have spatial distribution resolution capabilities so that it can detect not only the presence of a characteristic wavelength , but also a particular narrow area or region within the monitored area whereat the characteristic wavelength originated . such spatial distribution resolution is advantageously provided by using a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a suitable pattern within a photodetector array , as described more fully below in conjunction with fig6 and 7 . further details associated with the scanning head assembly 10 , and its manner of use , may be found in applicants &# 39 ; aforementioned patent applications . in particular , a preferred ablative light source 14 is a water - cooled flashlamp that is housed within a custom housing as described in the cited patent applications . a suitable flashlamp for use within such a housing is available from maxwell laboratories , inc ., of san diego , calif ., and is described in commonly assigned u . s . patent application ser . no . 07 / 645 , 372 , filed jan . 24 , 1991 u . s . pat . no . 5 , 126 , 621 , which patent application is also incorporated herein by reference . the photodetector circuit 100 will next be described . it is the function of the photodetecting circuit 100 to detect the optical character of the surface of structure 22 . in its simplest form , the photodetector circuit 100 simply includes a single photodiode selected to detect a particular characteristic wavelength . wavelength selection is made by choosing a particular photodiode / lens / filter combination ( which are commercially available components ), or by selecting a broadband photodiode and manually placing a removable or replaceable filter in the optical path leading to the photodiode . in this manner , only optical signals of the characteristic wavelength successfully pass through the filters and are detected by the photodiode . all other optical signals are blocked by the filter . thus , if it is known that the primer coat is blue , for example , and if it is desired that the primer coat remain , then a blue filter may be placed in front of the photodiode so that the photodiode only detects blue light . if a subsequent coating removal operation requires that all layers be removed down to the substrate , and if the substrate is , e . g ., yellow , then the blue filter may be removed and replaced with a yellow filter ., i . e ., a filter , or combination of filters , that only allows yellow light to pass therethrough . using a single photodiode as the photodetecting circuit 100 only provides limited resolution of the reflected light to be analyzed , and does not provide additional information , such as spatial distribution data , that may be detected . hence , it is preferred that more than one photodiode be used , and that an appropriately processed optical , digital output signal 194 be generated from all of such photodiodes . for example , a digital weighted sum average (&# 34 ; wsav &# 34 ;) signal may be generated from all of the output signals from the individual photodiodes in the array . a block diagram of one type of photodetector circuit 100 that achieves this function is shown in fig3 . as seen in fig3 the reflected light 27 from the surface 22 is received by filters 102 . as seen in fig3 at the heart of photodetecting circuit 100 is a processor 148 . such processor 148 may be realized using any suitable microprocessor circuit capable of operating at a modest clock speed , e . g ., 5 - 10 mhz . by way of example , processor 148 may be implemented using an intel 8x51fb imbedded processor . coupled to the microprocessor 148 is a conventional random access memory ( ram ) 151 , a conventional read only memory ( rom ) 150 , an analog - to - digital ( a / d ) converter 152 , and an analog multiplex circuit ( mux ) 144 . the incoming light signals are split into three optical data channels . each channel is designed to select a particular characteristic wavelength , or band of characteristic wavelengths . for example , the channels may be respectively designed to receive and process wavelengths characteristic of the color intensities associated with red , blue or yellow . in this manner , photodetecting system 100 is able to receive and analyze optical energy intensities from selected portions , or from all , of the entire optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum . the optical data received in each data channel is filtered and continuously monitored by photodiodes contained in the photodiode arrays 106 , 118 or 130 , and is temporarily stored in response to receiving an appropriate clock or shift signal obtained from the processor 148 . each photodiode in the array , as explained more fully below , represents the filtered light intensity received from a defined area or &# 34 ; pixel &# 34 ; of the reflection footprint , i . e ., the monitored area from which the reflected light 27 is received . the data temporarily held in the photodiode arrays is then serially transferred , under control of the processor 148 , through appropriate channels , including the mux 144 and the a / d 152 , into the processor 148 . the processor 148 processes the data in a prescribed manner . for example , the processor may divide the signals received in each data channel by a corresponding normalization signal obtained from a sample optical energy 18 &# 39 ; of the light 18 . sample optical signal 18 &# 39 ; is provided to photodetecting circuit 100 through lens 23a and fiber optic bundle 25a . fiber optic bundle 25a may penetrate housing 12 as shown in fig2 . optical energy 18 &# 39 ; is filtered and provided to photodiode circuits 156 , 158 and 180 , and is used to normalize the amplitude of received signals so that each is independent of variations in the incident light intensity . as seen in fig3 each optical data channel includes an optical filter 102 i that attenuates all light except light of the characteristic wavelength that is received from the reflection footprint . preferably , at least a portion of the reflection footprint is located somewhat behind the area on structure 22 which is impinged by particle stream 30 . filters 102 i are available commercially from numerous vendors for any desired wavelengths . the light that passes through the filter 102 i is received and temporarily held in a photodiode array 106 , 118 , or 130 . by way of example , the photodiode array may be a 1 × n photodiode array , where n is a positive integer , as for example 1024 . the photodiode array receives and transforms any received light 104 transmitted through filter 102 i into a series of electrical pulses 108 having amplitudes corresponding to the intensity of the received light , as controlled by an appropriate clock signal 143 generated by the processor 148 . the rate of the clock signal 143 , by way of example , may range from 2 - 25 mhz . the electrical pulses 108 are amplified in amplifiers 110 , 122 or 134 . track - and - hold circuits 114 , 126 or 138 , receive signals 112 , 124 or 136 and generate a dc analog signal 116 , 128 or 140 that corresponds to the average peak pulse amplitude of electrical pulse train 112 , 124 or 136 in response to receiving a hold signal 142a from parallel interrupt timer ( pit ) 142 . analog signals 116 , 128 , and 140 are coupled through mux 144 to flash a / d converter 152 over signal line 145 . control of mux 144 is effected by signals 147 generated by processor 148 . the a / d converter 152 thus generates a digital data stream 154 corresponding to the signals 116 , 128 , or 140 that is directed as an input signal to processor 148 . processor 148 , operably coupled to ram 151 , stores the digitized optical data thus received in ram 151 . rom 150 has stored therein a suitable operating program that controls the operation of the processor 148 . photodetecting circuit 100 also includes a plurality of ablative light source reference channels . each such sample channel includes a photodiode circuit , 156 , 168 and 180 , with each receiving as an input a sample 18 &# 39 ; of optical energy 18 directed to the surface 22 through lens 23a ( fig2 ) attached to optical fiber 25a and splitter 101 ( fig3 ). each sample channel further includes an appropriate optical filter 102 1 &# 39 ;, 102 2 &# 39 ;, or 102 3 &# 39 ; that filters out all but a desired wavelength or band of wavelengths . the photodiode circuits 156 , 168 and 180 function similar to the photodiode arrays 106 , 118 , and 130 , transforming any light transmitted through the filter 102 1 &# 39 ;, 102 2 &# 39 ;, or 102 3 &# 39 ;, into a series of electrical pulses having amplitudes corresponding to the intensity of the transmitted light . electrical pulses 158 are provided to amplifiers 160 , 172 or 184 . the resulting amplified pulse train is directed to track - and - hold circuits 164 , 176 or 180 which generate dc analog output signals 166 , 178 , and 190 representing the peak pulse amplitude of the amplified pulse trains in response to receiving hold signal 142b from pit 142 . the signal thus generated for each sample channel is provided to mux 144 . the photodiodes 156 , 168 , and 180 , and their associated filters 102 1 &# 39 ;, 102 2 &# 39 ;, and 102 3 &# 39 ;, respectively , receive sample optical signal 18 &# 39 ;. in this way , the signals directed to the mux 144 through the respective sampled light data channels correspond to a sample of the light source used to provide the reflective light 27 to the photodetector circuit 14 . such sample of optical signal 18 &# 39 ; is used to normalize the light detected through photodiode arrays 106 , 118 , and 130 so that variations in the intensity of the incident light source do not adversely affect the processing of signals 116 , 128 , and 140 into an appropriate output control signal 194 . as also seen in fig3 a summing amplifier 181 sums the output of the respective sample channel amplifiers 160 , 172 and 184 . the resulting summed output signal is directed over signal line 183 to one input of a threshold detector 185 . the other input of the threshold detector 185 is a reference voltage that is generated by digital - to - analog ( d / a ) converter circuit 187 as a function of a digital reference signal 189 determined by the processor 148 and conveyed to d / a circuit 187 via signal line 186 . the signal 189 is provided only during a sample window . hence , the threshold circuit 185 receives the reference voltage that enables it to respond to the summed output signal 183 only during such sample window . if the summed output signal 183 exceeds the threshold reference voltage during the sample window , which only happens if there is incident light present during the sample window , then the output of the threshold detector 185 goes high and functions as an interrupt signal to the processor 148 causing it to enter a data sample mode . in the data sample mode , the processor 148 serially receives optical data from the photodiode arrays 106 , 118 and 132 through the optical input channels and stores such data upon receipt of a reset signal 198a generated by processor 148 . also during the data sample mode , sample optical data may be received from the photodiodes 156 , 168 and 180 through the sample channels . parallel interrupt timer ( pit ) 142 controls the timing of the particular data streams which are read by processor 148 and stored in ram 151 by hold signals 142a so that , for example , data originating from a first input channel including photodiode array 106 and photodiode 156 , are read together . pit 142 similarly controls when processor 148 reads data from the second input channel that includes photodiode array 118 and photodiode 180 , and from the third input channel , which includes photodiode array 118 and photodiode 168 . the processing routine stored in rom 150 and implemented in processor 148 causes processor 148 to determine the quotients of : signal 140 divided by signal 190 , signal 128 divided by signal 178 , and signal 116 divided by signal 166 , in order to normalize the outputs of the photodiode arrays for variations in the intensity of the output of light 14 . signals 166 , 178 , and 190 need be sampled only once every data sample cycle , e . g ., once every 100 clock signals 143 if photodiode arrays 106 , 118 , and 130 each have , for example , 100 diodes . such normalization allows photodetecting circuit 100 to evaluate the optical character of the surface of structure 22 as the output of light source 14 degrades over time . the processor 148 generates the output signal 194 and transmits such signal to the control processor 200 . if needed , such signal can be converted to an optical signal using an appropriate conversion circuit in order to allow the transmission of the signal to be done optically over a fiber optic transmission cable , thereby rendering the signal much more immune to electromagnetic noise . if so converted , an appropriate optical receiver circuit is used at the other end of the transmission line in order to convert the signal back to an electrical signal suitable for use by the control processor 200 . fiber optic transmitters and receivers suitable for such purpose may be implemented using , e . g ., a litton fiber optics transceiver , model e03675 - 2 . by way of example , signal 194 may represent a weighted sum average , &# 34 ; wsav color &# 34 ;, as determined by processor 148 in accordance with the equations below for each color channel , where &# 34 ; color &# 34 ; corresponds to the narrowband portion of reflected light 27 detected by a particular photodiode array : ## equ1 ## where i represents a particular photodiode in the photodiode arrays , m represents the number of photodiodes in photodiode arrays 106 , 118 , and 130 , and &# 34 ; r &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; y &# 34 ;, and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; represent the red , yellow , and blue components , respectively , of signal 27 as detected by photodiode arrays 106 , 118 , and 130 , respectively . thus , the weighted sum average for each channel corresponds to the average intensity of a given set of light data detected by a particular photodiode array . the value of the weighted sum average (&# 34 ; wsav &# 34 ;) from the optical channel detecting the information of interest may be used to determine an appropriate scan speed for optical energy source 14 , or provide other suitable control functions . for example , if photodiode array 106 detects optical energy from the red portion of the visible portion of the electro - magnetic spectrum , and the reflected optical characteristic desired to be detected from the surface of a structure , such as structure 22 , are colored red , then the weighted sum average for the red channel may be used to determine the scan speed of the optical energy source 14 , as described in greater detail further herein . the processor 200 ( fig1 ) uses information contained in the signal 194 received from the photodetector circuit 100 as a feedback signal to generate an address for a look - up table stored in the processor 200 . the look - up table contains scan speeds corresponding to the particular address used . thus , when addressed , the contents of the addressed cell of the look - up table are retrieved and transformed into suitable scan speed control signals that comprise , in part , signal 202 , directed to the robotic controller 204 . the control signal 202 comprises a composite control signal that also includes &# 34 ; path &# 34 ; control instructions . thus , composite signal 202 provides both path and speed control instructions to robotic controller 204 . robotic controller 204 then generates command signals 206 that direct the operation of robotic positioner 19 , which may be implemented using a cimroc 4000 robot controller manufactured by cimcorp precision systems , inc ., shoreview , minn . a suitable robotic controller is typically included as part of any robotic system sold by vendors of commercial robotic positioners . thus , in summary , the purpose of robotic positioner 13 is to position the scanning head 10 so that the surface of structure 22 is scanned with optical energy 18 provided by ablative energy source 14 and particle stream 30 in a predetermined path at a scan speed dependent on the optical character of the surface of the structure 22 as determined by photodetecting circuit 100 . the scan speed is controlled so that substrate 28 of structure 22 is not damaged as a result of structure 22 absorbing excessive optical energy which is transformed into heat . the temperature gradient through structure 22 is controlled to prevent damaging substrate 28 while layers 24 and / or 26 are being removed to expose layer 26 or substrate 28 . two approaches may be used to achieve this purpose . in a first approach , the speed at which the scanning head is moved across the surface 22 is controlled by determining an appropriate scan speed , standoff distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ;, mass flow rate and temperature of particle stream 30 . this approach is described in applicants &# 39 ; aforecited patent applications . in a second approach , the scanning head may be incrementally moved across the surface 22 in small discrete distances . also , the duty cycle of the ablative light pulses may be controlled to prevent excessive temperatures in the substrate . this incremental approach is described further below in conjunction with fig8 . turning next to fig4 there is shown a waveform timing diagram that illustrates one timing arrangement that may be used for operating the photodetector circuit in accordance with the present invention . as seen in fig4 an ablation light pulse 220 is generated beginning at a time t1 . such light pulse is emitted from the ablative light source 14 . during the trailing edge of the ablation light pulse 220 , i . e ., at a time t2 seconds after the start of the pulse 220 , interrupt signal 185a is generated by comparator 185 , as represented by sample pulse 222 . if , for example , the light pulse 220 has an approximate duration of 1000 microseconds , then the time t2 may lie in the range of 800 - 900 microseconds . such interrupt signal 185a defines the sample window referred to above that places the photodetector circuit 100 in its data sample mode . further , because the sample window occurs while the ablative light pulse is still present , the light from the light pulse 220 may be used to provide the source of the reflective light 27 used to examine the color of the surface 22 . the ablative removal cycle comprises the time , t4 , between ablative pulses 220 . such time t4 may be selected to be any suitable value to provide the necessary power output , but typically will range from about 10 to 5000 microseconds , corresponding to an ablative pulse rate of between 0 to 1000 hz , where a pulse rate of 0 hz corresponds to a single pulse . in applications where light source 14 is a gas filled flashlamp for generating pulsed light , the data sample mode may correspond to a period when the optical energy generated by the flashlamp is at or near a minimum , as for example , at a level corresponding to amplitude 220a , shown in fig4 . as is well known , the output of a flashlamp is at a minimum when the flashlamp is energized by a &# 34 ; simmer &# 34 ; current . the &# 34 ; simmer &# 34 ; current is that level of current sufficient to maintain the gas contained in the flashlamp tube in an ionized state . even when energized with a simmer current , a typical flashlamp would still generate sufficient optical energy to illuminate the surface of the structure being processed . in some applications of the present invention , it may be desirable for the data sample mode to correspond to an interval in the pulse period of the flashlamp when the flashlamp is energized by the simmer current . such interval would be established by selecting an appropriate sample window , as previously discussed . referring to fig5 a waveform timing diagram is shown that illustrates an alternative timing arrangement for operating the photodetector circuit 100 when an auxiliary light source 29 is used . as seen in fig5 ablative pulses 220 are generated at an appropriate rate defined by the ablative period t4 . at sometime after the control pulse 226 has gone low , the auxiliary light 29 is pulsed on by control pulse 17 , provided by light control circuit 13 in response to receiving signal 12 from control processor 200 . control processor 200 generates such signal 12 based on the value of signal 194 provided by photodetecting circuit 100 . while the auxiliary light is on , a photodetector sample pulse 230 is generated , corresponding to interrupt signal 185a , which effectively places the photodetection circuit in the data sample mode . in such mode , the photodetection circuit examines the reflected light 27 to determine the character of the surface 22 . thus , as seen for the approach shown in fig5 the ablative process comprises ablating the surface material and looking to see if sufficient material has been removed . fig6 shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of the photodetector arrays 106 , 118 and 130 that may be used with the photodetector circuit 100 of the present invention . as seen in fig6 the reflective light 27 is received in parallel by filters , 102 1 , 102 2 , and 102 3 , also referred to in fig6 as filters f1 , f2 and f3 . each filter is selected to pass only a wavelength or band of wavelengths characteristic of a prescribed color to be detected at the surface 22 being ablated . the light passing through each filter is then focused to fall upon an m × n photodiode array 106 , 18 or 130 , where m and n are integers . using an m × n photodiode array in this manner offers the advantage of being able to detect the relative spatial position of the reflected light from the surface 22 of the material being ablated , as well as its color characteristics . for example , if the reflection footprint is optically focused to cover the entire surface area of the detector 106 , and if such reflection footprint is larger than the irradiated footprint , then an area 221 may appear on the surface of the detector 106 that represents the ablated area , as measured by the wavelength that passes through the filter f1 , while the area around the perimeter of the area 221 on the surface of the detector 106 would represent the non - ablated area . in other words , some of the individual photodiode elements that make up the surface of the diode array 106 would receive light of the passed wavelength , and others would not . in this manner the array 106 is able to provide a rough pixel - by - pixel resolution of the surface 22 of the material being ablated as seen through the particular wavelength that the array 106 is adapted to receive . when such information is combined with the other arrays 118 and 130 , a great deal of information can be learned about the character of the surface 22 being examined by the incident light 18 . as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art , when a photodiode array is used as described in fig6 a somewhat different data processing scheme may be employed than is described above in connection with fig3 in order to process and analyze the array data . however , such processing schemes are well known in the art , and are commonly used to process the data obtained from large diode arrays , such as ccd arrays , in imaging applications . with an array as shown in fig6 the present invention provides more than just an ablative coating removal system . this is because the photodetector circuit 100 may be used independent of a coating removal system to examine the character and quality of surfaces , e . g ., for quality control or damage control purposes . when used as a photodetector system in this manner , all that is required is to pulse on the auxiliary lamp 29 , or other non - ablative light source , and direct such light to the surface to be examined so that it is reflected therefrom to the photodetector circuit 100 . the photodetector circuit 100 then processes the received reflected light in the manner described above to determine the character ( color ) of the surface being examined . further , when used as part of an ablative coating removal system , the additional spatial distribution information provided by the individual diodes of each array provides a much more complete &# 34 ; picture &# 34 ; of the effectiveness of the coating removal process , and further helps the control processor 200 to better define an appropriate scan path . moreover , such additional spatial distribution data allows the control system 200 to level , or otherwise orient , the scanning head 10 relative to the scanned surface of the structure 22 . fig7 shows a diagrammatic representation of an alternative and simplified embodiment of a photodetector array of the present invention . as seen in fig7 a single m × n detector 106 &# 39 ; is utilized to receive reflected light 27 from the surface of structure 22 . an appropriate lens assembly 101 &# 39 ; focuses the light 27 through a replaceable filter assembly 102 i and onto the surface of the array 106 &# 39 ;. the replaceable filter assembly 102 &# 39 ; is selected to pass only those wavelengths characteristic of a particular known surface that is to remain after one or more over coats are removed using the ablation process of the present invention . the simplified embodiment of the detector array shown in fig7 may be used , for example , when the ablative removal process is being used to remove paint down to the primer coat from a large number of airplanes or automobiles , all of which have the same color of primer coat . should the need arise to ablate away coatings down to a different color undercoat or substrate surface than can be detected by filter assembly 102 &# 39 ;, then the filter assembly 102 &# 39 ; is simply replaced with an alternative filter assembly that can detect such different color . referring next to fig8 a flow chart is shown that depicts one method that may be used by the present invention to ablatively remove coatings from a substrate . as seen in fig8 a first step of the method , shown at block 302 , involves the setting of initial parameters used to get the process started . such initial parameters include , for example , the coordinates of a starting location for positioning the scan head , the scan path , an initial standoff distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ;, an initial ablative pulse energy ( amplitude and pulse width ), and an initial ablative pulse duty cycle ( frequency ). the initial parameters also include setting an index control variable , &# 34 ; i &# 34 ;, to a starting value , such as 0 . once the initial parameters are set , the scanning head is moved to the starting location of the prescribed scan path , l : ( block 304 ). once moved to this position , the timing circuits within the processor 148 ( fig4 ) determine whether it is time to generate an ablation pulse ( block 306 ). an ablation pulse may be generated , for example , at a frequency of 4 - 5 hz . when it is time to generate the ablation pulse , such a pulse is generated ( block 308 ) having a pulse width and amplitude as controlled by the parameters previously set . after the ablation pulse has been generated , the incident light used to illuminate the area being ablated is summed for each light channel that is used ( block 310 ). as explained above , in one embodiment , such incident light may be derived from the trailing edge of the ablation pulse ( fig4 ). in another embodiment , such incident light may be derived from an auxiliary light that is pulsed on at an appropriate time ( fig5 ). in either event , if it is time to sample the reflected light , determined at block 312 , then a determination is made as to whether the sum of the incident light intensity , performed at block 310 , is greater than a prescribed threshold ( block 314 ). if not , then that means that there will be no reflected light of sufficient amplitude to provide any useful information . hence , the reflected light is not monitored , and control of the process returns to block 306 , waiting for the generation of the next ablation pulse . if the sum of the incident light intensity is greater than the prescribed threshold ( block 314 ), then the data collection mode of the photodetector circuit 100 is begun ( block 316 ). once the data collection mode has been initiated , the reflected light intensity from each channel is received and stored ( block 318 ) as digital data . as this is being done , a determination is made as to whether such data should be normalized ( block 320 ). if so , a normalization process is carried out ( blocks 322 , 324 ). the data from each channel is then analyzed to determine if it is characteristic of a prescribed wavelength , λ , representative of a prescribed color ( block 328 ). if not , then the ablation parameters are adjusted ( block 330 ), as required , and the next ablation pulse is generated ( blocks 306 , 308 ). if so , then a determination is made as to whether the scan path has been completed ( block 332 ). if not , the index is incremented ( block 334 ), the scanning head is moved to the next scan path location , l i ( block 304 ), and the process repeats . if the scan path has been completed , i . e ., if all locations along the designated scan path have been ablated , then the process is stopped . as thus described in fig8 the scanning head is incrementally moved along a desired scan path , with the scanning head being positioned at specified locations along the scan path only for so long as is required to ablate the desired layer ( s ) at that location . the desired ablation may require a single ablation pulse , or multiple ablation pulses , with the determination as to whether the layer has been removed being made by analyzing the reflected light from the ablated location for the presence of a prescribed color . not included in fig8 is the control for the particle stream 30 . it is contemplated that the particle stream 30 may be enabled at all times during the ablative removal process . if so , and if the stream is made up of co 2 pellets or cold gases , frost or condensation may form around the ablative site . advantageously , the photodetector circuit 100 , while performing its monitoring function , can ascertain if such frost or condensation has formed , and if so , an appropriate control signal can be generated to make appropriate adjustments , e . g ., turn off the particle stream for an appropriate time . as thus described , it is seen that the present invention provides a coating removal system and method wherein coatings may be selectively removed using a photodetector feedback system in conjunction with an ablation removal process . it is further seen that such coating removal system and method ascertains the reflected optical character or color intensity of the work surface from which the coatings are being removed , and uses such color intensity determination as an indicator of whether the desired coating has been removed . advantageously , such approach reduces the risk of damage to the substrate , particularly frangible substrates such as composites . it is further seen from the above description that the present invention provides a coating removal system and method that includes in a single scanning head : ( 1 ) radiant energy ablative removal means , such as a flashlamp , for removing coatings off of a work surface ; ( 2 ) photodetector means for optically detecting when a desired coating has been stripped from the work surface ; and ( 3 ) cooling and cleaning means for limiting the temperature depth profile of the ablated material from the structure and for cleaning the surface of the structure . advantageously , such scanning head may be scanned across the work surface , either continuously or in step - wise fashion , as a function of feedback signals sensed by the photodetector means . it is also seen from the above description that the invention provides a photodetector system that generates an output signal indicative of the presence or status of substrate surfaces or coating layers . advantageously , the photodetector output signal provides an indication of the reflected color intensity of the work surface , which color intensity indication in turn may be used for a wide variety of purposes . as described , for example , when the photodetector system is used as part of a coating removal system , the output signal may be used as a feedback signal . as a feedback signal it may be used to : ( 1 ) control the coating removal process , i . e ., to limit the exposure of the stripped surfaces or layers , thereby preventing damage to the work surface or coating layers ; ( 2 ) position and orient , e . g ., level , the ablative removal system above a desired location on the work surface relative to topological landmarks on the work surface ; ( 3 ) enable the safe and efficient operation of the ablative removal device , as by , e . g ., turning on the ablative removal device only when certain conditions are satisfied , and / or by controlling the output power of the radiated energy generated by the ablative removal device ; ( 4 ) provide real time feedback to a remote controller that controls the scan rate of the ablative removal device ; or ( 5 ) monitor the formation of frost and / or condensation on the work surface from the application of a particle stream , which particle stream may be used to cool and / or clean the work surface . finally , it is seen from the above description that when the photodetector system is not used directly as part a coating removal system , or in addition to being used as part of a coating removal system , its output signal may still be used , for example , to monitor a previously stripped section of the work surface for the purpose of quality control or surface anomaly detection . while the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof , numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims . | 1 |
fig7 shows an implementation according to the invention , comprising a 9 - stage shift register 702 and an early 722 , late 723 and a precise 724 branch for generating an early c e , precise c p and late c l code phase , respectively . a code c in , generated with a code generator 602 which is controlled by a clock signal clk gen and corresponds to the code generator shown in fig6 , is applied to the shirt register 702 , which comprises registers 703 to 711 and is controlled by a clock signal clk sr . branch 722 comprises four multipliers 712 to 715 and a 4 - input adder 720 , and branch 723 comprises four multipliers 716 to 719 and a 4 - input adder 721 . to the inputs of multipliers 712 to 715 of branch 722 are connected the outputs of registers 703 to 706 , respectively , and combination control signals ec 0 to ec 3 , which are used to set weighting coefficients for the outputs of registers 703 to 706 . the outputs of multipliers 712 to 715 are connected to the outputs of adder 720 , and the early code phase c e is obtained from the output of adder 720 . to the inputs of multipliers 716 to 719 of branch 723 are connected outputs of registers 708 to 711 , respectively , and combination control signals lc 0 to lc 3 , which are used to set weighting coefficients for the outputs of registers 708 to 711 . the outputs of multipliers 716 to 719 are connected to the inputs of adder 721 , and the late code phase c l is obtained from the output of adder 721 . the output of register 707 is connected to branch 724 , from whose output the precise code phase c p is obtained . the implementation of fig7 can be advantageously used also without the precise branch 724 in a correlator structure of the kind shown in fig5 . fig8 shows a one - bit implementation of the structure of fig7 , in which multipliers 712 to 719 and adders 720 and 721 are implemented with and components 812 to 819 and or components 820 and 821 , respectively . an 8 - bit control signal ctrl corresponds to the control signals ec 0 to ec 3 and lc 0 to lc 3 . this circuit is useful when one of the outputs of registers 703 to 706 is selected to branch 722 and one of the outputs of registers 708 to 711 is selected to branch 723 . fig9 a shows a second implementation according to the invention , which , corresponding to the implementation of fig7 , comprises a code generator 602 , a 9 - stage shift register 702 and branches 722 , 723 and 724 for generating an early c e , precise c p and late c l code phase , respectively . in this case branch 722 comprises nine multipliers 901 to 909 and a 9 - input adder 910 , branch 723 comprises nine multipliers 911 to 919 and a 9 - input adder 920 , and branch 724 comprises nine multipliers 921 to 929 and a 9 - input adder 930 . to the inputs of multipliers 901 to 909 of branch 722 are connected the outputs of registers 703 to 711 , respectively , and combination control signals ec 0 to ec 8 , which are used to set early branch weighting coefficients for the outputs of registers 703 to 711 . the outputs of multipliers 901 to 909 are connected to the inputs of adder 910 and the early code phase c e is obtained from the output of adder 910 . to the inputs of multipliers 911 to 919 of branch 723 are connected the outputs of registers 703 to 711 , and combination control signals lc 0 to lc 8 , which are used to set late branch weighting coefficients for the outputs of registers 703 to 711 . the outputs of multipliers 911 to 919 are connected to the inputs of adder 920 , and the late code phase c l is obtained from the output of adder 920 . to the inputs of multipliers 921 to 929 of branch 724 are connected the outputs of registers 703 to 711 , and combination control signals pc 0 to pc 8 , which are used to set precise branch weighting coefficients for the outputs of registers 703 to 711 . the outputs of multipliers 921 to 929 are connected to the inputs of adder 930 and the precise code phase c p is obtained from the output of adder 930 . fig9 b shows a third implementation according to the invention , in which two early c e1 and c e2 and two late c l1 and c l2 code phases are generated . the implementation comprises a code generator 602 and a 9 - stage shift register 702 , corresponding to the implementation of fig7 . in addition , the implementation comprises four logic branches 951 to 954 for generating said two early c e1 and c e2 and two late c l1 and c l2 code phases . a 16 - bit combination control signal ctrl controls the combination . logic branch 951 comprises four logic gates 931 to 934 and a four - input adder 947 , logic branch 952 comprises four logic gates 935 to 938 and a four - input adder 948 , logic branch 953 comprises four logic gates 939 to 942 and a four - input adder 949 and logic branch 954 comprises four logic gates 943 to 946 and a four - input adder 950 . logic gates 931 to 946 are three - level logic gates comprising a control input ctrl , a data input data_in and an output data_out , and which implement the truth table according to table 1 . to the data and control inputs of logic gates 931 to 934 of branch 951 are connected the outputs of registers 703 to 706 , respectively , and bits 0 to 3 of combination control signal ctrl , the bits being able to be used to select the outputs of registers 703 to 706 that are to be connected to this branch 951 . the outputs of logic gates 931 to 934 are connected to the inputs of adder 947 , and the first early code phase c e1 is obtained from the output of adder 947 . to the data and control inputs of logic gates 939 to 942 of branch 953 are connected the outputs of registers 704 to 707 , respectively , and bits 4 to 7 of combination control signal ctrl , the bits being able to be used to select the outputs of registers 704 to 707 that are to be connected to this branch 953 . the outputs of logic gates 939 to 942 are connected to the inputs of adder 949 , and the second early code phase c e2 is obtained from the output of adder 949 . to the data and control inputs of logic gates 935 to 938 of branch 952 are connected the outputs of registers 707 to 710 , respectively , and bits 8 to 11 of combination control signal ctrl , the bits being able to be used to select the outputs of registers 707 to 710 that are to be connected to this branch 952 . the outputs of logic gates 935 to 938 are connected to the inputs of adder 948 , and the first late code phase c l1 is obtained from the output of adder 948 . to the data and control inputs of logic gates 943 to 946 of branch 954 are connected the outputs of registers 708 to 711 , respectively , and bits 12 to 15 of combination control signal ctrl , the bits being able to be used to select the outputs of registers 708 to 711 that are to be connected to this branch 954 . the outputs of logic gates 943 to 946 are connected to the inputs of adder 950 , and the second late code phase c l2 is obtained from the output of adder 950 . fig1 a to 13d show discrimination functions generated from different code phases obtained by means of different combination control signals using the structure of fig7 . the graphs are normalized in the same way as the graph of fig3 , i . e . maximum amplitude is ± 1 . accordingly , the graphs are not directly comparable , but rather show the shape and width of a discrimination function in each particular case . the shape of a discrimination function depends on both the phasing of the shift register 702 and the function of the detector used to detect the correlation result . when linear detection is used , coherent reception has to be used , and the detection is carrier out at the i branch of the i / q signal . when quadratic detection is used , the detection is carried out at both the i and q branches , and the results obtained are summed up . discrimination functions have the general form : d ( τ )= re ( det ( c ( τ , d out — e , in )))− re ( det ( c ( τ , d out — l , in ))), for a linear detector : det ( i + jq )= i , and for a quadratic dectector : det ( i + jq )= i 2 = q 2 , fig1 a to 10d show discrimination functions of ‘ narrow ’ correlator , obtained by linear detection . one output of the shift register 702 is selected to the early 722 and late 723 branches . the clock frequency of the shift register 702 used is 8 * chip frequency (= 8 * clock frequency of code generator ), i . e . the phase difference between the outputs of two successive registers of the shift register 702 is ⅛ chip long . in fig1 a , the output of register 706 is selected to the early branch 722 , and the output of register 708 is selected to the late branch 723 . in fig1 b , 10 c and 10 d , the corresponding registers are 705 and 709 , 704 and 710 , 703 and 711 , respectively . fig1 a to 11d show discrimination functions of a ‘ wide ’ correlator , obtained by linear detection . the clock frequency of the shift register 702 used is the same as the chip frequency , i . e . the phase difference between two successive register outputs of the shift register 702 is 1 chip long . in fig1 a , the output of register 706 is selected to the early branch 722 , and the output of register 708 is selected to the late branch 723 . in fig1 b , the corresponding registers are 705 and 709 . in fig1 c , the outputs of registers 703 to 706 , summed up , are selected to the early branch , and the outputs of registers 708 to 711 , summed up , are selected to the late branch . in fig1 d , the sum of the outputs of registers 703 , 704 , 705 and 706 is selected to the early branch , the sum being weighted with weighting coefficients 4 , 3 , 2 and 1 , respectively , and the sum of the outputs of registers 708 , 709 , 710 and 711 is selected to the late branch , the sum being weighted with weighting coefficients 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , respectively . fig1 a to 12d show discrimination functions of a ‘ narrow ’ correlator , obtained by quadratic detection . one output of the shift register 702 is selected to the early 722 and late 723 branches . the employed shift register 702 clock frequency is 8 * chip frequency , i . e . the phase difference between the outputs of two successive registers of the shift register 702 is ⅛ chip long . in fig1 a , the output of register 706 is selected to the early branch 722 , and the output of register 708 is selected to the late branch 723 . in fig1 b , 12 c and 12 d , the corresponding registers are 705 and 709 , 704 and 710 , 703 and 711 , respectively . fig1 a to 13d show discrimination functions of a ‘ wide ’ correlator , obtained by quadratic detection . the employed shift register 702 clock frequency is 2 * chip frequency , i . e . the phase difference between two successive register outputs of the shift register 702 is ½ chip long . in fig1 a , the output of register 706 is selected to the early branch 722 , and the output of register 708 is selected to the late branch 723 . in fig1 b , the corresponding registers are 705 and 709 . in fig1 c , the outputs of registers 703 to 706 , summed up , are selected to the early branch , and the outputs of registers 708 to 711 , summed up , are selected to the late branch . in fig1 d , the sum of the outputs of registers 703 , 704 , 705 and 706 is selected to the early branch , the sum being weighted with weighting coefficients 4 , 3 , 2 and 1 , respectively , and the sum of the outputs of registers 708 , 709 , 710 and 711 is selected to the late branch , the sum being weighted with weighting coefficients 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , respectively . the structure of the invention is not limited to a three - branch implementation only . the precise code phase can be generated as a combination of the early and late code phases , allowing the use of the structure of the invention as two - branched . the structure of the invention can be used as single - branched for example in the correlator shown in fig5 , in which the early and late code phases are summed up before correlation , by replacing the generator 509 and the adder 506 by the single - branch structure and code generator of the invention . structures according to the invention including more than three branches are also feasible . the structure of the invention , combined with a code generator , is usable for example in the correlator shown in fig2 , 4 or 5 , by replacing the generator 209 , 407 or 509 , respectively , with the structure and code generator of an embodiment of the invention . in other respects , the structure and operation of the correlator are as shown in the figures . such a correlator can be used for example in the spread spectrum receiver 102 of fig1 . the invention thus relates also to a correlator and / or spread spectrum receiver , or the like device using the structure of the invention . it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances , the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in a variety of ways . the invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the above examples , but may vary within the scope of the claims . | 7 |
in situations where there is a need , due to stormwater regulations or otherwise , to treat stormwater running off paved or impervious surfaces , the present invention as illustrated in fig1 provides an apparatus and method of treatment that includes separation , sedimentation and filtration of polluted storm water . the invention can be applied to existing sedimentation and filtration basins by retrofitting the existing filtering system which may be less efficient and more expensive to maintain . additionally , the present invention can be applied to new construction allowing developments to reduce the area required for the treatment basin in addition to obtaining more efficient treatment and decreased maintenance costs . further , the invention can be applied to new construction through use of a module precast and preplumbed concrete chamber containing the preferred embodiment of the filtration system . in the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in fig1 a concrete basin 160 is used to capture the first flush of runoff ( i . e ., 1 / 2 &# 34 ;, 3 / 4 &# 34 ; etc .) from the impervious area in a real estate development that contains the majority of all pollutants that have accumulated on the impervious surface since the last rainfall event . in the preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to existing basins , the separation portion of the basin 150 is no longer required , as separation takes place in the filtration basin 160 by means of the floating separator device 700 . tis allows an increase in total capture volume for first flush filtration due to the fact that the separation chamber becomes a holding chamber 150 for ultimate separation , sedimentation and filtration . when a rainfall event begins , the rain sensor 815 is activated which causes the digital controller to activate the shut off valve 300 to prevent stormwater from being discharged into the stormwater drainage until time has passed to allow for sedimentation to occur . as stormwater fills the basin the floating separator devices 700 rise around the filter canisters 200 to prevent pollutants on the water surface ( oils , hydrocarbons , floating matter , etc .) from coming in contact with the filter canisters 200 . if the water level in the basin rises above the top of the filter canister 200 the separation device 700 is held in place by bouancy at the top of the filter canister 200 by striking the rim of the cap 202 that is attached to the top of the canister unit 200 . once the basin has reached capacity , additional cleaner runoff is routed to the storm sewer bypassing the basin by use of a weir 191 or other suitable means . after the rain sensor 815 activates the digital controller fig8 and closes the shut off valve 300 , a digital timer is tripped after the rainfall event stops to allow a preset amount of time to pass thereby allowing sedimentation to occur before the filtering process begins . after the preset time has passed , the digital controller 413 opens the control valve 300 ( if the optional turbidity sensor 600 is used , the control unit 400 verifies the clarity of the water before opening the control valve 300 ). after the control valve 300 is opened , the stormwater is allowed to begin filtering through the filter canisters 200 . as the water level 170 in the basin drops , the separator devices 700 descend down the outside of the filter canisters 200 maintaining a physical barrier between the floating pollutants on water surface and the filter canister 200 . the stormwater entering the filter canister 200 passes through the filter cartridge 505 ( fig5 ) and into the drain pipe 120 which conveys the filtered stormwater through the open valve 300 to the storm sewer or receiving stream 195 . in the event the rain sensor 815 detects rainfall during the filtration cycle , or the turbidity sensor 600 detects turbidity in excess of a preset level , the digital controller 413 activates the compressor 408 ( fig4 ) and closes the flow valve 300 . the filtration cycle is allowed to resume after additional time has passed to allow reduction of the turbidity . in the preferred embodiment of the filter canister 200 as depicted in fig2 the canister 200 is a cylinder 201 made of pvc or other suitable material that is sized larger than the diameter of the filter cartridge 505 to be used . atop the cylinder 201 is a cap 202 that is designed to fit snugly around the outside surface of cylinder 201 eliminating bypass potential . in the preferred embodiment , a multiplicity of large inlet ports or holes 203 provide an opening for water to pass from outside cylinder 201 to the area between the filter cartridge 505 and the wall of the cylinder 503 as depicted in fig5 . the cylinder 201 as depicted in fig2 is seated in the base 204 . base 204 is used to reduce the diameter of the cylinder 201 portion of the filter canister . base 204 is equipped with a fastening mechanism 205 , which in the preferred embodiment is a threaded pipe section . the cylinder 201 portion of the filter canister as depicted in fig2 is covered in an external filter media such as a metal or fabric mesh or screen 206 that may be spaced away from the outer wall of cylinder 201 by means of a spacer ring 207 made of rubber or other suitable alternative material . as depicted in fig1 the fastener 205 is plumbed into a pipe adapter 218 that connects to the common drain line 120 . the stormwater passing though the filter canister 200 is piped by the common drain line 120 to the control valve 300 . control valve 300 , as depicted in fig3 consists of a pneumatic bladder 307 that is non - fouling and can be inserted into any straight section of pipe that is at least 24 &# 34 ; long with little or no plumbing modification being required for installation . the bladder 307 may be inflated with compressed air from the compressor 408 to cut off water flow from the drain line 120 and deflated to allow flow to continue as filtration occurs . air used to inflate or deflate the valve is conveyed using an air hose 409 that passes though a seal 302 located in the cap 303 of the control valve section 300 of the drain line . the pneumatic bladder 307 is attached to the air line 409 by means of a secure air tight connector 306 . the control unit 400 is comprised of a control box 401 with a water tight lid as depicted in fig4 . in the preferred embodiment of the invention the control box 401 and lid are made of rigid water proof plastic material . the control box contains a 12 volt power supply ( battery ) 801 , a digital controller board 413 mounted on the panel 402 by fastener , an air compressor 408 , an air release valve 407 , a pressure sensor 406 , and other components required to monitor and provide automatic operation of the filter process . the air supply line 409 leaving the controller box 401 provides air to the pneumatic control valve 300 that is depicted in fig3 . when conditions exist that cause the circuit board component 413 of the electronic controller ( more detailed description provided below ) to activate the air compressor 408 , air is forced through the supply line 409 into the bladder portion 307 of the control valve 300 until such time as the bladder portion 307 of the control valve 300 inflates to a position which seals the bladder 307 in a position against the inner diameter of the control valve section of pvc pipe 304 . after the bladder 307 has reached its inflated position against the inner wall of the pipe 307 the pressure switch 406 sends a signal to the logic board 413 to discontinue operation of the compressor 408 . after the bladder valve 307 has been fully pressurized , the logic board 413 continues to monitor the pressure in the inflated bladder 307 by use of the information obtained through the analog pressure switch 406 that is supplied to the controller logic board 413 . in the event the bladder pressure decreases , the logic board 413 activates the compressor 408 to send an increased volume of air through supply line 409 to maintain the inflated position of the bladder 307 . fig3 depicts a cross section of the control valve pipe 300 depicting the air supply hose 409 coming from the controller box 400 through the water tight seal 302 located in the top of the cap 303 . the air supply hose 409 is securely fastened by the seal 302 to prevent slippage of the portion of the line 305 located within the section of pipe containing the valve apparatus . the secured portion of the air hose 305 is fastened to the bladder 307 by use of a durable air tight fastener 306 that prevents the bladder 307 from traveling down stream within the drain pipe 120 when the bladder 307 is in its deflated and open valve position . fig4 depicts the various primary components located within the controller box 401 as originally designed for the preferred embodiment . a water tight connector 410 is fastened into the bottom of the controller box 401 to allow for passage of the wiring from the turbidity meter 600 , the rain sensor 815 and the solar panel 800 into the controller box 401 . the electronic components within the controller box 401 are mounted onto a removable service panel 402 . these components include the air compressor and motor 408 , the pressure release valve 407 , the pressure switch 406 , the cross adapter 405 and the check valve 404 . check valve 404 prevents the loss of air from the inflated bladder 307 feeding back throughout air compressor 408 . a terminal bus 403 is utilized for making connections to the various sensors and the logic board 413 . a 12 volt electric power supply ( battery ) 801 sits on the inner floor of the controller box 401 and is fastened to the removable service panel 402 by means of a bracket 411 . fig5 is the internal configuration of a filter canister 500 ( or 200 in fig1 ) of the present invention . cylinder 503 is provided with inlet ports 504 which allows unfiltered water to enter the inside 501 of the canister . an internal filter media cartridge 505 is held within the canister under spring tension as spring 509 urges against collar 510 which in turn presses against the filter media 505 of hollow filter cartridge 505 . the spring 509 and the collar are centered by pin 513 which is attached to cap 502 . cap 502 is thusly spring loaded . by pulling clip 508 out of the side of the cap 502 , the cap is easily released from the cylinder 503 . the clip , as seen in fig5 extends through small holes in the cap and the cylinder . spacer 507 enables the user to easily grasp the clip 508 . water passes through the filter media 505 into the hollow discharge channel 506 and out an outlet ( similar to outlet 213 shown in fig2 ) into the drain pipe 120 as is well known in the filtering art . cartridge 505 is replaceable by removing cap 502 and lifting the cartridge 505 from the cylinder 503 . while the canister 500 of fig5 is shown without an external filter screen as shown in fig2 it should be understood that canister 500 may be equipped with such a screen . fig7 illustrates the separator member 700 positioned floatingly between the canister input port 203 and impurities 706 ( oil ) and 704 ( particulate ). as the level of the water surface 707 rises and falls , separator 700 rises or falls accordingly . the space 705 between the outer wall of the canister 200 or the external filter media 206 ( fig2 ) and the inner wall of the separator is sufficient to allow for a non - binding slippage along the length of the canister , but not sufficient to allow larger particulate ( above 0 . 1 &# 34 ; diameter ) floating on the water surface to enter the ports 203 . separator 700 has a flanged shoulder 701 and a downwardly depending collar 709 . the shoulder 701 keeps floating particulate away from the canister . collar 709 is provided with a multiplicity of openings 702 on the end opposite the shoulder 701 . when the openings 702 align with the inlet ports 203 in the canister , unfiltered water is allowed to enter the canisters for filtration . canister 200 is further provided with a removable cap 202 which enables the user to remove the filter media inside the canister . a quick release clip 209 is attached through the cap 202 as discussed above with canister 500 . the release enables the user to easily remove the cap 202 and remove the entire filter cartridge as necessary . fig8 is a schematic drawing of the logic control board 413 and related components thereon . electronically , the 12 volt dc solar panel 800 is used to maintain a charge in the battery units 801 so that unit is independent of external power . the 12 volt dc battery 801 provides 4 . 5 amp hour capacity to power the unit for extended periods of time without any solar power . the preferred embodiment of this unit will operate approximately 30 days during several rainfall events without the 12 volt dc battery 801 being provided with additional charge from the solar panel unit 800 . a negative --( common voltage 802 ) is supplied to the logic control board 413 and all peripherals on a constant basis . a relay contact 803 ( normally closed position ) provides power to the air solenoid coil 804 . the air solenoid valve 407 is a normally closed solenoid type valve that maintains air pressure in the bladder 307 at a constant level when the bladder is used in its inflated position 307 . a solid state switch 805 is utilized to energize the air solenoid coil 804 for an approximate 10 second duration controlled by the digital timer 835 through the timer control line 837 to deflate the bladder 307 , thereby opening the control valve 300 . an led indicator light 806 is used to indicate that the air solenoid is energized allowing the user to know that the air bladder 307 is being deflated . a relay contact 807 is used to activate the air compressor motor 808 when the relay coil 828 that operates contacts 803 and 807 is made to be in its closed position . the air compressor motor 808 provides compressed air upon demand in various durations when activated by the relay 828 . a power diode 809 is utilized to prevent damage to the digital logic control board in the event the battery polarity is inadvertently reversed . a (+) plus voltage feed 810 is provided to the digital logic control board . a user is informed that the (+) plus voltage 810 to the logic control board has been activated by use of an led indicator light 811 to indicate that the voltage is present . a standard rain sensor circuit 812 is utilized to detect the presence of rain depending upon the status of the contacts located in the rain sensor 815 . the rain sensor circuit 812 detects the presence of rain and starts the sequence of events relevant to filtration by powering the digital logic control board 413 through solid state logic switch 819 , starting the air compressor motor 808 to inflate the bladder valve 307 and preventing the starting of the long duration ( i . e ., 20 hours , 30 hours , or the like ) timer 832 that maintains the pressure in the bladder 307 by inhibiting the air release solenoid valve 407 until the rain stops . any reoccurrence of rain event during the preset timing duration resets the timer 832 by removing the power provided to the solid state logic switch 825 to the timer . an led indicator light 813 is used to indicate to the user that the rain sensor 815 has been activated due to the rain fall event . the rain sensor input line 814 runs to the rain sensor circuit 812 from the rain sensor probe contacts 815 . the rain sensor probe contacts 815 are made of non - corroding stainless steel to provide fail - safe operation . the rain sensor output line 816 from rain sensor circuit 812 leads to a flip / flop one 817 . a logic high when rain is detected by the rain sensor probe contacts 815 and a logic low when no rain is present and the sensor probe contacts 815 are open . the flip / flop one 817 is used on the digital logic control board 413 to activate the solid state logic switch 819 that activates and maintains power to flip / flop 824 and timers 832 and 835 . a push button switch ( momentary normally open ) 818 is used to simulate rain to start the sequence of events produced by the digital logic control board in order to manually activate the control board for testing or other relevant purposes . the solid state logic switch 819 controlled by flip / flop one 817 is fed by output line 820 between flip / flop one 817 and the solid state logic switch 819 . a push button switch ( momentary normally open ) 821 is utilized to reset the logic to the standby or resting state within the logic system . logic switch 819 provides a switched plus voltage circuit 822 to power flip / flop two 824 , the led indicator light 823 indicating that the solid state logic switch 819 is active , and solid state logic switch 825 . the flip / flop two on the digital logic board that is fed from the switched plus voltage 822 activates relay 828 through the pressure switch normally closed contact 827 . the activated relay contact 807 closes causing the air compressor motor 808 to begin operation which inflates the bladder 307 to a predetermined pressure . when the predetermined pressure is reached , the pressure switch contact 827 opens and deactivates relay 828 which opens contact 807 , shutting off the air compressor motor 808 . if the pressure in the bladder 307 falls off , the pressure switch contact 827 will close and activate relay 828 , closing contact 807 which will start the air compressor motor 808 to reinflate the bladder 307 . when the pressure switch 827 is activated with the bladder pressure , the normally open contact 829 will close and activate indicator 830 which indicates the bladder valve 300 is in the closed position preventing stormwater from flowing through the drain pipe 120 to the discharge side of the pipe 195 ( fig1 ). solid state logic switch 825 is activated by voltage from solid state logic switch 819 in logic low ( rain has ceased ) from the rain sensor circuit 812 . the solid state logic switch 825 provides power to the timing circuits 832 and 835 . an output line 826 is used from the digital long term timer 832 to reset flip / flop two 824 at the end of the long duration ( i . e ., 20 hours , 30 hours , or the like ) time period and to start the solid state 10 second timer 835 . the resetting of flip / flop two 824 prevents the air compressor motor 808 from starting when the pressure is lost in the bladder valve 307 . the timer 835 activates the solid state logic switch 805 which , in turn , activates the air solenoid coil 804 for a 10 second period through the normally closed relay contact 803 . the activated open air solenoid deflates the bladder 307 in the bladder valve 300 and allows water to flow through the filter canisters 200 , drain pipe 120 then exiting drain pipe 195 . the pressure switch contact 827 is a normally closed contact , and the relay coil 828 operates contact 803 and 807 . the pressure switch contact 829 is a normally open contact switch . when the bladder valve 300 is closed the led indicator 830 is used to indicate the bladder is in its closed or pressurized condition . timers 832 and 835 are activated by solid state logic switch 825 through the switched (+) plus voltage 831 that runs from solid state logic switch 825 to timers 832 and 835 . the primary timer 832 is a digital long term timer on the logic control board 413 consisting of a solid state oscillator and a digital divider to produce an output 826 20 hours after being actuated . the output 826 resets flip / flop two 824 and starts solid state air solenoid timer 835 . the period ( time per cycle ) of the oscillator is controlled by the timing resistor 834 . an led indicator 833 is used to indicate the period of the oscillator in timer 832 . a timing resistor 834 is present for the oscillator in timer 832 . a solid state timer 835 is started by the output line from the digital long term timer 832 and times the energized time of the air solenoid coil 804 by activating solid state logic switch 805 through output line 837 . a timing resistor 836 is provided for the solid state timer 835 . solid state logic switch 805 is activated using the output line 837 from solid state timer 835 . when the output line 837 activates solid state logic switch 805 it also resets flip / flop one 817 which returns the digital logic controller to its resetting state and low current consumption . fig6 depicts a cross section of the turbidity meter ( option ) that would utilize a light emitting diode 601 and a receiver 604 to determine the level of particulate matter contained in the stormwater that would flow between the open space between the receiver and the light emitting diode . when used , the supply lines 603 to the light emitting diode and the lines forming the circuit in the sensor would be tied to the appropriate component on the logic board 413 and would travel between the logic board and the turbidity meter 606 through the water tight connector 410 at the bottom of the controller box 401 . the structural component of the turbidity meter 606 is made up of a pvc tee 605 inserted into a larger diameter pvc pipe 602 which has been beveled to allow for placement of the sensor 604 and light emitting diode 601 . picture of fig9 depicts an embodiment of the filtration , sedimentation and separation processing device with the controller box 400 and solar panel 800 and rain sensor 815 ( not shown ) constructed with a precast concrete structure 900 that contains a drain pipe 120 that is preplumbed beneath the floor of the concrete structure 900 passing through and on either side of support beams 910 that run the length of the concrete structure 900 to provide a space beneath the structure 900 for placement of the drain pipe 120 plumbing field . in this depiction of the preferred embodiment , the filter canisters 200 and related separator devices 700 are mounted in a compact arrangement through the floor of the concrete structure 900 into preset threaded inlets 920 that are evenly spaced throughout the floor of the structure 930 . when using the embodiment of fig9 sealing plugs 940 are placed into the preplumbed threaded inlets 920 depending upon the number of filter canisters 200 that are desired to be used based on the spacing of the receiving watershed area . one advantage of the embodiment contained in a precast concrete structure 900 is that the precast structure is a module unit that can be constructed off site and dropped in place . additionally , the precast units can be plumbed so that there are slip joints on the back end of the precast unit at location 950 so that several modular units could be placed in line with one joining the other using the slip joints 950 at the back end and front end of the middle modular units . the end modular units 900 would require an elbow and teed plumbing connection on the main drain line 120 to loop the line among the several drain pipes in drainage field located on the floor of the structure . the first module unit 900 in the series ( when more than one is used ) would contain the controller valve 300 and the control box 400 and other related apparatus . the use of this embodiment will allow off site construction of several modular units that could be precast off site and dropped in place very efficiently to either accept first flush flows directly from the surface area from which stormwater is to be treated or could be used as a single or multi modular filter unit system receiving flow from an additional rough cut basin in which water is stored and collected and then fed via a pipe inlet into the precast modular filtration unit ( s ) as depicted in fig9 . whether installed in a cast in place basin or a precast unit , grates or lids can be used , if desired , to cover and enclose the basin to allow use of the surface area above the basin for parking or other development . the following examples describe the manner and process of using the present invention and sets forth the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out the invention , but is not to be confused as limiting the scope thereof . a combination above grade automatic stormwater separation and filtration system and method of separation of filtration is utilized at the low end of a parking lot of a real estate development . the system is plumbed into a pour in place basin that is designed to hold a capacity of 1 / 2 &# 34 ; to 1 &# 34 ; of the initial stormwater runoff ( first flush ) leaving the paved service . a weir or berm is put in place so that after the basin has reached its first flush capacity the remainder of the stormwater , which would be much cleaner due to the washing off of pollutants in the first flush , is diverted directly into the storm sewer or collection system . after the preset amount of time has occurred from the beginning of the rainfall event that caused the stormwater run off , the bladder valve would open allowing the filter cartridges contained within the filter canisters to begin filtration during time of filtration , after sedimentation had occurred , the separator devices would continue to separate free floating pollutants such as oils and floating particulate matter , located on the surface of the water in the basin from coming in contact with the filter cartridges or filter canister units . this separation insures that chemicals and other floating pollutants or materials do not decrease from the efficiency of the filtration process provided by this invention . an existing stormwater basin providing sedimentation , filtration and separation for a development that utilizes a sand , diatomaceous earth or other type of high maintenance filter medium that is subject to clogging due to sedimentation , is retrofitted by removal of the filtration medium ( i . e ., sand etc .) and installation of the collection lines and above grade automatic stormwater separation filtration system and method of separation and filtration . the automated shut off valve is plumbed into the portion of the main drain line closest to the headwall of the existing basin that contains the drain pipe to the stormwater sewer collection system or receiving stream . the basin is then backfilled with earthen material or preferably , with concrete to cover the pvc drain pipe with at least two inches of cover . utilization of the present invention in a retrofit situation such as in this example would increase the capacity of the first flush that can be contained in the basin enhancing total filtration capabilities and further protect against stormwater pollution . additionally , maintenance becomes much simpler after the retrofit in that the huge bed of filtered material that would ordinarily have to be handled , cleaned , raked and ultimately disposed of on a regular basis , will have been replaced with efficient cartridge typed filters located in the filter canisters that make up a part of the present invention . these filter cartridges can be removed and recycled , with replacement occurring as often as necessary depending on pollutant loads and rain fall . in both examples 1 and 2 above , the current invention would utilize the common element of timing the beginning of the filtration process so that maximum sedimentation could occur , dropping pollutants out of the contained stormwater and maximum separation could occur layering floating or light pollutants on the top of the water level prior to beginning filtration through opening of the controller valve . as filtration occurs and water levels decrease in the basin the pollutants that have sedimented on the bottom of the basin will eventually be merged with the floating pollutants on the water surface after total draining and filtration has occurred . a certain component of evaporation would be figured into the ultimate removal of water from the basin allowing the free floating pollutants ( oils , particulate matter ) to bond with the sediment in the bottom of the basin resulting in a slowly building sludge material which can be easily periodically cleaned and removed by ordinary maintenance protocol . yet another embodiment of the present invention may be seen in fig1 and 11 . this embodiment has been demonstrated to prolong the life of the cartridge filter media in certain circumstances . in this embodiment the collection and initial sedimentation of the stormwater runoff takes place in a separate compartment of the basin . basin 15 has two compartments 17 and 19 . the stormwater runoff is initially collected in catch basin 17 . after a set period of time during which sedimentation of impurities occurs , control valve 300 may be opened in the manner discussed above . settled , unfiltered runoff enters filtration compartment 19 from catch basin 17 . the location of the discharge port 21 in catch basin 17 may vary depending upon the sedimentation design perimeters . in fig1 the discharge port 21 is positioned in the bottom portion of compartment 17 along divider wall 16 . opening of valve 300 allows settled , unfiltered runoff water to flow into compartment 19 which is plumbed with above grade filter canisters 200 as shown in fig1 . the canister may be provided with separator rings 700 . the canisters 200 and separators 700 are identical in structure to those described in the other embodiments of this invention . unfiltered runoff passes through inlet opening 203 and out discharge opening 213 into discharge pipe 120 for further treatment if and as necessary . this invention is used for any situation in which it is desired to filter quantified amounts of stormwater run off . by use of a logic board , automated control valve , together with the unique filtration canisters and method of filtration , stormwater filtration can be performed on an efficient and economic scale . while the preferred embodiments have been fully described and depicted for the purpose of explaining the principles of the present invention , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modification , substitutions and changes may be made due to without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims . the embodiments of the invention in which the exclusive property of privileges claimed are defined as follows : although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments , this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense . various modifications of the disclosed embodiments , as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the invention . it is , therefore , contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention . | 1 |
the toroid - free ballast of the present invention will be described in further details with reference to the accompany drawings . please refer to fig2 , which illustrates a toroid - free ballast according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a filter and rectifier circuit 10 and a switch and resonant circuit 20 , as well as an exemplary lamp load 30 . the filter and rectifier circuit 10 is coupled to input ends of the switch and resonant circuit 20 with its output ends , and being further coupled to an ac power supply to convert input ac voltage to dc voltage after filtering out the electromagnetic interference thereof . in the embodiment , the filter and rectifier circuit 10 is a full bridge rectifier circuit comprising a bridge rectifier ( d 1 ˜ d 4 ), a filter comprised of an inductor l 0 and a resistor r 0 in shunt connection and an electrolyte capacitor c 1 shuntly connected across terminals 1 and 3 of the bridge rectifier ; the filter is coupled with the ac power supply at one end via a fuse fu while coupling with terminal 2 of the bridge rectifier at another end . the switch and resonant circuit 20 is coupled to the lamp load 30 with its output ends and including : two transistors q 1 , q 2 , wherein emitter of the transistor q 1 is connected with collector of q 2 via a resistor r 5 , a junction point s is located between the resistor r 5 and the collector of the transistor q 2 , and a capacitor c 2 is connected across collector of the transistor q 1 and the junction point s ; a resistor r 1 is coupled to terminal 3 of the filter and rectifier circuit 10 with its one end and coupled to base of the transistor q 1 with its another end ; a resistor r 7 is coupled to the base of the transistor q 1 with its one end and coupled to the junction point s with its another end via a diode d 5 in series connection ; a resistor r 3 is coupled to the base of the transistor q 1 with its one end , while its another end is serially connected with a capacitor c 7 and a inductor lb 1 for coupling with terminal 3 of a secondary winding t 1 of a transformer t ; and emitter of the transistor q 2 is connected with terminal 6 of a secondary winding t 2 of the transformer t via a resistor r 6 , while base of the transistor q 2 is connected with the junction point s via a resistor r 2 ; a resistor r 8 is coupled to the base of the transistor q 2 with its one end , while its another end is serially connected with a diode d 6 for coupling with terminal 6 of the secondary winding t 2 of the transformer t ; a resistor r 4 is coupled to the base of the transistor q 2 with its one end , while its another end is serially connected with a capacitor c 8 and a inductor lb 2 for coupling with terminal 5 of the secondary winding t 2 of the transformer t ; a primary winding t 3 of the transformer is coupled with a lamp tube of the lamp load 30 with its terminal 2 , while its terminal 1 and terminal 4 of the secondary winding t 1 are connected at the junction point s ; the secondary windings t 1 , t 2 provide drive current for the transistors q 1 , q 2 of the circuit , and the terminal 2 of the primary winding t 3 is connected with the lamp tube and a capacitor c 5 whereby enabling the primary winding t 3 and the capacitor c 5 form a resonant circuit . the lamp load 30 comprises the lamp tube and the capacitors c 4 , c 5 wherein the capacitor c 4 is used for dc blocking ; and at both ends of the lamp tube two connection points a , b , a ′, b ′ are respectively provided , the capacitor c 5 in shunt connection with the lamp tube is connected across one connection point b , b ′ at both ends of the lamp tube ; another connection point a ′ at one end of the lamp tube is coupled with the terminal 2 of the primary winding t 3 , while another connection point a at another end of the lamp tube is coupled with the collector of the transistor q 1 via the capacitor c 4 . according to one preferred embodiment , the capacitor c 5 is further in shunt connection with a preheating device , and preferably a ptc preheating device , such as a ptc thermistor . please refer to fig3 , a toroid - free ballast according to another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated , which further comprises an optional power factor correction circuit 40 with respect to the one in fig2 . it should be noted that the necessity of the arrangement of the optional power factor correction circuit 40 depends on the power to be attained by the toroid - free ballast . the circuit 40 is coupled to the output end of the filter and rectifier circuit 10 with its input end and coupled to the input end of the switch and resonant circuit 20 with its output end . the power factor correction circuit 40 comprises a mos switching transistor vt 1 , a booster inductor l , a booster diode vd , an output capacitor c 0 and a power factor correction controller ( apfc controller ) integrated circuit for connecting power factor and adjusting its input dc voltage so that the output dc voltage will not be affected_by the change of load to maintain the stable power factor ; wherein the booster inductor l is coupled to terminal 3 of bridge rectifier with one end and coupled to the collector of the transistor q 1 with another end through the booster diode vd ; the booster diode vd is coupled with terminal 1 of the bridge rectifier at its cathode via the output capacitor c 0 and coupled with the terminal 1 of the bridge rectifier via the mos switching transistor vt 1 , while the gate of the mos switching transistor vt 1 is coupled to the power factor correction controller apfc controller . please refer to fig4 , a toroid - free ballast according to a further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated , wherein the switch and resonant circuit 20 further comprises a resonant capacitor c 6 with respect to the embodiment shown in fig3 . the working principle of the present invention is as follows : the inductor l 0 and resistor r 0 of the filter and rectifier circuit 10 of the present invention are being employed for eliminating the clutter interference in the power source and preventing the clutter signals from entering into the ballast or preventing the high frequency signals in the ballast from entering into the power source ; the rectifying diodes d 1 - d 4 convert input ac current to dc current such that a stable dc current is obtained at positive terminal of the electrolyte capacitor c 1 . the mos switching transistor vt 1 , booster inductor l , booster diode vd , output capacitor c 0 and the power factor correction controller ( apfc controller ) integrated circuit form a feedback type power factor correction circuit which enables a power factor larger than 0 . 9 . transistors q 1 , q 2 form a half bridge resonant circuit ; when q 2 conducts , a current flows through the capacitor c 4 , two sets of filaments of the lamp tube , capacitor c 5 , primary winding t 3 of the transformer t and the transistor q 2 to form a closed circuit , whereby generating an induced electrodynamic potential on the primary winding t 3 of the transformer and also an induced electrodynamic potential on the secondary windings t 1 , t 2 of the transformer , wherein the ends denoted with represent a positive polarity ; the voltage polarity of energy storage inductors , namely the secondary windings t 1 , t 2 , will be varied due to the variations of the current during the charging process , in this way , transistors q 1 , q 2 conduct and cut off in an alternate manner thereby forming a high frequency signal for excitation of the lamp tube . in the circuitry , the capacitor c 7 , inductor lb 1 , capacitor c 8 and inductor lb 2 form a oscillation circuit in the secondary loop , wherein the oscillation frequency can be altered by changing the values of the inductance and capacitance . while the parameters of the main resonant circuit formed with the primary winding t 3 of the transformer t and capacitor c 5 can be matched with one another , the entire circuitry will be operated in a stable condition . the resonant capacitor c 6 in the circuitry will facilitate the optimum ignition of the lamp tube . it should be appreciated that the above are merely provided for illustrating but not limiting the present invention . while the present invention has been described in details with references to above embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various amendments may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof as required , and those alterations and / or modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention shall all fall into the scope of the following claims . | 7 |
by using a new methodology as described herein , it is possible to detect relatively low concentrations ( e . g ., tens ppm , hundreds ppb ) of reducing gases and , with some applied limitations , and selectively distinguish certain gases from one another . the functioning of sensors and calculation of their parameters may be observed during a state of dynamic equilibrium . in a steady state , any small variation or oscillation surrounding the predominant average value are deemed insignificant and are thrown out from the calculation . as a result , limitations occur and the sensor &# 39 ; s output parameters are only predictable and calculated for a particular range of changing input parameters . for example , sensors work correctly within limited changing characteristics of the sensitive layer under gas influences . due to the influence of internal factors in the body of the sensor , such as diffusion and recombination , discarding these small changes in relation to the predominant average value is incorrect and produces erroneous results . taking into account the periodic changes surrounding the predominant average value of the potential barrier , equation 2 describes and allows analysis of processes in the sensitive layer of a sensor , and is free from the limitations described above . where q is the charge , g is the conductance constant , eo is the amplitude of the internal electric field , and ex is the amplitude of the electric field at the boundary of the microcrystal which prevents carriers from moving freely . equation 2 can be simplified to an analysis of a second order differential equation in the following form : where lambda , λ , is some constant , p ( t ) is a function of time which does not greatly vary with its average value . the function p ( t ), can be then rewritten as : where alpha , α , and mu , μ are constants and μ & lt ; 1 and f ( t ) is a periodic function of t with an angular frequency , omega , ω , for which : ∫ 0 ω f ( t ) dt = 0 ( equation 5 ) if α * λ & lt ; 0 , then at a small enough μ there exists a place of instability . for α * λ & lt ; 0 , equation 3 can be written in the form below ( equation 6 ), which describes the range of stability and only in this range can solutions be predicted and calculated . as a result , it is possible to determine domains of dynamic stability and instability separated by the occurrence of resonant oscillations , in which the amplitude is raised to detectable levels . ( see fig6 .) 1 . under the influence of flow of gas on the reactive layer of a sensor , the value of the potential barrier does not change gradually with a change in concentration ; instead there exist domains of dynamic stability , where parameters can be predicted and domains of dynamic instability , where parameters are unpredictable . 2 . only within domains of stability , it is possible to determine the influence of the external factors to the sensors &# 39 ; sensitive layer . 3 . since the domains of stability and instability possess varying widths , and can be regulated by changing certain parameters of the system , such as temperature , pressure , etc ., the method provides a way to determine desired domains for different applications . 4 . measurement procedures within individual areas of dynamic stability can be established and also allow to travel between domains under control of certain parameters and conditions . 5 . comparing the domains of stability and instability for different gases produces the ability to perform selective analysis of the gases in the mixture . 6 . the boundaries between zones of dynamic stability and instability can be found by scanning and detecting increasing amplitudes of oscillations in the diapason of the changing measurement parameters . 7 . detrimental factors simply deform the widths of domains of stability and instability without destroying them and are also taken into account in the method . 8 . each gas is described by a differential equation . a gaseous mixture may be described by a system of differential equations . the individual equations and the system of equations may be solved by conventional methods . a device implementing the proposed method works as follows . an investigated gaseous mixture , for example the exhaled breath from a patient , is prepared and collected in a gas preparation unit of the device , before processing . one purpose of the gas preparation unit is to promote conditions such that the investigated gaseous mixtures at any time will be measured under reproducible or consistent conditions . the pressure , volume and temperature of the gaseous mixture can vary within the gas preparation unit . variations may be regulated with the aid of a microprocessor . equilibrium , in many cases , is preferably achieved before processing of any gas sample . a prepared gaseous mixture is then passed to a measurement assembly , which serves to determine the concentration of different components in the gaseous mixture . internal conditions inside the measurement assembly , the control and regulation of various parameters , and influences on the process of passing the gases through the sensors , such as air quality , temperature of the sensing layer , speed at which the gaseous mixture is delivered to the sensing layer of the sensor , and the quality of the gaseous mixture itself , etc ., are preferably regulated by one or more control units , which use the developed algorithm thus realizing the method . after measurement , the processed gaseous mixture is expelled from the measurement assembly , preparing the unit for a subsequent measurement . the measurement assembly includes a predetermined number of sensors , which react with individual components of the gaseous mixture . the sensors &# 39 ; outputs , a series of analog signals , are then passed to a data acquisition unit for amplification , filtration and digitization by an analog - to - digital converter ( adc ). once digitized , the prepared data is transferred to a data consolidation unit . the data consolidation unit serves to collect , store , and transfer information from each individual sensor to the microprocessor upon receiving a request . this allows for the consolidation and synchronization of individual subsystems , preventing the loss of data and increasing the dependability at the device . a data stream then leaves the data consolidation unit directed for processing in the control unit . the control unit may be considered a large unit because it may be comprised of various subsystems . these subsystems are responsible for , for example , performing data conversion , providing internal communication between subsystems and producing necessary commands to accomplish device functionalities . the dsp - based data processing unit ( dpu ) functions to perform the actions of the control unit and houses the algorithm that controls the work of all subsystems in the device . the dpu also houses the algorithm to process the gathered data , thus realizing the proposed method . the dpu may communicate directly with the control unit and preferably shares data produced by the data consolidation unit . the control unit performs , controls , and regulates the functionalities of the device . the functions of the control unit may include : 1 . receives processes , communicates and transfers data to the different units through a common interface . achieved results are gathered and saved to a database and may be displayed in some form relatively soon after successful measurement and processing . the display may take the form of an indicator , light , flashing of a light , a digital result , text - based message , email notification , etc . 2 . controls actions performed by the electro - mechanical modules such as the pump , heater , piston , etc . the control unit receives and analyzes the signals from various mechanisms and performs the necessary actions and responses according to built - in application software . the control unit is a multifunctional unit , which includes not only standard components , but also preferably contains an original custom logic block . this block has original design circuitries for detecting areas of stability and instability in the changing parameters of the gaseous mixture as predicted by the described methods . circuitries and their functionalities are described below . the custom logic block is capable of managing data in 3d space and in three or more dimensions when performing calculations or computations . further , the custom logic block is capable of treating a system of solutions for a plurality of unknown functions in addition to solving for an individual unknown function . independent modules , measurement tools and / or supplemental devices , when needed , are connected through the interface to the device . the device may include subassemblies and application software for calculating , locating and determining the boundaries of domains of stability and instability as described herein . boundaries may be determined by analyzing some or all of the output data , which reflects changes in the parameters of the gaseous mixture . furthermore , the subsystems used in the control unit insure reliability and dependability as well as provide ways to troubleshoot and diagnose the device in its entirety . the major units and their constraints are described below . the gas preparation and measurement assembly unit , 300 , shown in fig2 , works in the following manner according to one implementation of the invention — with reference to fig4 which shows the detailed structure of the gas preparation and measurement assembly with a sensor . a gaseous mixture , such as exhaled breath , is pumped with pump 2 , 350 , to the gas chamber , 340 , as shown in fig4 . the pressure and volume of the gaseous mixture in the gas chamber , 340 , is regulated by , for example , a change in a position of a piston ( not shown ). the heating element , located in pressure and temperature control subsystem , 330 , built to work with the gas chamber , 340 , heats the mixture in the chamber to an assigned or designated temperature . the gas chamber 340 , is comprised of two cylinders , one , 342 , inside the other , 341 . the double walls and the inner cavity prevent or reduce the exchange of heat with the surroundings . a valve ( not shown ) prevents the gaseous mixture from leaving the gas chamber 340 , allowing the mixture to reach equilibrium , i . e . pv ( pressure and volume )= constant at an assigned temperature . then , the valve is opened , allowing the mixture to move into the sensors unit , 320 , for processing . the output signal of the sensors unit , 320 , is then passed to the control unit , 200 , while the gaseous mixture itself is exhausted to prepare the sensor unit , 320 , for subsequent measurements . if a mixture of gases is being measured , then the sensors unit , 320 , is modified according to the assembly of the sensors unit , 390 , illustrated in fig5 . the sensors unit , 390 , has a given number of sensors n ( shown as 1 , 2 . . . n ), each of which is configured for the detection of a particular gas . the configuration for the detection of a specific gas requires the heating of the sensitive layer within a sensor to a temperature , which corresponds with the temperature at which the specific gas is most active . each particular gas has its own optimal temperature . the heating of the sensing layer inside the sensor is achieved through the utilization of an internal , built - in heating element ( not shown ) in the sensor . the speed with respect to time with which the gaseous mixture enters the sensors unit , 320 , the time the gaseous mixture is in contact with the sensing layer of a sensor and other parameters are regulated , for example , by adjusting amount of gas and gas flow being delivered to the sensor housing . the gas which passes through or over the sensor , for example , sensor # 1 of sensor unit 390 in fig5 , is collected in a reservoir ( not shown ). this gas can be utilized for further analysis , such as for determining the composition of the mixture or simply can be released back into the surroundings . the sensors &# 39 ; output signals — analog signals changing with respect to time — are detected and processed in the electronic subsystem ( s ) of the proposed device . refer to fig2 - 5 . the electronic subsystems work in the following manner according to one implementation of the invention . the outputs of the sensors , in form of analog signals , are transferred to the inputs of a data acquisition unit , 100 in fig2 . in the data acquisition unit , signals are amplified , filtered , and &# 39 ; converted to a digital form . an analog - to - digital converter , 110 , is used . then the processed signal enters the data consolidation unit , 500 , where fifos and other storage elements are used to save and synchronize the data streams produced inside the internal subsystems . this ensures the functionality and reliability of the processor , the control unit , 200 , and the entire device . fig3 shows the structure of the control unit , which is responsible for controlling the major processes and functionalities of different components and the device itself , including power distribution , security , mechanical arms control , valve operations , piston movement , etc . the control unit also treats and prepares information to be transferred between the internal units . original custom logic , 222 , implemented in the control unit , is involved in the detection of the boundaries of stability and instability — such as the boundaries , which separate stable and unstable regions , shown in fig6 . with reference to fig3 , the indicated subsystem includes an asynchronous block , 227 , that operates the application software to determine the domains of stability and instability through the analysis of the changes in the output parameters of the gaseous mixture as outlined by the methods described herein . the control unit subsystem also includes time - dependent logic components ( not shown ), switching capacitors and other elements used to determine and analyze the characteristics of oscillation occurring at the boundaries of domains of stability and instability . the data processing unit , 400 , shown in fig2 includes an implemented algorithm that realizes one embodiment of a proposed method as well as algorithms that utilize proper operations of the device and appropriate software applications to insure continuity , reliability and dependability of the individual subsystems and their interaction within the device . furthermore , the algorithms define and control the data stream ( s ) within the device , transferring the data through the interface . standard protocols such as universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter uart ( serial ), 226 , ethernet ( tcp / ip ), 224 , flash , 225 , and others can be implemented to aid and utilize the information exchange . sampling , sensing and calculation of values related to a concentration of a gas may be repeated so as to perform uninterrupted monitoring of a gas . such repeating may be done as frequently as possible for continuous monitoring , or may be done at predefined intervals so as to provide intermittent updates of values related to a gas concentration or intermittent monitoring of a gas . time may be utilized as a parameter in processing to assist in determining if or when the system is in the stable or unstable domain at the general instant of when the measurement occurs . simultaneous measurement of various gases in a gaseous mixture can be made utilizing the methods described herein by distributing incoming gas into different channels each equipped with its own sensor for the targeted gas and then using the methods described herein to calculate the concentration of each gas in its respective channel . for example , one channel could measure a concentration of nitrogen , and a second channel could measure a concentration of oxygen . in one implementation , ambient air is pumped into the system to clear the sensor area of measured gases and prepare the sensing layer of the sensor for subsequent measurements , reducing the time between measurements . the methods described herein allow monitoring the state of the system in real time , when a measurement is being performed . in another implementation , the methods described herein do not require prior preparation or calibration of the sensors or system in order to take a measurement . periodicity . above in equation 4 and equation 6 , f ( t ) is a periodic function of time t . in the system and methods described herein , a physical parameter may be periodically changed with respect to time to set up the initial parameters of the equation or equations to solve . periodicity as used herein refers to a repeating pattern with respect to time . the following are three examples of implementing periodicity into the system . gas flow . according to one implementation , a sample is continuously delivered to the sensor for measurement by the sensor in a straight forward , uniform manner . for example , the sample is held at a first constant pressure when released to the sensor . periodicity can be introduced by varying the gas flow to the sensor in a uniform , repeated pattern . that is , the speed of the gas flow is regulated such that for two seconds the gas flows to the sensor , then stops , then flows for the same amount of time , then stops . alternatively , as another example , the gas flow is slowed instead of stopped by reducing an opening of a valve separating the sample from the sensor , or by varying the pressure of the gaseous sample by pressurizing the gaseous sample to one of various predetermined pressures at certain times during a measuring or sampling period . a pattern repeats or cycles until all measurement data is collected from the sensor . alternatively , gas flow is provided at one speed ( e . g ., volume or mass per unit time ) for a certain time , then increased or decreased to another speed for a same or different time , and then returned to the original speed . setting a repeating pattern by manipulating the flow of the sample onto or through the sensor for measurement is one way to implement periodicity for the initial condition of mathieu &# 39 ; s equation . electric current . alternatively , periodicity may be implemented by varying a physical condition related to the electric current associated with the device or system . for example , periodicity may be introduced by varying the supplied voltage to the output of the sensor . in contrast to published data sheets from commercial sensor vendors which indicate a constant voltage supply to a sensor &# 39 ; s output leads , to implement periodicity in the instant system , an initial voltage can be varied according to a pre - set repeated pattern . according to a first implementation , a first pre - determined constant voltage between three and five volts is supplied over an initial time interval . at the end of the initial time interval ( e . g ., 10 seconds , 15 seconds ), the voltage is modified to another pre - determined voltage for another time interval . this procedure is repeated for a predetermined period such as two minutes . successive two minute intervals may repeat the changes according to the first two minute interval . while the implementation has been described with respect to seconds , the time interval may be reduced to milliseconds , micro - seconds and so forth to a desired level of periodicity . the numbers above are merely used to provide an illustration . accordingly , the applied voltage to the output of the sensor is the parameter that is used to provide the condition of periodicity to the system . alternatively , a varying resistance or varying amount of current flowing in the system can be utilized to introduce the periodicity to the system and calculations associated therewith . surface geometry . yet another way to implement a repeatable pattern in the system for measuring concentration of a gas is to physically change the topology of the sensing layer of the sensor . according to presently available commercial sensors , each sensor has a continuous , uniform and rectangular sensing surface area with which gas molecules interact or chemically react to produce an electrical output . according to a first theoretical understanding of the measuring mechanism , the sensing layer at rest produces a particular output . upon flow of a gas sample over the sensing layer , gas molecules chemically react with the surface of the sensor . the electrical output changes as a result of the chemical reaction between molecules of the sensing layer and molecules of the gas or gaseous mixture . ( or electrical output changes as a result of the number of gas molecules absorbed by the sensing layer ). one factor that affects this chemical interaction and ultimately the output of the sensor , which is then used to calculate the concentration by employing mathieu &# 39 ; s equation or variation thereof , is the distance between the gas molecules and molecules of the sensing layer . according to a first implementation , the sensing layer is uniform , i . e . one flat , level surface . the density ( number of the absorbed molecules divided by area ) is constant . the length of the reacting surface area is constant . according to a second implementation of the system , a sensing layer is formed such that the flux of gas molecules react with different areas of the sensing layer and the sensing surface is not constant but rather the topology of the sensing layer changes in a preformed , repeatable manner . a simple design for the sensing layer is a square wave , or a step - up step - down function that repeats in one or two dimensions . this can be done with one material or combining several materials for the purpose of achieving and introducing this change of one level , then a higher or lower level , then return to the original level , and then repeating the sequence for the length of the sensing layer . effectively , the resistance of the sensing layer is periodically varied , which is one of the initial parameters utilized in mathieu &# 39 ; s equation . if resistance is not constant but rather is varied with respect to time in a repeatable , periodic fashion then such physical or geographic variation of the sensor surface acts to provide periodicity . conclusion . although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments , it will be evident that modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit of the invention . accordingly , the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than in a restrictive sense . similarly , while certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the broad invention and that this invention is not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described therein , since various other modifications may be made according to the abilities of those ordinarily skilled in the art upon studying this disclosure . the disclosed embodiments may be readily modifiable as facilitated by enabling technological advancements without departing from the principals of the present disclosure . | 0 |
referring now specifically to the drawings , a hypothetical system according to which the present invention can be practiced is illustrated in fig1 and broadly designated at 10 . the invention is usable in a wide variety of circumstances and environments . the environment chosen to illustrate the invention is a residential system in which incoming mail , newspapers or the like is deposited in an outside terminal 11 and delivered via a pneumatic tube 12 to an inside terminal 13 . air flow is provided to pneumatic tube 12 by a conduit 14 interconnecting pneumatic tube 11 with a blower 15 . all of these components are described in detail below . however , the system described in general above is only one of several configurations which are possible using the teachings of this application . for example , a system such as illustrated in fig1 may also be used in a commercial or industrial environment for delivery of interoffice memoranda , drawings , blueprints and even assembly parts of a size limited only by the size of the carrier . of course , the system may have a number of different terminals , all connected together in particular configurations to best suit the circumstances . the terminology &# 34 ; outside &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; inside &# 34 ; terminal is chosen only for purposes of illustration and clarity . of course , the terminals may be arranged in any desirable configuration with all terminals located &# 34 ; inside &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; outside &# 34 ; a structure and with the two types of terminals connected together in a wide variety of combinations and permutations . by way of illustration , a single outside terminal can be connected to a plurality of inside terminals in a linear or a spoke arrangement , or outside terminals on opposite ends of a system with one or more interposed inside terminals can be constructed . these examples in no way exhaust the configurations which are possible . a carrier 20 is transported back and forth between outside terminal 11 and inside terminal 13 . carrier 20 is illustrated in fig2 and comprises a cylindrical tubular body 21 constructed of a high - impact plastic material , the walls of which define an interior chamber 22 for receiving and carrying contents , such as mail , newspapers , or other objects as the particular situation requires . a closed end , enlarged annular ring 23 encloses one end of carrier 20 . an open end , enlarged annular plastic ring 24 surrounds the other end of carrier 20 and define with the adjacent end of body 21 an opening 25 through which the contents of the carrier 20 enter and exit . a thin steel ring 28 is set into the top of the axial end of ring 24 . a pair of spaced - apart sealing rings 26 , 27 provide a seal between carrier 20 and pneumatic tube 12 while at the same time providing a relatively low friction contact surface . it has been found that a dense felt material or a filled elastomer performs well . opening 25 is closed by a cover 30 and designed to be magnetically attracted to steel ring 28 by means of a series of permanent magnets 31 which are spaced at predetermined intervals around the periphery of cover 30 in axially - extending alignment with the walls of carrier body 21 and ring 28 . the number and strength of the magnets required are determined empirically based upon the size and weight of carrier 20 . in the present embodiment , six magnets 31 spaced equally around cover 30 have been found sufficient . however , a lesser number of elongate , arcuate - shaped magnets are also envisioned . in the embodiment disclosed herein , the body 21 has an outside diameter of 7 in . ( 17 . 8 cm .) and an inside diameter of 63 / 4 in . ( 17 cm .). the overall diameter of carrier 20 is 77 / 8 in . ( 20 cm .) and its length is 17 in . ( 43 cm .). this is more than sufficient for almost any sized mail as well as a standard newspaper . carrier 20 weighs 8 lb . ( 3 . 6 kg .) and the cover weighs 1 / 2 lb . ( 0 . 28 kg .). magnets 31 are each 1 / 2 in . ( 1 . 3 cm .) in length and 5 / 8 in . ( 1 . 6 cm .) in diameter . as noted above , six of these magnets 31 are sufficient to hold the cover 30 in place while carrier 20 is in transit and yet permit removal when required . cover 30 is very slightly less in diameter than rings 26 , 27 and has a chamfered leading edge to provide space for slight side - to - side movement within pneumatic tube 12 . referring now to fig3 - 6 , the transit of carrier 20 between terminals 11 and 13 is described . pneumatic tube 12 is designed with an inside diameter only just large enough to permit passage of carrier 20 with a minimum of friction and yet with a seal sufficiently close to permit differential air pressure to act on carrier 20 . for the dimensions of the carrier 20 described above , an inside diameter of 8 in . ( 20 . 3 cm .) is proper . curves are radiused as required to permit carrier 20 to pass through the curve without contact between the wall of tube 12 and the leading and trailing ends of carrier 20 . in fig3 - 6 pneumatic tube 12 connects outside terminal 11 with inside terminal 13 . valves 33 , 34 permit pneumatic tube 12 to be closed against air flow through its opposing ends adjacent outside and inside terminals 11 , 13 , respectively . a sensor 36 is positioned in tube 12 intermediate terminals 11 and 13 . if , as is shown in fig1 blower 15 is positioned adjacent the dwelling and is thus nearer inside terminal 13 , sensor 36 is likewise positioned closer to terminal 13 than terminal 11 in order to reduce the length of conduct 14 . conduit 14 divides into two conduit segments 14a , 14b and interconnect with tube 12 at spaced - apart junctions on opposite sides of sensor 36 . a two - way valve 37 at the junction of conduit 14 and conduit segments 14a , 14b permits air to flow into and out of tube 12 through either conduit segment 14a or 14b . blower 15 has a positive pressure port 39 and a negative pressure port 40 connected to conduit 14 by two - way valves 41 , 42 , respectively . valves 41 , 42 switch between airflow communication between conduit 14 and atmosphere as is shown . in fig3 the carrier 20 is being transported from outside terminal 11 to inside terminal 13 . as will be described below , carrier 20 is dropped into tubes 12 from within outside terminal 11 . gravity and differential air pressure therefore provide initial impetus . valve 33 is open allowing atmospheric pressure to fill in behind carrier 20 and valve 34 is closed so that an enclosure is defined in tube 12 in advance of carrier 20 . valves 37 , 41 and 42 are arranged so that blower 15 functions to discharge air under pressure to atmosphere through valve 41 . air is evacuated from tube 12 through conduit segment 14a downstream of sensor 36 . negative pressure thus created causes air entering through valve 33 to push carrier 20 towards terminal 13 . sensor 36 controls the operation of valves 37 , 41 and 42 and initiates the change as carrier 20 passes sensor 36 . referring to fig4 valve 37 closes conduit segment 14a and opens conduit segment 14b . valve 41 interrupts air flow from positive pressure port 39 to atmosphere and redirects pressurized air into conduit 14 . valve 42 interrupts air flow from conduit 14 into negative pressure port 40 provides atmospheric pressure to negative pressure port 40 . valve 33 closes , creating a closed chamber behind carrier 20 while valve 34 opens to permit air in front of carrier 20 to exit to atmosphere . therefore , high pressure air delivered from blower 15 to tube 12 behind carrier 20 propels carrier 20 towards and into inside terminal 13 . in effect , carrier 20 is pulled the first half of the distance to the other end of tube 12 and pushed the remaining distance . in fig5 and 6 the carrier is being transported from the inside terminal 13 to the outside terminal 11 . the operation is exactly reversed from that described above . valve 34 is open and valve 33 is closed . air is pulled from tube 12 is advance of carrier 20 which has been dropped into tube 12 from terminal 13 . air exits tube 12 through conduit segment 14b and passes into negative pressure port 40 of blower 15 , then out positive pressure port 39 to atmosphere . when sensor 36 detects passage of carrier 20 , valve 33 opens and valve 34 closes . valve 37 closes segment 14b and opens segment 14a . pressurized air is diverted from atmosphere to conduit 14 by a valve 41 and air at atmospheric pressure enters negative pressure port 40 through valve 42 . carrier 20 is thereby propelled the remaining distance to outside terminal 11 . the arrangement described above is particularly efficient and economical . because of the unique &# 34 ; pull - push &# 34 ; arrangement , all of the air handling can be done away from the terminals 11 and 13 . this reduces noise substantially and eliminates a considerable amount of piping . in addition , the accelerating effect of gravity as the carrier drops into tube 12 on one end and the decelerating effect of gravity on the other end are effectively utilized . manipulation of the carrier 20 at the inside terminal 13 is necessary because of the position of the cover 30 on one end of carrier 20 and because the magnetic securement of the cover 30 to carrier 20 requires that the carrier 20 always travel through pneumatic tube 12 with the cover 30 on the leading end . for purposes of explanation the assumption is made that some object has been placed in the carrier 20 at the outside terminal 11 . the carrier 20 is dispatched to the inside terminal 13 where cover 30 must first be removed . then , the contents of carrier must be removed and the lid replaced . finally , carrier 20 must be reoriented to that it can travel in the opposite direction back to outside terminal 11 with cover 30 on the leading end . as is shown schematically in fig7 through 18 , carrier 20 is received from pneumatic tube 12 into a tube segment 50 contained within inside terminal 13 . ( see fig1 through 25 and below for a discussion of the detailed operation of the inside terminal 13 ). carrier 20 is held in a position within tube segment 50 where cover 30 projects upwardly above the upper edge of tube segment 50 ( fig7 ). tube segment 50 is then translated laterally out of axial alignment with tube 12 , the cover 30 being &# 34 ; sheared &# 34 ; off and held in a stationary position ( fig8 ). once clear of tube 12 , tube segment 50 is pivoted about a central axis ( fig9 ). carrier 20 with its cover 30 now removed moves with tube segment 50 and its contents fall out under the influence of gravity ( fig1 ). after the contents have been emptied , tube segment 50 pivots back into an upright position ( fig1 ) and then translates back into axial alignment with tube 12 . in so doing , carrier 20 is brought back into axial alignment with cover 30 and the magnetic attraction between the two parts causes cover 30 to be reseated on carrier 20 ( fig1 ). this completes the first phase of the carrier manipulation . if desired , the above sequence can be stopped at fig1 , that is , with the carrier 20 in an upright position but still laterally spaced from tube 12 and with no cover 30 . in this position objects can be placed in carrier 20 while in the inside terminal 13 before being returned to the outside terminal . in either case , the movement shown in fig1 completes the first phase of the carrier manipulation . however , before carrier 20 can be returned to outside terminal 11 , carrier 20 must be reoriented with cover 30 in the lower position . referring now to fig1 , carrier 20 is lowered just enough to bring cover 30 into tube segment 50 and then held in this position . tube segment 50 is then translated laterally out of axial alignment with tube 12 ( fig1 ) and rotated on its own axis 180 degrees to reorient carrier 20 with its cover in the downwardly facing position ( fig1 and 16 ). then , tube segment 50 translates laterally back into axial alignment with tube 12 ( fig1 ) and , when desired , carrier 20 is transported by pneumatic tube 12 back to the outside terminal ( fig1 ). outside terminal 11 operates in essentially the same manner as inside terminal 13 insofar as reorientation of the carrier 20 is concerned . since outside terminal 11 merely opens to receive mail , etc . but does not empty contents , the sequence illustrated in fig7 through 12 are not performed . as mentioned above , however , terminals 11 and 13 may be joined in any desired combination and the terminology &# 34 ; inside &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; outside &# 34 ; are used only for illustrative purposes . referring now to fig1 , a overall view of the inside terminal 13 is shown . the simultaneous translation and pivoting movement described above is achieved by mounting tube segment 50 in a frame 51 mounted between two sets of vertically spaced , longitudinally extending tracks 53 by means of nylon rollers 54 and 55 . frame 51 is moved along tracks 53 by a drive chain 56 mounted on two sets of spaced apart sprockets 58 , 59 and 60 , 61 . sprockets 58 and 60 are connected by a shaft 62 and sprockets 59 and 61 are mounted on independent arbors . an driven chain 65 connects sprockets 60 and 61 for unison rotation . one end of drive chain 56 is attached to a spring 67 . the other end of chain 56 is connected to an air cylinder 68 having a relatively long throw piston rod 69 . frame 51 is attached to drive chain 56 by means of a clamp 70 . activation of cylinder 68 causes piston rod 69 to retract , pulling chain 56 and causing frame 51 and tube segment 50 secured thereto to be pulled along tracks 53 . to return tube segment 50 to the position in axial alignment with tube 12 , cylinder 68 is deactivated and spring 67 pulls frame 51 back to aligned position . tube segment 50 is pivoted by a chain 75 mounted on one side of frame 51 formed of spaced - apart plates . one end of chain 75 is connected to the piston rod 76 of an air cylinder 77 mounted on frame 51 and the other end of chain 75 to a spring 78 , also mounted on frame 51 . chain 75 passes around a pair of spaced - apart sprockets 80 , 81 mounted on frame 51 and a sprocket 82 mounted at the pivot axis of tube segment 50 . activation of cylinder 77 causes piston rod 76 to retract and tube segment 50 to pivot clockwise as viewed in fig1 . any contents in carrier 20 fall into the bottom of inside terminal 13 , which functions as a storage area . preferably , this area is sufficiently large to allow accumulation of a large quantity of mail and newspapers over a period of several weeks of unattended use . deactivation of cylinder 77 permits spring 78 to pull chain 75 in the opposite direction causing tube segment 50 to pivot counterclockwise . referring now to fig2 through 25 , removal and replacement of cover 30 is described in further detail . when carrier 20 enters inside terminal 13 , it is held in place by a spring - loaded entry latch 90 , as is best shown in fig2 and 23 . as carrier 20 passes the upwardly articulated arm of latch 90 , latch 90 is pushed out of the way and snaps back into position under the reduced diameter lower lip of ring 24 , holding carrier 20 in the position shown in fig2 . note in fig2 that cover 30 is positioned above the upper edge of tube segment 50 in a stationary cap 91 . a pair of pivotally mounted latch fingers 92 , 93 are shown in fig2 and 22 in a normally open position to permit cover 30 to move past into cap 91 . these latch fingers 92 , 93 are then pivoted inwardly under cover 30 and engage the underside of the lower lip of cover 30 , as is shown in fig2 . another pair of latches 98 , 99 are spring - loaded to move into a holding position across the top of the carrier 20 and below the now - removed cover 30 . then , tube segment 50 is translated laterally out of alignment with tube 12 . cover is pushed off of the top of carrier 20 by this lateral movement and is held suspended in cap 91 by latch fingers 92 , 93 . ( see also fig7 and 8 ). as tube segment 50 and carrier 20 therein are inverted to empty the contents , latches 98 , 99 prevent carrier 20 from falling out of tube segment . when carrier is moved back into axial alignment with tube 12 , latch fingers 92 , 93 and latches 98 , 99 retract and cover 30 is reseated on carrier 20 by magnetic attraction . retraction of latches 98 , 99 occurs as tube segment moves back into alignment with cap 91 , the latches 98 , 99 being curved sufficiently in the axial direction to be engaged by tube segment 50 itself . ( see also fig1 ). now carrier 20 is ready to be reoriented with cover 30 in the downwardly facing direction . latch 90 is retracted by the upward push of a small air cylinder 95 ( compare fig2 and 25 ). carrier 20 drops a short distance and is caught by a return latch 97 , which also catches under the lip of ring 24 in the manner described above . note that the cover 30 is now below the level of cap 91 and within tube segment 50 . latch fingers 92 , 93 now move inwardly again , this time over the top of cover 30 . therefore , when carrier 20 is inverted ( see fig1 and 17 ) it is held in position by latch fingers 92 , 93 until carrier 20 is sent back to outside terminal 11 , at which time latch fingers 92 , 93 are retracted and carrier falls under its own weight down pneumatic tube 12 . referring now to fig2 , the outside terminal 11 is shown in further detail . pneumatic tube 12 terminates at a slight tilt and delivers carrier 20 into a tube segment 100 normally positioned in axial alignment with tube 12 . carrier 20 is held in position in tube segment 100 by latches which move into position in exactly the same manner as do latches 90 and 91 in the inside terminal ( see fig2 and 25 ). cover 30 is positioned within a cap 103 which is then pivoted away from axial alignment with tube segment 100 by an air cylinder 104 in the manner shown in fig2 . air cylinder 102 rotates plate valve 33 to open and close tube 12 . the cover 30 is held within cap 103 by means of a plate 106 over which the cap 103 moves . this exposes the open end of carrier 20 . when desired , mail , newspapers , etc . can be placed into carrier 20 through access door 107 positioned on the front surface of outside terminal 11 . before delivery of carrier 20 back to inside terminal 13 , cover 30 is placed on top of carrier 20 by swinging cap 103 back into axial alignment with tube segment 100 . as with inside terminal 13 , carrier 20 must be reoriented so that the end of carrier 20 having cover 30 leads . this is accomplished by pivotally mounting tube segment 100 midway between its opposing ends and mounting a sprocket 108 to the pivot . a chain 109 engages dsprocket 108 and is connected on one end to a piston rod 110 of an air cylinder 111 . the other end of chain 109 is attached to a spring 112 . activation of air cylinder 111 rotates tube segment 100 clockwise 180 degrees so that cover end of carrier 20 is directed downwardly into tube 12 . at the appropriate time , carrier 20 is dropped into tube 12 and is transported through tube 12 to inside terminal 13 , as described above . outside terminal 11 is provided with a large compartment 114 for storage of items too large to fit into carrier 20 . this may be used by the occupant to leave oversized items for pick - up , or by a mail carrier or delivery person to leave oversized items for later collection by the occupant . the pneumatic and electrical controls , including relays , microswitches , sensors and logic boards are in and of themselves conventional and do not require detailed explanation to one of ordinary skill in the art . the operational logic is described above and , as noted , is subject to variation within the scope of the invention . design of necessary control components is a function of the particular combination of terminal types , numbers and configurations chosen for a given application , in addition to the particular way in which the carrier 20 will be transported between terminals , i . e ., the incorporation of delay features and the like into the apparatus and method described above . a method and apparatus for automatic transfer of a carrier between terminals is described above . various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope . furthermore , the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment 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 . | 1 |
embodiments of the present invention teach methods for developing sets of individually identifiable saw sensor tag devices that operate well together , incorporating diversity techniques and codes that have good autocorrelation properties and low cross correlation properties over a desired time range , substantially reducing code collision interference problems . a first embodiment of the present invention utilizes direct sequence spread spectrum ( dsss ) coding combined with both time diversity and frequency diversity to construct sets of individually identifiable sensors or sensor - tags . dsss coding is alternatively called bpsk ( binary phase shift keying ) or binary sequence coding . in this technique , a code consists of n bits , each taking on the value of either + 1 or − 1 . the time length of the bit determines the bandwidth ( bw ) of the code in the frequency domain ( the shorter a bit is in time , the wider the bw and vice versa ). the saw implementation of a dsss code utilizes at least two saw transducers , generally one to generate the dsss code and another that receives the saw launched by the dsss transducer . [ alternate implementations can utilize one transducer and one or more reflectors .] of course , being reciprocal devices , the designation of one transducer as an “ input ” transducer and the second as an “ output ” transducer is arbitrary , as they are interchangeable . in the simplest form , a dsss coded saw device consists of an input transducer containing the dsss code , and an output transducer that bandlimits the frequency response of the dsss code . the dsss transducer consists of interdigitated electrodes connected to one of two bus bars . the specific electrode configuration can be any of a wide range of known configurations , including non - split electrodes , split electrodes , three electrodes per wavelength , spudt , and other configurations . one embodiment of the transducer utilizes split electrodes , wherein two electrodes are connected to bus bar # 1 , and the next two electrodes are connected to bus bar # 2 , a pattern that repeats for the entire length of one bit . at the end of a bit , the pattern either repeats for another bit , or switches polarity , so that the electrodes that were connected to bus bar # 1 are now connected to bus bar # 2 , and vice versa . continuity of the pattern from bit to bit indicates that the code has sequential bits of the same polarity , while switching connections as described indicates that the bit sequence has undergone a polarity transition , from + 1 to − 1 , or from − 1 to + 1 . similar polarity changes can be effected in alternate electrode patterns in a similar fashion . as mentioned previously , the length in time of each bit of the dsss code determines the null - to - null bandwidth of the code spectrum in the frequency domain . the output transducer in the saw device may band - limit the frequency response ; if the output transducer bw is narrower than the code bw this band - limiting will in effect change the coding of the device and alter its performance in a system . one example is the 13 - bit barker code . there is only one known barker code with 13 bits , and it has desirable autocorrelation properties — namely the autocorrelation peak has an amplitude of 13 , and the time sidelobes have a magnitude that alternates between 0 and 1 , as shown in fig1 . since the sidelobes result from the time - shifted multiplication and integration of the sequence with itself , the behavior exhibited is the best possible behavior attainable with a biphase modulated signal . implementation of a barker code in a saw device , however , is influenced by the characteristics of how the device is built . consider a simple saw device with a 13 - bit barker coded input transducer and an uncoded output transducer that functions as a bandpass filter to band - limit the frequency response of the barker code . the barker coded transducer will be implemented using bits that are a specific number of acoustic wavelengths long ( at the operating center frequency of the device ). the longer these bits are in time , the narrower the frequency response of the barker code is , and thus the less it will be band - limited by an output transducer of a set bandwidth . ( bit length also impacts overall sensor response length , which influences implementation of time diversity — more short responses can fit into a given overall time length ). for a set bit length in time , the narrower the output transducer in frequency , the more the barker code spectrum is band - limited , which effectively modifies the code and its correlation properties . for example , fig2 shows two plots of the idealized autocorrelation response of a saw device with an input 13 - bit barker coded transducer with bits that are 9λ long , and an uncoded output transducer . in fig2 ( a ) , the output transducer has a wide bandwidth of 55 . 5 mhz , so the spectrum of the barker code is not band - limited much and the correlation response is nearly ideal ( compare to fig1 ). in fig2 ( b ) , the output transducer is only 15 mhz wide , and as a result of the band - limiting of the barker code spectrum , the autocorrelation response is severely degraded . thus , device design requires careful tradeoffs between dsss code bit length , output transducer bandwidth , overall sensor response time length , and time diversity and frequency diversity requirements of the system . the inventors utilized a 13 - bit barker code , with both time diversity and frequency diversity , to implement a set of 100 individually identifiable sensors and sensor - tags . note that in this case we do not use the term “ individually coded ” because the code in each device is the same . instead , we utilize the good properties of the autocorrelation function of the barker code to enable time diversity , and use frequency diversity to augment the set size further . fig3 shows the correlation response of this set of sensors . the autocorrelation response 10 of one selected sensor is shown , along with the cross correlation 12 of this sensor with the other 99 devices in the set . in order to determine appropriate sensor design guidelines , it is necessary to consider the system architecture of the wireless reader system that will be used to interrogate the devices . while embodiments of the present invention , using both time and frequency diversity in connection with dsss codes with specific properties ( including barker codes and others discussed below ), can be used with a range of reader types , one embodiment for the reader is a correlation - based spread spectrum differential delay measurement system . in this system , a repetitive broadband noise - like signal ( for example a pseudo - noise ( pn ) code ) is transmitted to activate all of the sensors in the field of view of the reader , and the combined signal reflected from the sensor ( s ) is received by the transceiver . toggling of the transmit and receive signals , so that the transmit signal is off when the receiver antenna is on , and vice - versa , is desirable to avoid large crosstalk signals that would occur with continuous transmit and receive operation . in addition to being sent to the sensor ( s ), the transmitted signal is passed through a set of at least two reference filters , designed as matched filters for the sensor responses . thus , if the sensor has two acoustic paths at different frequencies , there will be two filters with different frequencies in the reference path to correlate with the responses from the respective sensor acoustic path . if the sensor devices contain codes , the reference filters will likewise contain the same codes . an arbitrary number of acoustic tracks can be implemented on the sensor ( or sensors ), and a matching set of reference path filters will be needed to read and interpret the responses of this set of sensors . the reference filters can be implemented in hardware or as a software radio , and can be used to interpret the combined response of a set of wireless sensors , to read and obtain identification and measurement data from each sensor . a software implementation of the reference filter ( s ) is particularly advantageous when time diversity techniques are being used ( along with code and other diversity techniques ), as the received composite response signal from the set of sensors can be digitized , and then digitally “ windowed ” in time to compare the responses occurring in selected time slots ( references to the time at which the interrogation signal was transmitted ) with digital representations of each reference matched filter . digitization of the received sensor signal can be performed at rf , or at a lower sampling rate using baseband or near - baseband sampling techniques . amplitude levels , and ratios of these levels , from different acoustic tracks and sensors can be useful in making specific measurements , as can other sensor device performance parameters such as correlation peak delays , differences between such peaks , along with other system parameters . this system performs an averaging process over multiple pn code interrogation sequences , increasing signal to noise ratio and pulling low spread spectrum sensor signals out of the system noise . when implemented as a software radio , the received combined signal is sampled ( either at rf or using subsampling ), accumulated , and then correlated with the reference response appropriate for each sensor . data post - processing enables extraction of the identification , response , and distance from the reader of each sensor . this reader system utilizes the correlation properties of the codes to identify sensor devices with specific codes , and the time and frequency diversity as well to identify and read specific sensors . as with any other wireless saw sensor system , if the cross correlations of the desired sensor response with all other sensor responses are zero , there would be no ambiguity in sensor identification and no effect of code interactions on sensor accuracy and calibration . in reality , though , it is not possible to construct codes that have no interaction with each other , provided the codes operate in the same time and frequency ranges . what is necessary for good system performance is to have codes with good autocorrelation performance ( low sidelobes relative to the peak in the autocorrelation response ); and that the cross correlations of each sensor code with other codes is zero at the peak of the autocorrelation function ( or the center of the cross correlation responses ); and preferably that the cross correlations of each sensor code with other codes is zero or very small over the entire main peak of the autocorrelation function , and a small region outside the main peak to allow for variation in time of the different sensor responses in an asynchronous system and changes in response times due to variations in sensed parameters . random placement of sensors will introduce random time offsets between the responses due to the rf propagation delay of the signals , and changes in sensor temperature and other sensed parameters can also change the rf signal delay . one family of conventional binary dsss codes with good cross correlation properties commonly use is the well known “ gold ” code family . fig4 shows the cross correlations of three 31 - bit gold codes selected for good cross correlation performance . note that at the peak 14 of the autocorrelation of code 31 . 1 , the cross correlation 16 with code 31 . 2 has a value of − 5 while the cross correlation 18 with code 31 . 3 is 3 . this level of cross correlation is large enough that a correlation - based receiver will exhibit errors of up to 35 % or more in the amplitude of each sensor response due to contributions from the other two sensors . this occurs with only three sensors present , and is clearly an unacceptably large level of error . while data post - processing can correct for some inter - sensor interference , it is not possible to correct for this high level , and thus sensors utilizing these gold codes are not well suited for use in an asynchronous passive multisensor system . code selection for zero cross correlation at the center of the cross correlation response : forcing the cross correlations of two or more codes to be zero at the center of the cross correlation response can be accomplished in biphase modulated ( bpsk ) codes by proper code selection . computer aided code generation and evaluation algorithms can evaluate all possible binary codes of a given length , first evaluating the codes individually to select those with good autocorrelation properties , and subsequently considering the cross correlation performance of all possible pairs of codes ( made up of codes with good autocorrelation performance ) to generate pairs of codes that cross correlation to zero at the center of the response . pairs of codes that have cross correlation responses that remain low in the region near the center can also be selected , with the lowest possible response levels being 0 alternating with ± 1 . with traditional dsss codes , the signal is a series of bits with values of + 1 and − 1 . with two dsss codes of length n bits , the cross correlation function has length ( 2n − 1 ) bits . the cross correlation calculation multiplies the response levels of the two codes at each bit and sums these multiplied values ( which can also be only + 1 or − 1 ). when two different codes of the same length ( n ) are exactly aligned , the sum of the products of the two codes produces the value of the cross correlation at the autocorrelation peak . this can only be zero if n is even , since this allows for an equal number of + 1 and − 1 values to cancel . for odd n , the minimum cross correlation value at this central point is 1 . since the autocorrelation peak has size n , the best cross to auto correlation ratio is 1 / n for odd n and 0 for even n . clearly 0 provides a lower level of interaction . “ good ” codes can be selected for which each sequential bit away from the center causes the cross correlation to increase or decrease by 1 . this produces a branching type structure , where the best response has 0 at the center , 1 or − 1 one bit away , then 0 , then 1 or − 1 , etc . thus , ordinary dsss codes have a fundamental limit for the cross correlation function amplitude proportional to 1 / n . if codes can be designed to alternate between + 1 , 0 , and − 1 , the integrated interaction across the main autocorrelation peak will be zero , reducing the code cross correlation interference . fig5 shows the correlation responses for three 28 - bit binary dsss codes selected for zero cross correlation at the center 20 and cross correlations 22 that stay at or below a magnitude of 1 over two bit intervals on either side of the center . the autocorrelation response peak is 24 . proper code selection can also produce bpsk codes that produce cross correlations that integrate over a specified timeframe to a value of zero , which can also improve codeset performance . measurement of this set of three codes in a correlation - based receiver with asynchronous sensor operation results in errors in individual sensor reading of up to 7 . 5 %, a substantial improvement over prior gold codes , but still not ideal . forcing the cross correlations to be zero at each time sample over an extended range cannot be accomplished in a bpsk code . embodiments of the present invention address this problem by introducing weighting to the bpsk signal to produce a time domain amplitude modulated bpsk code that can force the code cross correlation functions to be zero across the desired time interval . standard dsss coded use weights of + 1 or − 1 for each bit as described above . amplitude weighting these bits , i . e . allowing bit values between these limits ( in an analog fashion , or in fixed increments of 0 . 1 or another selected value ) provides the flexibility needed to construct codes that produce zero cross correlation over the main autocorrelation peak time range , and a prescribed time range outside of this range . these codes will have zero or near zero interactions , allowing use in wireless sensor systems without significant interference . thus , amplitude weighting of the dsss code to force cross correlations to be zero over a range of times covering the main autocorrelation response of each sensor , and a small range around that region to allow for variations in response with temperature and with changes in the sensed parameter ( s ), provides significant advantages over prior art . fig6 ( a ) shows a 3 - dimensional view of the center 9 bits of the cross correlation responses of a set of 4700 , 13 - bit amplitude weighted spread spectrum codes . fig6 ( b ) shows a 2 - d view of a subset of the data in fig6 ( a ) . note that all cross correlations remain below a value of 0 . 2 * 13 = 2 . 6 over a 9 bit range ; selected pairs are significantly lower . fig7 shows the auto and cross correlations of the saw implementation of two weighted spread spectrum codes designed to have zero cross correlations over an extended range around the response center . measurement of sensors incorporating these codes using a correlation based receiver exhibits reduced errors that are roughly an order of magnitude lower than for binary dsss codes with zero cross correlation at the center of the response . in addition to the coding techniques and other diversity techniques described above , embodiments of the invention also incorporate the use of chirp saw elements with different chirp slopes as an added dimension of diversity . while chirp slope has previously been used to identify individual sensors , it has not previously been combined with the other diversity techniques as in embodiments of the present invention . a group of 32 individually identifiable sensors was developed using a combination of time diversity , frequency diversity , and two distinct ( and opposite ) chirp slopes . another embodiment of the present invention involves construction of a set of preferred codes using a process whereby codes , a “ primary ” code and a set of “ secondary ” codes , are used to construct a set of codes with improved cross correlation performance . the primary code is selected to have desirable autocorrelation properties . a set of secondary codes is selected that has desirable cross correlation properties , generally including having zero cross correlation at the center of the response , and preferably over a small time range about the center point . to construct each “ fractal ” code , the primary code is concatenated with itself a number of times equal to the number of bits in the secondary code , with each repetition of the primary code amplitude weighted based on the amplitude of the corresponding secondary code bit . fig8 shows the cross correlation responses of a set of four 5 - bit amplitude weighted spread spectrum codes with zero cross correlation at the center , which will be utilized as the secondary codes for fractal code formation . each plot shows the autocorrelation of one code , and the cross correlation of that code with the other three codes in the set . note that while the cross correlation responses are zero at the center point , the cross correlation performance away from the center is not particularly outstanding . the 5 - bit barker code [ 1 1 1 − 1 1 ] exhibits a mathematical autocorrelation of [ 1 0 1 0 5 0 1 0 1 ], which is good autocorrelation performance . since the secondary code used governs the amplitude of the repeated primary code , it is important to use a set of secondary codes with good cross correlation properties , with a primary with good autocorrelation . by way of example , if the set of four code with cross correlation performance shown in fig8 were used to fractal into a 5 - bit barker code , the cross correlations of the resulting set of four codes would be that shown in fig9 . note that for the resulting set of codes , the cross correlations of code 1 with codes 2 , 3 , and 4 have peaks nearly as large as the autocorrelation peak for code 1 and located very close in time to said autocorrelation peak . thus , this set of sensors would exhibit very poor performance when used together in a multisensor system . however , if the four codes from fig8 are instead used as secondary codes , with the 5 - bit barker used as a primary code , the resulting codes have cross correlation performance shown in fig1 . note that the largest cross correlation peaks have now been shifted out in time , 5 bit lengths away from the autocorrelation peak . this set of codes would have significantly improved performance over those of fig9 . this process of constructing codes in a “ fractal ” manner can be repeated more than once , and can be performed using binary or amplitude weighted spread spectrum codes , or a combination of the two . fig1 shows the auto and cross correlation performance of a set of four codes formed by using a 5 - bit barker code as a primary code and an amplitude weighted set of four 5 - bit codes that has been refined to produce zero cross correlation over a small region near the center of the response . note that the cross correlation of this set of four 5 - bit fractal codes is now identically zero over a broad , 9 - bit wide region across the center of the response . this set of codes exhibits superior code collision avoidance , even when used in sensors subject to widely varying environmental conditions and placed at random rf delays ( within a broad range ). this is one key improvement of embodiments of the present invention over prior art . the process of fractal code construction can be repeated to produce longer codes that also exhibit outstanding performance . another embodiment of the present fractal code invention is provided in fig1 , which shows the autocorrelation of one 125 - bit code and the cross correlation between that code and three others , when all four codes were produced by fractal repeating ( in a weighted fashion ) a 5 - bit barker code ( primary ) into the four 25 - bit codes corresponding to the correlation performance shown in fig1 . this set of codes has zero cross correlation over a 50 - bit wide range around the center ! this outstanding performance can also be achieved for short codes , one example of which is provided in fig1 . this shows the cross correlation of two 20 - bit codes , produced by fractal code composition , that have zero cross correlation over the center 17 bits of the 39 - bit long cross correlation response ! such exceptional performance can produce sets of codes that operate well in asynchronous cdma systems , and require only minimal data post - processing to accurately extract sensor identification , measurement ( s ), and distance from the wireless reader for a set of sensors at random locations and subject to random environmental conditions or measurands ( temperature , etc .). the inventors have used the advanced coding techniques taught herein , in combination with time and frequency diversity , to implement a set of 32 individually identifiable temperature sensors , and larger sets are possible . codes can be constructed that are symmetric in time , allowing convenient implementation in saw reflector structures . the application of the code construction techniques taught herein has focused on producing coded saw devices with desirable performance . however , the utility of these codes would extend to any multi - user communication system that would benefit from improved code independence and reduction in code collision . cdma wireless communication systems , digital and analog and mixed signal , radar , and other applications could potentially benefit from application of the techniques of embodiments of the present invention . the focus on saw implementations of these codes is not intended to be restrictive , as other applications would benefit from these techniques as well . practical implementation of dsss codes in saw devices places constraints on device design . for a given piezoelectric substrate , the number of electrodes that can be used in a standard , in - line transducer is limited by practical considerations . for example , for yz lithium niobate , transducers that exceed 150 wavelengths long can suffer from multiple reflections — where the acoustic wave launched at the beginning of the transducer is reflected from electrodes further on in the transducer , introducing interfering signals . this condition is commonly referred to as “ overcoupling ”. to avoid overcoupling , designers maintain transducer lengths under certain guidelines . for dsss codes , this sets a limit on the number of bits and bit length combination that can be implemented in a single acoustic track . for instance , again on yz lithium niobate , a 16 - bit code can only have about 9 / bit , while a 28 - bit code can only have about 5λ / bit to remain within design guidelines . however , these constraints have implications on the bandwidths that can be quite restrictive , since the shorter the code bits the wider the code spectrum . use of longer bits to produce narrower code spectra is beneficial for system reasons ( antenna efficiency and increased frequency diversity ), but is normally precluded by the excessive length of in - line transducers as bit length increases . for example , a code with 5λ / bit at 250 mhz would have a bw of 100 mhz . embodiments of the present invention improve over prior art by utilizing slanted , tapered , or stepped tapered transducer structures to implement dsss codes with long bits by distributing the bits laterally across multiple parallel acoustic tracks on the sensor device . for example , a 28 - bit dsss code with 5λ / bit at 250 mhz would be 140λ long with a bw of 100 mhz . increasing bit length to 20λ / bit would reduce the bw to 25 mhz , but would increase transducer length to 560λ — far too long to implement in - line . breaking the coded into four channels , each with 7 bits , produces acoustic tracks with 140λ long transducers , but maintains the reduced bw of 25 mhz . a sample of some of these device embodiments is shown in the attached sketches . this set is illustrative in nature , and is by no means exhaustive . fig1 shows one embodiment of the present invention . device 200 comprises a piezoelectric substrate ( also called a die ) on which are formed at least two saw elements , at least one of which is a transducer . in fig1 , the left saw element 202 is a transducer , which serves to receive an exciting signal from an input / output antenna that is not shown . alternatively , these devices can operated in a wired configuration without an antenna . transducer 202 converts the input electrical signal into a surface acoustic wave signal , that propagates outward to the right ( at a minimum ) in three acoustic tracks 206 , 208 , and 210 along the surface of the die . the acoustic wave is received by the corresponding sub - transducers of saw transducer 204 . this generates an output response , which can be reflected back to the transceiver wirelessly through an antenna , or in wired form . the two transducers 202 and 204 can be fed in parallel through a single antenna or wired connection . transducer 202 is constructed to keep the number of electrodes in each individual acoustic channel under the maximum limit appropriate for the piezoelectric substrate of interest to avoid overcoupling . each track of transducer 202 contains multiple spread spectrum code bits 212 , each of which is shown with a “+” or “−” in fig1 . the bits shown in this example are equal amplitude , as shown by the uniform overlap of electrodes for all bits . amplitude weighted codes , by comparison , could be implemented using unequal electrode overlap lengths ( apodization ), or using other weighting methods such as withdrawal weighting or electrode width weighting , among others . fig1 illustrates that embodiments similar to that in fig1 can be extended to include as many acoustic tracks as needed to implement longer codes , to avoid overcoupling . device 300 in this example includes a number (& gt ; 3 ) of acoustic tracks 306 , 308 , . . . , 310 , each containing a portion of the spread spectrum code bits 312 in transducer 302 , and a receiving transducer segment in output transducer 304 . as mentioned previously , this device can be interrogated wirelessly using one or two antennas , or can be measured in a wired format . fig1 shows an embodiment where device 400 includes slanted transducer 402 , conventional transducer 404 ( which is shown as a wide aperture transducer in this example ), and four acoustic tracks 406 , 408 , 410 , and 412 . in this example , only one bit of the spread spectrum code is shown in each track of transducer 402 , although more can be included . two surface treatments 414 and 416 are shown , which can be chemically sensitive films ( for use in chemical sensors ), biological moieties ( for biosensors ), or other treatments that will implement the desired sensor function in those tracks . fig1 illustrates schematically an amplitude weighted spread spectrum coded device 500 that includes a traditional uncoded transducer 502 and an amplitude weighted spread spectrum coded transducer 504 . the coded transducer 504 includes a number “ k ” of code bits , each of which is amplitude weighted by a weighting factor , indicated by w 1 through w k in fig1 . this figure illustrates a coded transducer embodiment that utilizes a single acoustic track , but extension of this concept to produce amplitude weighted coded transducers spanning multiple acoustic tracks is also within the scope of the present invention . fig1 illustrates schematically a set 600 of n spread spectrum coded devices 602 , 604 , through 606 utilizing time diversity . as can be seen from the coded transducers 608 in fig1 , the operating frequency and spread spectrum codes utilized in each device in the set are the same . output transducers 610 are illustrated as being the same saw elements in each device ( 602 through 606 ), with the output transducer on each device being located within one of a set of specified time slots τ 1 through τ n , indicated by 612 , 614 through 616 in fig1 . a system reading this set of sensors can identify which device is responding by determining which time slot the detected correlation peak occurs within . this schematic illustration , as is the case for all of the illustrations of diversity techniques herein , shows just one acoustic track , and as above can be extended to multiple acoustic paths . also , for all of the illustrative embodiments shown , practical sensors utilizing this technique would generally have more than one response combined to make a measurement ( at least one reference response and at least one sensing response ). thus a practical device would normally include at least two sets of the saw elements illustrated in fig1 ( or the other illustrations shown ), or some combination thereof . fig1 illustrates schematically a set 700 of spread spectrum coded devices 702 , 704 through 706 , utilizing frequency diversity . as can be seen from the coded transducers 708 in fig1 , the spread spectrum codes utilized in each device in the set are the same ( there is no code diversity ). as in other illustrative examples , the specific code shown is for convenience of schematic representation only , and has no significance . as and additional diversity technique , the operating frequency of each of the transducers varies for each device , indicated in fig1 by the variation in electrode spacing for the transducers in device 702 as compared to device 704 or device 706 , or others in the set . output transducers 710 are illustrated as being the same saw elements in each device ( 702 through 706 ), adjusted to operate at the frequency of the input transducer , with the output transducer on each device being located within the same specified time slots ( selected from the set of possible time slots τ 1 through τ n ), with the selected delay indicated by τ in fig1 . fig2 illustrates schematically a set 800 of spread spectrum coded devices 802 , 804 through 806 , utilizing both time and frequency diversity . on each device , the possible time slots for the output transducer positioning are shown with dashed rectangles , each of which is labeled with the acoustic delay corresponding to the center of that time slot ( τ1 through τ n ). time diversity if implemented by placing the output transducer in one of the time slots for each device , so that for a given operating frequency there can be n devices with different time delays operable . the first time slot is indicated by 814 , while the last time slot is 816 . frequency diversity is implemented by including devices operating at m different frequencies ( f 1 through f m ) within the same set . in fig2 , device 802 has coded transducer 808 operating at frequency f 1 , with a matched frequency output transducer . similarly , device 804 has coded transducer 810 operating at frequency f 2 , and device 806 has coded transducer 812 operating at frequency f m . for each operating frequency ( f 1 through f m ), distinct devices can be constructed with output transducers in up to n time slots , producing a set of m × n distinct devices . as previously mentioned , functional sensor devices often operate in a differential manner , and sets of two or more distinguishable responses can be combined within the same sensor ( on one or more substrates ) to implement various sensor and tag devices . fig2 illustrates schematically a set 900 of spread spectrum coded devices 902 through 904 through 906 through 908 utilizing code diversity , time diversity , and frequency diversity . a set of j codes ( codes 1 through j ), are combined with a set of m operating frequencies ( f 1 through f m ), and with a set of n time delays ( τ 1 through τ n ), producing a set of up to j * m * n possible individually identifiable device responses . note that the time slots are aligned between devices , as indicated in slot a ( 918 ) and slot n ( 920 ). as previously , these may be used individually or together in sets to effect desired sensing and identification functions . by way of illustration , in fig2 transducer 910 utilizes code 1 at frequency f 1 , with the output transducer in time slot n . transducer 912 utilizes code 1 at frequency f m , with the output transducer in time slot 2 . transducer 914 utilizes code j at frequency f 1 , with the output transducer in time slot 1 . transducer 916 utilizes code j at frequency f m , with the output transducer in time slot 3 . since the set of possible combinations is large , only four devices are shown in fig2 by way of example . fig2 and 23 show yet another diversity technique that can be incorporated with time diversity and frequency diversity , specifically chirp slope diversity . chirp slope diversity takes the place of code diversity , producing sets of individually identifiable devices of size equal to (# of time slots )*( number of frequency bands )*( number of different chirp slopes ). fig2 shows a simple differential reflective delay line temperature sensor 1000 embodiment utilizing chirped input transducers 1004 and reflective multistrip couplers ( rmsc ) 1002 . the time different δτ between the rmsc reflectors is doubled due to the reflective device operation , and provides for a sensitive temperature sensor response . device 1000 has two input / output chirped transducers 1004 , each of which has a varying frequency across the time length of the transducer . a linear upchirp ( going from low to high frequency from left to right ) is shown for simplicity , although different nonlinear chirps can be used , and both up and down chirps are useful ). the input transducer chirp slope is ( f high − f low )/( transducer length in time ). the reflected responses from the rmscs are further spread by the chirp transducers , and the spread spectrum response can be de - chirped in the receiver using the appropriate chirp ( with a chirp sense that is the opposite of that introduced by the sensor ). although not shown , this technique can be combined with time and frequency diversity as mentioned , to produce larger sets of individually identifiable devices . fig2 shows yet another embodiment of a reflective differential delay line chirped temperature sensor 1100 . in this embodiment , the rmscs of fig2 have been replaced with chirped saw reflectors 1102 . these reflectors 1102 are half the time length of the chirp transducers 1104 , have the same chirp sense ( up or down ), and have the same chirp bandwidth . hence the chirp slope of the reflectors is twice that of the transducers . for a given die length , this embodiment may allow realization of a greater time bandwidth product ( bt ), resulting in greater processing gain for the sensors . the larger the time delay between reflected responses δτ , the greater the temperature sensitivity of the device . if time diversity is being utilized in connection with this embodiment , care must be taken to ensure that the separation δτ is selected so that resulting reflections occur within desired time slots over the operating range of the device .□ of course , different types of reflectors or output transducers can be utilized other than those illustrated herein without deviating from the intent of the present invention . the illustrations included herein are exemplary in nature , and do not encompass all aspects of the present invention . one skilled in the art would recognize that the improvements provided by embodiments of this invention can be implemented using any of a wide range of known electrode structures , including but not limited to split electrodes , non - split electrodes , three electrodes per wavelength , and spudt structures . symmetric codes can be implemented using reflector structures . the use of chirp transducers with varying chirp slopes is also within the scope of embodiments of the present invention . it should be noted that the one - sided layout of the devices in fig3 could equally well be implemented using a two - sided die , with reflectors or output transducers on one side of the input / output transducer . performance of such two sided devices would clearly be affected by the time orientation of the spread spectrum code . one skilled in the art will recognize that there are a wide range of device embodiments that can be used to implement sensor , tag , and sensor tag devices according to embodiments of the present invention . all of the devices described and / or illustrated can be implemented in single - track formats , or in multiple acoustic track formats . they can be provided with electrical shorting pads in the deposition region ( s ) or portions thereof and / or the reference acoustic path ( s ) or portions thereof , if beneficial for the desired application ( to separate the electrical effects of the deposited film from the mass loading and viscoelastic properties ). inclusion of a temperature sensor device allows extraction of the effects of temperature , which can be done using the delay of the integral reference peak ( s ), or with separate temperature sensing elements as discussed above . inclusion of multiple differential delay lines , preferably operable in different frequency ranges , with different coating treatments allows separation of conductive effects from those involving mass loading and viscoelasticity . the transducers and / or reflectors described thus far are all non - dispersive , and similar embodiments could be envisioned that utilize transducers that are tapered , slanted , stepped tapered , apodized , withdrawal weighted , ewc , udt , spudt , dispersive , and / or waveguide structures . even a reflective array compressor structure could be used to implement such a deposition monitor , although such a device structure would be unnecessarily complex for most applications . all of these techniques could also be used incorporating dispersive and harmonic techniques . also , one skilled in the art will recognize that these devices can be implemented on various substrate materials , and can utilize various acoustic wave propagation modes , in order to achieve performance required for specific applications . performance to measure deposition of or interaction with vapors , liquids , polymers , solids , and numerous other quantities can be achieved . operation at high temperatures can be accomplished using langasite , langanite , ot langatate , or other substrate capable of operating at high temperatures . in order to measure conductive films , a substrate with high electromechanical coupling coefficient may be used . electrodes and busbars of saw elements can be made from materials appropriate to survive the application environment , including the ability to withstand high or low temperatures , and chemical environments . the broad nature of the embodiments described here are clear , and one skilled in the art will understand that there is a wide variety of device configurations that can be generated using combinations of one or more of the techniques discussed . the embodiments of the inventions described herein and illustrated in the figures provide device embodiments capable of monitoring deposition of a wide range of materials , including but not limited to ultrathin films and nanomaterials . while some preferred forms and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modification may be made without deviating from the inventive concepts set forth above . embodiments of the present invention have been described in relation to particular examples , which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive . those skilled in the art will appreciate that many different combinations of materials and components will be suitable for practicing the disclosed embodiments of the present invention . other implementations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein . various aspects and / or components of the described embodiments may be used singly or in any combination . it is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only , with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims . | 7 |
the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings . in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be apparent , however , to one skilled in the art , that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention . while not wishing to be bound by theory , the inventor believes that the ion angular distribution may be controlled by altering the dc potential between the substrate and the edge ring , thus optimizing the equipotential lines of the plasma sheath for a given plasma process . in an advantageous manner , changes may be made to the electric field around the substrate edge by changing an rf coupling of an edge ring . in an embodiment , the chuck is substantially electrically isolated from the edge ring . for example , if the dc potential of the substrate edge is substantially the same as the dc potential of the edge ring , the ion angular distribution is generally uniform . consequently , in an area of the plasma sheath above both the substrate and the edge ring , a set of ion vectors are formed that are substantially perpendicular to the substrate . however , if the dc potential of the substrate edge is substantially different to the dc potential of the edge ring , the ion angular distribution is generally non - uniform . consequently , in an area of the plasma sheath above both the substrate and the edge ring , a set of ion vectors are formed that tend to point either toward or away from the substrate . in an advantageous fashion , the dc potential on the edge ring may be independently controlled from that of the substrate . consequently , the difference between the dc potential of the substrate to the dc potential of the edge ring may be optimized in order to control the angular distribution of the positively charged ions in the plasma around the edge of the substrate . for example , if the dc voltage of the edge ring is negative and substantially similar to that of the substrate ( e . g ., v substrate - v edge ring ≈ 0 ), angular ion distribution is substantially uniform , with a set of vectors that are substantially perpendicular to the substrate , in an area of the plasma sheath above both the substrate and the edge ring . this angular profile may be useful for anisotropic etch applications , such as etching contacts and trenches with high aspect ratios . in addition , certain devices require the etch features ( e . g ., high aspect ratio contacts , vias or trenches ) to assume a particular directionality in order to , for example , enable a particular etch feature to make contact with another underlying feature . for example , if a vertical via etch is required to allow the via to make contact with an underlying feature , a deviation from etch verticality may cause the via to miss the intended underlying feature , thereby resulting in a defective device and affecting yield . for these applications , precise control of ion directionality at the substrate edge to achieve proper etch directionality is a critical requirement . in contrast , if the dc voltage of the edge ring is more positive ( less negative ) than that of the substrate ( e . g ., v substrate - v edge ring & lt ; 0 ), the angular ion distribution profile is substantially non - uniform , with a set of vectors that tend to point toward the substrate edge . this angular profile may be useful for edge polymer removal . unlike wet cleaning processes , the current invention allows edge polymer removal in an all - dry ( e . g ., process , etc .) with minimal effluent across a wide variety of vacuum - compatible materials ( e . g ., silicon , metals , glass , ceramics , etc .). for example , a common dry etch process involves ion - assisted etching , or sputtering , in which ions are used to dislodge material from the substrate ( e . g ., oxide , etc .). generally ions in the plasma enhance a chemical process by striking the surface of the substrate , and subsequently breaking the chemical bonds of the atoms on the surface in order to make them more susceptible to reacting with the molecules of the chemical process . referring now to fig3 a - b , a set of simplified diagrams showing a capacitively coupled plasma processing system with optimized ion angular distribution is shown , according to an embodiment of the invention . fig3 a shows a simplified diagram of a capacitively coupled plasma processing system in which the dc potential of the edge ring is substantially greater than that of the substrate . in general , a source rf generated by source rf generator 110 is commonly used to generate the plasma as well as control the plasma density via capacitively coupling . as previously mentioned , certain etch applications may require the upper electrode to be grounded with respect to a lower electrode frequency rf signal within ˜ 20 khz thru 800 khz . other etch applications may require the upper electrode to be grounded with respect to an rf signal that is at least one of 2 mhz , 27 mhz , and 60 mhz . still other etch applications may require the upper electrode to be grounded with respect to all of the rf signal frequencies previously mentioned . generally , an appropriate set of gases is flowed through an inlet in upper electrode 102 , and subsequently ionized to form a plasma 104 , in order to process ( e . g ., etch or deposit ) exposed areas of substrate 106 , such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass pane , positioned with an edge ring 112 ( e . g ., si , etc .) on an electrostatic chuck 108 , which also serves as a powered electrode . edge ring 112 generally performs many functions , including positioning substrate 106 on chuck 108 and shielding the underlying components not protected by the substrate itself from being damaged by the ions of the plasma . edge ring 112 may further sit on coupling ring 120 ( e . g ., quartz , etc . ), which is generally configured to provide a current path from chuck 108 to an edge ring 112 . in general , in an advantageous manner , a configurable dc power source 316 may be coupled to edge ring 112 through rf filter 314 . rf filter 314 is generally used to provide attenuation of unwanted harmonic rf energy without introducing losses to dc power source 316 . in an embodiment , rf filter 314 includes a switch module that allows a positive or negative current polarity to be selected , as well as a path to ground . in an embodiment , the rf filter 314 includes vacuum relays . harmonics are generated in the plasma discharge and may be kept from being returned to the dc power source by the rf filter . in this case , since dc power source 316 sources a positive voltage , the dc potential of the edge ring is substantially higher than that of the substrate in a typical plasma process . thus , the angular ion distribution profile is thus substantially non - uniform , with a set of vectors that tend to point toward areas of lower potential , such as the substrate edge . this application is highly useful for polymer removal from the substrate edge , as mentioned earlier . referring now to fig3 b , a simplified diagram is shown of a capacitively coupled plasma processing system in which the dc potential of the edge ring is substantially similar to that of the substrate ( e . g ., v substrate - v edge ring ≈ 0 ). generally speaking , the dc potential on the substrate during processing tends to be negative with respect to ground , and thus when the edge ring is coupled to receive a negative potential ( with respect to ground ), the dc potential of the edge ring and the dc potential of the substrate are substantially equal . consequently , angular ion distribution is substantially uniform , with a set of vectors that are substantially perpendicular to the substrate in an area of the plasma sheath above both the substrate and the edge ring . as previously stated , this perpendicular angular profile may be useful for anisotropic etch applications , such as etching contacts and trenches with high aspect ratios . it is also possible to , for example , couple the ground terminal of the dc power source , in which case the edge ring may have a higher potential ( being at ground ) than the dc potential of the substrate ( being generally negative during processing , in an embodiment ). in this case , the angular ion distribution will also tend toward the substrate edge , albeit to a lesser degree than when the edge ring is coupled to receive voltage from the positive terminal of the dc power source ( as in the case of fig3 a ). in an embodiment , a feedback circuit may be provided to monitor the dc voltage of the substrate ( which may vary during the various process steps and process substeps ). the monitored dc voltage of the substrate may be employed as a feedback signal in an appropriate control circuit to control the dc voltage delivered to the edge ring , thereby allowing the appropriate ion directionality to be maintained even if the dc voltage of the substrate changes . in an embodiment , the dc voltage of the edge ring may be provided by a rf power source ( e . g ., a rf power source that may be different from the rf power source delivering rf power to the lower electrode ). thus , dc voltage control of the edge ring relative to the dc potential of the substrate is the thrust of the techniques of various embodiments disclosed herein , and the actual edge ring dc voltage control arrangement to provide / maintain the dc voltage to the edge ring may differ depending on implementations . while this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments , there are alterations , permutations , and equivalents , which fall within the scope of this invention . it should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention . although various examples are provided herein , it is intended that these examples be illustrative and not limiting with respect to the invention . further , the abstract is provided herein for convenience and should not be employed to construe or limit the overall invention , which is expressed in the claims . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations , permutations , and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention . for example , although the present invention has been described in connection with lam research plasma processing systems ( e . g ., exelan ™, exelan ™ hp , exelan ™ hpt , 2300 ™, versys ™ star , etc . ), other plasma processing systems may be used ( e . g ., capacitively coupled , inductively coupled , etc .). this invention may also be used with substrates of various diameters ( e . g ., 200 mm , 300 mm , lcd , etc .). furthermore , the term set as used herein includes one or more of the named element of the set . for example , a set of “ x ” refers to one or more “ x .” advantages of the invention include substantial control of ion angular distribution around the substrate edge . additional advantages include cleaning a bevel polymer during an in situ strip process , optimizing the plasma process , and improving substrate yield . having disclosed exemplary embodiments and the best mode , modifications and variations may be made to the disclosed embodiments while remaining within the subject and spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates the combining end of a corrugated paper board machine for producing triple wall corrugated paper board that is , a composite board comprising three corrugated paper mediums interposed between four spaced flat paper liners . it will be understood that the corrugations of corrugated medium of paper are corrugated transversely of the path of travel through the machine and adhesively applied to the liner sheets . three mediums 11 , 12 and 13 are corrugated and the ridges of the corrugations are adhesively secured to liner sheets 14 , 15 , 16 in a well - known manner , in manufacturing steps not shown in fig1 to form three composite webs known as single face webs 7 , 8 , 9 . the three single face webs 7 , 8 , 9 are passed over preheater drums 19 in order to prepare the free ridges of the corrugations , opposite the respective liner of the sheets , for receiving an adhesive . an outer or fourth liner 17 , which comprises a sheet of liner board , is similarly passed around a preheater drum 18 . the three preheated single face webs 7 , 8 , 9 are brought to upper , intermediate and lower gluing rolls 20 , 21 , 22 . adhesive is controlled on the gluing rolls 20 , 21 , 22 by ductor rolls 25 , 26 , 27 . the gluing rolls 20 , 21 , 22 , in turn , apply the adhesive to the ridges of the corrugations which extend transversely of the direction of the path of travel of the three single face webs and fourth liner which are juxtaposed and brought together beneath a first endless belt 24 in the heating and drying section 28 of a so - called double facer or double backer 23 . in the double backer 23 , the adhesive bearing ridges of the still exposed corrugations 11 , 12 of the first two single face webs 7 , 8 are contacted with liners 15 , 16 of the contiguous underlying single face webs 8 , 9 , respectively , while the adhesive bearing ridges of corrugations 13 of the third single face web 9 are contacted with the fourth liner 17 . the double backer 23 is a very long two part machine having heating and drying section 28 composed of a series of flat , internally heated steam plates 31 over which the above - described sandwich of single face webs and fourth liner are passed . the upper face of the lower run of the belt 24 is weighed down by weight rollers 32 to press the sandwich into good heat transfer relationship with the heated steam plates 31 . the sandwich is then passed to the second part of the double backer 23 known as cooling or pulling section 29 . in the cooling section , the heated stream plates 31 are replaced by a second endless belt 33 which helps to pull the board through the entire machine . board cooling begins at this point and when the board leaves the cooling section 29 , it is a completed , permanently bonded , material . in accordance with the invention , a retractable wiper assembly 34 or 36 is provided adjacent to the upper or intermediate gluing rolls 20 or 21 respectively . the wiper assemblies 34 or 36 includes a wiper 35 which is engaged against the adjacent rotatable gluing roll 20 or 21 to wipe a circumferential band of adhesive off of the gluing roll so that , transverse to the direction of travel , a predetermined width of the ridges of the corrugated medium does not receive the adhesive and is not adhered to the underlying sheet in a narrow bending area 38 . as shown in fig2 the nonadhesive band is formed over a transverse width remote from the longitudinal edge 39 . the bend area 38 has a broader width than that needed for the scores which will form the bending line . as the endless sheet of corrugated paper board leaves the double backer 23 , it enters a portion of the combiner known as the triplex or slitter 37 . the triplex 37 typically has two functions . first , it places flap scores in the board at the proper position . second , it trims the edge of the board . a slitter mechanism 40 is arranged in the triplex aligned with the bend area 38 downstream of the cooling section 29 . the slitter mechanism 40 , as shown in fig2 and 3 , comprises a rotatable shaft 43 which carries a pair of blades 42 , 44 . the blades 42 , 44 are bevelled on one side only , the sides opposing each other . the blades form a pair parallel slits 47 , 49 perpendicular to the corrugations through the first single face web 7 or first two single face webs 7 , 8 to form a removable slit strip 48 . the board is next passed to the scoring mechanism 50 which comprises superimposed upper and lower score wheels 51 , 52 that place score lines 65 , 67 ( see fig6 ) into the portion of the underlying board intermediate the slits 47 , 49 . the upper score wheel 51 has a profile designed to indent the board to form score line 65 in the single face sheet 9 at a point at which the bend is to be made , intermediate the slits 47 , 49 . the lower score wheel 52 is profiled to form an score line 67 into the liner 17 and medium 13 . further downstream of the scoring mechanism 50 , a plough 60 is provided for lifting and diverting the slit strip 48 of the board that overlies the bend area . the plough 60 , as shown in fig4 comprises a j - shaped metal member or shank having a first end formed into a blade 61 and a second end comprising a clamping mechanism , for clamping the plough to the triplex for support which is composed of a semi - circular sector 62 and a complementary semi - circular clasp 63 with flanges for bolting the plough into position . a deflector plate 66 is mounted on the shank 64 proximate to the blade 61 . a first leg 68 of the shank of the plough 60 , leaving the blade 61 , is connected to the second leg 69 of the shank of the plough via a turnbuckle 59 . in operation , the plough 60 is set with the blade 61 just above the liner 16 of the third single face web 9 and below the corrugated medium 12 of the intermediate single face web 8 in the longitudinal path of the board . the plough blade 61 thus lifts the slit strip 48 off the board . the slit strip 48 is then pushed along the upper surfaces of the blade and or shank , or both , until it bears against the deflector plate 66 which is vertical metal plate , set at an angle relative to the travel direction of the board by virtue of an angular relation of the plate relative to the shank or of the shank relative to the path of travel or both . thus , the slit strip 48 is diverted from the path of travel of the board and is then vacuumed away for shredding and recycling by conventional means ( not shown ). if the blades 42 , 44 of the slitter mechanism 40 are set to cut only through the first single face web 7 , then the blade 61 of the plough 60 is set intermediate the medium 11 of the first single face web 7 and the liner 15 of the second single face web 8 . it will be understood , in such case , the score wheels 51 and 52 are set to form the score lines into the second single face web 8 or the fourth liner 17 , or both , and that the slit strip will compose only a portion of the first single face web 7 . when only the single face web 7 is to be slit , the wiper assembly 34 is engaged with gluing roll 20 to wipe a band of adhesive away from the roll and leave an adhesive free band on medium 11 . when the first two single face webs are to be slit , wiper assembly 36 is engaged against gluing roll 21 to wipe a band of adhesive therefrom and leave an adhesive free band on medium 12 . as shown in fig5 , 8 and 9 , the removal of the slit strip 48 leaves a generally rectangular groove 70 in the board , the score lines 65 , 67 having been formed in the third single wall sheet 9 and fourth liner 17 underlying the groove 70 . as shown in fig8 the bend area in the direction of the corrugations to which adhesive 75 was omitted is wider than the width of the groove 70 . thus , a portion of corrugated mediums of the second single face web 8 is not bonded to the liner 16 of the third single face web 9 by adhesive 75 along an area 72 on either side of the substantially rectangular groove 70 . in actuality , however , due to the rigidity of the materials which are adhered to each other , the medium of the single face web 8 is held in a fixed position against the liner of the underlying single wall sheet 9 at the area 72 . the scoring produced by the score wheels allows a portion of the board , defining flap 74 , to be bent along a longitudinal line of bend relative to the remaining portion of the board which will typically define a panel 76 of a box to be formed from the board . the groove 70 allows the flap to be bent normal to the panel so that the assembled box may rest flat without rocking yet the force required to bend the board is considerably reduced . | 1 |
an illustration of a 3gpp 8 - state parallel concatenated convolutional code ( pccc ), with coding rate 1 / 3 , constraint length k = 4 is illustrated in fig3 . an implementation using siso log - map decoders is illustrated in fig4 . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , a turbo codes decoder block 23 has concatenated max log - map siso decoders a 42 and b 44 connected in a feedback loop with interleaver memory 43 and interleaver memory 45 . signals r 2 , r 1 , r 0 are received soft decision signals of data path from the system receiver . signals xo 1 and xo 2 are output soft decision signals of the log - map decoders a 42 and b 44 , respectively , which are stored in the interleaver memory 43 and memory 45 module . signals z 2 and z 1 are the output of the interleaver memory 43 and interleaver memory 45 . z 2 is fed into log - map decoder b 44 and z 1 is looped back into log - map decoder a 42 through adder 231 . each interleaver memory 43 , 45 , shown in fig2 , includes one interleaver 201 and a dual - port ram memory 202 . input memory block 41 , shown in fig2 , includes dual - port ram memory 211 . control logic module ( clsm ) 47 consists of various state - machines , which control all the operations of the turbo codes decoder . the hard - decoder module 46 outputs the final decoded data . more particularly , as illustrated in fig3 , r 0 , is data bit corresponding to the transmit data bit u , r 1 , is the first parity bit corresponding to the output bit of the first rsc encoder , and r 2 , is interleaved second parity bit corresponding to the output bit of the second rsc encoder . in accordance with the invention , corresponding ones of data bits r 0 is added to the feedback signals z 1 , then fed into the decoder a . corresponding ones of data bits r 1 is also fed into decoder a for decoding the first stage of decoding output xo 1 . z 2 and corresponding ones of r 2 are fed into decoder b for decoding the second stage of decoding output xo 2 . in accordance with the invention , as shown in fig6 , the turbo codes decoder utilizes a sliding window of block n 61 on the input buffers 62 to decode one block n data at a time , the next block n of data is decoded after the previous block n is done in a circular wrap - around scheme for pipeline operations . in another embodiment , the sliding window of block n is used on the input buffer memory so that each block n data is decoded at a time one block after another in a pipeline scheme . in accordance with the invention , the turbo codes decoder decodes an 8 - state parallel concatenated convolutional code ( pccc ). the turbo codes decoder also decodes a higher n - state parallel concatenated convolutional code ( pccc ) as illustrated in fig4 , the turbo codes decoder functions effectively as follows : received soft decision data ( rxd [ 2 : 0 ]) is stored in three input buffers memories 41 to produce data bits r 0 , r 1 , and r 2 that correspond to data words . each output data word r 0 , r 1 , r 2 contains a number of binary bits . a sliding window of block n is imposed onto each interleaver memory blocks 43 , 45 to produce corresponding ones output data words . a sliding window of block n is imposed onto each input memory to produce corresponding ones of r 0 , r 1 , and r 2 , output data words . in accordance with the method of the invention , when an input data block of size n is ready , the turbo decoder starts the log - map decoder a , in block 23 , to decode the n input data based on the soft - values of r 0 , z 1 , and r 1 , then stores the outputs in the interleaver memory a . the turbo decoder also starts the log - map decoder b , in block 23 , to decode the n input data based on the soft - values of r 2 and z 2 , in pipelined mode with a delay latency of n , then stores the output in the interleaver memory . the turbo decoder performs iterative decoding for l number of times ( l = 1 , 2 , . . . , m ). when the iterative decoding sequence is complete , the turbo decoder starts the hard - decision operations to compute and produce soft - decision outputs . as shown in fig7 , siso log - map decoders 42 , 44 include a branch metric ( bm ) computation module 71 , a state metric ( sm ) computation module 72 , a log - map computation module 73 , a bm memory module 74 , a sm memory module 75 , and a control logic state machine module 76 . soft - value inputs enter the branch metric ( bm ) computation module 71 , where euclidean distance is calculated for each branch , the output branch metrics are stored in the bm memory module 74 . the state metric ( sm ) computation module 72 reads branch metrics from the bm memory 74 and computes the state metric for each state ; the output state - metrics are stored in the sm memory module 75 . the log - map computation module 73 reads both branch - metrics and state - metrics from bm memory 74 and sm memory 75 modules to compute the log maximum a posteriori probability and produce soft - decision output . the control logic state - machine module 76 provides the overall operations of the decoding process . as shown in fig7 which is one example of 3gpp turbo codes decoder , the log - map decoder 42 44 functions effectively as follows : the log - map decoder 42 , 44 reads each soft - values ( sd ) data pair input , then computes branch - metric ( bm ) values for all paths in the turbo codes trellis 80 as shown in fig8 a ( and trellis 85 in fig8 b ). the computed bm data is stored into bm memory 74 . the process of computing bm values is repeated for each input data until all n samples are calculated and stored in bm memory 74 . the log - map decoder 42 44 reads bm values from bm memory 74 and sm values from sm memory 75 , and computes the forward state - metric ( sm ) for all states in the trellis 80 as shown in fig8 a ( and trellis 85 in fig8 b ). the computed forward sm data is stored into sm memory 75 . the process of computing forward sm values is repeated for each input data until all n samples are calculated and stored in sm memory 75 . the log - map decoder 42 44 reads bm values from bm memory 74 and sm values from sm memory 75 , and computes the backward state - metric ( sm ) for all states in the trellis 80 as shown in fig8 a ( and trellis 85 in fig8 b ). the computed backward sm data is stored into the sm memory 75 . the process of computing backward sm values is repeated for each input data until all n samples are calculated and stored in sm memory 75 . the log - map decoder 42 44 then computes log - map posteriori probability for u = 0 and u = 1 using the bm values and sm values from bm memory 74 and sm memory 75 . the process of computing log - map posteriori probability is repeated for each input data until all n samples are calculated . the log - map decoder then decodes data by making soft decision based on the posteriori probability for each stage and produces soft - decision output , until all n inputs are decoded . the branch metric ( bm ) computation module 71 computes the euclidean distance for each branch in the 8 - states trellis 80 as shown in the fig8 a based on the following equations : where sd 0 and sd 1 are soft - value input data and g 0 and g 1 are the expected input for each path in the trellis 80 . g 0 and g 1 are coded as signed antipodal values , meaning that 0 corresponds to + 1 and 1 corresponds to − 1 . therefore , the local euclidean distances for each path in the trellis 80 are computed by the following equations : as shown in the exemplary embodiment of fig9 , the branch metric computing module includes one l - bit adder 91 , one l - bit subtracter 92 , and a 2 ′ complemeter 93 . the euclidean distances is computed for path m 1 and m 5 . path m 2 is 2 ′ complement of path m 1 . path m 6 is 2 ′ complement of m 5 . path m 3 is the same path m 2 , path m 4 is the same as path m 1 , path m 7 is the same as path m 6 , path m 8 is the same as path m 5 , path m 9 is the same as path m 6 , path m 10 is the same as path m 5 , path m 11 is the same as path m 5 , path m 12 is the same as path m 6 , path m 13 is the same as path m 2 , path m 14 is the same as path m 1 , path m 15 is the same as path m 1 , and path m 16 is the same as path m 2 . the state metric computing module 72 calculates the probability a ( k ) of each state transition in forward recursion and the probability b ( k ) in backward recursion . fig1 shows the implementation of state - metric in forward recursion with add - compare - select ( acs ) logic . fig1 shows the implementation of state - metric in backward recursion with add - compare - select ( acs ) logic . the calculations are performed at each node in the turbo codes trellis 80 ( fig8 a ) in both forward and backward recursion . fig1 shows the forward state transitions in the turbo codes trellis 80 ( fig8 a ). fig1 shows the backward state transitions in the turbo codes trellis 80 ( fig8 a ). each node in the trellis 80 as shown in fig8 a has two entering paths : one - path 84 and zero - path 83 , from the two nodes in the previous stage . in an exemplary embodiment , the acs logic includes an adder 132 , an adder 134 , a comparator 131 , and a multiplexer 133 . in the forward recursion , the adder 132 computes the sum of the branch metric and state metric in the one - path 84 from the state s ( k − 1 ) of previous stage ( k − 1 ). the adder 134 computes the sum of the branch metric and state metric in the zero - path 83 from the state ( k − 1 ) of previous stage ( k − 1 ). the comparator 131 compares the two sums and the multiplexer 133 selects the larger sum for the state s ( k ) of current stage ( k ). in the backward recursion , the adder 142 computes the sum of the branch metric and state metric in the one - path 84 from the state s ( j + 1 ) of previous stage ( j + 1 ). the adder 144 computes the sum of the branch metric and state metric in the zero - path 83 from the state s ( j + 1 ) of previous stage ( j + 1 ). the comparator 141 compares the two sums and the multiplexer 143 selects the larger sum for the state s ( j ) of current stage ( j ). a ( k )= max [( bm 0 + sm 0 ( k − 1 )), ( bm 1 + sm 1 ( k − 1 )] b ( j )= max [( bm 0 + sm 0 ( j + 1 )), ( bm 1 + sm 1 ( j + 1 )] time ( k − 1 ) is the previous stage of ( k ) in forward recursion as shown in fig1 , and time ( j + 1 ) is the previous stage of ( j ) in backward recursion as shown in fig1 . the log - map computing module calculates the posteriori probability for u = 0 and u = 1 , for each path entering each state in the turbo codes trellis 80 corresponding to u = 0 and u = 1 or referred as zero - path 83 and one - path 84 . the accumulated probabilities are compared and the u with larger probability is selected . the soft - decisions are made based on the final probability selected for each bit . fig1 a shows the implementation for calculating the posteriori probability for u = 0 . fig1 b shows the implementation for calculating the posteriori probability for u = 1 . fig1 shows the implementation of compare - and - select for the u with larger probability . fig1 shows the implementation of the soft - decode compare logic to produce output bits based on the posteriori probability of u = 0 and u = 1 . the equations for calculating the accumulated probabilities for each state and compare - and - select are shown below : sum — s 01 = sm 3 i + bm 7 + sm 1 j sum — s 02 = sm 4 i + bm 9 + sm 2 j sum — s 03 = sm 7 i + bm 15 + sm 3 j sum — s 04 = sm 1 i + bm 4 + sm 4 j sum — s 05 = sm 2 i + bm 6 + sm 5 j sum — s 06 = sm 5 i + bm 12 + sm 6 j sum — s 07 = sm 6 i + bm 14 + sm 7 j sum — s 10 = sm 1 i + bm 3 + sm 0 j sum — s 11 = sm 2 i + bm 5 + sm 1 j sum — s 12 = sm 5 i + bm 11 + sm 2 j sum — s 13 = sm 6 i + bm 13 + sm 3 j sum — s 14 = sm 0 i + bm 2 + sm 4 j sum — s 15 = sm 3 i + bm 8 + sm 5 j sum — s 16 = sm 4 i + bm 10 + sm 6 j as shown in fig7 , the control logic module controls the overall operations of the log - map decoder . the control logic state machine 171 , referred as clsm , is shown in fig1 . the clsm module 171 ( fig1 ) operates effectively as follows . initially , the clsm module 171 operates in idle state 172 . when the decoder is enabled , the clsm module 171 transitions to calc - bm state 173 , where the branch metric ( bm ) module starts operations and monitors for completion . when branch metric calculations are completed , referred to as bm - done , the clsm transitions to calc - fwd - sm state 174 , where the state metric module ( sm ) begins forward recursion operations . when the forward sm state metric calculations are completed , referred to as fwd - sm - done , the clsm transitions to calc - bwd - sm state 175 , where the state metric module ( sm ) begins backward recursion operations . when backward sm state metric calculations are completed , referred to as bwd - sm - done , the clsm transitions to calc - log - map state 176 , where the log - map computation module begins calculating the maximum a posteriori ( map ) probability to produce soft decode output . when log - map calculations are completed , referred to as log - map - done , the clsm module 171 transitions back to idle state 172 . the branch - metric memory 74 and the state - metric memory 75 are shown in fig7 as the data storage components for bm module 71 and sm module 72 . the branch metric memory module is a dual - port ram that contains m − bits of n memory locations as shown in fig1 . the state metric memory module is a dual - port ram that contains k − bits of n memory locations as shown in fig1 . data can be written into one port while reading at the other port . as shown in fig4 , the interleaver memory a 43 stores data for the first decoder a 42 and interleaver memory b 45 stores data for the second decoder b 44 . in iterative pipelined decoding , the decoder a 42 reads data from interleaver memory b 45 and writes results data into interleaver memory b 43 , the decoder b 44 reads data from interleaver memory a 43 and write results into interleaver memory b 45 . as shown in fig2 , the de - interleaver memory 41 includes a de - interleaver module 201 and a dual - port ram 202 , which contains m − bits of n memory locations . the interleaver is a turbo code internal interleaver as defined by 3gpp standard etsi ts 125 222 v3 . 2 . 1 ( 2000 - 05 ), or other source . the interleaver permutes the address input port a for all write operations into dual - port ram module . reading data from output port b are done with normal address input . the interleaver memory module uses an interleaver to generate the write - address sequences of the memory core in write - mode . in read - mode , the memory core read - address is normal sequences . as shown in fig2 , the input buffer memory 43 45 comprises of a dual - port ram 211 , which contains m − bits of n memory locations . as shown in fig4 , the turbo decoder control logics module 47 , referred to as tdclsm , controls the overall operations of the turbo codes decoder . log - map a 42 starts the operations of data in memory b 45 . at the same time , log - map b starts the operations in memory a 43 . when log - map a 42 and log - map b 44 finish with block n of data , the tdclsm 47 starts the iterative decoding for l number of times . when the iterative decoding sequences are completed , the tdclsm 47 transitions to hard - dec to generate the hard - decode outputs . then the tdclsm 47 transitions to start decoding another block of data . turbo codes decoder performs iterative decoding by feeding back the output z 1 , z 3 of the second log - map decoder b into the corresponding first log - map decoder a before making decision for hard - decoding output . as shown in fig2 , the counter 233 counts the preset number l times . an implementation of a diversity m - channels baseband processor sub - system is illustrated in fig2 for processing multiple orthogonal received signals rx ( 0 ) to rx ( m − 1 ) from multipath signals which arrive at the antennas after being reflected from buildings , trees or hills . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , a diversity m - channels baseband processor sub - system 12 comprises a turbo codes decoders 23 , an n - point complex - fft processor 24 ( fast fourier transform ) for demodulating orthogonal signals rx ( 0 ) to rx ( m − 1 ), m - multiple of pre - processors 21 for pre - processing of orthogonal signals rx ( 0 ) to rx ( m − 1 ), and a diversity processor 22 . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , each identical pre - processor 21 contains an i / q demodulator 251 , a guard - interval removal 252 for removing cyclic prefix , a clock recovery ( afc ) 254 for reconstructing the clock , and the dll digital phase - lock - loop 253 for re - sync and timing - correction . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , the diversity processor 22 contains a combiner 261 for processing a pair of diversity channel rx ( i ) and rx ( j ), and a matched filter 262 for generate an output signal r ( k ). in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , the n - point complex fft processor 24 process orthogonal signals from diversity m - channels r ( i ). in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , the diversity m - channels baseband processor sub - system functions effectively as follows : the received orthogonal signals rx ( 0 ) to rx ( m − 1 ) were initially processed by the i / q demodulator 251 for demodulating the rx signal into baseband i / q components . the baseband i / q components are then passed thru a guard - interval removal 252 for removing cyclic prefix to produce the clean i / q baseband signals . a clock recovery ( afc ) 254 computes i / q signals to calculate the phase - error during transmission due to noise and multipath fading effect . the phase - error output is used to drive the digital phase - lock - loop to correct sample timing for i / q demodulator to produce better quality of signals . the baseband i / q components are then passed thru a diversity processor 22 for further processing of multipath signals . the i and q components are then passed to the n - point complex fft processor 24 . the fft processor 24 performs the complex fast fourier transform ( fft ) for the i and q sequences of n samples to transform them into n points of complex - coefficient outputs . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , an n - point complex - fft processor 24 processes each of the m - channels i / q signals , where the i component is mapped into real - coefficient input , and q is mapped into the imaginary - coefficient input of the fft processor . the fft processor processes i / q signals and produce a set of complex - coefficient outputs that are fed into mux 25 and then shifted into the turbo codes decoder 23 . each set of ( i , q ) is loaded into the mux 25 then shifted into the turbo codes decoder baseband processor 23 , where data is iteratively decoded until a final decision hard - decoded bit is produced for the output that correspond to each bit - stream . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , the turbo codes decoder block 23 has concatenated max log - map siso decoders a 42 and b 44 connected in a feedback loop with interleaver memory 43 and interleaver memory 45 . signals r 2 , r 1 , r 0 are received soft decision signals from complex - coefficient output of the fft processor . the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing ( ofdm ) is a technique used to divide the broadband channel into sub - channels where multiple adjacent channels transmit their carriers &# 39 ; frequency , which are orthogonal to each other . the sum of all carriers can be transmitted over the air to the receiver where each channel &# 39 ; s carrier can be separated without loss of information due to interferences . in ofdm the subcarrier pulse used for transmission is chosen to be rectangular . this has the advantage that the task of pulse forming and modulation can be performed by a simple inverse discrete fourier transform ( idft ). accordingly in the receiver we only need a forward fft to reverse this operation . the invention presents a method to divide the broadband into multiple sub - channels and uses an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing method implemented by n - point complex fft processors to effectively divide the broadband high - speed channel into multiple slow - speed n sub - channels where multiple adjacent channels transmit their carriers &# 39 ; frequency which are orthogonal to each other . forward complex fft takes sample data , multiplies it successively by complex exponentials over the range of frequencies , sums each product and produces the results as sequence of frequency coefficients . the results array of frequency coefficients is called a spectrum . the equation of a forward complex fft is shown below : where x ( n ) are inputs sampled data and x ( k ) is sequence of frequency coefficients . as shown in fig2 , an n - point complex fft processor 24 takes sampled data ( i , q ) from the diversity processor 22 output where the “ i ” component is mapped as real part and the “ q ” component is mapped imaginary part into the input of an n - point complex fft processor . after processing period , the complex fft processor then produces an output sequence of frequency coefficients . the sequence of frequency coefficients are then fed into the mux 25 and shifted into the turbo codes decoder 23 . as shown in fig2 , an pre - processor 21 comprises an iq demodulator 251 for demodulating the received signal into i and q baseband signal components , a digital phase - lock - loop ( dll ) and local carrier generator 253 produces phase - correct sample frequency , an a clock recovery ( afc clock circuit ) 254 , a guard interval ( gi ) remover 252 for deleting guard interval . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , the pre - processor functions effectively as follows : received signals entering the iq demodulator 251 are demodulated with a local carrier to produce the i and q component signals . the i and q signals are shifted completely through the guard interval remover 252 where the cyclic - prefix is removed from each i and q signal . the i and q signals are inputted into the clock - recovery circuit 254 where the i and q sample will be phase detected and the phase - error will be calculated . the phase - error output will be used to control the dll local carrier generator circuit 253 . as shown in fig2 , the diversity processor 22 comprises a combiner 261 , a matched filter 262 , and antenna selection algorithm 263 . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , the diversity processor 22 functions effectively as follows : the antennas selection algorithm will select an optimum pair of diversity channels . for each channel rx ( i ), the algorithm 263 will find an adjacent channel rx ( j ) to form an optimum pair of diversity channels . the combiner 261 will combiner signals of the two diversity channel . the matched filter 261 will process the signal ad produce an result output r ( i ). fig3 shows a preferred embodiment of a mobile wireless system in which the mobile wireless terminal 301 transmits unidirectional signals to the base - station 272 . fig3 illustrates a unidirectional radiation wave lobe 311 in vertical pattern side view indicating only a single radiation lobe toward the base - station . fig3 illustrates a unidirectional radiation wave lobe 321 in horizontal pattern top view indicating only a single radiation lobe toward the base - station . fig3 shows a preferred embodiment of a phased array antenna 331 comprising of an array [ 4 × 4 ] of radiating elements 332 . a different preferred embodiment of array [ n × n ] of radiating elements can be used for phased array antenna . fig3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a beam steering phased array antenna system comprising a signal feed processor 344 for feeding signals to the antennas , the phase shifters 342 associates with each radiation elements 332 for varying the phases of the signals before feeding to the radiating elements 332 for transmitting signal wave patterns 343 at the calculated angle θ , a digital signal processing ( dsp ) phase processor 341 for calculating the phase shifting steps data for the phase shifters 342 based on the steering angle θ of radiating waves 343 using the following equation : fig3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a transmitter system with beam steering phased array [ n × n ] antenna comprising a tx baseband processor 352 wherein the turbo codes encoder 354 encodes the transmitting data into coded words and then sending coded words to the inverse fast fourier transform ( ifft ) engine 353 for modulating into an ofdm signals , a transmitter 351 further sends the ofdm signals to the signal feed processor 344 for distributing signals to the phase shifter 342 for transmitting to the antennas 332 , the phase shifters 342 associates with each radiation elements 332 varies the phases of the signals before feeding to the radiating elements 332 for transmitting the signal wave patterns 343 at the calculated angle θ , a digital signal processing ( dsp ) phase processor 341 calculates the phase shifting values for the phase shifters 342 based on the required steering angle θ of radiating waves 343 , and a phased array [ n × n ] antenna 332 radiates wave lobe toward the base - station 272 , a base station tracker 355 is used to track the current base station that the device is communicated . a clock management logic 391 is used to control the clock distribution to target modules by turning off clock to the inactive modules . a power management logic 381 is used to control the power distribution to target modules by turning off power to the inactive modules . in accordance with a preferred embodiment , the base station tracker 355 determines the current location of the base station relative to the mobile device and provides the information to the dsp phase processor 341 . the dsp phase processor 341 calculates the phase required , based on the current location of the base station , to control the phase shifter 342 angles . the phase shifter 342 varies the transmit signals received from the signal feed processor 344 and controls the angles of the transmitting waves 343 for steering the transmitting waves toward the current base station . fig3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a smart phone wireless terminal indicating the arrangement of the phased array [ n × n ] antennas 361 in the backside of the device which radiates signal wave patterns 362 toward the base - station 272 at an angle θ . fig3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a smart phone wireless terminal frontside view indicating the arrangement of solar - cell panels for charging the battery . because the reduced energy required for transmitting signals , the wireless mobile device power consumption is reduced significantly so that it employs solar - cell panels for charging its battery which achieves the green - energy goal . fig3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a smart phone wireless terminal power management logic ( pml ) comprising a power management logic ( pml ) 381 controls the distributing of power to the target modules only when need it . when a module needs to operate , the pml will turn - on the power to that module , otherwise the module power will be off . a sequence of monitoring and controlling power distributing on / off to the modules will greatly reduce the power consumption of the wireless terminal and achieves the green - energy goal . a solar power charger logic 382 for charging the battery 383 . fig3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a smart phone wireless terminal clocks management logic ( cml ) comprising a clocks management logic ( cml ) 391 controls the distributing of clock signal to the target modules only when need it . when a module needs to operate , the pml will turn - on the clock to that module , otherwise the module clock will be off . a sequence of monitoring and controlling clock distributing on / off to the modules will greatly reduce the power consumption of the wireless terminal and achieves the green - energy goal . | 8 |
referring now to the drawing , a cmos driver circuit is shown . a plurality of transistors are provided , each having a source , gate and drain nodes . thus , a first n - channel transistor m1 , a second n - channel transistor m2 , a third n - channel transistor m3 , a fourth n - channel transistor m4 , a fifth p - channel transistor m5 , and a sixth n - channel transistor m6 are provided . a circuit input i is provided which is connected to the gate node of the first transistor m1 and the gate node of the second transistor m2 through an inverter inv . in addition the input i is connected to the gate node of the third transistor m3 , the fifth transistor m5 , and the sixth transistor m6 . the drain nodes of the fifth transistor m5 , the sixth transistor m6 and the fourth transistor m4 are connected to a drain supply voltage vdd . the source nodes of the first transistor m1 and the second transistor m2 are connected to ground . a capacitor cap has one side connected to the point 3 at the source node of the fifth transistor m5 and the drain node of the third transistor m3 . the other side of the capacitor cap is connected to an output o . the source node of the fourth transistor m4 and the drain node of the second transistor m2 are connected at 4 to the output o . the source node of the third transistor m3 and the drain node of the first transistor m1 are connected to a point 2 which is connected to the source node of the sixth transistor m6 and the gate node of transistor m4 . when the input i is low , transistors m1 , m2 , m5 are on and the transistors m3 , m6 , m4 are off . the capacitor cap has its node 3 charged to a high level and the output node o is at a low level . when the input i goes high , m1 , m2 , m5 are off and transistors m3 , m6 and m4 are on . the node 2 is charged high , because of m6 being on and because of some charge sharing of the charge on the capacitor cap through transistor m3 . because the capacitor cap was already charged when the input i was low , less time is required for the node 2 to reach the ( vdd - vt ) level where vt is the threshold level . when this occurs , transistor m6 turns off . concurrently the output node o is driven to a high level by transistor m4 . as the output level rises , the transistor m4 is overdriven and the node 2 is bootstrapped because the voltage across the capacitor cap remains constant . using 1 . 25 um technology , the total internal delay of the driver circuit is about 1 . 2 ns for a driver with 100 ohms output impedance . if complementary signal inputs are available , the internal delay will be less . the lengths of the interconnects between transistor m1 and m2 and between transistor m3 and m4 can be adjusted for delay skew so that the short circuit current at the output stage through transistor m4 and m2 can be minimized . this results in smaller current spikes . at low temperatures , charge retention of the capacitor cap is better ( charge decay constant tends to infinity ), latchup immunity is improved and hence the performance is still better . for 100 ohm transmission lines , the present driver provides a match termination with internal delays less than 1 ns . the present invention , therefore , is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein . while a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for the purpose of disclosure , numerous changes in the details of construction , and arrangement of parts , will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims | 7 |
in this application hand weapon means a weapon which discharges , has a civilian defensive use , is primarily designed for use against living things when used offensively or defensively and is designed to be either partly or totally hand supported during use . hand weapons include such things as handguns , rifles , shotguns , tear gas sprayers , electric shocking devices and small hand held rocket launchers such as the gyro - jet . in this application criminal usefulness of a hand weapon refers to the usefulness of a hand weapon for illegal acts where one person willfully threatens or injuries another person with the weapon . in this application , articles and apparatuses can be used for linking objects together . for example , a jack and a plug can rigidly link one object to another . cords , cables and chains are examples of nonrigid articles that can nonrigidly link two objects together . this allows one of the objects to undergo a change of position while the other remains stationary . a transmitter and a receiver can also nonrigidly link two objects . this occurs when the receiver , in physical contact with one of the objects , is receiving a signal that is being transmitted by the transmitter which is in physical contact with the other object . fig1 illustrates a handgun 10 having a revolver part 11 , a steel box 12 and a 20 m × 0 . 318 cm braided nylon cord 13 which links the box to the revolver part 11 . the box 12 is an open steel box large enough to hold the revolver part 11 . it measures 30 cm × 15 cm × 15 cm . its walls are 0 . 7 cm thick and it weighs 10 kg , whereas the revolver part 11 measures 18 cm × 10 × 4 cm and weighs 1 kg . in this application unwieldy object refers to any inanimate object weighing more than 0 . 5 kg and / or having a volume of more than 40 cc and / or being incapable of being forced without damage into a shape having a length of less than 25 cm . this means that the box can be classified as an unwieldy object . an unwieldy object can also be nonrigid , e . g ., it can be a length of chain weighing 0 . 6 kg that is continuous with a length of chain that links the unwieldy chain to the weapon . the cord 13 is permanently joined to the box 12 in the center of the inside bottom of the box 12 . the joining method comprises drilling a hole 14 in the box 12 , passing the cord 13 through the hole 14 and then pressing the steel surrounding the hole 14 to deform it inward to securely hold the cord 13 . the revolver part 11 is a revolver of conventional design with a hole 15 drilled into the handle . the cord 13 is joined to the revolver part 11 by the same method that it is joined to the box 12 . the handgun 10 is designed for defensive use in homes , businesses and vehicles with the box 12 remaining stationary and the cord 13 allowing portability and concealability of the revolver part 11 within the limits of the cord 13 . the cord 13 cannot be easily removed at either of its ends , however , it can be easily cut to allow the revolver part 11 to be carried to any location without the hindrance of the box 12 . therefore , a hand weapon of this type would be suited for use only in jurisdictions having a law against the cutting of its cord or the possession of the weapon with its cord cut . although it is possible to use other weights , sizes , materials , etc ., those used with this handgun 10 are good choices . the weight and bulk of the box 12 give the handgun 10 poor portability and concealability for locations requiring the moving of the box 12 . however , since most defense with a hand weapon is within a relatively small area , the 20 m cord 13 allows the handgun 10 to be adequate for defense in homes , businesses and vehicles . in such uses , the box 12 can be kept concealed or unconcealed in an out of the way place and the revolver part 11 can be carried or kept in a handy place . fig2 and 3 illustrate a handgun 20 having a revolver part 21 , a block 22 and a 20 m × 0 . 318 cm electric cable 23 which nonrigidly links the revolver part 21 to the block 22 . the block 22 measures 30 cm × 15 cm × 15 cm and weighs 10 kg , whereas the revolver part 21 measures 18 cm × 10 cm × 4 cm and weighs 1 kg . the cable 23 has 3 30 gage ( awg ) thinly insulated wires . one of the wires is a signal wire 24 for carrying a signal , one is a power wire 25 for carrying power and one is a ground wire ( not illustrated ) for both the signal and power . all three of the wires continue past both ends of the cable 23 . at the block end of the cable each of the wires randomly winds for 1 m through the block 22 before reaching a code generator 26 . the code generator 26 as well as any other code generator described hereinafter can be an ic such as an icl8038 . it is an oscillator that can be set to produce signals up to 300 k hz . the revolver part 21 is a revolver of essentially conventional design with a hole 27 drilled in its handle . the cable 23 is permanently joined to the revolver part 21 by passing it through the hole and then pressing the steel surrounding the hole 27 to deform it inward to securely hold the cable . inside the revolver part 21 the signal wire 24 is connected to an ic 28 , the power wire 25 is connected to the ic and a normally off switch 29 and the ground wire is connected to the ic 28 , a battery 30 , which is accessible for replacement , and a trigger blocking apparatus 31 which can block complete movement of the trigger 32 . the ic 28 has a decoding part and an output power sufficient to drive the trigger blocking apparatus 31 . this ic 28 as well 28 as well as the other ics of this application can be made by a custom ic manufacturer having the capability of making ics based on functional descriptions such as those contained herein . electronic engineer &# 39 ; s master catalogue , electronic buyer &# 39 ; s news handbook and directory , ic master , and electronic buyer &# 39 ; s guide are directories that contain listings of such manufacturers . the switches of this application are the same as part 17 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 488 , 370 and the triggers and trigger blocking apparatuses are the same as parts 60 through 70 of that same application . the block 22 is made of opaque epoxy 33 and the amount of weight and volume contributed to the block 22 by the code generator 26 and wires is negligible . the code generator 26 and wires leading to it are firmly embedded without access in the epoxy 33 . this construction makes it almost impossible to significantly reduce to size of the block 22 or to tamper with the electronic parts embedded in it without damaging one or more of the parts . the block was formed by pouring freshly mixed opaque epoxy 33 into a mold with the code generator 26 and wires . the code generator 26 , signal wire 24 , and ic 28 are essential parts of a system for determining whether or not the block 22 is linked to the revolver part 21 . although this system uses a wire and electricity for carrying a signal it is also possible to use some other type of system , such as a fiber optic system . it is also possible to place the code generator 26 in the revolver part 21 and route the output of the code generator 26 in a loop from the revolver part 21 to the block 22 and back to the revolver part 21 . in this handgun 20 and in any other handgun described hereinafter having a trigger blocking apparatus , the trigger blocking apparatus and the part of the trigger in contact with the trigger blocking apparatus are enclosed in the revolver part which has been welded shut or the revolver part is provided with a lockable and unlockable part for accessing the apparatus and the apparatus is enclosed in the revolver part behind the lockable and unlockable part . welding serves as a means for preventing access to the trigger blocking apparatus 31 without causing damage to the weapon . use of a lockable and unlockable part permits legal repairs and maintenance on the enclosed parts without damage to the weapon in a jurisdiction having a legal restriction on accessibility of the parts . the handgun 20 is designed for defensive use in homes , businesses and vehicles with the block 22 remaining stationary and the cable 23 allowing portability and concealability of the revolver part 21 within the limits of the cable . the trigger 32 controls the switch 29 and slightly pulling the trigger 32 for firing closes the switch . this sends power from the battery 30 through the power wire 25 to the ic 28 and to the code generator 26 . the power causes the code generator 26 to generate a sine wave signal with a frequency based on a serial number assigned to the handgun 20 . the signal is coupled to the ic 28 through the signal wire 24 . the decoder circuitry of the ic decodes the signal . decoding of the signal results in the ic 28 sending power to the trigger blocking apparatus 31 . in this handgun 20 and in any other handgun described hereinafter having a trigger blocking apparatus , the apparatus prevents firing when not receiving power from the ic by blocking complete trigger movement and allows firing when receiving power by not blocking any trigger movement . thus , in this handgun 20 after the trigger blocking apparatus 31 begins receiving power , firing can be accomplished by a continuation of trigger pull . because the handgun &# 39 ; s electronic processing is very fast , firing of the handgun can be made to feel no different than firing a conventional weapon . if the cable 23 is cut to unlink the revolver part 21 from the block 22 , no signal will be received by the ic 28 . consequently , the ic 28 will not send power to the trigger blocking apparatus 31 . with no power going to the trigger blocking apparatus 31 , the apparatus 31 will block complete trigger movement and the handgun 20 will not be able to be fired . also , since no signal will be received by the ic 28 if one of the electronic parts in the block 22 has been damaged or if the battery 30 is weak or missing , the handgun will not be able to be fired under those conditions either . fig2 a illustrates a circuit that can be used as an alternative to the ic 28 of fig2 . it consists of a decoder 34 , and a solenoid driver 35 . the power supply to both the decoder 34 and the driver 35 is connected to the switch 29 . the input to the decoder 34 is connected to the signal wire 24 . the output of the solenoid driver 35 is connected to the solenoid part of the trigger blocking apparatus 31 . the decoder 34 and any other decoder described hereinafter can be an ic decoder , e . g . a 567 ic tone decoder will decode frequencies up to 500 k hz . the driver 35 and any other driver described hereinafter can be a solid state device such as a transistor or a mechanical device such as a spst reed relay in parallel with a reversed biased diode for protection against inductive voltage spikes . closing the switch for firing turns on the code generator 26 and decoder 34 . the decoder 34 decodes any signal sent to it from the code generator 26 . this turns on the solenoid driver 35 which energizes the solenoid part of the trigger blocking 34 apparatus to allow firing . it is important that the handgun 20 has good resistance to tampering and circumvention . such resistance is provided by welding shut the revolver part or providing it with a lockable access part , by the small diameter of the wires which makes them easy to cut or break and difficult to splice , by embedding and winding the wires in the epoxy 33 which makes it difficult to cut into the epoxy without cutting at least one wire , by the use of a code system instead of a fairly nonspecific direct current which is easily obtained with batteries and by the use of a trigger blocking apparatus 31 that prevents firing if it does not receive power instead of one that prevents firing if it receives power which can be easily circumvented by removing the battery . in all of the other hand weapons described hereinafter having similar parts there is also the same resistance to tampering and circumvention offered by those parts . all of the electronic parts of the handgun 20 and the mechanical parts of the trigger blocking apparatus 31 can be regarded as an apparatus for reducing the criminal usefulness of a hand weapon ( in this case , the handgun formed by the remaining parts of the revolver part 21 ) comprising a means for linking the weapon to a certain unwieldy object ( epoxy 33 ) and a means for preventing the discharging of the weapon based on the weapon not being linked to the object at that time . in this application based on , when referring to discharging , refers to a basic condition for preventing discharging . a basic condition can be expressed in other ways which essentially mean the same thing , e . g ., in the case of this handgun 20 , it could be stated that firing is not prevented or is allowed or enabled based on electrical continuity of the cable . in addition , variations in the actual prevention of firing are within the scope of the basic condition for preventing discharging , e . g . there could be a delay before discharging is prevented . although it is possible to use other weights , sizes , materials , systems , etc ., those used with this handgun 20 are good choices . the weight and bulk of the block 22 give the handgun poor portability and concealability for locations requiring the moving of the block 22 . however , since most defense with a hand weapon is within a relatively small area , the 20 m cable 23 allows the handgun 20 to be adequate for defense in homes , businesses and vehicles . in such uses , the block 22 can be kept concealed or unconcealed in an out of the way place and the revolver part 21 can be carried or kept in a handy place . fig4 and 5 illustrate a handgun 40 having a revolver part 41 , a block 42 and a three prong plug 43 and a jack 44 for linking and unlinking the block 42 and the revolver part 41 . the plug 43 projects from the block 42 and the jack 44 is built into the revolver part 41 so that when the revolver part 41 is linked to the block 42 , it will lie on its side on the block 42 . the plug 43 and jack 44 can electrically link or unlink 3 30 gage ( awg ) thinly insulated wires in the revolver part 41 to like wires embedded in the block 42 . one of the wires is a signal wire 45 for carrying a signal , one is a power wire 46 for carrying power and one is a ground wire ( not shown ) for both the signal and power . each of the wires in the block 42 randomly wind for 1 m through the block 42 before reaching a code generator 47 . in the revolver part 41 , the signal wire 45 is connected to an ic 48 , the power wire 46 is connected to a battery 49 which is accessible for replacement , a normally off switch 50 and the ic 48 and the ground wire is connected to the battery 49 , the ic 48 , and a trigger blocking apparatus 51 . the block 42 is made of opaque epoxy 52 and the amount of weight and volume contributed to the block 42 by the code generator 47 and wires is negligible . the code generator 47 and wires leading to it are firmly embedded without access in the epoxy . this construction makes it almost impossible to significantly reduce to size of the block 42 or to tamper with the electronic parts embedded in it without damaging one or more of the parts . the block 42 was formed by pouring freshly mixed opaque epoxy into a mold with the code generator 47 and wires . the code generator 47 , signal wire 45 , and ic 48 are essential parts of a system for determining whether or not the revolver part 41 was linked to the block 42 at any time during the immediately preceding 10 minute period . the ic 48 has a decoding part , a timing part and an output power sufficient to drive the trigger blocking apparatus 51 . the handgun 40 is designed for defensive use in homes , businesses and vehicles with the block 42 remaining stationary and the revolver part 41 having 10 minutes of fireability after being unlinked from the block 42 . except for the electronic parts and the mechanical parts of the trigger blocking apparatus 51 , the revolver part 41 is essentially a revolver of conventional design . when not being used , the revolver part 41 can be linked to block 42 by means of the plug 43 and jack 44 . this allows power to be sent from the battery 49 to the code generator 47 through the power wire 46 , jack 44 and plug 43 . the power causes the code generator 47 to generate a sine wave signal with a frequency based on a serial number assigned to the handgun 40 . the signal is coupled to the ic 48 for decoding through the signal wire 45 , plug 43 and jack 44 . to use the handgun 40 , the revolver part 41 is unlinked from the block 42 and carried to the location where it is to be fired . the switch 50 is controlled by the trigger 53 and slightly pulling the trigger 53 for firing closes the switch 50 . this sends power to an input on the ic 48 and if the revolver part 41 was linked to the bock 42 at any time during the immediately preceding 10 minute period , the ic 48 will send power to the trigger blocking apparatus 51 . if the revolver part 41 was not linked to the block 42 at any time during the immediately preceding 10 minute period , the ic 48 will not send power to the trigger blocking apparatus 51 . with no power going to the trigger blocking apparatus , the apparatus 51 will block complete trigger movement and the handgun 40 will not be able to be fired . thus , in order for this handgun 40 to be fired , its revolver part 41 must have been linked to its block 42 during the immediately preceding 10 minute period . in addition , since no signal will be received by the ic 48 if one of the electronic parts in the block 42 has been damaged or if the battery 49 is weak or missing , the handgun 40 will not be able to be fired under those conditions either . fig4 a illustrates a circuit that can be used as an alternative to the ic 48 of fig4 . it consists of a decoder 54 , a 10 minute timer 55 , and and gate 56 and a solenoid driver 57 . the power inputs of all of the parts are connected to the battery 49 . the decoder 54 is connected to the signal wire 45 . one input of the and gate 56 is connected to the switch 50 and the other to the timer 55 output . the output of the solenoid driver 57 goes to the solenoid part of the trigger blocking apparatus 51 . the timer can be an ic timer / counter having a logic 1 output during timing and the capability of being triggered and retriggered by the output of the decoder 54 and of being set to provide a 10 minute period . when the decoder 54 decodes the signal generated by the code generator 47 , its output triggers the timer 55 and continues to retrigger it as long as it decodes the signal . when the switch 50 is pulled during timing , both and gate inputs and the output are at the 1 level . this turns on the solenoid driver 57 which energizes the solenoid part of the trigger blocking apparatus 51 to allow firing . all of the electronic parts of the handgun 40 and the mechanical parts of the trigger blocking apparatus 51 can be regarded as an apparatus for reducing the criminal usefulness of a hand weapon ( in this case the handgun formed by the remaining parts of the revolver part 41 ) comprising a means for linking and unlinking the weapon to a certain unwieldy object ( epoxy 52 ) and a means for preventing the discharging of the weapon based on the weapon not being linked to the object during a past certain period . although other weights , sizes , materials , times , etc ., may be used , those used for this handgun 40 are good choices . the weight and bulk of the block 42 give the handgun poor portability and concealability for locations requiring the moving of the block 42 . it makes the handgun 40 useless for constant illegal carrying as a concealed weapon and for crimes lasting more than 10 minutes while allowing the handgun 40 to be adequate for defense in homes , businesses and vehicles . since most defense with hand weapons requires less than 10 minutes and a person can momentarily link the revolver part 41 and block 42 or use a backup weapon if more time is needed , there is no great disadvantage to the 10 minute limit . in addition , it is possible to use an electric cord having a jack and plug to link the jack 44 and plug 43 and therefore the handgun 40 and the block 42 . this will allow unlimited firing in an area determined by the length of the cord while not making the handgun 40 useful for crimes requiring concealed carrying of the weapon . fig6 and 7 illustrate a handgun 60 having revolver part 61 and a 20 m electric cored 62 with a three prong plug 63 at one end and a linking sensor 64 at the other . the plug fits into standard 120 volt 15 and 20 amp grounded outlets . it can be electrically connected to and disconnected from the electrical power and ground existing at those outlets , thereby linking and unlinking the revolver part 61 and an unwieldy object which in this case is a live wiring system , e . g . in a house . the linking sensor 64 and an ic 65 are essential parts of a system for determining if the revolver part 61 has been linked to a live wiring system during the entire immediately preceding 24 hour period . the linking sensor , located in the revolver part 61 , can be a sensor for sensing 110 - 130 volts ac , a grounded outlet analyzer which senses liveness and grounding or a frequency decoder such as a 567 ic tone decoder ( in series with an appropriate resistor ) set to decode a 60 hz signal . the sensor output goes to the ic 65 . the ic 65 has timing and other circuitry and its output goes to a trigger blocking apparatus 66 . a battery 67 supplies power to the sensor 64 ( if needed ), ic 65 and a normally off switch 68 which is controlled by the trigger 69 . the handgun 60 is designed for defensive use in homes and businesses with the cord 62 allowing relatively good portability and concealability of the revolver part 61 within the limits of the cord 62 . except for the electronic parts and the mechanical parts of the trigger blocking apparatus 66 , the revolver part 61 is essentially a revolver of conventional design . after being plugged into an outlet for at least 24 hours , the handgun 60 can be fired . slightly pulling the trigger 69 for firing closes the switch 68 . this sends power to an input on the ic 65 and causes the ic 65 to send power to the trigger blocking apparatus 66 if the revolver part 61 has been linked to a live wiring system during the entire immediately preceding 24 hour period . this allows firing . if the revolver part 61 has not been linked to a live wiring system during the entire immediately preceding 24 hour period , no power will be sent to the trigger blocking apparatus 66 and the apparatus will prevent the firing of the handgun 60 . thus , in order for the handgun 60 to be fired , it must undergo a period of at least 24 hours during which it must remain linked to a live wiring system and it must still be linked when the trigger 69 is pulled . in addition , since all of the electronic parts depend on adequate battery power for operation , the handgun cannot be fired unless it has had a good battery 67 in it for at least 24 hours . fig6 a illustrates a circuit that can be used as an alternative to the to the ic 65 . it is based on a linking sensor that has a logic 1 level output when the handgun 60 is not linked to a live wiring system . it consists of a 24 hour timer 70 , a capacitor 71 , two resistors 72 and 73 , a two input and gate 74 and a solenoid driver 75 . the timer &# 39 ; s trigger is connected to the linking sensor 64 and to an rc network consisting of the capacitor 71 and the resistors 72 , 73 which are grounded . one of the gate &# 39 ; s inputs is connected to the switch 68 and its other input is connected to the output of the timer 70 . the output of the solenoid driver 75 is connected to the solenoid part of the trigger blocking apparatus 66 . the timer 70 can be an ic timer / counter that has the capability of a logic 0 level output during timing , of being set to provide a 24 hour period and of being triggered and retriggered by a 1 level . the rc network has a capacitance which permits triggering by the battery 67 and linking sensor 64 and resistances which discharge the capacitor 71 quickly enough for the timer 70 to be triggered in the event that the battery 67 is connected , disconnected and then quickly reconnected . the timer 70 is triggered through the capacitor 71 when the battery 67 is connected and retriggering by the battery 67 is prevented by the same capacitor 71 . battery triggering prevents firing of the handgun 60 until the battery 67 has been connected for at least 24 hours . after a 24 hour period of being linked to a live wiring system , the output of the timer 70 goes to the 1 level . then when the switch 68 is closed , there will be 1 levels on both inputs and the output of the and gate 74 which will turn on the solenoid driver 75 . turning on the solenoid driver 75 energizes the solenoid part of the trigger blocking apparatus 66 which allows firing . the electronic parts of the handgun 60 together with the mechanical parts of the trigger blocking apparatus 66 can be regarded as an apparatus for reducing the criminal usefulness of a hand weapon ( in this case the handgun formed by the remaining parts of the handgun 60 ) comprising a means for linking the weapon to a certain unwieldy object , ( a live wiring system ) and a means for preventing the discharging of the weapon based on the weapon not being linked to the object for a certain amount of time during a past certain period . many variations of the handgun 60 are possible . it could be made so that it could still be fired for a certain period of time after removing the plug 63 from a outlet if it became necessary to do so during use . or a a code signal could be periodically sent over utility lines and the handgun could have a decoder for its linking sensor 64 . although it is possible to use other lengths , times , systems , etc ., those used with this handgun 60 are good choices . they make this handgun useless for many crimes . however , the handgun &# 39 ; s usability inside of a relatively small area is not greatly different than that of a conventional handgun . the 20 m of relatively good portability provided by the cord 62 makes it adequate for defense in homes and businesses . since most hand weapons used for defense in homes and businesses remain in the same location for long periods until they are needed , the 24 hour requirement of this handgun is not a great disadvantage for the average user . in addition , it is possible to use an extension cord with this handgun 60 to allow firing of the handgun in a larger area while not appreciably increasing its criminal usefulness . the larger area could be advantageous for large homes or business buildings . fig8 a , 9 and 9a illustrate a handgun 80 having revolver part 81 , a base station 82 . the base station 82 measures 30 cm × 15 cm × 15 cm and weighs 10 kg , whereas the revolver part 21 measures 18 cm × 10 cm × 4 cm and weighs 1 kg . illustrated in the base station 82 is a base station battery 83 , a 1 m 30 gage ( awg ) power supply wire 84 , a code generator 85 , a 1 m 30 gage signal wire 86 , a transmitter 87 , a 1 m 30 gage transmission wire 88 , and a transmitting antenna 89 . illustrated in the revolver part 81 is a decoder 90 , a receiver 91 , an antenna 92 , a solenoid driver 93 , a trigger blocking apparatus 94 , a revolver part battery 95 which is accessible for replacement , a normally off switch 96 and a trigger 97 . the base station 82 is made of opaque epoxy 98 and the wires run randomly through it . the amount of weight and volume contributed to the base station 82 by the battery 83 , code generator 85 , transmitter 87 , transmitting antenna 89 , and wires is negligible . the battery 83 is accessible for replacement , however the code generator 85 , transmitter 87 and wires are firmly embedded without access in the epoxy 98 . this construction makes it almost impossible to significantly reduce to size of the base station 82 or to tamper with the electronic parts embedded in it without damaging one or more of the parts . the base station 82 was formed by pouring freshly mixed opaque epoxy into a mold with the code generator 85 and wires . the handgun 80 is designed for defensive use in homes , businesses and vehicles with the base station 82 remaining stationary and the revolver part 81 carried and used within about 30 m of the base station 82 . except for the electronic parts and the mechanical parts of the trigger blocking apparatus 94 , the revolver part 81 is essentially a revolver of conventional design . the code generator 85 , transmitter 87 , antennas , decoder 90 and associated wiring are essential parts of a system for determining whether or not the revolver part 81 is linked to the base station 82 . power in the base station 82 is supplied to the code generator 85 and transmitter 87 when the base station battery 83 is connected . this causes the code generator 85 to generate a signal consisting of a sine wave with a frequency based on a serial number assigned to the handgun 80 . this signal is sent to the transmitter 87 which transmits it by way of the transmission wire 88 and antenna 89 . power in the handgun part 81 is supplied to the receiver 91 , decoder 90 and solenoid driver 93 by the revolver part battery 95 via the switch when the trigger 97 is slightly pulled for firing . the receiver 91 is tuned the same frequency as the transmitter 87 and has a sensitivity such that it cannot receive the signal unless it is within about 30 m of the base station 82 . thus , being within about 30 m of the base station 82 is necessary for linking the revolver part 81 to the base station 82 . if the receiver 91 receives the signal , it demodulates it and sends it to the decoder 90 which decodes it . decoding turns on the solenoid driver 93 which energizes the solenoid part of the trigger blocking apparatus 94 which allows firing . if the receiver 91 does not receive the signal , no power is sent to the trigger blocking apparatus 94 and the handgun 80 cannot be fired . thus , in order for the handgun 80 to be fired , its revolver part 81 must be within about 30 m of its base station 82 . the electronic parts of the handgun 80 together with the mechanical parts of the trigger blocking apparatus 94 can be regarded as an apparatus for reducing the criminal usefulness of a hand weapon ( in this case the handgun formed by the remaining parts of the handgun 80 ) comprising a means for linking the weapon to a certain unwieldy object , ( epoxy ) and a means for preventing the discharging of the weapon based on the weapon not being linked to the object at that time . many variations of the handgun 80 are possible , e . g ., the signals could be sound or infrared instead of radio , reception distance could be 40 m , the power to the base station 82 could be supplied by a 120 volt ac grounded outlet and the live grounded wiring system could also serve as an unwieldy object , there could be a time requirement for the 120 volt system to be plugged in , there could be a coded signal sent out over the 120 volt power system which would have to be decoded in order for discharging to occur , the transmitter 87 could remain off until a receiver on the base station received a signal transmitted by a transmitter on the revolver part when the trigger 97 is pulled , this system would avoid disclosing the presence of the handgun which might be helpful information to a criminal , etc . although other signals , distances , time requirements are possible , those used with this handgun 80 are good choices . they make this handgun useless for many crimes , however , the handgun &# 39 ; s usability inside of a relatively small area is not greatly different than that of a conventional handgun . the 30 m of relatively good portability makes it adequate for defense in homes and businesses . since most hand weapons used for defense in homes and businesses remain in the same location for long periods until they are needed , the 24 hour requirement of this handgun is not a great disadvantage for the average user . in addition , it is possible to use an extension cord with this handgun 80 to allow firing of the handgun 80 in a larger area while not appreciably increasing its criminal usefulness . the larger area could be advantageous for use in large homes or business buildings . while the above description contains many specificities these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention , but rather as exemplifications of the preferred embodiments thereof . many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and their legal equivalents . | 5 |
in a transmission housing 4 of a vehicle , a shifting transmission 2 possesses a main transmission 6 and thereon , an auxiliary range gearing in the form of a planetary transmission 8 . the planetary transmission 8 includes a planet carrier 10 , which is designed as a common component with an output drive 12 of the shifting transmission 2 . about the output drive shaft 12 is a flange 14 and the output drive 12 is supported by a bearing arrangement 16 in the transmission housing 4 . the planet carrier 10 has several , evenly distributed planet bolts 18 about its circumference . of these planet bolts 18 , in the illustrations , only one bolt is shown . on the planet bolt 18 , supported by a roller bearing 22 , is shown only one planet gear 20 . distributed orderly about the circumference of the planet carrier 10 would normally be three or five such planet gears 20 . the roller bearing 22 is constructed as a double row , cylindrical roller bearing or an equivalent needle bearing . the planet gear 20 is externally encompassed by an internal gear 24 , which exhibits a shift toothing 26 . the shift toothing 26 engages itself in a base plate 30 . the base plate 30 is held in non - rotatable fashion in the transmission housing 4 . in this arrangement , the base plate 30 can be cast into the transmission housing 4 , or be clamped between the individual elements of the transmission housing 4 as a separate plate . a shaft 32 serves as the possible drive of an auxiliary power take - off and is supported by a bearing arrangement 34 in the transmission housing 4 . the planet carrier 10 has a projection 36 located on that side of the planetary transmission 8 which is opposite to the output drive shaft 12 , on which the planet carrier 10 is held by a roller bearing 38 in the transmission housing 4 . also , a countershaft 40 of the main transmission 6 is supported in a bearing arrangement 42 in the transmission housing 4 . a main drive shaft 44 of the main transmission 6 carries a toothed gear 46 on its end for the reverse gear ratio . the gear 46 is placed on the main drive shaft 44 with allowance for small radial play . this light play is typical for a shifting transmission with a power branching into two countershafts . at the end of the main drive shaft 44 is provided a pin 45 , which exhibits a slotted profile . the pin 45 includes a pressure bolt 48 , which is pressed in an outward direction by a spring 50 . on this account , the pressure bolt 48 extends itself through a sun gear 52 of the planetary transmission 8 , which has been placed on the pin 45 of the main drive shaft 44 , whereby the main drive shaft 44 bases itself in the sun gear 52 . between the sun gear 52 and the output drive shaft 12 , i . e ., the planet carrier 10 , is placed a shell 54 with a disk . this arrangement allows a common fitting and a mutual sliding between the sun gear 52 on the output drive shaft 12 . accordingly , the speed of rotation of the sun gear 52 and that of the output drive shaft 12 need not be the same . on the sun gear 52 are two toothed pressure compensators 56 and 58 , which restrict any axial movement of the planet gear 20 relative to the sun gear 52 . however , in this connection , a contact of the planet gear 20 against the toothed pressure compensators 56 , 58 is allowed , in order to pick up an axially directed force , which said force results from inclined toothing of the planetary transmission 8 . two additional toothed pressure compensators 60 and 62 are placed radially within the internal gear 24 and again permit a contacting meeting of the planet gear 20 . the two toothed pressure compensators 60 and 62 restrict an axial movement of the planet gear 20 relative to the internal gear 24 . by way of this arrangement of the toothed pressure compensators 56 , 58 , 60 and 62 , the sun gear 52 , the planet gear 20 and the internal gear 24 move themselves as a packet . this unified movement is such that an axial movement , introduced by the sun gear 52 , and transferred by the planet gear 20 results in an equally directed axial movement of the internal gear 24 . in fig1 , the pressure bolt 48 coacts with a detent 64 , i . e ., a holding means , within a sliding sleeve 66 and thereby engage the detent 64 . by this means , the sliding sleeve 66 is held in a neutral position . the sliding sleeve 66 has a first internal toothing 68 ( fig2 ), which engages itself in an external toothing 70 on the sun gear 52 and a non - rotatable connection between the sliding sleeve 66 and the sun gear 52 is established ( see fig2 ). for the formation of a non - rotatable connection between the sliding sleeve 66 and the main drive shaft 44 , the sliding sleeve 66 has a second internal toothing 72 , which engages itself in an external toothing 74 on the main drive shaft 44 . for the bringing about of an optional , non rotatable connection of the main drive shaft 44 with the planet carrier 10 for the formation of a direct binding of the main transmission 6 with the output drive shaft 12 at a continuing equal speed of rotation , the sliding sleeve 66 has a shift - toothing 76 , which can engage itself in a shift toothing 78 on the projection 36 of the planet carrier 10 . fig1 presents the planetary transmission 8 in a neutral position . neither the shift - toothing 26 and 28 , nor the shift - toothing 76 and 78 engage each other . the pressure bolt 48 enters into the detent 64 on the sliding sleeve 66 . the sun gear 52 finds itself positioned to the right ( as seen in the drawing ). the planet gear 20 is supported on the planet bolt 18 only on a cylindrical roller bearing of the roller bearing 22 . the planetary transmission 8 is load free , hence a simple bearing suffices , which brings about a small loss . if now the sliding sleeve 66 is pushed to the left by an actuator ( not shown in the drawing ), then the sliding sleeve 66 , likewise , draws the sun gear 52 to the left by actuating a ring 80 left being in accord with the drawing . this motion is described in fig2 . the planet gear 20 is , likewise , moved and accompany therewith by the toothed pressure compensators 56 and 58 and , in turn , brings the internal gear 24 to the left along with it , powered by the toothed pressure compensators 60 and 62 . by this action , the two shift toothings 26 and 28 engage each other , whereby the internal gear 24 becomes non - rotatably affixed . thereby , the planet carrier 10 turns in a known manner , as compared to the main drive shaft 44 in a slower ratio . at this point , the planetary transmission 8 is under a loaded condition , because the total torque is now being taken over by the planet gear 20 . on this account , it is necessary , that the bearing support of the planet gear 20 be reinforced by the planet bolt 18 . due to the sliding of the planet gear 20 to the left by the sun gear 52 , the planet gear 20 is also drawn onto the second cylindrical roller bearing of the roller bearing support 22 . the situation now is that a clearly increased load capacity of the roller bearing support 22 is made available . instead of several cylindrical roller bearings , a multi - row bearing can be considered , in particular , a two - row needle bearing . if now , the sliding sleeve 66 , as illustrated in fig2 , is pushed to the right by the ( unseen ) actuator , then the sliding sleeve 66 moves the sun gear 52 , likewise , to the right ( per the drawing ) by way of the detent 64 and the pressure bolt 48 . the planet gear 20 is pushed by the toothed pressure compensators 56 and 58 onto the sun gear 52 and of itself then pushes , the internal gear 24 to the right into the neutral position by way of the toothed pressure compensators 60 and 62 according to fig1 . at this point , the sun gear 52 with the shell 54 lies against the planet carrier 10 . if the sliding sleeve 66 is caused to move to the right out of the neutral position ( fig1 ), then the force of the spring 50 on the pressure bolt 48 is overcome by the detent 64 and the sliding sleeve 66 moves further to the right . when this occurs , the sun gear 52 is not complementarily moved axially . on this account , the sun gear 52 and therewith the planet gear 20 slidingly cover a small path back , as does the sliding sleeve 66 which moves the sun gear 52 and therewith the planet gear 20 . the shift toothing 76 on the sliding sleeve 66 engages the complementary shift toothing 78 on the projection 36 of the planet carrier 10 , whereby a non - rotatable connection between the main drive shaft 44 and the output drive shaft 12 is achieved . this is presented in fig3 . thereby , in a known way , the planet carrier 10 turns itself in reference to the main drive shaft 44 at the same speed of rotation . now the planetary transmission 8 runs free from load , while the total torque is taken over by the planet carrier 10 . the bearings of the planet gear 20 on the planet bolt 18 must not be supported , so that the planet gear 20 can be carried only on a cylindrical roller bearing of the roller bearing 22 as is the case in the neutral position . fig4 illustrates a changed design of the sliding sleeve 66 . in this case , the sliding sleeve 66 is constructed as being of one part with the sun gear 52 . in this arrangement , during an axial sliding of the sliding sleeve 66 , within the three possible shift positions , the sun gear 52 and therewith the planet gear 20 and the internal gear 24 always move in common . on this account , it is necessary that sufficient operational space be made available in the planetary transmission 8 . the attainment of the slow ratio is carried out as is explained in regard to fig2 . by means of the one piece design of the sliding sleeve 66 and the sun gear 52 , the pressure bolt and the detent can be eliminated . if now the sliding sleeve 66 is pushed to the right , ( per drawing ) by an actuator and out of the shifting position for the slow ratio , then the sliding sleeve 66 necessarily pushes the attached sun gear 52 with it , likewise to the right . the planet gear 20 slides along , being pushed by the toothed pressure compensators 56 and 58 on the sun gear 52 and , on its own , pushes the internal gear 24 with the aid of the toothed pressure compensators 60 and 62 . as this occurs , the internal gear 24 moves to the right until the neutral position shown in fig4 is reached . the sun gear 52 does not lie on the planet carrier 10 . if the sliding sleeve 66 is pushed further to the right out of the neutral position ( shown in fig4 ), then accordingly , the sleeve 66 also axially pushes the sun gear 52 to the right . the shift toothing 76 on the sliding sleeve 66 engages in the shift toothing 78 on the projection 36 of the planet carrier 10 , whereby a non - rotatable connection is brought about between the main drive shaft 44 and the output drive shaft 12 . the planetary transmission 8 runs free of load again , because the entire torque is taken over by the planet carrier 10 . the support of the planet gear 20 on the planetary bolt 18 must not be reinforced , so that the planet gear 20 , as is the case in the neutral position , can be carried only by a cylindrical roller bearing of the roller bearing 22 . for the formation of a stable end position , and for the avoidance of an undesirable problematic sliding , it is possible that the toothing 26 , 28 and 76 to 78 be designed with a roll - back . by way of the arrangement , according to the invention , a dog - clutch type shifting device is formed for a planetary transmission which is placed on the main drive shaft of the transmission . the shifting of the rapid ratio of the auxiliary range gear train by direct connection is done free of load . the short shifting path of the toothings on the auxiliary range gear train enables short operating levers on the planetary bolts . roll bearings carry the planet gears safely on the planetary bolts . fundamentally , the invented shifting apparatus is adaptable , both for a shifting transmission with one countershaft as well as for a shifting transmission with a load splitter requiring several countershafts . | 5 |
the present invention is illustrated by the following examples in detail , which in no way should be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention . 1 . 0 g of shr1258 ( prepared according to pct patent application publication wo2011029265 ) and 0 . 4 g of maleic acid were dissolved in 25 ml of isopropyl alcohol by heating . a solid was present while refluxing . after removing from heating , the obtained mixture was stirred to cause a precipitate . the resulting precipitate was collected by filtration and then dried at 45 ° c . under vacuum overnight to obtain 0 . 85 g of shr1258 dimaleate crystal . yield : 60 %. x - ray diffraction pattern is shown in fig1 in which there are characteristic peaks at 6 . 28 ( 14 . 06 ), 6 . 74 ( 13 . 10 ), 10 . 60 ( 8 . 34 ), 11 . 58 ( 7 . 64 ), 13 . 50 ( 6 . 55 ), 14 . 90 ( 5 . 94 ), 15 . 80 ( 5 . 60 ), 18 . 26 ( 4 . 85 ), 20 . 66 ( 4 . 30 ), 21 . 14 ( 4 . 20 ), 22 . 96 ( 3 . 87 ), 24 . 34 ( 3 . 65 ), 25 . 54 ( 3 . 49 ), and 26 . 12 ( 3 . 41 ). the dsc pattern is shown in fig2 , with a sharp heat absorption peak at 131 . 429 ° c . the crystal was defined as form i crystal . 1 . 0 g of shr1258 and 0 . 4 g of maleic acid were dissolved in 20 ml of ethanol by heating . after removing from heating , the mixture was stirred overnight ( the solid that separated was sticky ). the next day , 30 ml of diethyl ether were added to the mixture and stirred . the resulting precipitate was collected by filtration , washed with diethyl ether and then dried to obtain 1 . 03 g of yellow solid . yield : 73 . 5 %. x - ray diffraction pattern of this solid is shown in fig3 in which there are no characteristic peaks . the dsc pattern is shown in fig4 , with no heat absorption peak below 170 ° c . it was determined that the product was an amorphous form . 1 . 0 g of shr1258 dimaleate ( prepared according to example 2 ) was added to 5 ml of methanol and the mixture was heated to reflux until a solution was obtained . the solvent was removed by evaporation under vacuum , and 20 ml of isopropyl alcohol were added . the solid was dissolved completely by heating , and some solid was present while refluxing . after removing from heating , the mixture was left to cause crystallization . the precipitate was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 0 . 80 g solid . yield : 80 . 0 %. it was determined to be form i crystal of shr1258 dimaleate after comparing the x - ray diffraction patterns and dsc patterns . 2 . 0 g of shr1258 and 0 . 8 g of maleic acid were heated to dissolve in 26 ml of ethanol and tetrahydrofuran mixture ( at a volume ratio of 1 : 1 ). the solution was stirred in a 45 ° c . water bath with solid separated . after removing from heating , the mixture was stirred to cause crystallization . the precipitate was collected by filtration and dried at 45 ° c . under vacuum overnight to obtain 2 . 3 g of crystal . yield : 82 . 0 %. it was determined to be form i crystal of shr1258 dimaleate after comparing the x - ray diffraction patterns and dsc patterns . 1 . 0 g of shr1258 dimaleate solid ( prepared according to example 2 ) was added to 5 ml of water . the mixture was heated to reflux until a solution was obtained . the solution was stirred to cause as precipitate , and a sticky solid appeared the next day . the precipitate was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 0 . 68 g solid . yield : 68 . 3 %. it was determined to be an amorphous form of shr1258 dimaleate from the x - ray diffraction patterns and dsc patterns . the form i crystal of shr1258 dimaleate prepared in example 1 and the amorphous form of shr1258 dimaleate prepared in example 2 were placed open in the air to test the stability in various conditions including illumination ( 4500 lux ), heating ( 60 ° c . ), and humidity ( rh 90 %). the investigation duration was five and ten days , and the hplc analysis results are shown in table 1 . the form i crystal of shr1258 dimaleate and the amorphous form of shr1258 dimaleate were placed open in the air in various conditions including illumination , heating , and humidity . the results show that the stability of the form i crystal of shr1258 dimaleate and amorphous form of shr1258 dimaleate are similar under illumination without any statistically significant difference . the form i crystal of shr1258 dimaleate is more stable than amorphous shr1258 dimaleate under high temperature and high moisture conditions . the form i crystal of shr1258 dimaleate prepared in example 1 was grinded , heated and pressed , then evaluated by x - ray diffraction and dsc patterns . the results show that the crystal is stable and the data is shown in table 2 . | 2 |
fig1 is a flowchart demonstrating an exemplary method according to one embodiment of the invention . as seen in fig1 , a method according to one or more embodiments of the invention collects system - wide information comprising operational data from a plurality of sensors , extraneous data , and transactional data ( step 102 ). as used herein , a “ system ” refers to a plurality of components and / or subsystems utilized in the production of a good or service . the system may be spread throughout several geographic locations and / or include one or distinct subsystems . for example , an oil and gas collection system may comprise several subsystems , such as : reservoirs , wells , plants , and / or export subsystems . thus , “ system - wide information ” includes information regarding one or more components throughout several subsystems . in this regard , embodiments of the invention view the production of the goods or services at the process or business level rather than single discrete components . as used herein , operational data includes data originating at or otherwise obtained ( directly or indirectly ) from any of a plurality of sensors throughout a system that measures one or more operation parameters within the system . in one such embodiment , the operational data may be collected substantially upon being received or measured at the sensor . for example , one or more sensors may measure data on a consistent basis over a period of time . as one example , in the oil and gas industry it may be desirable to collect data regarding oil pressure of a collection point every second . in that scenario , the sensor may consistently provide operational data for collection . in yet other embodiments , operational data may be stored on one or more computer - readable mediums in one or more formats for subsequent collection . in certain embodiments of the invention , not all of the operational data measured at one or more sensors is collected . for example , only a fraction of the total detected parameters from a specific sensor may be included in any collection efforts . for example , merely because a parameter is measured every second , there is no requirement that every data point is collected . rather , in one embodiment , only a predetermined fraction of the data ( e . g ., one data point per minute ) may be collected in step 102 . indeed , while the operational data may be collected in a “ system - wide ” manner , there is no requirement that the collected data include data from every sensor in the system . rather , the collection of “ system - wide ” operational data as used herein is data that is received from a plurality of sensors that are located in different components within a system , and wherein at least one datum is collected from a sensor that is considered part of a different component than at least another sensor and is not directly connected to the other component mechanically , hydraulically , or electrically or otherwise directly dependent on at least one other component . for example , the failure of one component having a sensor would not directly impact the working order of another component . indeed , some components within the system may , in the minds of those skilled in the art , not even be considered to have a tangential relationship with another component . as explained below , however , the inventors have discovered novel methods and systems for discovering relationships between components throughout a system and predicting loss events based upon the measurements of sensors within the system . as used herein , the term “ collect ” also encompasses the storage on one or more computer - readable mediums . indeed , the collection of data is not required to be a single event , rather the collection of data may encompass irregular storage of data across several computer - readable mediums . furthermore , various embodiments of the invention may be implemented with computer devices and systems that exchange and process data . in fact , with the benefit of this disclosure , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that several computing and / or networking environments may be utilized to carry out one or more embodiments of the invention . for discussion purposes , fig2 provides an exemplary environment for performing one or more embodiments of the invention . elements of an exemplary computer system are illustrated in fig2 , in which the computer 200 is connected to a local area network ( lan ) 202 and a wide area network ( wan ) 204 . computer 200 includes a central processor 210 that controls the overall operation of the computer and a system bus 212 that connects central processor 210 to the components described below . system bus 212 may be implemented with any one of a variety of conventional bus architectures . computer 200 can include a variety of interface units and drives for reading and writing data or files . in particular , computer 200 includes a local memory interface 214 and a removable memory interface 216 respectively coupling a hard disk drive 218 and a removable memory drive 220 to system bus 212 . examples of removable memory drives include magnetic disk drives and optical disk drives . hard disks generally include one or more read / write heads that convert bits to magnetic pulses when writing to a computer - readable medium and magnetic pulses to bits when reading data from the computer readable medium . a single hard disk drive 218 and a single removable memory drive 220 are shown for illustration purposes only and with the understanding that computer 200 may include several of such drives . furthermore , computer 200 may include drives for interfacing with other types of computer readable media such as magneto - optical drives . unlike hard disks , system memories , such as system memory 226 , generally read and write data electronically and do not include read / write heads . system memory 226 may be implemented with a conventional system memory having a read only memory section that stores a basic input / output system ( bios ) and a random access memory ( ram ) that stores other data and files . a user can interact with computer 200 with a variety of input devices . fig2 shows a serial port interface 228 coupling a keyboard 230 and a pointing device 232 to system bus 212 . pointing device 232 may be implemented with a hard - wired or wireless mouse , track ball , pen device , or similar device . computer 200 may include additional interfaces for connecting peripheral devices to system bus 212 . fig2 shows a universal serial bus ( usb ) interface 234 coupling a video or digital camera 236 to system bus 212 . an ieee 1394 interface 238 may be used to couple additional devices to computer 200 . furthermore , interface 238 may be configured to operate with particular manufacture interfaces such as firewire developed by apple computer and i . link developed by sony . peripheral devices may include touch sensitive screens , game pads scanners , printers , and other input and output devices and may be coupled to system bus 212 through parallel ports , game ports , pci boards or any other interface used to couple peripheral devices to a computer . computer 200 also includes a video adapter 240 coupling a display device 242 to system bus 212 . display device 242 may include a cathode ray tube ( crt ), liquid crystal display ( lcd ), field emission display ( fed ), plasma display or any other device that produces an image that is viewable by the user . sound can be recorded and reproduced with a microphone 244 and a speaker 246 . a sound card 248 may be used to couple microphone 244 and speaker 246 to system bus 212 . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the device connections shown in fig2 are for illustration purposes only and that several of the peripheral devices could be coupled to system bus 212 via alternative interfaces . for example , video camera 236 could be connected to ieee 1394 interface 238 and pointing device 232 could be connected to usb interface 234 . computer 200 includes a network interface 250 that couples system bus 212 to lan 202 . lan 202 may have one or more of the well - known lan topologies and may use a variety of different protocols , such as ethernet . computer 200 may communicate with other computers and devices connected to lan 202 , such as computer 252 and printer 254 . computers and other devices may be connected to lan 202 via twisted pair wires , coaxial cable , fiber optics or other media . alternatively , radio waves may be used to connect one or more computers or devices to lan 202 . a wide area network 204 , such as the internet , can also be accessed by computer 200 . fig2 shows a modem unit 256 connected to serial port interface 228 and to wan 204 . modem unit 256 may be located within or external to computer 200 and may be any type of conventional modem , such as a cable modem or a satellite modem . lan 202 may also be used to connect to wan 204 . fig2 shows a router 258 that may connect lan 202 to wan 204 in a conventional manner . a server 260 is shown connected to wan 204 . of course , numerous additional servers , computers , handheld devices , personal digital assistants , telephones and other devices may also be connected to wan 204 . the operation of computer 200 and server 260 can be controlled by computer - executable instructions stored on a computer - readable medium 222 . for example , computer 200 may include computer - executable instructions for transmitting information to server 260 , receiving information from server 260 and displaying the received information on display device 242 . furthermore , server 260 may include computer - executable instructions for transmitting hypertext markup language ( html ) and extensible markup language ( xml ) computer code to computer 200 . as noted above , the term “ network ” as used herein and depicted in the drawings should be broadly interpreted to include not only systems in which remote storage devices are coupled together via one or more communication paths , but also stand - alone devices that may be coupled , from time to time , to such systems that have storage capability . consequently , the term “ network ” includes not only a “ physical network ” 202 , 204 , but also a “ content network ,” which is comprised of the data — attributable to a single entity — which resides across all physical networks . returning now to specific implementations , fig3 more clearly shows an exemplary system that may benefit from one or more embodiments of the invention . as shown on the top left side of the figure , pump 302 is operatively connected to pipe 304 , which terminates at separator 306 . pump 302 may be used to pump a liquid , such as crude oil being excavated from an underwater drilling facility . as the liquid is passed to separator 306 , sensor 308 may measure temperature of the liquid within pipe 304 . those skilled in specific arts , such as oil and gas production , understand that specific processes of pumping oil may not utilize the structures shown in fig3 , however , the basic teachings of fig3 are shown to demonstrate that the systems and methods of the invention may be applied to a vast array of multi - component systems . likewise , pump 310 may be used to pump the same or different material than the material being pumped by pump 302 , such as crude oil . as the gas travels through pipe 312 to separator 314 , sensor 316 measures a parameter , such as pressure , temperature , estimated flow rate , etc . the functionality of pump 302 is not dependent upon the functionality of pump 310 and vice - versa . specifically , each pump ( 302 , 310 ) may pump a different gas or liquid to a different separator and does not rely on an output of the other to function . thus , in the embodiments shown in fig3 , pumps 302 and 310 are considered part of different subunits within the system and that the failure of pump 302 would not directly impact the functionality of pump 310 . thus , some components of the system ( e . g ., such as pumps 302 and 310 ), may , in the minds of those skilled in the art , not even be considered to have a tangential relationship with each other . to the contrary , the failure of a cooling system , for example , for one of the pumps 302 , 310 may directly impact the output of the pump , such as lower output and or the failure of the pump , resulting in no output . like pumps 302 and 310 , separators ( 306 , 314 ) may also be geographically spaced apart and thus considered different subunits or subsystems of the overall system . fig4 b ( discussed in more detail later ) shows further subsystems that may be within the system shown in fig3 . as further seen in fig3 , each of the separators 306 , 314 may be used to separate the natural gas from the oil . for example , extracted gas from separators 306 , 314 may travel by pipes 318 , 320 , respectively to field gas compressors ( see element 322 ). pipe 318 may comprise sensor 324 that measures a parameter and pipe 320 may comprise sensor 326 that measures a parameter , such as flow rate , compression , temperature , and / or combinations thereof . conversely , the remaining oil product may travel by pipes 328 and 330 to a different processing subunit or subsystem ( see element 332 ). as explained in more detail later in the specification , subsystems utilized in processing the extracted gas from pipes 318 and 320 are distinct from subsystems utilized for processing the oil , however , information one subsystem may be used to predict loss event and / or the severity of a loss event that may occur in another subsystem . as discussed above in regards to step 102 , extraneous data may also be collected . as used herein , extraneous data excludes any data directly regarding the creation , processing , or manufacturing of the goods or services being produced by the system . for example , extraneous data may include data that either 1 ) originated outside the system , or 2 ) data originating inside the system regarding the measurement of an external impact source upon the system and would exclude any man - made intended input or output of the system or data regarding the processing or manufacturing of the goods and / or services . using the system of fig3 as an example , the output , electrical consumption , and or working parameters of the pumps 302 , 310 and / or the separators 306 , 314 would not be considered extraneous data . outside forces acted upon one or more of the components of fig3 , however , would be considered extraneous data . in one embodiment , extraneous data may include event data , such as environmental data . the extraneous data may be collected directly from a plurality of sensors connected to or associated with the system . yet in other embodiments , the sensors are not associated with the system . in either embodiment , the sensors would measure extraneous data , as opposed to system operational data . yet in other embodiments , the data , such as weather data may be historical and obtained after the occurrence of the event from which the data relates to . in this regard , there is no requirement that the data utilized be received from a sensor . rather , the extraneous data may be already modified or otherwise manipulated , for example subjected to statistical analysis before collection at step 102 . the data may be stored on one or more computer - readable mediums . in yet other embodiments , the extraneous data may be modeled from an event and not be actual results or information received at one or more sensors during the event . step 102 further includes the collection of transactional data . as used herein , transactional data includes any data comprising information regarding the intentional modification of the system . in one embodiment , the transactional data comprises maintenance data . maintenance data ( or any type of transactional data ) may include what component was added or removed from the system of fig3 , such as one or more of the pumps 302 , 310 and / or separators 306 , 314 . maintenance data may also include the part number , the manufacturer of the component , the individual who made the addition or removal of the component , the time and / or date of the modification , or other situational data surrounding the intentional input or output to the system . as shown in fig1 , the method may further include step 104 which comprises the selection of at least a portion , if not all , of the information from the system - wide information collected at step 102 to conduct statistical analysis upon . in one embodiment , it may be determined that all the data collected may be utilized , however , in other embodiments it may not be either feasible and / or desirable to utilize all of the collected data . for example , several industries , including the oil and gas industry , employ complex systems that comprise thousands of sensors in a plurality of different configurations . for example , a pump , such as pump 302 may report a measured parameter every second or even several parameters every second , whereas another sensor located either upstream or downstream from the pump , such as sensor 224 may only report a sensor parameter every minute or hour . as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art , it may not be feasible to utilize every value from every sensor given the large quantity of sensors and / or parameter values for those sensors . therefore , in one embodiment , the step of selecting which of the collected system - wide information to conduct statistical analysis on comprises the utilization of a threshold . a threshold may be any value point in which parameters either above or below that value point are not considered in further analysis . for example , the utilization of every data point may introduce errors from impacts that are not likely to occur again . using collected extraneous data as an example , the exclusion of event data regarding weather that is unlikely to occur again through a predefined time - period may be beneficial . a frequency threshold may also be utilized to exclude data associated with such an event or any event that did not occur above a certain frequency . for example , parameters obtained from a sensor regarding the wind ( e . g . speed and / or duration ), rainfall ( e . g ., speed , duration , accumulation ), or combinations thereof may be utilized . either taken individually or in combination , such sensor parameters may define a time period for which to exclude operational data and / or transactional data correlating to that particular time of the event . in yet another embodiment , an impact threshold may be utilized remove a portion of the collected data from further analysis . for example , if a repetitive occurrence routinely or consistently provides an impact below a significant amount , data associated with the impact may be excluded . in yet another embodiment , the impact is considered unavoidable . the impact threshold may be environmental , economic , relate to health and safety , and combinations thereof . further embodiments of the invention may include step 106 , where one or more features or attributes are built from operational data from at least one of the plurality of sensors in the system . such a process may be useful , for example , to investigate what sensors provide data of interest , how to best amplify the signals with transformations or features , and determine what transformation or features are most pertinent for a given sensor . those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that there are a wide variety of features that may be used in the various embodiments of the invention . some exemplary features and their descriptions are provided in table 1 . the inventors have found the features provided in table 1 to provide successful and favorable results , however , the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed features . furthermore , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that one or more different features may be applied to specific groups of sensor data while other features are applied to another group . still yet , in certain embodiments , specific sensor data may not have features applied . in certain embodiments , step 106 may be incorporated into step 104 , yet in other embodiments , step 106 is independent from step 104 . for example , in one instance where step 106 is incorporated into step 104 , the features are applied to data before step 104 , and thus the results of step 106 may be used in determining which of the sensor data is utilized in one or more further steps . in another embodiment , step 106 may be conducted after 104 , however , the results of step 106 may be used in subsequent processes utilizing step 104 . specifically , in one embodiment , upon the application of the features , it may be determined to alter the selection of the portion of the collected system - wide information that is utilized . thus , step 104 may be repeated . yet in embodiment where steps 104 and 106 are independent , step 106 may only be used on a subset of the data selected in step 104 . yet , in other embodiments , step 106 may be omitted . as shown in step 108 , a plurality of statistical models may be applied to the selected operational data , extraneous data , and transactional data ( whether with , partially with , or without one or more features applied to at least a portion of the selected data ). specifically , the models are applied to determine a best - fit model in regards to the correlation among the operational data and extraneous data with the transactional data to predict events and impacts of the predicted events . in one embodiment , each of a selected group of statistical models are applied to the data . yet in another embodiment , only one or more specific statistical models are applied to specific data . for example , if one statistical model is more accurate at predicting a specific event and / or the impact of that loss when applied to data specific to one or more sensors , then the model ( s ) may only be applied to that data . in yet further embodiments , as systems change or extraneous forces upon the systems change , one model that was highly accurate when applied to specific data may no longer be the best model , thus according to certain embodiments , the models may be used to further test the accuracy of selected models . furthermore , step 108 may further comprise the investigation of any correlation of specific sensor data with other sensor data . those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that there are a wide variety of statistical models that may be used in the various embodiments of the invention . some exemplary models that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention include a baysean network which provides a probabilistic approach where a structured model is created with conditional probabilities defined for relationships between nodes in the model . similarity based modeling ( i . e ., smartsignal sbm ) may be also be used as a non - parametric technique that constructs a function surface entirely based on training data by using interpolation to produce estimates for every point . decision trees may also be used , where internal nodes are simple decision rules on one or more attributes and leaf nodes are predicted class labels . other algorithms that may be used include multivariate linear regression and support vector machines . the inventors have also discovered that multivariate gaussian models are especially accurate in specific embodiments of the invention to predict loss events in the oil and gas extraction industry . the models may be used to provide an outcome for predicting events and impacts of the predicted events . the predicted events are events which will cause a loss in terms of economic , environmental , and / or health and safety . in one embodiment , impacts are measured in regards to specific economic impact , environmental impact , and health and safety impact . in certain embodiments , step 110 may be utilized to apply the best - fit model to predict events and impacts of the predicted events . for example , fig4 a and 4b show exemplary displays of predicted events . fig4 a shows an exemplary display that graphically presents predicted loss events . the display may also include historical and substantially recent or present events . fig4 b shows an exemplary display that schematically presents the predicted loss events shown in fig4 a , such as for conveying information of where within the system the predicted event may occur . those skilled in the art will readily understand that fig4 b may be presented in conjunction with , or independently of fig4 a , and vice - versa . looking first to fig4 a , display 400 extends along an x - axis and a y - axis . in one embodiment , the y - axis is divided into discrete components or subunits of a system , such as the system shown in fig3 and / or 4 b . in another embodiment , each element of the y - axis comprises a category of loss . thus , in both exemplary embodiments , the elements of the y - axis does not show data collected from a sensor , but rather specific loss ( es ) that are predicted ( or have occurred ). for example , the first component along the y - axis is component 402 . component 402 may represent what is referred to in the oil and gas industry as a mono - ethylene glycol system (“ meg system ”). specifically looking to fig4 b , exemplary display 410 shows a portion of a system having a meg subsystem ( element 412 ). for example , any gas transported to element 332 of fig3 may enter through element 408 shown in fig4 b , pass through various components and subsystems and be delivered to the meg system 412 . indeed , in one embodiment , the entire system including all the subsystems shown in fig3 may be provided in display 410 , thereby providing a user with a system overview . in certain embodiments , the user may zoom into or otherwise select groups of subsystems or individual subsystems . as shown within element 412 , which represents the meg system , the system typically comprises an injection unit 414 that injects material having anti - freeze like properties into the flow lines transporting gas to limit or prevent gumming . thus , by using a meg system , more oil and / or gas may be extracted over a set period of time . historically , however , it is hard to predict the failure of the meg system and even more difficult to predict the impact of the failure on a process or business level . returning to fig4 a , the x - axis of display 400 represents time . the time may be divided into any measurement of time , such as days , hours , minutes , seconds , or combinations thereof . for discussion purposes only , each time division in display 400 is 1 day . in one embodiment , the display may be adjusted or manipulated by a user . for example , a user may expand upon the predicted loss event , such as altering the time scale to determine a specific hour or minute the predicted loss event is to occur . looking to display 400 , the majority of the display is a uniform shade , indicating that a loss event is not predicted ( or has not occurred ). there are , however , some different shades in the chart that are indicative of a loss event . looking specifically to component 402 ( representing the meg system ), a loss event is not expected for several days , however , as indicated by element 404 , there is a predicted loss event . for example , while the meg system prevents gumming of the lines , too much water in the flow lines may result in salt build up within the lines . thus , the shading and / or coloring of element 404 may be used to indicate the estimated loss or the severity of the loss . indeed , knowing an estimated time - frame for a predicted loss event may be advantageous in further reducing the impact . for example , most industrial processes have “ planned losses .” for example , production facilities may have scheduled down times where the production of products or services are reduced or ceased . for example , systems may need to be flushed and / or refueled on a routine basis . thus , by knowing the timing of the planned losses and the estimated timing of the predicted loss , it may be feasible to take corrective or remedial measures during the planned loss events to prevent the unplanned loss event . in one embodiment , a cheaper corrective measure may be feasible as a short - term fix to allow the system to operate until taking a second more - intensive corrective measure during the planned loss period . furthermore , in the embodiment shown in fig4 a , both historical data and predictive data are displayed . the user may “ click on ” or otherwise select past data to determine what the loss event was , the severity of the loss event , and / or the corrective measure taken in an attempt to mitigate or eliminate the loss event . in this regard , if another loss event for that category or component is predicted , the user may readily view the past corrective measures to determine the effectiveness of past actions . fig4 c shows another exemplary display 420 that may be used in conjunction with one or more embodiments of the invention . specifically , upon conducting step 110 shown in fig1 , where the best fit model is applied to determine loss events and the predicted impact of the loss events , display 420 may be used to provide information regarding the timing , location , severity , and cause ( s ) of the loss event . as seen in the upper portion of display 420 , the shading of element 404 indicates that there is a severe predicted loss event within a specific time - frame for the meg system ( represented by row 402 ). the bottom portion of display 420 provides a schematic diagram of one or more subsystems of the system that may be used to more clearly show where the predicted loss is likely to occur . in one embodiment , visual cue 422 may be associated with one or more components of the meg system 412 to indicate the location of the predicted loss event . in other embodiments , a user may zoom into or otherwise view information regarding individual pieces within specific components that are likely to fail , so the user can determine if one is readily available or be ordered . in another embodiment , the potential cause ( s ) of the predicted loss event may also be graphically displayed . specifically , element 424 ( labeled “ temperature sensor ”) may represent a temperature sensor on a pipe carrying gas or oil . temperature sensor 424 may be highlighted or otherwise marked to indicate a potential cause of a loss . the marking may be used to indicate that the temperature within the pipe has exceeded a predefined limit or has risen at a pace that is above a predefined limit . for example , as discussed above , an increase in the temperature of the pipes carrying oil and / or gas may indicate an elevated concentration or volume of water within the pipes . in one embodiment , the user may “ click on ” or otherwise select temperature sensor 424 to determine the temperature , the rate of increase , or other information . furthermore , display 420 may also be associated with displays 500 and 510 of fig5 a and 5b , as discussed in more detail below , to view potential preventative measures . while the use of coloring and / or shading has been described to convey exemplary embodiments , any indicia that visually conveys a severity of the loss is within the scope of this invention . furthermore , those skilled in the art will readily understand that other cues , such as sounds , may be used in conjunction with or independent of the visual cues to indicate a loss or severity of said loss . for example , another exemplary view of predicted losses is shown in fig5 a . display 500 extends along an x - axis and a y - axis . the y - axis represents the predicted loss based upon millions of barrels of oil ( abbreviated in the oil and gas industry as “ mboe ”). the x - axis of display 500 represents the estimated costs based upon business impact . for example , element 502 , labeled “ meg system o ” is predicted to result in a loss of about 54 to about 59 millions of barrels of oil and an estimated total cost of about 3200 to about 3450 . utilizing the exemplary view in fig5 a may be useful when users want to quickly determine what subsystems or components are likely to result in a loss event . display 500 may also be adjusted to show specific time periods , for example , to display any predicted loss events until the next planned shutdown of a process ( planned loss event ). yet in another embodiment , the user may be able to determine more information regarding the loss event , such more specific information regarding the component or subunit expect the fail , and / or the impacts of the loss event in regards to the economic impact , the environmental impact , and / or the impact on the health and safety . for example , fig5 b shows an exemplary display ( 510 ) that may provide information regarding a predicted loss event and actions to correct or remedy the loss event . for example , display 510 may be presented to a user that “ clicks on ” or otherwise selects to view the loss event 502 shown in fig5 a . in another embodiment , display 510 may be presented to a user upon “ clicking on ” or otherwise selecting a portion of the meg system 412 of fig4 b . as shown in fig5 b , display 510 extends along an x - axis and a y - axis . the y - axis represents the predicted average loss based upon millions of barrels of oil . the x - axis represents the estimated costs for each of the displayed preventative measures . as seen , preventative measures 512 , 514 , and 516 , are each shown by way of the average loss in oil and average total costs . for example , performing either “ corrective ” measure ( element 512 ) costs slightly less than performing “ preventative maintenance ” measure ( element 514 ), however , “ preventative maintenance ” ( 514 ) results in losing much less in terms of mboe . conversely , “ predictive measure ” ( element 516 ) costs more than both of the above alternatives ( elements 512 and 514 ), however , results in much less loss when measuring mboe . in certain embodiments , the preventative measures ( 512 , 514 , and 516 ) may also be viewed in context of not performing any action to eliminate or reduce the impact of the predicted loss event . for example , element 518 ( labeled “ breakdown ”) indicates the predicted loss due to not taking any corrective or preventative action . as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art , the determination of the severity of the loss event may be tailored to a specific business &# 39 ; need . for example , corporations are becoming increasingly aware that consumer &# 39 ; s purchasing decisions may be based on how the company is perceived on impacting the environment . therefore , in one embodiment , even a slight environmental impact coupled with a large economic impact , may be treated as significantly more important than even an economic impact that is twice as large . likewise , any predicted loss regarding the health and safety of workers or surrounding residents may be treated significantly more important , even when not coupled with an economic and / or environmental impact . step 112 may then be applied to determine at least one intervention that may reduce or eliminate the impact of the predicted event ( s ). in select embodiments , the intervention ( s ) may be displayed on a display device , such as being associated with display 510 . in one embodiment , interventions are displayed on a display device , wherein at least one intervention differs from another intervention in regards to at least on impact selected from the impact group consisting of : environmental , economic , health and safety , and combinations thereof . for example , a first intervention that calls for repairing a first component may dramatically reduce the economic impact , however , may not substantially reduce an environmental impact . in contrast , a second intervention may reduce the economic impact to a lesser extent , however , will substantially reduce an environmental impact . in certain situations , the second intervention will require different actions and / or components to be repaired than if the first intervention is undertaken . yet in other situations , the interventions may differ in only the time and / or worker to conduct at least a portion of the intervention . as seen in fig1 , as an intervention is applied ( for example , following the determination in step 112 ), more data could be collected , such as by repeating step 102 . while the repetition of step 102 is shown in fig1 as following step 112 , the collection of data may be continuous throughout the process and be conducted before , during , or after any of the other steps shown in fig1 . furthermore , other methods may be utilized in conjunction with or independently of the preceding steps . for example , step 114 may be conducted following the preceding steps . at step 114 , the accuracy of the best fit model may be determined , specifically , the actual outcome in terms of economic , environmental , and health and safety can be compared with the predicted outcome according to the predictions based upon the best fit model . not only can the impacts be measured and compared , but the time period in which the loss event was predicted to occur may be compared with the actual timing of a loss event . indeed , any prediction directly or indirectly based upon the best - fit model may be compared at step 114 . in addition or as an alternative to determining the accuracy of the best fit model , the actual outcome may be compared to other models , such as the models from step 108 , to determine if another model is more accurate than the best - fit model initially chosen at step 108 . the present invention has been described herein with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a person understanding this invention may conceive of changes or other embodiments or variations , which utilize the principles of this invention without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . all are considered within the sphere , spirit , and scope of the invention . | 6 |
the high level of functionality associated with the h - smg b 1 of fig1 , and the high expected volumes of h - smgs ( typically one in each home , which depending on the size of the utility can be 100 , 000 s to millions of devices ) leads to a number of problems : high cost and complexity of procuring certificates : in some markets , particularly germany , certificates must meet high national security levels and can only be procured from appropriately certified root ca . high operational costs and certificate management : the h - smg b 1 may require multiple digital certificates covering transport security , signing data , encrypting content object , key transport , and these need to be updated at intervals ( e . g . every 18 months ). system vulnerability : a complex hardware item in the home can present a vulnerability in the system ( e . g . in case of its failure ) and because it acts as a local storage point of meter data and recipient of demand control commands . significant effort has to be made to prevent , detect and report tamper attacks by customers and other parties . hardware security module ( hsm ) in the h - smg : depending on the security requirements of the utility provider , it may be necessary to store private keys using an hsm . this may again increase the cost and complexity of the h - smg b 1 . firmware update load : necessity to maintain firmware updates of complex functionality of the h - smg may cause high load to the wan , and logistical problems with managing downloads without causing network congestion . overall h - smg b 1 cost : in some markets the functionality needed for the box can be high , leading to high capital costs to the utility for installation . these drawbacks and problems may be improved by the present solution . a remote gateway or smart meter gateway is provided to manage devices in the home and in particular those devices operating within regulatory constraints that place high security requirements on the system . the replacement home device itself is smaller , cheaper and dumber , with the intelligence centralised at the remote gateway . a new network entity , the remote gateway or server based smart meter gateway , s - smg ( represented by b 3 in fig2 ), may run within a data centre e 3 , and performs the functionality typically provided by a h - smg b 1 , except for termination of the physical layer and link layers . a lower complexity hub or local gateway b 2 is introduced within the property 20 . the local gateway b 2 establishes a permanently connected ip tunnel c 2 over a wan c 1 to the remote gateway b 3 . several variations may be used , including : ( a ) if a cable wan is used , then the local gateway b 2 may be represented by a cable modem and the ip tunnel may be achieved using a docsis ( data over cable service interface specification ) service flow from the cable modem , for example . ( b ) if a cellular wan is used , then the local gateway b 2 may be a cellular m2m device , for example using 2g , 2g +, 3g or lte radio access network , and the ip tunnel may be achieved using ipsec protocol , for example . functions of the local gateway b 2 may include any one or more of : 1 . phy and data link connections to utility meters and / or utility devices . ( a ) procure single certificate for tls ( b ) import single certificate for b 3 for tls functions of the remote gateway b 3 may include any one or more of : 4 . manage wan communications with utility management components d 1 , d 2 , d 3 . ( a ) own key pairs for wan communications ( b ) key pairs used by smart meters ( c ) procure own certificates for tls , sig , enc ( d ) create , manage and delete certificates for smart meters . ( e ) import content level certificates for utility management components d 1 , d 2 , d 3 for sig , enc , aut . a communications component or server b 4 may be part of the remote gateway b 3 or be a separate device . this communications component b 4 may have any or all of the following functionality : ( f ) procure its own certificates for tls ( g ) import transportation certificates for utility management components d 1 , d 2 , d 3 for tls . therefore , the local gateway b 2 now only needs certificates to secure the ip tunnel ( e . g . the procurement of its own certificate for tls , represented by function 9 ( a ), and import of the tls certificate of the s - smg , represented by function 9 ( b )). smart meters and other devices ( e . g . home display a 3 , switchable load a 4 , micro generator a 5 ) in the home ( e . g . any wired meters a 1 , or wireless meters a 2 ) may remain unchanged ( when compared with the system 10 of fig1 ). these devices a 1 - a 5 may connect to the local gateway b 2 , using existing wired or wireless physical and data link connections , as if they were connecting to the h - smg b 1 of fig1 . the local gateway b 2 may receive messages from smart meters a 1 , a 2 , and other energy devices in the home a 3 , a 4 , a 5 , and forwards these messages over the established ip tunnel c 2 to the remote gateway b 3 . likewise , the local gateway b 2 may receive messages from the remote gateway b 3 over the established ip tunnel c 2 and forward these over a smart meter network e 1 ( i . e . a local network of utility meters ) or a home area network e 2 ( i . e . a local network of other devices ) to the utility meters or energy devices in the home ( a 1 - a 5 ). to achieve this , the local gateway b 2 terminates the physical layer ( iso layer 1 ) and associated data link layer protocols ( iso layer 2 ) towards the smart meters and other energy devices ( function 1 ). this can include but is not restricted to the following : rs - 485 + hdlc ( high - level data link control ) wireless m - bus ( en 13757 - 4 ) ieee 802 . 15 . 4 ( sub - ghz or 2 . 4 ghz ) the local gateway b 2 may use the ip tunnel c 2 to relay protocol messages received , between the devices a 1 - a 5 and the remote gateway b 3 ( function 10 ). this includes but is not limited to the following protocols : tls oms ( open metering system ) security — afl ( authentication and fragmentation layer ) m - bus ( en 13757 - 3 ), including security and application layer sml ( smart message language , defined in iec 62056 - 5 - 3 - 8 ) dlms / cosem ( device language message specification / companion specification for energy metering ) ( iec 62056 - 6 - 2 ) the secure smart meter network in the home e 1 may be managed remotely by the remote gateway b 3 . this is represented by function 2 . this may be achieved by termination within the remote gateway b 3 of the transport security protocols ( e . g . tls ) used by smart meter devices a 1 , a 2 . this may include authentication of access from devices a 1 , a 2 . it also may include the ability of the remote gateway b 3 to create , manage and delete certificates for smart meters ( a 1 , a 2 ), represented by function 9 ( d ). these digital certificates may be generated from a root certificate or otherwise obtained . similarly , the secure home area network e 2 may be managed remotely by the remote gateway or server b 3 . this is represented by function 3 . this may be achieved by termination within the remote gateway b 3 of the transport security protocols ( e . g . tls ) used by han devices ( a 3 , a 4 , a 5 ). this may include authentication of access from devices a 3 , a 4 , a 5 . cryptographic operations no longer carried out by the h - smg b 1 of fig1 and these are now carried out by the remote gateway b 3 . this is represented by function 7 . this may include the following procedures : ( a ) generation of random numbers ( b ) negotiation of keys ( c ) generation of signatures ( d ) verification of signatures this may be achieved by implementing application layer security within the remote gateway b 3 rather than the h - smg b 1 . an advantage of this is that the local gateway in the home ( or other property ) no longer needs to implement a ( hardware ) secure module , which leads to a saving in complexity and cost . generation of key pairs and their secure storage may be performed by the remote gateway b 3 . this is represented by function 8 . this may include any one or more of the following procedures : ( a ) generation of own key pairs for communication over the wan for : tls , sig ( content data signature ) and enc ( content data encryption ) ( b ) creation , management and deletion of key pairs used by the smart meters . aspects of communication to remote parties may also be handled remotely the ( one or more ) remote gateway b 3 , as opposed to being handled by the smg device in the home ( h - smg b 1 shown in fig1 ). this may be represented by functions 4 , 9 ( c ), 9 ( e ), 9 ( f ) and 9 ( g ) above . remote parties may be those that consume data from the home , or provide commands or data to entities in the home . for example : ( a ) meter data management system d 1 operated by the energy retailer . ( b ) local system controllers d 2 , who control local systems in the home a 4 , a 5 . ( c ) remote system for configuration of the remote gateway d 3 . ( 1 ) key pairs for wan communication may be generated by the remote gateway b 3 ( as mentioned in function 8 ( a ) above ) ( 2 ) certificates may be procured from a certificate authority at the remote gateway b 3 from a certificate authority for content level security ( sig representing a certificate for signing content , and enc representing a certificate for encrypting content ). this is represented by function 9 ( c ) above . ( 3 ) certificates may be imported at the remote gateway b 3 representing remote parties d 1 , d 2 , d 3 for operations at the application level ( sig representing a certificate for signing content , enc representing a certificate for encrypting content , and aut representing a certificate for external authentication ). this is represented by function 9 ( e ) above . ( 4 ) a dedicated communications component or server b 4 may be used to handle traffic from one or more remote gateway b 3 instances ( which in turn represent data from a plurality of homes ) towards the remote communications parties d 1 , d 2 , d 3 . this may involve the handling of authenticating access , and transport security for the remote parties . the communications component or server b 4 can achieve secure transport towards the remote entities using a single public key to represent itself ( function 9 ( f ) above ), rather than needing a separate public key to represent each household or property . it can manage the installation of transport level certificates for remote parties d 1 , d 2 , d 3 — represented by function 9 ( g ) above , which may be logistically easier to manage than installing these at potentially millions of instances of devices in the home . meter data handling decisions may now be performed remotely by a network server , i . e . the remote gateway b 3 . this is represented by function 5 above . this includes decisions to schedule readings taken from the smart meters a 1 , a 2 , and to schedule the upload of readings to remote parties ( e . g . d 1 , d 3 ), and managing of ‘ on - demand ’ reading commands from remote parties ( e . g . d 1 ). the remote gateway b 3 may also provide one or more functions including : ( a ) calculation of the customer charge explicitly for the purpose of display on the ‘ home display ’ a 3 , and ( b ) sending of the calculated charge to the home display a 3 using for example dlms / cosem . the functionality level of a local gateway b 2 is lower than an h - smg b 1 . for example , a hardware security module may not be require in the local gateway b 2 . this may reduce cost and implementation complexity . the operating cost ( in computing requirements , network requirements and financial terms ) of the system 100 ( see fig2 ) may be reduced . the functionality may be achieved using fewer ( or only a single certificate at the local gateway b 2 ) in order to secure the ip tunnel c 1 . the system ( fig1 ) of an h - smg typically involves the procurement of multiple certificates that may have to meet a high level of national or regulatory security requirements . multi - tenancy : to improve efficiency and reduce system complexity it may be advantageous to implement a multi - tenanted concept — i . e . multiple households or properties may be served from a single device . however , this can be difficult to implement and manage in practice . therefore , utility companies may resort to a 1 : 1 ratio of deployment of smart meter gateway ( smg ) per household or property . this may be due to planning complexity ( i . e . logistically easier to assume one smg per household or property ). however , the s - smg or remote gateway b 3 approach makes multi - tenancy more achievable because the capability is concentrated in a cloud environment . savings may be significant given that rollout of such devices to each property may occur for tens of thousands or even millions of households . a dedicated communications server of function b 4 ( either combined or separate from the remote gates b 3 ) may handle communication links using a single transport certificate to represent traffic from a large number of local gateways b 2 . security : security may be improved , in particular for transfer over cable infrastructure , as the modulation inherent at the physical layer provides additional protection . to illustrate the cost saving , a rollout of a high functionality system ( i . e . based on the prior art system 10 of claim 1 ) may be estimated at 200 for each of 100 , 000 homes . for this system it is estimated that six certificates are needed per h - smg b 1 ( covering transport security , signing data , key transport ) meeting the required high level of national security requirements . these certificates may cost 1 each , for example . these need to be renewed every 18 months , resulting 4 per device p . a . a ) h - smg cost — 20 m over rollout period b ) operational cost of certificates ( estimated ) 400 , 000 p . a , once rollout completed . a ) local gateway b 2 cost — 1 m over rollout period b ) operational cost of certificates 66 , 000 p . a . once rollout completed . fig3 shows a schematic diagram of the system 200 for managing utility meters and gateways . this figure shows the interaction between the remote gateway b 3 , a plurality of local gateways b 2 over one or more wans and utility management components d 1 , d 2 , d 3 . as described previously , there may be several remote gateways b 3 operating on the system 200 but only one is shown on this figure . the remote gateway b 3 contains a data store 210 for storing static and dynamic data as well as obtained and generated certificates , for example . parts of the data store may be highly secure , e . g . implemented on a hardware security module , representing an efficiency saving over storing the equivalent data in distributed secure elements in home gateways . processor 220 is used to execute the logic to implement the method and manage the data and devices . the remote gateway b 3 also contains memory such as ram 230 . the functionality of the communications component or server b 4 may be incorporated in to the remote gateway b 3 or may be separate ( not shown in this figure ). a certificate authority 240 may be used to generate digital certificates provided to the various components that require them . these digital certificates are provided to the remote gateway b 3 , the local gateways b 2 and the utility management components d 1 , d 2 , d 3 . several certificate authorities 240 may be used and several instances of remote gateways b 3 may be provided either at different parts of the network or within a single server , for example . as will be appreciated by the skilled person , details of the above embodiment may be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention , as defined by the appended claims . for example , utility meters and utility meter data has been described . however , other utility devices and utility data may be managed by the system and method . this may include devices to consume a utility ( e . g . a boiler , heater , air conditioner , lighting , etc .) and the data may include control commands or usage information . many combinations , modifications , or alterations to the features of the above embodiments will be readily apparent to the skilled person and are intended to form part of the invention . any of the features described specifically relating to one embodiment or example may be used in any other embodiment by making the appropriate changes . | 7 |
embodiments of the invention describe a cover for a handheld computer . in the following description , for the purposes of explanation , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be apparent , however , that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details . in other instances , well - known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention . an embodiment of the invention provides a cover for use with a handheld computer . the cover is at least partially formed from a deformable material such as an elastomer . the cover includes features to enable it to attach to a handheld computer so as to protect components of the handheld computer . in an embodiment , a cover for a handheld computer includes a rigid frame , a coupling mechanism , and a deformable layer . the rigid frame has a first dimension measured along a lengthwise axis of the handheld computer . the deformable layer has a second dimension measured along the lengthwise axis of the cover . the second dimension is larger than the first dimension . the coupling mechanism is configured to detachably connect the cover to the handheld computer . as used herein , a dimension is a length , or width of an object measured along a particular axis . the first dimension may correspond to a length of the cover where the rigid member extends , and the second dimension may correspond to a length of the cover having the deformable layer . the cover is detachably connected to the handheld computer because a user can manipulate its coupling mechanism to connect the cover to the handheld computer , and to detach the cover from the handheld computer . among some advantages provided by embodiments of the invention , a majority of the cover &# 39 ; s exterior material is padded by the deformable layer . in particular , a region of the cover is padded with no interior rigidity . another region of the cover may also include a thicker cross - section comprising additional material for the deformable layer . the cover protects a front panel of the handheld computer , but the deformable layer avoids unwanted pressure from damaging or activating the handheld computer . in particular , portions of the cover with added cushion characteristics are positioned over areas of the handheld computer where a display and buttons are provided . portions of the cover having added cushion characteristics include the region of the cover having no internal rigidity , and regions of the cover having added thickness . the padding provided by the deformable layer in these portions dampens forceful contact that can damage the display . one or more of these regions may also dampen unwanted contact that may actuate one of the buttons on the handheld computer . [ 0026 ] fig1 is a front view of a cover 100 for a handheld computer 200 . the cover 100 includes a top edge 102 and a bottom edge 104 . an attachment panel 105 extends from the top edge 102 . the attachment panel 105 includes a coupling mechanism to enable the cover to detachably connect to handheld computer 200 . the front view shows a front surface 115 of cover 100 . the front surface 115 is intended to form an exterior of cover 100 when the cover is attached to handheld computer 200 and used to protect the handheld computer &# 39 ; s front panel 212 . the cover 100 extends along a lengthwise axis z . a display opening 112 is provided on cover 100 . fig1 shows an interior of cover 100 having a rigid frame 130 . the cover 100 maybe formed from a combination of rigid frame 130 overlaid by a deformable layer 140 . in particular , deformable layer 140 may envelope all or a majority of rigid frame 130 . therefore , rigid frame 130 may be primarily interior on cover 100 , while deformable layer 140 forms a majority of the cover &# 39 ; s exterior . the term majority means more than 50 %. in an embodiment , rigid frame 130 extends a first length l1 along the lengthwise axis z . the deformable layer 140 extends a second length l2 along the lengthwise axis . the length l2 is greater than l1 . in one embodiment , l2 corresponds to more than 90 % of the overall length of cover 100 , measured from attachment panel 105 to bottom edge 104 . the deformable layer 140 extends into a region 145 that does not contain rigid frame 130 . a length of region 145 is l2 - l1 . therefore , a thickness of region 145 contains only deformable material , with no internal rigidity , so as to provide added cushion characteristics to cover 100 . the region 145 may correspond to where cover 100 protects the display , and / or overlays the buttons 216 ( fig7 ) of handheld computer 200 . in an embodiment , the length of region 145 ( l2 - l1 ) corresponds to a majority of the cover &# 39 ; s overall length ( l2 ). thus , l2 may be at least 50 % greater than l1 . in one application , l2 may be more than 100 % greater than l1 . the rigid frame 130 maybe assembled to attachment panel 105 . the rigid frame 130 is unitarily constructed . the term unitarily formed means that the component is formed during a single manufacturing process . for example , rigid member 130 may be unitarily formed as a result of a molding process that creates it . the rigid frame 130 may be formed from rigid plastic in the molding process . alternatively , materials such as metals may be used to form rigid frame 130 . furthermore , rigid frame 130 and deformable layer 140 may each be unitarily combined . that is , deformable layer 140 is combined with rigid member 130 using a manufacturing process that causes the two components to be formed into one item . in particular , deformable layer 140 maybe molded onto rigid frame 130 after the rigid frame is formed , so that deformable layer 140 envelopes rigid member 130 , and is inseparable from the rigid member without damage . to this end , a suitable material for deformable layer 140 is an elastomer . alternatively , deformable layer 140 may be attached to rigid member 130 using glue or traditional coupling mechanisms , such as fasteners . specific examples of materials that could alternatively be used for deformable layer 140 include deformable plastic , rubber , thick leather or fabric , vinyl , a material with a sponge or foam core , or other materials and material combinations that provide a cushion characteristic to cover 100 . the rigid frame 130 may be partially exposed in some regions of front surface 115 . a display opening 112 maybe formed on a segment of cover 100 . the display opening 112 may be formed by rigid frame 130 . a perimeter 116 of display opening 112 exposes rigid frame 130 . in addition , a strip 132 or other region adjacent to attachment surface 105 may be exposed . a non - opaque material 122 may be provided in the opening 112 . the non - opaque material 122 may correspond to glass or translucent plastic . in one embodiment , the non - opaque material 122 may be press fitted into the opening 112 . a button opening 122 is provided on the cover towards bottom edge 104 . the button opening 122 is positioned to enable one of the buttons 216 ( see fig7 ) of handheld computer 200 to be accessible when the cover 100 is resting on front panel 212 of the handheld computer . one of the buttons 216 on front panel 212 maybe exposed to enable a user to actuate the handheld computer . a width of cover 100 is variable over the length l2 . in one embodiment , the width of cover 100 increases near where button opening 122 is located . the width of cover 100 may correspond to w1 where cover 100 is to overlay the display 230 ( fig7 ). the width of cover 100 may correspond to w2 where cover 100 is to overlay the buttons 216 ( fig7 ) of handheld computer 200 . [ 0037 ] fig2 is a rear view of cover 100 . a back surface 125 of cover 100 is configured to rest adjacent to the front panel 212 of cover 100 when the cover is used to protect the front panel 212 . the back surface includes a padded region 150 . the padded region 150 may be provided on a portion of cover 100 corresponding to portions of l1 and l2 . thus , the padded region 150 is a segment that extends over portions of rigid frame 130 ( shown in phantom ). in one embodiment , padded region 150 extends a majority of l2 . the padded region 150 may be formed from an extra thickness of material used for deformable layer 140 . for example , padded region 150 may correspond to where deformable layer 140 has extra elastomer material . alternatively , padded region 150 may correspond to where additional material , such as foam core , is provided to protrude from back surface 125 . by enabling the padded region 150 to extend from back surface 125 , features of handheld computer 200 are better protected against unwanted contact . in particular , padded region 150 may be dimensioned to fit into a recess of the handheld computer &# 39 ; s front panel 212 where the display 230 ( fig7 ) resides . in this way , additional protection can be provided to the display 230 ( fig7 ), which is vulnerable to sharp contact . [ 0040 ] fig2 also shows a coupling mechanism for attaching cover 100 to handheld computer 200 , under an embodiment of the invention . the coupling mechanism may correspond to a pair of clips 162 , 162 , which insert into corresponding openings of handheld computer 200 . an example of a coupling mechanism for use with an embodiment of the invention is described in detail by u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 570 , 362 , hereby incorporated by reference . the coupling mechanism enables cover 100 to be attached and detached to handheld computer 200 by a user . the cover can be moved about a top of handheld computer 200 . one position of cover 100 is adjacent to the front panel 212 of handheld computer 200 , with front surface 115 forming the exterior of cover 100 . another position of cover 100 is adjacent to a back panel 222 ( fig5 ) of handheld computer 200 , with rear surface 125 forming the exterior of cover 100 . [ 0041 ] fig3 is a side view of cover 100 . as shown , an overall length of padded region 150 corresponds to the length l3 , measured along the lengthwise axis z . the length l3 may encompass all or portions of l1 . the deformable layer 140 may also include a bent segment 155 near the bottom 104 . the bent segment 155 may be used to match a contour on the surface of the handheld computer &# 39 ; s front panel 212 . in an embodiment , a coupling mechanism for cover 100 includes attachment panel 105 , a bridge 155 , and clips 162 . the bridge 155 connects clips 162 to attachment panel 105 . the bridge 155 is pivotally connected to attachment panel 105 . the attachment panel 105 is contoured to reach over a top of handheld computer 200 . in particular , attachment panel 105 may be arced to reach over the top of handheld computer 200 . the clips 162 extend downward from attachment panel 105 . the shape of attachment panel 105 facilitates motion of cover 100 between positions against the front panel 212 and back panel 222 of handheld computer 200 . the clips 162 can be pivoted into an engaged position using bridge 155 . [ 0044 ] fig4 is a front view of a cover attached to a handheld computer , with the handheld computer shown in phantom . the front surface 115 of cover 100 forms an exterior for the combination of cover 100 and handheld computer 200 . the cover 100 is configured so that display opening 112 and non - opaque material 122 are positioned over the display 230 ( fig7 ) of handheld computer 200 . one or more of the buttons 216 of handheld computer 200 may extend from button opening 122 . the cover 100 may be shaped to overlay all of the handheld computer &# 39 ; s display 230 ( fig7 ), and all of the handheld computer &# 39 ; s buttons 216 ( fig7 ) except for one or more exposed buttons . the buttons 216 exposed by opening 116 may be configured to switch handheld computer 200 into an active state . the attachment panel 105 connects into a top housing segment 204 of handheld computer 200 . the top housing segment 204 may include a midframe , contained between exterior shells of handheld computer 200 . openings 264 ( fig6 ) to receive the coupling mechanism may be provided on the top housing segment 204 . a decorative groove 223 may be provided on front panel 212 of handheld computer 200 . the groove 223 may trace a geometry that at least partially surrounds the display 230 ( fig7 ) and buttons 216 ( fig7 ) of handheld computer 200 . the general shape of cover 100 may match the geometry of the groove 223 . the cover 100 may be dimensioned so that groove 223 is visible as an outline of the cover &# 39 ; s perimeter , when the cover is positioned adjacent front panel 212 of handheld computer 200 . [ 0048 ] fig5 is a rear view of cover 100 in an extended position about the handheld computer 200 . the cover 100 is shown in an intermediate position , between resting against front panel 212 ( fig4 ) and back panel 222 ( fig5 ) of handheld computer 200 . from the rear , front surface 115 of cover 100 is moved over the top housing surface 204 of handheld computer 200 so as to be interior on cover 100 when adjacent to back panel 222 . the attachment panel 105 is contoured about top housing surface 204 . the clips 162 can secure into openings 264 ( fig6 ) of handheld computer 200 ( fig4 ). the bridge 155 enables cover 100 to pivot about top housing segment 204 . as such , cover 100 can be moved from the front panel 212 to the back panel 222 . when in the extended position , clips 162 are extended vertically into openings at the top housing segment 204 of handheld computer 200 . [ 0050 ] fig6 is a simplified front view of a handheld computer that is configured to attach to a cover , under an embodiment of the invention . the handheld computer 200 includes openings 264 in the top housing surface 204 to receive clips 162 . the openings 264 may be formed into a midframe of the handheld computer &# 39 ; s housing . while embodiments of the invention describe cover 100 pivotally connected to the top edge of handheld computer 200 , other embodiments may provide for other connection configurations . in particular , cover 100 may be connectable to one of the sides of the handheld computer 200 . alternatively , the cover 100 may be connectable to a bottom of the handheld computer 200 . the cover may also be permanently attached to the handheld computer , rather than detachably connected . thus , one embodiment contemplates that the cover 100 is fixed to the handheld computer so as to not be detachable . in the foregoing specification , the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof . it will , however , be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention . the specification and drawings are , accordingly , to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense . | 6 |
referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like parts have like identifiers , fig1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a connector 10 for engaging open aperture soil reinforcement grids 12 to blocks 14 in earth retaining walls 16 , according to the present invention as illustrated in fig3 and 4 . the connector 10 assembles from an first member 18 that matingly engages an elongate second member 20 . the first member 18 defines a plurality of pins 22 extending from a first field 24 of the first member . the pins 22 are spaced - apart along the longitudinal length of the first member 18 . each pin 22 extends in a first direction from a first side of the first member 18 . the first member 18 also defines a second field 26 lateral of the pins 22 along its longitudinal length . the second field 26 is recessed relative to the first field 24 . the transition between the first field 24 and the second field 26 is defined by a wall 28 which forms a stop for a purpose discussed below . the first member defines an exterior bearing surface 30 , a back side 32 , and a front edge 34 . an edge 36 between the bearing surface 30 and the back side 32 is preferably radiused . the front edge 34 is partially radiused to define a tapered edge with the first field 24 . the second member 20 likewise defines an exterior bearing surface 40 , a back side 42 , and a front edge 44 . an edge 46 between the bearing surface 40 and the back side 42 is preferably radiused . the front edge 44 is preferably partially radiused to define a tapered portion . the second member 20 defines a plurality of openings 50 extending from a first field 52 . the openings 50 are spaced - apart along the longitudinal length of the second member 20 . the openings 50 align with the pins 22 of the first member 18 . the second member 20 also defines a second field 56 lateral of the openings 50 along its longitudinal length . the second field 56 is recessed relative to the first field 52 . the transition between the first field 52 and the second field 56 is defined by a wall 58 which forms a stop for a purpose discussed below . fig2 illustrates a side view of the connector 10 shown in fig1 . each pin 22 defines an oblique surface 60 at a distal end . the angle of the oblique surface conforms to the slope of the bearing surface 40 relative to the first field 52 of the second member 20 . the recessed second fields 26 and 56 cooperatively define opposing walls of a channel 62 in the connector 10 . as best illustrated in fig3 the channel 62 receives an enlarged portion 64 of the soil reinforcement grid 12 as the first member 18 and the second member 20 matingly connect together , as discussed below . fig4 illustrates a perspective view of the earth retaining wall 16 in which connectors 10 engage open aperture soil reinforcement grids 12 for communicating the tensile loading of backfill 70 on the soil reinforcement grids to the wall . the wall 16 comprises a plurality of stacked , interconnected blocks 14 which receive the connectors 10 engaged to the soil reinforcement grids 12 in aligned channels 112 in the blocks 14 . the soil reinforcement grids 12 extend laterally of the wall 16 into the backfill 70 at selected vertical intervals . the sheet - like grid 12 is a stiff extruded planar structure formed by a network of spaced - apart members 72 which connect to spaced - apart transverse ribs 74 . the connection of the members 72 to the ribs 74 define apertures 76 in the lattice - like grid 12 . the apertures 76 define an open space between the adjacent members 72 and ribs 74 . the apertures 76 receive soil , gravel , or other backfill materials for interlocking the grid 12 to the backfill material which is retained by the wall 16 , as discussed below . in a preferred embodiment , the grid 12 is made of synthetic material , such as plastic . the wall 16 comprises at least two tiers 80 , 82 of the blocks 14 . two soil reinforcement grids 12 are illustrated extending laterally from the wall 16 . the blocks 14 define a front face 84 for the wall 16 . the blocks 14 in each tier 80 , 82 are placed side - by - side to form the elongated retaining wall 16 . soil , gravel , or other backfill material 70 is placed on an interior side 86 of the wall 16 . each of the blocks 14 are defined by opposing side walls 100 , opposing front face 104 and back face 106 , and opposing top and bottom sides 108 , 110 . the block 14 defines a channel 112 extending between the opposing sides 100 . in a preferred embodiment , the channel 112 defines a triangular shape in cross - sectional view . in a preferred embodiment , the triangular channel 112 is substantially equilateral . the channel 112 opens to a slot 114 that extends laterally from the channel 112 to the back side 106 of the block 14 . the slot 114 preferably defines opposed tapered edges 115 in the back face 106 ( best illustrated in fig6 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the channel 112 has a base surface 116 which is substantially parallel to the front face 104 . in this embodiment , the slot 114 preferably opens to the channel 112 at an apex . the channel 112 defines a pair of bearing surfaces 118 , 120 , for a purpose discussed below . the opening to the slot 114 is preferably between the two bearing surfaces 118 , 120 . the blocks 14 are preferably pre - cast concrete . as is conventional with blocks for earth retaining walls , the illustrated embodiment of the block 16 includes matingly conformable top and bottom surfaces 108 , 110 . in the illustrated embodiment , the top surface 108 defines a raised portion and a recessed portion . the opposing bottom 110 likewise defines a recess portion and an extended portion . the recess portion in the top 108 opposes the extended portion in the bottom 110 . the raised portion in the top surface 108 opposes the recess portion in the bottom surface . when blocks 14 are stacked in tiers 80 , 82 , the recessed portion of blocks in the lower tier 80 receive the respective extended portion of the blocks 14 in the upper tier 82 . similarly , the raised portions in the lower tier 80 are received in the respective recesses of the upper tier 82 . in this way , the blocks 14 in vertically adjacent tiers 80 , 82 are matingly engaged . with reference to fig6 a design for the connector 10 may be described as the combination of the frictional loading between the block 14 and the connector 10 and the pull out frictional loading of the reinforcement grid 12 and the connector 10 . both components must exceed the pull out force p on the reinforcement grid 12 . this is described as follows , where : p 1 is the pull - out loading for the reinforcement grid 12 , which equals the resisting force of the friction between the connector 10 and the bearing surfaces 118 , 120 in the block 14 . n is the normal loading between the bearing surface 118 , 120 and the surfaces 30 , 40 of the connector 10 . n g is the loading on the reinforcement grid 12 from the loading n . s is the friction loading between the reinforcement grid 12 and the bearing surfaces 118 , 120 . s g is the friction loading between the reinforcement grid 12 and the connector 10 . α a is the angle between the normal load n and a perpendicular line to the reinforcement grid 12 , which is one - half the angle defined by the bearing surfaces 118 , 120 . φ is the friction angle between the bearing surface 118 , 120 and the surfaces 30 , 40 of the connector 10 . this angle controls the self - locking attribute of the apparatus of the present invention . δ is the apparent friction angle of the connector 10 to the reinforcement grid interface . the frictional loading between the block 14 and the connector 10 is described by the following equations : the mobilized peak pull - out resistance is represented by the frictional load between the reinforcement grid 12 and the bearing surfaces 118 , 120 of the channel 112 and between the reinforcement grid 12 and the connector 10 . the tensile loading on the reinforcement grid 12 accordingly is resisted by four surfaces of frictional loading . the pull - out resistance of the reinforcement grid 12 within the connector 10 is described by the normal load applying friction in the horizontal direction , which opposes the pull - out force of the reinforcement grid : p 2 = 2 ( n cos α − n tan φ sin α ) tan δ ( eq . 7 ) in evaluating failure criterion , the connector 10 within the channel must have sufficient pull - out resistance ( i . e ., the reinforcement grid 12 must not pull out of the connector 10 ): tan δ ≥ sin α + tan φ cos α cos α - tan φ sin α ( eq . 9 ) tan δ ≥ tan α + tan φ 1 - tan α tan φ ( eq . 10 ) tan δ ≧ tan ( α + φ ) ( eq . 11 ) the reinforcement grid 12 is locked within the connector 10 through the interlocking pins 22 , and the connector 10 achieves ultimate strength bearing against the bearing surfaces as long as the pins 22 are sufficiently strong . pull - out failure is not anticipated , and thus , eq . 12 that δ ≧( φ + α ) holds . with reference to fig1 , and 4 , eq . 12 that the connector 10 is used in the wall 16 constructed by placing at least two stacked tiers 80 , 82 of the blocks 14 side - by - side to define the length of the wall . the blocks 14 are aligned so the channels 112 extend longitudinally through the wall 16 with the slot 114 extending towards the back side of the wall . the connector 10 assembles by sandwiching a portion of one of the soil - reinforcement grids 12 between the first member 18 and the second member 20 . the pins 22 align with the openings 50 which slidingly receive the pins . the pins 22 extend through the respective apertures 76 in the grids 12 . the enlarged portion 64 of the grid 12 is received in the channel 62 . the walls 28 , 58 define a stop that bears against the enlarged portion 64 . the assembled connector 10 with the soil - reinforcement grid 12 sliding is received in the channel 112 . a portion of the soil - reinforcement grid 12 is slidingly received within the slot 114 and extends laterally of the wall 16 . the lateral portion of the grid 12 is covered with backfill 70 . the tensile loading on the grid 12 causes the connector 10 to move into bearing contact with the bearing surfaces of the channel . the bearing surfaces 30 , 40 of the first member 18 and the second member 20 engage the bearing surfaces 118 , 120 and lock the grid 12 to the block 14 and thus to the wall 16 . the connector 10 , being engaged to the soil - reinforcement grid 12 that is loaded by the backfill 70 , mechanically engages the two bearing surfaces of the channel such that the tensile loading is distributed across the block . fig5 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment 150 of the connector 10 for engaging open aperture soil reinforcement grids 12 to blocks 14 in earth retaining walls 16 , according to the present invention . the connector 150 assembles from a two members 152 . each member 152 defines a plurality of pins 154 extending from a first field 156 and alternating openings 158 . the pins 154 and openings 158 are spaced - apart along the longitudinal length of the member 150 . the member 150 also defines a second field 160 lateral of the pins 154 and openings 158 along its longitudinal length . the second field 160 is recessed relative to the first field 156 . the transition between the first field 156 and the second field 160 defines a wall 162 which forms the stop for the enlarged portion 64 of the grid 12 . the member 150 defines an exterior bearing surface 166 , a back side 168 , and a front edge 170 . an edge 172 between the bearing surface 166 and the back side 168 is preferably radiused . the front edge 170 is partially radiused to define a tapered edge with the first field 156 . the connector 150 assembles by slidingly receiving the respective pins 154 of one member 152 within the openings 158 of a second one of the members 152 . while the use of the members 152 has longitudinally extending overlap portions at the opposing distal ends of the connector 150 , the common member requires one mold to manufacture rather than two different molds . while this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , the principles and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification . the invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed because these are regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive . moreover , modifications , variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as described by the following claims . | 4 |
as shown in fig1 a vehicular steer - by - wire system is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 . the system 10 includes an input member or steering wheel 12 , a coupling or steering shaft 14 connected to the steering wheel 12 , a steering - angle sensor 16 connected to the shaft 14 , a steering - torque sensor 18 connected to the shaft 14 , an electronic controller 20 operably connected with the steering - angle sensor 16 and the steering - torque sensor 18 , an output or road - wheel actuator 22 coupled in signal communication with the controller 20 , and an output member or road - wheel 24 mechanically connected to the road - wheel actuator 22 . as may be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art based on the teachings herein , various modifications may be made to this exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure . for example , the steering wheel 12 may be replaced or supplemented with any of a number of input members for receiving the desired steering inputs of an operator , such as a control yoke or a joystick . in addition , although the exemplary steering - torque sensor 18 is mechanically coupled to the steering wheel 12 through the steering shaft 14 , various other torque - sensing schemes may be apparent to those skilled in the pertinent art based on the teachings herein , such as , for example , integral piezo - electric sensors and non - contact electromagnetic sensors . the steering - angle sensor is typically embodied by an optical encoder , but may alternatively be embodied by , for example , a potentiometer or other device for sensing angular displacement . the controller 20 is an electronic circuit comprising a digital micro - controller integrated circuit (“ ic ”) such as , for example , an hc68000 series micro - controller ic manufactured by motorola corporation . the controller 20 receives as input the electronic signal 27 produced by the steering - angle sensor 16 and the electronic signal 26 produced by the steering - torque sensor 18 , and produces as output a control signal 42 for the road - wheel actuator 22 . the control signal 42 has a power level that is capable of powering an actuator , and is input to the road - wheel actuator 22 that mechanically actuates the road wheel 24 according to the control signal 42 . as shown in fig2 the controller 20 of fig1 implements a control function indicated generally by the reference numeral 21 . the control function 21 receives as inputs a differential torque signal 26 from the steering - torque sensor 18 , a steering - angle signal 27 from the steering - angle sensor 16 , and a vehicle speed signal 29 indicative of the relative velocity of the vehicle ( not shown ) with respect to the travel medium ( e . g ., road or land surface , also not shown ). a position ratio unit 39 corresponding to a desired steering - ratio function that varies according to the current value of the steering - angle signal 27 and the speed signal 29 , processes the steering - angle signal 27 . under normal operation , the steering - angle sensor 16 detects the position and movement of the steering wheel 12 and sends a steering - angle signal 27 to the controller 20 . the controller 20 combines the steering - angle signal 27 with the vehicle speed signal 29 to produce the road wheel control signal 42 that is sent to the road - wheel actuator 22 for controlling the steering angle of the road wheel 24 . thus , under normal operation , the output signal 26 produced by the torque sensor 18 is not required for determination of the command signal 42 . it shall be understood that the road wheel command signal 42 may also correspond to additional sensor signals and functions , as may be desirable for alternate applications . the control function 21 is used in the calculation of the road - wheel control signal 42 . the position ratio unit 39 receives the steering - angle signal 27 . the position ratio unit 39 also receives the vehicle speed signal 29 . the steering - angle signal 27 and the vehicle speed signal 29 are used as inputs to unit 39 , which comprises a multiplier , to generate a variable steering ratio signal at unit 39 . the resulting variable steering ratio signal is passed to a road wheel command switch 37 . it will be recognized that although the exemplary position ratio unit 39 comprises a multiplier , other means for serving the function of the multiplier may be substituted therefor , such as , for example , a non - linear algorithm or a three - dimensional look - up table . the integration sub - function 28 has an anti - windup feature and integrates the differential torque signal 26 over time to produce a signal 30 indicative of the torque applied to the steering wheel 12 . the system 10 can have the integration sub - function 28 in or out . when the integration sub - function 28 is out , a change in direction in the torque sensor 18 causes the corresponding control signal 42 to the road wheels 24 to be immediate . with the integration sub - function 28 in , the system 10 changes direction at a slower rate than the torque input signal 26 , as it unwinds the integration sub - function 28 before a direction change occurs . a variable gain function 32 scales the gain applied to the signal 30 based on the speed signal 29 to produce a speed - weighted steering - correction signal 34 . the speed - weighted signal 34 is then limited according to limiting function 36 in order to create a speed - limited steering correction signal 38 , and thus to avoid an excessive change in steering angle at higher vehicle speeds . the controller 20 generally receives signals from the sensors 16 and 18 , and determines whether each received signal is valid or erroneous , as described below . the switch 37 is used to selectively pass either the output of block 36 in a fail - safe or backup mode , corresponding to the torque signal 26 , or the output of unit 39 in a normal mode , corresponding to the position signal 27 , to a road - wheel position command generator 40 . in the backup mode where the controller 20 is receiving a valid signal 26 from the steering - torque sensor 18 , but not receiving a valid signal 27 from the steering - angle sensor 16 , the switch 37 determined by the road - wheel position command generator 40 to produce a signal 42 corresponding to the speed - limited signal 38 for controlling the road - wheel actuator 22 in accordance with the differential torque signal 26 . in the normal mode of operation , the controller 20 receives a valid signal from the steering - angle sensor 16 and the switch 37 determined by the road - wheel position command generator 40 to produce a signal 42 corresponding to the output of the steering - angle sensor 16 for controlling the road - wheel actuator 22 . thus , the output of unit 39 is selected as an input of block 37 and is passed through to signal 42 . block 40 controls the output selection of block 37 according to input signals 27 , 29 and 26 that correspond respectively to hand wheel position , vehicle speed , and steering wheel torque . from these signals , block 40 determines how to route signal 38 and the signal from unit 39 through block 37 . when a position fault is detected , block 37 determined by block 40 routes signal 38 as an output ; when no position fault is detected , block 37 routes a signal from unit 39 as an output . in an alternate embodiment , the torque sensor is used to steer the system in the primary normal mode , and the position sensor is used in the secondary backup mode . accordingly , when the alternate embodiment controller receives a valid signal from the steering - angle sensor but no valid signal from the steering - torque sensor , the switch determined by the road - wheel position command generator to produce a signal corresponding to the output of the steering - angle sensor for controlling the road - wheel actuator . turning to fig3 the switch 37 of fig2 operates in correspondence with a control algorithm , which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 44 . the control algorithm 44 embodies a method for determining whether the steering - angle sensor 16 may be providing an erroneous signal . decision block 46 shows that a measured torque signal 26 received from the steering - torque sensor 18 that is in excess of a normal threshold value is considered to be potentially indicative of an erroneous signal from the steering - angle sensor 16 . if the measured torque value is not greater than the threshold value , the decision block fails and the function returns without setting a steering - angle sensor failure flag , thus indicating a valid signal . however , if the decision block detects a steering input torque above a normal threshold , the steering - angle sensor signal itself is differentiated to determine its current time - rate of change . as shown in decision block 48 , if the steering - angle rate of change is negligible , the steering - angle sensor failure flag is set to true as shown in function block 50 , thus indicating an erroneous steering - angle signal . as may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art , various other methods for determining the reliability of the respective signals from the steering - angle sensor 16 and the steering - torque sensor 18 may be employed without departing from the scope or spirit of the teachings herein . for example , even if the time - rate of change of the signal produced by the steering - angle sensor 16 is not negligible in the presence of an abnormally high steering - torque sensor signal 26 , the steering - angle sensor signal 27 may still be flagged as invalid if the signal 27 received from the steering - angle sensor 16 is highly discontinuous as might be indicative of other failure modes wherein the signal produced by the steering - angle sensor 16 is not truly indicative of the road wheel angle desired by the vehicle operator . likewise , the validity of the signal 26 received from the torque sensor 18 may be determined in accordance with the steering - angle signal 27 and the speed signal 29 . for example , if the steering - angle signal 27 represents a large angular movement and the vehicle speed signal 29 indicates a slow vehicle speed , a very low torque signal 26 may be suspect depending on the level of power - assist and other possible input signals such as , for example , signals indicative of road surface conditions such as rain or ice . any signal determined to be suspect may be assigned a confidence index as well as a set failure flag . thus , if both the steering - angle sensor and the steering - torque sensor are suspected of failure , the control circuit 20 may still produce a control signal that is most likely to permit the operator to maintain control of the vehicle . any suitable output actuator 22 may be substituted for the road - wheel actuator 22 for application to multiple vehicle types . for example , actuators suitable for marine use would be used to control one or more rudders on a boat , and actuators suitable for aviation use would be used to actuate one or more control surfaces on an aircraft . the natural instinct of an operator using the input device in the presence of restricted motion or seizure of the input device would be to turn it in the desired direction of travel , producing an increased torque . a signal from the steering - torque sensor may therefore be used to sense a torque level in a particular direction , even in the absence of measurable movement from the input device . this facilitates a method of utilizing a signal from the steering - torque sensor to control the output device or road wheel angle until the input torque is reduced . an output or road - wheel actuator is provided that converts the control output , which corresponds to one or both of the steering - angle sensor and steering - torque sensor signals , into motion of the output device or steered road - wheel . this disclosure contemplates the optional use of multiple torque sensors and multiple position sensors in order to provide additional hardware redundancy . one such embodiment comprises two torque sensors and two position sensors in place of the single torque sensor and single position sensor described in the primary exemplary embodiment . it shall be recognized that although it is currently preferable to incorporate a vehicle speed signal such as signal 29 of the exemplary embodiment , such signal is not required . accordingly , an alternate embodiment controller does not receive nor require any signal indicative of vehicle speed . vehicles incorporating the above described and like embodiments may be safely controlled in emergency situations such as those corresponding to partial failures of the steer - by - wire system . steering control is also enhanced in non - failure modes of operation by using the signal representing the torque applied to the input device to enhance the rate of change of the output signals . redundancy is enhanced while the number of additional components to implement this enhancement are minimized , thereby reducing the cost of providing the redundancy and reducing the packaging constraints within the vehicle . while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described , various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure . accordingly , it will be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of illustration only , and that such illustrations and embodiments as have been disclosed herein are to be construed in an exemplary sense , and not as limiting to the claims . | 1 |
the following describes some preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings : fig6 shows the outline of arrangement of a tape recorder according to this invention as an embodiment thereof . in fig6 components of the recorder similar to these shown in fig1 to 4 are indicated by the same reference numerals . a pg signal is obtained from a rotation detector 11 which detects the rotation of a rotary cylinder 2 . the pg signal is supplied to a motor control circuit 15 , which causes the cylinder 2 to rotate at a predetermined speed and also at a predetermined phase . another rotation detector 12 is arranged to detect the rotation of a fly - wheel 14 of a capstan 13 . the output of the fly - wheel rotation detector 12 is supplied to the motor control circuit 15 . during a recording operation , the circuit 15 controls the capstan 13 to have it rotate at a predetermined speed . the above - stated pg signal is supplied also to a window pulse generating circuit 16 and a gate pulse generating circuit 17 . the phasic relation of window and gate pulses generated by these circuits 16 and 17 to the pg signal is as shown in the timing chart of fig7 ( a ) to 7 ( i ). fig7 ( a ) shows the pg signal . the pg signal is at a high level while a head 3 is moving from the point b to another point g shown in fig3 . fig7 ( b ) to 7 ( g ) respectively show window pulses which indicate recording and reproducing timing in and from the areas ch1 to ch6 . in fig7 ( a ) to 7 ( i ), full lines indicate signals relative to the head 3 while broken lines indicates signals relative to another head 4 . when an operation part 18 is manually operated , an applicable area is designated for recording or reproduction with either a recording or reproducing operation mode also designated by the manual operation . then , an area designation circuit 19 supplies an area designation data thus obtained to the gate pulse generating circuit 17 . the circuit 17 generates a desired gate pulse signal . a gate circuit 20 is arranged to have one of the above stated window pulses of fig7 ( b ) to 7 ( g ) selectively . supplied thereto on the basis of the area designation data as control gate pulse for each of the heads 3 and 4 assuming that the area ch2 , which is shown in fig4 is of the window pulse of fig7 ( c ). during a recording operation , an analog audio signal coming via a terminal 21 is sampled by a pcm audio circuit at a timing according to the window pulse of fig7 ( c ). the sampled signal becomes a digital data and is subjected to the above - stated signal processing operation . the audio signal is thus processed to become an audio data for recording . a pilot signal generating circuit 23 is arranged to generate tracking pilot signals of different frequency values f1 , f2 , f3 and f4 in the order of rotation of f1 → f2 → f3 → f4 . meanwhile , an oscillator 60 generates another pilot signal having a predetermined frequency value of f5 . an adder 61 adds the signal of the frequency f5 to each of the pilot signals of frequency values fl to f4 to produce mixed signals . then , another adder 24 adds each of the mixed signals to the recording audio data produced from the pcm audio circuit 22 . the output of the adder 24 is appropriately gated by the gate circuit 20 , as mentioned in the foregoing , and is written into the area ch2 by the heads 3 and 4 . thus , in addition to the tracking pilot signals , the pilot signal of frequency f5 is recorded also together with the pcm audio signal . the above - stated frequency f5 must be arranged to be unaffected by the azimuth angle and to be lower than the frequency band associated with the above - stated pcm audio signal . in the case of reproduction , the signal reproduced by the heads 3 and 4 is supplied to a low - pass filter ( hereinafter referred to as lpf ) 25 and to the pcm audio circuit 22 via the gate circuit 20 also according to the window pulses of fig7 ( c ). in this instance , unlike in the case of recording , the pcm audio circuit 22 performs a signal processing operation including an error correcting process , a time - base extending process , a digital - to - analog conversion process , etc ., to obtain a reproduced analog audio signal , which is produced from a terminal 21a . the lpf 25 is arranged to separate the above - stated pilot signals for tracking and to supply them to an atf circuit 26 . the atf circuit 26 is arranged to give a tracking error signal operating in accordance with a known four frequency method . in other words , the atf circuit uses the reproduced tracking pilot signals and also pilot signals which are generated by the pilot signal generating circuit 23 in the same order of rotation as in the case of recording in a well known manner . a tracking error signal which is thus obtained is supplied to the motor control circuit 15 . with the error signal thus supplied , the circuit 15 performs tracking control by adjusting the travelling speed of the tape 1 via the capstan 13 . meanwhile , a gate circuit 27 is under the control of the gate pulses shown in fig7 ( h ) and 7 ( i ). in other words , signals reproduced from areas other than the reproducing area are supplied to an area discrimination circuit 28 . the area discrimination circuit 28 is arranged in the following manner : fig8 shows an example of arrangement of this circuit 28 . fig9 ( a ) to 9 ( u ) show , in a timing chart the operating timing of various parts of fig8 . referring to fig8 terminals 30 and 33 are arranged to receive signals reproduced by the heads 3 and 4 . terminals 31 and 34 are arranged to receive the above - stated gate pulses of fig7 ( h ) and 7 ( i ). a terminal 32 is arranged to receive the pg signal . the circuit arrangement consists of a discrimination circuit 37 for an a head ( or the head 3 ); a discrimination circuit for a b head ( or the head 4 ); and a decoder 47 which is arranged to serial - to - parallel convert the outputs of these discrimination circuits 37 and 38 and to produce them in the form of a data consisting of six bits . since the two discrimination circuits 37 and 38 are arranged in the same manner , the internal details of the circuit 38 are omitted from the following description . the operation of the area discrimination circuit 28 is as follows : let us now assume for the sake of description that the area ch2 is the area being reproduced ; the areas ch1 , ch4 and ch6 have a signal recorded therein ; and the areas ch3 and ch5 have no signal recorded therein . a monostable multivibrator group 42 is arranged to be triggered by the rise of the pg signal which is in fig9 ( a ). each member of the monostable multivibrator group 42 is arranged to have such a time constant that makes their outputs as shown in fig9 ( e ) to 9 ( i ), respectively . more specifically , assuming that a minute length of time ( 1 / 30 × 1 / 2 × 1 / 5 × 1 / 10 sec or thereabout ) is δt , the time constant of each of the group of monostable multivibrators 42 corresponding to n - th channel ( or area ) subsequent to the channel ch1 , is arranged to become the time δt ( sec ) when the value n is 1 and to become ( n - 2 )/ 300 + δt ( sec ) when the value n is 2 or larger than 2 . another group of monostable multivibrators 43 , which are arranged to be triggered by the fall of the outputs of the monostable multivibrator group 42 , gives six different pulses of a predetermined width . the time constant of each of the monostable multivibrators 43 is arranged to be about 1 / 60 × 1 / 5 × 4 / 5 sec . as is apparent from the waveforms shown in fig9 ( j ) to 9 ( q ), each area can be detected at its middle point by means of the pulses obtained , from these multivibrators 43 . all the outputs of the multivibrator group 43 are supplied to an or gate 44 . then , they are supplied to an and gate 45 as sampling pulses . they are also used as clock pulses for the serial - to - parallel converting operation of the decoder 47 . the and gate 45 obtains a logical product of the output of the or gate 44 and the gate pulse which is shown at fig9 ( c ) and is mentioned in the foregoing . by this , recorded conditions are detected only for the areas other than the reproducing area . meanwhile , the reproduced signal is supplied to a band - pass filter 39 ( bpf ) to have the pilot signal of frequency f5 separated there . the output of the bpf 39 , which is as shown in fig9 ( q ), is detected by a detection circuit 40 and is then compared with a reference voltage at a comparison circuit 41 . the output of the comparison circuit 41 is sampled at an and gate 46 the output thus sampled is a signal indicative of the recorded condition of each area and is as shown in fig9 ( t ). this signal is processed through the decoder 47 and is produced from the terminals 48 - 53 in the form of parallel data . in case that all the areas ch1 to ch6 have been already recorded , the levels of signals or data produced from these terminals 48 to 53 of the decoder 47 become a high level ( h ). if all the areas have not been recorded the levels of all these signals become a low level ( l ). these parallel data are then supplied to a display device 29 which consists of light emitting diodes ( led &# 39 ; s ) or the like . the display device thus enables the operator to know the recorded conditions of these areas . with the tape recorder arranged according to this invention in the manner as described above , the recorded conditions of all the areas of the multi - channel arrangement can be simultaneously found . in the embodiment described , the recorded conditions of the areas are described as to be detected during reproducing . however , it goes without saying that the recorded conditions are likewise detectable also during recording or during a high speed tape feeding operation . further , the recording conditions can be immediately detected as long as the magnetic tape 1 is in a state traceable by the rotary heads 3 and 4 . even in cases where neither the oscillator 60 of the frequency f5 nor the adder 61 is additionally provided , the recorded conditions of all the areas chl to ch6 can be likewise detected . an embodiment which is arranged in that manner is as shown in fig1 , 11 and 12 . fig1 shows the outline of an arrangement of a tape recorder according to this invention as a further embodiment thereof mentioned above . the components similar to corresponding ones shown in fig6 are indicated by the same reference numerals and details of them are omitted from description here . the embodiment includes an area discrimination circuit 28 &# 39 ; which is arranged in the same manner as the area discrimination circuit shown in fig8 ; and a bpf 39 which is arranged to mainly filter , for example , an rf signal . this arrangement permits detection of the recorded conditions of all the areas without necessitating the additional recording of the pilot signal of frequency f5 . in this case , however , it is necessary to make the tracing width of the rotary heads 3 and 4 wider than the pitch of recording tracks . further , it is also conceivable to detect , by means of the area discrimination circuit 28 &# 39 ;, the tracking pilot signals instead of detecting the frequency component f5 or the rf signal . in that instance , the above - stated tracking pilot signal components fl , f2 , f3 and f4 are separated by means of an lpf 39 &# 39 ; which is arranged as shown in fig1 . in the case of fig1 , the area discrimination circuit 28 &# 39 ; is adapted solely for audio signals . in the event of a tape recorder designed solely for audio signals , the recorded conditions of all the areas are detectable by the arrangement of the embodiment described above . let us now consider a video - audio tape recorder which is capable of operating as a vtr in accordance with the recording format as shown in fig2 and is also capable of recording or reproducing video signals or audio signals with the audio signal recording area 6 of fig2 arranged in the same manner as the area ch1 as shown in fig4 . in recording an audio signal , for example , individually in the area ch5 in accordance with the recording pattern shown in fig4 let us assume that the tape 1 has already been recorded in a manner as shown in fig2 . in that instance , the record in the area ch5 is individually erased before the audio signal is recorded therein . meanwhile , the pilot signals for tracking remain unerased in other areas ch2 , ch3 , ch4 and ch6 . in case that the area discrimination circuit 28 &# 39 ; indicated in fig1 is arranged with the above taken into consideration , the arrangement of this circuit 28 &# 39 ; becomes as shown in fig1 . in fig1 , the same component elements as those shown in fig1 are indicated by the same reference numerals and the detailed description of them is omitted from the following description of this example : the circuit 28 &# 39 ; in this case includes a bpf 67 which is arranged to detect the color subcarrier wave of a video signal included in a reproduced signal . assuming that the video signal has been recorded in accordance with the so - called low band converting method , the bpf 67 is arranged to have a passband from 600 to 800 khz or thereabout . meanwhile , the heads 3 and 4 are arranged to have such azimuth angles that are having no adverse effect on the band of about 600 to 800 khz . the low band color subcarrier component , which is detected by the bpf 67 , is detected by a detection circuit 68 and is then supplied to a comparison circuit 69 to be compared with a reference voltage . variable resistors 63 and 64 and fixed resistors 65 and 66 form a pair of voltage dividers , which are arranged to divide a voltage vref &# 39 ; indicated in the drawing . they provide different reference voltages to comparison circuits 41 and 69 in such a way as to compensate for a difference between the recording level of the pilot signals for tracking and that of the low band converting color subcarrier wave . assuming that a tracking pilot signal and a color subcarrier wave are detected from a specific area , the circuit 28 &# 39 ; judges that no pcm audio signal is recorded . if the color subcarrier wave is not detected while the tracking pilot signal is detected , a pcm audio signal is considered to be recorded in that area . accordingly , the output of a logic gate 70 comes to indicate the recorded condition of the pcm audio signal in each of the areas in a timing sharing manner . then , parallel data are produced from the terminals 48 to 53 of the decoder 47 in the same manner as the case of the preceding example shown in fig1 . in the case of the example shown in fig1 , the discrimination as to whether a video signal has been recorded or hot is accomplished by detecting the color subcarrier wave . however , this arrangement may be replace with a different arrangement in which the same discrimination is accomplished by detecting any other frequency component that is peculiar to the video signal . | 6 |
the apparatus of fig1 is of the type comprising a reservoir 2 in which the gaseous fuel is stored in the liquid phase , a burner 3 intended for receiving the fuel in a gaseous phase coming from the reservoir 2 and for mixing it with combustion air in order to generate a flame 4 , or any form of combustion of this gas , in the vicinity of which a heat - distributing member 5 is arranged . arranged between the reservoir 2 and the burner 3 is a flow regulator / evaporator 6 whose presence is intended not only to guarantee the passage in the gaseous phase of the fuel coming from the reservoir 2 , before it reaches the burner 3 , but also to limit the gas flow which supplies the flame 4 to a value situated between two limiting values , a lower limit corresponding to the operating threshold of the apparatus and an upper limit constituting a limiting safety value beyond which this operation would be dangerous . finally , there is provided , between the flow regulator / evaporator 6 and the burner 3 , a flap valve 11 , making it possible to extinguish the flame 4 by cutting off the flow of fuel in the gaseous phase . as shown in fig1 the flow regulator / evaporator 6 of the supplying means according to the invention consists of two porous masses 6a , 6b arranged one after the other with provision , therebetween , of a chamber 7 known as a recondensation chamber . in order to prevent the temperature of the heat - distributing member 5 from exceeding the maximum safe value , the two porous masses 6a and 6b are chosen with an inherent porosity such that the sum of the pressure losses which they generate is equal to the pressure loss which corresponds to the gas flow required to maintain to an average temperature of the heat - distributing member 5 situated between the two limiting values mentioned above . the separation of the flow regulator / evaporator into two independent porous masses 6a , 6b has no effect , therefore , on the normal operation of the apparatus . in contrast , this separation necessarily has the effect that the porous mass 6b situated downstream of the other has a permeability greater than the sum of the permeabilities of the two masses 6a , 6b , one which the flow regulator / evaporator would have to possess if it were not separated into two . the result is , therefore , that the flow , through this second porous mass 6b , of the fuel stored in the recondensation chamber 7 , is much greater than the average flow passing through the two masses 6a , 6b during normal operation of the apparatus . the presence of this recondensation chamber 7 arranged between the two porous masses 6a , 6b therefore clearly has the effect of creating , when the apparatus is turned on , a transitional operating mode , during which the gas flow will be much greater than the flow of the normal operating mode ( corresponding to the flow of the stored fuel in the recondensation chamber through the mass 6b ). this high - flow transitional operating mode therefore permits a much more rapid temperature rise of the heat - distributing member 5 than if the recondensation chamber 7 did not exist . of course , to assume that the maximum safe temperature of the heat - distributing member 5 is never exceeded , the quantity of fuel stored in the recondensation chamber 7 must not exceed the quantity required for raising the temperature of the heat - distributing member to a value below the limiting safety temperature . the volume of the recondensation chamber 7 is therefore determined by this required quantity of fuel but it is advantageously adjustable . moreover , the time required for the passage , through the second porous mass 6b , of the quantity of fuel stored in the recondensation chamber 7 and which is a function of the permeability of the porous mass 6b , determines the time required for the heat - distributing member 5 to reach its normal operating temperature . fig2 shows two curves , one curve 8 , illustrating the operation of a conventional type of gaseous fuel supplying means and the other curve 9 , illustrating the operation of the gaseous fuel supplying means according to the invention . in this fig2 the times are plotted as abscissae and the temperatures as ordinates . the two curves 8 and 9 correspond to normal operating flow rates permitting maintenance , during this normal operation , of the heat - distributing member 5 at an average temperature situated between the minimum operating threshold temperature mini of the apparatus and the maximum temperature maxi beyond which the operation of this apparatus would be dangerous . the curve 8 , which illustrates the operation of supplying corresponding to a constant flow not preceded transitional operating mode of accelerated flow , shows that a time t2 is necessary for the heat - distributing member to reach a temperature t1 , whereas the curve 9 , which corresponds to an operation in which the normal steady operating mode is preceded by an operating mode with accelerated flow , shows that a time t1 is necessary in order to reach this same temperature t1 . by comparing the curves 8 and 9 it can be seen , in addition , that the time t1 is substantially half the time t2 . in steady operating mode , that is to say after the transitional operating mode , the recondensation chamber 7 is filled with fuel in the gaseous state and at an intermediate pressure between the gas vapor pressure at the temperature of the apparatus and atmospheric pressure , the porous mass 6a , of the flow regulator / evaporator 6 , arranged upstream ensuring a flow of fuel exclusively in the gaseous phase . this intermediate pressure depends on the respective values of the permeabilities of two porous masses 6a and 6b of the flow regulator / evaporator 6 . when turned off , that is to say when the gas flow is zero at the outlet of the porous mass 6b situated downstream , a condensation of the fuel takes place within the recondensation chamber which is brought about by the search for equilibrium between , on the one hand , the pressure which prevails upstream of the porous mass 6a of the flow regulator / evaporator 6 , situated upstream , that is to say between the pressure which prevails in the reservoir 2 and which corresponds to the vapor pressure of the fuel present in the liquid phase and , on the other hand , that which prevails downstream of the porous mass 6a , that is to say in the recondensation chamber 7 . this equilibrium - searching phenomenon is relatively lengthy since the transfer of mass through the porous mass 6a of the regulator 6 is effected by capillarity phenomena within a mesoporous medium . during this time , the heat - distributing member 5 cools down . as soon as the first drop of condensate appears inside the recondensation chamber 7 , the pressure inside this chamber becomes equal to the fuel vapor pressure . eventually , this chamber 7 fills entirely with liquid condensate . when the apparatus is turned on again , the instantaneous flow through the downstream element 6b of the flow regulator / evaporator 6 is obviously markedly higher than the normal operating flow since the pressure in the recondensation chamber 7 is now equal to the fuel vapor pressure . if , for example , the permeabilities of the porous masses 6a and 6b of the regulator 6 are equal and consequently if these individual permeabilities are equal to twice the collective permeability corresponding to the normal operating flow , the flow corresponding to the transitional operating mode through only the mass 6b will be twice that corresponding to the normal operating mode . of course , the duration of the transitional operating mode is a function , on the one hand , of the volume of the recondensation chamber and , on the other hand , of the permeability of the porous mass 6b situated downstream . theoretically , as long as there is a single drop of condensate in this recondensation chamber 7 , the transitional operating mode persists with a flow which is accelerated by the high value of the pressure in this recondensation chamber 7 . in practice , the evaporation rate can be limited in time by the weakness of the liquid - vapor interface inside the recondensation chamber 7 , reducing the pressure to a value below the fuel vapor pressure , but this in no way changes this acceleration effect of the flow during the transitional operating mode . the increase of the fuel flow during the transitional period therefore obviously has the effect of accelerating the heating of the heat - distributing member in such a way that this member reaches its normal operating temperature more rapidly without , however , this temperature being able to exceed the maximum safe operating temperature of the apparatus , since the transitional operating mode with accelerated fuel flow stops when any trace of fuel in the liquid phase has disappeared from the recondensation chamber 7 . according to a simple embodiment of the invention , each porous mass 6a , 6b of the regulator 6 consists of a mesoporous membrane . an interesting feature of the operation of the combustible gas supplying means according to the invention should also be noted . in effect , for safety reasons which are easy to understand , it is necessary that , when the heat - distributing member 5 has reached its optimum operating temperature and the gas supply is cut off , the thermal inertia of this heat - distributing member 5 does not permit its instantaneous return to ambient temperature . if , within a relatively short time compared with this total cooling time of the heat - distributing member 5 , the fuel - supplying means are again ignited , it is essential that the transitional operating mode with accelerated gas flow is not able to intervene or , if it intervenes , it is absolutely essential that it is able to operate only for a very short time so as to prevent heat being supplied to the still hot heat - distributing member 5 from causing the maximum safe temperature to be exceeded . the slowness of the recondensation phenomenon by mass transfer within the porous medium constituting the upstream mass 6a of the flow regulator / evaporator 6 makes it possible to avoid such a risk . in fact , the heat - distributing member 5 will have reached ambient temperature before the first drops of liquid fuel have formed in the recondensation chamber 7 , since , upon interruption of the gas flow , the pressure in this chamber 7 was at a value below the vapor pressure which prevails in the main reservoir 2 . the phenomenon of mass transfer in the porous medium of the upstream porous mass 6a of the regulator 6 will first have to ensure that the pressure of the recondensation chamber returns to the vapor pressure before the recondensation actually starts . | 5 |
a description will now be given of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings . in the drawings , the same numeral notation refers to the same element . the drawings and the following detailed descriptions show specific embodiments of the invention . in the preferred embodiment , polymeric adhesive was employed to manufacture the flexible diaphragm and spinal needle was employed as the sheath . numerous specific details including materials , dimensions , and products are provided to illustrate the invention and to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention . however , it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced using other materials for the sheath and flexible diaphragm and without these specific details . fig1 a is an outside perspective view of a needle 12 and an optical fiber 16 , disposed in the needle 12 , of a fiber - optic sensing system 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention . referring to fig1 a and 1b , the basic structure of the fiber - optic sensing system 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated . fig1 a is a sectional outside perspective view of the fiber - optic sensing system 1 . in fig1 a , the essentials of the fiber - optic system 1 including a sheath 12 and an optical fiber 16 , disposed in the sheath 12 , are shown . in this case , the outer sheath 12 is a spinal needle . fig1 b is a cross section view of the sheath 12 and the optical fiber 16 of fig1 a along a - a line . as shown in fig . 1b , the sheath 12 has a sealed tip 122 , a main body 124 and a formed - through opening 126 formed on the main body 124 and sealed with a diaphragm 14 . in this case , an original opening at distal end ( needle tip ) 122 is sealed with a polymeric adhesive . also in this case , the opening 126 is machined near the needle tip and is sealed by a flexible polymeric diaphragm 14 . the optical fiber 16 has a distal end 162 and a head end ( not shown ). the optical fiber 16 thereon includes a fiber - grating - based sensor 18 a . in this case , the fiber - grating - based sensor 18 a is a fiber bragg grating ( fbg ). the optical fiber 16 with the fbg 18 a is inserted into the interior of the needle 12 . the portion of the optical fiber 16 with the fbg 18 a written to the core of the optical fiber 16 is stuck to the inside surface of the flexible diaphragm 14 . the fiber - optic sensing system 1 also includes an optical device and a signal processing device ( not shown ). the optical device functions emitting a sensing light signal into the second end of the optical fiber 16 and receiving a first reflected light signal resulting from the sensing light signal reflected by the fiber - grating - based sensor 18 a . when the needle 12 is inserted into a region , for example , a fluid medium or soft tissue , where a physical parameter needs to be measured , the region affects the fiber - grating sensor 18 a through the diaphragm 14 to induce a variation on the first reflected light signal . the signal processing device is coupled to the optical device , and functions interpreting the variation on the first reflected light signal into the physical parameter . taking pressure as example , pressure in the region will cause a deformation of the diaphragm 14 . the fbg 18 a will be deformed as well and the characteristic bragg wavelength will be shifted away from its initial position . the amount of shift is proportional to the pressure acting on the diaphragm 14 . by measuring the shift in the reflected bragg wavelength using a suitable signal processing device , the pressure can be deduced . fig2 shows the variation in pressure measured when a pressure transducer was inserted inside the space between two vertebral discs and the vertebrate segment is subjected to different axial loading . the pressure transducer was obtained by employing the embodiment illustrated in fig1 a and 1b using a 26 - g ( 0 . 45 mm outer diameter ) spinal needle as the outer sheath . besides using a short period fiber bragg grating , long period grating ( lpg ) can also be used as the fiber - grating - based sensor , e . g ., long period fiber grating or surface corrugated long period fiber grating . fig3 shows another embodiment using the lpg as the fiber - grating - based sensor 18 b . the lpg 18 b will attenuate a characteristic spectrum when a broad spectrum light is passed through it . this characteristic spectrum will shift with strain applied to the lpg 18 b . however , such a characteristic attenuation spectrum is only evident from the transmitted light . to allow this spectrum to be measured at the proximal end , a mirror coating 164 is plated at the distal end 162 of the optical fiber 16 to reflect the transmitted spectrum back . this is illustrated in the embodiment in fig3 . since the flexible diaphragm 14 as well as the optical fiber 16 deform by bending , the induced strain in the in - fiber sensor ( the fiber - grating - based sensor ) 18 a can be amplified by moving the sensor region further away from the neutral axis ( i . e . the axis without extension or contraction under bending ). since the in - fiber sensor 18 a essentially situated at the core of the optical fiber 16 , the above requirement can be achieved by moving the fiber core as far from the flexible diaphragm 14 as possible . fig4 shows yet another embodiment that employs an optical fiber 16 with off - centered core to achieve this purpose . such an off - centered core may be achieved during the manufacturing of the optical fiber 16 . it can also be obtained by selective etching of the cladding on a standard fiber . fig5 shows yet another embodiment to improve sensitivity by moving the core of the optical fiber 16 as far from the flexible diaphragm 14 as possible . it is achieved by bonding a low stiffness fiber 166 between the diaphragm 14 and the optical fiber 16 . the stiffness of the additional fiber 166 is chosen to be low so as keep the flexural rigidity of the whole diaphragm / fibers structure low to ensure a higher strain at the fiber core . fig6 shows yet another embodiment to increase the pressure sensitivity by introducing some notches 168 in the cladding of the optical fiber 16 in the vicinity of the in - fiber sensor 18 a . these notches 168 will induce strain concentration and amplify the strain at the sensor region . for person skilled in the art , there will be other similar ways to increase the strain and thus the sensitivity of the pressure sensor . for clarity of explanation , a separate technique is employed in each of the above embodiments to increase the sensitivity of the pressure sensor . there is no reason that the different techniques cannot be combined together and applied to the same transducer to obtain the maximum increase in sensitivity . moreover , in the above embodiments , only one opening and one sensor have been employed . in practice , more openings with multiple in - fiber sensors in the same or multiple optical fibers may be employed to allow the pressure or temperature at multiple sites to be measured . it is well known that fiber - grating - based sensor is sensitive to strain as well as temperature . if temperature fluctuation occurs during measurement , the resulting change in the characteristic spectra will be the combined effect of temperature and pressure variations . fig7 shows an embodiment that may be used to compensate for the temperature induced drift in the characteristic spectra . an additional fiber - grating - based sensor 20 in the optical fiber 16 in the vicinity of the original fiber - grating - based sensor 18 a underneath the diaphragm 14 is employed . this additional fiber - grating - based sensor 20 is fixed to the sheath 12 and so is isolated from the pressure of the surrounding environment ( the region ) such that the physical parameter is shielded by the sheath 12 and will not affect the additional fiber - grating - based sensor 20 . however , another physical parameters , such as temperature , that cannot be shielded by the sheath 12 will still affect the additional fiber - grating - based sensor 20 . thus variation in the local temperature will cause shift in the characteristic spectrum of the additional fiber - grating - based sensor 20 . this enables the local temperature to be monitored . the latter can be used both as additional information as well as to provide temperature drift correction to the pressure sensor ( the original fiber - grating - based sensor ) 18 a . fig8 a shows yet another embodiment of the fiber - grating - based sensor 18 a that uses a slightly different layout as the above embodiments . in this embodiment , the opening 126 is not sealed so that fluid under pressure may flow into the distal part of the sheath 12 . a flexible diaphragm 14 a is situated inside the sheath downstream of the opening 126 to isolate any fluid from going into the proximal end of the sheath 12 . the optical fiber 16 is fixed at the distal end 162 using an adhesive 32 upstream of the opening 126 . the diameter of the optical fiber 16 near the diaphragm 14 a is enlarged by attaching additional material ( enlarged section ) 34 such as polymeric adhesive to the optical fiber 16 . the enlargement is made as large as the inside diameter of the sheath 12 can accommodate but still allows smooth axial motion should the optical fiber 16 extend under pressure . this enlarged section 34 is attached to the interior of the sheath 12 through the flexible diaphragm 12 . as the pressure of the fluid acts on the enlarged section 34 , the optical fiber 16 will be elongated , straining the fiber - grating - based sensor 18 a and modulating the characteristic light spectrum reflected . the amount of elongation or the pressure sensitivity can be controlled by choosing the ratio of diameters of the enlarged section 34 and that of the optical fiber 16 . an 60 μm optical fiber with a 300 μm diameter enlargement will give a wavelength shift of about 330 μm for 1 mpa pressure change . fig8 b shows a modification of the embodiment of fig8 a , wherein the opening 126 is sealed with another flexible diaphragm 14 b to form a closed space in the sheath 12 between the sheath downstream and upstream . the closed space is previously filled with a fluid . since the diaphragm 14 b and the fluid inside the sheath 12 are flexible , thus they will still respond to pressure fluctuation outside the sheath 12 . to sum up , the description of the above - mentioned preferred embodiments is for providing a better understanding on the strengths and spirits of this present invention , not for limiting the domain of the invention . moreover , it aims to include various modification and arrangement parallel in form into the domain of the patent applied by this present invention . due to the above mentioned , the domain of the patent applied by the invention should be explained in a macro view to cover all kinds of possible modification and arrangement of equal form . | 0 |
shown in fig1 a , 1 b are embodiments of respective reflector systems 1 a , 1 b that can be used either with sources 2 that emit both light and sound together , or light or sound separately , and are surrounded by an interior medium 3 on the reflective side and exterior medium 4 on the non - reflective side . the reflector shape can be any of the standard shapes known in the art , or other inventive shapes such as shown in fig2 c . the inventive reflector 1 a , 1 b efficiently reflects and delivers both light and sound emissions from source 2 . so that the reflector 1 a , 1 b efficiently reflects light , it has any of the standard sets of coatings 5 known in the art , such as an aluminum coating with an overcoating of sio 2 , mgf 2 , or multiple layers of such or other dielectrics , which may be chosen to optimize the reflectivity of a desirable optical spectral region . so that the reflector 1 a ( fig1 a ) also efficiently reflects the desired sound spectrum while in media 3 and 4 , the material 6 , width 7 and thickness 8 are chosen appropriately . for example , if media 3 and 4 are the same or similar in terms of their acoustic impedance properties , the material 6 is chosen to have a high impedance mismatch with the media . as a further example , many metal materials such as steel have a high impedance mismatch with air or other gaseous media . for sound frequencies with a corresponding half - wavelength on the order of or larger than the width 7 , the sound will diffract and not be well reflected by the reflector . consequently , the width 7 is chosen to be a large enough size to reflect the longest wavelength desired to have efficient reflection for the particular use . furthermore , thickness 8 also is such to produce high reflectivity for the largest desired acoustic wavelength . if the thickness 8 is too small , then for long enough wave - lengths , the reflectivity will be low even with sufficient width 7 . to demonstrate the principle of choosing the material 6 , width 7 and thickness 8 , consider the example of a symmetrical reflector 1 a with a surrounding water medium ( 3 and 4 ), the reflector of which has high acoustic reflectivity for wavelengths shorter than about sixty inches . this reflector 1 a will have a width 7 of about 30 inches . then , based on knowledge known in the art , a steel material 6 with a thickness of 2 inches has high reflectivity of sixty inch wavelength sound , whereas an aluminum material with a thickness of 2 inches would have low reflectivity . furthermore , steel with a thickness of 0 . 5 inches would also have very low reflectivity of sixty inch wavelength sound . similarly for other combinations of media ( 3 and 4 ) and a desired upper limit on acoustic wavelength with high reflectivity , the material 6 , width 7 and thickness 8 are chosen using relationships known in the art . so that the reflector 1 b ( fig1 b ) efficiently reflects sound , the center 9 material has a high impedance mismatch with the medium 3 , whereas the material 6 can be any thin material . for instance , if the reflector is in water , then the center 9 could be air or other gaseous medium , and the material 6 could be a plastic or other such material with an approximate match in impedance to the medium 3 . similarly , for combinations of media ( 3 and 4 ) and a desired upper limit on acoustic wavelength with high reflectivity , the materials 6 and 9 , width 7 and thickness 8 are chosen using relationships known in the art . the theory behind the material and thickness selection is now described . sound is reflected from an object when its acoustic impedance is not well matched to that of the propagating medium ( e . g ., air or water ). in addition , the frequency of the wave and the thickness of the object also determine the magnitude of the sound reflection , since long wavelengths transmit easily through thin walls . a source such as a sparker is an impulsive source that can generate a broadband spectrum . acoustic properties differ among different materials and not all materials are suitable for reflectors . an example may be understood by selecting hot rolled steel as the material . for a flat plate with wave impinging at normal incidence , and neglecting dissipation , the power reflection coefficient r is given by : where 1 is the thickness of the plate , k is the wavenumber , z 1 is the impedance of the medium and z 2 is the impedance of the plate material . here it can be seen that the reflection coefficient is low at low frequency ( k 1 is small ) as well as at each half wavelength ( k 1 = nπ ). increasing the thickness is the easiest way to improve reflection , especially at low frequency as seen in fig2 a which plots the reflection coefficient as a function of frequency for a steel plate thickness series from 0 . 5 to 2 inches . the impedance also affects the width of the resonance as seen by comparing aluminum to steel as shown in fig2 b . for the best reflection across the widest frequency range , the thickness and acoustic impedance should be as large as possible . the reflectors 1 a , 1 b ( fig1 a , 1 b ) also have a feed penetration 10 that may support a source 2 , and provide the means to power and control the source . the source 2 may be located at a focus of the reflector 1 a , 1 b or other position that results in light and / or sound being directed to a useful location . furthermore , the source 2 may be of a type that emits both light and sound , either simultaneously or sequentially . the source 2 could be a pulsed electric discharge in air or water or other medium 3 , which generates both sound and light . the source also could be a pulsed electrical discharge initiated with a wire . shown in fig3 a , 3 b are diagrams illustrating a parabolic reflector ( pr ) 11 and an orthogonal parabolic reflector ( opr ) 12 . the pr 11 , a concept known - in - the - art , can collect incoming parallel rays and concentrate them at the focus 14 or , conversely , light rays emitted from the focus 14 are collected and transmitted as outgoing parallel rays . the opr 12 , another concept known - in - the - art , utilizes the principle of the pr . the opr has a line source 15 , placed along the axis of rotation 15 a . rotating a section of the parabola 16 around the source 15 generates a reflector surface that directs light and / or sound emitted from the source 15 to the focus 14 of the parabola 16 . the opr 12 projects output that is perpendicular to the line source 15 , to a single focal spot 14 . however , many sources 15 have output that is incoherent or in some way is emitted over many directions , so that much of the output is directed away from the focus 14 . fig3 c illustrates a compound orthogonal parabolic reflector ( copr ) 13 . the copr 13 includes an opr element 13 a and a reflective extension 17 . the addition of the extension 17 increases the efficiency of transferring emission to a focal volume 18 , a region of high intensity in the vicinity of the focus 14 . the extension 17 is shown to be conical , but may be any shape that increases the delivery of output from the source 15 to the focal volume 18 . illustrated in fig4 are several additional features afforded by the copr . for an appropriately shaped extension 17 the focal volume is outside the open end . this enables the focal volume to , for instance , encompass the surface of a corner 19 . if the source 15 is a pulsed lamp of a high enough intensity , then this inventive system could be used to prepare , clean , strip paint from , or otherwise affect a surface . although the embodiment in fig4 shows a corner surface 19 , any shaped surface is contemplated by the principles of the present invention . further , the embodiment in fig4 has an opening 20 for implementing , powering and controlling the source 15 . further , an effluent capture 21 may be attached or otherwise connected to the extension 17 for removing materials , gases , vapors and otherwise associated with delivering output to the focal volume 18 from the source 15 . a nozzle 22 or other means may be attached or otherwise affixed to the extension 17 for delivering a gaseous or liquid material incident on the surface 19 for the purpose of acting synergistically with the output from the source 15 to affect processes at the surface 19 . in addition , the nozzle 22 may include a shaped tip 23 to shape the output delivered to the focal volume 18 . further , a brush 24 may be attached to or otherwise affixed to the extension 17 that may come in contact with the surface before and / or after the source 15 output impinges on it , to further participate in affecting the surface or materials removed or added to the surface . illustrated in fig5 a , 5 b , 6 a , 6 b , 7 a , 7 b are further detailed embodiments of practical features of the inventive copr , including those embodied in fig4 . with reference to fig5 a , 5 b , a tip 23 is attached to the open end of the extension 17 , with a channel 25 defined as part of an effluent capture 21 . although the tip 23 defines a circular shaped opening 26 adjacent to the surface 19 , it is understood that all feasible shapes for delivering output to different specific shaped surfaces are contemplated in accordance with principles of the present invention . the effluent capture 21 shown is a simple channel 25 in the embodiment in fig5 b , but any means for transferring materials from regions at or near the surface 19 are understood to be included in the invention . furthermore , the effluent capture 21 may have a pump or other means to provide suction for removing the materials , and may include filters or other means for removing processed materials from the air or other medium that contains any materials associated with the process at the surface . fig6 a , 6 b show an additional embodiment of the extension 17 with a tip 23 and brush 24 , where the brush 24 is mounted in a way to allow rotation . this provides a way , for instance , to clean the surface 19 before and / or after output from the source 15 is incident on the surface 19 . it is understood that other shapes of brushes 24 , powered or un - powered are included in the invention . fig7 a , 7 b show an additional embodiment of the extension 17 with an effluent capture 21 and a nozzle 22 oriented to provide inflow toward and along the surface 19 in such a way that the inflow proceeds to the channel 25 . further , the embodiment shows an electrical driver 26 mounted on , or in the vicinity of , the outside of the opr 12 , with means for electrical connection 27 to the source 15 . the proximity of the electrical driver 26 to the source 15 provides a low inductance arrangement advantageous for fast risetime and short pulse sources . referring now to fig8 a , 8 b , another embodiment utilizes a linear eroding source 28 oriented as the source 15 , which in this case consists of two electrodes 35 but which in general could consist of any eroding source 28 . this configuration provides the means for the output from the source 28 to be transferred to the focal volume 18 even as the emission region changes due to erosion or other source movements along the axis of rotation 15 a . this embodiment also provides for a support 29 to fix the source , 15 or 28 , in place along the axis 15 a . the embodiment shows the support 29 consisting of three linear supports , but may consist of any other number or shapes of supports that may effectively maintain the location of the source , 15 or 28 . further , this embodiment includes conducting elements 30 to provide the means for electrical current to flow back to the electrical driver 26 to complete the circuit . referring to fig9 a , 9 b , a further embodiment employs a linear source 15 that is initiated by a wire 31 . an electrical driver 26 supplies energy to the wire 31 so as to vaporize or explode it , thereby producing a plasma which emits both sound and light . the wire 31 is of a diameter 32 and length 33 to optimize the sound and / or light in the medium 3 . other embodiments of the invention in addition may have a wire feed 34 to supply additional wires 31 for repetitive pulse operation . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims . | 1 |
referring to the drawing figures , fig1 illustrates the problem associated with reception in a mobile environment having a fading channel and one aspect of the solution provided by the present invention . fig1 shows a graph showing received power level from a typical fading channel versus time . the location of the power fade is shown relative to a typical time slot . the time slot is shown enlarged and includes a preamble and a coded digital verification color code field ( cdvcc ), which comprise known data that is used to initialize a receiver system employing the equalizer of the present invention . at the lowest portion of fig1 equalization processing in accordance with the present invention is illustrated with the arrows &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ;, in which the equalizer of the present invention processes forward and time reversed computations through the location of the power fade in order to accomplish the objectives of the present invention . this will be more fully described below with reference to fig2 and 3 . fig2 is a block diagram of a digital cellular mobile telephone receiver system 20 incorporating a maximum likelihood sequence estimation based equalizer 21 in accordance with the principles of the present invention . the system 20 comprises an amplifier 22 whose output is coupled by way of a downconverter , comprising a frequency source 23 and a mixer 24 , to an analog filter 25 . an analog to digital converter 26 is coupled to the analog filter 25 in order to digitize the downconverted data . a matched filter 27 is coupled between the analog to digital converter 26 and the equalizer 21 of the present invention . the equalizer 21 comprises a memory 30 , a 4 - state equalization trellis 31 that is adapted to calculate maximum likelihood sequence estimation metrics , a channel impulse response estimator 32 , and an equalizer control circuit 33 . a serially coupled agc circuit 35 and gain control circuit 38 are coupled to the amplifier 22 . the equalizer control circuit 33 is coupled to an output of the matched filters 27 and is coupled to an input to the frequency source 23 . symbol sampling ( bit timing ) time control circuitry 37 is coupled to the equalizer control circuit 33 and the acquisition circuit 36 and provides control signals to the analog to digital converter 26 . the output of the matched filters 27 is coupled to the agc circuit 35 and the acquisition circuit 36 and to the equalizer control circuit 33 that is employed to control the frequency source 23 and provide training data for use in initializing the equalizer 21 . in operation , a partially filtered if signal with a center frequency of 85 . 05 mhz enters the gain controllable amplifier 22 . the resulting signal is then downconverted using the frequency source 23 and the mixer 24 to 461 . 7 khz . this signal is then filtered using a narrow analog filter 25 to reject most of the received signals outside the 30 khz band of interest . the resulting signal is then sampled and converted to 8 - bit digital samples using the analog to digital ( a / d ) converter 26 . a 16 tap fractionally spaced digital fir filter 27 then performs matched filtering to produce symbol spaced samples which enter the equalizer 21 . temporally offset matched filters 34 that are substantially the same as the matched filters 27 are provided for use by the symbol timing control circuit 37 , via the equalizer control circuit 33 . the principles of maximum likelihood sequence estimation employed in the equalizer 21 have been described in technical literature starting in the early 1970 &# 39 ; s . a useful outline is found in &# 34 ; adaptive maximum - likelihood receiver for carrier - modulated data transmission systems &# 34 ;, by g . ungerboeck , ieee trans . on communications , vol . com - 22 , pp . 624 - 636 , may 1974 . another description of the maximum likelihood sequence estimation technique is provided in the reference &# 34 ; digital communications - 2nd edition .&# 34 ;, by j . g . proakis , 1989 , pp . 610 - 642 . the maximum likelihood sequence estimation process is outlined as follows . the channel has an inpulse response containing significant energy in , say , n symbols . assume that the transmitter sends a sequence of symbols , much longer than n . the transmitted sequence may be described as the transitions between states , where each state corresponds to a group of n - 1 transmitted symbols . the states , therefore , correspond to overlapping groups of transmitted symbols . in consecutive states , therefore , all but one constituent symbol are the same , and the possible transitions between states are correspondingly constrained . as each sample is received , the equalization trellis 31 considers every possible sequence of n symbols that could have contributed to its value , by convolving that sequence with the estimated channel impulse response . for each hypothesized sequence , the result of the convolution corresponds , or fails to correspond , in some way ( defined by a statistic called a metric ) to the measured sample . on an individual basis , the hypothesized sequence with the closest match to the measured sample ( the best metric ) is the most likely to have been transmitted . however , over many samples and under the constraint that only certain state transitions are possible , the path ( sequence of states ) with the minimum cumulative metric has maximum likelihood , and this is what the decoder selects . the system 20 has no a priori knowledge of the form of the encoder employed in the transmitter . performance of the equalizer 21 therefore depends on the accuracy of the estimate of the encoder &# 39 ; s state , the channel impulse response ( cir ). fig2 also shows the signals used in estimating the channel impulse response . the objective is to estimate the form of the transversal finite impulse response filter that would take as its input the transmitted information symbols { a ( n )}, and produce at its output the samples taken from the matched filter , { z ( n )}. during the transmission of preambles and coded digital verification color codes , the receiver knows the values of { a ( n )}. however , at other times , only the estimated values { a d ( n )} are available for use in the channel impulse response estimation process . this dependence leads to a significant performance - degrading possibility . if decision errors emerge from the equalizer , and these are then used to update the estimate of the channel impulse response , then further decision errors become more probable leading in a circular fashion to further decision errors and breakdown of the equalization process . this phenomena is referred to as a &# 34 ; channel impulse response tracking breakdown &# 34 ;. such difficulties are most likely to arise at the periods of minimum signal - to - noise ratio , or when the received signal power is at its minimum during reception of a slot . within the is - 54 standard , which describes the interface between mobile and base equipment for north american digital cellular systems , each information time slot is preceded by a known sequence , designated as the &# 34 ; preamble &# 34 ;. as viewed by the receiver , therefore , information in the time slot is bounded on both sides by known sequences ; the preamble for this slot and the preamble for the subsequent slot . consequently , this equalizer 21 is adapted to mitigate the effects of a channel impulse response tracking breakdown . by finding the most probable instant at which the problem might occur , equalizer operation approaches that instant from both forward and a time - reversed directions , both of which begin with known information sequences that are useful for training . assuming that a channel impulse response tracking breakdown occurs , this approach minimizes the number of affected symbols by predicting the failure point and avoiding equalization beyond that point . at 100 km / hr , which is the maximum speed specified in is - 55 , which describes the mobile unit minimum performance requirements , the average time between fades are on the order of 12 milliseconds . given time slot durations of about 6 . 7 milliseconds , there is only a small possibility of two significant fades occurring within a time slot . however , very close to the center of the slot is the coded digital verification color code field . even after a channel impulse response tracking breakdown , the channel impulse response estimator 32 is very likely to recover during processing of the coded digital verification color codes due to the certainty of the transmitted data . hence , the underlying period for which multiple fades are a concern in around 3 . 5 milliseconds . the chance of more than one deep fade occurring during this time is very low . consequently , time - reversed equalization improves bit error rate performance in the digital cellular environment . the present equalizer 21 uses a 4 - state architecture , corresponding to n = 2 , where n is the length of the estimated channel impulse response . this choice assumes that the energy in two ( symbol - spaced ) samples of the channel &# 39 ; s impulse response dominates . to avoid channel impulse response tracking breakdown problems , reverse equalization is used for those symbols following the minimum power point in a received time slot . more specifically , fig3 shows the processing performed in the maximum likelihood sequence estimation based equalizer 21 of fig2 . the first step involves finding the location of the power fade ( box 51 ) in terms of symbol number . processing starts in the forward direction toward the location of the power fade . the symbol number is set to 0 ( box 52 ), and then incremented ( box 53 ). a decision is made whether the symbol then processed is a training symbol ( box 54 ). if the symbol encountered is a training symbol , then training data is inserted ( box 57 ). if a training symbol is not processed , then the equalization trellis is employed to generate metrics and , if possible , a decision ( box 55 ). this is accomplished using equations outlined below . then it is determined if a decision has been made ( box 56 ). if a decision has been made , then an estimate of the channel impulse response is generated ( box 58 ). if the decision is not made , or once the channel impulse response estimate has been generated , then the symbol number is compared to the location of the power fade plus a predetermined number of additional symbols ( box 59 ). processing is then repeated by incrementing the symbol number ( box 53 ) and repeating steps ( boxes 54 - 59 ) until the fade location plus a predetermined number of additional symbols has been reached . once the desired symbol location is reached in ( box 59 ), then processing is performed in the reverse direction starting with the preamble of the next succeeding time slot , namely symbol number 177 , for example . the symbol number is set to 178 ( box 62 ), and then decremented ( box 63 ). a decision is made whether the symbol then processed is a training symbol ( box 64 ). if the symbol encountered is a training symbol , then training data is inserted ( box 67 ). if a training symbol is not processed , then the equalization trellis is employed to generate branch metrics and a decision ( box 65 ). this is accomplished using the equations outlined below . then it is determined if a decision has been made ( box 66 ). if a decision has been made , then an estimate of the channel impulse response is generated ( box 68 ). if the decision is not made , or once the channel impulse response estimate has been generated , then the symbol number is compared to the location of the power fade less a predetermined number of additional symbols ( box 69 ). processing is then repeated by decrementing the symbol number ( box 63 ) and repeating steps ( boxes 64 - 69 ) until the fade location less a predetermined number of additional symbols has been reached . more particularly , and in operation , samples entering the equalizer 21 may be identified as z ( n ), and the output decisions may be identified as a ( n ). the probability of correctness of a ( n ) depends on location within the bursts . when a ( n ) is known with certainty the values of a ( n ), denoted a t ( n ), are used by the channel impulse response estimator 32 for training . at other times , the best estimate of a ( n ) is the output of the traceback decision process of the equalization trellis 31 , denoted a d ( n ). the equalization trellis 31 operates as follows . equalization proceeds in the forward direction from the beginning of the preamble up until m symbols after the minimum power symbol . in the reverse direction , the same occurs with processing continuing m symbols beyond the minimum power point . this overlap ensures that trace - back through the trellis in all likelihood converges to a single path by the minimum power point . traceback for actual decisions does not occur until the completion of the equalization process . in addition to final traceback , however , there is a need for tentative decisions during equalization , to provide data estimates for the channel impulse response estimation to remain current . a trade - off in determining these tentative decisions arises ( a ) because the more up - to - date the information is , the more up - to - date the channel impulse response estimate can be ( remembering that the channel is far from stationary at high speeds ), and ( b ) the higher the number of symbols that are considered before tentative decisions are made , the more accurate the decisions will be ; and hence , the lower the probability that errors are introduced into the channel impulse response estimation . in the case of 4 - state equalization there is very little sensitivity to the number of constraint lengths of delay introduced . branch metrics are calculated in the equalizer 21 using the following equation : ## equ1 ## where app -- state ( l ) represents a hypothetical state in combination with potential input data ; a h ( 1 , n ) is a corresponding transmitted signal ( constellation point ), c represents the current estimate of the channel &# 39 ; s impulse response , and z is the measured output of the matched filter 27 . the channel estimator 32 utilizes a second order least mean square algorithm to determine the coefficients of the transversal filter 27 that is an estimate of the channel . ## equ2 ## where c 0 ( k ) and c 1 ( k ) are complex values of estimated channel impulse response taps , c s0 ( k ) and c n ( k ) are complex intermediate values related to the estimated channel impulse response taps , permitting second order operation , k 1 and k 2 are the real gain values controlling the tracking rate of the channel impulse response estimation process , z ( k ) are complex symbol spaced sampled outputs of the receiver matched filter , and a ( k ) are complex estimated or known values of transmitted symbols . the values k 1 and k 2 within these equations control the rate of adaptation , and ( conversely ) the sensitivity to noise and decision errors . consequently , to minimize the error rate , a trade - off between ability to track changes in the channel and degradation in performance due to imperfect input information is needed to optimize the values of k 1 and k 2 . the optimal values of k 1 and k 2 vary as a function of instantaneous signal to noise ratios , and thus as a function of depth of fade . therefore , algorithms for modifying the values during each burst have been evaluated , with considerable improvement in performance relative to that achievable with constant settings . one approach for modifying k 1 and k 2 has provided good performance and is as follows : 1 . set the values of k 1 and k 2 that will apply at the symbol determined to correspond to the deepest fade ; k 1 -- fade . 2 . adjust each value linearly ( with preset slope -- k1 -- slope and k2 -- slope ) to reach the selected values at the fade location , using : ## equ3 ## where k 1 -- fade is the real value of k 1 at the symbol with the maximum estimated fade depth , k 2 -- fade is the real value of k 2 at the symbol with the maximum estimated fade depth , k 1 -- slope is the real increment in k 1 applied during processing of each symbol , k 2 -- slope is the real increment in k 2 applied during processing of each symbol , and fade -- location is the symbol number at the maximum estimated fade depth , and last -- location is the symbol number of the final symbol . estimation of the location of the power fade entails use of the received symbols from the matched filter 27 , and the settings on the agc circuit 35 that were active during reception of those symbols . as the response of the amplifier 22 to the agc circuit settings is effectively instantaneous , the primary delays in utilizing this information arise in the matched filter 27 . this filter 27 is a linear phase filter ( constant delay ), so the available input information can be easily transformed into an accurate estimate of the envelope power . this envelope is averaged by a rectangular fir filter over about ten symbol times , with very good performance . after completion of acquisition , the carrier frequency offset should be less than 200 hz . to operate without impairment , this offset should be on the order of 20 hz or less . thus , estimation of and correction for carrier offset must continue after acquisition . the method employed utilizes the fact that when frequency offset occurs , the taps of the channel impulse response will rotate consistently at a rate proportional to the offset . changes in tap phases over fixed periods , therefore , provide an observable characteristic to apply to frequency control . note that random phase changes occur in addition to these consistent rates of change , so filtering is used to extract the frequency offset . in practice , offsets of around 1000 hz can be resolved although the maximum expected offset after acquisition is 200 hz . the approach used is as follows : 1 . during the reception of each burst , the half of that burst that does not include the deepest fade is selected for tracking . this scheme is aimed at avoidance of the very high rates of change in phase that typically accompany transitions through low signal amplitudes . 2 . two samples of each of the two estimated channel impulse response taps are recorded : just after the preamble ( or leading into the postamble if the fade occurred during the first half of the slot ), and 20 symbols later ( or 20 symbols earlier ). at a symbol rate of 24 , 300 symbols per second , a 100 hz offset would result in an average rotation of 29 . 6 degrees during the 20 symbol period . for any rotation in excess of 180 degrees , the observed rotation would be less than 180 degrees but in the opposite direction . this aliasing could impact performance for frequency offsets above about 300 hz . in typical operation , however , the detriment to performance resulting from such aliasing has proved minimal , due to the anti - aliasing filtering inherent in the tracking . the selection of a sampling window of 20 symbols was based on concern about this aliasing . otherwise , a longer window would improve noise immunity . 3 . from information determined during the bit timing fine tuning , the dominant tap is selected . using the recorded settings for this tap , a phase change is calculated , yielding an estimate of the frequency offset . 4 . these estimates are then filtered over many bursts to reduce the &# 34 ; noise &# 34 ; that arises primarily due to the random ( zero mean ) presence of doppler offsets and gaussian noise . the filter output provides an estimate of the carrier offset and can be used to directly update the frequency control hardware . the offset is given by : where freq -- observed is derived from the observed phase change , the constant k fo controls the convergence rate of the estimation process , f -- offset -- estimate k is the estimated frequency offset at frame &# 34 ; k &# 34 ;, and k fo is a constant controlling the convergence rate of the frequency tracking . if f -- offset -- estimate reaches half the resolution of the frequency source , then a step in frequency is applied , e . g ., if the resolution is 20 hz and f -- offset -- estimate exceeds 10 hz , then a 20 hz change in reference is applied . at the same time f -- offset -- estimate is reinitialized . referring to fig5 it illustrates a flow diagram showing the processing performed by the equalizer 20 to implement carrier frequency offset compensation . utilizing an already located fade , a decision ( box 100 ) is made as to whether to use the first or second half of the received slot for frequency offset estimation . based on this decision , samples are taken twenty symbols apart in the appropriate half of the slot ( boxes 101 , 102 ). for the selected case , individual taps are compared and the larger is chosen ( decisions 103 , 104 ). the phases of the chosen tap at the selected two times are then subtracted ( boxes 105 - 108 ) to produce &# 34 ; freq -- observed &# 34 ;, a noisy estimate of the offset . this is filtered ( box 109 ) to generate an accurate estimate of the offset . if an adjustment in setting of the frequency control would reduce this offset , then a decision is made to do so ( decision 110 ); and the decision is then implemented ( box 111 ). the equalizer is reasonably insensitive to errors in bit timing . however , for the following reasons , symbol timing adjustments continue during equalizer operation . the initial estimate produced by acquisition may differ sufficiently from optimal timing so that performance would benefit from adjustment . the transmit and receive symbol timing clocks may differ by about 5 ppm , resulting in drift of about 0 . 1 μs per frame ( or a symbol every 8 seconds ). this drift must be compensated for . in practice , individual independently - delayed signal paths will randomly rise and diminish in average strength , resulting in situations that would be best catered for by different symbol timing . optimal symbol timing depends on an ability to track these changing situations . the operation of the symbol timing control is as follows . the approach has similarities to the early - late gating schemes frequently employed in direct - sequence spread spectrum receivers . as each burst is received , a measure of the error between the expected preamble and the actual received preamble is generated . in addition , in alternating frames , similar measures are made on time advanced and retarded versions of the same input samples . if no timing adjustment is necessary , the error generated with the existing timing should be less ( on average ) than either of the others . adjustments are made when this is not the case or there is a consistent disparity between the advanced and retarded error estimates . this process is simply a search for bit timing that minimizes the error statistic , as illustrated in fig4 . the control loop used includes an estimator of any consistent change in timing , corresponding to drift with respect to the transmitter . drift in the order of 10 ppm can be compensated for by this loop . this search for a minimum may be hampered by the possible presence of a local ( non - global ) minimum . in fact , for this statistic the presence of two minima is common ( corresponding to the two taps implicit in the equalizer structure -- see fig1 ). the approach taken to resolve this conflict is as follows . the more advanced minimum is presumed to be the preferred sampling time . multiple minima typically arise when there is a small level of delay spread , i . e ., less than about 10 μs . under such conditions the ratio of magnitudes of the estimated paths in the ( symbol - spaced ) channel impulse response differs significantly in the region of the more advanced minimum from that in the more retarded case . thus , the ratio of tap magnitudes provides a statistic from which to conclude the appropriateness of a selected minimum . with reference to fig6 a and 6b they show flow diagrams illustrating the processing performed by the equalizer 20 to implement bit timing control . inputs ( box 80 ) include the on - time and time - offset samples ( z ( n ) and z offset ( n )), and a flag to indicate the direction of the time offset . the on - time samples are fed into the equalizer 20 just as they are during normal training 83 . similarly , the time offset samples are fed to the equalizer 20 ( box 84 ). in both cases , the branch metrics ( on the known correct paths ) are accumulated over the latter symbols to provide measures ( error cum and error offset cum ) of the degree to which the samples match expectations . in a separate process the magnitudes of each of two taps estimated as the channel impulse response at the end of the training process are calculated ( box 85 ). averaging the ratio of these taps over a number of frames ( boxes 86 - 89 ) permits a judgement to be made as to whether the bit timing has selected an inappropriate local minimum . if a threshold ( box 90 ) is reached , then bit timing will be advanced by a full symbol time ( box 91 ). taking account of the relative time at which samples were taken ( box 92 ), the error cum and error offset cum measures are combined to generate a noisy estimate of an appropriate timing adjustment ( boxes 93 , 94 ). this estimate is then filtered ( box 95 ) to generate an actual timing offset adjustment . to compensate for consistent drift , an additional term &# 34 ; drift -- est &# 34 ; monitors and compensates for this effect . thus there has been described a maximum likelihood sequence estimation based equalization method for use in mobile digital cellular receivers . it is to be understood that the above - described embodiments are merely illustrative of some of the many specific embodiments which represent applications of the principles of the present invention . clearly , numerous and other arrangements can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention . | 7 |
before describing the present invention , prior art variable displacement dosing pumps generally have included a closed housing with a cam rotated by a drive shaft causing a reciprocating movement of the piston in the pumping chamber causing a driver fluid to be pressurized and depressurized and thus creating movement of a diaphragm . these known diagraph pumps work horizontally causing inefficient refill and piston lubrication . generally , as to the present invention , fig1 illustrates an inventive diaphragm pump 10 which includes a motor “ m ” 11 that rotatably drives a cam 12 at a desired speed to move piston “ pt ” 14 vertically downwardly and upwardly inside the piston bore “ pb ” 16 . a driver fluid “ f ” 17 is provided in a driver fluid chamber or reservoir 18 so as to communicate with a pump chamber “ pc ” 19 of the piston bore 16 , wherein the driver fluid 17 enters through a refill port 20 that opens sidewardly or radially into the piston bore 16 to supply driver fluid 17 into the pump chamber 19 . with continuing descent of the piston “ p ” 14 during motor operation , trapped driver fluid 17 , which is located in the pump chamber 19 in front of the piston “ pt ” 14 , is pressurized and thereby pressurizes an energized diaphragm “ d ” 22 movably supported in a pump head 23 . pressurized diaphragm “ d ” 22 moves forward into a process fluid chamber 24 and pushes out the process fluid 25 through a discharge port “ dp ” 26 . during the upward return stroke of the piston “ pt ” 14 , the pressurized driver fluid 17 is depressurized when the piston 14 clears the refill port “ r ” 20 . the diaphragm “ d ” 22 moves back to its original position by an attached spring 28 and a precise amount of process fluid 25 is filled inside the process chamber through the suction port “ sp ” 30 . the discharge port 26 and suction port 30 are controlled by check valves so that process fluid flow is from the suction port 30 through to the discharge port 26 . in case of accidental overpressure of the driver fluid 17 behind the energized diaphragm “ d ” 22 , a pressure relief port “ p ” 34 is provided which is controlled by a spring - biased pressure relief valve 35 that opens when overpressure is encountered to allow the excess driver fluid 17 to flow there through causing excess pressure to be expelled out into the driver fluid chamber 18 which is in fluid communication with the relief port 34 . in more detail as to fig1 , the pump 10 comprises a generally u - shaped base plate 36 that is mountable to any suitable support surface by mounting flanges 37 . the base plate 36 also includes a plate - like pump support 38 defining an upward - facing support surface 39 . the pump 10 further comprises a housing unit 40 which comprises a main housing 41 that is directly mounted to the pump support 38 . the top of the main housing 40 supports an intermediate housing body 42 which in turn supports an upper housing body 43 . one side of the main housing 40 also supports the pump head 23 as will be described further . first as to the main housing 40 , as seen in fig1 , 2 and 4 , the main housing has a bottom end formed with a first chamber or pocket 45 , and a second chamber or pocket 46 . the first chamber 45 provides an air space between the base 36 and the portion of the main housing 40 that is disposed next to the piston bore 16 and pump chamber 19 which helps insulate these cavities from the surrounding environment . similarly , the second chamber 46 is located next to the pump head 23 and provides additional thermal separation between the pump head 23 and the remaining portions of the main housing 40 . the main housing 40 includes an outer housing wall 48 and an inner chamber wall 49 which is radially spaced inwardly from the outer wall 48 to define the driver fluid reservoir 18 radially therebetween . the fluid reservoir 18 thereby has an annular shape surrounding the inner chamber wall 49 . the outer wall 48 also includes a bore 51 which normally is closed by a set screw 52 ( fig1 ) but is removable to help indicate the level of the driver fluid 17 within the reservoir 18 . the inner wall 49 further defines an open - ended central bore 53 ( fig4 ) which opens vertically upwardly into the intermediate housing body 42 and opens downwardly into a transverse fluid passage 54 that allows the driver fluid 18 to flow transversely from the pump chamber 19 to the diaphragm 22 for operation thereof by reciprocation of the piston 14 . the transverse fluid passage 54 therefore has an inner end 55 receiving driver fluid 17 from the pump chamber 19 , and an outer end 56 that widens into a secondary passage 55 so as to open into and fluidly communicate with the pump head 23 as will be described further hereinafter . since the fluid passage 54 receives pressurized driver fluid 17 , this fluid 17 is then able to communicate with the diaphragm 22 through communication with the secondary fluid passage 55 . if the fluid is over - pressurized , the aforementioned relief port 34 is provided that opens radially through the outer housing wall 48 . in particular , the outer housing wall 48 includes an enlarged valve section 56 that is provided with a vertically elongate passageway 57 comprising a valve seat 58 that receives the tapered or pointed valve body 35 a ( fig4 and 5 ) of the relief valve 35 therein . this passageway 57 has a tapered inner end 59 that cooperates with the tapered end of the relief valve 35 so as to selectively block fluid flow therethrough . the passageway 57 at this location further communicates with a relief passage 60 that opens radially downwardly into the secondary fluid passage 55 described above . during over - pressurization , the driver fluid 17 is able to enter the relief passage 60 to unseat or move the relief valve body 35 a upwardly away from the tapered passage end 59 and allow the driver fluid 18 to flow into the passageway 57 , into the relief port 34 and then into the driver fluid reservoir 18 described above . normally , the valve body 35 a is maintained in a closed position by a spring 61 which allows the relief valve 35 to selectively open and close while automatically returning the valve 35 to the normally closed position . the spring force also sets the maximum pressure of the driver fluid 17 before pressure is released . the passageway 57 is enclosed by a valve cap or closure 62 which prevents leakage of the driver fluid 17 from the passageway 57 . as such , the relief valve 35 allows excess driver fluid 17 to be automatically returned to the reservoir 18 without affecting the desired operating pressure of the driver fluid 17 when operating the diaphragm 22 . once the operating pressure is returned to the desired operating level , the valve 35 would automatically close in response to the spring 61 or other biasing or closing means . for the pumping operation , the inner chamber wall 49 is provided with a plurality of the refill ports 20 which are circumferentially spaced apart and open radially through the entire thickness of the inner wall 48 . to define the pump chamber 19 and piston bore 16 , the inventive pump 10 includes a liner sleeve sub - assembly 65 ( fig4 , 8 and 9 ) which slidably fits downwardly into the central bore 53 . the liner sleeve assembly 65 comprises a cylindrical holder 66 having an upper mounting flange 67 , which includes a fastener bore 68 that allows for secure engagement to the inner chamber wall 49 . the outer surface of the holder 66 includes circumferential grooves 69 that receive seals like o - rings therein to seal the holder 66 relative to the inside surface of the central bore 53 . the holder 66 includes a long cylindrical liner or sleeve 71 which is preferably formed of steel and defines the pump chamber 19 at the bottom end 72 thereof and the piston bore 16 at the upper end 73 thereof . to allow for entry of the driver fluid 18 through the refill ports 20 into the pump chamber 19 , respective liner ports 75 and holder ports 76 are provided on diametrically opposite sides of the liner 71 and holder 66 so as to thereby align with the refill ports 20 and essentially define radial extensions of the refill ports 20 . hence , reference to the refill ports 20 herein comprises the actual ports 20 formed in the inner chamber wall 49 as well as the port extensions defined by the liner ports 75 and holder ports 76 which together define continuous radial passages between the reservoir 18 and the pump chamber 19 . as seen in fig4 , piston 14 at the top end of stroke clears the refill ports 20 at least partially so as to allow a balanced level of the driver fluid 17 which can flow into the pump chamber 19 if necessary through the refill ports 20 . during downward travel during the pump stroke , the bottom end of the piston 14 extends into the pump chamber 19 as diagrammatically represented by reference line 78 which thereby causes the piston 14 to close the refill ports 20 and drive the fluid 17 out of the pump chamber 19 and into the transverse fluid passage 54 for driving operation of the diaphragm 22 . as the piston 14 travels upwardly through its return stroke , the bottom end of the piston 14 eventually clears the refill ports 20 at least partially to then release any fluid pressure in the pumped or driven fluid and allow the driver fluid 18 to refill the pump chamber 19 for subsequent pumping . reciprocating operation of the piston 14 thereby causes the driver fluid 18 to reciprocatingly drive the diaphragm 22 as will be described further herein . all of the refill ports 20 , pump chamber 19 and pressure relief port 34 are in common communication with the reservoir 18 so that separate systems are not required to accommodate the separate functions of refilling the pump chamber 19 , driving the driver fluid 17 with the piston 14 , and releasing over - pressurization through the relief valve 35 . further , it is not necessary to seal the driver fluid 17 within this fluid system so that wear - susceptible seals between the piston 14 and the liner 71 are avoided , which avoids any wear problems or leakage of fluid which might occur if a piston were to require elastomeric seals or other types of seals to prevent leakage of a driven fluid . to effect driving of the piston 14 , the motor 11 is provided with a cam assembly 79 ( fig3 ) which connects a rotatable drive shaft 80 of the motor 11 with the piston 14 . more particularly as to fig1 and 11 , the piston 14 is formed as part of a piston sub - assembly 81 which comprises a piston rod 82 that mounts within a support bracket 83 . the support bracket 83 includes a connector pin 84 that pivotally joins the support bracket 83 to a drive collar 85 having a central cam - receiving bore 86 extending there through . referring to fig3 and 4 , the motor drive shaft 80 is supported by a first bearing 88 that provides support to the shaft 80 on the upper end of the upper housing body 43 . the bearing 88 is supported within a motor flange 89 that in turns mounts with the motor 11 to the housing body 43 by mounting plate assembly 90 . the inboard free end of the motor shaft 80 supports a cam sub - assembly ( fig3 , 6 and 7 ) for driving operation of the piston assembly 81 . in particular , the cam assembly 79 has a cam body 91 through which passes a central axis 92 that defines a rotation axis 93 for the cam assembly 79 during shaft rotation . the motor - driven end of the axle 92 includes a shaft - receiving bore 94 that receives the motor shaft 80 therein ( fig3 ) which is then secured therein by a set screw 95 . this end of the axle 92 has the bearing 98 mounted thereon to support such end , while the axle 92 has a free end 97 opposite the driven end 96 which is configured to receive an additional bearing 98 thereon . to drive the piston assembly 81 , the cam body 91 is formed with an outer , radially - projecting hub 99 that has a circular outer surface which extends about a center hub axis that is positioned eccentric to the rotation axis 93 . as such , the hub 99 is formed eccentrically relative to the shaft axis 93 so that the hub 99 effectively works as a cam . the circular hub 99 is rotatably fitted within the circular bore 86 of the drive collar 85 so that rotation of the cam body 91 causes reciprocating vertical motion of the piston assembly 81 during rotation of the motor shaft 80 . referring to fig3 , 12 and 13 , the axle end 97 is supported by a bearing sub - assembly 101 which comprises a mounting cover 102 formed with a shallow bearing seat 103 for receiving the aforementioned bearing 98 therein . the bearing seat 103 includes a spring 104 to ensure proper axial positioning of the bearing 98 . the cover 102 has an outer mounting flange 105 formed with holes for receiving fasteners there through that secure to the upper housing body 43 . next as to fig3 , the upper housing body 43 also includes a removable top cap 106 that allows for the driver fluid 17 to be poured into the open vertical column or passageway defined internally by the intermediate housing body 42 and upper housing body 43 . preferably , the driver fluid 17 is any suitable type of oil or other working fluid which can be poured through the top cap 106 to appropriately fill the reservoir 18 to the appropriate level indicated by the set screw 52 . other types of fluids are suitable . since this fluid is able to flow freely into and around the various components including the piston 14 itself , the driver fluid 17 not only serves as a pump driver for the diaphragm 22 , but also serves as a lubricant that lubricates the movable components including the piston 14 as it moves relative to the opposing interior surface of the steel liner 71 and the interior liner surface which forms the piston bore 16 and pump chamber 19 . next as to the pump head 23 , said pump head 23 is best illustrated in fig5 , 14 and 15 . the pump head 23 comprises an inner head body 110 and an outer head body 111 which define opposing interior faces 112 and 113 defining an interface therebetween . the surfaces 112 and 113 have central cavities which face in opposing relation and define a circular , thin cavity that defines the process fluid chamber 24 . the fluid chamber 24 on the outboard side communicates with the discharge port 26 and suction port 30 by angled ports 114 and 115 , wherein the angled ports minimize friction loss so as to further improve pump efficiency and also eliminate build - up of air pockets . the inner and outer head bodies 110 and 111 are joined together by fasteners 117 extending through fastener bores 118 . the outer head body 111 also includes an indicator 119 showing the flow direction which would be dictated by the check valves in the discharge port 26 and suction port 30 . the diaphragm 22 preferably comprises a flexible , circular disk 121 which is formed from elastomeric teflon and has an outer rib 122 that seats within opposing grooves formed in the head body faces 112 and 113 . the rib 122 is sandwiched or compressed between the interface of the inner and outer head bodies 110 and 110 and defines a fluid - tight seal therebetween . the disk 121 thereby sealingly separates the process fluid chamber 24 , which is on the outboard side of the diaphragm 22 , from an inner driver fluid chamber 123 , which is on the inboard side of the diaphragm 22 , such that axial flexing of the diaphragm disk 121 effects variations , i . e . increases and decreases in the volume of the pump chamber 24 and thereby effects pumping operation of the process fluid 25 that passes through the angled ports 114 and 115 into and out of the process fluid chamber 24 . the diaphragm 122 includes a stainless steel drive head 125 on the driven fluid side which drive head 125 has a connector collar 126 that is threadedly engaged with the shaft 126 of a bolt 127 . the head 128 of the bolt 127 has a spring 129 disposed in compression between the bolt head 128 and a divider wall 130 to normally bias the diaphragm 122 axially rightwardly in fig1 . this divider wall 130 includes passages 131 ( fig5 ) which allows for driver fluid to flow into the driver fluid chamber 123 adjacent the inboard side of the diaphragm 22 . to mount the pump head 23 to the main housing body 41 , the inner head body 110 has an inboard flange 135 which fits in sealed engagement into a corresponding cavity in the main housing body 41 ( fig2 ). the flange 135 defines a fluid passage 136 which aligns with and opens into the corresponding fluid passage 55 of fig4 . as such , the driver fluid 17 during pump operation is driven through the passages 54 , 55 , 136 and 131 , and into the pump chamber 123 so as to pressurize the inboard side of the diaphragm 22 and effect axial displacement or deformation of the central portion of the diaphragm 122 leftwardly in fig1 during the pumping stroke of the piston 14 . during the return stroke of the piston 14 , the driver fluid 17 can then flow out of these passages so that the spring - energized diaphragm 22 is then driven rightwardly by the aforementioned spring 129 . the diaphragm 22 therefore is energized to provide for spring - assisted suction of the process fluid into the process fluid chamber 24 during the return stroke which provides for positive suction and very accurate dosing of the process fluid . hence , reciprocating upward and downward movement of the piston 14 causes a corresponding reciprocating horizontal movement of the diaphragm 22 to effect pumping of the process fluid . the improved dosing pump 10 provides a required supply of pressurized process fluid 25 to an injection point even against varying gas or liquid pressures . this pump 10 eliminates the use of elastomeric sealing within the piston configuration , and eliminates failing of the pump due to seal wear . further the internal pressure release valve 35 protects the pump structures from premature failure , and providing the driver fluids 17 as a lubricant thereby lubricates the working components of the pump . the above - described embodiments of the invention are intended to be examples of the present invention and alterations and modifications may be effected thereto , by those of skill in the art , without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto . | 5 |
fig4 shows a block diagram of a base station in which external signals are received by a line concentrator 5 through an antenna 6 , an antenna duplexer 7 , a receiver 8 and a decoder 9 while signals are sent to repeaters through an encoder 10 , a transmitter 11 , the antenna duplexer 7 , and the antenna 6 . a telephone exchange 12 is connected to the line concentrator 5 . an originating call signal detector 13 is connected between the decoder 9 and the line concentrator 5 , while a terminating call signal generator 14 is connected between the encoder 10 and the line concentrator 5 . the outputs of the detector 13 and the originating call signal generator 14 are inputted to an or gate circuit 15 , and its output is applied to a synchronizing pulse generator 16 for battery saving . the synchronizing pulse generator 16 is connected to the encoder 10 via a bs - sync signal generator 17 . fig5 is a block diagram showing a repeater embodying the invention , in which 18 and 19 show antennas , 20 and 21 antenna duplexers , 22 and 23 receivers , 24 and 25 transmitters , and 26 and 27 regenerators which are connected as shown . receivers 22 and 23 , and transmitters 24 and 25 are connected to a power source 29 through a switch 28 . an originating call signal detector 30 is connected to the regenerator 26 , and the output of the detector 30 is supplied to one input of an or gate circuit 31 and to a reset terminal r of a counter 32 . to the regenerator 27 is connected a bs - sync signal detector 33 , the output thereof being supplied to the clock input of the counter 32 and to one input of an and gate circuit 34 . the output of the counter 32 is supplied to the other input of the and gate circuit 34 , the output thereof being supplied to the reset terminal r of a flip - flop circuit 35 . the q output of the flip - flop circuit 35 is supplied to the control terminal of switch 28 and to the other input of the or gate circuit 31 via a timer 36 . the output of the or gate circuit 31 is supplied to the set terminal s of the flip - flop circuit 35 . a pulse generator 100 includes the or gate circuit 31 , counter 32 , and gate circuit 34 , flip - flop circuit 35 and timer 36 . fig6 is a block diagram showing a terminal device embodying the invention in which 37 designates an antenna , 38 an antenna duplexer , 39 a transmitter , 40 a receiver , 41 and 42 regenerators , 43 a line concentrator , 44 , 45 and 46 telephone sets . an originating call signal generator 47 is connected between the line concentrator 43 and the regenerator 41 . the output of the originating call signal generator 47 is supplied to one input of an or gate circuit 48 and the reset terminal r of a counter 49 . the transmitter 39 and the receiver 40 are connected to a power source 51 through a switch 50 . to the regenerator 42 is connected a bs - sync signal detector 52 , the output thereof being supplied to the clock input of the counter 49 and one input of an and gate circuit 53 with other input supplied with the output of the counter 49 . the output of the and gate circuit 53 is applied to the reset terminal r of a flip - flop circuit 54 . the q output of this flip - flop circuit 54 is connected to the control terminal of the switch 50 and to the other input of the or gate circuit 48 via a timer 55 . a pulse generator 200 includes the or gate circuit 48 , counter 49 , and gate circuit 53 , flip - flop circuit 54 and timer 55 . the system of this invention operates as follows . in fig1 at the initial state , the repeaters 2 and 3 and the terminal device 4 operate to constantly supply power to the transmitter and receiver . when the talking lines are idle , the base station sends out a synchronizing signal ( bs - sync signal ) of a predetermined period for the battery saving type power supply , as shown at section ( a ) in fig3 . illustrated at sections ( b ) through ( d ) in fig3 are power supply voltage waveforms in the repeaters 2 and 3 and the terminal device 4 . thus , when the repeaters 2 and 3 and the terminal device 4 detect thrice , for example , the bs - sync signal at a correct period , the battery power saving type power supply is initiated . the interval of the on / off operation of the power supply is predetermined such that the bs - sync signal sent out from the base station at a predetermind period must be received while the power is being supplied to the transmitters and receivers of the repeaters 2 and 3 and the terminal device 4 . more particularly , when the repeaters 2 and 3 or the terminal device 4 continuously detect 3 times the bs - sync signal , the supply of power to the transmitters and receivers in these stations are interrupted for a definite time ( t1 shown at ( b ) in fig3 ) before the fourth bs - sync signal arrives . thereafter , power is again supplied to detect the fourth bs - sync signal and in response to the detection , the source is again on / off controlled for a predetermined time . this cycle of operation is repeated . thus , the power is supplied intermittently to save power consumption . where no more bs - sync signal is detected , the battery saving type power supply is stopped until the signal is again continuously detected 3 times . the terminating call operation will now be described . at the base station , when a terminating call to the terminal device is detected , the transmission of the bs - sync signal is stopped at once . accordingy , the battery saving in all stations is stopped . thereafter , a talking line is connected to commence talking . in the case of an originating call , the terminal device 4 sends out an originating call signal . this signal is transmitted to the base station 1 while the transmitters and receivers of all stations are operating . as the base station detects the originating call signal , the bs - sync signal is terminated in the same manner as in a terminating call signal . as a result , the battery saving type power supply is stopped in all stations to connect a talking line . when all talking lines are interrupted , the base station transmits again the bs - sync signal to resume the battery saving type power supply . the operations of the base station , the repeaters and the terminal device will be described in more detail . in fig4 when both originating call and terminating call are not made , the synchronizing pulse generator 16 for the battery saving type power supply operates , and in response to its output , the bs - sync signal generator 17 operates , and the bs - sync signal thus generated is sent to the repeaters and the terminal device through encoder 10 , transmitter 11 , antenna duplexer 7 and antenna 6 . when the telephone exchange 12 produces a terminating call signal , it is detected by a ringer in the line concentrator 5 , and the terminating call signal generator 14 produces terminating call signals for respective time divisioned time slots . when the terminating call signal is detected even in only one time slot , the or gate circuit 15 is enabled to stop the operation of the synchronizing pulse generator 16 for the battery saving type power supply . on the other hand , in the case of an originating call , the originating call signal transmitted from the terminal device 4 via repeaters will be detected by the originating call signal detector 13 via antenna 6 , antenna duplexer 7 , receiver 8 and decoder 9 . in accordance with the output of the originating call signal detector 13 , the line concentrator 5 connects a time slot in which the originating call has been commenced to the telephone exchange 12 . at the same time , the or gate circuit 15 is enabled to stop the operation of synchronizing pulse generator 16 for the battery saving type power supply . as described above , where there is an originating call or a terminating call , the transmission of the bs - sync signal is stopped , whereas when neither the originating call nor the terminating call is present , the transmission of the bs - sync signal continues . turning now to fig5 when neither the terminating call nor originating call present , the base station transmits the bs - sync signal which is detected by the bs - sync signal detector 33 via antenna 19 , antenna duplexer 21 , receiver 23 and regenerator 27 . the number of the bs - sync pulse outputted by the detector 33 is counted by the counter 32 and when its count reaches a predetermined value ( three in an example shown in fig3 ), its output is applied to the reset input r of the flip - flop circuit 35 via and gate circuit 34 . thus , the flip - flop circuit 35 is reset by the bs - sync pulse to apply an output to switch 28 for opening the same , thereby interrupting the power supply to receivers 22 and 23 , and transmitters 24 and 25 from the power source 29 . at the same time , this output of the flip - flop circuit 35 starts operating the timer 36 . after a predetermined time interval t 1 in fig3 which is determined by the timer and which is slightly shorter than the period of the bs - sync signal , the timer produces an output to enable the or gate circuit 31 for setting again the flip - flop circuit 35 , whereby power is supplied again to receivers 22 and 23 and transmitters 24 and 25 until the supply of power is stopped in response to the next bs - sync signal ( the fourth bs - sync signal in fig3 ). while the power is being supplied to the receivers and transmitters , the bs - sync signal is transmitted to the repeaters and the terminal device on the downstream side via transmitter 25 , antenna duplexer 20 , and antenna 18 . in this manner power is supplied to the repeaters by the battery saving type power supply system in accordance with the bs - sync signal sent from the base station . when a terminating call occurs , the battery saving is terminated since the bs - sync signal from the base station is stopped . when an originating call occurs , the originating call signal is detected by the originating call signal detector 30 via antenna 18 , antenna duplexer 20 , receiver 22 , and regenerator 26 . the output produced by the detector 30 enables the or gate circuit 31 to set the flip - flop circuit 35 , whereby the switch 28 is closed to supply power to the transmitters and receivers from the power source 29 . at the same time , the counter 32 is reset by the output of the originating call signal detector 30 and the source power is supplied to the transmitters and receivers for an interval sufficient for the count of the counter 32 to reach a predetermined number . consequently , the originating call signal will be transmitted to the base station via transmitter 24 , antenna duplexer 21 and antenna 19 . upon detection of the originating call signal , the base station immediately stops the generation of the bs - sync signal so that the battery saving type power supply of the repeaters is also stopped . in fig6 the terminal device also operates in the same manner as the repeaters . an originating call signal is produced by the originating call signal generator 47 when the hook - off condition of the telephone sets 44 , 45 and 46 is detected by the line concentrator 43 . thus , when either one of the telephone sets 44 , 45 and 46 hooks off , the or gate circuit 48 is enabled by the output of the originating call signal generator 47 to set the flip - flop circuit 54 . at the same time , since the counter 49 is reset , power is supplied to the transmitter 39 and the receiver 40 from the power source 51 for a sufficient time described above . during this interval , an originating call signal is sent to the base station so as to stop the battery saving type power supply in the same manner as in the repeaters . in the case of terminating call too , since transmission of the bs - sync signal from the base station is stopped , the battery saving type power supply is stopped in the same manner as in the repeaters . referring to fig7 the signal format of the bs - sync on time division - multiplex basis will be described in greater detail . fig7 shows in sections ( a ) through ( c ) data signals respectively transmitted from the base station 1 , the first repeater 2 , and the second repeater 3 . a string of control time slots ts o to ts n within one frame of the data signal is shown at section ( d ) in fig7 and a string of signals contained in the time slot ts o is illustrated at ( e ) in fig7 . especially , in the data signal at sections ( a ) to ( c ), a hatched frame contains a time slot ts o in which the bs - sync signal occurs and a non - hatched ( blank ) frame contains a time slot ts o in which the bs - sync signal does not occur . at the initial state , the receivers in the repeaters 2 and 3 and the terminal device 4 are always maintained in an operative state . as shown by a portion a in fig7 the base station sends out the bs - sync signal of a definite period while any talking line is not used . as shown by a portion ○ 6 in fig7 the bs - sync signal is arranged in a time slot ts o containing a frame synchronizing signal ( portion ○ 7 ), which time slot is periodically sent out from the base station . at each period , the data in that time slot is stored in a ram , and the cpus in the repeaters and the terminal device read the data in the ram to detect the bs - sync signal when there is a bs - sync bit . when the bs - sync signal is detected 3 times at a correct period ( portion ○ 5 ), the battery saving type power supply is started and the next interval of supplying the power is determined such that the bs - sync signal sent at a predetermined period ( portion ○ 1 ) during the operation of the receiver will be exactly received ( portion ○ 2 ). as the bs - sync signal is not detected , the battery saving type power supply is stopped until this signal is detected again 3 times continuously . when a repeater detects a frame synchronizing signal ( portion ○ 7 ) contained in the control time slot , it repeats all data in the control time slot to a succeeding repeater . in other time slots , a sub - frame synchronizing signal is detected to be repeated in the same manner . as described above , the repeating operation continues until the bs - sync signal is detected three times , so that a control time slot where the bs - sync signal bit is raised is sent at least three times to any station . accordingly , as soon as the frame synchronizing signal is detected under the supply of power a predetermined time after initiation of the battery saving , the repeating operation is initiated which continues until the bs - sync signal is detected again three times . at first let us consider a terminating call operation . when arrival of a terminating call signal is detected at the terminal device , the base station immediately stops the bs - sync signal ( portion ○ 3 ). this stops the battery saving type power supply in all stations . after that , a talking line is connected , permitting talking . in the case of an originating call , the terminal device sends out an originating call signal which is transmitted to the base station while the receivers of all stations are operating . when the base station detects the originating call signal , it stops transmission of the bs - sync signal in the same manner as in the case of terminating call , with the result that the battery saving type power supply in all stations is stopped and the talking line is connected . when all talking lines are interrupted , the base station transmits again the bs - sync signal to resume the battery saving type power supply ( portion ○ 4 ). as described above , according to this invention , a bs - sync signal is transmitted at a definite period from a base station , and repeaters and a terminal device perform the battery saving type power supply in synchronism with the bs - sync signal . according to this system , the battery saving type power supply is possible even in a tdm system including a plurality of repeaters . furthermore , so long as the communication system is of the time division type , this invention is applicable to either the digital or the analogue type . the bs - sync signal may be of any type of signal format . | 8 |
the soap stocks which comprise starting material for the process herein described are by - products from the processing of fats and oils which are natural products . they are , therefore , subject to substantial variability as to their composition , properties and processing characteristics , even when they derive from nominally similar prior processing of nominally similar fat or oil . in particular , since it is one of the objects of the prior alkali refining process to remove impurities from the refined oil product , the impurities present in the by - product soap stock are subject to great variability . it is , therefore , desirable that methods for further processing of soap stocks not be critically sensitive to substantial variability in the starting soap stock , and this is true of the present process . nonetheless , it will sometimes be found necessary to make adjustments in one or more of the processing conditions within the scope of the present invention to adapt this method for efficient processing of any particular soap stock . in general these adjustments will be straightforward applications of conventional engineering principles and well within the skill of those knowledgeable in soap stock , glyceride oil , or fatty acid processing . the process may be regarded as commencing with a vacuum distillation step , as indicated above , using as starting material an acid oil comprising amixture of fatty acid glyceride and fatty acid and having a ph less than about 7 . as already indicated , this acid oil starting material can be partially or totally derived from soap stock from alkali refining , but it may also derive either totally or in part from other sources , such as low grade or contaminated fatty oil - or fatty acid - containing by - product from other processes . where soap stock is to comprise all or part of the ultimate source of fatty acids produced by this process , and where any shipment or storage before distilling is contemplated , it will usually be found advantageous to acidulate the soap stock and separate the resulting acid oil phase for shipment or storage , since otherwise a great deal of water will be required to be shipped and / or stored . as acidulating acid for both acidulation steps , aqueous sulfuric acid of about 10 to 30 percent concentration is preferred , but other concentrations up to about 50 percent can be used advantageously . other strong inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid can also be employed for the acidulation . the ph in the acidulated mixtures in both acidulation steps is preferably about 2 to 4 and the acidulating temperature in both acidulations from about 40 to 100 ° c ., preferably about 90 ° c . it is preferred to avoid boiling so as to minimize the production of undesirable foam . the separations of the acid oil phases from the aqueous saline phases following the acidulation steps can be accomplished by allowing the mixtures to settle and then decanting one phase from the other , but in commercial processes separation by centrifuging may ordinarily be found more economical . it may sometimes be found advantageous to add conventional cosolvents or surfactants to improve the degree and / or speed of separation and it will normally be desirable to wash the separated acid oil phases with water or with one of the aqueous saline phases recycled for this purpose . each separation step in the process may consist of a single - stage separation or may be a cascaded multi - stage separation . the distillation step or steps can be performed in conventional vacuum distillation apparatus , preferably as a stripping distillation without substantial fractionation of the crude fatty acid distillates . it may , however , be desirable to separate in the distillation step a more volatile impurity fraction from the crude fatty acid distillate . the distillation temperatures required will be from about 180 to 300 ° c . with pressures from about 1 to 10 torr . the saponification can be accomplished with any strong aqueous alkali , but sodium hydroxide solutions are ordinarily preferred . it is generally desirable to use only a small excess of alkali above that stoichiometrically required to saponify the fatty acid glycerides and neutralize any free fatty acids present , e . g . about 2 - 5 % excess , but the saponification can be done with larger excesses of alkali up to as much as 100 percent excess . while alkali excesses even greater than 100 percent can be employed in the saponification , the use of large excesses is unnecessary and should ordinarily be avoided in order to fully realize the benefit of the present invention in reducing the amount of alkali consumed and the amount of salt by - product produced upon subsequent acidulation . the saponification should be done at elevated temperatures , preferably at about 90 ° c ., and can be done at atmospheric pressure . it is preferred that the saponifying mixture not be boiled , since this tends to produce undesirable foaming . while the process can advantageously be operated as either a batch process or a continuous process or as a composite process with some steps operated batchwise and others operated continuously , in commercial practice a continuous process will ordinarily be found most advantageous . in designing a plant to perform this process , only conventional selection of equipment for the various steps and incidental piping , connections , valves , holding tanks , and control and measuring devices is required . since corrosive chemicals such as alkali and mineral acid are present in the process , conventional engineering practice will require that much of the material of construction of the apparatus employed will be corrosion resistant . austenitic stainless steels , for example , will be satisfactory in most circumstances . among the advantages of the present process are that it can be operated efficiently with the consumption of significantly less alkali and mineral acid , with production of correspondingly less salt by - product , than a process in which the soap stock is directly saponified before any free fatty acid is removed by stripping distillation . it is also found that the present process produces crude fatty distillates having relatively little color and low contamination with unsaponifiable impurities . these crude fatty acid distillates will , nonetheless , frequently be subjected to further processing for additional purification and separation , as by fractional vacuum distillation . as compared to high temperature , high pressure direct hydrolysis , saponification splits the fatty glycerides with minimal impurity formation and in equipment of relatively modest cost and complexity of operation . the process according to the flow diagram of fig4 will be illustrated by this example , in which all parts are by weight . 22 , 000 parts of a commercial acid oil comprising a mixture of acid oils conventionally derived from vegetable oil soap stocks , the major proportion being derived from cottonseed oil soap stocks by mineral acid acidulation followed by separation from the aqueous saline phase , is used as starting material . the acid number of this material is 83 , its saponification number 194 , its ph 4 and it contains one percent moisture . this acid oil is first vacuum distilled in a stripping tower at 230 ° c . and 6 torr to give 15 , 050 parts of a first crude fatty acid distillate having acid number of 199 and gardner color of 9 . 14 , 650 parts of still residue having specific gravity of 0 . 91 , acid number of 65 and saponification number of 182 is transferred to a stirred reactor . 3 , 943 parts of 50 percent sodium hydroxide solution together with sufficient water to give a 50 percent soap solution is added thereto and the mixture maintained between 80 and 90 ° c . for two hours . sulfuric acid solution containing 2 , 450 parts of sulfuric acid is slowly added and the acidulated mixture stirred for 11 / 2 hours while the temperature is maintained between 90 and 95 ° c . this mixture has a ph of 3 and is centrifuged to separate the acid oil phase and the aqeous saline phase . 13 , 200 parts of the separated acid oil phase is recovered and re - cycled to the vacuum distillation tower and there distilled at 235 ° c . and 6 torr . 8 , 580 parts of a second crude fatty acid distillate are recovered and have substantially the same properties as the first distillate . as indicated above , the exact conditions , yields and properties will vary somewhat depending upon the rather variable composition of the starting material which comprises by - product from the processing of natural products . | 2 |
turning now to fig1 the present invention can be understood by considering by way of example the simple data communication system shown . in this system , two modems , labeled modem a and modem b and designated 20 and 22 respectively , are coupled together via a transmission channel 24 . according to the present invention a training sequence is initially transmitted for example , from modem a to modem b . this training sequence can be the same training sequences frequently used to establish modem synchronization . the training sequence includes preferably upper and lower band edge energy as well as energy at the center frequency or carrier frequency of the system . this signal passes through channel 24 where the amplitude distortion of the channel affects the signal received by modem b . modem b separates the received frequencies into upper band edge , lower band edge and carrier frequencies . modem b then compares the amplitudes the signals and maps those amplitudes to a predetermined code . this code relates to the characteristics of channel 24 , and the code transmitted back to modem a . modem a then decodes the transmitted code and appropriately selects one of a plurality of equalizers for use in future transmissions to modem b . preferably , the code is transmitted via a highly robust secondary channel such as is commonly used in such data communications . preferably such secondary channel data is transmitted with a very high degree of reliability at a very low rate such as 75 or 150 bps but this is not to be limiting as primary channel can also be used . secondary channel communications are known and described , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 385 , 384 to rosbury et al ., which is hereby incorporated by reference . turning now to fig2 an arrangement is shown for analyzing the training sequence transmitted by modem a in the procedure described above . transmission channel 24 is coupled to a transmission line interface 30 which may include line drivers , amplifiers , matching circuitry , loop back circuitry as well as other known circuitry used to interface a modem transmitter and receivers to a transmission line . the received signal is delivered to node 32 which is in turn coupled to each of three filters 34 , 36 and 38 . filter 34 is a bandpass filter centered around the lower band edge . filter 36 is a bandpass filter centered about the carrier frequency and filter 38 is a bandpass filter centered about the upper band edge . filters 34 and 38 are frequently already present in the modem for extracting timing or other information as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 455 , 665 to kromer and u . s . patent application ser . no . 654 , 187 to martinez which are hereby incorporated by reference . in the example shown in fig2 the example of a 1700 hz carrier frequency is used . such carrier is common on , for example , a four phase qam 2400 symbols per second modem having a constellation such as that shown in fig3 . the training sequence used for the present invention may be generated from the constellation of fig3 by simply transmitting the repeating pattern abababab . . . for a sufficiently long period of time . this transmitter output signal can be modeled by equation 1 as follows : θ 1 = phase shift of the lower band edge signal due to channel and filter characteristics . θ 2 = phase shift of the upper band edge signal due to channel and filter characteristics . in this case , the two band - edge signals will occur at f c - f s = 500 hz ( lower ) and f c + f s = 2900 hz ( upper ). the outputs of filters 34 , 36 and 38 at nodes 44 , 46 and 48 respectively are applied to multipliers 54 , 56 and 58 respectively . these multiplier outputs at nodes 64 , 66 and 68 respectively are applied to low pass filters 74 , 76 and 78 convert the squared signals to adc voltage level present at nodes 84 , 86 and 88 . since a data modem typically is provided with an automatic gain control , the absolute levels of these three signals representative of upper and lower band edge and carrier frequency are not important . there absolute levels will be managed by the modem &# 39 ; s automatic gain control . for purposes of the present invention , it is only the amplitudes of the upper band edge and lower band edge signals relative to the carrier signal which is important . however , those skilled in the art will recognize that an analysis of absolute levels may alternatively be used in the present invention . the voltage at node 86 is subtracted from the voltage at node 84 by subtractor 90 to produce a different signal dl at node 92 . similarly , the voltage at node 86 is subtracted from the voltage at node 88 by a subtractor 96 to produce a different signal dh at node 98 . since it is not vital for purposes of the present invention that an absolute correction of the amplitude distortion be achieved in the transmitter , rather only a coarse adjustment is to be achieved , the level at node 92 is processed by a quantizer 100 to produce a quantized signal l1 at node 102 . in a similar manner the signal present at node 98 is quantized by a quantizer 106 to produce a quantized signal l2 at node 108 . these quantized signals are received by a mapper / encoder 110 which processes a l1 and l2 and maps those levels into a code to be transmitted by a secondary channel transmitter 112 . secondary channel transmitter 112 provides this code to line interface 30 for transmission over transmission channel 24 to the modem at the other end . the mapping function performed by mapper / encoder 110 may very greatly depending upon the speed of the modem ( and thus the amount of amplitude distortion and noise which can be tolerated by the modem ), the number of equalizers which can be efficiently implemented as well as the amount of variation present in the types of transmission lines to be corrected . by way of example , fig4 and 6 describe the operation of mapper encoder 110 for a transmission line which may be subject to amplitude distortion of low frequency signals ranging from gain of several db down to attenuation of perhaps approximately 6db . in this illustrative example shown in fig4 signal dl is quantized to a value of plus 1 for signals greater than zero db relative to the reference signal at node 86 . ( it should be noted that a mapping of the dc voltages at nodes 84 , 86 and 88 to actual db level should be generated to correlate the actual db values to relative dc levels ). attenuation as great as minus 3 db relative to the carrier is quantized to zero at l1 and attenuation greater than 3 db is quantized to minus 1 at l1 . turning to fig5 the high frequency quantization assumes that attenuation will generally be present for the high frequencies . this has generally been found to be the case in most data communications transmission lines . the quantization shown in fig5 will accommodate attenuation from approximately zero db down to approximately minus 12 or 14 db relative to the carrier frequency . signals greater than minus 3 db are quantized to pulse 1 at l2 . signals between minus 3 db and minus 9 db are quantized to 0 at l2 and signals less than minus 9 db are quantized to minus 1 at l2 . turning now to fig6 it is seen that with the quantization shown in fig4 and 5 nine possible equalizers may be utilized depending upon the measured values quantized to l1 and l2 . by way of example , for l1 equals zero and l2 equals zero , equalizer number 5 would be selected . this equalizer would preferably have approximately one and a half db of gain at the lower band edge and approximately 6 db of gain at the upper band edge . this allows for correct equalization of signals falling in the central region of the ranges corresponding to l1 equals zero and l2 equals zero . those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other quantizations and other mappings may be suitable for various applications . in the present example nine possible equalizers may be accommodated but this should not be limiting . since non equalizers may be uniquely characterized in the present example , the desired equalizer may be encoded as a four bit binary number as shown . thus , only four bitts of information need be transmitted to establish the equalizer to be used in the remote transmitter . those skilled in the art will also recognize that the codes as well as the relative levels of attenuation , etc . in the present example are merely illustrative and not be limiting . it will also be appreciated that some amount of overhead will likely be needed in order to effect transmission of an entire message so that more than four bits of information will likely change hands in order to actually implement the present invention . more exact equalization can be achieved by providing more levels of quantization as well as an associated increase in the number of available equalizers . turning now to fig7 a block diagram of circuitry used to process the coded signal transmitted by secondary channel transmitter 112 is shown . line interface 30 is coupled to a primary channel receiver 120 which is used to process incoming user data . a secondary channel receiver 122 is also coupled in parallel to primary channel receiver 120 and coupled to line interface 30 . secondary channel receiver 122 provides the coded signal transmitted by transmitter 112 to a decoder 126 . decoder 126 controls a switch bank 128 which is used to couple one of a plurality of equalizers 130 , 132 and 134 into the transmitter signal path . depending upon the switch selection , any one of n possible equalizers may be placed between a primary channel transmitter 138 and line interface 30 . the selected equalizer may be also be used to process the transmission from secondary channel transmitter 140 . the system shown in fig7 may be viewed either as a conceptual description of the present invention or may be viewed as an operable physical embodiment where equalizers 1 through n are separate and distinct analog equalizer filters or digital equalizer filters . the block diagram shown in fig7 is helpful in understanding the principle of the present invention . however , in preferred embodiments of the present invention digital technology is used for implementing the transmitter equalizer and the selection of equalizers is accomplished by modification or selection of digital filter coefficients . one such implementation is shown in fig8 . in this implementation , a coded signal from secondary channel 122 is provided to a decoder 150 which decodes the signal and passes it on to a microprocessor 152 . microprocessor 152 is coupled to a memory 156 which may be a read only memory . memory 156 stores a plurality of sets of equalizer coefficients for use by an equalizer 160 . in accordance with the coded signal received by microprocessor 152 , the microprocessor unloads a predetermined set of equalizer coefficients from memory 156 and transfers that set of coefficients to a coefficient memory 162 which may be a random access memory . the desired filter characteristics may thus be implemented by appropriately selecting from a predetermined group of equalizers characterized by a plurality of sets of equalizer coefficients . of course those skilled in the art will recognize that the currently available high speed powerful microprocessors are capable of performing many of the functions shown in the functional blocks of fig8 . for example , decoder 150 , microprocessor 152 , and equalizer 160 may all be implemented by a signal microprocessor . processors such as the tms 320 series digital signal processors by texas instruments ® are well suited to this type of application . turning now to fig9 an alternative embodiment is shown in which the coded signal from secondary channel receiver 122 is passed to a decoder 180 this decoder 180 is used to map the coded signal to a memory address pointer . this pointer is then transmitted to a digital equalizer 182 which is coupled to a coefficient memory 186 which includes a plurality of sets of equalizer coefficients in different locations thereof . in this embodiment , the pointer is utilized to instruct equalizer 182 what portion of the coefficient memory contains the desired equalizer coefficients needed to affect equalization . of course those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous architectures may be utilized for effecting implementation of a variety of different equalizers without departing from the present invention . accordingly , the present invention is not limited to the specific examples shown herein . turning now to fig1 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown . this embodiment contemplates the use of separate equalizers for the upper frequency range and for the lower frequency range . in accordance with this embodiment , the coded signal received by secondary channel receiver 122 may actually be a coded form of the individual quantized levels l1 and l2 or alternatively it can be a code as previously described . this coded signal is decoded by decoder 200 in order to ascertain which type of equalization is to be utilized for both high frequencies and for low frequencies . the high frequency equalization is selected by appropriate closure of one of the switches in a switch bank 202 . depending on the switch which is closed , any of high frequency filters 204 , 206 through 208 may be selected to be interposed in the signal path . in a similar manner any of the switches in switch bank 220 may be selectively closed in order to route the signal to be equlized through any of equalizers 222 , 224 through 228 . it should be noted that the embodiment shown in fig1 may be viewed in a manner similar to that of the embodiment shown in fig7 in that it may be interpreted as a conceptual block diagram or an actual physical embodiment . the actual process for the present invention may be summarized by the flow diagram shown in fig1 . the process starts at step 300 after which a training sequence is transmitted from modem a to modem b at step 302 . at step 304 , the training sequence is received by modem b and the upper and lower band edge and carrier frequencies are separated . at step 306 the relative amplitudes of the three separate signals are compared and in step 310 the relative amplitudes are mapped to a code . at step 312 the code is transmitted from modem b back to modem a and at step 314 modem a decodes the receiver code and selects and appropriate equalizer which it then interposes in its transmit signal path . the process terminates at step 316 . many variations are of course possible without departing from the present invention . thus it is apparent that in accordance with the present invention an apparatus that fully satisfies the objectives , aims and advantages is set forth above . while the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment , it is evident that many alternatives , modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description . accordingly , it is intended that the present invention embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
the present invention is directed to content aware resizing of audiovisual and image content . reference may be made below to specific elements , numbered in accordance with the attached figures . the discussion below should be taken to be exemplary in nature , and not as limiting of the scope of the present invention . the scope of the present invention is defined in the claims , and should not be considered as limited by the implementation details described below , which as one skilled in the art will appreciate , can be modified by replacing elements with equivalent functional elements . reference below is made in respect of fig6 through 14 and fig1 through 18 to an authoring environment in respect to the discussion , such as for example a desktop publishing environment . the scope of the present invention should not be considered as limited by these implementation details , as one skilled in the art will appreciate , which can be modified such that embodiments of the invention may operate with or without user intervention or may be employed in display and presentation environments to a user , such as described in fig1 . further in fig1 reference is made to a portable device in the determination of the parameters in establishing aspects of the resizing operation which extend beyond the intended image size . the scope of the present invention should not be considered as limited by these application details , as one skilled in the art will appreciate , which can be varied according to the particular portable device but also apply to the wider range of devices upon which user activities may require content aware image resizing . within the background to the invention discussed supra descriptions of fig1 through 5 have been included and are not repeated here . referring to fig6 there is depicted an exemplary flow according to an embodiment of the invention . as shown a source image 610 is provided for which a resizing operation is required within an authoring environment , the authoring environment omitted for clarity . the content aware resizing process then generates first horizontal saliency map 620 and first vertical saliency map 625 which represent the horizontal and vertical saliencies within the image which are determined from equations 3 and 4 below : saliency horizontal ( n ij )=| i ( n i , j + 1 )|−| i ( n i , j − 1 )| ( 3 ) saliency vertical ( n i , j )=| i ( n i + 1 , j )−|( i ( n i − 1 , j )| ( 4 ) where i ( n i , j ) is the intensity of the i th , j th pixel in the image . each of the first horizontal saliency map 620 and first vertical saliency map 625 are then scaled to generate second reduced horizontal saliency map 630 and second reduced vertical saliency map 635 . these are then employed to generate the cost functions for removing a pixel seam in each of the horizontal and vertical directions . a selected vertical seam from second reduced horizontal saliency 630 is shown as pixel path 645 projected onto resizing image 640 . removal of the pixels identified by pixel path 645 would reduce the horizontal dimension of the source image 610 . alternatively insertion of replica pixels identified by pixel path 645 would increase the horizontal dimension . accordingly the source image 610 is scaled based upon a pixel path that is determined through the scaling transformation in respect of the horizontal and vertical saliencies defined in equations ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) supra . referring to fig7 a there is depicted a process flow 700 a according to an embodiment of the invention in establishing a pixel path within a reduced saliency map . the process starts with first pixel map 710 a of dimension 5 × 3 , which represents a subset of a reduced saliency map such as second reduced horizontal saliency map 630 or second reduced vertical saliency map 635 in fig6 supra . the process then determines the interconnected paths between the pixels on the first row and the second that are connected , resulting in second pixel map 720 a which shows this connectivity between the first row and second row such that the process then sums these paths giving the middle summation in third pixel map 730 a together with the mapping of connectivity between the summed second row and third row . the resultant summation being shown in fourth pixel map 735 a along with the connectivity paths from each row to the next . according to an embodiment of the invention process flow 700 a is set to detect the minimum summation in the pixel path and thereby determines this is in the summed path provided in fifth pixel map 740 a . accordingly the pixels within the subset of the saliency map are selected as depicted by sixth pixel map 745 a . in the final step the process removes these pixels thereby generating seventh pixel map 750 a which is now of dimension 4 × 3 . in the process according to the embodiment of the invention this pixel removal in the reduced saliency map follows removal of pixels within the audiovisual content , such as described below in respect of fig1 . it would evident to one skilled in the art that process flow 700 a does not take into account the pixels removed from the saliency map such as is evident in the comparison of sixth and seventh pixel maps 745 a and 750 a respectively where simply the pixel path selected has been removed . in other embodiments of the invention , for instance where a portion of the saliency map has a localized reduction in saliency compared with the overall saliency map the reduction algorithm may perform some form of compensation such as shown below in table 1 . as shown on the left is seventh pixel map 750 a according to process flow 700 in fig7 . on the right is a compensated pixel map representing the same pixel path removal but where now pixels adjacent the removed pixel are re - calculated according to equations sa and sb below : s k + l ( i − 1 , j )= s k ( i − 1 , j )+ s k ( i , j )/ 2 ( 5a ) s k + 1 ( i − 1 , j )= s k ( i + 1 , j )+ s k ( i , j )/ 2 ( 5b ) where s k ( i , j ) represents the saliency value at the i th , j th pixel for step k in the image resizing process . it would be apparent that similar equations as equations 5a and 5b exist for removing a horizontal pixel path . such a compensated pixel map locally increases saliency above the initially calculated values upon removal of a pixel path which would weight a subsequent pixel path determination away from the same region of the saliency map such that multiple pixel path determinations do not always run through the same portion of the saliency map and hence the original image . it would be evident to one of skill in the art that the selected path within process 700 a by virtue of having the lowest summation of saliencies represents a path of pixels that have low difference in intensity to their neighbouring pixels in a particular direction . these pixels are not necessarily at a minimum within the reduced saliency map for the other direction and hence not necessarily the same pixels as would be selected in the process of a vidan when employed on the same image . as such removing these pixels from the image should not significantly affect the content for the user whilst allowing the image dimension to be reduced . it would evident to one skilled in the art that zero saliency or very low saliencies may reflect areas of consistent intensity rather than lack of content . as such regions where saliencies exceed a predetermined threshold may be subjected to a second process to determine whether they are simply pixels reflecting low intensity variations and hence sacrificial content or significant content of consistent intensity . for example the second process may be to calculate and compare a second saliency for a particular pixel , see for example equations 5c and 5d below ; with the first saliency such that upon a precondition being met the calculated saliency is replaced with a predetermined value . saliency2 horizontal ( n i , j )=| i ( n i , j + n )|−| i ( n i , j − n )| ( 5c ) saliency2 horizontal ( n i , j )= di ( i , j )/ dj ( 5d ) referring to fig7 b there is depicted a process flow 700 b according to an embodiment of the invention in establishing a pixel path within a reduced saliency map . the process starts with first pixel map 710 b of dimension 5 × 3 , which represents a subset of a reduced saliency map such as second reduced horizontal saliency map 630 or second reduced vertical saliency map 635 in fig6 supra . the process then determines the interconnected paths between the pixels on the first row and the second that are connected , resulting in second pixel map 720 b which shows this connectivity between the first row and second row such that the process then sums these paths giving the middle summation in third pixel map 730 b together with the mapping of connectivity between the summed second row and third row . the resultant summation path being shown in fourth pixel map 735 b along with the connectivity paths from each row to the next . according to an embodiment of the invention process flow 700 b is set to detect the maximum summation in the pixel path and thereby determines this is in the summed path provided in fifth pixel map 740 b . accordingly the pixels within the subset of the saliency map are selected as depicted by sixth pixel map 745 b . in the final step the process adds these pixels into the first pixel map 710 b thereby generating seventh pixel map 750 b which is now of dimension 6 × 3 . it would be evident to one of skill in the art that the selected path within process 700 b by virtue of having the highest summation of saliencies represents a path of pixels that have high difference in intensity to their neighbouring pixels . as such replicating those pixels within the image that relate to those within the reduced saliency map should preserve the visually significant content for the user whilst allowing the image dimension to be increased . it would be apparent to one skilled in the art that the pixel path selection in fig7 a and 7 b may be subject to additional constraints or determined on alternative basis . for example it may be a constraint that the pixel path originates within a predetermined distance of the image edge such that the central image content is preserved irrespective of its pixel saliency summation , where the assumption is that most significant content is within the central portion of the image . alternatively a summation may be performed over predetermined regions of the second saliency map such that regions of higher than average accumulated saliency are identified and preserved . optionally the pixel path selection when the adjustment is a significant percentage of the original image dimension may be established such that pixel paths should be maximized in one direction and minimized in another . similarly where pixel path selection has been described as seeking a minimum / maximum the converse of seeking the maximum / minimum for the same image resizing operation exists . many alternatives exist within the scope of the invention . referring to fig7 c there is depicted a process flow 700 c wherein repeated pixel path determinations are made upon the reduced second saliency map according to an embodiment of the invention for reduced processing complexity and improved speed . as such within process 700 c a first reduced saliency map 710 c is shown , equivalent for example to first pixel maps 710 a and 710 b of fig7 a and 7 b respectively or predetermined portions of second reduced horizontal saliency map 630 or second reduced vertical saliency map 635 in fig6 supra . first reduced saliency map 710 c is a 8 × 5 array of reduced saliency data , being either the horizontal saliency or vertical saliency of that localized region of the image as reduced saliency map 710 c is a reduced dimensional matrix of the corresponding first saliency map , for example first horizontal saliency map 620 or first vertical saliency map 625 as disclosed in fig6 . as such a pixel within first reduced saliency map 710 c represents n pixels , wherein n represents the scale reduction applied to the corresponding first saliency map . saliency s ( i , j ) may alternatively be defined for example by equations 6 and 7 below rather than by equations 3 and 4 . where i ( i , j ) represents the intensity of the ith , r pixel in the source image . in first pixel summation map 720 c the summed saliency values s ( i , j ) from each pixel within the top row to the bottom row are shown for connected paths . also shown is first pixel path 725 c selected from the first pixel summation map 720 c , in this case based upon the lowest sum . the pixels within the image content being resized and first reduced saliency map 710 c corresponding to the first pixel path 725 c are then removed resulting in second reduced saliency map 730 c , i . e . pixels s ( 1 , 4 )= 2 , s ( 2 , 4 )= 1 , s ( 3 , 4 )= 1 , s ( 4 , 4 )= 2 , and s ( 5 , 5 )= 5 are removed . corresponding pixels in the image are removed that correspond to the selected pixels in first pixel path 725 c thereby reducing the image width based upon its content . using second reduced saliency map 730 c the summation process is repeated and second pixel summation map 740 c is generated . again a pixel path 745 c is established such that the corresponding pixels within the second reduced saliency map 730 c are removed , i . e . pixels s ( 1 , 1 )= 1 , s ( 2 , 2 )= 3 , s ( 3 , 1 )= 3 , s ( 4 , 1 )= 3 , and s ( 5 , 1 )= 4 . again corresponding pixels in the reduced image from the previous removal of pixels are removed , further reducing the width of the image . removal of the selected pixels in second reduced saliency map 730 c results in third reduced saliency map 750 c . as above the process then generates third pixel summation map 760 c and selects the next pixel path 765 c . applying the selected path to third reduced saliency map 750 c results in fourth reduced saliency map 770 c of dimensions 5 × 5 i . e . removing pixels s ( 1 , 3 )= 3 , s ( 2 , 2 )= 3 , s ( 3 , 3 )= 1 , s ( 4 , 2 )= 3 , and s ( 5 , 2 )= 5 . as such it would be evident to one skilled in the art that the reduction of the image is accomplished without recalculating the reduced saliency maps from the corresponding horizontal saliency map or vertical saliency map , such as horizontal saliency map 630 and vertical saliency map 640 in fig6 . as such scaling the image is achieved with a significant reduction in the processing complexity when compared with the prior art of content aware image resizing , such as s . aviden et al who recalculate the top level pixel maps from the resultant image after each “ seam ” is carved or inserted . such a reduction in processing complexity beneficially provides for the pixel path methodology to be deployed within portable consumer electronics with reduced processing capabilities when compared to laptop pcs with dual - core 2 ghz processors and 4 gb ram . it would be apparent to one of skill in the art that the pixel path adjustment provided within each of the image content and saliency maps as a result of pixel path determination within the reduced saliency map may not always remove the corresponding number of pixels within these higher plane maps , such as described below in fig1 . it would be apparent that image resizing may require an increase / decrease in a number of pixels that does not match an integer scaling ratio , i . e . a prime number , which requires either the saliency mapping be performed with a scaling equal to the prime number , not be scaled , or be left at a size not matching the target . considering simply resizing involving between 1 and 1000 pixels there are 168 prime numbers . for example , removing 367 pixels may be achieved with 367 single pixel path removals which is time consuming but leads to the desired result . alternatively as described in embodiments of the invention the scaling provides an increased speed , for example 183 removals of 2 pixel wide paths , 92 removals of 4 pixel wide paths , 61 removals of 6 pixel wide paths , or 37 removals of 10 pixel wide paths . in all cases the final image is at the incorrect final dimension . accordingly it would be apparent that providing the process with the ability to removal a number of pixels within the image content that does not match the scaling allows the final image to be scaled in a content aware manner to the correct final dimension . accordingly , 36 removals of 10 pixel wide path with a ÷ 10 scaling may be followed by a final 7 pixel wide leaves the image at the target resize dimension . similarly applying 36 removals of 6 pixel wide paths followed by a final single wide pixel path . accordingly the process may dynamically select a scaling to meet the requirements for speed and processing whilst achieving the final target dimension . referring to fig7 d there is depicted a process flow 700 d wherein repeated pixel path determinations are made upon the second saliency map according to an embodiment of the invention for reduced processing complexity and improved speed . as such within process 700 d a first reduced saliency map 710 d is shown , equivalent for example to first pixel maps 710 a and 710 b of fig7 a and 7 b respectively or predetermined portions of second reduced horizontal saliency map 630 or second reduced vertical saliency map 635 in fig6 supra . first reduced saliency map 710 d is a 8 × 5 array of reduced saliency data , being either the horizontal saliency or vertical saliency of that localized region of the image as reduced saliency map 710 c is a reduced dimensional matrix of the corresponding first saliency map , for example first horizontal saliency map 620 or first vertical saliency map 625 as disclosed in fig6 . as such a pixel within first reduced saliency map 710 d represents effectively n pixels , wherein n represents the scale reduction applied to the corresponding first saliency map . in first pixel summation map 720 d the summed saliency values s ( i , j ) from each pixel within the top row to the bottom row are shown for connected paths . also shown is first pixel path 725 d selected from the first pixel summation map 720 d , in this case based upon the lowest sum . the pixels within the saliency map , not shown for clarity but being that from which first reduced map 710 d was derived , corresponding to the first pixel path 725 d are then removed . the resulting saliency map , also now shown for clarity , is then reduced to yield second reduced saliency map 730 d , of dimensions 7 × 5 , which whilst globally similar to first reduced saliency map 710 d as only a portion of the pixels were removed differs in those pixels identified by region 735 d , i . e . pixels s ( 1 , 4 )= 4 , s ( 2 , 4 )= 6 , and s ( 3 , 4 )= 2 . as discussed supra the corresponding pixels in the image were also removed in addition to those within the saliency map corresponding to the selected pixels in first pixel path 725 d thereby not only reducing the image width but doing so based upon its content . the process flow 700 d then uses second reduced saliency map 730 d to repeat the summation process from which second pixel summation map 740 d is generated . again a pixel path 745 d is established based upon the minimum saliency summation and the process flow 700 d then removes corresponding pixels within both the image and saliency map . from this resulting modified saliency map , not shown for clarity process flow 700 d calculates the third reduced saliency map 750 d . third reduced saliency map 750 d of dimensions 6 × 5 is again globally similar to second reduced saliency map 730 d , as only a portion of the pixels within the saliency map were removed which forms the source of third reduced saliency map 750 d , but differs in region 755 d which differs now in s ( 3 , 1 )= 6 , s ( 4 , 1 )= 5 , and s ( 5 , 1 )= 6 . again process flow 700 d performs another summation process resulting in third pixel summation map 760 d and selects the next pixel path 765 d having lowest saliency summation . applying this selected path to both the image and saliency map as discussed supra further reduces the image width based upon its content and results in a new saliency map , not shown for clarity , from which a fourth reduced saliency map 770 d , now of dimensions 5 × 5 is generated . as the dimensions of the reduced saliency map reduces the region that differs from the preceding reduced saliency map increases typically . as such , now region 775 d now differs in s ( 1 , 3 )= 5 , s ( 1 , 4 )= 6 , s ( 2 , 3 )= 7 , s ( 2 , 4 )= 7 , s ( 3 , 3 )= 4 , s ( 3 , 4 )= 5 , s ( 4 , 2 )= 4 , s ( 4 , 3 )= 5 , and g ( 5 , 3 )= 7 as such it would be evident to one skilled in the art that the reduction of the image is accomplished according to the embodiment of the invention presented in fig7 d without recalculating the saliency maps from the corresponding image . however , unlike the preceding embodiment in fig7 c the reduced saliency maps are calculated from the applicable horizontal saliency map or vertical saliency map , such as horizontal saliency map 620 and vertical saliency map 625 in fig6 , which is reduced during the process . as such scaling the image is achieved with a significant reduction in the processing complexity when compared with the prior art of content aware image resizing , such as s . aviden et al who recalculate the top level pixel maps from the resultant image after each “ seam ” is carved or inserted . optionally the pixel path selected is based upon multiple conditions . for example , the pixel path selected is not only one meeting a minimum summation or a maximum summation such as presented supra in respect of fig7 a and 7 b but is one where the pixel path is one with a low summation and results in the minimum change in an overall measure of the reduced saliency map for example . considering portable devices today with significant market share within their respective markets such as research in motion &# 39 ; s popular blackberry 8100 , 8300 and 8700 series cellular telephones employing an intel pxa901 processor at 312 mhz with 16 mb ram , nintendo &# 39 ; s dsi handheld game console employs two arm processors , an arm9e processor operating at 133 mhz and an arm7tdmi coprocessor operating at 33 mhz , with the arm9e processor controlling game play and image processing , and apple &# 39 ; s ipod portable audiovisual media players series including the nano and 40 which employ dual 80 mhz arm 7tdmi processors . all of these devices support internet access and hence would benefit from dynamic image processing when browsing the internet as their capabilities are increased . as such embodiments of the invention support use within portable consumer devices to dynamically resize image with content aware scaling in real - time thereby allowing them to access any published audiovisual or image content already in existence without requiring preprocessing by desktop publishing software suites and increased file sizes to handle the header embedded seam carving sequence such as taught by s . aviden . it would be evident to one skilled in the art that the path selection step resulting in third pixel path 765 c could have selected from four potential paths , optionally the pixel path content aware image resizing process may have secondary routing protocols that establish which of these to select preferentially . for example the secondary protocol may be to avoid vertical pixel combinations wherever possible , thereby removing s ( 1 , 3 )→ s ( 2 , 2 )→ s ( 3 , 3 )→ s ( 4 , 3 )→ s ( 5 , 2 ) as an option , or seeks to remove pixels at the edge of the image thereby favoring s ( 1 , 3 )→ s ( 2 , 2 )→ s ( 3 , 3 )→ s ( 4 , 2 )→ s ( 5 , 1 ). referring to fig8 there is depicted according to an embodiment of the invention image process flow 800 wherein pixel path selection is determined from one of two different second reduced saliency maps , being first and second reduced saliency maps 820 and 830 respectively , wherein each second saliency map is derived from a common first saliency map 810 . according a source image 805 provides the pixel intensity array i ( i , j ) that acts as the source data for calculating saliency horizontal ( n i , j ) and saliency vertical which form the basis of horizontal saliency map 810 a and vertical saliency map 810 b . this step in the process flow being common to two users , one on a laptop computer 860 and another on a cellular telephone 870 . the process in execution upon the laptop computer 860 generates a first pair of reduced saliency maps 830 which are then used to generate dynamically scaled first and second resized images 840 and 850 as the user adjusts the onscreen dimensions of a web browser whose content includes the source image 805 . in contrast the process in execution upon a cellular telephone 870 generates a second pair of reduced saliency images 820 that are then used to generate third resized image 880 . accordingly the process runs on the two different devices in a manner that adjusts to suit the device upon which it is executing . it would be evident to one skilled in the art that a resizing operation geared to a 240 × 320 pixel 2 . 1 ″ cellular telephone 870 display has different requirements to one displaying images upon a 17 ″ 1920 × 1080 display on a laptop computer 860 . as a result the process according to embodiments of the invention allows for content aware image resizing that is configurable to the device upon which the process is operating . this configurable processing is not contained within the prior art content aware resizing approaches discussed supra . now referring to fig9 there is depicted a flow 900 according to an embodiment of the invention wherein pixel path selection is made within a second reduced saliency map and interpolated for image adjustment during image resizing . as such there is shown a source image 910 upon which a resizing operation is to be performed , the intensity data i ( i , j ) of which is employed in generating first saliency map 920 from which second reduced saliency map 930 is generated . the second reduced saliency map 930 is then the data source for the pixel path determination process , such as presented supra in respect of fig7 a , 7 b and 7 c . a pixel path portion 940 of the determined pixel path 935 from second reduced saliency map 930 is shown comprising a 4 × 4 matrix with selected pixels 945 infilled . within this example scaling between first saliency map 920 and second reduced saliency map 930 is a factor of 3 . as such pixel path portion 940 is scaled back by a factor of 3 to generate expanded pixel path 950 within which selected pixels 945 are shown as highlighted pixels 955 . next flow 900 executes an interpolation process to generate interpolated pixel map 960 wherein the selected pixels 955 are shown together with interpolated pixels 964 . next each selected pixel 955 and interpolated pixel 964 are replaced by pixel path element 972 which are determined as the average of each neighbouring pixel 974 , i . e . p ( i , j )=( i ( i − 1 , j )+ i ( i + 1 , j ))/ 2 . the pixel path elements 972 are then inserted into the original image 910 to generate resized image 980 . it would be evident that within fig9 the flow 900 described relates to an increase in image dimensions as opposed to a reduction . accordingly the process described in fig7 c and 7d supra for selecting sequential paths and removing them to reduce a dimension may be applied in reverse and multiple pixel paths inserted into the image . accordingly rather than the saliency maps and reduced salience maps decreasing in dimension they would increase . it would evident to one skilled in the art that generation of pixel path elements 972 may be varied , such as for example rather than using the average of neighbouring pixels the value inserted is that representing the pixel with the minimum value between the neighbouring pixels 974 and interpolated pixel 964 . now referring to fig1 there is depicted a limitation within the prior art of s . aviden in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 477 , 800 wherein seam carving removes pixels with significant image content . as shown a source image 1010 is presented that contains a first region 1015 of very little variation , being an item of clothing for one of the two individuals within the source image 1010 . the prior art of s . aviden was employed by w . wedler for this source image 1010 ( see image resizing by seam carving — project 2 — computational photography at carnegie mellon university , http :// www . cs . cmu . edu / afs / andrew / scs / cs / 15 - 463 / f07 / proj2 / www / wwedler ). shown in second image 1020 are multiple seams 1025 determined for an image reduction process wherein a majority of the multiple seams 1025 run through the first region 1015 as a result when these seams are removed to generate resized image 1030 the first region 1015 is removed preferentially resulting in second region 1035 which has essentially removed the majority of the torso of the individual within the image . as discussed supra in respect of fig7 a an automated resizing process upon a device may having generated a first saliency map or second reduced saliency map according to the invention have identified that a substantial region within the map that had low saliency , namely first region 1015 , such that pixel paths would preferentially pass through it , for example by comparing saliencies calculated using for example equation ( 3 ) with either equation ( 5c ) or ( 5d ), or through another process . in these circumstances either replacing saliencies with a predetermined value such that these pixels were not preferentially selected or removing paths calculated through these pixels would result in retention of such a region . within a desktop publishing application such a restriction may be made using a mask applied to the second reduced saliency map from which the pixel paths are selected . such an approach according to an embodiment of the invention within an authoring environment is shown in fig1 wherein there is depicted a process flow 1100 establishing a pixel path within a saliency map , subsequently referred to as pixel maps . the process starts with first pixel map 1110 of dimension 5 × 3 , which represents a subset of a saliency map such as second reduced horizontal saliency map 630 or second reduced vertical saliency map 635 in fig6 supra for example . the process then determines the interconnected paths between the pixels on the first row and the second , resulting in second pixel map 1120 which shows this connectivity between the first row and second row . however , s ( 1 , 5 )=| i ( i , j + 1 )− i ( i , j − 1 )|= 2 for example , has been masked , shown by hatching in that cell in first and second pixel maps 1110 and 1120 respectively . as such the connectivity mapping between the first and second rows does not include s ( 2 , 5 )→ s ( 1 , 5 ) such that when the process sums these paths giving the middle summation in third pixel map 1130 this path is not calculated or mapped . third pixel map 1130 also showing connectivity mapping between the summed second row and third row . the resultant summation path for the 5 × 3 array being shown in fourth pixel map 1135 along with the connectivity paths from each row to the next . according to an embodiment of the invention process flow 1100 is set to detect the minimum summation in the pixel path and thereby determines this is in the summed path shown in fifth pixel map 1140 . the selected path as shown in fourth pixel map 1140 being s ( 1 , 1 )→ s ( 2 , 2 )→ s ( 3 , 1 ) whereas in fig7 a supra using the same pixel map , without the masking applied to s ( 1 , 5 ), the path selected was s ( 1 , 5 )→ s ( 2 , 4 )→ s ( 3 , 5 ). accordingly the pixels within the subset of the saliency map are selected as depicted by sixth pixel map 1145 which are then removed by the process to generate seventh pixel map 1150 which is now of dimension 4 × 3 with s ( 1 , 5 )= 2 still protected for subsequent pixel map operations . it would be evident that rather than limiting the connectivity mapping aspect of the process flow that alternatively the saliency value stored may be replaced with a saliency value that would remove the pixel from summed routes . for example where the pixel path process seeks a minimum summation making the protected pixels have high saliency would remove then from the pixel path selection , similarly where the pixel path process seeks a maximum summation making the protected pixels have low saliency would remove then from the pixel path selection . other options would be apparent to one of skill in the art . referring to fig1 there are depicted the results of prior art linear scaled 1220 and an embodiment of the invention in content aware scaled image 1230 as applied to an original image 1210 . in linear scaled 1220 the woman &# 39 ; s face is distorted whereas by protecting this portion 1205 of the original image 1210 the content aware scaled image 1230 has a woman with a longer body as desired but with a natural head proportion . in other authoring applications it may be appropriate to remove content preferentially . such a process 1300 is depicted in fig1 according to an embodiment of the invention . the process starts with first pixel map 1310 of dimension 5 × 3 , which represents a subset of a saliency map such as second reduced horizontal saliency map 630 or second reduced vertical saliency map 635 in fig6 supra for example . the process then determines the interconnected paths between the pixels on the first row and the second that are connected , resulting in second pixel map 1320 which shows this connectivity between the first row and second row . however , whilst connectivity s ( 2 , 2 )→ s ( 1 , 1 ) represents a lower summation than s ( 2 , 2 )→ s ( 1 , 2 ) the process 1300 forces this connectivity so that pixel s ( 1 , 2 ) is contained within the calculated summations . s ( 1 , 2 )=| i ( i , j + 1 )− i ( i , j − 1 )|= 5 for example , has been masked , shown by shading in that cell in first and second pixel maps 1310 and 1320 respectively . as such the connectivity mapping continues to third pixel map 1330 showing connectivity mapping between the summed second row and third row . the resultant summation path for the 5 × 3 array being shown in fourth pixel map 1335 along with the connectivity paths from each row to the next . according to an embodiment of the invention process flow 1300 is set to detect the minimum summation in the pixel path and thereby determines this is in the summed path provided in fifth pixel map 1340 . the selected path as shown in fourth pixel map 1340 being s ( 1 , 2 )→ s ( 2 , 2 )→ s ( 3 , 1 ) whereas in fig7 a supra using the same pixel map without the masking to s ( 1 , s ) being applied the path selected was s ( 1 , s )→ s ( 2 , 4 )→ s ( 3 , 5 ). accordingly the pixels within the subset of the saliency map are selected as depicted by sixth pixel map 1345 which are then removed by the process to generate seventh pixel map 1350 . it would be evident that rather than limiting the connectivity mapping aspect of the process flow that alternatively the saliency value stored may be replaced with a saliency value that would removes the pixel from summed routes . for example where the pixel path process seeks a minimum summation making the preferred pixels have low saliency , i . e . zero , would preferentially weight to these pixels in pixel path selection , similarly where the pixel path process seeks a maximum summation making the protected pixels have high saliency would remove then from the pixel path selection . other options would be apparent to one of skill in the art . such options may in some circumstances force the pixel path selection to these pixels even when local pixel paths may have had summations that previously weighted path selection to them . now referring to fig1 there is depicted an embodiment of the invention wherein within an authoring environment image content within a source image 1410 is identified by the user as being both preferentially removed and protected in the pixel path determinations and image resizing . accordingly in first image 1420 the user has selected the far left individual for removal with first removal mask 1422 , but being conscious of the middle left individual and the background tower has protected these with first and second protection masks 1424 and 1426 respectively . then applying a content aware image resizing process according to an embodiment of the invention yields first output image 1430 wherein the selected individual has been removed but the overall content has minimal artifacts to indicate to a viewer that the image was processed . an alternate authoring is shown in second image 1440 where the user has selected the far right individual for removal with second removal mask 1442 , but being conscious of the middle right individual and the background building has protected these with third and fourth protection masks 1424 and 1426 respectively . then applying a content aware image resizing process according to an embodiment of the invention yields second output image 1450 wherein the selected individual has been removed but the overall content has minimal artifacts to indicate to a viewer that the image was processed . it was noted supra that a content aware image resizing process according to embodiments of the invention may be deployed within a range of electronic devices including portable devices allowing the process to resize images retrieved by users rather than requiring all images they access be authored in a suite providing header encoded seam carving sequences such as taught within the prior art by s . aviden . referring to fig1 there is depicted a process flow 1500 according to an embodiment of the invention wherein pixel path determination for content aware image resizing is executed upon a portable device in dependence upon characteristics of the portable device . as such the process begins at step 1502 where the user opens a web browser interface , or accesses the internet and retrieves a web page through a specific internet access application such as the browsers within blackberry and iphone pdas rather than windows internet explorer , mozilla , etc . as such in step 1504 they access a web page and as part of that digital content relating to an image is downloaded in step 1506 . the application in execution upon the user &# 39 ; s electronic device establishes the display dimensions for the downloaded image in step 1508 and then in step 1510 retrieves device settings relating to the portable device the user is using , not shown for clarity . subsequently in step 1512 the image scaling ratio required for the image is determined and then , based upon the device settings and image , scaling the scaling ratio of the reduced saliency pixel map is determined in step 1514 . next in step 1516 the horizontal saliency map 1h is generated , and subsequently in step 1518 the vertical saliency map iv is calculated . these together with the scaling ratio of the saliency maps determined in step 1514 are used to calculate horizontal reduced saliency map 2h and vertical reduced saliency map 2v in steps 1520 and 1522 . in step 1524 a counter is set , x = 1 , and in step 1526 applicable pixel paths within reduced saliency horizontal and vertical maps 2h ( x ) and 2v ( x ) respectively are determined . next in step 1528 these pixel paths are scaled as appropriate , such as discussed supra in respect of fig9 and then an interpolation is performed in step 1530 to establish the applicable horizontal and / or vertical seams . in step 1532 these interpolated pixels are replaced by “ proper ” pixels which are generated using the neighboring pixels according to a predetermined algorithm . this determined pixel seam is then applied to the image in step 1534 and the pixel path is then applied to the saliency maps 1h ( x ) and 1 v ( x ) as appropriate in step 1536 . then in step 1538 the process determines whether the image size required has been achieved , which if it has results in the process moves to step 1542 and terminating . if further resizing is required the process moves to step 1540 , increments the counter , x = x + 1 , and loops back to step 1520 so that the process can continue such as described for example in respect of fig1 , which as outlined allows multiple pixel path selection without recalculation of the saliency energy map such as outlined supra . it would be evident to one skilled in the art that the characteristics of the portable device retrieved in the process flow and impacting the content aware resizing process may be other than display dimensions and may include but not be limited to processor speed , processor loading with other applications , graphics display driver settings , and battery status . for example , a low resolution display combined with a low processor speed may result in employing a high scaling ratio between saliency map and reduced saliency map whilst high resolution display and high processor speed may typically employ a low scaling ratio unless the battery status is of a low battery wherein minimizing processing may become more important such that a high scaling ratio is again employed . other combinations and eventualities would be evident to one of skill in the art . it would be apparent that under some circumstances it would be desirable to perform the pixel path based content aware resizing in a manner that is less precise or faster than described in respect of embodiments presented supra in respect of fig6 through 15 . referring to fig1 there is depicted a process 1600 wherein pixel path determination is made upon a reduced second saliency map according to an embodiment of the invention which is a variant of fig9 and provides reduced processing complexity and improved speed . hence , as with the supra embodiments a source image 1610 is initially converted to a first saliency map 1620 which is then scaled , by a factor n , to provide reduced saliency map 1630 . the embodiment in fig1 does not specifically address horizontal and vertical versions of the first saliency map 1620 and reduced saliency map 1630 for simplicity . accordingly as presented supra in respect of fig9 the process determines a pixel path 1640 comprising pixels 1645 , but now in generating scaled pixel path 1650 rather than discrete pixels being selected and the path interpolated the scaled pixel path has n × n pixels selected as groups 1655 , where n was the scaling ratio applied to the first saliency map , such that the pixel path is n pixels wide and continuous across the image . as such a single pixel path removal step removes n pixels in either the horizontal or vertical direction thereby reducing the processing by a factor of n . it would evident to one skilled in the art that the factor n as discussed supra in respect of fig8 may be dynamically determined based upon static characteristics of the device but also optionally dynamic aspects of the device such as processor load and battery status for example . within the embodiments presented supra the consideration has been to digital content that relates to images and hence of a static content temporally unless resized by the activities of the user . however , it would be evident that the digital content accessed by users may include additionally audiovisual content such as downloaded or streamed according to international video standards such as audio video interleave ( avi ), movie picture experts group ( mpeg , e . g . mp4 ), and windows media video ( wmv ). referring to fig1 there is depicted a process 1700 relating to multiple pixel path selection for content aware image resizing of audiovisual data . hence there is shown an audiovisual sequence 1710 comprising a series of “ frames ” 1710 a through 1710 n . as first “ frame ” 1710 a is received it is converted to first saliency map 1720 a which is then converted to first reduced saliency map 1730 a as discussed supra in respect to other embodiments of the invention , and then the pixel path ( s ) is / are selected as shown in first path map 1740 a . such a sequence may be repeated for each “ frame ” such as shown for n th frame 1710 n wherein the nth saliency map 1720 n is generated , converted to n th reduced saliency map 1730 n resulting in nth path map 1740 a . such a process 1700 may exploit any of the adaptations identified within the preceding embodiments of the invention in fig6 through 16 to adapt to the scenario of audiovisual content presentation and / or authoring . optionally the same reduced saliency map may be applied for several “ frames ” to reduce processing complexity . it would be apparent that potentially allowing the content aware resizing to operate independently upon each “ frame ” may result in perceivable discontinuities . as such automated dynamic masking for protection / deletion of elements of the image such as discussed supra in respect of fig1 through 14 may be considered . such an automated processing for example being based upon recognizing an approximate repetitive feature in the saliency map or reduced saliency maps . alternatively preference within a pixel path determination of a subsequent “ frame ” is weighted according to previous pixel paths . such an approach being illustrated in fig1 where a first “ frame ” 1820 through generation of a first saliency map 1820 results in the selection of a first pixel path 1835 within first reduced saliency map 1830 . processing of a subsequent “ frame ” 1840 through second saliency map 1850 and second reduced saliency map 1850 results in identification of second and third pixel paths 1862 and 1864 respectively . however , process 1800 applies a weighting to each of the second and third pixel paths which in this embodiment is determined pixel path 1835 . as shown second pixel path 1862 differs in 2 pixels selected but third pixel path 1864 differs in 8 . hence , the weighting for second pixel path 1862 would be higher as it matches more closely to first pixel path 1835 thereby lending to a reduction in visual discontinuities perceived by the viewer . it would be apparent to one skilled in the art that the embodiments presented supra have typically been described with an initial generation of a first saliency map and then the generation of a reduced saliency map . alternatively the reduced saliency map may be generated without the storage or maintenance of the first saliency map . it would also be apparent that the scale between first saliency map and reduced saliency energy map has been presented as a constant within the above - described embodiments . optionally the scale may be varied across the image , such non - linear scaling being optionally predetermined or established in dependence upon characteristics of the device displaying the image or content of the image . alternatively the scaling may be varied between the vertical and horizontal directions of the image . in the above embodiments recalculation of the saliency map has been presented as occurring at the initialization of the process and that subsequently reduced saliency maps are employed in determining the pixel paths . it would be apparent to one skilled in the art that substantial image resizing may make it beneficial to perform a recalculation of the saliency map at a predetermined point in the process ; this may optionally be a number of pixel seam adjustments or a percentage of the image adjustment for example . in the above embodiments discussion with respect to a particular format are for discussion purposes only as the embodiments are applicable to audiovisual content in multiple formats and multiple standards . in the above embodiments where adjustment of the process has been presented this has been considered primarily from the perspective of adjusting the process in dependence upon characteristics of the device upon which it is being executed . optionally the process may be adjusted in respect to the audiovisual content itself , for example a different scaling process may be applied to jpeg files than is applied to tiff files . in the above embodiments the process has been described by consideration of different saliency maps and reduced saliency maps for the horizontal and vertical aspects of the image resizing . it would be evident to one skilled in the art that the process may alternatively be performed with single reduced saliency “ maps ” ( i . e . a three - dimensional arrays for example ) wherein each pixel within each reduced saliency map for example is a different plan , i . e . g ( i , j , k ) such that for example k = 1 represents the horizontal reduced saliency map and k = 2 the vertical reduced saliency map . it would be evident that such an approach may be extended such that additional planes denoted by k relate to alternate saliency calculations , masking data for protection of content , masking data for denoting content to remove etc . the above - described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be examples only . alterations , modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention , which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto . | 6 |
referring to fig1 and 2 , the plots shown illustrate a recording of an example suspension system event of a test vehicle &# 39 ; s front and rear wheels , respectively , traveling down the same patch of road . in fig1 reference 70 represents the comer relative position signal as measured by a body - wheel relative position sensor of a known type . the relative position signal 70 is plotted against the wheel speed signal 72 , which is produced in response to a known wheel speed sensor of the type used to control anti - lock brake systems . the relative position signal 70 is primarily a low frequency signal , i . e ., in the one hertz range , and the wheel speed signal 72 contains both the low frequency component reflected in the relative position signal and a high frequency component , i . e ., in the fifteen hertz range , indicated by the closely spaced dips and swells . in general , the low frequency component represents body motion and the high frequency component represents wheel motion . a known type of sensor for providing the wheel speed signal comprises a toothed ring that rotates with the wheel and a fixed variable reluctance sensor that creates a stream of pulses having a frequency proportional to the rotational speed of the toothed ring . the rotational velocity of the toothed ring is proportional to the radius of the wheel &# 39 ; s tire , which fluctuates in response to disturbances in the road and in response to vehicle load transfers such as occur during cornering , vehicle braking or vehicle acceleration . as the tire radius decreases , the wheel and ring rotate faster and as the tire radius increases , the wheel and ring rotate slower . for example , when a vehicle first encounters a rise in the road , the vehicle body travels downward relative to the road . as the vehicle passes the peak of the rise , the body travels upward relative to the road , then downward again as the vehicle exits the rise . in this event , the suspension and tires will compress , expand , and compress again with the downward , upward and then downward movement of the body . the resulting suspension compression , expansion and compression is measured as a change in the relative positions or velocities between the wheels and the body and the compression , expansion and compression of the tires causes the tires to rotate faster , slower , then faster again , which response is reflected in the wheel speed signal 72 . the graph in fig2 illustrates the relative position signal 74 for the semi - trailing arm rear suspension of the same vehicle over the same patch of road . as can be seen , the phase and frequency of the relative position signal 74 matches that of the front relative position signal 70 . the rear wheel speed signal 76 , on the other hand , behaves differently than the front wheel speed signal 72 . while it is evident that the rear wheel speed signal contains both low ( i . e ., one hertz ) and high ( i . e ., fifteen hertz ) frequency components responsive to comer suspension activity , the relationship between suspension activity and wheel speed for the rear suspension is clearly different than that of the front suspension this difference can be understood now with reference to fig3 . the response of the wheel 78 to road inputs in suspensions such as the semi - trailing arm rear suspension is to pivot with lower arm 82 about the arm &# 39 ; s pivot point 84 . the wheel speed sensor is mounted at the end 80 of the arm 82 , with the exciter ring mounted to the vehicle wheel 78 . the primary response of the sensor output is to the road speed of the wheel 78 . as mentioned above , a secondary response is introduced when road inputs cause deflection of the wheel 78 and fluctuations in the rolling radius of the wheel 78 . another secondary response is introduced when arm 82 pivots about point 84 , affecting the relative position of the speed sensor with respect to the exciter ring . assuming the wheel 78 is rotating in the direction indicated by arrow 81 , during compression , there is a net reduction in the wheel speed output of the wheel speed sensor while the pivot arm 84 is pivoting and , during rebound or extension , there is a net increase in output of the wheel speed sensor while the pivot arm 84 is pivoting . the effects of this pivoting motion on the wheel speed signal are a factor not encountered in a strut - type suspension . the result of the pivoting motion is that the body vertical motion components of the wheel speed signal , i . e ., fluctuations in the body frequency range , here 1 hz , are phase shifted between π / 2 and π radians with respect to body vertical motion components of the wheel speed signal 72 in fig1 . this invention recognizes that suspensions exist that impart a relative phase shift on the body motion information component of the wheel speed sensor signals . the relative phase shift introduces errors into estimations of body heave , pitch and / or roll velocity or other body motions and , depending upon the mount of the phase shift , can render some or all of such estimations unsuitable for use as control inputs for a chassis control system . as described herein , a control is provided for estimating the modal velocities of the vehicle body in a manner that compensates for a relative phase shift imparted by a suspension on the body vertical motion component of the wheel speed sensor signal . referring now to fig4 the example shown illustrates a vehicle chassis control system that provides anti - lock braking and variable force suspension control . while a separate traction control actuator is not shown , it is understood that such an actuator may be included in the system . the wheel lock control system ( anti - lock brake system ) shown includes , on wheel 13 , a brake unit 10 operated by hydraulic pressure from master cylinder 12 and hydraulic boost unit 14 in response to depression of the brake pedal 17 by the vehicle operator . brake line 16 and a pressure modulator 18 provide the path of hydraulic fluid under pressure from the master cylinder 12 to the brake unit 10 . the brake unit 10 is illustrated as a disc brake system that includes a caliper 20 located at a rotor 22 . the wheel 13 also includes a wheel speed sensor assembly comprising an exciter ring 24 that rotates with the wheel and an electromagnetic sensor 26 that monitors the rotation of the exciter ring to provide a signal having a frequency proportional to the rotational speed of the wheel . the wheel rotational speed signal from the sensor 26 is provided to an electronic controller 28 that includes a microprocessor 29 . the electronic controller 28 controls the pressure modulator 18 in a known manner to modulate and / or limit the brake pressure applied to the wheel brake assembly 10 to prevent a wheel lock - up condition . during vehicle braking , when the controller 28 senses a an incipient lock - up condition of the wheel 13 , the pressure modulator 18 is controlled to regulate the braking pressure to the wheel to maintain the braking of the wheel in a stable braking region . the pressure modulator example shown includes a dc torque motor 30 having an output shaft that drives a gear train 32 that , in turn , rotates a linear ball screw actuator 34 . the ball screw actuator 34 contains a linearly stationary ball screw that , when rotated , linearly positions a ball nut 36 . the ball nut 36 terminates in a piston 38 that is either extended or retracted within cylinder 42 depending on the direction of rotation of the torque motor 30 . the cylinder 42 forms a portion of the fluid path between the master cylinder 12 and the wheel brake 10 . included within this fluid path is a normally closed ball check - valve 44 that , when closed , isolates the master cylinder 12 from the wheel brake unit 10 . the ball check valve 44 is maintained in an open position by the piston 38 when piston 38 is positioned in the extended ( home ) position within the cylinder 42 illustrated in fig4 . when the check valve 44 is open , fluid communication is provided between the master cylinder 12 and the wheel brake unit 10 . this position is the normal inactive position of the pressure modulator 18 so that normal braking of the wheel of the vehicle is provided upon actuation of the brakes by the vehicle operator , and the modulator 18 is transparent to the braking system . however , when torque motor 30 is operated by the electronic controller 28 to modulate the braking pressure in the wheel brake unit 10 , the piston 32 is retracted allowing the ball check valve to seat and isolate the master cylinder 12 from the wheel brake unit 10 as long as the pressure in the cylinder 42 is less than the pressure from the master cylinder 12 . further retraction of the piston 38 functions to increase the volume of the cylinder 42 , thereby decreasing the pressure applied to the wheel brake unit 10 . by controlling the dc torque motor 30 in a known manner , a pressure at the wheel brake 10 is modulated to control values less than the master cylinder pressure output until such time that the piston 38 again unseats the ball check valve 44 or until the pressure generated by the pressure modulator at the wheel brake 10 exceeds the fluid pressure output of the master cylinder 12 . when this latter condition exists , the ball check valve 44 is opened by the differential fluid pressure , which limits the pressure of the wheel brake unit 10 to that of the master cylinder 12 . in this manner , the wheel cylinder pressure never exceeds the operator &# 39 ; s established pressure . the vehicle body 11 is supported by four wheels 13 ( only one shown ) and by four suspensions including springs of a known type ( not shown ). each suspension includes a variable - force real time controllable damper 21 ( only one shown ) connected between wheel 13 and body 11 at the suspension point to exert vertical force opposing relative vertical motion between wheel 13 and body 11 . although many such suspension arrangements are known and appropriate to this invention , actuator 21 , in one example , comprises an electrically controllable , variable force damper in parallel with a weight bearing coil spring in a parallel shock absorber / spring or mcpherson strut arrangement . a description of an example variable force damper suitable for use as actuator 12 is the continuously variable damper described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 282 , 645 , assigned to the assignee of this invention . the outputs of rotational velocity sensors 26 are processed in the brake controller 28 and also provided to suspension controller 50 , including microprocessor 52 . controller 50 processes the signals to determine estimates of the activity of vehicle body 11 and / or wheels 13 and generates an output actuator control signal on line 48 to control each variable force actuator 21 in real time . input signals for the determination of the output actuator control signals may also be provided to controller 50 by a conventional brake switch on brake pedal 17 and by a throttle position sensor ( not shown ) to provide anticipation of vehicle pitch ( lift / dive ) and by a vehicle speed sensor 46 and a steering wheel angular position sensor 19 to provide anticipation of vehicle roll . obtaining such signals is easily achieved through the use of known types of sensors available to those skilled in the art . in this example , line 61 transfers , from suspension controller 50 to the brake electronic controller 28 , signals representative of the states of operation of the vehicle suspension system , which states include suspension relative velocity , body absolute heave , pitch and / or roll velocity , and / or wheel absolute velocity signals determined via implementation of this invention . the configuration shown is one example , the processing of the input signals may take place in either controller , as desired by the system designer , or in a single controller implemented to control both suspension and brake functions . with the exception of the improvements set forth herein and in the pending applications referred to herein , the control functions of the brake controller 28 and suspension controller 50 , including signal input and output processing and the general brake and suspension control functions , are of a type well known to those skilled in the art and further detail of the brake controller 28 , suspension controller 50 and the controls implemented therein need not be set forth herein . referring now to fig5 the suspension control 102 receives the wheel speed signals represented by bus 106 to various processing functions represented by blocks 108 , 112 , 116 and 120 , 124 and 128 . block 108 determines an indicator of vehicle longitudinal acceleration to represent the vehicle body &# 39 ; s potential to dip or lift in response to braking or acceleration of the vehicle . block 108 first determines a weighted average of the wheel speeds of the four vehicle wheels as follows : where v ave is the weighted average of the wheel speeds , k 1 , k 2 , k 3 and k 4 are scale factors and ω lf , ω rf , ω lr , and ω rr are the left front , right front , left rear and right rear wheel speeds , respectively . the sum of the scale factors k 1 - 4 equals unity and the scale factors are set at fixed values proportioned between front and rear so that all of the wheels yield a constant result when their scale factors are multiplied by the individual wheel average rotational velocity variation in response to road inputs . for example , where , δω lfave , δω rfave , δω lrave and δω rrave are the average wheel rotational velocity variations in response to a given road input . the weighted average is then differentiated , for example , through a band pass filter having a center frequency around 1 hz to produce an estimate of vehicle longitudinal acceleration . if the estimated acceleration at block 108 has a magnitude greater than a predetermined threshold corresponding to a vehicle propensity to lift or dive , a longitudinal acceleration flag is set , whose state is indicated on line 110 . if desired , block 108 can be omitted and the signal on line 110 can be provided if a hard braking or hard acceleration is detected , for example , from a sensor indicating change in throttle opening or sudden change in brake pressure or depression of the brake pedal . block 112 responds to the wheel speed signals on bus 106 to estimate a heave velocity of the vehicle body . the estimation of the heave velocity can be better understood with reference now to fig6 . the wheel speed signals are provided to block 146 whose output is provided to block 150 . block 146 imparts a relative phase shift on the wheel speed signals that have body vertical motion components out of phase with the actual vehicle body motion . block 146 then performs the required transform to estimate the desired body modal velocity , which , in this case , is heave velocity . for example , in an example vehicle with a strut - type front suspension and a semi - trailing arm rear suspension , the rear suspension , as explained above , imparts a phase lag of approximately ninety degrees on the body vertical motion information content of the wheel speed signal . in this example , block 146 phase shifts the wheel speed signals to bring them into proper phase alignment , allowing the transform at block 150 to be performed . the phase shift function of block 146 can be accomplished several ways . for example , the front wheel lag f signals can be coupled to a lag filter of a known type to add to the front wheel speed signals the same lag already in the rear wheel speed signals due to the rear suspension , thus phase - aligning the all four wheel speed signals . alternatively , the rear wheel speed signals can be processed into an estimation filter using a known model of suspension performance to impart a phase advance on the body motion components of the rear wheel speed signals to bring them into phase alignment with the front wheel speed signals . in many controls it is imperative that the phase adjustment take place in real time . to this end , the function of the relative phase shift block 146 can be combined with the function of the transform block 150 into a single step . for example , the transform equation is provided to impart the desired relative phase shift while also imparting the desired transform . this approach works in limited situations and may impart some error on the result , however , it has been found suitable for use in the vehicle with the strut - type front suspension and the semi - trailing arm rear suspension . more particularly , blocks 146 and 150 are combined into a single step with a relative phase - shifting transform as follows : where h vu is referred to as the un - filtered heave velocity . this relative phase shifting transform compares with the heave velocity transform disclosed in the above - mentioned pending application , u . s . ser . no . 08 / 441 , 369 , represented as : the difference is that the new transform , by reversing the signs of the rear wheel speed signals , imparts a phase shift of π radians on the rear wheel signals . it is noted that the π 2 radians phase shift is a bit more than required to compensate for the phase shift induced by the rear suspension and , thus , an error margin is present in the transform . however , the accuracy of the transform is sufficient for the suspension system control and the speed in which the phase shift and transform are produced justify the error margin introduced . the output of the transform at block 150 is provided on line 152 to the second order band pass filter at block 154 . an example band pass filter implementation is provided as : where y ( n ) is the filter output at time n , x ( n ) is the filter input at time n and a 1 , b 1 , and b o are filter constants selected to pass frequencies typical of vehicle body motion , i . e ., typically in the one hertz range . the band pass filter 154 is switchable in response to the longitudinal acceleration signal on line 110 , changing the constants a 1 , b 1 , and b 0 during longitudinal acceleration events to make the filter more responsive by narrowing the range of frequencies passed through the filter , specifically , to cut off frequencies in 0 . 5 hz range and below . the output of the band pass filter 154 is then provided on line 156 to low pass filter 158 whose output is provided on line 160 to a second low pass filter 162 . b o th low pass filters are first order low pass filters which are easily implemented in software . an example generic low pass filter equation is : where the filter constants a 0 and b 0 are set to eliminate any high frequency signal components , i . e ., introduced by the signal sampling , that were not eliminated by the band pass filter . the resultant output on line 114 is the estimated heave velocity of the vehicle body . referring again to fig5 block 116 responds to the wheel speed information to estimate a vehicle body pitch velocity and provide that estimation on line 118 . more particularly , referring now also to fig7 the pitch velocity estimation resembles the same generic structure as the heave velocity estimation -- that is a relative phase shift 166 combined with a transform 170 . as in the heave velocity transform , the relative phase shift can be implemented as : ( i ) a lag filter to impart relative phase lag on the front wheel speed signals to align the phase of the body vertical velocity components with the phase of like components of the rear wheel speed signals ; ( ii ) an estimation filter to impart a relative phase advance on the rear wheel speed signals to align the phase of the body vertical velocity components with the phase of like components of the front wheel speed signals ; or ( iii ) a combined phase shift and transform . in a preferred example , the functions of the relative phase shift 166 and transform 170 are combined according to the following function : where p vu is referred to as the un - filtered pitch velocity and k 1 , k 2 , k 3 and k 4 are the coefficients described above with reference to block 108 ( fig5 ). it is noted that the relative phase shifting pitch transform above differs from the pitch transform in the above mentioned pending application , u . s . ser . no . 08 / 441 , 369 , in which the pitch transform was described as : where wb is the wheel base of the vehicle ( this factor is also taken into account by the coefficients x 1 - 4 above ). the sign change for the front wheel speeds appears to shift their phase π radians , but with the implementation of block 182 described below , it is clear that the phase shift is applied to the rear wheels . the signal output from block 170 on line 172 is then band pass filtered by second order band pass filter 174 which provides its output signal on line 176 to another second order band pass filter 178 . the two second order band pass filters 174 , 178 are implemented because the signal output from the block 170 still contains significant road speed information , which , for purposes of defining body motion , a bias that is desirably removed by filtering . each of the second order band pass filters are implemented using the generic equation described above with reference to block 154 in fig6 . the band pass filters 174 , 178 are centered around the frequency of body motion , typically 1 hz . the band pass filters 174 and 178 also attenuate high frequency elements introduced by the signal sampling from the wheel speed sensors . the estimation on line 180 is then inverted at block 182 to compensate for the sign convention used in the transform . the output of block 182 on line 184 is then multiplied by a gain at block 186 to scale the signal on line 184 as desired by the system designer . the gain at block 186 is preferably switchable in response to the signal on line 110 , so that a reduced gain is provided when a longitudinal acceleration signal is indicated . in an alternative example , the gain at block 186 may be built into the filters 174 , 176 . the output of the block 186 is the estimated pitch velocity of the vehicle body . referring again to fig5 block 120 receives the wheel speed sensor information from bus 106 and provides the roll estimation on line 122 . the roll estimation may be simply computed as ω rf - ω lf , which result is then filtered , for example , by a band pass filter and a low pass filter to isolate body motion , remove any accumulated offset and remove high frequency noise . by using only the front wheel speeds as inputs to the roll estimation , the effects of relative phase shift can be avoided since the front wheels are always in phase with respect to each other . however , if it is desired to use all four wheel speed signals as inputs to the roll transform , a relative phase shift can be implemented as discussed above either before the transform , or in certain instances , together with the transform . blocks 124 and 128 isolate for each wheel the body comer vertical motion content and the wheel vertical motion content of the wheel signal and provide those signals on lines 126 and 130 , respectively . more particularly , referring now also to fig8 both the body comer and wheel vertical motion contents are determined in the same manner . block 192 represents a determination of the weighted average of the wheel speed signals as described above with reference to block 108 ( fig5 ). the weighted average is provided on line 194 to summation block 196 where it is subtracted from the individual wheel speed ( which may have been previously filtered by a low pass filter to eliminate noise introduced in the sampling ), represented on line 190 . the output of summation block 196 on line 198 is provided to band pass filter 200 . band pass filter 200 has a first set of coefficients to isolate the body vertical motion content of the signal on line 198 , i . e ., in the one hertz range . band pass filter 200 also has a second set of coefficients to isolate the wheel vertical motion content of the signal on line 198 , i . e ., in the 15 to 20 hz range , this range may vary from vehicle to vehicle . the results of the band pass filter 200 are the comer body and wheel content signals on lines 126 and 130 respectively . the band pass filter coefficients may vary for front and rear suspensions as different types of suspensions and the effects of varying front and rear loads may require separate free tuning of the filter 200 . referring again to fig5 the signals on lines 114 , 118 , 122 , 126 and 130 are provided to the suspension control algorithm block 132 , which may be responsive to other input signals . block 132 implements a control algorithm to determine actuator commands for the suspension actuator in response to the signals and outputs those commands on bus 134 . an example suitable control is set forth in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 570 , 288 , which describes body and wheel command components . the body components are determined by body modal velocity signals such as provided on lines 114 , 118 and 122 . the wheel command components may be omitted according to this example and the signal on line 126 may be used for quadrant checking to ensure that the control commands are implemented according to known sky - hook control functions as exemplified in the u . s . pat . no . 5 , 570 , 288 . the signals on lines 126 and 130 carrying the comer body and wheel contents of the wheel speed signals are also provided to the dynamic normal force determination block 138 . more particularly , referring now also to fig9 the dynamic normal force determination block 138 receives the body and wheel signals on lines 126 and 130 , provides them to the estimation filters 208 and 210 , tuned to the wheel and body frequencies respectively , to provide estimations on lines 212 and 214 of the wheel and body accelerations for each comer of the vehicle . kalman filters implementing models of the suspension system may be implemented to estimate comer acceleration from the signals on lines 126 and 130 . these filters may be similar to that exemplified in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 454 , 630 , assigned to the assignee of this invention . the estimated body comer and wheel vertical accelerations on lines 212 and 214 are then provided to block 216 . block 216 utilizes the known masses of the vehicle body and wheels to compute a dynamic normal force between each tire and the road responsive to the body comer and wheel vertical accelerations . the resultant normal force estimates between each wheel and the road are then used to control the braking system in a manner such as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 454 , 630 , or as described in pending u . s . patent application , ser . no . 08 / 547 , 084 . because the details of such control are fully set forth in said patent and pending application and are not central to this invention , they are not repeated herein . referring now to fig1 , an example control routine implemented by a suspension controller to control the variable force suspension actuators starts and moves to blocks 300 and 302 where it inputs the speed sensor information and determines the wheel rotational velocities responsive to the wheel rotational velocity sensors . alternatively , this step may be performed by the vehicle brake system controller and the results provided to the suspension controller through a data bus . at block 304 the routine determines the body heave , pitch and roll velocities using the relative phase shifts to achieve phase alignment of the body vertical motion components of the speed signals as described above with reference to fig5 - 7 . then block 306 determines the body and wheel comer content signals described above with reference to fig5 and 9 . at block 308 , the routine outputs the body and wheel comer signals to the brake controller and then , at block 310 , the routine runs the suspension controller algorithm such as referred to above with respect to u . s . pat . no . 5 , 570 , 288 or such as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 062 , 658 , the disclosures of which are both incorporated herein by reference . it will readily apparent to those skilled in the art that there are a variety of suspension control routines in the public domain and available to those skilled in the art that make use of body modal velocity signals and any such control routines may be implemented at block 310 to be used with this invention . at block 312 , the suspension control commands are output to the actuator 21 ( fig4 ) and the command routine is ended , to be repeated with every control loop of the suspension controller . referring now to fig1 , an example control implemented by the brake controller is starts at block 320 where it receives the wheel rotational velocity signals and computes the rotational velocities responsive thereto . at block 322 , the routine receives the body and wheel comer content signals from the suspension controller . at block 324 , the routine computes the dynamic normal force as described above with reference to fig9 in response to the body and wheel content comer signals and then at block 326 , the routine determines the brake control commands responsive to both the dynamic normal force and the wheel rotational velocities in the manner set forth , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 454 , 630 . the resultant brake control commands are then output at block 328 to control the brake actuators to effect the desired braking response . as described above , the filtering in the body modal velocity estimation is implemented after the relative phase shift and transform are completed . in another example , the filters to isolate the body vertical motion content of the wheel speed signals can be done prior to the relative phase shifting and transform . in this example , the filtering may be combined with the phase shift function by implementing a filter , for example , that implements the band pass function and imparts a desired lag . such falters are well known to those skilled in the art . it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the brake control algorithm referred to herein is an example brake control algorithm and that any other suitable brake control algorithm responsive to the comer body and wheel vertical motion content signals may be used instead . it will also be understood that the brake system and suspension system hardware illustrated are examples and any controllable brake and suspension system hardware may be used with this invention . | 1 |
first , having regard to the figures , typical cell structures for a bobbin cell 10 and coin or button cell 40 are shown . for ease of discussion , similar cell components are shown having identical reference numerals . each cell includes a container or can 12 , which may be nickel plated steel or any other convenient can of the sort generally used for the manufacture of primary or secondary cells . within the can 12 there is an anode 14 , a separator 16 , and a cathode 18 . typically , the separator may be a single layer of a cellulosic , non - woven material or it may be a dual layer having a separate fibre reinforcement and an ion permeable layer . in the bobbin cell , there is extending downwardly into the anode 14 is a nail or current collector 20 , which pierces and extends through the cell closure 22 , by which the cell is sealed as by crimping such as at 24 . typically , the nail or current collector is made of brass or bronze . each cell has a negative cap 26 associated with and in the electrical conductivity with anode 14 , either directly or , in the case of the bobbin cell 10 , through the nail or current collector 20 . in a usual embodiment of a bobbin cell such as that shown in fig1 the positive terminal is formed such as by a pip 28 formed in the can 12 ; an insulative washer or cup 30 is placed below the anode 14 ; and in the embodiment shown , the separator 16 extends down into the insulative cup 30 , which protects the anode from coming into contact with the can 12 . it will also be noted in the embodiment of fig1 that the separator 16 extends up to contact and interfere with the bottom surface of the closure member 22 . a relief membrane 32 is shown moulded into the closure member 22 , and it is intended to burst at a pre - determined pressure in the event of a significant build up of internal gas pressure within the cell . the coin or button cell 40 uses the can 12 as its positive terminal ; and it is crimped over the grommet 34 so as to insulate the positive and negative terminals of the cell from each other . what the present invention provides , therefore , is a rechargeable electrochemical cell having a container 12 , an anode 14 , a separator 16 , and a manganese dioxide cathode 18 . there is an ion conductive electrolyte present within the cell , providing the ion transfer medium for current to flow between the cathode and the anode , and a closure member 22 or grommet 34 which is also a closure member . as noted , all of the internal components are sealed within the container . as discussed , the usual embodiments of the present invention contemplate the use of aqueous alkaline electrolyte . however , non - aqueous , non - alkaline electrolytes may be used in some circumstances , but within the ambit of and otherwise in keeping with the teachings of the present invention -- for example , lithium cells . in keeping with one provision of the present invention , the cathode of a bobbin cell is restricted from significantly changing its dimensions during discharge by interference at its outer periphery and its bottom with the internal surfaces of the container 12 , at its inner periphery by interference with the separator 16 , and at its top by interference with the underside of the closure member 22 . the cathode of a coin or button cell is likewise restricted by the container 12 and separator 16 . usually , as noted , the anode may be zinc ; but it may in certain circumstances be chosen from any one of the group consisting of zinc , hydrogen , iron , cadmium , mercury , lead , bismuth , and lithium . in general , bobbin cells according to the present invention are cylindrical , having the cathode in the form of an annulus or a series of rings or pellets , and a cylindrical anode axially placed within the cathode . coin or button cells have both the cathode and anode in the form of a disc or wafer . it is usual , and will be shown in examples below , that the cathode may have certain additives admixed to its formulation . in general , from about 4 % to about 8 % by weight of the cathode is the alkaline electrolyte -- generally 6 n koh to 12 n koh . still further , in general the cathode will contain a small amount of graphite -- usually in the amount of from about 5 % to about 15 % by weight of the cathode -- to increase the electrical conductivity characteristics thereof . moreover , the cathode may contain a small quantity of conductive carbon such as carbon black or other equivalent conductive carbon materials , generally in the range of from about 0 . 1 % to about 10 % or as much as 15 % by weight of the cathode . as noted above , a further formulation of the cathode according to the present invention will provide for the addition of a small quantity of fibres to the cathode . in general , those fibres are conductive , and they may be chosen from the group consisting of carbon fibres , graphite fibres , carbon fibres plated with nickel , carbon fibres plated with silver , graphite fibres plated with nickel , graphite fibres plated with silver , copper fibres plated with nickel , and copper fibres plated with silver . the fibres ( which are milled carbon fibres and / or chopped carbon fibres ) will generally have a length of from about 100 microns up to about 5 centimeters ; and a typical fibre is carboflex tm provided by ashland carbon fibres of ashland , ky . the fibres , especially conductive fibres , may typically be present in the cathode in the amount of from about 0 . 1 % to about 5 . 0 % by weight thereof . in - keeping with the present invention , several processes for the addition of fibres to the mno 2 cathode formulation are considered . in one instance , chemical grade mno 2 ( cmd ) may be precipitated in a carbon fibre slurry . in another instance , electrochemical grade mno 2 ( emd ) may be prepared in an acidic electrolyte e . g . h 2 so 4 . mnso 4 where carbon fibres are suspended in the acidic electrolyte . as noted above , yet a further embodiment of the present invention is for an unconstrained cathode having as an admixture thereto a small quantity of metal - based additive chosen from the group consisting of zinc , zinc oxide , and zinc stearate . generally , that metal - based additive may be present in the amount of from about 1 . 0 % to about 5 . 0 % by weight of the cathode . it is postulated that the presence of the metal - based additive within the cathode does , itself , create a specific charge or potential gradient within the cathode . this tends to repel the likelihood of zincate migration , and , this in turn tends to inhibit the unwanted development of hetaerolite within the cathode . thus , the unexpected consequence of the addition of the metal - based additive to the cathode is that , rather than effectively &# 34 ; poisoning &# 34 ; the cathode , the metal - based additive acts to repel the migration of the polluting elements that would poison the cathode . the present invention also provides a method of preparing a cathode mix for use in a rechargeable alkaline electrochemical cell , where the cell is substantially as described above . as noted , the cell will comprise internal components which include a cathode , an anode , a separator , and an alkaline electrolyte ; and those internal components are sealed within the container by a closure member . further , as noted , the cathode mix will generally comprise manganese dioxide , together with from about 4 % to about 8 % by weight thereof of the alkaline electrolyte -- usually 6 n to 12 n koh ; and optionally from about 5 % to about 15 % by weight thereof of graphite ; and optionally from about 0 . 1 % to about 10 . 0 % by weight thereof of conductive carbon ; and optionally from about 0 . 1 % to about 5 . 0 % by weight thereof of conductive fibres which may be chosen from the group consisting of carbon fibres , graphite fibres , carbon fibres plated with nickel or silver , graphite fibres plated with nickel or silver , or copper fibres plated with nickel or silver ; and optionally from about 1 . 0 % to about 5 . 0 % by weight of the cathode of a metal - based additive which may be chosen from the group consisting of zinc , zinc oxide , and zinc stearate . ( a ) mixing the manganese dioxide and any of the optional admix components to form a uniform dry mix ; ( b ) adding the amount of alkaline electrolyte to be used in the cathode composition to the uniform dry mix , and continuing to blend the mix ; ( c ) screening the mix to remove agglomerates therefrom , and continuing to blend and screen until a uniform moist blended mix is achieved ; ( h ) placing the pellets in the appropriate cell containers for use as cathodes in the cells to be manufactured . typically , step ( g ) of forming the cathode pellets or annular sleeves is carried out at pressures ranging from about 1 , 000 newtons per square cintimeter ( n / cm2 ) to about 20 , 000 newtons per square centimeter ( n / cm2 ). the method of the present invention may optionally be followed by a further step of recompacting the cathode pellet ( s ), after it ( they ) has ( have ) been placed in the cell container . the recompaction is generally carried out at the same pressure or within the same pressure range noted above . one or several pellets may be used in a cathode for a bobbin cell ; fig1 suggests that three pellets may be used in the cell that is illustrated . what now follows are a number of examples of various cells manufactured in keeping with the present invention , whereby various formulations of unconstrained cathodes have been provided and tested , with the results being given in each instance . in this case , a cathode was provided having a small additional amount of graphite fibres and a small additional amount of zinc stearate included in the cathode formulation . a standard anode was provided , and cells were tested , as noted : test results showed that the cells according to the above formulations averaged 375 cycles at a discharge of 420 mah / day . they were discharged into 24 ohms , and showed a 14 % depth of discharge of the cathode , with a 60 % depth of discharge of the anode . the cells ultimately had anode failure . here , cells having the standard anode composition noted above were built , and the additives in the cathode included graphite fibre and metallic zinc . the cathode formulation was as follows : the cells were tested as above in example 1 , cycling at 420 mah per day into 24 ohms . once again , the cells were discharged to about 14 % depth of discharge of the cathode , and about 60 % depth of discharge of the anode ; they averaged 375 cycles ; and once again the cells failed in an anode failure . in this case , tests were made to determine the effect of the addition of zno to the cathode formulation , and a slightly different anode composition was used , all as follows : ______________________________________ test control______________________________________mno . sub . 2 80 . 03 % 83 . 03 % graphite 9 . 00 % 9 . 00 % graphite fibre 1 . 00 % 1 . 00 % carbon 0 . 47 % 0 . 47 % electrolyte 6 . 50 % [ 9n koh ] 6 . 50 % [ 9n koh ] zno 3 . 00 % 0______________________________________ it will be noted that the control cells had no zno added to the cathode formulation ; and that the test cells had 3 . 00 % zno added to the formulation with that much less mno 2 content . the cells were cycled at 500 mah per day into 10 ohms , and showed a 19 % depth of discharge of the cathode and a 67 % depth of discharge of the anode . all cells failed in anode failure ; however , the control cells without the zno additive only had a cycle life of 35 cycles , whereas the test cells had a cycle life of 75 cycles . in this case , an anode composition as noted in example 3 was used , and the cathode had no fibre or other additives but was constructed in a manner so as to substantially fill all of the space allotted to it within the container , with substantially no void space above the cathode beneath the cell closure . here , the cells were cycled at 420 mah per day into 24 ohms , and were calculated to have a 45 % depth of discharge of the cathode , and a 50 % depth of discharge of the anode . the cells were cycled for 400 cycles , and there was an apparent imminent cathode failure when the tests were terminated . this series of tests was carried out to determine the relative amounts of in - cell gassing of cells made according to the present invention compared with cells having copper cages , either uncoated or coated with graphite . in this series of tests , the cathode formulation was identical to that of example 4 , noted above , and the anode composition was as follows : two sets of control cells were made , one having copper cages , the other having the same copper cages coated with graphite . the test cells were in keeping with the present invention , and had unconstrained cathodes -- i . e ., no cages . the cell were subjected to 75 deep discharge cycles ( or as noted ), being discharged in each instance to 0 . 9 v into 3 . 9 ohms . the cage cells exhibited identical electrical performance , and the gassing performance of all cells was observed . the following were the performances noted of the caged and the test cells with unconstrained cathodes in keeping with this invention : ______________________________________ control ( cage ) cells test cells______________________________________initial capacity [ ah ] 6 . 0 6 . 0cycle 10 [ ah ] 3 . 3 3 . 3cycle 20 [ ah ] 3 . 0 3 . 0cycle 30 [ ah ] 1 . 0 * 2 . 7failure mode short n / a______________________________________ * two of three cells shorted at this time . the in - cell gassing was observed , and was noted to be the lowest in the test cells in keeping with this invention ; with the cage cells having coated cages being higher , and the cage cells having uncoated cages showing the highest gassing activity . the present invention has been described above and shown in a variety of examples . it has been noted that in its widest concept , the present invention provides an unconstrained mno2 cathode for use in rechargeable cells , and finds its widest application in rechargeable cells having aqueous alkaline electrolytes . the invention is applicable to bobbin cells and to coin or button cells ; and in optional forms the cathode of the present invention may have admixed to its formulation such items as fibres ( usually conductive fibres ), graphite , conductive carbon , and a metal - based additive such as zinc , zinc oxide or zinc stearate . the scope of the present invention is determined by the accompanying claims . | 7 |
the present invention may be embodied as a texture material composition adapted to be combined with an aerosol and dispensed using an aerosol dispensing system . in the following discussion , example generic texture material compositions formulated in accordance with the principles of the present invention will first be described . after the description of the example generic texture material composition , two specific example texture material compositions formulated in accordance with the principles of the present invention will be described . next , several example aerosol assemblies for dispensing the example texture material compositions will be described with reference to fig1 and 2 . finally , examples of stored material obtained by combining , in an aerosol dispensing assembly , texture material concentrate obtained using the example formulations described herein with propellant material will be described . in this section , example generic formulations of texture material compositions of the present invention will be provided . each of these formulations yields a texture material concentrate that is combined with a propellant and possibly other materials in an aerosol assembly as will be described in further detail below . the following table ia - 1 contains a first example generic formulation of a texture material composition of the present invention . in the following table ia - 1 , components of the first example generic formulation are listed in the first column , and first and second ranges of these components are listed by percentage weight of the total weight of the composition in the second and third columns . in the forgoing table ia - 1 , the medium evaporating solvent evaporates at a slower rate than the fast evaporating solvent and at a higher rate than the slow evaporating solvent . the following table ia - 2 lists , for each of the components of table ia - 1 , an example material or example materials that may be used to perform those functions . the following table ib - 1 contains a first example generic formulation of a texture material composition of the present invention . in the following table ib - 1 , components of the first example generic formulation are listed in the first column , and first and second ranges of these components are listed by percentage weight of the total weight of the composition in the second and third columns . the following table ib - 2 lists , for each of the components of table ib - 1 , an example material or example materials that may be used to perform those functions . the attached exhibit a contains tables a - 1 and a - 2 containing examples of a texture material composition adapted to be combined with an aerosol and dispensed using an aerosol dispensing system in accordance with the principles of the present invention . each value or range of values in tables a - 1 and a - 2 represents the percentage of the overall weight of the example texture material composition formed by each material of the texture material composition for a specific example , a first example range , and a second example range . one example of a method of combining the materials set forth in tables a - 1 and a - 2 is as follows . materials a , b , c , and d are combined to form a first sub - composition . the first sub - composition is mixed until material d is dissolved ( e . g ., 30 - 40 minutes ). materials e and f are then added to the first sub - composition to form a second sub - composition . the second sub - composition is mixed until materials e and f are well - dispersed ( e . g ., at high speed for 15 - 20 minutes ). material g is then added to the second sub - composition to form a third sub - composition . the third sub - composition is mixed well ( e . g ., 10 minutes ). typically , the speed at which the third sub - composition is mixed is reduced relative to the speed at which the second sub - composition is mixed . next , materials h , i , and j are added to the third sub - composition to form the example texture material composition of the present invention . the example texture material composition is agitated . material k may be added as necessary to adjust ( e . g ., reduce ) the viscosity of the example texture material composition . the attached exhibit b contains a table b containing examples of a texture material composition adapted to be combined with an aerosol and dispensed using an aerosol dispensing system in accordance with the principles of the present invention . each value or range of values in table b represents the percentage of the overall weight of the example texture material composition formed by each material of the texture material composition for a specific example , a first example range , and a second example range . one example of a method of combining the materials set forth in table b is as follows . materials a , b , c , and d are combined to form a first sub - composition . the first sub - composition is mixed until material d is dissolved ( e . g ., 30 - 40 minutes ). materials e and f are then added to the first sub - composition to form a second sub - composition . the second sub - composition is mixed until materials e and f are well - dispersed ( e . g ., at high speed for 15 - 20 minutes ). material g is then added to the second sub - composition to form a third sub - composition . the third sub - composition is mixed well ( e . g ., 10 minutes ). typically , the speed at which the third sub - composition is mixed is reduced relative to the speed at which the second sub - composition is mixed . next , materials h , i , and j are added to the third sub - composition to form the example texture material composition of the present invention . the example texture material composition is agitated . material k may be added as necessary to adjust ( e . g ., reduce ) the viscosity of the example texture material composition . the example texture material composition of the present invention may be combined with an aerosol propellant in an aerosol dispensing system to facilitate application of the example texture material composition to a surface to be textured . alternatively , the example texture material composition may be entrained in a stream of pressurized fluid such as air and deposited on a surface to be textured . example methods for applying the example texture material thus include an aerosol dispensing system , hand - operated spray pump , hopper spray gun , or the like . in this section , several example aerosol assemblies for dispensing texture material compositions of the present invention will be described . in addition to the example aerosol assemblies described herein , the texture material compositions of the present invention may be dispensed using aerosol assemblies such as those depicted and described in u . s . pat . nos . 7 , 278 , 590 and 7 , 500 , 621 and u . s . patent application publication nos . us / 2013 / 0026252 and us / 2013 / 0026253 . referring now to fig1 of the drawing , depicted at 20 a therein is a first example aerosol dispensing system constructed in accordance with , and embodying , the principles of the present invention . the first example dispensing system is adapted to spray droplets of dispensed material 22 a onto a target surface 24 a . the example target surface 24 a has a textured portion 26 a and an un - textured portion 28 a . accordingly , in the example use of the dispensing system 20 a depicted in fig1 , the dispensed material 22 a is or contains texture material , and the dispensing system 20 a is being used to form a coating on the un - textured portion 28 a having a desired texture pattern that substantially matches a pre - existing texture pattern of the textured portion 26 a . fig1 further illustrates that the example dispensing system 20 a comprises a container 30 a defining a chamber 32 a in which stored material 34 a and pressurized material 36 a are contained . the stored material 34 a is a mixture of texture material and propellant material in liquid phase , while the pressurized material is propellant material in gas phase . fig1 further illustrates that the first example aerosol dispensing system 20 a comprises a conduit 40 a defining a conduit passageway 42 a . the conduit 40 a is supported by the container 30 a such that the conduit passageway 42 a defines a conduit inlet 44 a arranged within the chamber 32 a and a conduit outlet 46 a arranged outside of the chamber 32 a . the conduit outlet 46 a may alternatively be referred to herein as an outlet opening 46 a . the example conduit 40 a is formed by an inlet tube 50 a , a valve housing 52 a , and an actuator structure 54 a . the conduit passageway 42 a extends through the inlet tube 50 a , the valve housing 52 a , and the actuator structure 54 a such that the valve housing 52 a is arranged between the conduit inlet 44 a and the actuator structure 54 a and the actuator structure 54 a is arranged between the valve housing 52 a and the conduit outlet 46 a . arranged within the valve housing 52 a is a valve system 60 a . a first flow adjustment system 70 a having a first adjustment member 72 a is arranged to interface with the valve system 60 a . a second flow adjustment system 80 a having a second adjustment member 82 a is arranged in the conduit passageway 42 a to form at least a portion of the conduit outlet 46 a . the valve system 60 a operates in a closed configuration , a fully open configuration , and at least one of a continuum or plurality of partially open intermediate configurations . in the closed configuration , the valve system 60 a substantially prevents flow of fluid along the conduit passageway 42 a . in the open configuration and the at least one intermediate configuration , the valve system 60 a allows flow of fluid along the conduit passageway 42 a . the valve system 60 a is normally in the closed configuration . the valve system 60 a engages the actuator member structure 54 a and is placed into the open configuration by applying deliberate manual force on the actuator structure 54 a towards the container 30 a . the first flow adjustment system 70 a is supported by the container 30 a to engage the actuator structure such that manual operation of the first adjustment member 72 a affects operation of the valve system 60 a to control the flow of fluid material along the conduit passageway 42 a . in particular , the first adjustment system 70 a and the valve system 60 a function as a flow restrictor , where operation of the first adjustment member 72 a results in a variation in the size of the conduit passageway 42 a within the valve system 60 a such that a pressure of the fluid material upstream of the first flow adjustment system 70 a is relatively higher than the pressure of the fluid material downstream of the first flow adjustment system 70 a . in general , a primary purpose of the first flow adjustment system 70 a is to alter a distance of travel of the dispensed material 22 a . the first flow adjustment system 70 a may also have a secondary effect on the pattern in which the dispensed material 22 a is sprayed . the second adjustment system 80 a is supported by the actuator structure 54 a downstream of the first adjustment system 70 a . manual operation of the second adjustment member 82 a affects the flow of fluid material flowing out of the conduit passageway 42 a through the conduit outlet 46 a . in particular , the second adjustment system 80 a functions as a variable orifice , where operation of the second adjustment member 82 a variably reduces the size of the conduit outlet 46 a relative to the size of the conduit passageway 42 a upstream of the second adjustment system 80 a . a primary purpose of the second flow adjustment system 80 a is to alter a pattern in which the dispensed material 22 a is sprayed . the first flow adjustment system 70 a may also have a secondary effect on the distance of travel of the dispensed material 22 a . to operate the first example aerosol dispensing system 20 , the container 30 a is grasped such that the finger can depress the actuator structure 54 a . the conduit outlet or outlet opening 46 a is initially aimed at a test surface and the actuator structure 54 a is depressed to place the valve system 60 a in the open configuration such that the pressurized material 36 a forces some of the stored material 34 a out of the container 30 a and onto the test surface to form a test texture pattern . the test texture pattern is compared to the pre - existing texture pattern defined by the textured portion 26 a of the target surface 24 a . if the test texture pattern does not match the pre - existing texture pattern , one or both of the first and second adjustment systems 70 a and 80 a are adjusted to alter the spray pattern of the droplets of dispensed material 22 a . the process of spraying a test pattern and comparing it to the pre - existing pattern and adjusting the first and second adjustment members 72 a and 82 a is repeated until the dispensed material forms a desired texture pattern that substantially matches the pre - existing texture pattern . leaving the first and second adjustment systems 70 a and 80 a as they were when the test texture pattern matched the pre - existing texture pattern , the aerosol dispensing system 20 a is then arranged such that the conduit outlet or outlet opening 46 a is aimed at the un - textured portion 28 a of the target surface 24 a . the actuator structure 54 a is again depressed to operate the valve system 60 a such that the pressurized material 36 a forces the stored material 34 a out of the container 30 a and onto the un - textured portion 28 a of the target surface to form the desired texture pattern . referring now to fig2 of the drawing , depicted at 20 b therein is a fifth example aerosol dispensing system constructed in accordance with , and embodying , the principles of the present invention . the fifth example dispensing system is adapted to spray droplets of dispensed material 22 b onto a target surface 24 b . the example target surface 24 b has a textured portion 26 b and an un - textured portion 28 b . accordingly , in the example use of the dispensing system 20 b depicted in fig2 , the dispensed material 22 b is or contains texture material , and the dispensing system 20 b is being used to form a coating on the un - textured portion 28 b having a desired texture pattern that substantially matches a pre - existing texture pattern of the textured portion 26 b . the example dispensing system 20 b comprises a container 30 b defining a chamber 32 b in which stored material 34 b and pressurized material 36 b are contained . the stored material 34 b is a mixture of texture material , propellant material in liquid phase , and propellant material in liquid phase . fig2 further illustrates that the first example aerosol dispensing system 20 b comprises a conduit 40 b defining a conduit passageway 42 b . the conduit 40 b is supported by the container 30 b such that the conduit passageway 42 b defines a conduit inlet 44 b arranged within the chamber 32 b and a conduit outlet 46 b arranged outside of the chamber 32 b . the conduit outlet 46 b may alternatively be referred to herein as an outlet opening 46 b . the example conduit 40 b is formed by an inlet tube 50 b , a valve housing 52 b , and an actuator structure 54 b . the conduit passageway 42 b extends through the inlet tube 50 b , the valve housing 52 b , and the actuator structure 54 b such that the valve housing 52 b is arranged between the conduit inlet 44 b and the actuator structure 54 b and the actuator structure 54 b is arranged between the valve housing 52 b and the conduit outlet 46 b . arranged within the valve housing 52 b is a valve system 60 b . a first flow adjustment system 70 b having a first adjustment member 72 b is arranged to interface with the valve system 60 b . a second flow adjustment system 80 b having a second adjustment member 82 b is arranged in the conduit passageway 42 b to form at least a portion of the conduit outlet 46 b . the valve system 60 b operates in a closed configuration , a fully open configuration , and at least one of a continuum or plurality of partially open intermediate configurations . in the closed configuration , the valve system 60 b substantially prevents flow of fluid along the conduit passageway 42 b . in the open configuration and the at least one intermediate configuration , the valve system 60 b allows flow of fluid along the conduit passageway 42 b . the valve system 60 b is normally in the closed configuration . the valve system 60 b engages the actuator member structure 54 b and is placed into the open configuration by applying deliberate manual force on the actuator structure 54 b towards the container 30 b . the first flow adjustment system 70 b is supported by the container 30 b to engage the actuator structure such that manual operation of the first adjustment member 72 b controls the flow of fluid material along the conduit passageway 42 b . in particular , the first adjustment system 70 b functions as a flow restrictor , where operation of the first adjustment member 72 b results in a variation in the size of a portion of the conduit passageway 42 b such that a pressure of the fluid material upstream of the first flow adjustment system 70 b is relatively higher than the pressure of the fluid material downstream of the first flow adjustment system 70 b . in general , a primary purpose of the first flow adjustment system 70 b is to alter a distance of travel of the dispensed material 22 b . the first flow adjustment system 70 b may also have a secondary effect on the pattern in which the dispensed material 22 b is sprayed . the second adjustment system 80 b is supported by the actuator structure 54 b downstream of the first adjustment system 70 b . manual operation of the second adjustment member 82 b affects the flow of fluid material flowing out of the conduit passageway 42 b through the conduit outlet 46 b . in particular , the second adjustment system 80 b functions as a variable orifice , where operation of the second adjustment member 72 b variably reduces the size of the conduit outlet 46 b relative to the size of the conduit passageway 42 b upstream of the second adjustment system 80 b . a primary purpose of the second flow adjustment system 80 b is to alter a pattern in which the dispensed material 22 b is sprayed . the first flow adjustment system 70 b may also have a secondary effect on the distance of travel of the dispensed material 22 b . to operate the fifth example aerosol dispensing system 20 b ( of the second example class of dispensing systems ), the container 30 b is grasped such that the finger can depress the actuator structure 54 b . the conduit outlet or outlet opening 46 b is initially aimed at a test surface and the actuator structure 54 b is depressed to place the valve system 60 b in the open configuration such that the pressurized material 36 b forces some of the stored material 34 b out of the container 30 b and onto the test surface to form a test texture pattern . the test texture pattern is compared to the pre - existing texture pattern defined by the textured portion 26 b of the target surface 24 b . if the test texture pattern does not match the pre - existing texture pattern , one or both of the first and second adjustment systems 70 b and 80 b are adjusted to alter the spray pattern of the droplets of dispensed material 22 b . the process of spraying a test pattern and comparing it to the pre - existing pattern and adjusting the first and second adjustment members 72 b and 82 b is repeated until the dispensed material forms a desired texture pattern that substantially matches the pre - existing texture pattern . leaving the first and second adjustment systems 70 b and 80 b as they were when the test texture pattern matched the pre - existing texture pattern , the aerosol dispensing system 20 b is then arranged such that the conduit outlet or outlet opening 46 b is aimed at the un - textured portion 28 b of the target surface 24 b . the actuator structure 54 b is again depressed to operate the valve system 60 b such that the pressurized material 36 b forces the stored material 34 b out of the container 30 b and onto the un - textured portion 28 b of the target surface to form the desired texture pattern . as generally described above , a texture material concentrate is combined with a propellant to form stored material that is arranged within an aerosol assembly . in this section , several examples of such stored material formulations will be described . the following table iv - 1 contains a first example stored material in which the concentrate portion is formed by the first example generic formulation described above in table ia - 1 . in this table iv - 1 , the generic material is listed in column 1 , the function of each generic material is listed in column 2 , and first and second ranges of the generic materials as a percentage of the total stored material are listed in columns 3 and 4 . the propellant material is any hydrocarbon propellant material compatible with the remaining components of the stored material . the hydrocarbon propellant in table iv - 1 is typically one or more liquidized gases either organic ( such as dimethyl ether , alkanes that contain carbons less than 6 , either straight chain or branched structure , or any organic compounds that are gaseous in normal temperature ), or inorganic ( such as carbon dioxide , nitrogen gas , or compressed air ). the propellants used in current formulations are dimethyl ether ( dme ) and a - 70 . the following table iv - 2 contains a second example stored material in which the concentrate portion is formed by the second example generic formulation described above in table ia - 2 . in this table iv - 2 , the generic material is listed in column 1 , the function of each generic material is listed in column 2 , and first and second ranges of the generic materials as a percentage of the total stored material are listed in columns 3 and 4 . the propellant material is any hydrocarbon propellant material compatible with the remaining components of the stored material . the hydrocarbon propellant in table iv - 2 is typically one or more liquidized gases either organic ( such as dimethyl ether , alkanes that contain carbons less than 6 , either straight chain or branched structure , or any organic compounds that are gaseous in normal temperature ), or inorganic ( such as carbon dioxide , nitrogen gas , or compressed air ). the propellants used in current formulations are dimethyl ether ( dme ) and a - 70 . the following table iv - 3 contains a third example stored material in which the concentrate portion is formed by the first example specific formulation of tables a of exhibit a . in this table iv - 3 , the generic material is listed in column 1 , the function of each generic material is listed in column 2 , and an example and first and second ranges of the generic materials as a percentage of the total stored material are listed in columns 3 , 4 , and 5 , respectively . the propellant material is any hydrocarbon propellant material compatible with the remaining components of the stored material . the hydrocarbon propellant in table iv - 3 is typically one or more liquidized gases either organic ( such as dimethyl ether , alkanes that contain carbons less than 6 , either straight chain or branched structure , or any organic compounds that are gaseous in normal temperature ), or inorganic ( such as carbon dioxide , nitrogen gas , or compressed air ). the propellants used in current formulations are dimethyl ether ( dme ) and a - 70 . the following table iv - 4 contains a fourth example stored material in which the concentrate portion is formed by the first example specific formulation of table b of exhibit b . in this table iv - 4 , the generic material is listed in column 1 , the function of each generic material is listed in column 2 , and an example and first and second ranges of the generic materials as a percentage of the total stored material are listed in columns 3 , 4 , and 5 , respectively . the propellant material is any hydrocarbon propellant material compatible with the remaining components of the stored material . the hydrocarbon propellant in table iv - 4 is typically one or more liquidized gases either organic ( such as dimethyl ether , alkanes that contain carbons less than 6 , either straight chain or branched structure , or any organic compounds that are gaseous in normal temperature ), or inorganic ( such as carbon dioxide , nitrogen gas , or compressed air ). the propellants used in current formulations are dimethyl ether ( dme ) and a - 70 . | 2 |
turning now to fig5 an uncontrolled ferroresonant transformer ballast is generally designated by the reference number 100 . the ferroresonant transformer ballast 100 includes an e - shaped piece 102 and an i - shaped piece 104 . an input coil 106 , capacitor coil 108 and lamp coil 110 are spaced from each other and wound around a center leg 112 of the e - shaped piece 102 . a leakage inductance magnetic shunt 114 is positioned around the center leg 112 at a longitudinal location between the input coil 106 and the capacitor coil 108 . the leakage inductance shunt 114 cooperates with an opposing surface of the e - shaped piece 102 to define a first shunt air gap 116 . a lamp choke magnetic shunt 118 is positioned around the center leg 112 at a longitudinal location between the capacitor coil 108 and the lamp coil 110 . the lamp choke shunt 118 cooperates with an opposing surface of the e - shaped piece 102 to define a second shunt air gap 119 . an output capacitor ( not shown ) is to be coupled across the terminals of the capacitor coil 108 , and a lamp ( not shown ) is to be coupled across the terminals of the lamp coil 110 . consequently , the lamp coil 110 ( as distinct from the capacitor coil 108 ) serves to isolate the lamp from the output capacitor . further , the lamp choke shunt 118 serves as a choke in series with the lamp . unlike the prior ferroresonant transformer shown by the equivalent electrical circuit in fig4 the lamp current as used with the ferroresonant transformer ballast 100 of fig5 has a lower crest factor due to the leakage inductance contributed by the lamp choke shunt 118 . the lower crest factor permits the use of any type of lamination for the ferroresonant transformer ballast core from a low grade strip steel ( see fig6 ) to a high grade &# 34 ; ei &# 34 ; lamination as shown in fig5 . with reference to fig6 a ferroresonant transformer ballast 120 has like reference numbers for like parts with the ferroresonant transformer ballast 100 of fig5 . the ferroresonant transformer ballast 120 differs from the ferroresonant transformer ballast 100 of fig5 in that the ballast 120 has a core 122 fabricated from strip steel as opposed to the e and i -- shaped pieces 102 , 104 used for the ferroresonant transformer ballast 100 of fig5 . the ferroresonant transformer ballast 120 further includes an input coil 106 , capacitor coil 108 , lamp coil 110 , leakage inductance magnetic shunt 121 and lamp choke magnetic shunt 123 . fig7 is the equivalent electrical circuit of the integrated ferroresonant transformer ballasts shown in fig5 and 6 , where coils 124 represent the input coil , an inductance 126 having reactance x s represents the leakage reactance , an inductance 128 having reactance x m represents the saturable magnetizing reactance of the core , coils 130 represent the capacitor coil , a capacitor 132 having capacitive reactance x c and voltage v c is the output or resonant capacitor , inductance 134 having reactance x lamp represents the inductance of the lamp choke shunt , coils 136 represent the lamp coil , and lamp 138 is the discharge lamp load . the lamp open circuit voltage is set by the lamp coil turn ratio and the system resonance gain which must be high enough for the lamp to strike . after the lamp ignites , its initial voltage will drop to approximately 10 % of its steady state value . this low voltage will cause the lamp to draw more current which is limited by the leakage reactance of the lamp shunts . the lamp current i lamp can be calculated as follows : by the proper choice of x lamp , the lamp current i lamp will be limited to a predetermined maximum value . this initial increase in current is desirable for warming up the lamp faster which in turn prolongs the operating life of the lamp 138 . as the lamp temperature and voltage reach steady state values , the lamp current will reduce to its rated value as determined by equation ( 1 ). the ferroresonant transformer ballast will regulate the lamp output by keeping the output capacitor voltage v c level constant in the same manner as does a constant voltage ferroresonant transformer . since all of the right - hand side terms of equation ( 1 ) are constant , it follows that the lamp current i lamp will also be constant . there are several advantages associated with ferroresonant transformer ballasts . first , the lamp high voltage is independent of the output capacitor voltage which makes it possible to use standard 660 volt capacitors for any lamp voltage which may vary from 300 volts rms for low power lamps to over 2000 volts rms for higher power lamps . the lamp shunts limit the lamp current to a predetermined maximum value and reduce the crest factor of the lamp current . third , a low voltage isolated sensor winding added to the lamp coil allows a simple and safe method to monitor its voltage . fourth , any type of lamination from low grade strip steel to high grade &# 34 ; ei &# 34 ; laminations may be employed . the ferroresonant transformer ballasts of fig5 - 7 can be improved by providing a current feedback closed loop ferroresonant transformer which provides the user with full control over the lamp output . a controlled ferroresonant transformer varies the resonance gain without saturating the core by switching an external linear inductor in parallel with the output or resonant capacitor in order to simulate core saturation with respect to output voltage regulation . a control circuit detects both the lamp current and voltage , and varies the duty cycle of an ac power switch to generate an appropriate inductance and resonance gain in order to regulate the lamp output . to better understand the functioning of a controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast , reference will be made first to fig8 - 10 which illustrate prior controlled ferroresonant transformer technology . turning first to fig8 a controlled ferroresonant transformer 140 is shown where like elements are labeled by like reference numbers with respect to the ferroresonant transformer ballast of fig5 . a control inductance coil 142 replaces the lamp coil 110 of fig5 . this type of ferroresonant transformer is discussed more fully in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 573 , 606 to kakalec , and is used as a voltage regulator with a switched control inductor that simulates core saturation . fig9 shows a plot of the output voltage v c and the capacitor current i c . the equivalent electrical circuit of this controlled ferroresonant transformer is shown in fig1 where coils 144 represent the input coil , inductance 146 having reactance x s is the leakage inductance , resistance r represents the equivalent dc resistance of all the windings , coils 148 represent the capacitor coil , capacitor 150 having reactance x c and voltage v c is the output capacitor , coil 152 having reactance x l represents a control inductance , coil 154 having reactance x m represents the magnetizing inductance , and switch 156 is preferably a solid state switch , operated by a control circuit 158 for switching the control inductance into and out of parallel relationship with the output capacitor 150 in order to simulate core saturation . turning now to fig1 - 16 , a controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast according to the present invention will be explained in detail where like elements with respect to the ferroresonant transformer of fig8 are labeled with like reference numbers . with reference to fig1 , a controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast is generally designated by the reference number 200 . the controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast 200 is different , in part , from the ferroresonant transformer of fig8 with respect to the type and placement of windings around the center leg 112 . the windings wound around the center leg 112 are an input coil 106 , capacitor coil 108 , power supply coil 202 , lamp coil 110 and voltage sense coil 204 . as can be seen in fig1 , the capacitor coil 108 and the power supply coil 202 generally occupy the same longitudinal position on the center leg 112 between a lamp choke shunt 118 and a leakage inductance shunt 114 . the lamp coil 110 and voltage sense coil 204 generally occupy the same longitudinal position on the center leg 112 between the lamp choke shunt 118 and the i - shaped piece 104 . as can be seen from fig1 , the controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast is fabricated from &# 34 ; ei &# 34 ; laminations . however , a controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast may also be fabricated from strip steel because of a low crest factor associated with the ferroresonant transformer ballast 200 . as shown in fig1 , a controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast 206 employs strip steel for the core 208 . fig1 schematically shows an equivalent electrical circuit 210 of the controlled ferroresonant transformer ballasts of fig1 and 12 . coils 212 represent the input coil , an inductance 214 having reactance x s represents the leakage inductance , coils 216 represent the capacitor coil , capacitor 218 having reactance x c and voltage v c is the output capacitor , coil 220 having reactance x lamp is the inductance of the lamp shunt , coils 222 represent the lamp coil ,, and coil or inductor 224 having reactance x l represents an external switched inductor . a control circuit 226 receives inputs from a lamp voltage sensor 228 and lamp current sensor 230 and has a control output 232 for opening and closing a switch 234 to switch the inductor 224 into and out of parallel relationship with the output capacitor 218 in response to the sensors 228 and 230 in order to simulate core saturation . the operation of the controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast embodied in fig1 - 13 consists of three stages : ignition , warm - up and steady state . with respect to the ignition stage : at start - up , the control circuit 226 forces the lamp open circuit voltage to rise to a maximum value in order to strike the lamp . during warm - up , the control circuit 226 will sense the lamp low voltage and increase its current by keeping the switch 234 open for as long as v lamp is below its steady state value . as the lamp warms - up , its v lamp will increase and the control circuit 226 will gradually increase the duty cycle of the switch 234 bringing the lamp current to its rated value by reducing the equivalent capacitive reactance x eq = x l in parallel with x c . after the lamp reaches its steady state value , the control circuit 226 will sense the lamp current via the lamp current sensor 230 and maintain the lamp current at a constant value independently of the input voltage v in . fig1 is a plot of the various waveforms v lamp , i lamp , v c and i c of the controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast depicted by the equivalent electrical circuit of fig1 . important advantages in utilizing a controlled ferroresonant transformer ballast is a low crest factor of the lamp current which is critical for the employment of metal - additive gas discharge lamps , and a high input power factor which is a characteristic of all ferroresonant transformers . fig1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the control circuit 226 of fig1 used in conjunction with a ferroresonant transformer to form a controlled ferroresonant ballast 235 embodying the present invention . the control circuit includes a lamp voltage sensor 236 preferably wound around a magnetic core of the ferroresonant transformer ballast 235 to sense the lamp voltage , and further includes a lamp current sensor 238 preferably positioned adjacent to the supply line to the lamp in order to sense the lamp current . the lamp voltage sensor 236 is coupled to an input of a dc reference module 240 , and the lamp current sensor 238 is coupled to an input of a first rectifier 242 . a power supply coil 244 is coupled to an input of a second rectifier 246 . an output of the first rectifier 242 is coupled via a potentiometer 248 to a first input of an error amplifier 250 . an output of the dc reference module 240 is coupled to a second input of the error amplifier 250 . an output of the error amplifier 250 is coupled to a first input of a comparator 252 . a ramp generator 254 has an input coupled to an output of the second rectifier 246 , and an output coupled to a second input of the comparator 252 . an output of the comparator 252 is coupled to an input of a drive circuit or buffer 256 . an output of the drive circuit 256 is coupled a control input of a switch 258 , such as the gate of a silicon - controlled rectifier switch , which is coupled in series with a switched control inductor 260 . the control inductor 260 is electrically coupled in parallel with an output capacitor 262 of a ferroresonant transformer ballast circuit when the switch 258 is closed . the operation of the control circuit of fig1 will now be explained with respect to the three lamp operating stages : ignition , warm - up and steady state . during the ignition stage , the average lamp voltage rises with that of the output capacitor , and the lamp current is zero before the lamp ignites . the operation of the control circuit of fig1 will now be explained with respect to the three stages of a ferroresonant ballast : ignition , warm - up and steady state . during the ignition stage , the lamp voltage sensor 236 and the lamp current sensor 238 respectively generate voltage signals proportional to the voltage level across the lamp 40 and the current level flowing through the lamp . because the lamp 40 has not yet been ignited , the current flowing through the lamp 40 is approximately zero amps , and therefore the voltage level generated by the current sensor is approximately zero volts . consequently , the difference between the voltage signals generated by the voltage sensor 236 and the current sensor 238 is a relatively high value which is amplified by the error amplifier to produce an error signal v e . an alternating voltage is induced in the power supply coil 244 which is in turn rectified by the second rectifier 246 . the rectified voltage signal is then input into the ramp generator 254 to produce a sawtooth signal having a period equal to one half of the alternating input signal supplied to the ferroresonant transformer at the input coil . the relatively high v e signal and the ramp signal are then input into the comparator 252 . the comparator generates a digital output of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ( i . e ., output goes high ) during the portion of the ramp signal cycle when the ramp signal rises above the level of v e . because v e is a relatively high signal before ignition , the ramp signal generally does not rise above the level of v e . consequently , the output of the comparator remains at a digital output of &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; ( i . e ., output remains low ), and the switch 258 remains open so that no current can be diverted from the output capacitor 262 to the switched control inductor 260 . therefore , full current can be directed to charge the output capacitor 262 so that the voltage across the output capacitor 262 may rise . because the lamp coil 110 is magnetically coupled to the capacitor coil 108 , as the voltage across the output capacitor 262 rises , the voltage across the lamp 40 also rises until the lamp voltage level is high enough to strike the lamp ( i . e ., turn the lamp on ). during the warm - up stage immediately after ignition of the gas discharge lamp 40 , v lamp drops in voltage , i lamp is high , and in turn v e is relatively high such that the switch 258 remains open to increase i lamp for as long as v lamp is below its steady state value . as the lamp warms - up , its voltage v lamp will increase , which in turn will decrease v e generated by the error amplifier 250 . as v e decreases , the portion of each cycle of the ramp signal which is at a higher level than that of v e will increase resulting in the comparator being turned high for a greater portion of each cycle of the ramp signal . as a consequence , the drive circuit 256 closes the switch 258 for an increasingly greater portion of each cycle of the ramp signal ( i . e ., the duty cycle of the switch 262 increases ). increasing the duty cycle of the switch 258 brings the lamp 40 current to its rated value by reducing the equivalent capacitive reactance x eq = x l in parallel with x c . after the lamp 40 reaches steady state , the control circuit will sense the lamp current and maintain it at a constant level independently of the input voltage received from the input coil . fig1 is a graph of an error amplifier voltage signal 264 , a ramp generator voltage signal 266 , switch control or gate voltage signal 268 and control inductor current signal 270 . as can be seen in fig1 , when the voltage of the ramp signal 266 rises above that of the error signal 264 , the gate signal 268 used for controlling a silicon - controlled switch is activated in response to the comparator 252 going high in order to allow current ( as shown by the inductor signal 270 ) to flow through the control inductor 260 . the lamp current may be adjusted by components ( not shown ) for varying the reference voltage of the error amplifier . such components may be , for example , logic control switched resistors and opto - isolators which interface with plcs . while the present invention has been described in several preferred embodiments , it will be understood that numerous modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . accordingly , the present invention has been described in several preferred embodiments by way of illustration , rather than limitation , and the scope of this patent disclosure shall not be determined primarily from the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
the following description is presently contemplated as the best mode of carrying out the present invention . this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of describing the principles of the invention . the scope of the invention should be determined by referring to the appended claims . fig1 shows a prior - art example full - scan or partial - scan integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 102 with three clock domains , cd 1 103 to cd 3 105 , and three system clocks , sys_ck 1 117 to sys_ck 3 119 . each system clock controls one clock domain . furthermore , cd 1 103 and cd 2 104 interact with each other through the crossing clock - domain logic block ccd 1 106 . cd 2 104 and cd 3 105 interact with each other through the crossing clock - domain logic block ccd 2 107 . in addition , the cut 102 is a scan - based integrated circuit . that is , all or part of its storage cells are replaced with scan cells sc and all scan cells sc are connected into one or more scan chains scn . a conventional ate ( automatic test equipment ) 101 is used to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults in scan - test mode . the ate 101 provides both scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 108 to se 3 110 , as well as scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 117 to sck 3 119 , to the cut 102 . during the shift cycle , stimuli , 111 to 113 , will be shifted into all scan cells sc through all scan chains scn within the three clock domains cd 1 103 to cd 3 105 simultaneously . note that the shift cycle can operate either at its rated clock speed ( at - speed ) or at any reduced clock speed ( reduced - speed ). after the shift cycle is completed , functional clocks are applied to all or part of the three clock domains to capture test responses into scan cells sc . during the capture cycle , each clock can operate either at - speed or at reduced - speed . after the capture cycle is completed , the test responses , 114 to 116 , captured by all scan cells sc are shifted out through scan chains scn for direct comparison at the ate 101 . the three clock domains , cd 1 103 to cd 3 105 , are originally designed to operate at 100 mhz , 50 mhz , and 66 mhz , respectively . during self - test or scan - test , the ate 101 will take over the control of all system clocks . based on power management requirements and target test types , the ate 101 will provide proper clock waveforms for scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 117 to sck 3 119 . note that a conventional ate should provide all test control signals including scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks . in addition , the ate should also provide test stimuli and analyze test responses . this is the key reason why a conventional ate is complicated and expensive . fig2 shows an example full - scan or partial - scan integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 205 with three clock domains , cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 , and three system clocks , sys_ck 1 246 to sys_ck 3 248 , where a unified test controller 202 , in accordance with the present invention and controlled directly by an ate ( automatic test equipment ) 201 , is used to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults in scan - test mode . the ate 201 provides test stimuli 217 to the cut 205 and compares test responses 216 from the cut 205 with expected values to determine if the cut 205 is faulty or not . the ate 201 also provides a scan mode signal scan_mode 211 , a global scan enable signal gse 212 , and a test clock test_clock 213 to the unified test controller 202 . the unified test controller 202 passes the scan mode signal from the ate 201 to the cut 205 . in addition , it generates three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 224 to se 3 226 , and three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 228 to sck 3 230 , for the three clock domains , cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 , respectively . these scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) are generated in response to the global scan enable signal gse 219 , the test clock test_clock 220 , and system clocks , sys_ck 1 221 to sys_ck 3 223 . the unified test controller 202 also has two shift registers : a capture phase selector 203 and a test type selector 204 . these two shift registers are chained together and can be accessed from the ate 201 through the tdi ( test data in ) 214 and tdo ( test data out ) 215 ports . depending on the value of the capture phase selector 203 , the capture order determined by the phases of the scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 228 to sck 3 230 , can be selected . depending on the value of the test type selector 204 , waveforms for scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 228 to sck 3 230 , can be generated to detect or locate either stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults . with the use of the unified test controller 202 , the function of the ate 201 can be dramatically simplified since scan test control signals , including scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) for all clock domains , can now be generated by the unified test controller 202 instead of the ate 201 . this makes it possible to use a low - cost dft ( design - for - test ) tester or a low - cost dft debugger to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit with large size and high complexity . fig3 shows an example full - scan or partial - scan integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 307 with three clock domains , cd 1 308 to cd 3 310 , and three system clocks , sys_ck 1 367 to sys_ck 3 369 , where a unified test controller 303 , in accordance with the present invention and controlled by an ate ( automatic test equipment ) 301 through a tap ( test access port ) controller 302 , is used to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults in scan - test mode . the ate 301 provides test stimuli 320 to the cut 307 and compares test responses 319 from the cut 307 with expected values to determine if the cut 307 is faulty or not . the ate 301 also provides an external test clock ext_test_clock 318 as well as a standard five - pin tap interface , tms ( test mode select ) 313 , tdi ( test data in ) 314 , tdo ( test data out ) 315 , tck ( test clock ) 317 , and optionally trstb ( test reset ) 316 , to the unified test controller 303 . the tap controller 302 generates a scan mode signal scan_mode 331 for the cut 307 from the values shifted - in from the ate 301 through the tdi 322 port . in addition , it generates shift_dr 326 , capture_dr 327 , update_dr 328 , and clock_dr 329 signals for the unified test controller 303 . these signals are used to generate an internal global scan enable ( gse ) signal for the unified test controller 303 . the unified test controller 303 generates three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 345 to se 3 347 , and three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 348 to sck 3 350 , for the three clock domains , cd 1 308 to cd 3 310 , respectively . these scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) are generated in response to an internal global scan enable ( gse ) signal , the tck clock 339 , the external test clock ext_test_clock 341 , and system clocks , sys_ck 1 342 to sys_ck 3 344 . the unified test controller 303 also has three shift registers : a clock type selector 304 , a capture phase selector 305 , and a test type selector 306 . these three shift registers are chained together and can be accessed from the tap controller 302 through the tdi 333 and tdo 334 ports . depending on the value of the clock type selector 304 , either the tck clock 339 or the external test clock ext_test_clock 341 can be selected as an internal test clock . depending on the value of the capture phase selector 305 , the capture order determined by the phases of the scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 348 to sck 3 350 , can be selected . depending on the value of the test type selector 306 , waveforms for scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 348 to sck 3 350 , can be generated to detect or locate either stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults . with the use of the unified test controller 303 together with the tap controller 302 , the function of the ate 301 can be further simplified since scan test control signals , including scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) for all clock domains , can now be generated by the unified test controller 303 instead of the ate 301 . the ate 301 only needs to provide some initial control values and a tck clock through a standard tap interface . this makes it possible to use a low - cost dft ( design - for - test ) tester or a low - cost dft debugger to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit with large size and high complexity . fig4 shows a prior - art example full - scan or partial - scan integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 403 with three clock domains , cd 1 404 to cd 3 406 , and three system clocks , sys_ck 1 414 to sys_ck 3 416 , where a conventional bist ( built - in self - test ) controller 402 , connected directly to an ate ( automatic test equipment ) 401 , is used to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults in self - test mode . the conventional bist controller 402 usually contains prpgs ( pseudo - random pattern generators ) to generate pseudo - random patterns as test stimuli 455 for the cut 403 to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults . test responses 456 from the cut 403 are compressed by misrs ( multiple - input signature registers ) into test signatures . the signatures are then compared with corresponding expected values , and a pass / fail signal 428 will be set to indicate if the cut 403 is faulty or not . fig5 shows an example full - scan or partial - scan integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 507 with three clock domains , cd 1 508 to cd 3 510 , and three system clocks , sys_ck 1 561 to sys_ck 3 563 , where a unified test controller 502 , in accordance with the present invention and controlled directly by an ate 501 , is used to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults at reduced - speed or at - speed in self - test mode . the ate 501 provides a scan mode signal scan_mode 515 , a bist ( built - in self - test ) mode signal bist_mode 516 , a global scan enable signal gse 513 , and a test clock test_clock 514 to the unified test controller 502 . the unified test controller 502 passes the scan mode signal and the bist mode signal from the ate 501 to the cut 507 . in addition , it generates three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 525 to se 3 527 , and three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 528 to sck 3 530 , for the three clock domains , cd 1 508 to cd 3 510 , respectively . these scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) are generated in response to the global scan enable signal gse 521 , the test clock test_clock 522 , and system clocks , sys_ck 1 533 to sys_ck 3 535 . the unified test controller 502 also has two shift registers : a capture phase selector 503 and a test type selector 504 . these two shift registers are chained together and can be accessed from the ate 501 through the tdi 517 and tdo 518 ports . depending on the value of the capture phase selector 503 , the capture order determined by the phases of the scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 528 to sck 3 530 , can be selected . depending on the value of the test type selector 504 , waveforms for scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 528 to sck 3 530 , can be generated to detect or locate either stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults . the new bist controller 505 now contains prpgs ( pseudo - random pattern generators ) to generate pseudo - random patterns as test stimuli 566 for the cut 507 to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults . test responses 567 from the cut 507 are compressed by misrs ( multiple - input signature registers ) into test signatures . the signatures are then compared with corresponding expected values , and a pass / fail signal 536 will be set to indicate if the cut 507 is faulty or not . this pass / fail value is stored in the error indicator 506 , which is also chained together with the capture phase selector 503 and the test type selector 504 . this means that proper set - up values can be shifted into the capture phase selector 503 and the test type selector 504 while the pass / fail signal value can be shifted out for observation through the tdi 517 and tdo 518 ports . with the use of the unified test controller 502 , the function of the ate 501 and the bist controller 505 can be dramatically simplified since scan test control signals , including scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) for all clock domains , can now be generated by the unified test controller 502 . in addition , such a unified test controller is common to both self - test and scan - test . this makes it possible to a low - cost dft ( design - for - test ) tester or a low - cost dft debugger to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit with large size and high complexity . the dft design flow will also be simplified . fig6 shows an example full - scan or partial - scan integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 609 with three clock domains , cd 1 610 to cd 3 612 , and three system clocks sys_ck 1 682 to sys_ck 3 684 , where a unified test controller 603 , in accordance with the present invention and controlled by an ate ( automatic test equipment ) 601 through a tap ( test access port ) controller 602 , is used to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults at reduced - speed or at - speed in self - test mode . the ate 601 provides an external test clock ext_test_clock 615 as well as a standard five - pin tap interface , tms ( test mode selection ) 617 , tdi ( test data in ) 618 , tdo ( test data out ), 619 , tck ( test clock ) 616 , and optionally trstb ( test reset ) 620 , to the unified test controller 603 . the tap controller 602 generates a scan mode signal scan_mode 634 and a bist ( built - in self - test ) mode signal bist_mode 635 for the cut 609 from the values shifted - in from the ate 601 through the tdi 625 port . in addition , it generates shift_dr 628 , capture_dr 630 , update_dr 629 , and clock_dr 631 signals for the unified test controller 603 . these signals are used to generate an internal global scan enable ( gse ) signal for the unified test controller 603 . the unified test controller 603 generates three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 646 to se 3 648 , and three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 649 to sck 3 651 , for the three clock domains , cd 1 610 to cd 3 612 , respectively . these scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) are generated in response to a global scan enable ( gse ) signal , the tck clock 642 , the external test clock ext_test_clock 643 , and system clocks , sys_ck 1 654 to sys_ck 3 656 . the unified test controller 603 also has three shift registers : a clock type selector 604 , a capture phase selector 605 , and a test type selector 606 . these three shift registers are chained together and can be accessed from the tap controller 602 through the tdi 636 and tdo 637 ports . depending on the value of the clock type selector 604 , either the tck clock 642 or the external test clock ext_test_clock 643 can be selected as an internal test clock . depending on the value of the capture phase selector 605 , the capture order determined by the phases of the scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 649 to sck 3 651 , can be selected . depending on the value of the test type selector 606 , waveforms for scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 649 to sck 3 651 , can be generated to detect or locate either stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults . the new bist controller 607 now contains prpgs ( pseudo - random pattern generators ) to generate pseudo - random patterns as test stimuli 687 for the cut 609 to detect or locate stuck - type or non - stuck - type faults . test responses 688 from the cut 609 are compressed by misrs ( multiple - input signature registers ) into test signatures . the signatures are then compared with corresponding expected values , and a pass / fail signal 665 will be set to indicate if the cut 609 is faulty or not . this pass / fail value is stored in the error indicator 608 , which is also chained together with the clock type selector 604 , the capture phase selector 605 , and the test type selector 606 . this means that proper set - up values can be shifted into the clock type selector 604 , the capture phase selector 605 , and the test type selector 606 while the pass / fail signal value can be shifted out for observation through the tdi 636 and tdo 637 ports . with the use of the unified test controller 603 together with the tap controller 602 , the function of the ate 601 and the bist controller 607 can be further simplified since scan test control signals , including scan enable ( se ) signals and scan clocks ( scks ) for all clock domains , can now be generated by the unified test controller 603 instead of the ate 601 and the bist controller 607 . the ate 601 only needs to provide some initial control values and a tck clock through a standard tap interface . this makes it possible to use a low - cost dft ( design - for - test ) tester or a low - cost dft debugger to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit with large size and high complexity . the dft design flow will also be simplified . fig7 shows a block diagram 700 of a unified test controller 701 , in accordance with the present invention , consisting of a capture clock generator 703 , a capture phase selector 702 , a test type selector 704 , and three domain clock generators , 705 to 707 , each for generating the scan enable ( se ) signal and the scan clock ( sck ) for each of three clock domains . the global scan enable signal gse 708 can be provided externally from an ate ( automatic test equipment ) or generated internally by a tap ( test access port ) controller . it is used to define the boundary between shift and capture cycles for all clock domains . the test clock test_clock 709 is provided from an ate either as a tck clock in a boundary - scan design or as a direct external test clock . a clock type selector can be used to select a desired one . the tdi ( test data in ) 710 and tdo ( test data out ) 711 ports are used to set proper values into the capture phase selector 702 and the test type selector 704 . three capture phase selection signals , capture_phase_select 1 712 to capture_phase_select 3 714 , are generated based on the set - up values stored in the capture phase selector 702 . in addition , three test type selection signals , test_type_select 1 721 to test_type_select 3 723 , are generated based on the set - up values stored in the test type selector 704 . the capture clock generator 703 generates three capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 715 to cck 3 717 , in response to the global scan enable gse 708 , the test clock test_clock 709 , and the three capture phase selection signals , capture_phase_select 1 712 to capture_phase_select 3 714 . furthermore , three domain clock generators , 705 to 707 , generate scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 724 and se 3 726 , as well as scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 727 and sck 3 729 , for all clock domains , in response to the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 715 to cck 3 717 , system clocks , sys_ck 1 718 to sys_ck 3 720 , and test type selection signals , test_type_select 1 721 to test_type_select 3 723 . note that the function of a unified test controller is general in the sense that it can be used for both self - test and scan - test . by using a unified test controller , the dft ( design - for - test ) design flow will be greatly simplified . in addition , it makes it easy to use a low - cost dft tester , a low - cost dft debugger , or a bist ( built - in self - test ) solution in testing or diagnosing a scan - based integrated circuit with large size and high complexity . fig8 shows a block diagram 800 of a global scan enable generator 801 of one embodiment of the present invention to generate a global scan enable ( gse ) signal . the global scan enable generator 801 contains one d flip - flop 802 with both asynchronous set and reset pins . the shift_dr signal 803 and the update_dr signal 804 are used to control the asynchronous set pin and the asynchronous set pin of the d flip - flop 802 , respectively . the output of the d flip - flop 802 becomes the global scan enable gse 805 . note that both the shift_dr signal 803 and the update_dr signal 804 are from a tap ( test access port ) controller that is constructed according to a selected boundary - scan standard such as the ieee 1149 . 1 std . fig9 shows a block diagram 900 of a test clock generator 901 and a clock type selector 902 of one embodiment of the present invention . the clock type selector 902 is a shift register , and proper set - up values can be shifted into it through the tdi ( test data in ) 905 and tdo ( test data out ) 906 ports . the set - up values are used to generate the clock type selection signal clock_type_select 907 . if clock_type_select 907 is logic value “ 0 ”, the test clock generator 901 will select the external test clock ext_test_clock 904 as the test clock test_clock 908 . if clock_type_select 907 is logic value “ 1 ”, the test clock generator 901 will select the tck clock 903 as the test clock test_clock 908 . note that the test clock test_clock 908 is selectively synchronized to either the tck clock 903 or the external test clock ext_test_clock 904 . fig1 a shows the waveforms 1000 of three capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1006 to cck 3 1008 , as well as a global scan enable signal gse 1003 and a free - running test clock test_clock 1001 . the test clock serves as a reference clock and the global scan enable ( gse ) signal serves for timing controls . in response to the test clock test_clock 1001 and the global scan enable signal gse 1003 , the capture clock generator 703 shown in fig7 generates the waveforms , 1015 to 1017 , for the three capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1006 to cck 3 1008 , respectively . note that non - overlapping capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1006 to cck 3 1008 , are generated for both shift ( gse = 1 ) and capture ( gse = 0 ) cycles . these capture clocks ( ccks ) will then be used to guide the generation of clock - domain based scan clocks ( scks ) by the domain clock generators , 705 to 707 , shown in fig7 . fig1 b shows the waveforms 1050 of three capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1056 to cck 3 1058 , as well as a global scan enable signal gse 1053 and a free - running test clock test_clock 1051 . the test clock serves as a reference clock and the global scan enable ( gse ) signal serves for timing controls . in response to the test clock test_clock 1051 and the global scan enable signal gse 1053 , the capture clock generator 703 shown in fig7 generates the waveforms , 1065 to 1067 , for the three capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1056 to cck 3 1058 , respectively . note that capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1056 to cck 3 1058 , are generated as overlapping waveforms for the shift cycle ( gse = 1 ) but as non - overlapping waveforms for the capture ( gse = 0 ) cycle . these capture clocks ( ccks ) will then be used to guide the generation of clock - domain based scan clocks ( scks ) by the domain clock generators , 705 to 707 , shown in fig7 . fig1 a shows the waveforms 1100 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1113 to sck 3 1115 , as well as various scan enable ( se ) signals 1110 including one global scan enable signal gse and three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1101 to cck 3 1103 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1113 to sck 3 1115 , are generated in response to the global scan enable signal gse 1110 and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1101 to cck 3 1103 , and they are used to detect or locate stuck - type faults in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the waveforms of the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , are the same as that of the global scan enable signal gse 1110 . note that non - overlapping scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1113 to sck 3 1115 , are generated for both shift ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) and capture ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ) cycles . as illustrated by pulses , 1116 to 1118 , this clocking scheme can reduce both peak power consumption and average power dissipation in the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , clock - domain based capture pulses , 1119 to 1121 , are applied to detect or locate all stuck - at faults , bridging faults , and iddq ( idd quiescent current ) faults within all three clock domains , such as cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 shown in fig2 , and within crossing clock - domain logic blocks , such as ccd 1 209 and ccd 2 210 shown in fig2 . fig1 b shows the waveforms 1150 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1163 to sck 3 1165 , as well as various scan enable signals 1160 including one global scan enable signal gse and three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1151 to cck 3 1153 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1163 to sck 3 1165 , are generated in response to the global scan enable signal gse 1160 and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1151 to cck 3 1153 , and they are used to detect or locate stuck - type faults in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the waveforms of the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , are the same as that of the global scan enable signal gse 1160 . note that scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1163 to sck 3 1165 , are generated as overlapping waveforms for the shift cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) but as non - overlapping waveforms for the capture cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ). as illustrated by pulses , 1166 to 1168 , this clocking scheme can reduce the time needed for the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , clock - domain based capture pulses , 1169 to 1171 , are applied to detect or locate all stuck - at faults , bridging faults , and iddq ( idd quiescent current ) faults within all three clock domains , such as cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 shown in fig2 , and within crossing clock - domain logic blocks , such as ccd 1 209 and ccd 2 210 shown in fig2 . fig1 a shows the waveforms 1200 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1213 to sck 3 1215 , as well as various scan enable ( se ) signals 1210 including one global scan enable signal gse and three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1201 to cck 3 1203 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1213 to sck 3 1215 , are generated in response to the global scan enable signal gse 1210 and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1201 to cck 3 1203 , and they are used to detect or locate non - stuck - type faults at - speed with the capture launch ( double capture ) scheme in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the waveforms of the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , are the same as that of the global scan enable signal gse 1210 . note that non - overlapping scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1213 to sck 3 1215 , are generated for both shift ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) and capture ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ) cycles . as illustrated by pulses , 1216 to 1218 , this clocking scheme can reduce both peak power consumption and average power dissipation in the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , clock - domain based at - speed double - capture pulses , & lt ; 1219 , 1220 & gt ;, & lt ; 1221 , 1222 & gt ;, and & lt ; 1223 , 1224 & gt ;, are applied to detect or locate all transition and path delay faults at - speed within all three clock domains , such as cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 shown in fig2 . fig1 b shows the waveforms 1230 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1243 to sck 3 1245 , as well as various scan enable signals 1240 including one global scan enable signal gse and three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1231 to cck 3 1233 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1243 to sck 3 1245 , are generated in response to the global scan enable signal gse 1240 and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1231 to cck 3 1233 , and they are used to detect or locate non - stuck - type faults at - speed with the capture launch ( double capture ) scheme in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the waveforms of the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , are the same as that of the global scan enable signal gse 1240 . note that scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1243 to sck 3 1245 , are generated as overlapping waveforms for the shift cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) but as non - overlapping waveforms for the capture cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ). as illustrated by pulses , 1246 to 1248 , this clocking scheme can reduce the time needed for the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , clock - domain based at - speed double - capture pulses , & lt ; 1249 , 1250 & gt ;, & lt ; 1251 , 1252 & gt ;, and & lt ; 1253 , 1254 & gt ;, are applied to detect or locate all transition and path delay faults at - speed within all three clock domains , such as cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 shown in fig2 . fig1 c shows the waveforms 1260 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1273 to sck 3 1275 , as well as various scan enable signals 1270 including one global scan enable signal gse and three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1261 to cck 3 1263 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1273 to sck 3 1275 , are generated in response to the global scan enable signal gse 1270 and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1261 to cck 3 1263 , and they are used to detect or locate non - stuck - type faults , including 2 - cycle delay faults , at - speed with the capture launch ( double capture ) scheme in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the waveforms of the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 to se 3 , are the same as that of the global scan enable signal gse 1270 . note that scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1273 to sck 3 1275 , are generated as overlapping waveforms for the shift cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) but as non - overlapping waveforms for the capture cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ). as illustrated by pulses , 1276 to 1278 , this clocking scheme can reduce the time needed for the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , at - speed double - capture pulses , & lt ; 1281 , 1282 & gt ; and & lt ; 1283 , 1284 & gt ;, are applied to detect or locate all transition and path delay faults at - speed within the corresponding clock domains , such as cd 2 207 and cd 3 208 shown in fig2 . on the other hand , half - reduced - speed double - capture pulses , & lt ; 1279 , 1280 & gt ;, are applied to detect or locate all 2 - cycle delay faults at - speed in the corresponding clock domain , such as cd 1 206 shown in fig2 . fig1 a shows the waveforms 1300 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1319 to sck 3 1321 , as well as three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1310 to se 3 1312 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1301 to cck 3 1303 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), ck 1 1319 to sck 3 1321 , are generated in response to a global scan enable ( gse ) signal and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1301 to cck 3 1303 , and they are used to detect or locate non - stuck - type faults at - speed with the last - shift launch scheme in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1310 to se 3 1312 , have different waveforms . note that non - overlapping scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1319 to sck 3 1321 , are generated for both shift ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) and capture ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ) cycles . as illustrated by pulses , 1322 to 1324 , this clocking scheme can reduce both peak power consumption and average power dissipation in the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , clock - domain based at - speed last - shift launch pulses , 1326 , 1328 , and 1330 , are applied to detect or locate all transition and path delay faults at - speed within all three clock domains , such as cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 shown in fig2 . fig1 b shows the waveforms 1335 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1354 to sck 3 1356 , as well as three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1345 to se 3 1347 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1336 to cck 3 1338 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1354 to sck 3 1356 , are generated in response to a global scan enable ( gse ) signal and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1336 to cck 3 1338 , and they are used to detect or locate non - stuck - type faults at - speed with the last - shift launch scheme in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1345 to se 3 1347 , have different waveforms . note that scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1354 to sck 3 1356 , are generated as overlapping waveforms for the shift cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) but as non - overlapping waveforms for the capture cycle ( gse , se 1 , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ). as illustrated by pulses , 1357 to 1359 , this clocking scheme can reduce the time needed for the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , clock - domain based at - speed last - shift launch pulses , 1361 , 1363 , and 1365 , are applied to detect or locate all transition and path delay faults at - speed within all three clock domains , such as cd 1 206 to cd 3 208 shown in fig2 . fig1 c shows the waveforms 1366 of three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1385 to sck 3 1387 , as well as three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1376 to se 3 1378 , for three clock domains . waveforms for the three corresponding capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1367 to cck 3 1369 , are also shown . the waveforms of the three scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1385 to sck 3 1387 , are generated in response to a global scan enable ( gse ) signal and the capture clocks ( ccks ), cck 1 1367 to cck 3 1369 , and they are used to detect or locate non - stuck - type faults , including 2 - cycle delay faults , at - speed with the last - shift launch scheme in self - test or scan - test mode , in accordance with the present invention . in this example , the three scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1376 to se 3 1378 , have different waveforms . note that scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1385 to sck 3 1387 , are generated as overlapping waveforms for the shift cycle ( gse , se , se 2 , se 3 = 1 ) but as non - overlapping waveforms for the capture cycle ( gse , se , se 2 , se 3 = 0 ). as illustrated by pulses , 1388 to 1390 , this clocking scheme can reduce the time needed for the shift cycle . in the capture cycle , at - speed last - shift launch pulses 1394 and 1396 are applied to detect or locate all transition and path delay faults at - speed within the corresponding clock domains , such as cd 2 207 and cd 3 208 shown in fig2 . on the other hand , half - reduced - speed last - shift launch pulse 1392 is applied to detect or locate all 2 - cycle delay faults at - speed in the corresponding clock domain , such as cd 1 206 shown in fig2 . fig1 a shows a block diagram 1400 a of a unified test controller 1401 a connected to a bist ( built - in self - test ) controller with three pairs of prpgs ( pseudo - random pattern generators ) and misrs ( multiple - input signature registers ), & lt ; 1408 a , 1417 a & gt ;, & lt ; 1409 a , 1418 a & gt ;, and & lt ; 1410 a , 1419 a & gt ;, in accordance with the present invention , which are used to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 1402 a with three clock domains , cd 1 1403 a to cd 3 1405 a , in self - test mode . three prpgs , 1408 a to 1410 a , are used to generate pseudo - random patterns for the three clock domains , cd 1 1403 a to cd 3 1405 a , one prpg for each clock domain . phase shifters , 1411 a to 1413 a , are used to break the dependency between different outputs of the prpgs . the bit streams coming from the phase shifters become test stimuli , 1446 a to 1448 a . three misrs , 1417 a to 1419 a , are used to generate signatures for the three clock domains , cd 1 1403 a to cd 3 1405 a , one misr for each clock domain . space compactors , 1414 a to 1416 a , are used to reduce the number of bit streams in test responses , 1457 a to 1459 a . space compactors are optional and are only used when the overhead of a misr becomes a concern . the outputs of the space compactors are compressed by misrs , 1417 a to 1419 a . the contents of the misrs , 1417 a to 1419 a , after all test stimuli are applied become signatures , 1463 a to 1465 a , respectively . the signatures are then compared by comparators , 1420 a to 1422 a , with corresponding expected values . the error indicator 1423 a is used to combine the individual pass / fail signals , 1466 a to 1468 a , to a global pass / fail signal 1469 a . the unified test controller 1401 a controls the whole bist test process by providing scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1427 a to se 3 1429 a , and scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1430 a to sck 3 1432 a . some additional data and control signals 1433 a are also provided to conduct other control tasks . all storage cells in prpgs , 1408 a to 1410 a , and misrs , 1417 a to 1419 a , can be connected into a scan chain from which predetermined patterns can be shifted in for reseeding and computed signatures can be shifted out for analysis . this configuration helps in increasing fault coverage and in facilitating fault diagnosis . generally , a plurality of prpg - misr pairs can be used in a flexible manner . in addition , any prpg - misr pair can be further split into two or more smaller prpg - misr pairs . furthermore , two or more prpg - misr pairs can be further merged into a larger prpg - misr pair . fig1 b shows a block diagram 1400 b of a unified test controller 1401 b connected to a bist ( built - in self - test ) controller with two pairs of prpgs ( pseudo - random pattern generators ) and misrs ( multiple - input signature registers ), & lt ; 1408 b , 1416 b & gt ; and & lt ; 1409 b , 1417 b & gt ;, in accordance with the present invention , which are used to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 1402 b with three clock domains , cd 1 1403 b to cd 3 1405 b , in self - test mode . two prpgs , 1408 b and 1409 b , are used to generate pseudo - random patterns for the three clock domains , cd 1 1403 b to cd 3 1405 b . two clock domains , cd 1 1403 b and cd 2 , 1404 b , share the same prpg 1408 b . this will reduce the prpg overhead . phase shifters , 1410 b to 1412 b , are used to break the dependency between different outputs of the prpgs . the bit streams coming from the phase shifters become test stimuli , 1444 b to 1446 b . two misrs , 1416 b to 1417 b , are used to generate signatures for the three clock domains , cd 1 1403 b to cd 3 1405 b . two clock domains , cd 1 1403 b and cd 2 1404 b , share the same misr 1416 b . this will reduce the misr overhead . space compactors , 1413 b to 1415 b , are used to reduce the number of bit streams in test responses , 1455 b to 1457 b . space compactors are optional and are only used when the overhead of a misr becomes a concern . the outputs of the space compactors are compressed by the misrs , 1416 b and 1417 b . the contents of the misrs , 1416 b and 1417 b , after all test stimuli are applied become signatures , 1461 b to 1463 b , respectively . the signatures are then compared by comparators , 1418 b to 1420 b , with corresponding expected values . the error indicator 1421 b is used to combine the individual pass / fail signals , 1464 b to 1466 b , into a global pass / fail signal 1467 b . the unified test controller 1401 b controls the whole bist test process by providing scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1425 b to se 3 1427 b , and scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1428 b to sck 3 1430 b . some additional data and control signals 1431 b are also provided to conduct other control tasks . all storage cells in prpgs , 1408 b and 1409 b , as well as misrs , 1416 b and 1417 b , can be connected into a scan chain from which predetermined patterns can be shifted in for reseeding and computed signatures can be shifted out for analysis . this configuration helps in increasing fault coverage and in facilitating fault diagnosis . fig1 c shows a block diagram 1400 c of a unified test controller 1401 c connected to a bist ( built - in self - test ) controller with one pair of prpg ( pseudo - random pattern generator ) and misr ( multiple - input signature register ) & lt ; 1408 c , 1415 c & gt ; in accordance with the present invention , which are used to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 1402 c with three clock domains , cd 1 1403 c to cd 3 1405 c , in self - test mode . one prpg 1408 c is used to generate pseudo - random patterns for the three clock domains , cd 1 1403 c to cd 3 1405 c . three clock domains , cd 1 1403 c to cd 3 1405 c , share the same prpg 1408 c . this will further reduce the prpg overhead . phase shifters , 1409 c to 1411 c , are used to break the dependency between different outputs of the prpgs . the bit streams coming from the phase shifters become test stimuli , 1442 c to 1444 c . one misr 1415 c is used to generate signatures for the three clock domains , cd 1 1403 c to cd 3 1405 c . three clock domains , cd 1 1403 c to cd 3 1405 c , share the same misr 1415 c . this will further reduce the misr overhead . space compactors , 1412 c to 1414 c , are used to reduce the number of bit streams in test responses , 1453 c to 1455 c . space compactors are optional and are only used when the overhead of a misr becomes a concern . the outputs of the space compactors are compressed by the misr 1415 c . the content of the misr 1415 c after all test stimuli are applied becomes the signatures , 1459 c to 1461 c . the signature is then compared by the comparators , 1416 c to 1418 c , with corresponding expected values . the error indicator 1419 c is used to combine the individual pass / fail signals , 1462 c to 1464 c , to a global pass / fail signal 1465 c . the unified test controller 1401 c controls the whole bist test process by providing scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1423 c to se 3 1425 c , and scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1426 c to sck 3 1428 c . some additional data and control signals 1429 c are also provided to conduct other control tasks . all storage cells in the prpg 1408 c and the misr 1415 c can be connected into a scan chain from which predetermined patterns can be shifted in for reseeding and computed signatures can be shifted out for analysis . this configuration helps in increasing fault coverage and in facilitating fault diagnosis . fig1 d shows a block diagram 1400 d of a unified test controller 1401 d and one decompressor - compressor pair & lt ; 1408 d , 1409 d & gt ;, in accordance with the present invention , which are used to test or diagnose a scan - based integrated circuit or circuit under test ( cut ) 1402 d with three clock domains cd 1 , 1403 d to cd 3 1405 d , in scan - test mode . the decompressor 1408 d can be a reconfigurable prpg ( pseudo - random pattern generator ) or a broadcaster . it serves the purpose of expanding compressed test stimulus data applied from external pins to test the internal circuit core 1402 d . this will reduce the test data storage requirements and simplify the external test interface , which results in lower test costs . the compressor 1409 d can be misr ( multiple - input signature register ) or a compactor . it serves the purpose of compressing test responses from the internal circuit core 1402 d as compressed test response data for external observation or comparison at the ate ( automatic test equipment ) 1413 d . this will reduce the test data storage requirements and simplify the external test interface , which results in lower test costs . the unified test controller 1401 d controls the whole test process by providing scan enable ( se ) signals , se 1 1414 d to se 3 1416 d , and scan clocks ( scks ), sck 1 1417 d to sck 3 1419 d . some additional data and control signals 1420 d are also provided to conduct other control tasks . generally , a plurality of decompressor - compressor pairs can be used in a flexible manner . in addition , any decompressor - compressor pair can be further split into two or more smaller decompressor - compressor pairs . furthermore , two or more decompressor - compressor pairs can be further merged into a larger decompressor - compressor pair . fig1 shows the flow diagram 1500 of a computer - readable program in a computer - readable memory , in accordance with the present invention , to cause a computer system to perform a method for synthesizing a unified test controller for testing or diagnosing a plurality of clock domains in a scan - based integrated circuit in self - test or scan - test mode . the computer - readable program accepts the user - supplied hdl ( hardware description language ) code at rtl ( register - transfer level ) or netlist at gate - level 1502 together with the user - supplied test constraint files 1501 as well as the chosen foundry library 1503 . the test constraint files 1501 contain all set - up information and scripts required for compilation 1504 , unified test controller synthesis 1506 , and unified test controller integration 1507 , so that the computer - readable program can produce the final synthesized hdl code or netlist 1509 with the unified test controller . the hdl test benches and ate ( automatic test equipment ) test programs 1508 are also generated in order to verify the correctness of the unified test controller in the scan - based integrated circuit in self - test or scan - test mode . all results and errors are saved in the report files 1510 . fig1 shows an electronic design automation system 1600 , which includes a processor 1602 , a bus 1605 coupled to the processor , a computer - readable memory 1601 coupled to the bus , an input device 1603 , and an output device 1604 . the computer - readable memory 1601 contains a computer - readable program , in accordance with the present invention and described in fig1 , to cause the electronic design automation system 1600 to perform a method for synthesizing a unified test controller for testing or diagnosing a plurality of clock domains in a scan - based integrated circuit in self - test or scan - test mode . the processor 1602 may represent a central processing unit of a personal computer , workstation , mainframe computer or other suitable digital processing device . the memory 1601 can be an electronic memory or a magnetic or optical disk - based memory , or various combinations thereof . a designer interacts with the broadcast scan test design software run by the processor 1602 to provide appropriate inputs via an input device 1603 , which may be a keyboard , disk drive or other suitable source of design information . the processor 1602 provides outputs to the designer via an output device 1604 , which may be a display , a printer , a disk drive or various combinations of these and other elements . having thus described presently preferred embodiments of the present invention , it can now be appreciated that the objectives of the invention have been fully achieved . and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction & amp ; circuitry , and widely differing embodiments & amp ; applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the disclosures and the description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in any sense limitation of the invention , more preferably defined in scope by the following claims . | 6 |
fig1 is a perspective view showing the dock fender 24 and sleeve 12 in position attached to a piling 10 of a dock 11 . dock fender 24 comprises a vertically positioned elongated tube 26 having a cap 30 at the uppermost end and a seal 32 at the lowermost end . the lowermost end of tube 26 preferably extends below the water level , while the uppermost end of tube 26 containing cap 30 extends a sufficient height above the water so that boats contacting dock fender 24 will contact the outer surface of dock fender 24 below cap 30 . as is seen in more detail in fig2 tube 26 preferably is a hollow pipe preferably made of polyvinylchloride ( pvc ) having an inside diameter of 4 inches . the thickness of the wall of pipe 24 is preferably 1 / 4 inch but may be as thick as 1 / 2 inch . the typical length of tube 26 is about ten feet but may be of variable lengths from a few feet to over twenty feet . the dimensions given are merely exemplary and are not intended to be for limitation . a dock fender strengthening means 28 , which is typically a common wooden 2 × 4 , extends through the middle of tube 26 to add strength to dock fender 24 . cap 30 and seal 32 are also made of polyvinylchloride ( pvc ). cap 30 fits securely over the top of tube 26 and prevents water from entering the top of tube 26 . to prevent cap 30 from being dislodged , a lag bolt 23 is threaded through cap 30 into the dock fender strengthening means 28 . because tightening lag bolt 23 into dock fender strengthening means 28 causes a depression in the top of cap 30 where water may accumulate , lag bolt 23 is preferably coated with a silicone sealer , such as is commonly used in the marine environment , to prevent water intrusion into tube 26 . cap 30 preferably contains a vent 31 for allowing air to enter tube 26 . thereafter , the air may circulate within tube 26 around dock fender strengthening means 28 . allowing air to enter and circulate within tube 26 reduces the deterioration of dock fender strengthening means 28 caused by moisture within tube 26 . vent 31 may be just a void in cap 30 which void may be closable by a hinged covering or any other means for closing openings which are common in the boating industry and related fields . seal 32 at the bottom end of tube 26 prevents water from entering tube 26 at the lower end of tube 26 . seal 32 is a cap which fits securely over the bottom of tube 26 . seal 32 is sealingly connected to tube 26 by waterproof glue suitable for sealing pvc parts as is well known in the art . this waterproof connection prevents water from entering tube 26 through the bottom of tube 26 . dock fender 24 is attached to piling 10 through sleeve 12 . sleeve 12 is a multi - layered tube having about the same exterior diameter as tube 26 . sleeve 12 preferably has three concentric layers around a hollow center . the inner layer 14 is preferably a one - half inch thick layer of an elastomer material such as rubber . outside inner layer is middle layer 16 which adds strength to sleeve 12 . preferably , middle layer 16 comprises four layers of canvas or nylon to impart strength , as well as a degree of resiliency to sleeve 12 . middle layer 16 is also approximately one - half inch thick . outside middle layer 16 is outer layer 18 comprising a one - half inch layer of elastomer material such as rubber which adds to the shock absorbing capacity of the sleeve 12 . the outer surface of outer layer 18 is preferably colored . this coloring is merely decorative and serves no functional purpose . once again , although explicit dimensions for the thickness and number of layers has been given , it is to be understood that this is by way of example and not by limitation . dock fender 24 is attached to sleeve 12 by means of lag bolts 22 extending through brackets 20a disposed on the interior surface of sleeve 12 . lag bolts 22 extend through the multiple layers 14 , 16 , 18 of sleeve 12 , through the wall of tube 26 and are secured into dock fender strengthening means 28 within tube 26 . sleeve 12 , in turn , is secured to piling 10 by means of lag bolts 22 extending through brackets 20b disposed on the interior surface of sleeve 12 opposite brackets 20a , through the layers 14 , 16 , 18 of sleeve 12 into piling 10 . in this way , dock fender 24 is attached to sleeve 12 which in turn is attached to dock piling 10 . it has been found that the initial tightening of lag bolts 22 into the respective dock piling 10 or tube 26 and dock fender strengthening means 28 creates an effective initially watertight seal between the lag bolts 22 and sleeve 12 . however , because of movement of the dock fender 24 , from waves or docking and mooring of boats , and because the lowermost sleeve 12 is sometimes attached to a dock piling 10 so that sleeve 12 is underwater at high tide , the initially watertight seal between lag bolts 22 and sleeve 12 often leaks water into tube 26 . therefore , a silicone sealer , such as is commonly used in the marine environment , is preferably placed around lag bolts 22 prior to screwing lag bolts 22 through sleeve 12 into the respective dock piling 10 or tube 26 and dock fender strengthening means 28 . because the uppermost sleeve 12 is above the water at high tide , it may not be necessary to place the silicone sealer around the lag bolts 22 extending through this sleeve 12 , in order to preserve the watertight seal . the silicone sealer prevents the intrusion of water into tube 26 . brackets 20a , b as well as lag bolts 22 are preferably made of stainless steel to prevent rust from exposure to the moisture necessarily present in the marine environment . in operation , as a boat approaches dock 11 for mooring , when the boat contacts dock fender 24 , the impact of the boat upon dock fender 24 is dissipated through sleeve 12 . the impact of the boat on dock fender 24 is dissipated primarily due to the resilient , deformable material which comprise the layers 14 , 16 , 18 of sleeve 12 . although most of the shock absorbing capacity of the dock fender 24 comes from the resiliency of sleeve 12 , there is an amount of resiliency inherent in the pvc of tube 26 . this inherent resiliency of tube 26 adds to the overall shock absorbing of dock fender 24 . this absorption of the impact upon dock fender 24 reduces the impact , and consequently the effect of the impact on both dock fender 24 and the boat . the presence of sleeve 12 provides a cushioning effect to impacts upon dock fender 24 . therefore , it is not necessary to replace dock fender 24 nor repair damage to a boat using dock 11 as often as has been required with prior art dock fenders . in addition , once a boat has been securely moored to dock 11 , the effect of the boat &# 39 ; s movement and consequent contact with dock fender 24 due to the motion of water through wave action or through the wakes of passing boats is minimized due to the shock absorbing effect of sleeve 12 . the shock absorbing effect of sleeve 12 in this context has the same benefits upon both dock fender 24 and the boat using dock fender 24 described above . an additional benefit of placing sleeve 12 between piling 10 and dock fender 24 is that no matter what angle a boat impacts dock fender 24 , the force of the impact will be dissipated through sleeve 12 . this dissipation from any angle is due to sleeve 12 &# 39 ; s resistance to deformability in any direction because of the tubular shape of sleeve 12 . it is particularly important to be able to dissipate the impact of a boat on dock fender 24 from any direction because a boat is likely to impact dock fender 24 from any direction , both as the boat approaches the dock 11 for mooring and as the boat is moved by wares and wakes while moored . in this way , both the boat and dock fender 24 are protected during impact . while the instant invention has been described in connection with the specific embodiment , it is to be understood that this description is given by means of example and not by means of limitation . for example , the composition of sleeve 12 , although given as a preferred embodiment , is not critical to the operation of the invention . it is within the scope of the invention to include any means for resiliently connecting a dock fender 24 to a piling 10 which can dissipate the force of the impact of a boat on dock fender 24 from any direction . in addition , the specific structure of dock fender 24 , including having a wooden 2 × 4 insert as the dock fender strengthening means 28 , is not critical to the instant invention as long as a fender is provided which has sufficient strength to absorb the impact of a boat in the conditions for which such dock fenders are found and which has means for connecting to sleeve 12 . it is clear that changes and modifications can be made to the foregoing description and still be within the scope of the invention . further , it is understood that obvious changes and modifications will occur to those persons skilled in the art . | 4 |
a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system that comprises a small low cost radio frequency ( rf ) tag as shown in fig1 - 5 , that contains its own memory , a light sensor ( e . g . a photodetector ), an optional display and optional light emitting diodes . as shown in fig4 , these tags may be placed directly on the side of the box of shipped items ( e . g . autoparts ) or pallet and will continuously record data including the time and light levels within a cargo container or other repository , and write this log to the internal memory of the tag . in addition , the tags may be interrogated by a radiofrequency transmitter contained in the warehouse of fig6 or the truck of fig7 . this radiofrequency system may be based on low - frequency ( e . g . 300 khz ) induction and may require large ( e . g . 5 ′ to 50 ′ radius ) loop field antennas placed in the ceiling or the floor of the truck . these loop antennas may also be used to segregate different regions of the truck or other repository to improve detection of light level changes caused by an unauthorized intrusion into the cargo container ( by contrast with another , non - intruded , area of the cargo container . in addition each truck or ship may be equipped with a small computer and a global positioning system ( gps ) receiver . as the truck drives along the highway , the computer may interrogate , periodically , the tags in the back of the vehicle , as indicated in fig6 . the tags may read the current light levels and other events once a minute , once in 10 minutes , once every three hours etc . and this data may be transmitted via satellite or via cell phone periodically to a centrally located application services provider ( asp ). as the data are acquired at the asp it may be displayed ( see lower part of fig8 ) on a web - enabled report in real - time with location of the truck , as determined by a gps device carried by the truck . in addition the asp may write the data log directly to a cd in real - time . this cd can be a write only device so the log is prominent , cannot be tampered with and has been recorded away from the truck by an independent auditor in real - time . as shown in fig9 , at the end of the run the tag may use an algorith to calculate and display a checksum based on the light levels ( e . g . visible or infrared ) experienced at the tag . the asp can independently calculate a checksum using the same algorithm based on its permanent record of the data stored at the asp . in the simplest form of the system , these checksums will simply be compared upon delivery to confirm that the no unauthorized intrusions into the repository have occurred . as will be understood , this data may be stored permanently on a write - once - only cd - r disk at the asp &# 39 ; s data storage apparatus and even archived by an independent auditor ( e . g . kpmg ) who would have exclusive access to the cd - r disc . an alternative method ( lower half of fig9 ) may be to remove the tags from the freight , harvest the log contained in each tag by way of a pc it the delivery site . the pc may , of course , be connected to the asp server via the internet where the pc cannot , in real - time , readily compare the tag log as well as the asp . moreover , a report that has been independently audited can be printed on the site to confirm that the shipment is acceptable ( no unauthorized intrusions or openings caused by theft or terrorism ) within a few minutes after arrival . it is also possible to record the data log of light level event data in a data storage apparatus located on the truck if a write - once - only cd - r disc is used to prevent alteration by improperly motivated individuals ( see fig1 ). in that case , care must be taken to prevent any compromise of the audit trail since the computer in the truck may be exposed to tampering before the data is recorded on the cd - r disc ( e . g . by the driver or other individuals who own the shipment ). fig1 shows light level event data collected from an array of light sensors on security tags , attached directly to cargo containers held in a ship , warehouse , or other higher level repository , which are connected by cabling to a transceiver which receives gps data and transmits wirelessly ( e . g . via satellite ) to a remote asp for unalterable recording on a write - once - only cd on a “ real time ” basis . fig1 shows light level event data collected from an array of light sensors on security tags , attached directly to cargo containers held in a ship , warehouse , or other higher level repository , which are connected by wireless transmission to a field antenna connected to a transceiver which receives gps data and transmits wirelessly ( e . g . via satellite ) to a remote asp for unalterable recording on a write - once - only cd on a “ real time ” basis . while the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof , numerous obvious changes and variations may readily be made by persons skilled in the field of shipping and storage . accordingly , the invention should be understood to include all such variations to the full extent embraced by the claims . | 6 |
with reference to fig1 a and 1b , one embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a so - called single slip structure type optical switch will be explained . fig1 a is a perspective view of the optical switch , in which a bypass waveguide 101 which has a single slip structure is provided with an optical amplification portion 102 . fig1 b shows the cross - sectional structure ( taken along the line b -- b &# 39 ; of fig1 a ) of the bypass waveguide 101 . in this embodiment , an ingaasp waveguide layer 104 ( absorption edge wavelength λg = 1 . 15 μm ), an inp barrier layer 105 , an ingaasp waveguide layer 106 ( absorption edge wavelength λg = 1 . 30 μm ), an inp cladding layer 107 and an ingaasp cap layer 108 were successively grown on an inp substrate 103 by lpe method . thereafter , the ingaasp cap layer 108 was removed and the inp cladding layer 107 and the ingaasp waveguide layer 106 were removed except for those portions in the amplification region within the bypass waveguide by a selective etching method . then , an inp cladding layer 107 and an ingaasp cap layer 108 were grown again on the whole surface . thereafter , waveguides having the cross - sectional configuration shown in fig4 a and 4b were formed by ordinary lithography and etching techniques , as being waveguides 109 which were out of the amplification portion and as being a waveguide which was in the amplification portion 101 . the waveguides thus formed had a width of 5 μm . the x - crossing angle of the waveguides was 14 °, and the y - branch angle of the waveguides was 7 °. the optical switch thus formed was provided with carrier injection regions 110 for an optical switch operation and electrodes 112 for carrier injection into the associated regions by use of ordinary electrode forming technique . fig4 c shows the cross - sectional structure of a waveguide including a carrier injection region 110 of the optical switch formed as described above . to form the carrier injection regions 110 , zn diffusion method was employed . other features of the waveguide structure shown in fig4 a and 4b are that the junction loss is small since the waveguide layer 104 is common to the amplification portion and the optical switch portion and that the polarization dependence is small since the optical amplification layer 106 amplifies the evanescent component in the guided light . the operation of the thus produced optical switch will next be explained with reference to fig5 and 6 . in characteristic evaluation , semiconductor laser light having a wavelength of 1 . 3 μm was applied to the input end 511 . in the arrangement shown in fig5 the electrodes of the optical switch portion and the amplification portion were connected to provide a common terminal 515 to drive both the carrier injection portions at the same time . at that time , the output end 512 was substantially completely switched to the output end 513 when the injection current was about 200 ma , and the insertion loss and the crosstalk were 3 db and - 30 db , respectively , which were 5 db and 10 db smaller than those of a device provided with no optical amplification portion . next , the two carrier injection portions were individually driven by use of the arrangement shown in fig6 that is , by use of terminals 616 and 617 provided in connection with the respective electrodes of the optical switch portion and the optical amplification portion . when the optical switch portion and the optical amplification portion were supplied with injection currents of about 120 ma and about 200 ma , respectively , the direction of propagation of the light with a wavelength of 1 . 3 μm input from the input end 611 was substantially completely changed from the output end 612 to the output end 613 . the insertion loss and the crosstalk were - 2 db and - 30 db , respectively . that is , it was possible to obtain a gain of 2 db . as a result , it was possible to confirm the basic functions of the present invention for reducing or eliminating loss and reducing crosstalk . although in this embodiment the range structure shown in fig3 was employed for the waveguides , it is , of course , possible to obtain the same advantageous effects by use of gain type optical waveguide structures in addition to refractive index type optical waveguide structures such as those of loaded type , bh type and csp type , which are ordinary optical waveguide structures . fig1 , 11 and 12 respectively shows examples of specific optical waveguide structures of loaded type , bh type and csp type . when these optical waveguide structures are employed , it is also preferable to reduce the loss in the junction between the amplification portion and the switch portion and reduce the polarization dependence in the amplification portion as in the ridge type waveguide structure of the foregoing embodiment . it should be noted that the reference numeral 114 in fig1 denotes a buried layer ( region ) which is a semiconductor ( inp or the like ) region for confining the light propagated through the waveguide region 104 and the injected current within the mesa region in the center . further , although in the foregoing embodiment an ingaasp material was employed as a semiconductor material , the same advantageous effect is also obtained by use of other semiconductor materials such as iii - v group semiconductor materials such as gaalas , ingaalas , etc . and ii - vi group semiconductor materials . with reference to fig7 one embodiment of the optical switch array according to the present invention will be explained . in this embodiment , 16 semiconductor optical switches of the type shown in fig1 a were integrated to produce a complete lattice - type 4 × 4 optical switch array having 4 inputs and 4 outputs , as shown in the figure . since the bypass waveguide that is part of the slip of the single or double slip structure type optical switch according to the present invention has a function by which only an optical signal which is to be exchanged passes therethrough , which is unavailable in the conventional optical switches , it is possible to realize an optical exchange function which is not present in the prior art . with the prior art arrangement , i . e ., the arrangement shown in fig8 wherein optical amplifiers are disposed at the input or output ends , respectively , in an optical switch array , the output ends 831 , 832 , 833 and 834 to which optical signals input from the input ends 811 , 812 , 813 and 814 are to be output depend on which ones of the switch units disposed at the lattice points in the optical switch array turn on , and since the path , length , etc . of the waveguides differ depending upon each particular connecting condition , if the optical amplifiers 821 , 822 , 823 and 824 disposed at the input or output ends are operated under a constant condition , it is impossible to adjust variations in loss due to the connecting condition . for example , optical signals from the input ends 811 , 812 , 813 and 814 are output to the output end 831 when the switch units 411 , 421 , 431 and 441 turn on , respectively . since the length and condition of the waveguides differ for each path , the loss value differs for each path , as a matter of course . in contrast , the optical switch array shown in fig7 that comprises semiconductor optical switches of the present invention enables adjustment loss variations due to the difference in path , length , etc . of the waveguides depending upon the connecting condition since a switch unit disposed at each lattice point has each individual optical amplification function . more specifically , since the path from an input end to an output end is uniformly determined by which one ( s ) of the switch units at the lattice points turn on , it suffices to unconditionally determine an amplification degree at each lattice point in accordance with the loss in this path . in this embodiment , in order to confirm this function , the optical amplification degrees of four switch units 311 , 312 , 313 and 314 in the arrangement shown in fig7 were individually adjusted so that the optical signal input from the input end 711 was output to the output ends 731 , 732 , 733 and 734 with the same light intensity and so that the insertion loss was 5 db . the values of the current required were 200 , 220 , 230 and 260 ma , respectively . similarly , the optical amplification degrees of the remaining 12 switch units 321 , 322 , 323 , 324 , 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 , 341 , 342 , 343 and 344 were individually adjusted so that the optical signals input from the input ends 712 , 713 and 714 were output to the output ends 731 , 732 , 733 and 734 with the same light intensity and so that the insertion loss was 5 db . as a result , it was possible to confirm the novel function of the present invention that an optical signal input from any input end is output to any output end with the same light intensity . with reference to fig9 one embodiment of an optical exchange that utilizes the optical signal monitor function of the present invention will be explained . an optical signal input from the input end 911 was monitored on the basis of a change in the terminal voltage in the optical amplification portion of each of the switch units 311 , 312 , 313 and 314 ( in the figure , the reference numerals 921 to 924 denote optical switch unit driving power supplies having a voltage monitor circuit and therefore serving also as monitor means ), thereby reading the header portion in the optical signal to discriminate an output end to be connected from the others . in response to the signal discriminated , the corresponding switch unit 312 was turned on so that the signal would be output to the corresponding output end 932 . further , in this state , the contents of the signal were monitored on the basis of a change in the terminal voltage in the optical amplification portion of the switch unit 312 to distinguish the point of time of the end of the call , and when the call finished , the switch unit 312 was turned off to cut off the connection to the output end 932 . as a result , it was possible to confirm the optical signal monitor function of the present invention and that it is possible to realize an optical exchange having a high level of function . | 7 |
in one embodiment of the invention , approximately 344 . 8 kg of water , 15 . 0 kg magnesium aluminum silicate , and 0 . 2 kg butylated hydroxytoluene are first combined and mixed at 75 - 80 ° c . to form the aqueous phase . the mixing can be by side scrape agitation at a fixed speed . the resulting aqueous phase is a suspension . second , approximately 20 . 0 kg of cetyl alcohol , 15 . 0 kg of stearic acid , 20 . 0 kg of stearyl alcohol , 25 . 0 kg of methyl gluceth - 10 , 0 . 9 kg of methylparaben , 0 . 1 kg of propylparaben , and 20 . 0 kg of glycerin are mixed together at medium speed at about 75 - 80 ° c . to form the non - aqueous phase . the mixing can be at medium speed in a lightning mixer . the resulting non - aqueous phase is a suspension . the second step can be performed before , after or concurrently with the first step . then , the non - aqueous phase is added to the aqueous phase and the combined biphasic mixture is cooled to a temperature in the range of 68 ° c . to 72 ° c ., or about 70 ° c ., after which about 17 . 5 kg of arlacel ® 165 , 0 . 25 kg tretinoin and 0 . 050 kg fluocinolone acetonide are added and stirred with cooling . when the mixture reaches 60 ° c ., 0 . 25 kg citric acid is added with mixing and cooling . when the temperature reaches 55 ° c ., 20 . 0 kg hydroquinone is added with mixing and cooling . when the temperature reaches about 50 ° c ., the mixture is homogenized with a homogenizer , with continued cooling . when the mixture reaches 45 ° c ., 1 . 0 kg of sodium metabisulfite is added with stirring and cooling . typically , the sodium metabisulfite is added about 30 minutes after the addition of the hydroquinone . the mixing can be at fixed speed in a side scrape agitator . the resulting composition of matter is an emulsion , i . e ., a cream . the presence of sodium metabisulfite in the cream prevents the oxidation of hydroquinone . the addition of sodium metabisulfite as the cream is cooling advantageously results in a well - mixed composition of matter , with the sodium metabisulfite evenly mixed throughout the cream and preventing the oxidation of the hydroquinone throughout the cream . another advantage of the process of the invention is that by controlling the temperature at which the components , including hydroquinone , are added , the cream does not turn as brown , resulting in a more pleasing - colored product . we found that the addition of the emulsifier following the mixing of the non - aqueous and aqueous phases to be advantageous for the making of the pharmaceutical composition of the invention . when we attempted to make a cream product using a standard technique of adding the emulsifier to the non - aqueous phase and then mixing with the aqueous phase , we found that no emulsion formed . however , when we added the emulsifier to the mixture of the non - aqueous and aqueous phases with cooling , according to the method of the invention , we found that a useful emulsion did form . this emulsion formed even though the relative proportion of the non - aqueous and aqueous phases according to the successful method of the invention was the same as when an emulsion did not form using the standard technique of adding a non - aqueous phase containing an emulsifier to an aqueous phase . the resulting tri - luma ™ cream contains fluocinolone acetonide , hydroquinone and tretinoin in a hydrophilic cream base for topical application . each gram of tri - luma ™ cream contains as active ingredients , fluocinolone acetonide 0 . 01 % ( 0 . 1 mg ), hydroquinone 4 % ( 40 mg ), and tretinoin 0 . 05 % ( 0 . 5 mg ), and as inactive ingredients , butylated hydroxytoluene , cetyl alcohol , citric acid , glycerin , glyceryl stearate , magnesium aluminum silicate , methyl gluceth - 10 , methylparaben , peg - 100 stearate , propylparaben , purified water , sodium metabisulfite , stearic acid , and stearyl alcohol . see , table 1 . fluocinolone acetonide is a synthetic fluorinated corticosteroid for topical dermatological use and is classified therapeutically as an anti - inflammatory . it is a white crystalline powder that is odorless and stable in light . the chemical name for fluocinolone acetonide is ( 6 , 11 , 16 )- 6 , 9 - difluoro - 11 , 21 - dihydroxy - 16 , 17 -[( 1 - methylethylidene ) bis ( oxy )]- pregna - 1 ,- 4 - diene - 3 , 20 - dione . the molecular formula is c 24 h 30 f 2 o 6 and molecular weight is 452 . 50 . hydroquinone is classified therapeutically as a depigmenting agent . it is prepared from the reduction of p - benzoquinone with sodium bisulfite . it occurs as fine white needles that darken on exposure to air . the chemical name for hydroquinone is 1 , 4 - benzenediol . the molecular formula is c 6 h 6 o 2 and molecular weight is 110 . 11 . tretinoin is all - trans - retinoic acid formed from the oxidation of the aldehyde group of retinene to a carboxyl group . it is highly reactive to light and moisture . tretinoin is classified therapeutically as a keratolytic . the chemical name for tretinoin is : ( all - e )- 3 , 7 - dimethyl - 9 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 1 - yl )- 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 - nonatetraenoic acid . the molecular formula is c 20 h 28 o 2 and molecular weight is 300 . 44 . tri - luma ™ cream is typically supplied in 30 g aluminum tubes , ndc 0299 - 5950 - 30 , and is stored at controlled room temperature 68 to 77 ° f . ( 20 - 25 ° c .). the details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying description above . although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention , the preferred methods and materials are now described . other features , objects , and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and from the claims . in the specification and the appended claims , the singular forms include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . all patents and publications cited in this specification are incorporated by reference . the following examples are presented to more fully illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention . these examples should in no way be construed as limiting the scope of the invention , as defined by the appended claims . percutaneous absorption of unchanged tretinoin , hydroquinone and fluocinolone acetonide into the systemic circulation of two groups of healthy volunteers ( total n = 59 ) was found to be minimal following 8 weeks of daily application of 1 g ( group i , n = 45 ) or 6 g ( group ii , n = 14 ) of tri - luma ™ cream . for tretinoin quantifiable plasma concentrations were obtained in 57 . 78 % ( 26 out of 45 ) of group 1 and 57 . 14 % ( 8 out of 14 ) of group ii subjects . the exposure to tretinoin as reflected by the c max values ranged from 2 . 01 to 5 . 34 ng / ml ( group i ) and 2 . 0 to 4 . 99 ng / ml ( group ii ). thus , daily application of tri - luma ™ cream resulted in a minimal increase of normal endogenous levels of tretinoin . the circulating tretinoin levels represent only a portion of total tretinoin - associated retinoids , which would include metabolites of tretinoin and that sequestered into peripheral tissues . for hydroquinone quantifiable plasma concentrations were obtained in 18 % ( 8 out of 44 ) group i subjects . the exposure to hydroquinone as reflected by the c max values ranged from 25 . 55 to 86 . 52 ng / ml . all group ii subjects ( 6 g dose ) had undetectably low post - dose plasma concentrations . for fluocinolone acetonide , groups i and ii subjects had undetectably low post - dose plasma concentrations . the following tests may be helpful in evaluating patients : ( a ) acth or cosyntropin stimulation tests ; ( b ) the a . m . plasma cortisol test ; and ( c ) the urinary free cortisol test . two efficacy and safety studies were conducted in 641 melasma patients between the ages of 21 to 75 years , having skin phototypes i - iv and moderate to severe melasma of the face . tri - luma ™ cream was compared with three possible combinations of two of the three active ingredients [( 1 ) hydroquinone 4 % ( hq )+ tretinoin 0 . 05 % ( ra ); ( 2 ) fluocinolone acetonide 0 . 01 % ( fa )+ tretinoin 0 . 05 % ( ra ); ( 3 ) fluocinolone acetonide 0 . 01 % ( fa )+ hydroquinone 4 % ( hq )], contained in the same vehicle as tri - luma ™ cream . the patients were instructed to apply their study medication each night , after washing their face with a mild soapless cleanser , for 8 weeks . the patients were also instructed to apply a thin layer of study medication to the hyperpigmented lesion , making sure to cover the entire lesion including the outside borders extending to the normal pigmented skin . the patients were provided a mild moisturizer for use as needed and a sunscreen with spf 30 for daily use . moreover , the patients were instructed to avoid sunlight exposure to the face , wear protective clothing protective clothing and avoidance of sunlight exposure to the face was recommended . the patients were evaluated for melasma seventy at baseline and at weeks 1 , 2 , 4 , and 8 of treatment . primary efficacy was based on the proportion of patients who had an investigators &# 39 ; assessment of treatment success , defined as the clearing of melasma at the end of the eight - week treatment period . the majority of patients enrolled in the two studies were white ( approximately 66 %) and female ( approximately 98 %). tri - luma ™ cream was demonstrated to be significantly more effective than any of the other combinations of the active ingredients . patients experienced improvement of their melasma with the use of tri - luma ™ cream as early as 4 weeks . however , among 7 patients who had clearing at the end of 4 weeks of treatment with tri - luma ™ cream , 4 of them did not maintain the remission after an additional 4 weeks of treatment . after 8 weeks of treatment with the study drug , patients entered into an open - label extension period in which tri - luma ™ cream was given on an as - needed basis for the treatment of melasma . in studies , after 8 weeks of treatment with tri - luma ™ cream , most patients had at least some improvement . some had their dark spots clear up completely ( 38 % in one study and 13 % in another ). in most patients treated with tri - luma ™ cream , their melasma came back after treatment . the remission periods appeared to shorten between progressive courses of treatment . additionally , few patients maintained complete clearing of melasma ( approximately 1 to 2 %). based on melasma severity at the beginning of the trial , 161 patients were assessed for improvement at day 56 of treatment . 61 % ( 99 patients ) experienced symptom improvement from “ moderate ” to “ mild ” or “ cleared ”, and 68 % ( 25 ) showed improvement from “ severe ” to “ mild ” or “ cleared ” over the 8 - week treatment period as shown in table 3 . in the controlled clinical trials , adverse events were monitored in the 161 patients who used tri - luma ™ cream once daily during an 8 - week treatment period . there were 102 ( 63 %) patients who experienced at least one treatment - related adverse event during these studies . the most frequently reported events were erythema , desquamation , burning , dryness , and pruritus at the site of application . the majority of these events were mild to moderate in severity . adverse events reported by at least 1 % of patients and judged by the investigators to be reasonably related to treatment with tri - luma ™ cream from the controlled clinical studies are summarized ( in decreasing order of frequency ) as follows : in an open - label long - term safety study , patients who have had cumulative treatment of melasma with tri - luma ™ cream for 6 months showed a similar pattern of adverse events as in the 8 - week studies . the following local adverse reactions have been reported infrequently with topical corticosteroids . they may occur more frequently with the use of occlusive dressings , especially with higher potency corticosteroids . these reactions are listed in an approximate decreasing order of occurrence : burning , itching , irritation , dryness , folliculitis , acneiform eruptions , hypopigmentation , perioral dermatitis , allergic contact dermatitis , secondary infection , skin atrophy , striae , and miliaria . the foregoing description has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and is not intended to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed , but by the claims appended hereto . | 0 |
the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses an optical sensor , such as an infrared proximity sensor , to measure the depth of the suprasternal notch , as shown in fig1 . a light source 100 shines light on the skin of the suprasternal notch 101 , and the reflected light is received by photocell 102 . ( the term “ photocell ” is used to refer to any device whose output is light sensitive , e . g ., a photodiode , phototransistor , etc .) the combined sensor assembly 107 may be mounted on any surface which is relatively immobile with respect to the skin of the suprasternal notch , such as the sternum 106 . a suitable method for attachment is to mount the sensor 107 on cantilever 103 , which is then glued to the sternum using double - sided adhesive tape 104 . preferably , the double - sided adhesive tape is not glued directly to the skin , but is glued to a layer of soft , spongy , low irritant , low allergenic self - adhesive material 105 . a suitable material is duoderm ®, available from convattec , of princeton , n . j . the sensor is mounted such that the optical paths of light source and photocell are approximately normal to and centered over the skin at the deepest point of the suprasternal notch . the advantage of the layer of duoderm is that it can remain in place on the skin for long periods , and the sensor can be removed and reapplied multiple times without trauma to the skin . cantilever 103 can itself be made from a semiflexible material , such as foam or silicone rubber with embedded aluminium reinforcing , so that it can be bent to conform to suit the subject and adjust the distance from the skin of the suprasternal notch . alternatively , or in addition , sensor 107 can be mounted on the cantilever with adjusting screws so as to adjust the distance of the sensor from the skin of the suprasternal notch . to gain a lower profile , it is convenient to have the optical axis of the sensor parallel with the sternum and use a small mirror to direct the light path at the skin of the suprasternal notch . another low profile arrangement is to surface mount the sensor electronic components directly onto the cantilever . small to moderate inspiratory and expiratory efforts cause quasi - linear movement of the skin of the suprasternal notch , with inspiratory efforts causing the skin to be sucked inwards , away from the sensor , and active expiratory efforts to cause the skin to bulge outwards , towards the sensor . progressively larger efforts cause progressively smaller increments in skin movement , and efforts of more than about ± 10 to 20 cmh 2 o pleural pressure produce little further change in the signal . this is convenient , because small efforts produce measurable deformations in the skin , and it is desired to detect small efforts . in a typical arrangement , the light source 100 of the sensor is an infrared light emitting diode , and the photocell 102 of the sensor is a photoresistor , photodiode , or phototransistor . for example , using a commercially available ee - sf5 photomicrosensor available from omron corporation , of kyoto , japan , the electrical output ( light current ) increases quasi - linearly for distances from zero to about 4 millimeters , and then decreases quasi - exponentially for distances greater than 5 millimeters , as shown in fig2 . ( at short distances , a reduced amount of light is detected because of light angle considerations .) therefore , in the preferred embodiment , the sensor assembly is placed so that the front face of the combined sensor 107 is approximately 8 millimeters from the skin . inspiratory efforts will cause the distance to increase , resulting in a quasi - exponentially decreasing electrical signal , and expiratory efforts will cause an increasing signal . in an alternative embodiment , the sensor could be positioned and sized such that it is the ascending portion of the curve of fig2 that is operative , with the light current output increasing with increasing distance . it is also possible not to glue the cantilever to the skin , but to hold it in place using a bandage , harness , or similar mechanism . alternatively , the cantilever may be attached to a tight stretch garment such as a lycra ® t - shirt . combining both alternatives , the cantilever may be mounted on a large disc of soft , thin , high - friction material such as silicone , typically 10 centimeters in diameter , which may be held by friction in contact with the skin by a harness , bandage , stretch lycra t - shirt , etc . a very low durometer silicone will tend to have a higher coefficient of friction . the large , soft , thin , disc of high friction material may be perforated with multiple holes in order to allow the skin to breathe . changes in body posture , for example , turning the head , extending the neck , or rolling from back to side , can change the depth of the suprasternal notch independently of respiratory effort . therefore , it is desirable to be able to automatically maintain the signal corresponding to zero effort to be zero , independently of ( non - breathing related ) body changes . normally , inspiratory effort is active and expiration is passive . in the preferred embodiment discussed so far using the ee - sf5 sensor , inspiratory effort causes a decreasing light current , as shown in fig2 . therefore , for convenience , the output from the photosensor 102 is inverted , so that inspiration produces a positive signal . this signal is then amplified and zero - adjusted so that zero effort produces an output signal of zero . changes in posture will tend to change the distance between sensor and skin , which will change the output voltage for zero effort . it is desirable to automatically adjust for such changes in posture , so that zero effort once again produces zero output signal . if the optical sensor has been set up so that a positive signal corresponds to inspiratory effort , and if the patient is not making active expiratory efforts , the minimum signal during a breath will correspond to zero effort . a trough detector , comprising a capacitor charged by the sensor output via a resistor , and discharged by the sensor output via a diode , with the resistor - capacitor time constant long compared with a breath but short compared with the interval between postural changes , will track this minimum effort . a suitable time constant is ten seconds . preferably , the diode is in the feedback loop of an operational amplifier to provide correct operation close to zero signal . a subtractor operational amplifier then subtracts the output of the trough detector from the output from the sensor to yield the effort signal . a suitable circuit block diagram for the entire assembly is shown in fig3 . point ( a ) is the output from a phototransistor or other light - responsive detector , point ( b ) is the output after inversion by inverter 201 , point ( c ) is the output from the trough detector 202 , and point ( d ) is the zero - corrected effort signal output . fig4 shows the action of the entire assembly . the top tracing is the true respiratory effort , as might be measured using an esophageal pressure transducer , recorded for a period of 4 minutes , or 60 breaths . the peak inspiratory effort varies in amplitude with a period of 30 seconds . the second tracing shows the signal from the phototransistor , at point ( a ). this signal is upside down , because increasing effort causes the skin to recede from the sensor , causing a reduction in light current from the phototransistor . thus , zero effort is represented by the flat upper envelope of the waveform at the leading and trailing ends of the tracing . during the second of the four minutes , the dc offset changes , to simulate the effect of a change in posture leading to the sensor being held closer to the skin ( more light output ) at zero effort . the third tracing shows the signal at point ( b ), after inversion . here , zero effort is represented by the flat lower envelope of the waveform at the leading and trailing ends of the tracing . the heavy line on the fourth tracing shows the signal at point ( c ), which is the output of the trough detector . for convenience , the signal at point ( b ) is reproduced as a thin line along with the output of the trough detector . the trough detector tracks the dc shift in the signal during the second minute of the tracing . the reason for this is as follows . consider that capacitor 206 has charged through resistor 205 to the potential at point ( b ). if the potential at point ( b ) rises above that of the capacitor , the potential at the output of operational amplifier 207 will be greater than that of the capacitor , and diode 207 will be reverse biased . the capacitor potential rises slowly through resistor 205 to the potential at point ( b ), but it takes several breaths for this to happen . but if the input at point ( b ) drops below the capacitor level , operational amplifier 207 conducts current through the diode . the capacitor voltage thus decreases rapidly to the lowest level of the input . the output at point ( d ) is shown in the bottom tracing — it is the difference ( formed in subtractor 203 ) of the signal at point ( b ) and the heavy line shown in the tracing for the signal at point ( c ). the net result is that the final output signal at point ( d ) is zero for zero effort ( along the horizontal axis of the tracing ), even if the light output changes due to a change in posture , and the signal increases with increasing effort . the above functionality can also be performed by a microprocessor which executes a program that samples the sensor output signal , tracks the minimum signal over a moving time window long compared with a breath but short compared with the interval between body movements ( such as 10 seconds ), and subtracts the minimum signal from the sensor output signal to yield the effort signal . the signal from the optical sensor may be used to trigger a conventional ventilator instead of the ventilator &# 39 ; s usual triggering means . in one embodiment , the effort sensor is combined with a prior art spontaneous mode bilevel ventilation control — the mask pressure is set to a high pressure ( such as 20 cmh 2 o ) if the effort signal exceeds a threshold , and set to a low pressure ( such as 4 cmh 2 o ) otherwise . a block diagram of such an arrangement is shown in fig5 . effort sensor 300 ( the device of fig1 - 4 ) supplies zero and body position corrected effort signal 301 to trigger circuit 303 , which produces pressure request output signal 304 . as shown by the two functions depicted in the drawing , if the input exceeds the threshold on conductor 302 , the pressure request signal is set to a high value , and to a low value otherwise . these two values control the two pressures of a conventional ventilator . fig6 shows a block diagram of a servo - controlled pressure generator and air delivery system controlled by the same pressure request output signal 304 . the pressure request signal is fed to the pressure request input 400 of servo 401 , whose output 402 is used to control a controllable pressure source 403 ( such as a blower with variable speed motor or control valve , or compressed gas and control valve ). air ( which may be enriched with oxygen ) from the controllable pressure source is fed via hose 404 to mask 405 and ultimately vented through exhaust 406 . a pressure sensor ( transducer ) 408 measures mask pressure via hose 407 , and the electrical output 409 from the pressure sensor is fed back to the servo 401 . when the patient commences inspiratory effort , the pressure in the pleural cavity falls , causing the effort signal to exceed the threshold , and the higher pressure is applied . in patients with severe obstructive lung disease , requiring relatively high pressures , the intrathoracic pressure will remain negative during the patient &# 39 ; s inspiration , because the mask pressure is not immediately transmitted to the alveoli . when the patient ceases making inspiratory effort at the end of inspiration , the intrathoracic pressure will suddenly rise , making the effort signal go back to zero , or even negative in the case of actively exhaling patients . at this point , the effort signal drops back below the threshold , and the device selects the lower pressure , permitting expiration to occur . the same type of effort sensor signal can be used to trigger still another prior art controlled ventilator , one which exhibits what is known as spontaneous plus timed backup bilevel ventilation . with such a ventilator , the mask pressure is switched to the higher pressure if the effort signal goes above a threshold indicating start of active inspiration , and then switched back to the lower pressure when the effort signal falls below the threshold indicating end of active inspiration , as described above , but in the event that the start of active inspiration is not detected within a specified time from the start of the previous active inspiration ( or alternatively , within a shorter specified time from the end of the active inspiration ), a machine generated “ timed ” breath is delivered by switching to the higher pressure for a specified duration . in general , the output of trigger 302 can be used to replace the trigger of any known class of ventilator , switching the ventilator from the expiratory to the inspiratory sub - cycle when the effort signal goes above a threshold , or from the expiratory to the inspiratory sub - cycle when the effort signal goes below a threshold , or both . such ventilators include but are not limited to volume cycled ventilators , pressure support ventilators , volume servo - ventilators , and proportional assist ventilators . 3 . degree of support proportional to the effort signal , as measured directly using the effort sensor : effort reducing ventilatory support thus far , what has been described is the triggering of a conventional control means between an inspiratory and an expiratory state . a further aspect of my invention relates to adjusting the degree of support to be proportional to the effort signal . the output e ( t ) on conductor 301 from the effort sensor 300 in fig5 may be delivered to an amplifier which generates a pressure request signal p ( t ), such that this is the desired pressure , and it is equal to a bias level p 0 plus a pressure that is proportional to the patient &# 39 ; s effort . the pressure request signal p ( t ) is then applied to the pressure request input 400 in fig6 . ( an actual circuit for implementing this embodiment of the invention is identical to that of fig5 with the difference that trigger circuit 303 is replaced by a circuit for generating the function of equation 1 .) it is instructive to compare this embodiment of the invention ( effort reducing ventilatory support ) with conventional proportional assist ventilation . proportional assist ventilation provides an instantaneous pressure which is a function of airflow f ( t ), as follows : p ( t )= p 0 + rf ( t )+ e ∫ f ( t ) dt , f ( t )& gt ; 0 ( equation 2 ) in these equations , r is the resistance of the subject &# 39 ; s airway , and the product rf ( t ) represents a desired pressure component which compensates for the way the airway impedes air flow . the term e ∫ f ( t ) dt represents a desired pressure component which compensates for the elastic recoil of the patient &# 39 ; s lungs . a first difference between the effort reducing ventilatory support of the invention and the prior art proportional assist ventilation is that there is no need to measure respiratory airflow f ( t ), with its attendant problem of leaks . a second difference is that there is no integral term with effort reducing ventilatory support , whereas with proportional assist ventilation there is such an integral term . a third and crucial difference , which follows in part from the second difference , is that with effort reducing ventilatory support there is no triggering between two states , whereas with proportional assist ventilation ( and most other known forms of ventilatory support ) there is such triggering . specifically , with proportional assist ventilation , equations 2 and 3 define two trigger conditions . consider for example the state of affairs at the end of an inspiration using 100 % proportional assist , in which r equals the resistance of the subject &# 39 ; s airway , and e equals the elastance of the subject &# 39 ; s lungs and chest wall . at this moment , the term rf ( t ) is zero ( because airflow f ( t ) is zero ), but the term e ∫ f ( t ) dt is non - zero , and exactly balances the elastic recoil of the patient &# 39 ; s lungs . since expiration is passive , nothing happens . there is no airflow , and the subject cannot breathe out . it is necessary to switch to equation 3 in order for the patient to be able to breathe out . on the other hand , in effort reducing ventilatory support ( equation 1 ), there is no concept of triggering between two states , an inspiratory state and an expiratory state . again consider affairs at the end of inspiration . as soon as the subject starts to reduce inspiratory effort , the delivered pressure will start to reduce , exactly in parallel with the muscular effort . by the time the inspiratory effort is zero , the mask pressure will have returned to the minimum level p 0 , and the degree of support will have returned to zero , as desired , with no need for a trigger . with effort reducing ventilatory support the desired pressure - controlling function does not change abruptly ; rather , it changes continuously in proportion to the patient &# 39 ; s effort ( i . e ., there are no trigger - controlled discontinuities ). a fourth difference from proportional assist ventilation is that in proportional assist ventilation it is necessary to either know or empirically determine values for r and e in equation 2 , the subject &# 39 ; s airway resistance , and lung plus chest wall elastance , respectively . in particular , the use of values of r or e larger than 100 % of the corresponding physiological values causes unstable run - away of the control algorithm . on the other hand , with effort reducing ventilatory support , it is not necessary to know or determine any parameters and , as will become apparent , even arbitrarily high values of the parameter k in equation 1 can in principle be used without causing instability or runaway . it is instructive to compare the current invention with ppap ( proportional positive airway pressure ), as taught in estes u . s . pat . no . 5 , 794 , 615 , in which the controlling equation is here , the desired variable pressure component is a function of airflow only . although there is no trigger in equation 4 , pressure is still proportional to flow , and not to effort . the difference between ppap and effort reducing ventilatory support is particularly apparent in the presence of high elastic work of breathing because of the very absence of a term in equation 4 proportional to the integral of flow , which means that with ppap , only resistive , as opposed to elastic , work is unloaded , whereas with the present invention both resistive and elastic work are unloaded . in addition , ppap still has the problem of working incorrectly in the presence of severe or changing leak , whereas effort reducing ventilatory support is uninfluenced by leak . as with pav ( equations 2 and 3 ), with ppap ( equation 4 ) k must be specified to suit the patient ; and large values of k lead to instability , which is not the case with the present invention . in all forms of ventilatory support that include a trigger , factors unrelated to respiratory effort , for example , sensor noise or oscillations in intrapleural pressure due to heartbeat can cause false or premature switching between the ventilator inspiratory state ( typically , a high pressure or inspiratory flow ) and the ventilator expiratory state ( typically , a low pressure or expiratory flow ). with effort reducing ventilatory support there is no such problem . instead , such cardiogenic pressure oscillations merely cause minor transient changes in mask pressure , which approximately cancel out the intrathoracic pressure changes caused by the heartbeat . an interesting secondary effect is that this will somewhat unload the work of the heart , and this will be of advantage to patients with cardiac failure . 4 . degree of support adjusted to servo - control effort to be near zero : effort canceling ventilatory support if the gain k in effort reducing ventilatory support is sufficiently high , the control algorithm becomes a simple proportional servo - controller , in which the patient &# 39 ; s respiratory effort is the controlled variable , and is servo controlled to be near zero ( effort canceling — not just reducing — ventilatory support ) by increasing the mask pressure if the effort is positive , and decreasing the mask pressure if the effort is negative . in practice , a simple proportional controller of modest gain ( for example , 10 cmh 2 o generated pressure per 1 cmh 2 o change in intrapleural pressure ) is adequate , but a pid controller , fuzzy controller , adaptive controller , fuzzy adaptive controller , or any other known controller could also be used , in order to produce somewhat better control . in each case , the controller is simply fed with the effort signal e ( t ) as the controlled , or input , variable , the output from the controller is added to po to achieve the desired instantaneous output pressure p ( t ), and a suitable pressure request signal is sent to the blower to generate an instantaneous mask pressure of p ( t ). as previously stated , an advantage of this method is that the effort signal e ( t ) does not have to be linear or even calibrated , and can saturate at high effort , without interfering with useful operation . the only requirements for the device to perform usefully are that the effort signal should be approximately zero for zero effort , greater than zero for all positive efforts , and less than zero for all negative efforts . if the effort sensor output is substantially non - zero at zero effort , the mask pressure will depart from the desired resting pressure p 0 . the circuit of fig3 solves this problem by passing the effort signal through a trough detector with a time constant long compared with a single breath but short compared with any drift in the zero value for the effort sensor , and correcting the effort sensor for zero drift by subtracting the trough signal . the other advantages of effort reducing ventilatory support are also maintained , including no need to customize parameters for a particular patient , immunity to false triggering from cardiogenic pressure oscillations , and some degree of unloading of the work of the beating heart . in the embodiments described above , the effort sensor is an optical sensor detecting movement of the skin of the suprasternal notch . however , any other form of effort sensor could also be used , for example , invasively measured pleural or transdiaphragmatic pressure , electromyogram signals from diaphragm , intercostal , or accessory respiratory muscles , or electroneurogram signals to these muscles . similarly , the pressure request signal could be used to control any other kind of ventilatory support device , such as a pneumobelt , rocking bed , cuirasse , iron lung , venturi , or transtracheal ventilator . in general , and in particular in all of the above embodiments of the invention , the pressure at end expiration , p 0 , can be set sufficiently high to treat coexisting obstructive sleep apnea . such a pressure can be determined in advance using any conventional manual or automatic cpap titration technique . alternatively , a suitable pressure can be determined empirically during actual therapy with the current invention . during effort - canceling ventilatory support , as described in the present application , any additional pressure drop across a partially narrowed upper airway will be automatically compensated for by an equal increase in mask pressure , so it is only necessary to set p 0 high enough to prevent passive collapse . the value p 0 can be automatically adjusted to treat coexisting obstructive sleep apnea by calculating a measure of the conductance of the airway , for example , by using a forced oscillation method , and increasing p 0 if conductance is below a threshold . during ventilatory support with the present invention , obstructive sleep apnea can be distinguished from central sleep apnea with closed vocal cords by inspecting the effort signal . if , during a period of zero respiratory airflow ( apnea ) the effort signal shows ongoing inspiratory efforts , then the apnea is obstructive and the end expiratory pressure should be increased . conversely , if the effort signal reveals the absence of effort , then the apnea is central , and in general pressure should not be increased . the determination of the presence or absence of respiratory effort during an apnea , and the subsequent increase or non - increase in end expiratory pressure can be performed automatically . finally , the value po can be automatically increased in the event that the ratio of the effort signal to respiratory airflow is larger than a threshold , indicating an obstructive hypopnea . although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments , it is to be understood that these embodiment are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention . numerous modifications may be made therein and other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 0 |
as shown in fig1 , a client source endpoint 5 , such as a workstation on a corporate network or a private home network , or a computer connected to an internet service provider ( isp ), is configured with client software 8 associated with an internet protocol ( ip ) forwarder / relay service 15 described below . the source endpoint 5 is coupled to a firewall 10 which limits inbound and outbound access to and from the source endpoint 5 . the firewall 10 is coupled to a communication medium 12 such as a wide area network or the internet . the source endpoint 5 establishes communications through the firewall 10 and the communication medium 12 to the ip forwarder / relay service 15 . the service 15 can be implemented , for example , as a cluster of servers or a geographically dispersed set of servers . the number of servers can be increased as needed to partition the load of many clients . fig1 depicts a forwarding session in which the ip forwarder / relay service 15 connects through a communication medium 17 to a destination endpoint 20 . the communication medium 17 can be any public network . the destination endpoint 20 can be any server or workstation that has connectivity with the communication medium 17 . in a forwarding session , data can be forwarded back and forth between the source endpoint and destination endpoint applications . the source endpoint 5 establishes a session using client software 8 to the service 15 . the service 15 can forward data to other endpoints , such as the destination endpoint 20 , that are not cognizant of the ip forwarder / relay service . in forwarding mode , the service 15 and the destination endpoint 20 use transport level communications ( e . g ., a tcp / ip connection ) to transfer information between them . fig2 illustrates a relay session in which the ip forwarder / relay service 15 establishes a virtual connection between the source endpoint 5 and the destination endpoint 20 to relay data back and forth . as shown in fig2 , the ip forwarder / relay service 15 and the destination endpoint 20 have connectivity to a common communication medium 17 . connectivity to the destination endpoint 20 is through a firewall 18 . to conduct a relay session , client software 23 must be installed on the destination endpoint 20 as well so that both endpoints 5 , 20 can establish a session to the service 15 . fig3 illustrates components of the client software 8 installed on the source endpoint 5 to permit a forwarding or relay session to occur . similar software components must be installed on the destination endpoint 20 for a relay session to occur . internet applications 30 , 32 , 34 , each of which has a user interface , can include buddy list applications such as aol &# 39 ; s aim ™ or microsoft &# 39 ; s msn messenger ™. alternatively , the applications 30 , 32 , 34 can include telnet , file transfer , multi - user gaming or other types of network applications . the applications operate in the application layer of the protocol stack . a standard application transport interface 35 , such as sockets or winsock2 , operates below the applications . the transport interface 35 , also called an application programming interface ( api ), acts as a bridge between the application and the transport control protocol / internet protocol ( tcp / ip ) suite . the client software 8 , 23 includes additional elements in the session layer of the protocol stack below the transport interface 35 . a name resolution layer 37 and data layer 39 , which can be combined or implemented separately , examine and process an application &# 39 ; s tcp / ip data and name resolution operations and can perform actions such as header addition / removal and modification of name resolution requests . an optional funneler component 40 in communication with the data layer 39 can be installed to combine the data from several applications into a single data stream to transmit or divide a combined received data stream into individual application streams . framing information can be used to associate the data with local applications . a security / firewall traversal layer 43 ( s / ft layer ) performs two main functions . first , the s / ft layer 43 can provide support for privacy and / or authentication between the source endpoint 5 and the ip forwarder / relay service 15 . in a relay session , the s / ft layer 43 also can provide end - to - end privacy and / or authentication support for virtual communications between the source endpoint 5 and the destination endpoint 20 . the security provisions can be based , for example , on standards such as secure socket layer ( ssl ) or a combination of any known cryptography techniques . in addition , the s / ft layer 43 establishes a firewall traversing session , or tunneling session , that allows data communication between the source endpoint 5 and the ip forwarder / relay service 15 . the s / ft layer 43 automatically determines the appropriate proxied protocol , such as http , ftp or socks4 / 5 , to use to tunnel application data through a firewall . the determination may include operations such as examining the local proxy configuration information and dynamically probing the firewall with test connections to the ip forwarder / relay service 15 or it may involve consulting a dynamic host consulting protocol ( dhcp ) server or using a service discovery protocol such as service location protocol ( slp ), jini , or universal plug and play ( upnp ). if , for example , http is used as the proxied protocol , request pipelining and multi - part return messages can be used to support two - way symmetric communications . data in the s / ft layer 43 may be directed to ( or from ) the funneler 40 if support for multiple internet applications is required . alternatively , a separate instance of the s / ft layer 43 can reside in each application &# 39 ; s process space and data can be sent over per - application firewall traversal sessions . firewall traversal sessions are initiated by the endpoints 5 , 20 . as previously noted , a firewall traversal session 7 is established between the source endpoint 5 and the ip forwarder / relay service 15 in both forwarding and relay modes of operation . in the forwarding mode ( fig1 ), an actual tcp connection or user datagram protocol ( udp ) association for transporting application data can be made between the ip forwarder / relay service 15 and the destination endpoint 20 . the forwarding mode can enable client / server applications that otherwise would have difficulty traversing firewalls . exemplary applications include client / server - based buddy lists , multi - user games , and ip telephony conferencing . in the relay mode , a firewall traversal session also is established from the destination endpoint 20 to the service 15 . thus , the ip forwarder / relay service 15 acts as an intermediary between two ( or more ) separate firewall traversal sessions . virtual tcp connections or virtual udp associations are set up between the source and destination endpoints 5 , 20 . in addition to client / server applications , the relay mode can also enable peer - to - peer applications that otherwise would have difficulty traversing firewalls such as peer - based buddy lists , multi - user games , and ip telephones . destination network addresses , as well as other information used to multiplex or demultiplex application data , are conveyed in headers contained within the transported session data . the ip forwarder / relay service 15 can add , remove and examine session headers and can establish mapping functions to facilitate the forwarding or relaying of data to the intended endpoint ( s ). in forwarding mode , when an application on the destination endpoint 20 requires that network addressing information be included in its payload , the ip address for the application running on the source endpoint 5 can be made to appear as if it is the ip address of the service 15 . in one implementation , the service 15 uses a domain name system ( dns ) host naming convention to identify endpoints 5 , 20 . other directory systems also can be supported by the service 15 . the ip forwarder / relay service is assigned a domain name , for example “ service . com .” users at the endpoints 5 , 20 are assigned sub - domain names . in one implementation , the sub - domain names are based upon information readily known by others such as a name . thus , john smith might register as “ jsmith . service . com .” in some instances , a sub - domain such as “ jsmith . service . com ” may not be sufficient to identify a unique endpoint 5 , 20 . for example , a user may use the service 15 from a variety of locations . to avoid naming conflicts , zip codes and / or locations may be added to the sub - domain names . thus , an endpoint associated with a user &# 39 ; s workplace , “ work . jsmith . 97211 . service . com ,” can be distinguished from a mobile endpoint “ mobile . jsmith . 97211 . service . com ” that is associated with the same user . the assigned sub - domain name can be used to configure the system software 8 , 23 for a given endpoint 5 , 20 . a user at a source endpoint 5 attempting to relay data to a destination endpoint 20 through the ip forwarder / relay service 15 does not necessarily need to know beforehand the full sub - domain name of the destination endpoint . to illustrate , a destination endpoint may be a private home network with several computers . a fully qualified domain name ( fqdn ) for one computer could be “ denpc . home . jsmith . 97211 . service . com .” if the user at the source endpoint 5 knows only “ service . com ” or “ jsmith . 97211 . service . com ,” the client system software 8 can provide a dialog box with a list of the constituents of the private home network to choose from . furthermore , the dialog box approach can be extended to allow endpoints to be distinguished by unique identifiers other than sub - domain names . as indicated by fig4 , a user enters 200 at least the service domain name into the system to request use of the service 15 . for example , the user would enter the domain name “ service . com .” the name resolution layer 37 of the client system software 8 intercepts 210 the domain name information that was entered into the system . for requests that involve the service , the name resolution layer 37 returns 220 either a special non - routeable ip address or else an ip address from a local pool associated with the given service 15 . the name resolution layer 37 records 230 a table entry associating the requested name with the returned ip address . that information then is shared 240 with the data layer 39 . the particular application 30 , 32 , 34 initiates 250 a transport level communication , for example , a tcp connection or udp message , using the returned ip address . the initiation request is intercepted 260 by the data layer 39 . the data layer 39 then retrieves the previously - recorded table entry to obtain the complete information needed to determine 270 whether a firewall traversal session to the service 15 should be established and whether the session should use the forwarding or relay mode . depending upon the domain name entered originally , the data layer 39 may require more information in order to decide whether a forwarding or relay session is necessary . if a fully qualified user domain name such as “ jwblow . 23114 . service . com ” originally were supplied , then the relay mode of operation would be used . on the other hand , if only the domain name “ service . com ” were originally entered , the data layer 39 would recognize the service host name , but would need additional information to determine whether the session should use the forwarding or relay mode . specifically , the user would supply either a real destination ip address or physical host name for the forwarding mode , or would select a fully qualified domain name ( fqdn ) within the service for the relay mode . to obtain the needed information , the data layer 39 can query the user with a dialog box . once the user has supplied the requested information , the data layer 39 issues 280 a name resolution request so that a server within the service 15 can be assigned for the firewall traversal session . the resolution request , which includes a virtual host name associated with the client endpoint 5 , bypasses the name resolution layer 37 and is issued directly to a domain name resolving server in the ip forwarding / relay service 15 . the service 15 returns 290 an ip address that the physical server uses during the firewall traversal session . fig5 and 6 illustrate various techniques that the ip forwarding / relay service 15 can employ to assign a physical server to be used for the firewall traversal session . the features are scalable and can be used to map virtual host names to a large number of geographically dispersed servers . in one implementation , shown in fig5 , a dns server 80 within the ip forwarder / relay service 15 uses hierarchical partitioning as the basis for selecting the proper physical server ( e . g . 82 , 84 , 86 or 88 ) to establish a session . the dns table 90 contains a set of regular expressions to compactly specify a static mapping relationship between the endpoint virtual host names and the physical servers 82 through 88 . according to the table 90 , servers 82 through 84 service requests directed to zip code 97211 and servers 86 through 88 service requests for zip code 99999 . within these two groups , the servers are selected based on the first letter of the user name . fig6 shows a dispatch / switching server model that can be used for dynamic mapping of endpoint virtual host names . the source endpoint 5 sends a virtual host name resolution request to a dispatch server 92 in the service 15 . based on information received from a load balancing system 94 , the dispatch server 92 returns the ip address of a particular switching server 96 , 98 , 100 , that will provide the ip forwarding / relay functionality for the client endpoint session . the load balancing system 94 communicates with the various switching servers 96 , 98 , 100 to track the loading of those servers dynamically . in some implementations , the load balancing system 94 can be incorporated into the dispatch server 92 . after a switching server 96 , 98 or 100 has been assigned , the client endpoint 5 sets up a session to the assigned switching server . an internal dynamic directory can be used in the name resolution process to map an endpoint to a server . in that case , the load balancing system 94 can monitor the dynamic loading of each switching server and assign the least loaded switching server 96 , 98 , 100 to handle the session . a corresponding entry can be added to the internal directory to reflect the assignment . the entry contains the mapping from a specific endpoint , such as the endpoint 5 , to the assigned switching server . it allows the service 15 to match client endpoints for relay mode and establish a virtual connection between them . once the ip address for the session server is obtained , the data layer 39 at the client endpoint 5 establishes 300 a firewall traversal session for the application 30 , 32 or 34 . once established , the application &# 39 ; s ip flow can be tagged 310 by the client software 8 with an indication of whether the service 15 should operate in forwarding or relay mode . alternatively , the service 15 can determine whether forwarding mode or relay mode is to be used based on the destination endpoint &# 39 ; s physical address or virtual host name supplied by the source endpoint 5 . as illustrated in fig7 , in the forwarding mode , a session server 60 establishes 315 the required tcp connection or udp association 62 and forwards the data to the ip address for the destination endpoint 20 . in the relay mode , a session server 64 can use its own domain name system or an internal dynamic directory to identify 320 the physical server 66 for the destination endpoint 20 . assuming that the destination endpoint 20 is listening for tcp / ip requests , a tcp connection or udp association is established 325 between the source and destination servers 64 , 66 , creating a virtual connection between the source 5 and destination endpoints 20 . table entries can be recorded 330 so that future sessions between the endpoints occur over established connections within the service . in some situations , a single server may act as both the source and destination servers 64 , 66 . an application that is listening for incoming requests for transport level communications connections ( e . g ., tcp connections or udp messages ) can be handled as follows . the data layer 39 at the destination endpoint 20 can use local policies and configurations to determine whether the applications 30 , 32 , 34 require remote listening at the service 15 and a corresponding firewall traversal session . the local policies may indicate that remote listening always is used for certain applications , while for other applications the user should be prompted for further input using , for example , a dialog box . where remote listening is to be used , the data layer 39 in the destination endpoint 20 establishes a firewall traversal session to the physical server assigned to the local user in the same manner as described above for the source endpoint 5 . information about an individual listen request is conveyed over the firewall traversal session to the service 15 . such information can include the fully qualified domain name and application port number for the destination endpoint 20 . as described above , a user can enter the service domain name ( e . g ., “ service . com ”) as the destination address to initiate use of the service 15 . in other implementations , instead of entering the service domain name , the user can specify an actual ip address or host name . an automatic determination of whether forwarding mode is appropriate can be made based on the address . for example , network addresses outside an internal domain specified through configuration of the client system software 8 , 23 , or discovered from standard network configuration parameters such as the user &# 39 ; s subnet , are likely to need forwarding . the software 8 , 23 can also be configured to recognize specific addresses for which forwarding is required . alternatively , forwarding mode can be used as a backup after a direct attempt at connection to an external address fails . to increase efficiency , a dns resolution request for a destination endpoint 20 should resolve successfully only if the destination endpoint is , in fact , listening on at least one port . also , search directories contain entries for listening endpoints . such features can increase the likelihood of obtaining a connection in relay mode to a destination endpoint and can reduce the overhead associated with setting up a firewall traversal session for which connections will eventually fail because there is no corresponding listening endpoint . in some implementations , each client endpoint on an internal network can include the software components discussed in connection with fig3 . alternatively , a local routing agent can be used . the local routing agent makes it unnecessary for each endpoint located in an internal network to be equipped with system software 8 , 23 . the local relay agent can act as a virtual router for all inbound communication . the ip forwarder / relay service 15 requires only the address of the local relay agent . the agent then handles the distribution and redirection of communication to particular machines in the internal network , as well as the sessions to the ip forwarder / relay service 15 . a hop component 50 ( fig3 ) also can be included in the client software 8 , 23 to allow a direct connection to the destination endpoint 20 to be made under certain circumstances . in particular , as shown in fig8 , when only the source endpoint 5 is located behind a firewall 10 and both the source and destination endpoints include the client software 8 , 23 , a direct firewall traversal session can be established between the endpoints 5 , 20 instead of using the relay mode of operation of the service 15 . in such a situation , the service 15 initially can be used to determine whether the relay mode of operation should be used to provide the virtual connection or whether the hop layer 50 in the source endpoint 5 should be instructed to initiate a direct session with the destination endpoint 20 over a communication medium 19 . alternatively , the hop layer 50 may first attempt a direct session with the destination endpoint 20 and upon failure to establish communications fallback to using the service 15 in the relay mode of operation . use of virtual host names for identifying parties registered with the service also can facilitate maintaining a connection to a destination endpoint when the source endpoint 5 roams between networks . for example , if the source endpoint 5 is a wireless , mobile device that can roam from one network to another , the service 15 can maintain the connection to the destination endpoint 20 even if the connection to the source endpoint temporarily is lost . in the event that the connection to the source endpoint 5 is lost temporarily , the destination endpoint 20 would not be made aware of that fact because its connection to the service 15 is maintained . to reestablish the session between the source endpoint 5 and the service 15 , the client software 8 can retain information regarding the state of the session . when connectivity to the service 15 subsequently is reestablished , the information regarding the state of the lost session can be used to allow the session to continue from the point when the connection was lost . various features of the system can be implemented in hardware , software , or a combination of hardware and software . for example , some aspects of the system can be implemented in computer programs executing on programmable computers . each program can be implemented in a high level procedural or object - oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system . furthermore , each such computer program can be stored on a storage medium , such as read - only - memory ( rom ) readable by a general or special purpose programmable computer , for configuring and operating the computer when the storage medium is read by the computer to perform the functions described above . | 7 |
fig1 shows the improved system for the fast transfer of channel microcode from the maintenance subsystem 60 to main memory 40 . the network shown in fig1 indicates a maintenance subsystem 60 connected to central processing module 10 through a serial interface 60si . a central processing module 10 is connected through dual system busses 22a and 22b to a main memory 40 and an input / output module 50 . the main memory 40 has a dedicated portion 40cm for holding the channel microcode which is used by the channel adapters 50ca in the i / o module 50 for communicating to specialized peripheral devices which require specialized instructions provided by the channel microcode . the central processing module 10 ( cpm ) has a maintenance controller 12 which communicates with the maintenance subsystem 60 in order to allow the &# 34 ; pre - loading &# 34 ; of massive microcode data from the maintenance subsystem 60 over to a flash memory 15 which then will have the channel microcode data readily available for distribution without the need to wait for transmission from the maintenance subsystem 60 . a data path array 20 uses a processor bus 14b to communicate with the processor 14 and the microcode ram 18 . a programmable array logic controller designated control pal 16 provides the control signals to the processor 14 , microcode ram 18 and data path array 20 for the handling of data transfers . in the improved system of fig1 the maintenance controller 12 provides a high speed parallel transfer bus 12b between the maintenance controller and the data path array 20 and further provides two control channels , 12c1 to the control pal 16 and 12c2 to the data path array 20 . the previously used jtag lines 12p , 12c and 12d are now only used for diagnostic purposes and are no longer required for transfer of microcode data words . the flash memory storage ram 15 is a nonvolatile unit which provides a pre - loaded method of storing the microcode data within the central processing module , cpm10 , itself , so that it is not necessary to wait for time - consuming loading from the maintenance subsystem . the flash memory 15 thus provides a large on - card data storage facility for maintenance controller 12 having an associated flash memory . under normal operations with the improved system of fig1 the maintenance subsystem 60 will pre - load channel microcode into the flash memory ram 15 and then , on system initialization , the channel microcode will be transferred from the database stored within the flash memory ram 15 . thus , the microcode data can be transferred on the new bus 12b to the data path array 20 and under control signals from the control pal 16 , and then can be transferred over one of the system busses 22a , 22b to the dedicated section 40cm in the main memory 40 . this transfer path is very fast when compared to the serial path 60si from the maintenance processor 64 . only when there is a new set of channel microcode words being added to the system , does the channel microcode database come across the serial interface 60si from the tape cartridge 61 on the hard disk 62 . further , at this time , the flash memory ram 15 will be updated with the new database for the new channel microcode items . enhanced channel microcode write loop : as seen in fig1 there is added two new direct controls on lines 12c1 ( 4 lines ) and 12c2 ( 6 lines ) and a new direct bus 12b ( 16 lines ) from the maintenance controller 12 in order to provide for an enhanced channel microcode &# 34 ; write loop .&# 34 ; the enhanced loop then allows the maintenance controller 12 to utilize the fast wide parallel paths of bus 12b over to the main memory 40 via the system busses 22a , 22b , rather than using the previous slow , serial jtag paths , 12p , 12c and 12d of fig1 and 2 . the new direct lines allow the maintenance controller 12 to emulate the actions that the processor 14 would normally have to take using high speed bus 14b if it were writing to main memory 40 . data path array ( fig1 ): the data path array 20 of fig1 provides the connection between the processor bus 14b on one side and the system busses 22a and 22b on the other side . the data path array has a path for addresses and for data information which then can be written to the main memory 40 . under the earlier art , for each word written by the maintenance subsystem 60 into the main memory 40 , the values for the address data and the main word data had to be shifted serially and slowly bit by bit ( not in parallel as with the wide bus 12b ) by means of the jtag path 12d into the boundary 20s of the data path array 20 . then , the data path array 20 could source these values to the system busses 22a , 22b , for writing into the main memory 40 . in the enhanced configuration , there is provided an additional high speed parallel wide bus path 12b onto the data path array 20 from the maintenance controller 12 . these new direct connections include four control signals on line 12c1 and six control signals on lines 12c2 , plus a 16 - bit data transfer bus 12b ( mp -- data ). by using the wide high speed 16 - bit direct bus 12b , this allows the necessary wider fields ( address = 32 bits ; data = 52 bits ) to be much more quickly built up in the data path array 20 than could possibly have been done using the earlier &# 34 ; serial &# 34 ; jtag shifting method . the signals involved in the new direct interface are described below in table i . table i______________________________________mp . sub .-- laddb signal from the maintenance controller 12 causing the current value on the mp . sub .-- data bus 12b to be loaded into the selected portion of the data path array address register , 20a . mp . sub .-- strdatlb signal from the maintenance controller 12 causing the current value on the mp . sub .-- data bus to be loaded into the selected lower portion of the data path array data register , 20d . mp . sub .-- strdatub signal from the maintenance controller 12 causing the current value on the mp . sub .-- data bus to be loaded into the selected upper portion of the data path array data register , 20d . mp . sub .-- regsek ( 1 : 0 ) two signals from the maintenance controller used to select which half of the address register is to be loaded or which half of the upper / lower portion of the data register in the data path array is to be loaded . mp . sub .-- addincb signal from the maintenance controller causing the value in the data path array address register 20a to be incremented by one . ______________________________________ thus , the direct interface from the maintenance controller - flash memory over the high speed parallel transfer bus 12b to the data path array 20 , while minimal as to hardware impact , is significant as to enhancing the write channel microcode loop . the address value need only be issued &# 34 ; once &# 34 ; by the flash memory 15 and maintenance controller 12 and thereafter is easily and quickly incremented to the next address value by the control pal 16 . further , the data values to be written into the main memory 40 as channel microcode values can be issued by the maintenance controller 12 in a fraction of the time and effort previously expended . also , significantly , the previously required time for the maintenance software and the maintenance processor 64 to calculate the new address for &# 34 ; each microcode word &# 34 ; to be transferred , is now saved . once the address and the data are in the data path array 20 , all that is necessary is to emulate the processor paths to main memory 40 via the system bus 22a and 22b and that the necessary high - speed control signals on bus lines 12c1 and 12c2 be activated as they would be for normal processor operations . this is so since previously the processor 14 was utilized to transfer microcode data on the high speed processor bus 14b over to the data path array 20 thus tying up the processor 14 in a long consuming operation . enhanced mode control pal : the control pal 16 in fig1 is the master logic which decodes the processor commands and controls the steering of all data into and out of the data path array 20 . the control pal 16 also provides all the control and timing signals required for system bus operations to or from the main memory 40 . all bus traffic on the internal processor bus 14b is directed by control signals from the control pal 16 . the control pal controls all actions at the full clock speed of the processor 14 . all bus access and protocol for the busses 22a , 22b operations is directed by signals from the control pal 16 . thus , all the necessary controls are already in place to write data over the system bus 22 into main memory 40 . the control pal 16 already has the necessary signals to steer the address value and the data value in the data path array 20 onto the system busses 22a , 22b . signals already exist for operation of all system bus and main memory operations . the control pal 16 can function at full processor speed rather than the slow serial bit by bit type of situation as was previously required . the important and normal control signals for the control pal 16 are indicated below in table ii . table ii______________________________________control pal ( 16 ) signals______________________________________wb . sub .-- out signal when active indicates that a memory write operation is active . this signal initiates a system bus write operation . biu . sub .-- cmd ( 2 : 0 ) signals indicating the type of active system operation ; equals &# 34 ; 110 &# 34 ; for system bus write operations . dout . sub .-- msel ( 3 : 0 ) bus steering controls to the data path array 20 . controls what values are driven onto the system busses , 22 . rdcmplt signal indicating that the current system bus operation has completed successfully . for a write operation , this signal indicates that the write operation is totally complete . for a read operation , this signal indicates the availability of the system read data with the data path array registers . ______________________________________ the signals indicated in table ii were used in earlier versions in the control pal 16 . however , the new enhanced system operates to add a simple direct way by which the maintenance controller 12 can cause the sequences , that normally control the signals , to be executed . in basic effect , the new direct controls from the maintenance controller 12 simply operate to &# 34 ; logically - or &# 34 ; into the existing control logic for these signals . table iii indicated below , provides the logic equations for the control signals indicated in table ii for the control pal 16 . the new , added maintenance controller terms are denoted . these equations indicate that very little new logic was necessary to add to the existing control terms in order to provide the fast write pathing system . the logic equations for the maintenance controller 12 are indicated hereinbelow in table iii . table iii______________________________________logic equation description______________________________________wb . sub .-- out = wb . sub .-- empty /+ wboutff normal logicmpff3 * mp # wrb / maintenance controller termbiu . sub .-- cmd ( 2 ) = sndmsgff * rtodff / normal logic + wb . sub .-- out normal logic + readlkff normal logicbiu . sub .-- cmd ( 1 ) = wb . sub .-- out normal logic + readlkff normal logic + rdmissff * read4 normal logicbiu . sub .-- cmd ( 0 ) = sbdnsgff * wb . sub .-- out / normal logic + rtodff * wb . sub .-- out / normal logic + readlkff * wb . sub .-- out / normal logic + rdmissff * wb . sub .-- out /* read4 normal logicdout . sub .-- msel ( 3 , 2 ). . . normal logic + write * mpff3 / maintenance controller termdout . sub .-- msel ( 1 ) =. . . normal logic + mpff3dout . sub .-- msel ( 0 ) =. . . normal logic + mpff3 *( a # cvoutf + b . sub .-- cvoutf ) maintenance controller termrdcmplt := rdcmplt /* scmpltff * rdmissff normal logic +. . . normal logic + rdcmplt /* scmpltff * mpff3 maintenance controller term______________________________________signals ending with &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; are active lownotes : := means to set a d - flip - flop = means a gate ( combinatorial ) term + means logical - or * means logical - and / means logical - not . . . means more normal logic not shown______________________________________glossary ( for table iii ) wb . sub .-- out : this is the write buffer output signal which indicates that a write operation to memory is activewb . sub .-- empty : this is the write buffer empty signal which indicates ( when low ) that it is not empty and that a write operation can start .+ wboutff : this is the signal from the synchronization flip - flop used in write out operations .+ mpff3 : this is the state flip - flop for the control sequence of fig4 . mp . sub .-- wrb : this is the signal from the maintenance controller 12 used to initiate a write operation . biu . sub .-- cmd ( 2 ): this involves three signals ( 2 : 0 ) which indicates what particular current memory operation is active . sndmsgff : this signa indicates a send message operator is active . rtodff : this signal indicates that a read - time - of - day op is active . readlkff : this flip - flop indicates that a read - lock operator ( op ) is active . rdmissff : this flip - flop indicates a read operation to memory is active . read4 : this indicates that a four - word read operation is active . dout . sub .-- msel ( 3 : 0 ): this involves four signals to steer outputs onto the system busses into the data path array . write : this signal signifies a write operator decode operation . mpff3 /: this is the state flip - flop shown in fig4 in the &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; state . a . sub .-- cvoutf : this is the system bus command valid signal for the ( sa ) system bus 22a as shown by the output flip - flop . b . sub .-- cvoutf : this is a system bus command valid ( cv ) output flip - flop for the second system bus ( sb ) 22b . rdcmplt : this signal indicates that the current system bus operation has completed successfully . this is done via a processor clock signal . scmpltff : this signal indicates the current system bus operation has completed successfully , but is done via the system bus clock , rather than the processor bus clock . ______________________________________ in addition to the new logical - or terms (+) seen in table iii , a small enhanced sequence to handle the protocol for direct control from the maintenance controller 12 is added to the circuitry of the control pal 16 . this is discussed in the following section involving the direct protocol . enhanced mode - direct protocol : in order to provide ability to emulate the parallel high speed processor bus 14b by the usage of the added high - speed , wide bus structure 12b by the maintenance controller 12 , a four - signal direct interface is made between the maintenance controller 12 and the control pal 16 . the control pal operates at the maximum clock rate which is that of the processor 14 . the maintenance controller 12 operates at a much slower clock rate . thus , the new direct interface must provide for this asynchronous condition . this is accomplished by a handshaking arrangement . of the four new signals in the direct interface , only three are used for writing the channel microcode into the main memory 40 . these four control signals are indicated below in table iv . table iv______________________________________mp . sub .-- wrb write control signal from the maintenance controller 12 indicating that the control pal 16 should execute a microcode ram write operation . mp . sub .-- doneb return handshake signal from the control pal 16 indicating that the current operation is now complete . mp . sub .-- rdb ( not used here ) mp . sub .-- memop signal from the maintenance controller 12 indicating that the control pal should execute a system bus ( memory ) type of operation______________________________________ these are active low signals . the incoming signal mp -- wrb shown in table iv is captured in a flip - flop called mpwrbffb in the control pal 16 . this synchronizes the signal to the processor clock 10 rate . the internal flip - flops in the control pal 16 are then used in the control sequence . these flip - flops are designated 16f in the control pal 16 of fig1 . these include three flip - flops , 16f ( ff1 , ff2 , ff3 ), internal to the control pal 16 , which are used to control the sequence of the protocol and the fast bus controls . fig4 shows the sequence of control operations . referring to fig4 the first state condition at ( a ) shows the idle situation where the three flip - flops mpff1 /, mpff2 /, and mpff3 / are in the &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; condition . this is seen in the &# 34 ; initial &# 34 ; stages of lines ( f ) ( g ) ( h ) of fig5 indicating the new control sequence . then transitioning from state ( a ) to state ( b ), there is seen a maintenance controller 12 write flip - flop operation and a maintenance controller memory operation where at state ( b ) the third flip - flop mpff3 is turned &# 34 ; on .&# 34 ; this enables the data path array 20 to have data available to the system bus and addresses available to the system bus . it also enables the control pal 16 to select a write op command and to provide a memory select command to select addresses and data which then enables the system bus to perform a normal write operation . on the transition from ( b ) to ( c ), fig4 the signal rdcmplt ( of table ii ) operates to turn &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; the third flip - flop ( mpff3 ) and turn &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; the second flip - flop ( mpff2 ) at which condition the system bus 22 indicates that the write operation is completed and the main memory 40 has now received one word of channel microcode written into it . on the transition from ( c ) to ( d ), the handshake protocol indicates the return handshake signal from the control pal 16 indicating that the current operation is now complete ( mp -- doneb of table iv ). here at ( d ) the first and second flip - flops are &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; ( mpff1 , mpff2 ) while the third flip - flop is &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; ( mpff3 /) after which the system returns to the idle condition at ( a ). fig5 is a timing diagram showing the timing of the protocol , the sequential operation of the flip - flops and the various normal control signals involved in writing the channel microcode over the system busses 22a , 22b to the main memory 40 . fig5 indicates how the processor path emulation sequence of bus 12b occurs for accomplishing the fast writing of channel microcode . line ( a ) of fig5 shows the processor clock while lines ( b ), ( c ), ( d ), ( e ) show the interface protocol . lines ( f ), ( g ), ( h ) show the operation of the flip - flops for the new control sequence . lines ( i ) through ( j ), ( k ), ( l ) and ( m ) show the completion of the memory write operation over the system bus . first the maintenance controller 12 ( after its flash memory 15 has already been pre - loaded from maintenance subsystem 60 ) initiates a write operation using the enhanced direct protocol signals , mp -- memop and mp -- wrb . with these signals , it signifies to the control pal 16 that a write operation to main memory 40 is desired . these signals cause the third flip - flop mpff3 of the new control sequence to be set as shown in fig5 line f . these control flip - flops ( fig4 ) then accomplish most of the remaining effort to be done . as was seen in the equations of table iii , the normal signal wb -- out is forced &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; by the third flip - flop mpff3 . once the signal wb -- out is &# 34 ; on ,&# 34 ; it automatically ( via the control pal logic 16 ) causes a system bus operation to occur . this logic automatically initiates and executes a memory write operation . the only special actions that are required are that the signals dout -- msel ( 3 : 0 ) be used for the steering of the maintenance controller address and data into the data path array 20 and on to the system busses 22a , 22b . as with normal control logic , fig5 indicates that there is a delay or &# 34 ; wait &# 34 ; time while the slower system bus operation takes place . when the operation is complete , the signal rdcmplt is issued , line m of fig5 which indicates the completion of the write operation . this signal then terminates the enhanced control sequence and enhanced direct protocol procedures . thus , a full speed normal system bus write operation occurs to the main memory 40 in behalf of the maintenance controller 12 for the writing of the channel microcode without the need to access the maintenance subsystem 60 since all the required information already resides in the flash memory 15 of the central processing module . the enhanced fast emulation path is seen to be implemented with very minimal hardware costs . the new bus 12b and the controls 12c1 and 12c2 onto the data path array 20 take up some possible 22 additional array connection pins which , in most cases , are normally available and thus the change to the use of the data path array is freely arranged . the extra silicon usage internal to the data path array 20 is there for the taking . in the case of the enhanced direct interface protocol sequence and the extra &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; terms built into the control pal 16 , again this is completely implemented using spare capacity within the existing control pal 16 and thus no new hardware is added . the interconnections for the control signals on the bus do add a few more etch connections on the printed circuit board , but however , the cost of these is rather negligible . the enhanced fast write to the memory system described herein provides the capability for a large or massive channel microcode database to be quickly loaded into main memory from a pre - loaded flash memory each time the system is initialized . by using high - speed , wide bus paths and emulating the normal controls utilized by the high - speed processor logic , this system provides the loading to be virtually invisible to the human operator where , in previous architectures , the time to transfer and load the microcode was measurable in several minutes of time which was often deemed frustrating and unacceptable . while a single preferred embodiment of the fast write system has been described , it should be understood that other embodiments could still be implemented which are defined by the following claims . | 6 |
referring to fig1 - 5 , a lighting fixture according to the invention comprises a lamp housing 10 , a junction box assembly 40 and a flexible metal conduit 30 interconnecting the lamp housing and the junction box and protecting wiring within . lamp housing 10 comprises a metallic tubular lower body 12 , a finned metallic upper housing 16 and a metallic , generally square two - part top housing 18 ( shown as transparent in fig2 , 3 and 4 ). lower body 12 houses a removable reflector 13 having a bottom annular trim flange 14 ; and it has two tangential , oppositely directed retention springs 15 that removably secure the lamp housing 10 in a properly sized installation hole h in ceiling c , with trim flange 14 bearing against the lower surface of the ceiling . junction box 40 simply rests on the ceiling near the lamp housing . three screws 22 securely fasten the three - sided , u - shaped bottom half 20 of top housing 18 to fins of upper housing 16 . the inverted box - shaped top half 24 of top housing 18 fits over and is secured to the upstanding sides of bottom half 20 by two screws 26 . one end of conduit 30 is received in an aperture 28 in one side of top half 24 and is retained therein by a suitable wire - protecting metallic connector 32 , such as the flanged connector disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 880 , 387 ( incorporated herein by reference ). the same or a similar connector 34 secures the other end of conduit 30 to an end of junction box 40 . the conductivity afforded by these connectors enables metallic conduit 30 to provide an electrical grounding path from lamp housing 10 to junction box 40 , which is grounded as described below . a lamp assembly 19 is mounted to the bottom of upper housing 16 so as to be disposed within lower body 12 when the lower body is joined to the upper housing . light generated by the lamp assembly is dispersed and / or focused by reflector 13 , while heat generated by the lamp assembly is dissipated by the finned heat sink of upper housing 16 . as used herein , “ lamp assembly ” means a light source of any type powered by electricity , such as an incandescent lamp ( e . g ., conventional tungsten filament or halogen ), a compact fluorescent lamp , an led light engine , etc . in the illustrated preferred embodiment , the lamp assembly is an led light engine , such as a high output xsm led module manufactured by xicato ( http :// www . xicato . com / products . php ). as shown in fig4 and 4a , upper housing 16 is joined to lower body 12 , preferably by means of external threads 27 on the mounting ring of lamp assembly 19 , those threads mating with internal threads 29 at the upper end of lower body 12 . the inherent adjustability of this threaded connection accommodates small variations in the length of reflector 13 , which may be due to manufacturing tolerances , allowing for accurate close positioning of the small upper - end aperture of reflector 13 relative to lamp assembly 19 for proper optical performance . a nylon - tipped set screw 17 prevents relative rotation of the threaded parts after adjustment . insulated conductors w in protective flexible conduit 30 emerge in top housing 18 , extend through upper housing 16 and are connected to lamp assembly 19 . preferably , as seen in fig3 a , conductors w terminate in top housing 18 in a first connector half 21 , which mates with a second connector half 23 wired via conductors 25 to lamp assembly 19 . such a connector arrangement facilitates removal and replacement of lamp assembly 19 . alternatively , twist - on connectors can be used in top housing 18 to connect conductors w to conductors 25 . conductors w emerge from the other end of conduit 30 in junction box 40 , where they are connected to a power supply 42 as more fully described below . also within conduit 30 is a flexible tether 36 that emerges in top housing 18 where it is secured by a crimped eye - lug 37 riveted at 38 to the top half 24 of that housing . the other end of tether 36 emerges from conduit 30 in junction box 40 where it is secured to junction box chassis 44 by a crimped eye - lug 46 and a screw 47 . the length of tether 36 is selected such that it functions as a strain relief cable to prevent undue strain on the conductors w and their connections , and preferably to prevent undue tensile loading on flexible conduit 30 . tether 36 preferably is conductive and preferably is made of braided galvanized or stainless steel . if metallic , tether 36 provides an electrical grounding bond between lamp housing 10 and junction box 40 . the preferred path of tether 36 is through flexible conduit 30 as illustrated , but the tether instead could run externally of the conduit , optionally loosely tied to the conduit by tape , nylon ties or other means . referring to fig5 - 14 , chassis 44 closely surrounds power supply 42 , which is mounted in a generally rectangular central aperture 45 in the base of chassis 44 . a broad longitudinal mounting flange 48 protruding from one longer side of aperture 45 has two mounting slots 50 near its distal edge . two additional mounting slots 52 are formed in the base of chassis 44 near the proximal end of flange 48 . as seen in fig5 , 8 and 12 - 14 , two mounting straps 54 pass through slots 50 , 52 and surround power supply 42 to firmly secure it in position against flange 48 . for the sake of simplicity , mounting straps 54 are omitted from fig9 - 11 . nylon cable ties may be used as mounting the straps ; however , any suitable mounting hardware could be used depending on the configuration of the power supply and / or any mounting tabs it may have . axially spaced circular end plates 60 , 62 are riveted at 63 to apertured tabs 56 , 58 , respectively , at the ends of chassis 44 . each end plate has a peripheral notch 64 that accommodates a resilient spring clip 66 , which is riveted at 67 to a narrow longitudinal flange 68 protruding from one edge of chassis 44 . each of the two spring clips 66 has a shoulder 70 that engages an end of sleeve - like cylindrical cover 72 ( see fig1 and 2 ), the two shoulders acting as opposing stops to trap the cover in a closed position closely surrounding chassis 44 and end plates 60 , 62 . inward finger pressure on either spring clip 66 allows its shoulder 70 to clear the end of cover 72 , which can then be slid open axially past the depressed spring clip as shown in fig5 and completely removed , if desired . any other suitable arrangement could be used instead of the illustrated spring clips to releasably maintain the cover 72 in a closed position . such devices could be mounted on chassis 44 , on one or both end plates 60 , 62 or on the cover 72 itself . by way of example only , each end plate 60 , 62 could carry a linearly or pivotally retractable member ( spring - loaded or otherwise ), which when extended acts as a stop against an end of the cover 72 to keep it closed . alternatively , one or more screws could secure the cover to chassis flange 68 or to an adjacent tab carried by an end plate . furthermore , while a right circular cylinder is the preferred shape of the junction box , the shape of the end plates and the matching cross - section of the cylindrical cover could vary somewhat as long as the described functionality is not impaired . in order to facilitate below - ceiling installation and removal of the lighting fixture assembly as described below , the maximum width of the junction box 40 should be no greater than the maximum width of the lamp housing 10 ( excluding retention springs 15 ). chassis 44 divides the interior of the junction box into two compartments 80 , 90 in which wiring for different voltages is separately maintained . in the preferred embodiment , power supply 42 is a step - down transformer ( driver ) that converts line ( supply ) voltage fed to input compartment 80 to a lower voltage for powering the led light engine of lamp assembly 19 from output compartment 90 . thus , the input leads 82 of power supply 42 are disposed in input compartment 80 ( shown with plug - in connectors in fig1 and 13 ), while the lower voltage output and control leads 92 are disposed in output compartment 90 ( shown with twist - on connectors in fig1 and 14 ). as used herein , the term “ power supply ” broadly means any device that converts , conditions or otherwise modifies or adapts supplied electrical power for a specific load or application . end plate 60 has an opening 74 through which line voltage and ground conductors ( not shown ) are fed to input compartment 80 , which also houses a ground wire ( see fig1 and 13 ) secured to chassis 44 by a screw 77 ( see fig1 ). through branch wiring can be accommodated via opening 74 by using an appropriate duplex connector . end plate 62 has an opening that supports a conventional , outwardly projecting thermal protector 76 , which is connected to wiring in input compartment 80 ( see fig1 and 13 ). end plate 62 also has an opening 78 in which an end of conduit 30 is received and is secured by connector 34 ( see fig5 ). conductors w in conduit 30 thus communicate with lower voltage output compartment 90 , where they are connected to driver output leads 92 ( see fig1 and 14 ). an opening in end plate 60 adjacent output compartment 90 is closed by a knockout 79 , which can be removed for the separate entry of low voltage control wiring , such as for a lamp dimming control . installation of the lighting fixture assembly is straightforward . cover 72 is released and slid open over conduit 30 in the direction of lamp housing 10 to expose input compartment 80 . supply wiring above the ceiling is pulled through the fixture installation hole h , passed through and clamped in opening 74 ( using an appropriate connector ) and connected to input leads 82 and the fixture ground wire . cover 72 is then slid closed and latched . junction box 40 is then passed upward through the installation hole h followed by flexible conduit 30 . junction box 40 simply rests on the upper surface of the ceiling . with retention springs 15 squeezed around lower body 12 , the lamp housing 10 is pushed upwardly into the installation hole until the springs pop out above the ceiling , locking the fixture in place . a slight clockwise twist of the reflector 13 seats it firmly against the ceiling . the fixture can be removed from the ceiling easily by first twisting the reflector 13 slightly counterclockwise while applying slight downward pressure . once the retention springs 15 are accessible , they are squeezed together and the lamp housing is pulled down out of the installation hole , followed by flexible conduit 30 and junction box 40 . while a preferred embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . while the lighting fixture of the invention has been described as well - suited for a retrofit , ceiling - supported installation , the lamp housing and junction box components could also be removably mounted on a joist - supported pan or frame above a ceiling . furthermore , the advantage of compactness realized by the described junction box configuration would make it suitable for use in other applications or situations as long as applicable electrical code requirement are observed . | 5 |
referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail , the apparatus used in the invention comprises a belt drum 1 with a cylindrical supporting surface and a belt carrying ring 2 with a cylindrical inner surface 2 a , the lateral surface of a cylinder respectively being meant . at least one of the two components , but preferably both , is or are segmented in the known way and expandable and retractable in the radial direction . the method according to the invention is described in more detail on the basis of the buildup of a belt package comprising four belt plies 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 and having two belt edge pads 7 between the second and third belt plies 4 , 5 . a belt package built up in such a way is used , for example , in the pneumatic vehicle tires for heavy trucks . the radially innermost belt ply 3 is referred to as the first belt ply , and the radially outermost belt ply 6 is referred to as the fourth belt ply . the belt plies 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 are produced in a known way from cut - to - length webs of steel cords embedded in a rubber compound . to build up the four - ply belt package , the third belt ply 5 and subsequently the fourth belt ply 6 are automatically placed onto the cylindrical belt drum 1 and automatically spliced . referring , first , to fig1 , there is shown the finished sub - package comprising the belt plies 5 and 6 on the belt drum 1 . the belt carrying ring 2 is then moved over the belt drum 1 and retracted in the radial direction to reduce its inside diameter . by means of clamping devices that are not represented , the belt carrying ring 2 takes over the sub - package comprising the third and fourth belt plies 5 , 6 . fig2 shows the belt drum 1 and the belt carrying ring 2 just before the takeover of the sub - package at the two belt plies 5 , 6 . while the two belt plies 5 , 6 remain positioned on the belt carrying ring 2 , the first belt ply 3 and subsequently the second belt ply 4 are automatically placed on the cylindrical belt drum 1 and automatically spliced . then , the two belt edge pads 7 , profiles made of a rubber compound , are placed on at the side edges of the belt ply 4 . fig3 shows this stage of the buildup of the sub - package comprising the belt plies 3 , 4 and the pads 7 . then , the belt carrying ring 2 is positioned over the belt drum 1 , as represented in fig4 . by radial expansion of the segments of the belt drum 1 , the components on the belt drum 1 — the first and second belt plies 3 , 4 and the two belt edge pads 7 — are joined to the third and fourth belt plies 5 , 6 on the belt carrying ring 2 . then , the clamping of the belt plies 5 , 6 is released and the belt carrying ring 2 is moved into a position to the side of the belt drum 1 , as fig5 shows . the finished belt package is then on the belt drum 1 . the buildup of the green tire with a belt package produced in such a manner can be carried out in a known way . in particular , the finished belt package is provided with a tread , transferred to a transfer device and transferred by the latter to an already built up tire carcass and positioned on the tire carcass . in the case of belt packages built up by the method according to the invention , the need for a belt ply to be applied directly to a substructure having a contoured supporting surface is avoided . this would be the case for instance if the third belt ply 5 were applied directly to the second belt ply 4 , provided with the two belt edge pads 7 . in this case , it would no longer be possible to place the third and fourth belt plies on automatically and splice them automatically . in the case of the embodiment represented here , the sub - package comprising the first and second belt plies 3 , 4 and the two belt edge pads 7 is increased in diameter , in order to be joined to the second sub - package comprising the third and fourth belt plies 5 , 6 . as an alternative to this , it may also be envisaged to reduce the sub - package comprising the third and fourth belt plies 5 , 6 in diameter to establish the join with the belt sub - package comprising the first and second belt plies 3 , 4 and the two belt edge pads 7 . the reduction in diameter is effected by means of the belt carrying ring 2 . in the case of a further possible alternative , the two sub - packages may be joined together by increasing the diameter of the belt drum 1 and at the same time reducing the diameter of the belt carrying ring 2 . a number of belt carrying rings and a number of belt drums may be used . as a result , the buildup of the belt package can be performed in a largely flexible manner . for instance , in the case of a further configurational variant that is not separately shown , it is possible for the spliced third belt ply 5 to be transferred from the belt drum onto a belt carrying ring and the fourth belt ply 6 to be automatically placed on its own on the belt drum and spliced . joining together of the two belt plies 5 , 6 can be performed in a way analogous to the method steps shown in fig3 to 5 . equally , the sub - package may be created from the first and second belt plies with the two belt edge pads 7 subsequently placed on . it may in this case be envisaged to place belt edge strips on additionally in the case of one or more of the belt plies 3 , 4 , 5 and 6 . as described , the belt drum or the belt drums can provide a cylindrical supporting surface . as an alternative to this , it is possible to provide a supporting surface that is slightly concavely contoured in cross section on the belt drum or the belt drums . in an analogous way , the segments of the belt carrying ring or rings may also be contoured , here by means of a curvature that is slightly convex in cross section . the convex surface of the ring 2 and the concave peripheral surface of the drum 1 are illustrated in fig6 . | 8 |
the following description of certain examples of the invention should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention . other examples , features , aspects , embodiments , and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description , which is by way of illustration , one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the invention . as will be realized , the invention is capable of other different and obvious aspects , all without departing from the invention . accordingly , the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive . enlarged vein structures or varices are found within the body in a variety of locations . these enlarged vein structures can include arteries , and have thinner wall structures that can cause bleeders when subjected to trauma , or disease conditions such as portal hypertension or hemorrhoids . with portal hypertension , the enlarged varices about the esophagus can rupture and cause chronic bleeding into the esophagus . if severe , the condition can require surgical intervention to staunch the bleeding and leave a structure in place that can prevent further damage to the vein or artery . fig1 and 2 illustrates an example of a surgical device 25 capable of stopping the flow of blood with an adhesive 65 at a surgical site such as the esophagus . surgical device 25 can control blood loss by capturing tissue with a tissue acquisition system or vacuum system , and then using an adhesive injection system to inject an adhesive into or onto the captured tissue to staunch blood loss , place a barrier about the varices , and protect the wound site . the surgical device 25 as shown in fig1 has a distal portion that is small in cross section so it can be inserted into a working channel 85 of an endoscope 80 . endoscope 80 is a common surgical access instrument that has a scope handle 81 , a steerable flexible shaft 82 , a viewing element 84 at a distal tip 83 to view the surgical site , and the working channel 85 extending from handle 81 to distal tip 83 . endoscopes are commonly inserted into the mouth or anus to use natural body orifices to gain access to surgical sites within the patient . surgical device 25 generally extends from a handle 34 to an end effector 30 . fig1 shows the handle 34 extending from a proximal end of the working channel 85 and the end effector 30 extending from a distal end of the working channel 85 . the surgical device 25 is positionable with respect to the operative channel 85 of endoscope 80 in rotation , insertion , and extraction . a flexible shaft 32 operatively couples end effector 30 to the handle 34 . the vacuum system 50 of the surgical device 25 has a vacuum source 51 and a vacuum control 56 to control the delivery of vacuum to the handle 34 . vacuum is supplied through a hose 54 extending from vacuum control 56 . a longitudinally moveable vacuum cannula 52 ( fig2 ) is operably connected to hose 54 and extends from handle 34 , through flexible shaft 32 , to the end effector 30 . vacuum cannula 52 moves proximally and distally within handle 34 and flexible shaft 32 in response to proximal and distal manipulation of chamber control 53 on handle 34 . a conical vacuum chamber 55 attaches to a distal tip of the vacuum cannula 52 and is operably coupled to vacuum source 51 and vacuum control 56 by vacuum cannula 52 and hose 54 . as shown in fig2 , vacuum passageways 58 are provided in vacuum cannula 52 to conduct vacuum to vacuum chamber 55 . vacuum chamber 55 is best shown in fig1 - 5 , and is a collapsible and expandable structure . vacuum chamber 55 has a fully open conical shape of fig1 and 5 and can be collapsed to a partially closed position of fig4 , to the nearly closed position of fig3 , and to a fully closed cylindrical shape with pleats and folds within flexible shaft 32 ( not shown ). as vacuum chamber 55 is collapsed , a series of pre - induced folds 59 located about the periphery are used to control collapsing , and are best shown in fig3 and 4 . as shown , vacuum chamber 55 is formed from a spring material that has a naturally open conical shape . in the full open position , the folds 59 could induce local distortion and prevent vacuum chamber 55 from attaining a smooth conical shape . distal and proximal movement of chamber control 53 on handle 34 moves vacuum cannula 52 and attached vacuum chamber 55 distally and proximally relative to flexible shaft 32 . distal movement of vacuum cannula 52 moves vacuum chamber 55 out of the confines of flexible shaft 32 and allows the vacuum chamber 55 to expand . alternately , proximal motion of a fully open vacuum chamber 55 into flexible shaft 32 closes vacuum chamber 55 by bringing vacuum chamber 55 into camming action with an inner surface 33 of flexible shaft 32 . an angle 57 is cut onto a distal end of vacuum chamber 55 to enhance angular contact of the vacuum chamber 55 with the wall of the esophagus , and to ensure a good vacuum seal . to ensure safety and efficacy during insertion into the body and during positioning , vacuum chamber 55 can be withdrawn fully into flexible shaft 32 . vacuum chamber 55 can be constructed from a number of engineering materials such as but not limited to thin sections of engineering thermoplastics such as mylar , silicone , polytetraflouroethylene ( teflon ) and the like , or thin sections of metals such as titanium , nitinol or aluminum . nitinol vacuum chambers 55 could undergo a phase change as they are opened or collapsed . alternately , by way of example , vacuum chamber 55 can be constructed with an umbrella - like construction as shown in fig5 with a series of ribs 59 a joined to a thinner conical section of flexible fabric or film material 59 b . film material 59 b could also be springy . alternately , by way of example , ribs 59 a can be constructed as thicker ribs 59 a molded onto the film material 59 b , rigid separate ribs attached to an opening structure like that used in an umbrella ( see fig5 ), or a springy an umbrella type construction with flexible cantilever spring ribs . the flexible cantilever spring ribs can be pre - bent to expand into a conical rib structure to open the film material 59 b . film material 59 b can be materials such as but not limited to rubber compounds such as nitryl , polyethelene , polypropelene , polytetraflouroethylene , papers , and surgical fabrics with or without coatings , or films ( not shown ) and the like . additionally , by way of example , a spring could be provided to open the umbrella shape . the adhesive system 60 has an adhesive reservoir 61 containing an adhesive 65 and a pump 62 . pump 62 moves adhesive 65 from the adhesive reservoir 61 , into an adhesive cannula 63 extending therefrom , and out of an applicator tip 64 at a distal end of adhesive cannula 63 . adhesive cannula 63 of surgical instrument 25 extends from adhesive reservoir 61 , passes through handle 34 , through flexible shaft 32 into end effector 30 , and operably attaches to applicator tip 64 . adhesive cannula 63 is movable proximally and distally by proximal and distal movement of an applicator control 66 located at a proximal end of handle 34 . distal motion of applicator control 66 moves applicator tip 64 distally out of a distal end of flexible shaft 32 . proximal motion of applicator control 66 moves applicator tip 64 and adhesive cannula 63 proximally back into the distal end of the flexible shaft 32 . the extension of vacuum chamber 55 and applicator tip 64 from flexible shaft 32 creates the end effector 30 . additionally , the adhesive system 60 could be a multiple chamber adhesive system 60 a containing any number of chambers greater than one . each chamber can contain contents such as adhesive 65 which can be single or multi - part , an adhesive initiator 68 , or alternate chemical agents 69 listed below . for example , a multiple chamber adhesive system 60 a could have the adhesive reservoir 61 containing an adhesive 65 and a second chemical agent chamber 61 a . both chambers 61 , 61 a are operably attached to pump 62 and an alternate adhesive cannula 63 a to dispense the contents of chambers 61 and 61 a . alternate adhesive cannula 63 a can comprise a dual or multi - lumen tube that distributes both adhesive 65 and adhesive initiators 68 and / or chemical agents 69 from applicators 64 , 122 in any combination . a mixer 70 could be placed downstream from pump 62 and pump 62 could contain one or more members operably connected to different chambers . for example , a dual chamber syringe could have dual pistons or pumps to dispense the contents from a chamber . alternately by way of example , any type of pump could be used such as but not limited to piston , diaphragm , rotary , and siphon . if desired , the contents of both chambers could be applied neat or mixed from applicators 64 , 122 ( see below ). the cross section of fig2 shows end effector 30 with adhesive cannula 63 slidably moveable in vacuum cannula 52 and surrounded by passageways 58 for the passage of vacuum to vacuum chamber 55 . adhesive tip 64 has a sharp 67 on the distal end and is fixedly attached to longitudinally moveable adhesive cannula 63 and moves in response to movement of the applicator control 66 . to prevent unwanted tissue damage from the sharp 67 during insertion into the patient and positioning in the body , adhesive tip 64 is moved proximally into flexible shaft 32 to present the blunt end of flexible shaft 32 . distal motion of applicator control 66 moves adhesive tip 64 and sharp 67 distally to pierce tissue . activation of pump 22 forces adhesive 65 from the sharp 67 of the adhesive tip 64 . by way of example , adhesive 65 could be a single part or a dual part adhesive that is a polymerizable and / or cross - linkable material such as but not limited to a cyanoacrylate adhesive . the adhesive 65 can be fluid and for example , may be but not limited to a monomeric ( including prepolymeric ) adhesive composition , a polymeric adhesive composition , or any other natural or artificial biocompatible compound that can adhere to tissue . in embodiments , the monomer may be a 1 , 1 - disubstituted ethylene monomer , e . g ., an . alpha .- cyanoacrylate . when cross linked , the cyanoacrylate changes from a liquid to a solid . cross linked adhesive 76 a can be a rigid or flexible and can be non - permeable or permeable . if desired , adhesive 76 can be a single part or dual part adhesive , and / or can contain one or more additives 77 . adhesive 65 can be polymerized by moisture , blood , saline or adhesive initiators 68 . adhesive initiators 68 can also be used to set up or polymerize the adhesive 65 and can be but are not limited to base compounds and the like . examples of suitable chemical agents 69 include , such as but are not limited to , image enhancement media , anesthetics , sclerotic or necrosing agents plasticizing agents , thixotropic agents , buffers , catalysts , fillers , micro particles , adhesion initiators , thickeners , solvents , drugs , medicaments , natural or synthetic rubbers , stabilizers , ph modifiers , bioactive agents , cross - linking agents , chain transfer agents , fibrous reinforcements , colorants , preservatives , formaldehyde reducing or scavenging agents , flavorants , perfumes , mixtures thereof , and the like . other suitable single part and dual part adhesives 65 , adhesion initiators 68 , and chemical agents 69 may be found in united states application 20040190975 by goodman et al . which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . fig6 shows an esophagus 90 , the gastro - esophageal junction 91 and the stomach 92 . a plurality of vascular structures are located about the esophagus 90 . the patient has experienced chronic acid reflux which has eroded and thinned the esophagus 90 and a mucosal layer 93 to create a thin area 94 above the gastro - esophageal junction 91 on the right side of the esophagus 90 . the patient suffers from portal hypertension which is an increase in the pressure within the portal vein caused by a blockage in the blood flow throughout the liver . this reduced blood flow results in increased pressure in the portal vein and has caused enlarged veins or varices 95 to develop across the esophagus 90 and stomach 92 , with one behind thin area 94 . the varices 95 are distended and fragile , and can rupture and bleed easily when the patient suffers from severe coughing or vomiting . as shown the varices 95 above the gastroesophageal junction 91 have a bleeder 96 . the thin mucosal layer allows acid reflux to reach and irritate the varices 95 which slows or prevents proper healing , as well as providing reduced reinforcement of varices 95 . fig7 shows the flexible shaft 82 of the endoscope 80 inserted into the patients esophagus 90 . the end effector 30 of the surgical device 25 extends from the working channel 85 in distal tip 83 of endoscope 80 . viewing element 84 is used to locate the thin area 94 and the bleeders 96 ( fig6 ) in the esophagus 90 . the end effector 30 of the surgical device has been extended from the working channel 85 of the endoscope 80 and vacuum chamber 55 has been expanded and placed over thin area 94 . a vacuum is being applied from vacuum source 51 to capture the thin area 94 and varices 95 within vacuum chamber 55 . fig8 is a cross section of the end effector 30 on the thin area 94 of the esophageal tissue . vacuum chamber 55 is capturing and drawing the thin area 94 comprising mucosa 93 and varices 95 into vacuum chamber 55 with the application of vacuum from vacuum source 51 . the sharp 67 on applicator tip 64 has been moved distally from flexible shaft 32 and is piercing the mucosal layer 93 and tissue about varices 95 . fig9 is the cross sectional view of fig8 after the applicator tip 64 is extended further into the esophageal tissue and adhesive 65 has been injected about the varices 95 . adhesive 65 emerges from sharp 67 of applicator tip 64 under pressure from pump 62 and has separated mucosal layers 93 about varices 95 . adhesive 95 begins to set from bodily moisture to stop or staunch the bleeding and creates a protective cap 97 of adhesive about the varices 95 . the protective cap 97 is integrated into tissue to prevent falling off , and prevents the patient from experiencing additional chronic bleeding . to remove the surgical device 25 , the applicator tip 64 is first withdrawn from tissue , the vacuum is released to de - capture thin area 94 of the esophagus 90 , the vacuum chamber 55 is pulled distally to close into the flexible shaft 32 , and the endoscope 80 and surgical device 25 are removed from the patient . fig1 shows an alternate method of sealing a bleeder with surgical device 25 and adhesive 65 . in this view , the thin area 94 is drawn into vacuum chamber 55 with vacuum , and adhesive 65 is pumped over the surface of mucosal layer 93 . when adhesive 65 sets from moisture in the tissue , it forms an exterior protective cap 97 a within the esophagus 90 . once protective cap 97 a is formed , the bleeders are stopped , a protective bandage or barrier is in position to prevent acid reflux irritation , the barrier promotes healing , and the protective cap 97 a re - strengthens the area to prevent varices 95 from protruding into esophagus 90 when the patient coughs or vomits . an alternate embodiment of this device could be used for laparoscopic or arthroscopic surgeries rather than with surgeries that require placement into an endoscope 80 . fig1 . shows a handheld surgical device 100 having a treatment head 120 suitable for placement at a desired surgical location . treatment head 120 is well suited for use in open surgeries as well as being sized to fit within a laparoscopic trocar cannula or into a small incision for endoscopic or laparoscopic surgeries . the surgical device 100 has a flexible or malleable shaft 105 attached to treatment head 120 and a handle 101 . grips 102 are fixedly attached to handle 101 for the surgeon to grasp . vacuum source 51 and vacuum control 56 provide vacuum to treatment head 120 to draw tissue therein , the vacuum conducted through vacuum cannula 52 and shaft 105 to a cylindrical vacuum head 121 . vacuum head 121 is clear so the surgeon can view inside during use . an alternate applicator tip 122 is located within treatment head 120 and is attached to a longitudinally moveable applicator cannula 123 . applicator cannula 123 is operably attached to a longitudinally moveable control 124 such that proximal and distal motion of control 124 results in proximal and distal motion of applicator cannula 123 and alternate applicator tip 122 . adhesive system 60 contains adhesive 65 in an adhesive reservoir 61 and is operably attached to applicator cannula 123 by cannula 67 . activation of pump 62 moves adhesive 65 from adhesive reservoir 61 into cannula 67 , into applicator cannula 123 , and dispenses adhesive 65 from alternate applicator tip 122 . a sharp 122 a can be placed on a distal end of alternate applicator tip 122 . alternately , by way of example , surgical device 100 could use an expanding and contracting vacuum chamber 55 rather than a fixed vacuum head 121 . an example of treatment using surgical device 100 would involve inserting the surgical device 100 into a patient through a trocar cannula . as shown in fig1 , the device is moved to a desired site to treat one of a number of varices 95 . the vacuum head 121 is placed at the desired site and vacuum is applied from vacuum source 51 to draw tissue therein . the surgeon maneuvers the endoscope to view the site through the clear vacuum head 121 ( not shown ) and has decided to extend the alternate applicator tip 122 close to the tissue rather than pierce the tissue with sharp 122 a . adhesive 65 is being applied over the varices 95 to staunch the bleeding . it should be appreciated that any patent , publication , or other disclosure material , in whole or in part , that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing definitions , statements , or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure . as such , and to the extent necessary , the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference . any material , or portion thereof , that is said to be incorporated by reference herein , but which conflicts with existing definitions , statements , or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material . while the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail , it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail . additional advantages and modifications may readily appear to those skilled in the art . for example , the adhesives listed are merely exemplary and many other adhesives and chemical compounds fall within the scope of the present invention . | 0 |
the copying apparatus of the present invention is of the liquid development and transfer type which can selectively copy sheet originals such as documents and the like or thicker originals such as books and the like , as desired . referring to fig1 an embodiment of the copying apparatus according to the present invention includes a housing 1 , a sheet original transport means 2 , and an original carriage 3 for supporting thereon a thick original ( hereinafter referred to as &# 34 ; book original &# 34 ;) and covered with an original keep cover 4 . the apparatus further includes a pair of guide rails 5 1 and 5 2 for the original carriage , a cassette 6 containing therein a stock of transfer paper sheets p , and a lid 7 for the cassette which may also serve as a tray for receiving transfer paper sheets discharged out of the apparatus after image transfer . there are further seen an auxiliary tray 8 , an operating portion 9 including a main switch 10 , a group of alarm lamps 11 1 - 11 4 , a re - start lamp switch 12 which is to be further described , a button 13 for changing over the mode of operation between a mode for copying sheet originals and a mode for copying book originals , a knob and copy button 14 for selecting a mode for continuously producing multiple copies of a book original , a botton 15 for urgently stopping the continuous copy mode for a book original , and a dial 16 for adjusting the density of desired copies . with reference to fig2 the operation of such copying apparatus will first be described as to the case where sheet originals are to be copied . a sheet original is inserted from the right of the apparatus into the nip between the rolls 18 1 and 18 2 of the sheet original transport means 2 which are rotated in synchronism with a photosensitive drum 17 which is normally rotated after a certain time for start preparation as will be described later , and then the inserted sheet original is transported leftwardly . as soon as the leading edge of the sheet original is detected by a lamp 19 and a light receiving element 20 , the rolls 18 1 and 18 2 are temporarily stopped from rotaing , and thus the original is also stopped . subsequently , when the photosensitive drum 17 comes to a predetermined position , a start signal for the original is produced to rotate the rolls 18 1 and 18 2 again so that the original is further transported leftwardly in synchronism with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 17 , whereafter it is discharged upwardly by rolls 21 1 and 21 2 . during that while , the original is illuminated from therebelow at an illuminating station 22 by four lamps 24 as it is moved on a glass plate . the image of the original is optically directed by a mirror 25 and a mirror lens 26 through an exposure station 27 to the surface of the photosensitive drum 17 , thus forming an image thereon . the photosensitive drum 17 comprises a photosensitive layer covered with a transparent dielectric layer and is normally rotated in clockwise direction as viewed in fig2 . the photosensitive drum 17 is first charged with positive polarity by a primary charger 29 supplied with a high voltage of positive polarity from a high voltage source 28 . when the charged surface portion of the photosensitive drum 17 comes to the exposure station 27 , the image from the illuminating station is projected on such portion of the drum 17 through a slit while it is discharged by an ac discharger 30 supplied with a high ac voltage from the high voltage source 28 . then that surface portion of the photosensitive drum 17 is subjected to an overall exposure by a lamp 31 , thus forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface portion thereof , whereafter the image carrying surface portion of the photosensitive drum 17 enters a developing means 32 . the developing means 32 comprises a container 34 for containing a body of developing liquid 33 , a pump 35 ( fig5 ) for stirring and raising the developing liquid , and an electrode 36 normally biased toward the photosensitive drum by a spring 37 so as to maintain a slight clearance with respect to the drum surface . the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 17 is developed into a visible image with the aid of toner particles contained in the developing liquid and raised onto the electrode 36 by the pump 35 . subsequently , at a post charger 38 , the image carrying surface portion of the photosensitive drum 17 is charged with a negative high voltage from the high voltage source to remove the excess liquid from the surface of the photosensitive drum 17 without disturbing the developed image thereon . thereafter , a sheet of transfer paper p is fed from a paper feed station and brought into intimate contact with the image carrying surface of the photosensitive drum 17 so that the image on the photosensitive drum 17 is transferred onto the sheet of transfer paper p with the aid of a positive high voltage applied thereto at a transfer charger 39 from the voltage source 28 . after the image transfer , the transfer paper p is separated from the photosensitive drum 17 by a separator belt 40 , and then directed to a drying - fixing station 41 . the photosensitive drum 17 is cleaned by the edge portion 42 1 of a blade cleaner 42 urged into contact with the drum 17 to remove any residual amount of liquid with toner , thus becoming ready for a subsequent cycle of copying operation . the developing liquid as removed from the photosensitive drum 17 by the blade cleaner 42 flows along grooves 17 1 formed around the opposite ends of the drum 17 , and thence into the developing means 32 for reuse . on the other hand , sheets of transfer paper p are contained in the cassette 6 which is removably mounted with a cassette rail 6 1 fitted into a cassette receiving rail 154 . various types of cassette may be available in accordance with various sizes of transfer sheet and may be readily interchangeable as desired . the sheets of transfer paper p are supported on an inner plate 43 within the cassette 6 and the inner plate 43 is biased upwardly by a spring 44 so as to normally urge the pile of transfer paper p against separator pawls 45 formed on the forward end of the cassette at the opposite sides thereof . by suitably selecting the spring constant of the spring 44 , the pressure force with which the sheets of transfer paper p are urged against the separator pawl 45 may be maintained substantially constant irrespective of the number of the transfer paper sheets p in the cassette 6 . when the photosensitive drum reaches its predetermined position , a signal is produced to lower a normally rotating paper feed roll 46 into contact with the uppermost sheet of transfer paper p so that the paper feed roll 46 cooperates with the separator pawl 45 to separate the uppermost transfer paper sheet p from the others and feed it leftwardly as viewed in fig2 . however , since register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 located ajacent to the cassette are stopped immediately after the feed roll 46 has been lowered , the transfer paper p fed out of the cassette 6 tends to be slack between guides 48 1 and 48 2 with the leading edge thereof bearing against the area of contact between the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 . immediately thereafter , the photosensitive drum 17 produces a paper feed signal , in response to which the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 start to rotate , thus feeding the transfer paper p at a speed equal to the peripheral speed of the photosensitive drum 17 . on the other hand , the paper feed roll 46 is again raised away from the stock of transfer paper p after a predetermined time , and thereafter the separated transfer paper is continuously fed only by the register rolls 47 1 , 47 2 and subsequent feed means . the transfer paper separator belt 40 may be in the form of a narrow endless belt which passes from a separator roll 49 disposed in very closely spaced relationship with the photosensitive drum 17 , and over a deflecting pulley 50 , pulleys 52 1 , 52 2 , deflecting pulley 51 , pulley 52 3 back to the separator roll 41 . the portion of the separator belt 40 extending between the pulley 52 3 and the separator roll 49 bears against the drum 17 at a portion thereof corresponding to one end of the transfer paper sheet , and the portion of the separator belt 40 extending between the pulleys 52 1 and 52 2 is caused by the deflecting pulleys 50 , 51 to follow a path deviated from the path of the transfer paper . the separator belt 40 is driven by the separator roll 49 at a speed substantially equal to the speed of the photosensitive drum 17 . a portion of the separator belt 40 is sandwiched between one side edge of a transfer paper sheet p and the outer surface of the photosensitive drum 17 when the transfer paper p is brought into intimate contact with the photosensitive drum 17 during the image transfer process . thus , the separation of the separator belt 40 from the photosensitive drum 17 as accomplished at the separator roll 49 will force one side edge of the transfer paper sheet p to be also separated from the photosensitive drum 17 . once its side edge is so separated , the transfer paper p may be entirely separated from the photosensitive drum 17 owing to its own self - supporting strength and to the action of the air blown from a blower 53 ( fig3 ) via a duct 54 and through an air outlet 55 1 , whereafter the transfer paper may be passed toward the drying - fixing station 41 . at the drying - fixing station 41 , the unfixed transfer paper p is conveyed on a conveyor belt 57 driven by a roll 56 , in the leftward direction as viewed in fig2 so that the paper p is dried and fixed by the air blown from the duct 54 and intensely heated just below a heater 58 . most of the air thus heated by the heater 58 and consumed for the drying is sucked into the blower 53 ( fig3 ) through an intake port 59 disposed below the belt 57 so that such air may be circulated for reuse in the drying and fixing process . the transfer paper p thus dried and fixed may be electrically discharged by a discharger 60 so as to remove any residual charge from the surface of the paper p , whereafter it is passed via a discharge roll 61 to a discharge port 62 and discharged therethrough onto the lid 7 of the cassette 6 which also serves as a reception tray . with reference to fig4 description will now be made of the operation of the above - described apparatus when used to copy book originals . the change - over of the operation mode from the foregoing mode for copying sheet originals to a mode for copying book originals may be accomplished in the manner described hereunder . the change - over button 13 is first depressed to cause counter - clockwise pivotal movement of a lever 63 2 about a pin 63 3 through the cooperation between a lever 13 1 and a projection 63 1 integral with the lever 63 2 , thus lowering a roll 63 to disengage this roll 63 downwardly from a sheet original positioning groove 65 formed at one end of a cam 64 mounted to the lower portion of the original carriage 3 , which is thus allowed to move leftwardly as viewed in fig2 until the roll 63 is received into a book original positioning groove 66 . such movement of the original carriage 3 from its position for sheet originals to its position for book originals cuts off the supply of electrical drive to the sheet original transport means 2 , thereby changing over the entire circuit to the book original copying position . in this operative position , the forward end of a book original to be copied , i . e . the forward end 67 1 of the original carriage &# 39 ; s glass plate 67 ( fig2 ) assumes the position which was occupied by the lamp 19 and light receiving element 20 in the sheet original copying mode . a book original to be copied is placed on the carriage &# 39 ; s glass plate 67 with the forward end thereof registered with the forward end 67 1 of the glass plate , and then the book original is held by the keep cover 4 ( fig2 ). thereafter , the copy button 14 &# 39 ; ( fig . 1 ) is depressed to produce an original start signal from the photosensitive drum 17 in the same way as described above with respect to the case of sheet original . this signal energizes an electromagnetic plunger sl3 so that upon disengagement of the roll 63 from the groove 66 the original carriage 3 is moved leftwardly as viewed in fig2 and at the same speed as the peripheral speed of the photosensitive drum 17 to accomplish a through - slit exposure . upon completion of such exposure , the original carriage 3 stops its leftward movement in response to its own signal corresponding to the size of the book original , whereupon the carriage 3 assumes its backward or rightward movement . the speed of this return movement is higher than the speed of the forward movement to increase the copying efficiency . upon return of the original carriage to its initial position for the book original copying , the drive to the original carriage 3 is cut off to stop it with the roll 63 received in the groove 66 . where multiple copies of the same book original are to be obtained continuously , this may readily be accomplished by means of counter means 14 operatively associated with the copy button 14 &# 39 ;. the counter means 14 converts the movement of the original carriage 3 into a count through the cam 64 and crank 69 shown in fig4 so as to hold the copy button 14 &# 39 ; in depressed position until a present number of copies has been counted up , thus enabling multiple copies to be provided . in the other points , the operation of the apparatus for book originals is identical with that for sheet originals . in the present embodiment of the copying apparatus , the photosensitive drum 17 can copy originals of variable width up to that of jis ( japanese industrial standard ) a3 format and has a circumferential length somewhat greater than the length of the a3 format . therefore , where the originals to be copied are sheet originals , one of sheet originals of a3 format may be fed for copying per full rotation of the photosensitive drum or two of sheet originals of a4 format may be fed at a time in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof . if book originals are to be copied , the forward stroke ( exposure stroke ) of the original carriage 3 is followed by the return stroke which requires substantially as much time as the forward stroke , and thus the length of time required for providing one copy of a book original will be approximately twice the time required for one copy of a sheet original . more specifically , for originals of a3 format , one copy may be provided every two full rotations of the photosensitive drum , and for originals of a4 format , one copy may be provided per full rotation of the photosensitive drum . such cycle difference arising from the different sizes of paper may be detected by a signal from the cassette 6 , and the cycle difference arising from the different types of original may be detected by a signal resulting from the change in position of the original carriage . description will now be made of the start preparation preceding to an ordinary copying cycle and of the rest position and restart succeeding to the completion of one copying cycle . as has been described above , the copying apparatus of the present embodiment is of the liquid development type whereby toner particles in the developing liquid are fixed by evaporation and desiccation of carrier liquid . also , the blade cleaner 42 , which may be formed of elastomer such as urethane rubber , nitride rubber , fluorine rubber , polysulfide rubber , acrylic rubber or the like and which is used to clean the photosensitive drum 17 to remove the toner or developing liquid remaining thereon after the image transfer , usually tends to permit a very small amount of toner to build up in the neighborhood of the cleaner &# 39 ; s edge portion 42 1 . if the apparatus is stopped and left under such condition for many hours , the carrier collected at the edge portion 42 1 would evaporate to solidify the toner . if the apparatus is re - started to rotate the drum 17 under such condition , the solidified toner would injure the edge 42 1 of the cleaner 42 and / or the surface of the photosensitive drum 17 or might adversely affect the formed image on the drum surface . for these reasons , the copying apparatus of the present embodiment is arranged so that closing of the main switch 10 does not result in rotation of the drum 17 but only allows rotation of the pump in the developing means 32 ( fig5 ) to stir and introduce the developing liquid 33 upwardly into a liquid supply pipe 70 ( fig2 ) so as to pour onto the blade cleaner 42 . after the solidified toner at and near the cleaner &# 39 ; s edge portion 42 1 is fluidized in a predetermined time , the photosensitive drum 17 begins to rotate and the fluidized toner is wiped off . after the photosensitive drum 17 has made at least one - half rotation , the rolls 18 1 and 18 2 of the sheet original transport means 2 begin to rotate and enable a copying cycle to take place . on the other hand , if the power source should be left connected even after completion of the copying cycles , the photosensitive drum 17 will continue its rotation and this is not desirable in respect of the service life of the drum 17 and / or the blade cleaner 42 . to avoid this , the copying apparatus of the present embodiment is also arranged so that when no further copying cycle is wanted after a previous one , the drum 17 may be automatically stopped into a rest position irrespective of &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; position of the main switch 10 . the time allowed for such rest position is selected to a value longer than the time required for a sheet of transfer paper p with a copy image thereon to be discharged out of the apparatus and for the entire surface of the photosensitive drum 17 to be cleaned up . in such rest position , depression of the re - start switch 12 in the operating portion 9 will return all the apparatus parts to the position which was taken before the rest position . as shown in fig6 the drum gear 77 is provided with a cam 157 adapted to actuate switches ms1 and ms4 to produce an original start signal , a cam 158 adapted to actuate switches ms2 and ms5 to produce a paper feed and register signal , a cam 159 adapted to actuate switches ms81 and ms82 to produce a jam detecting signal , and a cam 160 adapted to actuate a switch ms7 to produce a drum stop signal . the cam 160 is meant to predetermine the rest position for the drum and the portion of the drum which is to be stained with the cleaning blade during its rest position . the present embodiment is so designed that such stained portion of the drum may not be used as an image forming area . front and rear rails 5 1 and 5 2 are fixed to the upper ends of the frames 71 and 72 so as to slidably support the original carriage 3 by means of rollers to be described . the original carriage 3 comprises a portion for copying book originals and a sheet original transport portion 2 . the sheet original transport portion 2 has a gear 89 at one end thereof as seen in fig3 and this gear is driven from a drive source in the apparatus body . referring to fig7 and 8 , the drive received by the gear 89 may be transmitted through a synchro - pulley 90 coaxial with the gear 89 , a synchro - belt 91 and a synchro - pulley 92 to a roll 21 1 , and at the same time transmitted through a synchro - pulley 93 to a synchro - pulley 94 , from which the drive is transmitted to a roll 18 1 under the control of clutch cl1 . the operative connection will now be described with reference to fig3 and 6 . the drive from main motor m1 is transmitted via sprocket 96 , chain 95 , sprocket wheel 98 to drive a relay shaft 97 . the chain 95 also drives sprocket wheels 99 and 100 rotatably mounted on the shafts of electromagnetic clutches cl2 and cl3 . behind the clutches cl2 and cl3 , sprocket wheels 101 and 102 different in number of teeth are secured to the shafts of these clutches , and these two sprockets wheels are connected together by a chain 103 . attached to the other end of the clutch cl2 is a drum 104 on which is wound a wire 105 in several turns . the wire 105 is guided therefrom in a cross fashion to pass around a pulley 106 , and has the opposite ends thereof secured to the opposite ends of an angle 107 2 ( fig1 ) forming a part of the original carriage 3 . the original carriage may be reciprocated by changing over the two clutches cl2 and cl3 to rotate the drum 104 in normal and reverse directions . one end of the relay shaft 97 carries a gear 108 which is in meshing engagement with the aforesaid drum gear 77 , so as to transmit the drive from the motor to the drum gear . between the drum gear 77 and the gear 89 of the original carriage is a relay gear train 109 - 111 for transmission of the drive . where a sheet original is to be copied , the gears 89 and 111 are in engagement as shown , but where a book original is to be copied , the original carriage is shifted to break such engagement . another gear 116 is in meshing engagement with the drum gear 77 to drive the separator roll 49 , which in turn drives conveyor belt 57 via sprocket wheel 117 , chain 118 , sprocket wheel 119 and drive roll 56 . the other end of the relay shaft 97 carries thereon a sprocket wheel 112 for transmitting the drive via chain 113 and sprocket wheel 114 to paper feed control means 115 . by the paper feed control means designated at 115 in fig6 the paper feed roll 46 ( fig2 ) will be lowered to begin feeding paper in response to a paper feed signal . after a preceding sheet of transfer paper has passed the register roll 47 1 , this roll will be temporally stopped . subsequently , the leading edge of a subsequent sheet of transfer paper now being fed will strike the roll 47 1 to form a loop . when the paper feed signal disappears , the register roll 47 1 will resume its rotation to start the transfer paper and the paper feed roll 46 will rise to its initial position . these operations are all controlled electrically and mechanically . referring now to fig7 and 8 , a connector 149 is provided on the underside of the original carriage and connected to a connector 150 in the apparatus body . this connection is broken when a book original is to be copied , because the original carriage is slightly displaced in that case as described previously . also provided are cams 151 , 152 and 153 ( fig5 and 7 ) on the underside of the angle 107 2 . the cam 151 is engageable with a microswitch ms14 to detect whether the original carriage is in the position for copying sheet originals or in the position for copying book originals , thereby changing over the electric circuit . the cam 152 is engageable with a microswitch ms12 to stop the original carriage when it has moved backwardly during a book original copying cycle . the cam 153 is engageable with microswitches ms10 and ms11 to produce a reversing signal for formats a4 and a3 . in the illustrated embodiment , a cassette 6 loaded with a stock of transfer paper is inserted in the apparatus body 1 by means of rails 6 1 and 154 ( see fig9 - 12 ). a cam 6 2 will strike a microswitch ms19 in the apparatus body and produce a signal indicating the proper positioning of the cassette . where the cassette inserted contains paper of format a4 or smaller size , a cam 6 3 will actuate switches ms13 and ms16 to change over the circuit into a position for copies of format a4 . cassette 6 has a semi - fixed lid 7 1 and an openable lid 7 2 , which may be opened upon insertion of the cassette and also may serve as copy receiving tray . separator pawls 45 are provided at the opposite sides of the paper feed end of the cassette 6 . an embodiment of the paper feed means according to the present invention will now be described in detail . in fig1 , an uppermost sheet p &# 39 ; of copy paper stock p is fed by paper feed roll 46 and the leading edge thereof strikes against the nip between register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 which are then stationary , so that the fed sheet will form a loop as indicated by p &# 39 ;. subsequently , the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 are driven by a signal from the apparatus , thus timing the paper feed . the operation of the paper feed roll and the register rolls has conventionally been controlled in the following manner : as soon as the drive to the paper feed roll 46 is connected , the drive to the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 is disconnected to stop the register rolls ; subsequently , the loop of the copy paper p &# 39 ; is formed , whereupon the drive to the register rolls is connected and at the same time the drive to the paper feed roll is disconnected . according to this method , there are provided only two positions , i . e . a position in which the paper feed roll is stationary while the register rolls are rotating and a position in which the paper feed roll is rotating while the register rolls are stationary . therefore , control of these positions may be simply accomplished by a single switch having a normally open contact and a normally closed contact corresponding to the said two positions , respectively . such a system has a demerit that no subsequent feed cycle is allowed before the leading edge of preceding copy sheet has passed through the register rolls , but such a demerit would lead to no essential inconvenience in the copying apparatus of the type using a reciprocable optical system , because this provides the time allowance for the return stroke . however , if the aforesaid conventional system is used with a copying apparatus for sheet originals wherein no return stroke is involved and originals can be inserted in succession , paper feed means would encounter a barrier in accelerating the copying speed . the present invention also intends to provide paper feed means which can reduce the time interval between a preceding copy sheet and a subsequent copy sheet by the use of a control circuit identical with the conventional system . fig1 shows an embodiment of such paper feed means . in this embodiment , paper feed roll 46 is normally driven to rotate from a drive source in the apparatus body . the paper feed roll 46 may also be vertically moved by reciprocal movement of paper feed control shaft 131 via paper feed lever and arm 133 and 134 , so that the paper feed roll 46 may ride on the stock of copy paper p with the aid of its own weight or spring action so as to assume a paper drive position for feeding an uppermost paper sheet p &# 39 ;, and may be raised away from the stock of paper p so as to assume a paper feed stop position . the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 can repeat rotation and stoppage alternately . as shown in fig1 , solenoids sl1 and sl2 are provided to effect the aforesaid control of the paper feed roll 46 and register 47 1 , 47 2 . these solenoids may be energized by a single microswitch having a normally open contact and a normally closed contact , i . e . by a single paper feed signal . when a paper feed signal enters in synchronism with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 17 , the normally open contact is closed to energize the solenoid sl1 so that the roll 46 is lowered to start paper feed . at the same time , the normally closed contact is opened to deenergize the solenoid sl2 , but the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 should not be allowed to stop their rotation before the leading edge of a preceding copy sheet p has passed through these rolls . therefore , the rolls 47 1 and 47 2 continue to rotate until the preceding copy paper has completely passed therethrough . after the rolls 47 1 and 47 2 have stopped rotating , the leading edge of a succeeding copy sheet p &# 39 ; strikes the nip between the rolls 47 1 and 47 . sub . 2 so that the copy sheet p &# 39 ; forms a loop . thereafter , the paper signal is cut off to deenergize the solenoid sl1 and energize the solenoid sl2 , so that the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 resume their rotation to start the copy sheet p &# 39 ;, whereupon the paper feed roll 46 is raised to stop its paper drive . thus , timed paper feed cycles may be mechanically accomplished according to the present invention . in fig1 and 20 , shaft 120 is normally rotated as a paper feed control drive source via chain 113 and sprocket 114 . a gear 121 secured to the shaft 120 has a cam 123 connected thereto by means of spring clutch 125 . the cam 123 is adapted to pivotally move a cam follower 132 to thereby rotate the paper feed control shaft 131 . the drive of the gear 121 is also transmitted to a gear 122 which is free relative to the shaft of the register roll 47 1 , and the gear 122 in turn drives the roll 47 1 via a spring clutch 140 . the aforesaid timed paper feed cycles may be provided by controlling the operation of the spring clutch 140 through a time delay mechanism . when no paper feed takes place , the solenoids sl1 and sl2 are in inoperative and operative conditions , respectively . in such a case , the cam 123 pivotally moves the cam follower in clockwise direction as viewed in fig1 , and accordingly the shaft 131 and lever 133 ( fig1 ) are also pivotally moved in the same direction , thus raising the paper feed roll 46 away from the stock of copy paper p . thus , with the solenoids being inoperative , the paper feed control lever 128 connected to link 129 by pin 129 1 is pulled by spring 130 to rotate clockwise about the shaft 128 1 until the lever strikes against a stop 128 2 , whereby the end pawl of this lever is engaged in a notch 127 formed in the flange of the cam 123 adjacent to the clutch 125 , thereby stopping the cam 123 in that position , and at the same time , actuating a minute pawl on the circumferential surface of the outer wheel 126 of the spring clutch 125 to loosen the spring and disengage the clutch 125 , thus cutting off the drive to the cam 123 . a spring 124 for preventing reverse rotation is provided between an inner clutch wheel 121 1 integral with the gear 121 and an inner clutch wheel 123 1 integral with the cam 123 . solenoid sl2 attracts link 135 rightwardly as viewed in fig1 or 22 , thus rotating pin 135 &# 39 ; and lever 135 1 in counter - clockwise direction . this causes pin 135 2 or lever 135 3 formed on the lever 135 1 to be actuated in counter - clockwise direction , thereby disengaging the upper end pawl of the lever 135 3 from the surface of delay drum 137 1 which is free relative to the shaft of the register roll 47 1 . a lever 135 4 connected to the lever 135 4 by a spring 138 is also rotated counter - clockwise to engage its upper end pawl in the notch 137 1 of the delay drum 137 1 . thereupon , the register roll 47 1 is driven by gears 121 , 122 through spring 140 1 and driven shaft 140 2 of the spring clutch 140 . the delay drum 137 1 , which is urged against the driven shaft 140 2 by spring receiver 137 7 and spring 136 secured to the register roll shaft 47 1 and frictional keep ring 137 6 slidably mounted on that shaft through the cooperation between pin 137 4 and slot 137 5 , is prevented from rotating by the engagement between the said pawl 135 4 and the notch 137 2 . when a paper feed signal enters , solenoids sl1 and sl2 are energized and deenergized , respectively , by a common switch , as described previously . in fig2 , link 129 and lever 128 are actuated to release cam 123 and outer clutch wheel 126 , so that the drive from the gear 121 is transmitted to spring 125 and cam 123 , which is thus rotated clockwise to cause cam follower 132 to drop into the recessed step 123 2 of the cam 123 and pivotally move in counter - clockwise direction , whereupon the paper feed roll 46 rides on the stock of copy paper p to start paper feed . upon deenergization of the solenoid sl2 , the lever 135 1 is pulled back by the spring 139 and the lever 135 4 is rotated clockwise , so that the delay drum 137 1 is frictionally driven to rotate counter - clockwise by the driven shaft 140 2 . the lever 135 3 is urged against the surface of the drum by the spring 138 ( fig2 ). during the while the delay drum 137 1 rotates about 300 ° as shown in fig2 , the preceding copy sheet has passed through the register rolls 47 1 , 47 2 and the leading edge of the subsequent copy sheet has not yet reached the register rolls . at this point of time , the end pawl of the lever 135 3 is engaged with another notch 137 3 formed in the delay drum 137 1 to prevent the rotation of the drum 137 1 and at the same time to hold the coarse surface ( or minute pawls ) of the outer clutch wheel 140 . as a result , the clutch spring 140 1 is loosened to cut off the drive to the register roll 47 1 . thus , the leading edge of the copy sheet fed by the paper feed roll 46 strikes the nip between the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 which are now stationary , so that the copy sheet forms a loop to provide timing for the copying . when the paper feed signal disappears , the solenoid sl2 attracts the link 135 to disengage the lever 135 3 from the notch 137 3 and thereby release the outer clutch wheel 140 , so that the register roll 47 1 is rotated to start the copy sheet . thereupon , the solenoid sl1 is deenergized , but because the lever 128 is then riding on the circumferential surface of the cam 123 ( which is greater in diameter than the outer clutch wheel 126 ), the cam 123 is rotated to actuate the cam follower 132 to raise the paper feed roll 46 , whereupon the notch 127 is engaged by the lever 128 to bring about the position of fig2 in which the cam 123 is stopped . the delay drum 137 1 is stopped at the position of fig2 where the notch 137 2 thereof is engaged by the lever 135 4 , and thus it is ready for a subsequent cycle . in the above - described embodiment , the paper feed roll 46 is vertically moved to control the paper feed , but alternatively the control may be accomplished by intermittently rotating the paper feed roll while making it always bear against the stock of copy paper . in this latter case , the cam 123 may be replaced by a gear to rotate and stop the shaft of the paper feed roll 46 . further , in the apparatus of the type in which an original carriage or an optical system for the through - slit exposure is reciprocated , the paper feed signal may also be produced by such reciprocating member . the present invention is characterized in that a single signal source or a single drive source is used to accomplish a cycle of operation which comprises the steps of starting the paper feed by means of the paper feed roll 46 , completing the feeding of a preceding copy sheet through the register rolls 47 1 , 47 2 and stopping these rolls , feeding a subsequent copy sheet until the leading edge thereof reaches the register rolls to form a loop , starting the paper feed action of the register rolls , and stopping the rotation of the paper feed rolls . to accomplish this , there is provided a transmission system leading from drive source 114 , 120 via clutch 125 to rotatable paper feed control member 123 , and a transmission system leading from the drive source via clutch 140 to register rolls 47 1 , 47 2 . thus , a paper feed signal enters to release the rotatable control member 123 from its blocked position ( resulting as from members 126 - 130 ) and thereby start the paper feed while starting to rotate timing members ( such as delay drum 137 1 , link 135 , levers 135 1 , 135 3 , 135 4 ) which control the clutch in the transmission system leading to the register rolls ; after a pedetermined time ( i . e . the time required for a preceding copy sheet to completely pass through the register rolls 47 1 , 47 2 ), the timing members are operated to stop the register rolls 47 1 , 47 2 , whereupon the leading edge of a subsequent copy sheet strikes these rolls to form a loop ; thereafter the paper feed signal is cut off to stop the paper feed , whereupon the register rolls 47 1 and 47 2 reverse their directions of rotation to start the copy sheet nipped therebetween . in this way , paper feed can be effected with accurate timing . moreover , the construction for this purpose can be provided by a relatively simple mechanical construction . furthermore , when applied to the copying apparatus of the type which permits successive insertion of originals , as described previously , the paper feed system of the present invention enables successive originals to be received in synchronism with the paper feed speed provided by the present invention , thus enhancing the copying speed . an embodiment of the means for repeating the copying cycle in the copying apparatus of the present invention will be described hereunder . such means is effectively applicable to repeat the copying cycle as frequently as desired . for example , where each ten copies of five different originals are to be obtained by the copying apparatus of the present invention , the number of copies desired may be set to the value &# 34 ; 10 &# 34 ;, whereafter a first original may be set in position and then a copy button depressed , whereby the apparatus will continue its operation until ten copies of the first original are produced , whereupon the apparatus is stopped . simply by depressing the copy button again , the same process may be repeated for each of the other four originals , thus providing ten copies of them each . with the conventional system for such repeated operation , resetting to a set value has taken place during the depression of the button and this could cause an error in the desired number of copies because the resetting could not be completed if the button was released after a short - time depression . according to the present invention , however , no such error can occur because once the copying cycles up to a set value have been completed , the resetting to the set value is automatically effected as will be described below . description will finally be made of the electric control in an embodiment of the copying apparatus according to the present invention . in the copying apparatus according to the previous embodiment , the original carriage 3 is provided with a book original carriage means 67 ( glass plate ) and a sheet original transport means 2 supported on the angles slidable along rails 5 1 , 5 2 by means or rollers . the sheet original transport means has a gear 89 at the forward end thereof , and this gear is driven from drum gear 77 integral or coaxial with photosensitive drum 17 via relay gears 109 - 111 , as shown in fig3 and 4 . the drive imparted to the gear 89 is transmitted via synchro - pulleys 90 , 92 and synchro - belt 91 to roll 21 1 , and further via synchro - belt 93 to pulley 94 , and thence to roll 18 1 under the control of clutch cl1 . the drive from main motor m1 of fig2 is transmitted via sprocket wheel 96 , chain 95 , sprocket wheel 98 , relay shaft 97 and gear 108 to drive drum gear 77 and photosensitive drum 17 . when sheet originals are to be copied , gears 89 and 11 are in engagement , but when book originals are to be copied , gear 89 is displaced out of engagement with gear 11 as described below . chain 95 also drive sprocket wheels 99 and 100 rotatably mounted on the shafts of electromagnetic clutches cl2 and cl3 . behind the clutches cl2 and cl3 , sprocket wheels 101 and 102 different in number of teeth are secured to the shafts of these clutches , and these two sprocket wheels are connected by a chain 103 . attached to the shaft of the clutch cl2 is a drum 104 on which is wound a wire 105 in several turns . the wire 105 is guided therefrom in a cross fashion to pass around a pulley 106 , and has the opposite ends thereof secured to the front and rear ends of the original carriage 3 . the original carriage may be reciprocated by selectively using the two clutches cl2 and cl3 to rotate the drum 104 in normal and reverse directions . the gear ratio of gears 101 and 102 is selected such that the return stroke of the carriage may be faster than the forward stroke . when copying operation is started and preparatory operations for developing and other various means are completed , the photosensitive drum 17 begins rotating while the original carriage 3 is stopped in its normal position for copying sheet originals with gears 89 and 111 in engagement and with rolls 21 1 , 21 2 , 18 1 , 18 2 being in rotation . when a sheet original is inserted from the right of the apparatus into the nip between rolls 18 1 and 18 2 , it is transported leftwardly . as soon as the leading edge of the sheet original is detected by lamp 19 and light receiving element 20 , the rolls 81 1 and 18 2 are temporally stopped from rotating , and thus the original is also stopped . when the photosensitive drum 17 comes to a predetermined position , the cam 157 of drum gear 77 actuates microswitches ms1 and ms4 ( operable for format a4 or smaller sizes ) in succession to produce an original start signal , whereupon the rolls 18 1 and 18 2 resumes their rotation so that the original is further transported leftwardly in synchronism with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 17 and discharged upwardly out of the apparatus by rolls 21 1 and 21 2 . change - over of the operation mode to a book original copying mode may be accomplished by depressing change - over button 13 to cause counter - clockwise pivotal movement of lever 63 2 about pin 63 3 , as viewed in fig4 through the cooperation between lever 13 1 and projection 63 1 , thus lowering roll 63 to disengage this roll downwardly from sheet original positioning groove 65 formed in cam 64 mounted to the lower portion of the original carriage 3 . when the original carriage 3 is moved leftwardly , the roll 63 is received into book original positioning groove 66 by means of spring 63 4 , and the sheet original transport means 2 is also moved with the carriage 3 to break the engagement between gears 89 and 111 . at this time , the forward end 67 1 of the original carriage &# 39 ; s glass plate 67 assumes the position which was occupied by the photoelectric means 19 , 20 during the sheet original copying mode . thereupon , a book original to be copied is placed on the carriage &# 39 ; s glass plate 67 with the forward end thereof registered with the forward end 67 1 of the glass plate , and then the book original is held by the keep cover 4 ( fig2 ). thereafter , the copy button 14 &# 39 ; ( fig1 ) is depressed to produce an original start signal from the photosensitive drum 17 in the same way as described above with respect to cause of sheet original . this signal energizes an electromagnetic plunger sl3 so that upon disengagement of the roll 63 from the groove 66 the original carriage 3 is moved forwardly in synchronism with the photosensitive drum 17 to accomplish a through - slit exposure . upon completion of such exposure , the original carriage 3 stops its movement in response to its own signal corresponding to the size of the book original , whereupon the carriage 3 assumes its rapid backward movement and stops at its start position determined by roll 63 and groove 66 . where multiple copies of the same book original are to be obtained continuously , this may readily be accomplished by means of the aforesaid counter means 14 operatively associated with the copy button 14 &# 39 ;. at each reciprocal movement of the original carriage , cam 64 and crank 69 are rotated to actuate the ratchet mechanism of the counter means so that the original carriage 3 is reciprocated as frequently as the set number of copies , whereafter the copy button 14 &# 39 ; is released to stop the original carriage 3 . in the present embodiment of the copying apparatus , the photosensitive drum 17 can copy originals of variable width up to that of jis a3 and has a circumferential length somewhat greater than the length of a3 format . therefore , where the originals to be copied are sheet originals , one of sheet originals of a3 format may be fed for copying per full rotation of the photosensitive drum or two of sheet originals of a4 format may be fed at a time in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof . if book originals are to be copied , the forward stroke ( exposure stroke ) of the original carriage 3 is followed by the return stroke which requires substantially as much time as the forward stroke , and thus the length of time required for providing one copy of a book original will be approximately twice the time required for one copy of a sheet original . more specifically , for originals of a3 format , one copy may be provided every two full rotations of the photosensitive drum , and for originals of a4 format , one copy may be provided per full rotation of the photosensitive drum . such cycle difference arising from the different sizes of paper may be detected by a signal from the cassette 6 , and the cycle different arising from the different types of original may be detected by a signal resulting from the change in position of the original carriage . formats a3 and a4 are taken as examples in the illustrated embodiment . as shown in fig1 - 16 , a cassette for format a4 or smaller size of paper ( fig1 ) or a cassette for format a3 ( fig1 ) is provided with a pawl 6 2 for providing a signal representing the completion of the cassette loading through microswitch ms19 . the cassette for format a4 or smaller size ( fig1 ) is provided with a cam 6 3 for actuating microswitches ms13 and ms16 . photoelectric means 155 and 156 are provided to detect the presence of transfer paper through apertures 6 4 and 43 1 formed in the bottom and intermediate plates of the cassette , respectively . as shown in fig5 cams 151 - 153 are provided on the underside of the original carriage 3 . the cam 151 actuates microswitch ms14 to detect a position of the original carriage corresponding to the original thereon . more specifically , when the original carriage is in the shown position for sheet originals , the cam 151 opens the change - over microswitch ms14 - a in the book original control circuit of the circuitry shown in fig1 . the cam 152 actuates microswitch ms12 to stop the original carriage 3 at a predetermined position . the cam 153 actuates microswitch ms10 for originals of a4 or smaller size , and actuates microswitch ms11 for originals of a3 size , thereby providing a signal for moving the original carriage in reverse direction . the electric control circuit arrangement for controlling various parts of the copying apparatus will be described with reference to fig1 . before a sheet original is transported to the sheet original transport means 2 on the original carriage 3 , the light receiving element 20 forming the original detecting photoelectric means 19 , 20 will produce an electromotive force , and transistor q1 and accordingly original detecting relay k4 will be in off state . through the normally closed contact k4 - 2 of the relay k4 , electromagnetic clutch cl1 will be energized to drive gear 89 which in turn will drive original transport roll 18 1 . when a sheet original is transported by rolls 18 1 , 18 2 and the leading edge thereof reaches the detector means 19 , 20 , transistor q1 and relay k4 will assume on state and the normally closed contact k4 - 2 of the relay k4 will be opened to deenergize clutch cl1 , thus stopping the original temporally . when the cam 157 of rotating drum gear 77 closes original start microswitch ms1 ( fig3 ), relay k5 will be energized through a circuit of k4 - 2 - k5 - d8 - k8 - 2 - ms1 , and self - hold with the aid of contact k5 - 1 , so that clutch cl1 will be energized through contact k5 - 2 , thus starting transportation of the sheet original . at the same time , a cassette when inserted will intercept the light to photoelectric means 155 , 156 so that transistor q3 , cassette insertion signal microswitch ms19 and paper stock deficiency indicator lamp pl1 will all be in off state , and thus normally closed contact k8 - 2 remains closed . where the transfer paper p in the cassette 6 is of size a3 , microswitch ms13 closes its contact a3 and microswitch ms16 is open . when the drum 17 is further rotated to actuate a subsequent original start microswitch ms4 , no response will occur for an original of size a3 but , if the original is of a4 or smaller size , relay k5 will again energize clutch cl1 through a circuit of k4 - 2 - k5 - d8 - k8 - 2 - ms4 - d2 - ms13 - a4 , whereby a second sheet original of size a4 will begin to be transported during one rotation of the drum 17 . on the other hand , relay k6 is energized through a circuit of k8 - 2 - d7 - k6 - normally closed contacts of ms0 :, 81 , and self - holds with the aid of k6 - 1 and k4 - 1 . rotation of the photosensitive drum 17 causes cam 157 to actuate paper feed microswitches ms2 and ms5 . where the original is of size a3 , microswitch ms2 will deenergize the normally energized solenoid sl2 and make a circuit of k6 - 2 - sl1 , thereby controlling the paper feed rolls 46 , 47 1 of fig1 to feed a sheet of transfer paper . where the original is of a4 or smaller size , solenoids sl1 and sl2 will be changed over irrespective of the open or closed position of ms16 - a4 - ms5 , thus feeding two sheets of transfer paper for each one rotation of the drum 17 . in the illustrated circuitry , microswitches ms80 , 81 are adapted to be actuated by the cam 159 of drum gear 77 so that their normally closed contacts may hold the relay k6 in on state , and in addition , these switches serve to produce a jam detection signal . when the interval between successive sheet originals is nearly equal to the spacing between rolls 18 and 21 , it will be seen from the time chart of fig1 that the contacts k4 and k5 are operative at a shorter interval than the microswitch ms2 . therefore , when the contact k4 ( instead of k6 ) is used , the solenoid sl1 will not be energized even if a sheet original has properly passed the rolls 18 and 21 , thus failing to effect paper feed . for this reason , use is made of relay k6 which may be operated for a perdetermined time irrespective of the length of originals , with the aid of microswitches ms80 , 81 provided on the drum 17 so as to be actuated later than the microswitch ms2 . when the original carriage 3 is displaced until the leading edge thereof reaches the detecting station ( corresponding to the position assumed by photoelectric means 19 , 20 during the sheet original copying operation ), as described above , connectors 149 , 150 will be disconnected and the position detector cam 151 on the underside of the original carriage will actuate microswitch ms14 to close its book original contact ms14 - a . when copy start button 14 &# 39 ; is depressed , microswitch ms9 will be closed to make a circuit of ms14 - a - ms9 - k8 - 1 - k1 - ms11 - a3 - ms13 - a3 , through which the relay k1 will be energized and self - hold with the aid of its contact k1 - 1 . the cam 157 on the drum gear 77 will close the original start switch ms1 to make a circuit of k3 - 2nc - k1 - 2 - k2 - ms1 , through which relay k2 for forwardly driving the orignal carriage will be energized and self - hold with the aid of its contact k2 - 1 . contact k2 - 3 will be closed to energize the solenoid sl3 , so that the engagement between roll 63 and groove 66 will be released to unlock the carriage 3 . closing of contact k2 - 2 will energize the clutch cl2 to move the carriage 3 forwardly . cam 153 will actuate microswitch ms10 ( for reversing the carriage movement in case of size a4 ) or microswitch ms11 ( for reversing the carriage movement in case of size a3 ) which is located in the path of the carriage , whereby relay k1 and accordingly relay k2 will be deenergized to disengage clutch cl2 , thus stopping the carriage 3 . the reversing contact of the microswitch ms10 or ms11 will energize relay k3 for reversely driving the original carriage , to thereby make a circuit of ms12 - k3 - ms10 - a3 - d1 - ms13 - a4 or ms12 - k3 - ms11 - a4 - ms13 - a3 , and the relay k3 will self - hold with the aid of its contact k3 - 1 . through the contact k3 - 2 of this relay , the solenoid sl3 will be energized to drive the carriage 3 in the opposite direction . when the carriage 3 returns to a predetermined position ( i . e . when the leading edge 67 1 of the carriage reaches the detecting position ), cam 152 will actuate microswitch ms12 to open this switch and accordingly deenergize relay k4 and clutch cl3 , thus stopping the carriage 3 at this position . start button 14 &# 39 ; may be again depressed to repeat the above - described operation , or alternatively the apparatus will be automatically operated in response to counter means 14 . thus , according to the present invention , the electrophotographic copying apparatus using the drum type image transfer system can be simply and readily changed over between the sheet original copying mode and the book original copying mode without requiring the cumbersome detachment and reassemblage of the attachments . moreover , the detection of the sheet original &# 39 ; s position and the detection of the carriage &# 39 ; s position during the book original copying mode take place at the same position and this enables the use of a common start signal from the photosensitive drum to simplify the control of the starting operation . during the sheet original copying mode , if the originals are of the size which permits two copies to be produced per full rotation of the photosensitive drum , the transportation of such originals and the feeding of copy or transfer sheets may take place in synchronism with each other to thereby enhance the efficiency of the copying operation . throughout the specification , the detection of the sheet original &# 39 ; s position and the detection of the book original carriage &# 39 ; s position have been described as taking place at the same position , but actually it is desirable that the stop position for the original carriage should be set to a position slightly more distant from the illuminating means 22 than the stop position for sheet originals , in view of the fact that the possible difference in inertia or the possible difference in the time required for stabilization of movement may occur between the sheet original and the original carriage when they are started to move by a common signal . such an additional distance for the original carriage &# 39 ; s stop position must be determined within a range which will in no way affect the start signal from the drum and the operation sequence of the various microswitches , and furthermore , the paper feed microswitches ms2 and ms5 must be used exclusively for the sheet original copying mode while additional two microswitches must be provided for use in the book original copying mode or alternatively , the copy paper feed signal must be produced in accordance with the movement of the original carriage . | 6 |
[ 0017 ] fig1 is a cross - sectional view of one embodiment of a liner remover assembly 10 . the assembly 10 is shown having three major portions . the first portion or gripping portion 11 is designed to engage the liner 70 in a cylinder assembly 75 ( partially shown ). the second portion or the securing portion 12 helps place the assembly 10 over the cylinder assembly 75 and provides support during removal of the liner 70 . the third portion or the removal portion 14 assists in the removal of the liner 70 from the cylinder assembly 75 . the gripping portion 11 can preferably include a conical shaped wedge 15 , a rod 60 , at least one collet 20 , a plate 35 , a first thrust bearing assembly 42 , and a first nut 50 . the wedge 15 can be any shape so long as it able to engage the liner 70 as required . the wedge 15 can preferably be made from a metal , an alloy such as titanium , chromium , manganese , iron , nickel , copper , zinc , silver , tin , tungsten , platinum , gold , lead , steel or similar materials . however , the wedge 15 may also be made from a polymer or a combination of polymers . the wedge 15 can be solid or at least partially hollowed ( as shown ) so long as it is strong enough to cause the collet 20 to engage the liner 70 as required . the wedge 15 can be threaded and / or welded at a first end 17 of the rod 60 . the rod 60 has one or more threads on its outer surface . the collet 20 as used herein may be anything that has one surface that can mate with the liner 70 and another surface that can mate with the wedge 15 . the collet 20 can be solid or at least partially hollowed so long as it is strong enough to engage the liner 70 as required . one or more collets 20 may be provided and can form a cavity 23 to receive the wedge 15 and the rod 60 , however , preferably there are two collets 20 , and more preferably there are four collets 20 . the inner surface of the collet 20 and the outer surface of the wedge 15 are complementary to each other to provide maximum contact with each other . the collet 20 can preferably be made from a metal , an alloy such as titanium , chromium , manganese , iron , nickel , copper , zinc , silver , tin , tungsten , platinum , gold , lead , steel or similar materials . however , the collet 20 can also be made from a polymer or a combination of polymers that can engage and grip the liner 70 . the collet 20 may have on the outer surface at least one or more annular grooves 32 to receive one or more rings 30 . rings 30 bind the collets 20 together until they are expanded radially by the wedge 15 . a flange 25 is provided at one end of the collet 20 to mate with an upper surface of the cylinder assembly 75 and preferably allows the collet , the wedge 15 and a portion of the rod 60 to enter the liner 70 . the gripping portion 11 also includes the plate 35 that may be annularly shaped and can encapsulate the first nut 50 and the first thrust bearing assembly 42 . the first thrust bearing assembly 42 can further include a retaining ring 40 , and a first thrust bearing 41 that can be disposed between a first set of washers 37 . the first thrust bearing assembly 42 may serve to decrease the friction between the plate 35 and the first nut 50 , thereby making it easier to turn or torque the first nut 50 . the plate 35 may be coupled to the collets 20 to prevent the collets from travelling in an axial direction when the first nut 50 is rotated in a first direction , thereby moving the wedge 15 and rod 60 in an axial direction . the plate 35 may be solid or may have apertures or slots therein for viewing into the cylinder 75 . additionally , the plate 35 may be any shape so long as it prevents the movement of the collets 20 axially when required . the first nut 50 , the annular plate 35 , and the first thrust bearing assembly 42 are threaded or coupled to the rod 60 . in the gripping operation , a torquing apparatus such as a wrench , pliers or similar apparatus ( not shown ) torques ( or turns ) the first nut 50 in the first direction causing the first end 17 of rod 60 and the wedge 15 to move towards the first nut . this movement causes the wedge 15 to move further into the cavity 23 and forces the collets 20 radially outward to engage the liner 70 as shown in fig2 . the first nut 50 can be torqued in the first direction , as required , to force the collets 20 to expand radially and grip the liner 70 . additionally , the collets 20 can be expanded radially to fit various sizes of liners 70 , thereby decreasing the number of liner remover assemblies 10 required to be available at the shop . the securing portion 12 can include a bridge 45 that can be constructed and arranged to mate with an upper surface of the cylinder assembly 75 . the bridge 45 may include a platform 47 and at least one supporting member 49 , but preferably has two or more supporting members . the bridge 45 can provide the initial support for the assembly 10 when it is placed on the cylinder assembly 75 . additionally , the bridge 45 can assist in the removal of the liner 70 from the cylinder assembly 75 by providing support for a second nut 55 to rotate the rod 60 which lifts the gripping portion 11 and the liner 70 . the bridge 45 can preferably be from a metal or an alloy such as titanium , chromium , manganese , iron , nickel , copper , zinc , silver , tin , tungsten , platinum , gold , lead , steel or similar materials . however , the bridge 45 can also be made from a polymer or a combination of polymers that are capable of withstanding the force required to lift the liner 70 from the cylinder assembly 75 . additionally , the bridge 45 and the support members 49 may be annular in shape or any other shape so long as it provides support as described above . the removal portion 14 can include a second thrust bearing assembly 51 , a second nut 55 and a second end 80 of the rod 60 . the second thrust bearing assembly 51 may be positioned between the second nut 55 and the bridge 45 , and can include a second set of washers 39 having a second thrust bearing 48 disposed between the washers . the second end 80 of rod 60 can be adapted to receive a lifting member such as an eyehook 90 ( fig2 ), which can be attached to a conventional hook and chain . the second end 80 can further include an aperture to receive a pin 65 therein . the pin 65 can secure the eye hook 90 to the rod 60 . the eye hook 90 can be attached at all times or attached when it is needed such as to lift a heavy liner 70 or stuck liner that requires additional force . the second nut 55 and the second thrust bearing assembly 51 can be threaded or coupled to rod 60 . in the removal operation ( fig3 ), the torquing apparatus can be applied to the second nut 55 in the first direction , which rotates the rod 60 , causing the gripping portion 11 , and liner 70 , to move axially towards the second nut . the torquing can continue until the liner 70 is removed at least partially from the cylinder assembly 75 or at a point where the liner can be removed by hand or other means . [ 0024 ] fig2 is a cross - section view of the liner remover assembly 10 engaging a liner 70 from the cylinder assembly 75 . the liner remover assembly 10 is placed on an upper surface of the cylinder assembly 75 and the collets 20 , wedge 15 and a portion of the rod 60 is inserted into the cylinder to engage the liner 70 . the first nut 50 is torqued , thereby causing the rod 60 and the wedge 15 to move axially and forcing the collets 20 to move radially outward and engage the liner 70 . [ 0025 ] fig2 also illustrates an alternative embodiment of the liner remover assembly 10 wherein a lifting member such as a handle or an eyehook 90 is attached to the second end 80 of the rod 60 . the eye hook 90 is constructed and arranged for use with a hand or other devices such as a hook and chain . the eyehook 90 can include a central region 95 capable of receiving a hook ( not shown ) or similar devices . the central region 95 can be partially defined by a first guiding member 100 and a second guiding member 102 that converge at point 105 . the guiding members 100 , 102 can guide a hook to point 105 if the hook is initially placed on either guiding member 100 , 102 . by having the hook at point 105 , the liner remover assembly 10 can be balanced and the liner 70 can be lifted with minimal swaying . [ 0026 ] fig3 illustrates the removal of the liner 70 . the second nut 55 has been torqued by the torquing apparatus ( not shown ) causing the rod 60 to travel in the direction indicated by the arrow . once the liner 70 is moved passed a certain point in the cylinder assembly 75 , it can be easily removed . the collets 20 can be disengaged from the liner 70 by rotating the first nut 50 in a second direction , thereby allowing the liner to be removed by hand , pliers or similar devices . alternatively , a hand ( human ) or hook can be used to grab the eyehook 90 and lift the entire liner remover assembly 10 along with the engaged liner 70 from the cylinder assembly 75 . additionally , all the components described above and herein can be made from a polymer , a metal or an alloy such as titanium , chromium , manganese , iron , nickel , copper , zinc , silver , tin , tungsten , platinum , gold , lead , steel or any combination thereof . the many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification , and thus , it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirits and scope of the invention . further , since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described , and accordingly , all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to , falling within the scope of the invention . | 8 |
referring to fig1 and 2 , typical semiautomatic handgun 10 of the type known generically as model 1911 or model 1911 - a1 is shown . it utilizes a single column magazine wherein the rounds are stacked linearly on top of one another . a one - piece unit 12 formed of a trigger bow 14 and a trigger body 16 is slidably engaged by opposed facing slots 18 , 20 extending fore and aft within grip handle 22 . as may be noted , trigger body 16 surrounds a typical single column magazine 24 removably disposed within grip handle 22 . a grip safety 26 is inserted within opening 28 defined by opposing interior sides 30 , 32 of grip handle 22 . it may be further noted that the width defined by sides 30 , 32 is sufficient to accommodate both trigger body 16 and magazine 24 . as is conventional , grip panels 34 , 36 are disposed on opposed sides of the grip handle . the trigger body serves the function of transferring the motion of the trigger bow linearly around the magazine . during assembly of the handgun , one piece unit 12 composed of the trigger bow and trigger body is inserted through opening 28 into engagement with opposed facing slots 18 , 20 and advanced forwardly . the rear end of the trigger body and opening 28 are covered upon attachment of grip safety 26 . referring jointly to fig3 and 5 , there is shown a semiautomatic model 1911 ( or model 1911 - a1 handgun 50 having a grip handle 52 adapted to receive a staggered two - column magazine , sometimes referred to as a high capacity magazine . such a magazine is wider than the conventional magazine and requires a grip handle wider than that of more conventional handguns of this type . to accommodate the wider magazine , trigger bow 54 ( see fig5 ) must be apertured with a wider opening than the more conventional trigger body to accommodate the wider magazine . rear edges or flanges 56 , 58 of grip handle 52 curve inwardly toward one another to define a standard width w therebetween . it may be noted that the width w between flanges 56 , 58 is less than the width between sides 60 , 62 of the magazine receiving channel of frame 64 and within the grip handle . slots 66 , 68 , extending fore and aft within grip handle 52 and upwardly of the magazine must be spaced apart in a facing relationship a sufficient distance to accommodate fore and aft translation of trigger bow 54 . trigger bow 54 , having trigger body 70 formed a unitary part thereof , is necessarily substantially wider than the width defined by flanges 56 , 58 . these dimensional relationships require openings or cut - outs 72 , 74 in inwardly turned flanges 56 , 58 to accommodate the slots . a conventional grip safety , such as grip safety 26 shown in fig1 and 2 , would only be capable of filling opening 76 between flanges 56 , 58 . this would result in rectangular shaped openings commensurate with the cross - section of slots 66 , 68 being disposed on opposed sides of the grip safety . such openings would have a negative impact upon comfort of the user , safety to the user , potential for intrusion of foreign matter , and reliability . the solution proposed herein includes that of forming opposed handgrips attached to grip handle 52 to include extensions penetrably insertable within cut - outs 72 , 74 . this solution necessarily requires removable and reassembly of the handgrips each time the handgun is to be field stripped . such disassembly and reassembly is unnecessary , creates a situation for potential loss of parts , reduces the likelihood of using aftermarket handgrips more comfortable to the user , and requires handgrips with an easily broken off extension . to solve the problem of exposed cut - outs 72 , 74 , grip safety 80 was developed , as particularly illustrated in detail in fig5 , 7 and 8 . grip safety 80 includes a conventionally configured body 82 for penetrable engagement within opening 76 intermediate flanges 56 , 58 . a pair of extensions 84 , 86 , rectangular in vertical cross - section , are configured to penetrably engage slots 66 , 68 disposed in flanges 56 , 58 . upon such engagement , or openings 72 , 74 created by these two slots will become closed . to provide comfort to a shooter , back surface 88 of grip safety 80 is contoured to carry through the curvature of the posterior opposed sides of grip handle 52 . additionally , faces 90 , 92 of extensions 84 , 86 are contoured to mate with the contour of the respective adjacent surfaces of the grip handle . grip safety 80 thereby provides all the benefits of a conventional grip safety and it closes the open posterior openings or cut - outs or openings 72 , 74 formed by slots 66 , 68 disposed in grip handle 52 . upon field stripping or partial disassembly , the opposed grip panels ( such as grip panel 72 shown in fig1 ) need not be disassembled . most grip safeties for handguns of the type described herein include a rearwardly extending upwardly located shield to prevent the user &# 39 ; s hand from interferingly engaging with the hammer and from being positioned too high and interfering with rearward movement of slide 104 ( see fig3 ad 4 ). to permit a user &# 39 ; s hand to be as high up on grip handle 52 as possible , shield 100 of grip safety 80 includes a depression 102 formed therein for receiving knob 106 of the hammer . this depression permits undersurface 108 of shield 100 to be as high as possible without impeding arcuate movement of the hammer and its associated knob 106 . the user &# 39 ; s hand is thereby protected against injury due to rearward movement of slide 104 and against injury by knob 106 due to downward arcuate movement of the hammer . while the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrative embodiment , there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure , arrangement , proportions , elements , materials and components used in the practice of the invention which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operating requirements without departing from those principles . | 5 |
the regulating system shown in the drawing serves to provide a gas / air mixture for a gas burner ( not shown ). with reference to fig1 a gas flow can be fed to the burner ( not shown ) via a first line 10 . a gas - regulating valve 11 and two gas safety valves 12 , 13 are assigned to the first line 10 carrying the gas flow . the gas - regulating valve 11 and the gas safety valves 12 , 13 may be of any desired design . the construction and mode of operation of gas safety valves and gas - regulating valves are sufficiently known from the prior art . furthermore , a combustion - air flow can be fed to the burner ( not shown ) via a second line 14 . the combustion - air flow is produced by a fan 15 , the rotational speed of which is determined by a motor 16 assigned to the fan 15 . a restrictor or choke point 17 is arranged inside the second line 14 carrying the combustion - air flow . in the region downstream of the choke point 17 , the first line 10 carrying the gas flow opens into the second line 14 carrying the air flow . in this region , the first line 10 carrying the gas flow is terminated by gas nozzle 18 . a sensor 19 is arranged between the first line 10 carrying the gas flow and the second line 14 carrying the combustion - air flow . the sensor 19 is connected by a first measuring point 20 to the first line 10 carrying the gas flow , namely upstream of the gas nozzle 18 in the direction of flow of the gas . furthermore , the sensor 19 is connected by a second measuring point 21 to the second line 14 carrying the combustion - air flow , namely upstream of the choke point 17 in the direction of flow of the combustion air . the sensor 19 is designed as a differential - pressure sensor , in particular as a flow - rate meter or anemometer . the pressure difference between the gas pressure and the combustion - air pressure can therefore be determined by means of the sensor 19 . if the gas pressure matches the combustion air , the flow through the sensor 19 designed as flow - rate meter or anemometer is equal to zero . if the combustion - air pressure is higher than the gas pressure , a flow from the second measuring point 21 in the direction of the first measuring point 20 can be detected . on the other hand , if the combustion - air pressure is lower than the gas pressure , a flow from the first measuring point 20 in the direction of the second measuring point 21 can be detected by the sensor 19 . the pressure ratios of gas pressure and combustion - air pressure can therefore be determined by the sensor 19 from the rate of flow through the sensor 19 and from the direction of flow . depending on these pressure ratios , the sensor 19 generates an electrical or electronic signal 22 . this electrical or electronic signal 22 is fed to a control unit or regulating unit 23 , which generates a regulating signal 24 for an actuator 25 of the gas - regulating valve 11 . to insure a variable transmission ratio between gas pressure and combustion - air pressure or gas flow and combustion - air flow , the electrical or electronic signal 22 of the sensor 19 is balanced with an auxiliary signal 27 in a summing device 26 , specifically before the signal 22 is fed to the regulating unit 23 . the output signal 30 of the summing device 26 is therefore fed as input signal to the regulating unit 23 , the output signal 30 being an additive superimposition of the signals 22 , 27 . the auxiliary signal 27 is a signal which functionally depends on a rotational speed of the fan 15 . the auxiliary signal 27 is obtained in an evaluating device 28 from a rotational - speed signal 29 of the fan 15 or of the motor 16 of the fan 15 . since the auxiliary signal 27 functionally depends on the rotational speed of the fan 15 , it directly follows that the auxiliary signal 27 depends on the combustion - air flow or combustion - air pressure . unlike the exemplary embodiment shown , it is possible to generate the auxiliary signal 27 in another way . thus it is not absolutely necessary for the auxiliary signal 27 to be determined from the rotational speed of the fan . it is also conceivable to provide an additional sensor ( not shown ) for determining the combustion - air flow and thus for generating the auxiliary signal 27 . to provide a gas / air mixture with a variable transmission ratio between gas pressure and combustion - air pressure , the procedure with the regulating system according to the invention is therefore as follows : an electrical or electronic signal 22 which corresponds to the pressure difference between the gas pressure and the combustion - air pressure is determined by means of the sensor 19 . this electrical or electronic signal 22 is balanced with an auxiliary signal 27 . to this end , the electrical or electronic signal 22 and the auxiliary signal 27 are added . the auxiliary signal 27 depends on the combustion - air flow , in particular on the rotational speed of the fan 15 . the output signal 30 , determined from the signals 22 , 27 , of the summing device 26 is fed to a regulating unit 23 , which generates a regulating signal 24 for the actuator 25 of the gas - regulating valve 11 . in this case , the regulating signal 24 is determined in such a way that the regulating unit 23 changes the gas flow to the effect that the input signal for the regulating unit 23 , that is the signal 30 determined from the signals 22 , 27 , assumes a value of zero . a factor which determines the transmission ratio between gas flow and combustion - air flow can be determined in the evaluating device 28 . this factor is a multiplication factor . the higher this multiplication factor is , the higher is the transmission ratio . the transmission ratio can be varied by varying the multiplication factor . | 5 |
it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences , except where expressly specified to the contrary . it is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings , and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims . hence , specific dimensions , directions or other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed are not to be considered as limiting , unless the claims expressly state otherwise . fig1 ( a ) and 1 ( b ) show a first exemplary embodiment of a heat shield configuration according to the present invention having a heat shield 1 , which is used for shielding a catalytic converter 2 situated in the interior of the heat shield 1 . the catalytic converter 2 may be , for example , a catalytic converter for treating exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle . the exhaust treatment action of the catalytic converter 2 is best within a specific temperature range . this temperature range is to be reached as rapidly as possible , but is not to be exceeded . the catalytic converter 2 is enclosed essentially completely and on all sides by the heat shield 1 . in this way , the catalytic converter 2 and its environment are insulated especially well from one another in regard to temperature influences and noise . in addition , the encapsulation is used so that the catalytic converter 2 reaches the operating temperature required for optimal exhaust treatment rapidly . the cold start phase may thus be shortened by rapid temperature increase in the interior of the heat shield 1 , which is a significant advantage in regard to the expected exhaust gas standard euro 5 . fig1 ( a ) shows the heat shield 1 having the catalytic converter situated in its interior during the warm - up phase to the optimal operating temperature of the catalytic converter 2 . in this phase , the closure 6 , which is located on the top side of the heat shield and encloses an opening present there in the form of a through opening in the heat shield , is completely closed . the heat generated during operation of the internal combustion engine therefore remains in the interior of the heat shield 1 and heats the catalytic converter rapidly to the desired operating temperature . in the case shown , the closure 6 completely comprises a flap 13 . the flap is expediently manufactured from the same material as the heat shield 1 and is fastened thereto using at least one hinge . above a specific limiting temperature ( or another measured variable representative for the temperature in the environment of the catalytic converter ), the flap 13 is opened using an actuating device 7 in the form of a positioning motor . to be able to establish reaching the limiting temperature , a temperature sensor 8 is fastened to the inside 3 of the heat shield 1 . after an analysis described later in connection with fig4 , the actuating device 7 comes into action if exceeding the fixed limiting temperature is established and opens the flap 13 , which is connected to the rod 14 , via a push and pull rod 14 . this is shown in fig1 ( b ). with rising temperature in the interior of the heat shield 1 and correspondingly increasing opening by the actuating device 7 , the closure 6 exposes an increasingly larger opening cross - section of the through opening 5 . the opening of the closure 6 and the exposure of the through opening 5 upon exceeding the predefined limiting temperature ensure that heat accumulated in the interior of the heat shield 1 may escape through the through opening , as illustrated by the arrows . overheating of the catalytic converter 2 in the interior of the heat shield 1 is thus avoided . if the temperature in the interior of the heat shield 1 sinks again , the actuating device 7 closes the closure back in the direction toward the starting situation shown in fig1 ( a ). the through opening 5 is closed by the closure 6 again . in this way , too strong reduction of the temperature in the interior of the heat shield 1 is prevented . another cold start of the engine would again occur with closed closure 6 , so that the catalytic converter 2 in the interior of the heat shield 1 may again be brought rapidly to the required operating temperature . these procedures are repeatable arbitrarily often with good reproducibility , so that optimum operating conditions of the catalytic converter may be ensured with very good noise protection simultaneously . fig2 ( a ) through 2 ( c ) show a refinement of the heat shield configuration from fig1 ( a ) and 1 ( b ). in addition to the first closure 6 , a further closure 6 a is provided in the heat shield 1 , which may close a further through opening 5 a in the top area of the heat shield 1 . the functional principle of both closures corresponds to that of the preceding exemplary embodiment . for simplification , the measuring device 8 is no longer shown . fig2 ( a ) shows the state of the heat shield 1 in the warm - up phase . both closures 6 and 6 a are closed , so that the heat remains in the interior of the heat shield 1 and contributes to rapidly reaching the operating temperature of the catalytic converter 2 . above a first limiting temperature , which may result in overheating of the catalytic converter 2 especially in full load operation , the first closure 6 is opened in the way described above and exposes the through opening 5 on the top right side of the heat shield 1 , so that the hot air indicated by the arrows may escape from the interior of the heat shield 1 . the second closure 6 a is still closed in this phase . it is first opened by the second actuating device 7 a upon further temperature increase in the interior of the heat shield 1 . this is shown in fig2 ( c ). to achieve the opening of the closures 6 and 6 a at different limiting temperatures , the actuating devices 7 , 7 a are activated in such a way that they open at different limiting temperatures . cooler air may enter through this through opening into the interior of the heat shield 1 due to the exposure of the through opening 5 a . the colder air flows along the top side of the catalytic converter 2 , cools it , and entrains hot air through the through opening 5 on the top right side of the heat shield out of its interior . in this way , effective cooling of the catalytic converter is possible even at very high exhaust gas temperature . the exemplary embodiment described thus allows the catalytic converter to operate under essentially constant temperature conditions even in the event of relatively strongly oscillating exhaust gas temperature . fig3 ( a ) and 3 ( b ) show an alternative heat shield configuration , in which the heat shield 1 does not completely enclose the catalytic converter 2 , but rather is open on its bottom side . the lower edge only has a small distance to the neighboring component 15 , which radiates heat in operation of the engine . the measuring device 8 is again not illustrated . as in the exemplary embodiment from fig1 ( a ) through 1 ( c ), the heat shield only has one closure 6 . the small distance between heat shield 1 and neighboring component 15 accelerates the achievement of the operating temperature of the catalytic converter 2 with closed closure 6 . upon reaching the limiting temperature , the closure 6 is opened by the actuating device 7 , as shown in fig3 ( b ). the hot air from the interior of the heat shield may escape through the opening 5 . the suction thus arising causes cooler air to flow behind through the space between heat shield 1 and neighboring component 15 , so that an optimal operating temperature of the catalytic converter 2 is ensured in spite of the heat radiated by the component 15 . the space between heat shield 1 and neighboring component 15 may be tailored — insofar as this is possible in the existing space — to this operating temperature of the catalytic converter 2 and the radiation of the component 15 . fig4 illustrates the sequence upon actuation of the closure 6 using the actuating device 7 in the form of a block diagram . a measuring device 8 ascertains measurement data for a measured variable relevant for the function of the object 2 to be shielded continuously or at fixed intervals . this may be the temperature in the environment of the catalytic converter , for example . the ascertained measured data is transmitted in a way known per se to an analysis unit 9 and analyzed there . the analysis unit compares the measured data to a previously established limiting value , such as a limiting temperature . if the analysis unit 9 establishes that the limiting value has been exceeded , it transmits the result to the control unit 10 . in turn , this transmits a control signal to the actuating device 7 , because of which it opens the closure 6 to the predefined extent . the closing procedure runs correspondingly , if it is established the temperature falls below the limiting temperature . analysis and control units may also be unified in a shared device and installed in the heat shield configuration separately from or jointly with the measuring device 8 . in the case of a particulate filter , a measuring apparatus 8 may be for the pressure in the interior of the particulate filter . the ascertained measured data is compared to a previously established base pressure by the analysis unit 9 in this example . if this pressure is exceeded , this is relayed via the control unit 10 to the actuating device 7 , on the basis of which it closes the closure 6 in the predefined procedure . this opening procedure runs correspondingly if the pressure falls below the limiting pressure after oxidative regeneration of the particulate filter , for example . a second limiting pressure may also be established , which is below the first limiting pressure for the closing . the sequence for other measured signals runs comparably . fig5 shows a partial section of a further embodiment of the present invention in the area of the closure 6 , which may be opened and closed by an actuating device 7 . the mode of operation corresponds to those of the preceding figures . the curves of the heat shield 1 and the closure 6 are adapted to the external contour of the object to be shielded , whose external outline is illustrated by the line 16 . by tailoring the curves , the heat shield having closure 6 may be brought very close to the object to be shielded . the solid line at 6 illustrates the open position of the closure , and the dashed line lying underneath illustrates the closed position of the closure . fig6 and 7 show alternative embodiments of the closure 6 . fig6 shows an embodiment in which the opening 5 in the heat shield 1 is a recess in the external edge area . the opening 5 is closable using a slide 11 as the closure 6 . the closure 6 may be displaced in the direction of the arrow using the actuating device 7 . a situation having almost completely open closure and nearly completely exposed opening 5 is shown . fig7 shows an embodiment similar to fig6 , but having a rotating slide 12 as the closure 6 . the rotating slide is fastened to the heat shield 1 at a point 17 using screw or rivet connections and is mounted at this point so it is rotatable . by actuating the actuating device 7 , namely by extending the rod 14 , which is fastened to the rotating slide 12 so it is rotatable at the point 18 , more or less , the rotating slide may be pivoted around the point 17 , as is illustrated by the double arrow . the through opening 5 in the heat shield is correspondingly covered more or less by the rotating slide 12 . in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes , the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiments . however , it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope . | 1 |
for the better understanding of the present invention , an rf remote control voice recognition breathalyzer operational signal will be first describe and a vehicle installed breathalyzer immobilizer interlock devise and further on , a mobile phone with a voice recognition breathalyzer along with videophone breathalyzer will be described . as shown in fig1 - a . rf voice recognition breathalyzer system 80 comprises of , a rf transmitter 27 for transmitting a unique remote control rf signals controlled by a processor using a microphone 81 and a breath sensor 82 connected to said processor to process user given verbal password with breath , during said given password speech . [ 0017 ] fig1 - b illustrates extendable mouthpiece 23 used for full lung inhale exhale test . a tri - color led 22 is used to indicate visual operation status . a multi - tone beeper 20 is used to indicate audible operation status . a reset button 24 is used to turn the system on . transmit buttons 26 and 28 is used for transmitting rf commands . [ 0018 ] fig1 - c illustrates alphanumeric lcd display 25 indicating visual operation status . as shown in fig1 - d illustrates a mobil phone with a built - in voice recognition breathalyzer 90 comprises , a microphone 81 and a breath sensor 21 circuitry connected to a processor to process user given password and breath content and a speaker 91 for user to receive verbal instruction . and a rf transceiver 95 to communicate with a monitoring station or to transmit verbal or dtmf commends to a vehicle mount immobilizer cpu . additionally fig1 - e illustrates a videophone with a built - in voice recognition breathalyzer 70 comprises , a microphone 81 and a breath sensor 21 circuitry in handset 78 connected to a processor to process user given password and breath content . a camera 71 to take video images of the user . a tft screen 72 used as a monitor and a transceiver 95 to communicate with a monitoring station . as shown in fig2 - a an immobilizer cpu 36 for receiving commands from voice recognition breathalyzer 48 or receiving 32 rf commands from rf voice recognition breathalyzer 80 . and communicate with wrist transceiver 40 for monitoring the presence of person to be monitored and transmit 37 a signal to vibrate the operators wrist transceiver for the operator to give verbal breath test . receive command signals and sent event reports through a gsm phone / pager 29 and to communicate with a monitoring station 60 . a buzzer / speaker 30 is used to create audible or verbal signal to alert the operator to give verbal breath test and controlling vehicle mount led 38 indicating system arm disarm status . controlling vehicle horn 31 to hunk during operator sobriety test fail . controlling the flashing of vehicle emergency lights 33 to indicate operator sobriety test fail . controlling vehicle ignition interlock 34 and 39 and controlling vehicle mount vibrator 47 to signal driver to give random breath sobriety test . battery 35 is used as power supply . as shown in fig2 - b a watch style wrist transceiver 40 having a battery 44 as power supply for transmitting a unique id coded signal to vehicle mount immobilizer cpu . and receiving signals from a vehicle mount immobilizer cpu and upon receiving said signal vibrate the built - in vibrator 46 to signal the operator of vehicle to give verbal breath test into the breathalyzer . and a temper proof conductive strap 42 is being used to avoid the operator from removing the wriest transceiver . the present invention utilizes a rf remote control voice recognition breathalyzer 80 powered by a battery 17 . in order to operate the rf voice recognition breathalyzer 80 user voice must be programmed first . pressing button 24 turns the power on . then pressing buttons 26 and 28 together three times the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 will enter in voice learning mode . the led 22 will flash red / yellow indicating the system is in learning mode , the operator gives given password speech , led 22 start to flash again red / yellow signaling to the operator to repeat given password again for confirmation . if proper password given the led 22 blinks one time green indicating given password has been learned successfully . if person operating the voice recognition breathalyzer is required to be tested every time to operate the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 then button 26 must be press one time within time window right after completion of voice learning process . note : when button 26 is pressed right after voice learning process only one person one time can be programed in the system . if button 28 is pressed right after learning process multiple user voice can be programed , by first user first giving given spoken password into the voice recognition breathalyzer and then entering the system into voice learning mode . if password learning process failed the led 22 blinks one time yellow . user will repeat the process again . operation : in order to operate the rf voice recognition breathalyzer the user first pushes the reset button 24 to power up the system , within few seconds the built in beeper 20 beeps and led 22 flashes green or the alphanumeric lcd 25 displays system ready symbol or letters . the operator gives a given spoken password into the microphone 81 and breath sensor 21 by holding the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 an inch away from operators mouth . once given speech and breath received the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 analyzes user given verbal password and breath breath content . if no alcohol found , the led 22 turns momentary green or lcd 25 display indicates “ pass ” symbol , the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 transmits a test pass signal or at a given time window allows the user to press button 26 to transmit said pass signal to a vehicle mount receiver 32 cpu 36 which upon receipt of said signal disables said vehicle ignition immobilizer 34 and 39 and the operator successfully can start the vehicle . if the operator given verbal password breath contains alcohol . the rf voice recognition breathalyzer 80 produces a warning beep through the built - in beeper 20 and led 22 will flash red or lcd 25 displays “ failed ” symbol and the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 automatically transmits a unique rf failed coded signal , giving the operator “ 0 ” tolerance to operate any vehicle or machinery . in some application the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 could be programed not automatically to transmits “ fail ” rf signal transmission . in the preferred embodiment of the invention if operator is allowed to operate a vehicle with certain amount of bac in his or her system . the present invention allows the vehicle operator within a short time frame after given verbal “ failed ” test , to give a full lung inhale exhale breath test into said breathalyzer mouth piece 23 which require full lung exhale breath pressure in order to let given breath to pass through said mouth piece to determine exact amount of alcohol in operators system . if full lung exhale test is below certain setting threshold , then the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 will transmit a unique “ pass ” code signal with breath alcohol content data . if full lung inhale exhale test failed , then the voice recognition breathalyzer 80 transmits a breath test “ fail ” signal containing data information amount of bac found in the operators system . after given verbal breath “ fail ” test , if operators full lung breath exhale sample given does not contain any amount of alcohol , because it is off some one else &# 39 ; s given breath or bogus air exp . air from a balloon . or a bike pump or given in un properly , the rf voice recognition breathalyzers 80 beeper 20 will beep . led 22 turns on momentary “ red ” or alphanumeric lcd screen displays “ error ” symbol and transmits a rf “ error ” coded signal . in order to save battery the present invention has auto power shut down features . and if and when there is low battery condition within the rf voice recognition breathalyzer 80 the led 22 turns steady yellow or alphanumeric lcd 25 displays “ low battery “ signal ”. and rf voice recognition breathalyzer transmits a low battery rf unique coded signal . in the present invention a voice recognition breathalyzer not necessarily has to be a remote control 80 operated . according to the invention a voice recognition breathalyzer 48 could be installed in a vehicle and connected to a vehicle mount immobilizer cpu 36 rf voice recognition breathalyzer could be used in many deferent application , such as when it &# 39 ; s used with a vehicle mount immobilizer cpu 36 unit . when the immobilizer cpu 36 receives breath test “ pass ” signal from voice recognition breathalyzer 80 unit , the operator can start the vehicle engine successfully . during vehicle ignition “ on ” position the immobilizer cpu 36 will random prompt audio - visual signal through beeper 30 . led 38 . vibrator 47 to the operator of vehicle in order the operator to give verbal given password into said rf voice recognition breathalyzer 80 or into voice recognition breathalyzer 48 during driving to avoid the driver from drinking during driving . if driver gives the proper password containing nontoxic breath . the voice recognition rf breathalyzer 80 or voice recognition breathalyzer 47 transmits a “ pass ” code signal . the immobilizer cpu 36 upon receiving the “ pass ” signal , it operates in its normal operating mode . if the operator fails to give proper password or no password at all or gives password containing toxic breath within a predetermine time , the immobilizer cpu 36 will flash the vehicle lights 33 . honks the vehicle horn 31 , and immobilize the vehicle ignition 34 , or fuel pump circuitry . the vehicle mount immobilizer cpu 36 capable of receiving unique coded signal from an rf voice recognition remote control unit . wherein an rf voice recognition remote control unit is used by individuals for whom it is not necessary for breath sobriety test to disarm said vehicle immobilizer cpu . the immobilizer cpu 36 will disarm by receiving coded rf signal from said voice recognition remote control unit . said vehicle immobilizer cpu 36 upon receiving said unique coded signal will not initiate random audio - visual 30 and 38 , or vibrating signals 46 and 47 to the operator , for the operator to give given verbal password into said voice recognition breathalyzer . in the preferred embodiment of the invention a gps receiver 49 is connected to a mobile phone / pager 29 or a satellite modem , and said mobile phone 29 is connected to said vehicle cpu 36 unit . if and when said vehicle immobilizer cpu 36 receives a unique test “ fail ” signal from said voice recognition breathalyzer 80 and 48 . the vehicle immobilizer cpu 36 sends a signal containing information relating to said vehicle and driver id along with sobriety test fail code to said vehicle gsm phone , or pager unit 29 , and said gsm phone / pager unit 29 , signals a monitoring station 60 with information containing operator id with breath test fail data , vehicle id along with it &# 39 ; s location . said monitoring station upon receiving said signal can locate said vehicle by using a pc containing gps map software , and send a signal to said particular vehicle immobilizer cpu 36 , through said vehicle mount gsm / phone or pager 29 , to immobilize said vehicle engine at a safe speed . in the present invention , the monitoring station could utilize a data base server or a internet server , which could give law enforcement agency direct access to said database via portable or desk pc . in the present invention , the monitoring station 60 at any given time can sent verbal or audible signal to the operator of a particular vehicle to give given verbal password into a voice recognition breathalyzer 48 and 80 , for on spot sobriety test , through said vehicle mount gsm phone or pager modem . the present invention could be used in a more effective way , by utilizing a temper proof wrist watch style transceiver unit 40 , warn by the person to be monitored , transmitting a rf coded signal periodically , or upon receiving a rf signal from said vehicle mount transceiver cpu 36 . when the immobilizer cpu 36 receives wrist transmitter signal , at a predetermine time the immobilizer cpu 36 will initiate audio - visual 30 and 38 , vibrating signal 47 , or a rf signals to a wrist transceiver 40 to vibrate the built - in vibrator 46 , signaling to the operator to give a given verbal password into said voice recognition breathalyzer 80 or 48 . in addition a voice recognition breathalyzer , could be utilized in a phone , or a mobile phone 90 , capable of analyzing user breath content . when person to be monitored gives the given password into said voice recognition phone , the phone 90 and 70 has a built in microphone with voice recognition circuitry 81 , to receive and analyze given password . a breath sensor with breathalyzer circuitry 21 to receive and analyze given breath sample ( s ). and a phone transceiver 90 and 70 , to communicate with a monitoring station or to give commands to disarm vehicle immobilizer or to start the vehicle . a lcd 92 or tft screen 72 to display alphanumeric given commands or used as a monitor . and a camera to capture the photo images of the user and sent the photo image to a monitoring station 60 . operation : user ( s ) voice is preprogrammed into the voice recognition breathalyzer phone 90 and 70 . the user first press the reset button to power up the voice recognition breathalyzer phone . when user gives given password into said voice recognition phone 90 and 70 , the voice processor upon voice recognition signals the breathalyzer processor to process users given breath sample , if given sample is nontoxic , the operator can give verbal or dtmf commands to disarm a particular vehicle equipped with a immobilizer cpu 36 through a vehicle mount gsm phone or a pager 29 receiver unit . if given password breath is toxic , then the speaker gives a warning beep and the lcd display indicates “ fail ” symbol , the user can not sent verbal or dtmf commands . in the present invention , a monitoring station 60 , can signal a phone user at any given time by giving verbal or audible signals through said phone 90 and 70 , for the operator of said phone 90 and 70 , to give verbal password into said voice recognition breathalyzer phone 90 and 70 , for system to identify and to analyze user given breath sample , during given speech , and send said user iid information along with breath test fail information to a monitoring station 60 . the monitoring station 60 to determine precise bac reading , signals the operator to perform full lung inhale exhale breath into said voice recognition breathalyzer phone 70 and 90 , and said phone breathalyzer processor circuitry 21 upon analyzing said given verbal password with breath content , sends said process breath content data to a monitoring station 60 . in addition the built in camera 72 can capture and send photo images through a modem to a monitoring station 60 , for pictorial identification verification of the user by said monitoring station pc . | 1 |
ceramides occupy a major position , most especially in the upper layers of the epidermis , that is to say in the stratum corneum . there are several types of ceramides , depending on their localization and their function within the epidermis . the term ceramide , taken in its strict sense , comprises only lipids consisting of a sphingosine linked to a fatty acid or fatty acid derivative via its amine function . the ceramides in the stratum corneum are made up of 6 chromatographically distinct fractions , having a different polarity according to the degree of unsaturation ( which can be zero ) or hydroxylation of their chains , their length and their number . according to the present invention , it is possible to use one or more ceramides of formula ( i ), optionally combined with other types of ceramides , as mollifying agents . furthermore , the compositions of the present invention can contain one or more anti - aging active agents of identical or different kinds . the ceramides used in particular in the compositions of the present invention can be of natural origin or synthetic , and may be of type ii ( for example n - oleoyldihydrosphingosine ), of type iii ( for example n - stearoylphytosphingosine ), of type iv ( for example n -( α - hydroxybehenoyl ) dihydrosphingosine ) or of type v ( for example n -( α - hydroxypalmitoyl ) dihydrosphingosine ). it is also possible to use the mixtures of ceramides present in the skin , described by downing ( the journal of investigative dermatology , vol . 84 , pp . 410 - 412 ( 1985 )). it is also possible to use as mollifying agent a preparation containing , in addition to these mixtures of ceramides , cholesterol , free fatty acids such as oleic acid , triglycerides such as triolein and squalene , in order to arrive at a mixture mimicing the epidermal lipids . this preparation may be used at a concentration ranging from 0 . 01 to 10 % by weight , and preferably from 0 . 05 to 5 % by weight , based on the total weight of the composition of the present invention . from these simple ceramides , it is possible , in addition , to use complex ceramides which can have properties similar to those of the simple ceramides . in particular , sphingolipids such as oligoglycoceramides ( gangliosides ), monoglycoceramides ( cerebrosides ), acylmonoglycoceramides , and hydroxyacylmonoglycoceramides may be used . sphingophospholipids such as sphingomyeline may also be used . these simple or complex ceramides can be of vegetable origin , such as , for example , the wheat glycoceramides sold by the company ard or a mixture of glycolipids ( containing glycoceramides , phospholipids and triglycerides ) sold under the trade name ceramide vegetal by the company inocosm . the amount of mollifying agent used in the present invention depends on the amount of anti - aging active agent used . the mollifying agent / anti - aging active agent weight ratio can , for example , be chosen to be from 0 . 0001 : 1 to 100 , 000 : 1 , preferably from 0 . 01 : 1 to 1000 : 1 . moreover , the amount of anti - aging active agent is in practice from 0 . 0001 to 20 % by weight , preferably from 0 . 01 to 10 % by weight , based upon the total weight of the present composition . the present composition may contain any anti - aging active agent possessing an irritant effect . examples of active agents to which the invention applies include α - hydroxy acids or β - hydroxy acids , which can be linear , branched or cyclic , saturated or unsaturated . the hydrogen atoms of the carbon chain can , in addition , be substituted with halogens or halogenated alkyl , acyl , acyloxy , alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxy radicals having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms . as α - hydroxy acids which can be used in the present invention , glycolic , lactic , malic , tartaric , citric and mandelic acids may be mentioned . as β - hydroxy acids , salicylic acid as well as its acylated derivatives such as those described in fr - a - 2581542 and ep - a - 378986 , such as 5 - n - octanoylsalicylic acid and 5 - n - dodecanoylsalicylic acid , and 2 - hydroxyalkanoic acids , and their derivatives such as 2 - hydroxy - 3 - methylbenzoic acid and 2 - hydroxy - 3 - methoxybenzoic acid , may be mentioned . it is also possible to use as active agents α - or β - keto acids , retinoids , anthralin , anthranoids ( for example those described in ep - a - 319 , 028 ), peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide , minoxidil , capsaicin , lithium and / or zinc salts , antimetabolites such as 5 - fluorouracil and vitamins such as vitamin c . the retinoids to which the invention applies are , in particular , retinol , all - trans - or 13 - cis - retinoic acids , retinaldehyde or the compounds mentioned in fr - a - 2 , 676 , 052 , ep - a - 210 , 929 , ep - a - 292 , 348 , ep - a - 199 , 636 , fr - a - 2 , 570 , 377 , fr - a - 2 , 590 , 566 , fr - a - 2 , 601 , 359 , ep - a - 325 , 540 , ep - a - 232 , 199 , ep - a - 552 , 282 , ep - a - 284 , 288 , ep - a - 170 , 105 and fr - a - 2 , 422 , 677 . the compositions of the present invention can , in addition , contain a vegetable , mineral ( petrolatum ), silicone ( cyclomethicone ), fluorinated ( perfluoro polyether ) or synthetic ( purcellin oil ) oil , an aqueous phase , hydrophilic adjuvants such as gelling agents ( clay , xanthan gum ), hydrating agents , cicatrizing agents such as glycerol and allatoin as well as their derivatives and compositions containing them , antioxidants ( vitamin e ), preservatives , opacifying agents , lipophilic adjuvants such as essential oils , colorants , and perfumes , as well as pigments ( titanium or zinc oxides ) and fillers . the present composition may also contain hydrophilic or lipophilic screening agents , for screening out visible and / or ultraviolet rays , as well as dermatological active agents . these adjuvants may be present in a total amount of from 0 . 1 to 10 % by weight , preferably from 1 to 5 % by weight , based on the total weight of the composition . the compositions according to the present invention can take the form of an oily solution , an aqueous gel , a serum , a lotion , a water - in - oil ( w / o ) or oil - in - water ( o / w ) emulsion and / or a dispersion of lipid vesicles ( ionic or nonionic ). for an emulsion , a ( w / o ) or ( o / w ) emulsifying system is used , as appropriate . when a dispersion of lipid vesicles is used , these latter can constitute the emulsifying system . the emulsifying system is typically present in an amount of from 0 . 1 to 10 % by weight , preferably 1 to 5 % by weight , based on the total weight of the composition . as an ( o / w ) emulsifier which can be used in the present invention , there may be mentioned peg - 50 stearate and peg - 40 stearate , sold , respectively , under the trade names myrj 53 and myrj 52 by the company ici , and sorbitran tristearate sold under the trade name span 65 by the company ici . as a ( w / o ) emulsifier which can be used in the present invention , there may be mentioned the polyglyceryl - 4 isostearate / cetyldimethicone copolyol / hexyl laurate mixture sold under the trade name abil we 09 by the company goldschmidt , and isostearyl diglyceryl succinate sold under the trade name imwitor 780 k by the company huls . in another embodiment , the present invention also provides a method for the treatment of acne , wrinkles and / or fine lines on the skin , as well as a process for combating aging of the skin , by applying to the skin an effective amount of the present composition defined above . other features of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following descriptions of exemplary embodiments which are given for illustration of the invention and are not intended to be limiting thereof . in all the following examples , the amounts are given in % by weight , based on the total weight of the composition . the term &# 34 ; qs 100 &# 34 ; means that a sufficient quantity of that ingredient is present so that the sum of the amounts for all ingredients totals 100 % by weight . ______________________________________fatty phase : cetyl alcohol 7glyceryl stearate 2 . 5peg - 50 stearate 2 . 5groundnut oil ( mollifying agent ) 6 . 2isopropyl myristate 3n - oleoyldihydrosphingosine ( mollifying agent ) 0 . 5salicylic acid ( active agent ) 0 . 5aqueous phase : alcohol 6water qs 100______________________________________ ______________________________________phase a : 5 - n - octanoylsalicylic acid 1 . 0n - oleoyldihydrosphingosine 0 . 1sweat almond oil 14 . 1shea butter 7 . 0ppg - 3 myristyl ether ( emcol 249 - 3k ) 5 . 0 ( co - emulsifier and solvent ) preservative ( propylparaben ) 0 . 1polysorbate 60 ( tween 60 ) 2 . 5sorbitan stearate ( span 60 ) 2 . 5phase b : cyclomethicone 4 . 0xanthan gum 0 . 2carboxyvinyl polymer 0 . 5phase c : triethanolamine ( neutralizing agent ) 0 . 5water 2 . 0phase d : preservative ( methylparaben ) 0 . 2glycerol 5 . 0water qs 100______________________________________ the constituents of phase a are melted at 85 ° c ., phase a is then cooled to 70 ° c . and phases b , and then c and d are introduced into it with stirring . the mixture is cooled to room temperature . a hydrating day cream is obtained , which acts against the natural aging of the skin . the cytotoxicity ( 3 -( 4 , 5 - dimethyl - 2 - thiazolyl )- 2 , 5 - diphenyltetrazolium bromide test ) of emulsions according to example 2 , containing different percentages of 5 - n - octanoylsalicylic acid , 0 . 25 %, 0 . 5 % and 1 %, respectively , in the presence of increasing concentrations of n - oleoylidihydrosphingosine , 0 %, 0 . 25 %, 0 . 50 %, 1 % and 2 %, respectively , on a reconstructed epidermis obtained by inoculating human keratinocytes onto a collagen - coated millipore filter was studied . 100 mg of emulsion are incubated for 3 hours on the reconstructed epidermis ( with each measurement carried out in duplicate ), and the cell viability is then measured immediately after rinsing off the emulsion with phosphate - buffered saline ( pbs ). the experiment was carried out two times on three different batches . fig1 presents the individual results for each batch and fig2 shows the mean for the three batches . the results obtained on the three batches are in agreement : after 3 hours of incubation , the emulsions containing 0 . 25 % of 5 - n - octanoylsalicylic acid do not display cytotoxicity ; in the presence of 0 . 5 % of 5 - n - octanoylsalicylic acid , a dose - dependent effect of n - oleoyldihydrosphingosine on cell viability becomes apparent . this effect permits considerable protection of cell viability , which in the absence of n - oleoyldihydrosphingosine is 50 %, and in the presence of 2 % of n - oleoyldihydrosphingosine reaches its maximum level ( 100 % cell viability ); the concentration of 1 % of 5 - n - octanoylsalicylic acid is very cytotoxic after 3 hours of incubation ; only 20 % of viable cells remain . this cytotoxicity is nevertheless decreased by the incorporation of n - oleoyldihydrosphingosine in the composition . in effect , the mean cytotoxicity obtained with 2 % of n - oleoylidhydrosphingosine is then very close to 50 %. this application is based on french patent application 94 - 00173 , filed on jan . 10 , 1994 , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . obviously , 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 than as specifically described herein . | 0 |
darbeevision , abbreviated dvn , is a method of adding stereo ( 3d ) information to a normal flat ( 2d ) image using a procedure called the darbee transform . in the one - sided darbee transform , ( dto ), the additional information is supplied by an additional camera looking at a natural scene , or an additional viewport looking at a synthesized 3d virtual world . the additional camera is horizontally displaced from the primary camera by an interoccular distance , typically 2 to 3 inches , corresponding to the distance between the two human eyes . for special effects , the cameras can be spaced less than the interoccular distance , resulting in hypostereo , or they can be spaced more than the interoccular distance , resulting in hyperstereo . the additional camera can correspond to either the left or the right eye , with the remaining eye being the original view . in the symmetrical darbee transform , ( dts ), the additional information is supplied by two additional cameras looking at a natural scene , or two additional viewports looking at a synthesized 3d virtual world . typically the additional cameras are horizontally displaced from the primary camera by half the interoccular distance . the generalized symmetrical darbee transform allows for any number of pairs of additional cameras . dvn processed image , with both l and r image information added the canonical one - sided darbee transform with left image information added is d r =┌└( 1 + a ) r − dl b + b ┘┐, eq . 1 d l =┌└( 1 + a ) l − dr b + b ┘┐. eq . 2 one can see that the core procedure is to defocus and subtract one image from the other . this transform can be implemented mathematically pixel - by - pixel , but it requires that intermediate terms , such as ( 1 + a ) r , take on values that are whiter - than - white (& gt ; 1 ), and that − dl b go blacker - than - black (& lt ; 0 ). in the case of color images , each of the red , green and blue ( rgb ) channels ( or their linear vector equivalents , such as yuv or yiq ) must be processed independently . if the source is a computation such as 3d graphics for a video game , then a real time convolver is required , but the pixel image inversions , additions and clippings are simple pixel operations . using the canonical one - sided darbee transform , the pixel operations to create d r are just subtract the left image term from the right image term , i . e . ( 1 + a ) r − dl b . fig1 shows an image - processing block diagram implementing the one - sided darbee transform for d r . many image processing programs , such as adobe photoshop ™, do not allow pixel operations that go above white or below black , or if they do , they may clip intermediate values at white ( 1 ) or black ( 0 ) before proceeding to the next operation . therefore , we will develop a version of the darbee transform such that , when intermediate clipping occurs , only pixel values that would have ended up being clipped regardless will be affected . in what follows , we will examine the case where d r is obtained by adding the left image information , but the opposite case for d l is easily obtained by interchanging the terms l and r . d r =┌└( 1 + a ) r − dl b + b ┘┐, eq . 3 d r =┌└( 1 + a ) r + d − d − dl b + b ┘┐, eq . 3 a d r =┌└ r + ar − d + d ( 1 − l b )+ b ┘┐. eq . 4 the quantity 1 − l b is simply the inverted defocused image l b , which looks like an ordinary photographic negative . its pixels clearly remain in the range 0 ≦ x ≦ 1 , so no clipping occurs . d r =┌└( 1 + a ) r + d ( 1 − l b )− d + b ┘┐. eq . 5 the terms ( 1 + d ) r + d ( 1 − l b ), prior to clipping , sum to a value which is always positive with a range from 0 to 3 . 3 is attained when d = 1 , r is white and l b is black . to prevent clipping while the two terms are accumulated , we simply prescale them by ⅓ , thus now no intermediate operations will exceed 1 , even when d = 1 , r = 1 and l b = 0 . subtracting ⅓ d will cause clipping at black , but those pixel values would have ended up clipped anyhow . multiplying by 3 will clip at white , as would have occurred regardless . 3 . add ( mix ) the two contrast - diminished images together . 4 . subtract [ 1 3 ( d - b ) ] [ 1 3 ( d - b ) ] . the image - processing program will clip any negative pixel values at black . 5 . increase the contrast of the mixed images by 3 and allow the image - processing program to clip the final values at white . fig1 shows an image - processing block diagram implementing the one - sided darbee transform for d r which allows intermediate clipping and uses a photographic negative image in place of a mathematical image with negative pixel values . with the symmetrical darbee transform , information from three images l , c , and r is combined . the position of the center camera , c is typically midway between the l and r cameras . following the steps above , the version suitable for use by ordinary image - processing programs is d c = ⌈ 3 ⌊ ( 1 3 + 1 3 a ) r + 1 6 d ( 1 - l b ) + 1 6 d ( 1 - r b ) - 1 3 ( d - b ) ⌋ ⌉ . eq . 8 note that it is algorithmically possible to use more than two additional cameras added as pairs of n cameras . in that case , the symmetrical darbee transform generalizes to here there are i pairs of defocused cameras displaced symmetrically about the center camera . it is also possible to weight the added camera pairs by a function ƒ i which decreases a distance i from the center camera , which ranges ( 0 ≦ ƒ i ≦ 1 ), and whose sum d c = ⌈ ⌊ ( 1 + a ) c + b - d 2 ∑ i = 1 n f i ( l bi + r bi ) ⌋ ⌉ . eq . 10 using optics with visible light , defocusing is trivial . algorithmically , the same effect can be achieved by a mathematical convolution of an image with a two - dimensional convolution kernel . this operation corresponds to a spatial low - passing of the image . the kernel is an even function typically decreasing symmetrically from 1 at the center pixel to 0 on both sides . the one - dimensional shape of the kernel ( along a diameter ) can be a rectangle , a tent , a gaussian , or some other function . two - dimensionally , the kernel can take the shape of a circle , a square , or something else . its width w can be from one to several pixels on each side , plus the center pixel . in practice , successful results have been achieved for a 640 by 480 pixel images using a two - dimensional circular convolution kernel whose diameter is in the shape of a gaussian with a width w ( or diameter ) of 15 pixels total . presumably , w should scale with the image resolution , with a value of two percent of the width of the image in pixels being reasonable . the diameter in pixels should be an odd number . for high - resolution images , the computation cost of the convolution operation will be high , although , as stated previously , simple optical defocusing achieves the same result trivially . the a parameter can be left at 0 or it can be linked to d , with a typical linkage ranging from the b parameter can usually be left at 0 . it can also be linked to d by setting it to a value such as in order to make videos or movies in darbeevision , it is highly desirable for the processed image to be viewable in real time , so that the camera convergence and the parameters w , d , a and b can be varied as the scene requires . if the source of the image is optical , camera defocusing and a video mixing board are all that is required . the foregoing methods of implementing the darbee transform require that the image information be available in video or computer form , i . e . as arrays of pixel values . when it is desired for the image to remain always on film , a post - processing method can be implemented using an optical printer . the procedure can be understood using eq . 4 , repeated here for convenience : d r =┌└ r + ar − d + d ( 1 − l b )+ b ┘┐. eq . 4 first , the r image is reduced in contrast by a factor a using a neutral - density filter , and the negative image 1 − l b is likewise reduced in contrast by a factor d . then one optically mixes the reduced - contrast r image with the reduced - contrast defocused negative image 1 − l b . that reduced - contrast combined image ar + d ( 1 − l b ) is then optically mixed with the r image to create r + ar + d ( 1 − l b ). that image is printed to the final master print , but underexposed by a factor of d + b . the darbee transform basically involves blurring and subtracting one image of a stereo pair from the other image . because image subtraction is not a commonly available image - processing option , a negative ( inverted ) image is instead added . this simple procedure is easily accomplished in adobe photoshop ™ by following the steps below . movies can also be processed similarly frame - by - frame using adobe premiere ™ or similar programs . 1 . one first opens the image file desired to be processed using the darbeevision ( dvn ) procedure . one can use ctri - o to do this . we will assume that the image file contains a stereo pair of images arranged side - by - side for “ cross - eyed viewing ,” i . e . with the right - eye image on the left and the left - eye image on the right . 2 . using the rectangular marquee tool , outline the image on the right . 3 . cut out the outlined image using ctrl - x . 4 . create a new layer either by using the layer menu or by typing alt - l alt - w alt - l . a new layer will appear on the layer menu , but one will not see anything else appear on the screen . 5 . paste the cut image onto the new layer using ctrl - v . 6 . invert the pasted image ( make it a negative image ) using ctrl - i , or by using the image & gt ; adjust & gt ; invert menu command . 7 . set the opacity of the inverted image to 50 % using the opacity control in the layer menu . 8 . select the move tool and slide the inverted image to the left over the other image . one can use the arrow keys to fine - tune the placement of the image so that the object of most interest has the best convergence . 9 . using the filter & gt ; blur & gt ; gaussian blur . . . menu command , call up the gaussian blur menu . set the blur radius to a number of pixels that is approximately one - hundredth the width of the image in pixels . one can experiment with different radii to achieve a pleasing “ glow ” around features in the image . images that have a lot of disparity ( areas that are misconverged ) generally will need a larger blur radius . 10 . use the crop tool to select the borders of the overlaid image . sometimes one will have to crop part of the borders of the image if it was necessary to misregister the two images in order to achieve the convergence wanted . one also might want to crop borders where the gaussian blur shows up due to boundary conditions . 11 . press the enter key to crop the image . 12 . set the opacity to 25 %. 13 . if it is desired to save the original right image , turn off layer 1 by clicking on its eye icon . 14 . one can now save the original unaltered image using ctrl - shift - s . rename the image with a “ _r ” suffix to show that it is the right image of the pair , and change its format to jpg using the dropdown format menu . one can accept the default jpg options when the menu appears . 15 . now turn layer 1 back on by clicking on its eye icon . 16 . flatten the image down to one layer ( the background ) by using alt - l alt - f , or by using the layer & gt ; flatten image menu command . 17 . increase the image contrast by 50 % using alt - i alt - a alt - c or by using the image & gt ; adjust & gt ; brightness / contrast menu command . leave the brightness at 0 . 18 . one can now save the processed image using ctrl - shift - s . one can add the suffix “ _o25_r08_c50 ” to designate it as using an opacity of 25 %, a gaussian blur radius of 8 and a final contrast increase of 50 %. one can accept the default jpg options when the menu appears . 19 . the procedure is now complete . the image has been enhanced using the darbeevision algorithm . three - dimensional information has been added to a two - dimensional image in such a way that objectionable double - image artifacts do not appear . there is also a contrast - stretching effect that makes the image appear more vibrant , along with an image - sharpening effect that makes the image appear clearer . one can experiment with other opacity values for adding the blurred - inverted image in step 12 . higher values add more of the blurred - inverted image . if one changes the opacity in step 12 , one will have to compensate by varying the final contrast of the flattened image in step 17 . one can also experiment with varying the brightness in step 18 . when one does such experiments , it is useful to compare the results to the original right image that was saved in step 14 . simply open the original image using ctrl - o and place it on the screen next to the dvn image . a sample image is given in fig3 and a darbeevision - processed image is given in fig4 . in fig5 is illustrated one apparatus 100 for carrying out the darbeevision method for processing images . the apparatus 100 includes a first camera 102 and a second camera 104 focused on an object 105 . a computer 106 is coupled to the cameras 102 and 104 and includes a ram 108 and a rom 110 . film processing circuitry 112 is coupled to the computer 106 . an optical printer 114 and a cd ( dvd ) writer 116 are also coupled to the computer 106 . the cameras 102 and 104 can be still cameras , moving picture cameras or video cameras . software is provided , stored in the ram 108 or the rom 110 , for blurring and subtracting one image of a stereo pair from the other image of the same pair . the stereo pair can be captured using film or with a video apparatus or a digital camera . the stereo pair alternatively can be derived from two viewports within a three - dimensional computer - generated scene . also , the image processing by the film processing circuitry 112 can be performed as the stereo pair is captured or in post - production after the stereo pair is captured . the image blurring can be performed by optical defocusing or by a mathematical convolution operation . the image subtraction can be performed by creating a negative of the image to be subtracted and adding it to the other image of the stereo pair . in the computer 106 or in the film processing circuitry the contrast of the unblurred image is inked to the contrast of the blurred image . alternatively , the contrast of the unblurred image is adjusted independently with respect to the contrast of the blurred image and the combined image can be linked to the contrast of the blurred image . the brightness of the combined image can be adjusted independently with respect to the contrast of the blurred image . the convergence of the combined image can be adjusted as the stereo pair is captured . further , the convergence of the combined image can be adjusted during post production by spatially translating one image with respect to the other . in using the darbeevision method , a minimum distance can be established between a viewpoint for the unblurred image and a viewpoint of the blurred image which is in the range of about one pixel and can be as low as zero . preferably , the contrast of the unblurred and blurred images , and the brightness of the combined images are all reduced to avoid black or white clipping during processing , and a final step is provided of increasing the contrast of the combined image . the images remain in film format and the processing is performed using the optical printer 114 and the film processing circuitry 112 . if desired , more than one blurred image can be combined with the unblurred image . the second camera 110 preferably is of lower resolution with respect to the first camera 108 . also , the second camera 110 is preferably attached to the first camera 108 , and , where possible , attached to the lens of the first camera 108 . after the processing of the digitally formatted image or sequence of images is completed , the digitally formatted data can be stored in the ram 108 or supplied to the cd ( dvd ) writer 116 for burning or writing a compact disc ( dvd ) containing the digitally formatted image data for image ( s ) having enhanced contrast and a perceived enhanced depth of field . from the foregoing description , it will be apparent that the method and apparatus of the present invention and the enhanced digital image data created , have a number of advantages , some of which have been described above , and others of which are inherent in the invention . also , it will be understood that modifications can be made to the method , apparatus and enhanced digital image data , without departing from the teachings of the invention . accordingly , the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the following claims . | 6 |
a container box , when inflated will turn into a tent like building . columns and walls are made of carbon - fiber composite material . once inflated columns are treated with resin to harden them and then filled with concrete to act as columns of the building . the walls will be pretreated and attached to the columns . the walls will be filled with durable material such as concrete , sand or a composite material to strengthen them . the building is blast resistant and bullet proof . therefore the building can be used in battle zones . the inflatable building provides shelter for its habitants from attacks . it can be transported easily and easy to deploy . during manufacturing one module of shelter is placed in each box . each shelter will have about 64 square meters of usable area when inflated . the deployment of the shelter and finishing up the structure by adding concrete to it upon deployment will at most take about couple of days . the building once deployed and finished can withstand external threats such as earthquake , explosions , and bullets . the building is a portable , light and compact structure . it can be deployed by a helicopter . from the start of inflating the building , it can be ready for residency within 48 hours . it can be fully furnished and ready to be lived in within one week . it is a multi - modular structure . easy to build , easy to use , easy to maintain and easy to fix during and after a combat . it is blast resistant against rpg , hand grenade , mortar and plastic explosives . it is bullet proof against high velocity bullets and 0 . 30 to 0 . 45 caliber bullets . it is fire proof . it is easy to clean and easy to repair . it is self sustainable . the roof can carry solar panel and rain water collection system is used . the structure is portable . frp ( fiber reinforced polymer ) material is used . carbon - fiber composite material is preferred , but other materials such as fiber - glass and kevlar can also be used . resin infused carbon - fiber frp is used because of its strength to weight ratio . the structure is compact . it can be folded and fit into a container . container is a light container and portable . it is water resistant , wind resistant , heat and cold resistant . the container acts as a protective shell during the period of storage of the structure . the structure is inflatable and water proof against snow , rain , extreme winds , freezing cold and extreme hot . fig1 shows blast resistant inflatable building ( brib ) 17 which comprises columns 8 , walls 2 , door 18 , windows 19 , ceiling arches 11 , roof sections 4 and ceiling arch center point 21 wherein all ceiling arches 11 are connected to . in fig1 , brib 17 is shown in a hexagonal shape . the shape can be triangle , rectangle , pentagon , hexagonal or any other suitable shape . in this embodiment hexagonal shape is used . there are six columns 8 that are connected to each other with six walls 2 . each column 8 has ceiling arch 11 connected to it wherein ceiling arches 11 connect to each other at ceiling arch connector 21 . before brib 17 is packed in a box , roof sections 4 may be attached to ceiling arches 11 and walls 2 . this way , when the box is opened , ceiling arches 11 are inflated . roof sections 4 are formed between ceiling arches 11 as they are attached to ceiling arches 11 and walls 2 before inflatable building is packed in a box . alternatively , brib 17 can be packed in a box without attaching roof sections 4 to ceiling arches 11 and walls 2 . in that setup , roof sections 4 are attached to ceiling arches 11 and walls 2 after the box is opened and after ceiling arches 11 are inflated . fig2 shows another view of blast resistant inflatable building ( brib ) 17 . hexagonal shape is used to form brib 17 in this embodiment . however any other shape could be used . there are eight columns 8 . each column 8 is connected to another column by wall 2 . the top of each column 8 are connected to ceiling arch center point 21 by ceiling arches 11 . there are six ceiling arches 11 and there is one ceiling arch center point 21 . roof 4 is placed between two ceiling arches 11 . brib 17 is automatically inflated when the box is opened . alternatively , air can be inserted into ceiling arch center point 21 , and the air moves into ceiling arches 11 and columns 8 such that brib 17 structure inflates . fig3 shows another view of blast resistant inflatable building 17 . hexagonal shape is used to form brib 17 in this embodiment . however any other shape could be used . there are eight columns 8 . each column 8 is connected to another column by wall 2 . the top of each column 8 are connected to ceiling arch center point 21 by ceiling arches 11 . there are six ceiling arches 11 and there is one ceiling arch center point 21 . roof 4 is placed between two ceiling arches 11 and walls 2 . brib 17 is either automatically inflated or manually inflated from ceiling arch center point 21 . when air is inserted into ceiling arch center point 21 , the air moves into ceiling arches 11 and columns such that brib 17 structure inflates . fig4 shows column 8 and wall 2 connected to each other . column 8 has shell 13 and inner part 12 . shell 13 is made of bi - axial carbon fiber tubes . however any other material can be used in shell 13 . wall 2 has inner part 11 and side 9 . wall 2 material is pretreated carbon fiber panel . the design is portable therefore a collapsible mechanism is possible . fig5 a shows how brib 17 can be combined with other inflatable buildings to form larger structure 53 . wall 12 can be placed around larger structure 53 . fig5 b shows multiple brib 17 are connected together . the shape of brib 17 in fig5 b is hexagonal . fig5 c shows inflatable buildings that are in rectangle shapes . fig5 d shows pentagon shapes and fig5 e shows triangle shapes . all these shapes can be used to build brib 17 . fig5 f shows multiple inflatable buildings 17 in hexagonal shape being connected together to form a larger structure 54 . another embodiment of the invention is shown in fig6 . in fig6 ceiling arches 60 connect to each other at ceiling arch center unit 21 . structure 61 does not have separate columns . instead , ceiling arch 60 is a continuous structure from ceiling arch center unit 21 to floor . each ceiling arch 60 is connected to ceiling arch center unit 21 . the shape of the structure in fig7 is hexagonal . any other shape could be used in which case the number of arches 60 would change . for example if a rectangle shape is used then there would be four arches 60 . if a triangle shape is used then three arches 60 would be used . an embodiment of the invention is shown in fig1 . in this embodiment , each wall 2 of the hexagon shaped structure 17 is about 4 meters . total span will be over 8 meters . the height of the walls 2 is about 2 . 10 meters . ceiling arch center point 21 , where all arches 11 and roof pieces 4 meet will be about 3 . 68 meters above ground . columns 8 can be made from bi - axial carbon fiber tubes with a thickness of about 2 to 16 mm but preferably 6 to 8 mm . arches 11 will have a total length of about 13 to 14 meters and a span of 8 meters from bottom center to center of the column 8 . arches 11 are connected to the outer shell , the i - box , and also are connected at the ceiling arch center point 21 . wall 2 and roof 4 are either readily connected or are attached to the structure 17 once it is inflated . all system elements are present inside of one i - box . each i - box contains only one module of blast resistant inflatable building ( brib ) 17 . each brib 17 has approximately 64 m 2 of living space , and multiple modules can be connected side by side as shown in 5 a . selecting hexagon shape makes it easier to connect brib 17 together to generate a larger structure , however any other shape can be used for brib 17 . brib 17 is an inflatable module and therefore fiber reinforced polymer ( frp ) material is used . in this embodiment of the invention , wall 2 is a rectangle and wall 2 dimensions are given below . these dimensions are approximate dimensions : a . height : 210 cm . b . width : 400 cm . c . thickness : 5 - 7 mm . d . total depth : 20 cm . walls 2 are pretreated carbon fiber panels . brib 17 is portable therefore a collapsible mechanism is possible . wall 2 will close in like an accordion instrument as shown in fig7 . this set up saves space during transportation . once fully opened and attached to the arches 11 as shown in fig1 or fig2 , walls 2 are filled with a material that will stop the fragments from an explosion , or bullets fired from large caliber weaponry . roof 4 is in curved triangular shape and is made of pretreated carbon fiber panels . roof 4 approximate dimensions are : e . height : 158 cm . f . length : 300 cm . g . width : 400 cm . h . thickness : 5 - 7 mm . i . total depth : 20 cm . arch 11 has a tube shape with a thickness of about 6 to 8 mm . tube diameter is about 50 cm . the tube has an outer skin of vacuum raisin infusion . the tube has an inner bladder , which will inflate the structure . the inner bladder also acts as an inner cast during vacuum infusion process . bi - axial tube approximate dimensions are j . height : 368 . 54 cm . k . length : 635 cm . l . span : ˜ 350 cm . m . tube detail : ceiling arch center point 21 acts as the middle topside of the brib 17 structure . as shown in fig6 . when the structure is in a box , the only way to inflate the structure is through ceiling arch center point 21 . when opened , ceiling arch center point 21 will provide access to each bladder in each arch 11 , as well as the back - up bladder in case the bladder leaks air for any reason . ceiling arch center point 21 is also connected to the bottom part of the box . a cable stretching from the bottom to the ceiling arch center point 21 will limit the height of the structure while being inflated therefore proving the shape desired . fig8 shows ceiling arches and wall will close in like an accordion instrument . this set up saves space during transportation . once fully opened and attached to the arches 11 as shown in fig1 or fig2 , walls 2 are filled with a material that will stop the fragments from an explosion , or bullets fired from large caliber weaponry . fig9 a shows how multiple brib 17 are connected together to form a larger structure 23 . fig9 b shows single brib 17 . fig9 c shows ceiling arches and roof sections . fig9 d shows walls of the brib 17 . fig9 f shows walls 2 , columns 8 and ceiling arch arches 11 connected together . fig1 shows another embodiment of the invention . in fig1 , blast resistance inflatable building 62 has ceiling arches 60 of fig6 . ceiling arches 60 connect to each other at ceiling arch center unit 21 . brib 62 does not have separate columns . instead , ceiling arch 60 is a continuous structure from ceiling arch center unit 21 to floor . each ceiling arch 60 is connected to ceiling arch center unit 21 . wall 65 is located between two ceiling arches 60 . roof sections 66 are attached between walls 65 and ceiling arches 60 for each segment . the shape of the structure in fig7 is a hexagonal shape . there are six ceiling arches 60 , six roof sections 66 and six walls 65 . any other shape could be used in which case the number of arches 60 , roof sections 66 and walls 65 would change . for example if a rectangle shape is used then there would be four arches 60 , four roof sections 66 and four walls 65 . in this embodiment , each wall 65 of the hexagon shaped brib 62 is about 4 meters . total span will be over 8 meters . the height of the walls 65 is about 2 . 10 meters . ceiling arch center point 21 , where all arches 60 and roof sections 66 meet will be about 3 . 68 meters above ground . there are no columns used in this embodiment as ceiling arches 60 are continuous structure and expands from the floor to ceiling arch center point 21 . ceiling arches 60 will have a total length of about 14 meters to 16 meters . the half point length for ceiling arch 60 is about 7 meters and spans over about 4 meters . ceiling arches 60 are connected to the outer shell , the i - box , and also are connected at the ceiling arch center point 21 . wall 65 and roof section 66 are either readily connected or are attached to the structure 17 once it is inflated . all system elements are present inside of one i - box . each i - box contains only one module of blast resistant inflatable building ( brib ) 62 . each brib 62 has approximately 64 m 2 of living space , and multiple modules can be connected side by side as shown in 5 a . selecting hexagon shape makes it easier to connect brib 62 together to generate a larger structure , however any other shape can be used for brib 62 . brib 62 is an inflatable module and therefore fiber reinforced polymer ( frp ) material is used . in this embodiment of the invention , wall 65 is a rectangle and wall 65 dimensions are given below . these dimensions are approximate dimensions : p . height : 210 cm . q . width : 400 cm . r . thickness : 5 - 7 mm . s . total depth : 20 cm . walls 65 are pretreated carbon fiber panels . brib 62 is portable therefore a collapsible mechanism is possible . wall 65 will close in like an accordion instrument as shown in fig7 . this set up saves space during transportation . once fully opened and attached to the arches 60 as shown in fig6 , walls 65 are filled with a material that will stop the fragments from an explosion , or bullets fired from large caliber weaponry . roof section 66 is in curved triangular shape and is made of pretreated carbon fiber panels . roof section 66 approximate dimensions are : t . height : 158 cm . u . length : 300 cm . v . width : 400 cm . w . thickness : 5 - 7 mm . x . total depth : 20 cm . ceiling arch 60 has a tube shape with a thickness of about 6 to 8 mm . tube diameter is about 50 cm . the tube has an outer skin of vacuum raisin infusion . the tube has an inner bladder , which will inflates the structure . the inner bladder also acts as an inner cast during vacuum infusion process . bi - axial tube approximate dimensions are y . height : 368 . 54 cm . z . length : 635 cm . aa . span : ˜ 350 cm . bb . tube detail : ceiling arch center point 21 acts as the middle topside of the brib 62 structure as shown in fig6 . when the structure is in a box , the only way to inflate the structure is through ceiling arch center point 21 . when opened , ceiling arch center point 21 will provide access to each bladder in each ceiling arch 60 , as well as the back - up bladder in case the bladder leaks air for any reason . ceiling arch center point 21 is also connected to the bottom part of the box . a cable stretching from the bottom to the ceiling arch center point 21 will limit the height of the structure while being inflated therefore proving the shape desired . while the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof , those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations , combinations , and equivalents of the specific embodiment , method , and examples herein . the invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment , method , and examples , but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention . | 4 |
the method will now be described with reference to fig1 . as set forth above , this method was developed with a view to liquefying natural gas to form liquid natural gas ( lng ). the description of application of the method to lng should , therefore , be considered as an example . referring to fig1 , a pressurized pipeline natural gas stream 1 provides natural gas to users through line 29 , valve 30 to flow distribution 37 . a natural gas stream 2 is routed through flow control valve 3 . the controlled flow enters the gas pre - treatment unit 5 through line 4 . pre - treatment is to remove contaminants and may not be required if the gas used is of sufficient quality . the pre - treated gas exits through line 6 and is mixed with recycled gas stream 25 through valve 26 . the mixed gas stream 7 enters heat exchanger 8 where it is pre - cooled . the pressurized pre - cooled gas stream 9 enters expander 10 where the pressure is dropped resulting in a substantial temperature drop . the nearly isentropic expansion also produces torque and therefore shaft power that is converted into electricity through generator 11 . the expanded gas stream 12 enters lng receiver 13 where the liquid and vapour fractions are separated . the vapour stream 17 is routed through heat exchanger 8 to pre - cool inlet gas stream 7 . the now warmed gas stream 18 enters compressor 20 through line 19 for re - compression . the compressor 20 shaft power is provided by a gas engine 22 which receives its fuel from gas line 21 . the compressed recycled gas stream 23 is cooled in heat exchanger 24 before mixing it with inlet feed gas stream 6 through line 25 . to prevent a buildup of nitrogen in the recycle gas stream 25 , a bleeding gas stream 27 is routed to gas transmission line 29 through valve 28 . the cooling of compressed recycled gas stream 23 is provided by a once through heat exchange from gas transmission line 29 . the required gas coolant is routed through valve 31 and line 32 into heat exchanger 24 and the once through flow is returned to gas transmission line 29 through line 34 and valve 33 . the lng receiver 13 accumulates the lng produced . lng exits receiver 13 through stream 14 to supply lng product pump 15 , where it is pumped to storage through line 16 . a main feature of this invention is the simplicity of the process which eliminates the use of external refrigeration systems . another feature of the invention is the flexibility of the process to meet various operating conditions since the ratio of lng production is proportional to the cold vapour stream generated and recycled . the invention also provides for a significant savings in energy when compared to other processes since it uses its recycled vapour stream as the coolant medium , the process produces its own refrigeration stream . the proposed invention can be used in any lng production plant size . referring to fig2 , the main difference from fig1 is in the heat exchanger to cool recycle stream 23 . in fig2 , the heat exchanger 50 is an air cooling heat exchanger where ambient air is used to cool stream 23 . this process orientation provides an alternative method to produce lng at albeit less efficient than when using heat exchanger 24 as shown in fig1 . a pressurized pipeline natural gas stream 1 provides natural gas to users through line 29 , valve 30 to flow distribution 37 . a natural gas stream 2 is routed through flow control valve 3 , and enters the gas pre - treatment unit 5 through line 4 . the pre - treated gas exits through line 6 and is mixed with recycle gas stream 25 through valve 26 . the mixed gas stream 7 enters heat exchanger 8 where it is pre - cooled . the pressurized pre - cooled gas stream 9 enters expander 10 where the pressure is dropped resulting in a substantial temperature drop . the nearly isentropic expansion also produces torque and therefore shaft power that is converted into electricity through generator 11 . the expanded gas stream 12 enters lng receiver 13 where the liquid and vapour fractions are separated . the vapour stream 17 is routed through heat exchanger 8 to pre - cool inlet gas stream 7 . the now warmed gas stream 18 enters compressor 20 through line 19 for re - compression . the compressor 20 shaft power is provided by a gas engine 22 which receives its fuel from gas line 21 . the compressed recycled gas stream 23 is cooled in heat exchanger 51 before mixing it with inlet feed gas stream 6 through line 25 . to prevent a buildup of nitrogen in the recycle gas stream 25 , a bleeding gas stream 27 is routed to gas transmission line 29 through valve 28 . the cooling of compressed recycled gas stream 23 is provided by an air cooling heat exchanger 51 . the lng receiver 13 accumulates the lng produced . lng exits receiver 13 through stream 14 to supply lng product pump 15 , where it is pumped to storage through line 16 . referring to fig3 , the main difference from fig1 and 2 is the recovery of natural gas liquids before expansion . this is achieved by circulating a portion of the generated liquid natural gas ( lng ), stream 42 and mixing it in 43 with the pre - cooled gas stream 51 to meet the temperature required to condense the heavier fractions present in the natural gas stream such as ; butane , propane and ethane . this process orientation provides an alternative method to produce both lng and ngls . a pressurized pipeline natural gas stream 1 provides natural gas to users through line 29 , valve 30 to gas flow transmission line 37 . a natural gas stream 2 is routed through flow control valve 3 , and enters the gas pre - treatment unit 5 through line 4 . the pre - treated gas exits through line 6 and is mixed with recycle gas stream 25 through valve 26 , the mixed gas stream 7 enters heat exchanger 8 where it is pre - cooled . the pressurized pre - cooled gas stream 43 enters mixer 44 , a lng stream 42 is also added to mixer 44 . the addition of lng stream to mixer 44 is controlled by temperature control valve 41 . the mixed stream 45 , enters separator 46 where the ngls are separated and accumulated . the ngls exit separator 46 through line 47 to ngl pump 49 and pumped to storage through line 50 . the pressurized , pre - cooled and de - liquified gas stream 9 enters expander 10 where the pressure is dropped resulting in a substantial temperature drop . the nearly isentropic expansion also produces torque and therefore shaft power that is converted into electricity through generator 11 . the expanded gas stream 12 enters lng receiver 13 where the liquid and vapour fractions are separated . the vapour stream 17 is routed through heat exchanger 8 to pre - cool inlet gas stream 7 . the now warmed gas stream 18 enters compressor 20 through line 19 for re - compression . the compressor 20 shaft power is provided by a gas engine 22 which receives its fuel from gas line 21 . the compressed recycled gas stream 23 is cooled in heat exchanger 24 before mixing it with inlet feed gas stream 6 through line 25 and valve 26 . to prevent a buildup of nitrogen in the recycle gas stream 25 , a bleeding gas stream 27 is routed to gas transmission line 29 through valve 28 . the cooling of compressed recycled gas stream 23 is provided by a once through heat exchange from gas transmission line 29 . the required gas coolant is routed through valve 31 and line 32 into heat exchanger 24 and the once through flow is returned to gas transmission line 29 through line 34 and valve 33 . the lng receiver 13 accumulates the lng produced . lng exits receiver 13 through stream 14 to supply lng product pump 15 , where it is pumped to storage through line 16 . a portion of the produced lng is routed through line 38 to high pressure lng pump 39 . the pressurized lng liquid stream is controlled by temperature valve 41 to a pre - set temperature through temperature transmitter 47 . the controlled lng stream 42 enters mixer 44 to cool and condense the desired natural gas liquids . the proposed invention addresses both large and small plants in which process simplicity and ease of operation are the main components . the invention eliminates the need for refrigeration cycle plants and the use of proprietary mixed refrigerants . by simplifying the process , it reduces capital , maintenance , and operations costs . in the preferred method , natural gas is first pre - cooled with produced cold vapor then expanded through a gas expander . the gas expander produces electricity . the expanded gas produces a vapour and a liquid stream . the vapour stream is recycled by first pre - cooling the feed gas to the expander and then recompressed , cooled and recycled . a portion of the produced lng provides the cold energy required as a recycle stream to cool and liquefy the pre - treated natural gas stream to recover desired natural gas liquids . the proposed invention eliminates the practice and use of mixed refrigerant cycles resulting in lower capital and operating costs . the process is applicable to any lng plant size . it should be noted that the motive force for the compressor can be provided by an electric motor versus a gas driven engine as proposed . moreover , the compressed vapour stream can be discharged into gas transmission line 29 rather than recycled as proposed . in this patent document , the word “ comprising ” is used in its non - limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included , but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded . a reference to an element by the indefinite article “ a ” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present , unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements . the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples , but should be given a broad purposive interpretation consistent with the description as a whole . | 5 |
according to the invention , the wavelength selectivity obtained with a given diffraction grating is improved by mounting the grating in the cavity at an angle of incidence near grazing with respect to the beam travelling away from the excited medium , thereby illuminating the whole width of the grating . the use of the grating at grazing incidence in the littrow mounting is possible but is accompanied by three difficulties : 1 . diffraction gratings blazed for angles above 80 ° are not available commercially today , unless diffraction from back facets is used . 2 . when rotating the grating for tuning purposes , not only is the wavelength changed , but also the laser linewidth which depends strongly on θ as can be seen from the equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ). 3 . the direction of the zeroth order diffraction of the grating is changed when tuning the wavelength . if this beam is used as the output laser beam it should have a fixed direction . due to these difficulties it is suggested , according to the invention , to use as a wavelength selector the combination of grating and reflecting means described by hulthen and lind with the grating mounted at grazing angle with respect to the optical axis of the laser . fig1 illustrates a wavelength selector according to this invention , mounted at one side of a tunable laser cavity . as an illustration of the invention , fig1 refers to a side - pumped pulsed dye laser . the laser cavity includes a fixed reflecting means 12 , a dye cell 14 , and a wavelength selector 16 constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and comprising of a diffraction grating 18 and a reflecting means 20 such as a mirror or grating . the active medium 22 is excited in the dye cell 14 by the focussed radiation of the pumping source 24 , the focussing being performed by the lens 26 . the optical cavity is defined to be between the reflector 12 and the wavelength selector 16 with the active medium 22 and the intracavity beam 28 lying along an optical axis 29 . more precisely , the laser cavity is defined by the reflector 12 and the reflecting means 20 , which in the preferred embodiment are both totally reflecting plane mirrors . mirror 20 is the tuning element of the wavelength selector and it is pivotally mounted -- as illustrated schematically at 21 -- so that it may be rotated for wavelength tuning around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing . a portion 30 of the beam 28 incident on the grating 18 is diffracted in the direction of the rotatable mirror 20 , while the remaining portion 32 of the beam is reflected out in the zeroth order of diffraction . in the preferred embodiment , this reflected portion 32 is used as the output beam of the laser . due to the angular dispersion of the diffracted beam 30 , only a narrow wavelength range is reflected by mirror 20 back along the direction of incidence of beam thereon , the wavelength depending on the orientation of the mirror 20 with respect to the grating 18 . the back reflected beam 30 is diffracted again by the grating ( in the same order as in the first diffraction ) and is returned to the excited ( active ) medium 22 . the zeroth order of this second diffraction is reflected out and is lost . the beam coming back into the excited medium has an angular dispersion dθ / dλ given by equation ( 3 ) where θ is the angle between the incident beam 28 and the normal to the grating , a is the groove - spacing of the grating , and m is the diffraction order . the angular dispersion , dθ / dλ , is twice as large as that obtained in the usual littrow arrangement under the same conditions ( assuming the same values for a , m and θ ). this increase in dispersion is due to the fact that the beam is diffracted twice before returning to the active medium . thanks to the strong dependence of the dispersion on the angle θ as expressed by equation ( 3 ), a very high angular dispersion may be achieved when the grating is mounted near grazing , thereby achieving a narrow passive bandwidth . when the illumination is near grazing incidence , the whole width of the grating may be illuminated , thereby achieving the highest selectivity obtainable with the grating . the wavelength selector 16 is mounted in the cavity in an autocollimation arrangement so that the beam travelling away from the wavelength selector towards the active medium is collinear with the beam 28 incident on the grating 18 along axis 29 . with the angular dispersion given by eq . ( 3 ), the single - pass bandwidth of the cavity becomes , according to eq . ( 1 ) ## equ4 ## the linewidth of the output beam is generally smaller than the passive bandwidth due to multiple - pass effect . to obtain a narrow bandwidth δλ , a highly dispersive grating should be used ( which dictates a small value of a / m ) and the angle θ should be as high as possible , that is as close to 90 ° as possible . θ is only limited by the grating width ; thus , the grating should be large enough to intercept the beam completely at the desired angle of incidence . the alignment of the cavity is very simple and no focusing is required . the cavity has low losses and may be shorter than one containing a telescope . also the use of expensive lenses is eliminated . other special features of this arrangement are : 1 . narrow bandwidth . the highest selectivity obtainable with a given grating may be achieved , since all its grooves may be illuminated . 2 . the cavity is free from any glass components apart from the dye cell itself . 3 . the output coupling may be varied by varying θ , since the intensity of zeroth order depends strongly on θ . this enables matching of the cavity to the gain of the laser material . 4 . the wavelength is tuned by rotating mirror 20 . a large tuning range is obtained , and a linear wavelength readout is possible via a mechanical sine drive . 5 . the cavity is short , and thus the laser efficiency is improved for a given pumping pulse duration . 6 . since only a narrow line on the grating is illuminated , the constraints on the grating rotation mechanism are less severe than in a cavity containing a telescope . 7 . this cavity design permits a continuous bandwidth variation by varying the angle θ [ see eq . ( 4 )]. as an illustration of the invention a nitrogen - laser - pumped dye laser was constructed , and operated successfully . the grating 18 used was a 15 cm wide echelle grating made by bausch & amp ; lomb catalog no . 35 . 03 - 19 - 451 having 316 grooves per mm and a blaze angle of 63 ° 26 &# 39 ;. the fixed reflector 12 and the tuning reflector 20 were both aluminum coated mirrors with a reflectivity of about 90 %. the use of dielectric coated mirrors would involve lower losses and is therefore preferred . the dye cell used was a molectron model dl 051 cuvette , with a magnetic stirrer , filled with a solution of rhodamine 6g in hexafluoroisopropanol ( 2 . 5 × 10 - 3 m ). the focussing lens was a cylindrical quartz lens made by oriel ( u . s . a .) with a focus length of 50 mm . the length of the cavity was 25 cm ( in another experiment a shorter cavity of 20 cm was used ) when measured to the middle of the echelle 18 . the nitrogen laser used for pumping was a home - made longitudinally excited laser operating at a repetition rate of 10 pps with 50 kw peak power and a pulse duration of 12 nsec ( fwhm ). the grating 18 was used in the wavelength selector 16 in the strongest diffraction order at grazing incidence . it should be noted that the strongest order in the present arrangement will not be in general the same order which is strongest in a littrow arrangement . when operating the laser near 5700 a , the ninth order of the echelle was used , while in the littrow arrangement the tenth order would have been indicated . since a grating 18 with many diffraction orders is used , undesirable direct feedback may occur when the equation for the littrow arrangement ( 2a sin θ = mλ ) is satisfied for an order higher than the one used . to prevent such an undesirable feedback , the grating 18 should be tilted a little around axis 34 defined by the intersection of grating &# 39 ; s surface and the plane of the drawing . the grooves of the grating should remain however perpendicular to axis 34 . if a grating 18 with a groove spacing satisfying 1 / 2λ & lt ; a & lt ; λ is used in first order , only a single diffraction order exists so that such a tilt is not necessary . a grating with such a groove spacing is preferred . another disadvantage of the high - order echelle compared with a grating which diffracts only one order is that a superposition of different orders at slightly different wavelengths is possible in the present arrangement . the beam , diffracted twice in the ninth order before returning to the active medium , may be overlapped by beams diffracted at other combinations of orders , such as ( 8 + 10 ) or ( 10 + 8 ). if this happens , the spectrum of the output beam 32 will contain several narrow lines . such a superposition was prevented in the present example by using a small mirror 20 , and by mounting it far enough from the grating 18 , so that only a single combination of orders could exist . the superfluorescent beam 28 incident on the grating 18 was diffraction limited , due to the large distance ( 45 mm ) between mirror 12 and the active medium . the far - field divergence of this beam was measured and was found to be 2 . 3 mrad ( half - angle ). the large width of the echelle 18 made it possible to operate at an angle of incidence as high as 89 ° 30 &# 39 ;. at this angle , the calculated angular dispersion [ eq . ( 3 )] was 65 mrad / a and the corresponding single - pass bandwidth [ eq . ( 4 )] was 0 . 07 a . this compares favourably with the angular dispersion of 0 . 7 mrad / a and the single - pass bandwidth of 6 . 5 a obtained with the same echelle - grating operating at littrow - mounting at tenth order of diffraction . the typical peak power obtained with rhodamine 6g was 4 kw in pulses of 4 nsec ( fwhm ). the linewidth was measured by photographing the fringes of a fabry - perot interferometer with a free spectral range of 0 . 5 cm - 1 and was found to be 0 . 08 cm - 1 or a little less than 0 . 03 a ( near 5700 a ). the measured half - angle divergence of the output beam was about 1 mrad . a tuning range of about 400 a was obtained by rotating mirror 20 . the measured linewidth and divergence of the output beam 32 were found , as expected , to be smaller than the single - pass values ( δλ = 0 . 07 a ; δα = 2 . 3 mrad ). this indicated that several round trips were carried out in the cavity during excitation time by virtue of the short cavity . the shortness of the cavity was also responsible for the wide tuning range obtained despite the small amount of feedback from the grating 18 . the lasing efficiency , tuning range and output beam divergence of the dye laser tuned by the wavelength selector here described were similar to those of lasers fitted with intracavity beam expanders . but , in view of the advantages listed on pages 10 - 11 and especially the simplicity of the design , this invention seems to present an attractive alternative . since , as mentioned above , the use of a grating having a single order of diffraction is preferred , experiments were performed with two such gratings : a bausch & amp ; lomb model 35 . 53 - 05 - 290 having 1800 grooves per mm and a blaze angle of 26 ° 45 &# 39 ;; and a non - blazed holographic grating with 2000 grooves per mm made by jobin - yvon ( france ) catalog no . 100 hm23 . both satisfy the condition 1 / 2λ & lt ; a & lt ; λ for the wavelength range between 5600 a and 7000 a , and both operated successfully in the dye laser described above ; the holographic grating showed superior performance by virtue of its higher diffraction efficiency . the wavelength selector 16 may be used in a laser cavity without employing the reflected beam 32 as the output laser beam . other output coupling techniques may be used , e . g . mirror 12 can be made partially transmitting to couple out the energy as in h / a / nsch - type lasers . in such an arrangement , the output beam has the advantage of lower background of amplified spontaneous emission ; however , the efficiency may be lower since the strong beam 32 reflected from the grating is lost . an improvement in the wavelength selector 16 may be the use of a cylindrical mirror as the reflective means 20 , with the axis of the cylinder lying in the plane of the drawing , in order to reduce radiation losses . now , referring to fig2 an improved wavelength selector 16 is shown with an etalon 40 introduced between the grating 18 and mirror 20 . the etalon which may be a solid etalon or an air - spaced etalon provides a further line - narrowing . walk - off problems are eliminated since the beam travelling through the etalon 30 is in general larger ( in one dimension ) than the beam 28 . this fact also improves the wavelength selection contributed by the etalon due to the small divergence of the large beam 30 . the assembly 42 of etalon 40 and mirror 20 must be mounted on a common pivotal mount which may be rotated as illustrated schematically at 44 . rotation of the assembly 42 provides coarse tuning ( as when rotating only the grating in h / a / nsch - type lasers ), since the etalon orientation with respect to beam 30 is unchanged during rotation . fine tuning ( etalon tuning only ) is achieved by rotating only the etalon 40 about a pivotal mount illustrated schematically at 46 while the common mount assembly 42 remains fixed . for broadband fine tuning , both rotations relative to pivotal mounts 44 and 46 must be simultaneously performed . alternatively , &# 34 ; pressure - tuning &# 34 ; as described by wallenstein and h / a / nsch in optics communications volume 14 , page 353 ( 1975 ), may be used for the simultaneous tuning . the etalon must be large enough to intercept the beam 30 . an air - spaced etalon , burleigh model vs - 25 with the spacing adjusted to 5 mm was added to the wavelength selector described above with the holographic grating 18 . the dye laser tuned by this wavelength selector was successfully operated . fig3 shows another improved wavelength selector , in which the reflecting means 20 in fig1 is a second grating 50 which increases the wavelength selectivity . the grating 18 is in grazing incidence as before , while grating 50 is mounted in the conventional littrow mounting with respect to the beam 30 . in the arrangement of fig3 grating 18 may be mounted at a smaller angle of incidence , and this can be of help if the use of small gratings is preferred . also , a higher lasing efficiency is expected if the grating 18 is mounted at a less steep incidence angle since a higher diffraction efficiency is obtained . it should be noted that the gratings 18 and 50 must be mounted so that their relative orientation is as shown in fig3 in order to achieve addition of the angular dispersions contributed by each of the gratings . otherwise , the angular dispersions of the gratings may cancel each other . in this arrangement , grating 18 may be considered as a kind of beam expander which offers -- in addition to angular dispersion -- continuously variable one - dimensional beam expansion . the magnification factor is m = cos φ / cos θ , where φ is the angle between beam 30 and the normal to grating &# 39 ; s surface ; m may vary between 5 and 150 by varying θ ( up to 89 ° 40 &# 39 ; for most practical purposes ). a dye laser was constructed in accordance with this design with a holographic grating 18 and echelle 50 . the laser operated successfully with this improved wavelength selector and its performance was found to be similar to that of the laser constructed according to the design of fig1 . the wavelength selector 16 need not necessarily be the end element of the cavity as in the embodiment of fig1 . it may be introduced between the reflectors 12 and 60 which define the laser cavity as illustrated in fig4 . alternatively , it may be mounted outside a cavity defined between two reflectors 12 and 70 as illustrated in fig5 thereby forming a coupled resonator . the reflectors 60 in fig4 and 70 in fig5 may be , for example , a wedged quartz window which provides a reflection of about 4 %. the arrangements illustrated in the fig4 and 5 may be useful in a laser having a relatively low gain in which a higher cavity q - factor ( i . e . smaller output coupling ) is required . the &# 34 ; grazing incidence &# 34 ; method here used is applicable to various cavity configurations , and the specific designs shown in fig1 to 5 are given only as an illustration of the possibilities . other cavity configurations amenable to the method of the invention are a ring - laser cavity or a longitudinal pumping arrangement . also , other output coupling techniques may be used . due to the possibility of controlling the output coupling , optimum operation may be obtained with different laser materials . the invention seems to be applicable to different types of lasers and in different applications as well as in spectrometers and parametric oscillators . it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification . | 7 |
with reference to fig1 there is depicted an electrical circuit diagram 100 illustrating the effective local power supply non - switching capacitance c 0 and an equivalent local switching capacitance c s . every single electrical element being part of the analyzed electrical circuit provides a certain capacitance . for the analysis according to the present invention the provided capacitance of each electrical element is divided in two different kinds . the first kind is a so called switching capacitance c s , i . e ., a capacitance which has to be charged whenever the respective electrical element changes it state or switches . the second kind , in contrast , is a non - switching capacitance c 0 which is not affected by the changing of the state of the electrical element nor by its switching . the non - switching capacitance c 0 , however , keeps some electrical charge which might be supplied into the power supply network . charging a switching capacitance c s of an electrical element during a switching event is the major physical effect which needs external power supply support . due to the high switching speed , the inductance domination of the power supply path mainly dominates the behavior of the voltage level provided by the power supply network to the switching electrical elements . because of this , an external power supply cannot instantly provide sufficient electrical charge demanded by an electrical element in order to charge the switching capacitance c s . instead , the electrical charge needed to charge the switching capacitance c s is at first taken from a non - switching capacitance c 0 being situated very closely in relation to the switching location . hence , only a fraction of the entire non - switching capacitance c 0 is available to provide the electrical charge that is needed in the moment of an switching event . hence , an initial voltage collapse or voltage level variation du of the nominal power supply voltage level u 0 might occur . all physical structures , such as gates , transistors , electrical lines or even capacitors , can be illustrated by using an equivalent circuit diagram , in which , for a specific operation range , the physical structures are represented by a set of base components . from such a representation , the values for the non - switching capacitance c 0 and the switching capacitance c s can be extracted . the non - switching capacitance c 0 behaves like an ordinary capacitor being directly connected between a ground line gnd and a supply voltage line vh . the switching capacitance c s behaves like a capacitor being connected in series with a switch 102 between the ground line gnd and the supply voltage line vh , as illustrated in fig1 . from the actual chip content placement , the distribution of c 0 and c s for a worst case scenario can be extracted . however , as aforementioned , not only worst case scenarios may be calculated . now with reference to fig2 there is depicted a perspective view of a regular three layer power grid 200 in a multiple layered power distribution system to be analyzed in accordance with the present invention . in a lower layer , a first and a second ground line are running in the y - direction in parallel to a first and a second supply voltage line 206 and 208 . in order to illustrate that the ground and supply voltage lines serve to provide electrical circuits with energy , a gate 210 consisting of two cmos transistors are exemplary drawn between the first ground line 202 and the first supply voltage line 206 . all lines of a middle layer are running orthogonal in view of the lines of the lower layer , i . e ., in x - direction . in the middle layer there are drawn a third , a fourth and a fifth supply voltage line 212 , 214 , 216 respectively , a third and a fourth ground line 218 and 220 respectively , and four signal lines 222 situated between the third ground line 218 and the fourth supply voltage lines 214 . in an upper layer a sixth and a seventh supply voltage line 224 and 226 are running in parallel to a fifth and sixth ground line 228 and 230 . as it can be seen in fig2 different ground lines as well as different supply voltage lines are connected to each other forming a multiple layered coplanar wiring structure . it is acknowledged that the presented power grid is only an example and other structures , either regular or irregular , might be the starting point for the method and device in accordance to the present invention . the complicated structure is analyzed and converted in a new representation having a reduced complexity . in a preferred embodiment , the power distribution system , such as the one shown in fig2 is reduced to an equivalent pair of parallel planes as shown in fig3 . in fig3 there is shown a perspective view of a converted representation 300 of the power distribution system as used in accordance with the present invention . the converted representation 300 is formed by a single plane pair having a lower plane 302 as ground and a structure of interconnected electrical elements representing the behavior of the power distribution system forming a upper layer 304 . the upper layer includes a plurality of connection points 306 . at these connection points 306 four resistance / conductance elements ( r - l - elements ) 308 in the upper layer and at least a capacitance element 310 join together . the capacitance element 310 has the other terminal connected to the lower ( ground ) layer 302 . the other terminals of the r - l - elements 308 of the upper layer are itself connected to other connection points 306 which are arranged in a grid like structure . in the front left corner , a voltage source 312 illustrates a connection of the power distribution system to the supply voltage . several current sources 314 illustrate the switching activity of the simulated power distribution system . it is acknowledged that the present invention is not restricted to a reduction to a single plain pair as shown in fig3 . moreover , any number of planes not larger than the number of the layers of the real power distribution system may be taken . now with reference to fig4 there is depicted a perspective view of a lumped equivalent of a single segment as used in the conversion process according to the present invention . each portion or segment of the real power distribution system gets converted into such a lumped equivalent . in an upper layer there is one connection point 402 . at the connection point 402 , four resistance / conductance elements ( r - l - elements ) 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 respectively , are positioned in the upper layer . from the connection point 402 a capacitance element 412 , a conductivity element 414 and a current source 414 run to the ground layer . all the different r - l - elements 404 to 410 are combined with there neighboring elements when combining all single segments to the model as shown in fig3 . alternatively , a distributed parameter system may be used instead of a representation with r - l - elements , i . e ., the r - l - elements may be replaced by transmission line segments . with reference now to fig5 there is depicted a flow chart illustrating a method for analyzing the dynamic behavior of an electrical circuit to determine whether a voltage level provided by a power distribution system might leave a predetermined voltage range during operation of the electrical circuit according to the present invention . as an input , the information about power grid , the circuits and the activity in form of a description is needed , as illustrated by blocks 500 , 502 and 504 . the power grid description contains the wiring geometries and material information that impacts the wiring / propagation properties , such as the line width , height , spacing , conductivity , losses , dielectric constant etc . the circuit description contains the circuit parameters that impact the power noise . typically this includes the placement and routing , switching and non - switching capacitance . instead of final routing , an routing estimate is possible . since in real life scenarios , not all gates switch at every clock cycle , from the activity information , i . e ., the probability of a gate switching in one clock cycle , is taken into consideration . however , if the exact switching activity is not known , an estimate might be taken instead . from the power grid description , characteristic parameters of the equivalent planes are derived as depicted by block 506 . this may be performed by means of extraction tools . as a result of the extraction , characteristic parameters of parallel planes r ., l ., c ″ and g ″ are derived . this is done by dividing the parallel planes of the power distribution system into segments , such as multiple square portions . then , as a preparation for the numerical simulation of the power grid , the created segments are represented by lumped elements as illustrated by block 508 and as shown in fig4 . the segments may be of any shape , preferably of square or rectangular shape . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the extracting tool is based on electromagnetic field solvers . however , basically any tool or methodology able to extract lumped element equivalents is suitable to be used . for example , any 3d extraction for the cells may be used . in case of homogenous wiring structures , also 2d extraction is eligible . block 510 represents the extraction of information from the circuit description . from the circuit description , the distribution of non - switching circuit capacitance c 0 is available . inside a cell all non - switching capacitance c 0 and the power wiring capacitance c w is collected into one lumped capacitance value c b = c 0 + c w , as illustrated by block 512 . usually but not necessarily the wiring capacitance can be neglected , i . e ., c w & lt ;& lt ; c 0 , compared to the non - switching circuit capacitance , i . e ., c b ≅ c 0 . on the other hand , switching circuit capacitance c s are extracted from the circuit information as illustrated by block 514 . the influence of the switching circuit capacitance c s on the behavior of the power distribution system is considered by taking the activity information into account as depicted by block 516 . in the derived representation of the power distribution system the circuit switching and activity may be modeled by equivalent switching current distribution i s . from all such information derived from a first representation of the power distribution system formed by the power grid , the circuit information , and the activity information , a converted and simplified representation is built that can be simulated . the converted representation may looks like an 2d transmission line model as shown in fig3 . alternatively the conductance g may also be added to this model . furthermore , r and l elements of adjacent cells can be merged . finally , as illustrated by block 518 , the voltage change du is calculated and then displayed in relation to the respective segment of the power distribution system . furthermore , displaying the calculated maximum voltage level variation du includes the step of creating a two or three - dimensional illustration representing the circuit area indicating the calculated voltage level variation du in accordance with the values determined for each portion . thereby , two or three - dimensional illustration is preferably divided in the same way as the circuit or chip area . displaying the noise voltage by animation of time varying noise voltage may also be possible . the collapse matrix depends on how the functional units are built up , where they are placed on the chip and how the functional switching event is distributed . because of the efficient processing scheme the calculation of the power collapse matrix can be done during chip content placement and , thus , guide to a power noise optimized and balanced design . if the analysis exhibits too high collapse values , either additional power supply decoupling capacitors can be placed into the critical areas or the switching density has to be reduced by spreading out the affected circuits into a larger area , or power wiring could be changed . this analysis feedback loop provides a method to reduce on - chip voltage noise . with reference now to fig6 there is depicted a view of a three - dimensional illustration representing the circuit area indicating a calculated maximum voltage level variation du in accordance with the values determined for each portion of said circuit area according to the present invention . particularly , the example shows a graphical picture of a calculated power collapse matrix , calculated according to the methodology of this invention . however , for the sake of clarity , the grid is not so finely drawn as the actual measurements have been . furthermore , only certain ranges of the calculated voltage level variation du are marked by different pattern . it is acknowledged that an actual representation contains more details and the view of the three - dimensional representation of the results is preferably depicted by using different colors which represent specific ranges of voltage level variation , e . g ., the portion of the illustration having a calculated voltage level variation in the range from 0 . 3 to 0 . 325 volts could be colored green . [ 0046 ] fig7 shows a chart depicting a horizontal scan of the three - dimensional illustration of fig6 . actually measured on - chip power voltage collapse values 701 and calculated values 702 . minor deviations are noticeable for chip areas without any switching activity . the collapse there is propagated from areas with switching activity . however , the most critical areas having a significant voltage level variation are calculated with a minimum of variation from the actually measured values . finally with reference to fig8 there is depicted a two - dimensional illustration representing the distribution of switching capacitance c s on a chip , whereby the line between arrows 800 and 802 mark the axis , along which the power noise shown in fig7 was simulated and measured . however , for the sake of clarity the grid is not so finely drawn as the actual measurements have been . furthermore , only certain ranges of the actual values of the switching capacitance c s are marked by different pattern . it is acknowledged that an actual representation contains more details and the two - dimensional representation . while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction herein disclosed , and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
fig1 illustrates an exemplary human - wearable recall device . a wearer 100 is shown wearing a recall device 102 on a necklace . it should be understood , however , that a wearer need not be human , but that animals , vehicles , and other objects may wear a recall device for the purpose of selectively recording monitored environmental conditions . an exploded view of the recall device 102 is shown in box 104 . a camera 106 , which may include a fish - eye lens , a wide angle lens , or any other kind of lens , is positioned in the center of the recall device 102 , although the camera 106 may be positioned at other locations in the recall device 102 . four light emitting diodes ( leds ) are shown on the face of the recall device 102 . led 108 signals detection of an audio capture condition , such as an increase in detected audio level over a given threshold or a substantial change in average audio level within a given period . led 110 signals detection of a motion capture condition , such as a detected change of angle of greater than a threshold ( e . g ., 20 °). led 112 signals detection of a light level capture condition , such as a substantial change in average light level within a given period or an increase in detected light level over a given threshold . led 114 signals detection of a temperature capture condition , such as an increase in detected ambient temperature level over a given threshold or a substantial change in ambient temperature level within a given period . other capture conditions than those listed above may alternatively be employed . a serial port 116 is shown in the recall device 102 to download data monitored by the recall device 102 to a computer system . recorded data from various in the recall device 102 is saved into memory in the recall device 102 . such data may also be downloaded via the serial port 116 to a more substantial computer system , such as a desktop computer , for subsequent analysis ( e . g ., using a microsoft excel spreadsheet application or other analysis tools ). internal settings , such as condition parameters , time settings , etc ., may also be uploaded to the recall device 102 via the serial port . a wireless transceiver ( not shown ) is coupled to an antenna running up the cord 118 . the wireless transceiver may be used to upload and download data as well as to interface with wireless networking protocols , such as wi - fi and bluetooth , and to detect radio frequency signals . fig2 illustrates an internal plan view 200 and an external perspective view 202 of an exemplary recall device . specific components of exemplary recall devices are described herein ; however , it should be understood that other components may be employed in other implementations of a recall device . a microcontroller ( not shown ) is mounted to the underside of the printed circuit ( pc ) board 204 . in one implementation , a microchip 20 mhz pic16f876 microcontroller is used . a camera 206 and lens 208 are operably connected to the pc board 204 of the recall device . in one implementation , a 50 mm × 30 mm × 14 mm sipix snap 300 kpixel camera module with an additional f2 , f2 . 2 , mm lens from edmunds optics is employed . in an alternative configuration , a philips key008 camera is employed with an added 2 . 9 mm lens from edmunds optics . an interface to the shutter and mode controls of the camera are provided by reed relays , although other switching elements , such as optical mosfet transistors , may alternatively be employed . an accelerometer 210 is mounted to the pc board 204 . in the illustrated implementation , a single dual axis +/− 10 g adxl210 accelerometer from analog devices is employed . in alterative implementations , multiple multi - axis or single axis accelerometers may be employed . for example , individual single axis accelerometers may be configured to detect acceleration in each of three axes ( x , y , and z ). in an alternative implementation , the 3 axes are designated as roll , pitch and yaw , and a gyroscope is used to detect yaw ( rotational acceleration ). a light level sensor 212 mounted to the pc board 204 . in one implementation , a digital ambient light level sensor from taos , inc ., such as the tcs230 , is employed to detect magnitudes of and changes in ambient light levels in experienced by the recall device and , therefore , by the wearer . a change in ambient light level represents an exemplary capture condition that can indicate movement of the wearer from one room to another or from inside to outside . in addition , a change in ambient light level may be imitated by a gesture , such as waving one &# 39 ; s hand across the recall device to create a shadow on the light level sensor . as such , an image capture may be triggered by the wearer &# 39 ; s gestures without requiring the wearer to actually touching a trigger switch on the recall device . in one such implementation , the delay between detection of the capture event and the triggering of the image capture is prolonged at least as long as a predefined delay period in order to allow proper aiming of the camera at a target . an ambient temperature sensor ( not shown ) is mounted to the pc board 204 . in one implementation , a national semiconductor lm75 sensor is employed to detect magnitudes and changes in ambient temperature levels experienced by the recall device . a change in ambient light level represents an exemplary capture condition that can indicate , for example , movement of the wearer from inside to outside . a serial bus port 214 is mounted to the pc board 204 . in one implementation , a universal serial bus interface is employed , although other serial ports , such as an rs - 232 interface or irda interface , or any other data port , may be employed . the serial bus port ( or other interface ) may be used to upload and download data to / from the recall device . leds 216 indicate detection of various capture events , as discussed with regard to fig1 . fig3 illustrates a schematic of components 300 in an exemplary recall device . a microcontroller 302 is coupled to control a camera 304 using a shutter control line 306 and a mode control line 308 . a signal issued by the microcontroller 302 on the shutter control line 306 triggers an image capture in the camera 304 . a signal issued by the microcontroller 302 on the mode control line 308 sets the camera in high resolution mode , low resolution , or triggers an erasure of a captured image . a lens 310 , such as a normal lens , a wide angle lens , or a fish eye lens , is connected to the camera 304 . a battery 312 , such as a nimh aa 1 . 5 volt battery , powers the illustrated recall device , including the camera 304 . a step - up circuit 314 increases the voltage provided by the battery 312 to 3 . 7 volts to power the microcontroller 302 and other components on the pc board . an i 2 c bus 316 connects a memory block 318 to the microcontroller 302 . the memory block 318 may be used to store logged sensor data and captured images and sound . in one implementation , two 128 kbyte flash memory chips ( microchip 24lc512 ) are employed . in an alternative implementation , a larger and possibly removable memory modules , such as an sd or mmc card , can be connected will allow up to 1 gbyte of storage . a real time clock chip 320 ( dallas / maxim ) and an ambient temperature sensor 322 ( national semiconductor lm75 ) also connected to the microcontroller 302 by the i 2 c bus 316 . at least one accelerometer 324 is connected to the microcontroller 302 to detected changes in location and movement . in the illustrated implementation , three single axis accelerometers 326 are employed , one for each axis ( x , y , and z ). a serial bus interface 328 , such as a usb or rs - 232 interface , is connected to the microcontroller 302 to allow uploading and downloading of data . an audio recording circuit 330 is also connected to the microcontroller 302 to record ambient sound . in one implementation , the audio recording circuit 330 can record continuously for a period of time , although in other implementations , the audio recording circuit 330 is triggered to record in response to detection of a capture condition . a digital light level sensor 332 is connected to the microcontroller 302 to detect light level capture conditions . an rf transceiver 334 and an antenna 336 are connected to the microcontroller to provide or detect wi - fi signal communications , to detect rfid transponders , and / or to detect rf signals . in one implementation , a 433 mhz transceiver is employed . in another implementation , a 2 . 4 ghz radio receiver is employed to detect wireless networks . if the recall device is brought into proximity of a computer having wireless communication capabilities , the recall device can access and transfer images , audio , and other sensor data to the computer ( e . g ., using bluetooth or wi - fi ). as such , a remote computer system can be used to provide device settings , such as camera settings , sensor settings , time settings , etc . another user interface mode may be employed in a recall device having a no capacity or limited capacity for switches , buttons , etc . to enable transmission of captured and logged data to a computer system without requiring switches , the camera may be set in a predefined position ( e . g ., face - down on a table ). on power up , one or more accelerometers that detect the predefined position can trigger an automatic download of data to a computer over a wireless network link without any user intervention . other exemplary input components that may be employed for monitoring and logging sensor data , including without limitation a global positioning system ( gps ) transceiver ( e . g ., a gps transceiver from garmin geko with 10 m resolution and geographic location , altitude , and compass direction detection ), a heart rate monitor ( e . g ., a polar monitor ), a video camera , a gyroscope for detecting rotational conditions ( e . g ., adxrs gyroscope from analog devices ), a chemical sensor ( e . g ., a figaro carbon monoxide sensor or a smoke detector ), a reverse - biased led providing a crude optical motion detection based on ambient light changes , and a passive infrared radiation detector ( e . g ., a seiko passive infrared temperature detector ) for detecting humans up to 2 . 5 m from the wearer . other exemplary capture conditions may be satisfied by a change in sound level , a change in light level , a change in motion ( e . g ., as detected by an accelerometer or gyroscope ), a change in heart rate , a change in ambient temperature or the wear &# 39 ; s body temperature , a change in chemical composition of local environment ( e . g ., air ), detection of a wi - fi signal , detection of an rfid transponder , or expiration of a real time clock period . the various combinations of these components may be used to selectively capture ambient sound and images based on detection of a potentially interesting condition , marked by detection of a capture condition . in this manner , the selective image and sound capture make more efficient use of storage resources by avoiding continuous capture of uninteresting conditions . fig4 illustrates exemplary operations 400 of a selective image capture process . a monitoring operation 402 monitors motion of a camera using at least one accelerometer . a detecting operation 404 detects an environmental condition experienced by the camera that is designated as a “ capture condition ”. a capture condition indicates that something that has been previously associated with a potentially interesting environmental event has occurred . for example , if movement from one room to another is deemed to be an interesting environmental event , changes in ambient light level may be deemed to indicate that the wearer has moved to a different room . in one implementation , an exemplary detecting operation includes the following steps described in pseudocode : ( 1 ) read ambient light level in lux using tcs230 in current monitoring interval ( 2 ) compare current light level reading with the light level reading from previous monitoring interval ( e . g ., 1 second ago ) ( 3 ) if current reading & lt ; 50 % of previous reading or current reading & gt ; 200 % of previous reading , then indicate capture condition ( 4 ) goto detect_light_level a purpose of detecting the capture condition is to “ prime ” the triggering of an image capture . however , as the recall device is a wearable device , subject to jitter , the image capture itself is delayed ( i . e ., managed ) until a stable condition is detected by the accelerometer . therefore , a delay operation 406 delays a trigger operation 408 until a stable condition is detected by the accelerometer ( s ). in this manner , the quality ( e . g ., clarity ) of the captured image is expected to be better than an image from an unmanaged image capture . a stable condition is detected when one or more of the accelerometers in the camera detect movement within a predefined range or at or below a predefined threshold . for example , an exemplary recall device may be set to detect a stable condition when all accelerometers sense no movement in their respective axes . however , this setting may severely limit the likelihood of an image capture during periods of otherwise acceptable camera movement , such as when the wearer is standing nearly still . accordingly , the stable condition may be set to less than a threshold degree change in angle ( e . g ., 20 °) of any given accelerometer output during a measurement period ( e . g ., 1 second ). in one implementation , an exemplary delay operation includes the following steps described in pseudocode : ( 5 ) read tilt angle ( s ) of accelerometer ( s ) in current monitoring interval ( 6 ) compare tilt angle ( s ) with tilt angle ( s ) from previous monitoring interval ( e . g ., 1 second ago ) ( 7 ) if any tilt angle difference exceed 20 degrees , goto capture_image ( 8 ) trigger image capture in camera ( 9 ) return after detection of the stable condition , a triggering operation 408 triggers an image capture through the camera module . in alternative implementations , other environmental states may also be captured , including without limitation an audio recording for a given period of time , a gps reading , a real time clock reading , etc . a purpose of the capture events is to establish a snapshot of the environment as it existed in the temporal proximity of a capture condition . thereafter , the captured data may be downloaded to a computer system to facilitate reconstruction of the environmental conditions associated with a potentially relevant event . in another implementation , image capture ( including video capture ) may occur continuously or periodically , even in the absence of a previous capture condition . for example , the recall device detects a stable condition and triggers an image capture to memory . thereafter , a temporally proximate capture condition is detected so the captured image is maintained in association with the subsequent capture condition . if no temporally proximate capture condition is detected , the captured image may be deleted from memory to manage storage space . in this manner , the environmental conditions existing just prior to a capture event may be captured and efficiently recorded . a similar algorithm may be applied to audio recordings and other sensory data . fig5 illustrates exemplary sensor readings 500 relative to image capture events . data 502 indicates readings of an accelerometer associated with the x axis over time . data 504 indicates readings of an accelerometer associated with the y axis over time . ( accelerometer readings in the chart correspond to an angle . for example , in one implementation , an accelerometer signal with amplitude 0 represents 0 degrees , an accelerometer signal with amplitude 90 represents 90 degrees , etc .) data 506 indicates readings of an ambient light level sensor . data 508 indicates image captures triggered by detection of a capture condition followed by detection of a stable condition . as shown at time 510 , a capture condition has been detected based on the dramatic change in the light level data 506 followed by detection of a stable condition , as indicated by both data 502 and 504 . in contrast , at time 512 , a dramatic change in light level data 506 represents a capture condition , but an image capture is delayed until time 514 , when the stable condition is detected with regard to both data 502 and 504 . by managing captures in this manner , images are selectively captured based on detection of a potentially interesting event coupled with a stable period . fig6 illustrates an image 600 captured through a normal lens , an image 602 captured through a fish - eye lens , and a corrected version 604 of the fish - eye image . using commercially available image editing software , an image captured through the fish - eye lens may be corrected to remove the radial distortion introduced by the fish - eye lens . coupling the fish - eye image capture with the correction software allows a wearer to capture a maximum amount of environment in an image and to later remove the radial distortion to obtain a relatively normal image . as such , the use of a fish - eye lens is particularly suited to a recall device which captures images with relatively random alignment with the environment . it should be understood that a variety of data can be logged and downloaded to a computer system for post - processing and / or analysis in order to reconstruct events in the wearer &# 39 ; s recent experience . exemplary outputs of the recall device may include without limitation a continuous audio log ; a sequence of audio snapshots ; a sequence of image snapshots ; a sequence of gps location , altitude , and direction readings ; a motion log ; an ambient temperature log ; a heart rate log ; an rfid detection log ; and a wireless network detection log . furthermore , in applications intended to facilitate memory recall , a technique referred to as “ rapid serial visual presentation ” or rsvp may be employed . rsvp represents the electronic equivalent of riffling a book in order to assess its content , as described in “ rapid serial visual presentation : a space - time trade - off in information presentation ”, oscar de bruijn and robert spence , http :// www . iis . ee . ic . ac . uk /˜ o . debruijn / avi2000 . pdf , may 2000 . using this technique , a user interface , such as on the recall device or on a client computer system to which the captured data is downloaded , can rapidly display the images in the sequence in which they were captured , under direct user control of various factors , including without limitation speed , direction , and the number of simultaneously visible images . such display may be combined with temporally synchronized audio captured by the recall device or other logged data . manufacturers have not put gps features in small portable digital cameras at present due to high battery drain . the adxl210 accelerometer use about 1 / 130th of the power of a gps transceiver when operating ( typically , 0 . 6 ma ) and , therefore , may be used as an efficient power management component . in one implementation , an accelerometer may be used as a power management component for the gps receiver . as gps receiver integrated circuits generally use much current ( e . g . 80 ma ), the batteries powering the system can be drained easily . by periodically sampling the motion read by the accelerometer ( e . g ., every second or so ), the gps can be switched off if there is no movement because no change in gps location has occurred . when movement is detected by the low power accelerometer , the gps system can be switched back on . a similar power management mechanism can be used to power off the camera , which also has a high current drain . other sensor inputs , such as light level sensors , can be used for power saving . for example , a camera need not powered in the presence of total darkness . the embodiments of the invention described herein are implemented as logical steps in one or more computer systems . the logical operations of the present invention are implemented ( 1 ) as a sequence of processor - implemented steps executing in one or more computer systems and ( 2 ) as interconnected machine modules within one or more computer systems . the implementation is a matter of choice , dependent on the performance requirements of the computer system implementing the invention . accordingly , the logical operations making up the embodiments of the invention described herein are referred to variously as operations , steps , objects , or modules . the above specification , examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments of the invention . since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended . | 7 |
illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention . fig1 is a perspective view of a thermal inkjet large format printer / plotter incorporating the teachings of the present invention . the printer 10 includes a housing 12 mounted on a stand 14 . the housing has left and right drive mechanism enclosures 16 and 18 . a control panel 20 is mounted on the right enclosure 18 . a carriage assembly 100 , illustrated in phantom under a transparent cover 22 , is adapted for reciprocal motion along a carriage bar 24 , also shown in phantom . the position of the carriage assembly 100 in a horizontal or carriage scan axis is determined by a carriage positioning mechanism 110 ( not shown ) with respect to an encoder strip 120 ( not shown ) as discussed more fully below . a print medium 30 such as paper is positioned along a vertical or media axis by a media axis drive mechanism ( not shown ). as is common in the art , the media axis is denoted as the ` x ` axis and the scan axis is denoted as the ` y ` axis . fig2 is a perspective view of the carriage assembly 100 , the carriage positioning mechanism 110 and the encoder strip 120 . the carriage positioning mechanism 110 includes a carriage position motor 112 which has a shaft 114 extending therefrom through which the motor drives a small belt 116 . through the small belt 116 , the carriage position motor 112 drives an idler 122 via the shaft 118 thereof . in turn , the idler 122 drives a belt 124 which is secured by a second idler 126 . the belt 124 is attached to the carriage 100 and adapted to slide therethrough . the position of the carriage assembly in the scan axis is determined precisely by the use of the code strip 120 . the code strip 120 is secured by a first stanchion 128 on one end and a second stanchion 129 on the other end . the code strip 120 may be implemented in the manner disclosed and claimed in a copending application entitled improved code strip in a large - format image - related device , ser . no . 07 / 785 , 376 , filed oct . 30 , 1991 , by wilcox et al ., the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference . as disclosed in the reference , an optical reader ( not shown ) is disposed on the carriage assembly and provides carriage position signals which are utilized by the invention to achieve optimal image registration in the manner described below . fig3 is a perspective view of a simplified representation of a media positioning system 150 utilized in the inventive printer . the media positioning system 150 includes a motor 152 which is coaxial with a media roller 154 . the position of the media roller 154 is determined by a media position encoder 156 . the media position encoder includes a disc 158 having a plurality of apertures 159 therein . an optical reader 160 provides a plurality of output pulses which facilitate the determination of the roller 154 and , therefore , the position of the media 30 as well . position encoders are well known in the art . see for example , economical , high - performance optical encoders by howard c . epstein et al , published in the hewlett packard journal , october 1988 , pages 99 - 106 . the media and carriage position information is provided to a processor on a circuit board 170 disposed on the carriage assembly 100 ( fig2 ) for use in connection with pen alignment techniques of the present invention . ( the terms pen and cartridge are used interchangeably herein as is common in the art .) returning to fig1 the printer 10 has four inkjet pens , 102 , 104 , 106 , and 108 that store ink of different colors , e . g ., black , yellow , magenta and cyan ink , respectively . as the carriage assembly 100 translates relative to the medium 30 along the x and y axes , selected nozzles in the thermal inkjet cartridge pens 102 , 104 , 106 , and 108 are activated and ink is applied to the medium 30 . the colors from the three color inkjet pens are mixed to obtain any other particular color . fig4 is a right - bottom perspective view of the carriage assembly 100 of the present invention showing the sensor module 200 . the carriage assembly 100 positions the inkjet pens and holds the circuitry required for interface to the heater circuits in the inkjet pens . the carriage assembly 100 includes a carriage 101 adapted for reciprocal motion on a front slider 103 and a rear slider 105 . a first pen cartridge 102 is mounted in a first stall of the carriage 101 . note that the ink jet nozzles 107 of each pen are in line with the sensor module 200 . as mentioned above , full color printing and plotting requires that the colors from the individual pens be precisely applied to the media . this requires precise alignment of the carriage assembly . unfortunately , paper slippage , paper skew , and mechanical misalignment of the pens in conventional inkjet printer / plotters results in offsets in the x direction ( in the media or paper axis ) and in the y direction ( in the scan or carriage axis ). this misalignment of the carriage assembly manifests as a misregistration of the print images applied by the individual pens . this is generally unacceptable as multi - color printing requires image registration accuracy from each cartridge to within 1 one - thousandth of an inch or 1 mil . in accordance with the present teachings and as discussed more fully below , a test pattern 40 is generated whenever any of the cartridges are disturbed by activation of selected nozzles in selected pens . the test pattern is depicted in the magnified view of fig5 . the manner by which the test pattern 40 is generated and utilized to effect accurate image registration is discussed more fully below . as depicted most clearly in fig2 an optical sensor module 200 is mounted on the carriage assembly 200 . optical sensors are known in the art . see for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 170 , 047 entitled optical sensor for plotter pen verification , issued dec . 8 , 1992 to beauchamp et al ., the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference . the sensor module 200 optically senses the test pattern and provides electrical signals to the processor on the circuit board 170 indicative of the registration of the images thereon . fig6 a is a right - front perspective view of the sensor module 200 utilized in the system of the present invention . the sensor module 200 includes an outer housing 210 with two protrusions 212 and 214 adapted to receive first and second mounting screws . the outer housing 210 provides electrostatic discharge ( esd ) protection for the module 200 . fig6 b is a right - rear perspective view of the sensor module 200 . fig6 c shows a right - rear perspective view of the sensor module partially disassembled to reveal the outer housing 210 and an inner assembly 220 . the inner assembly 220 is adapted to be retained within the outer housing 210 . a flexible circuit 216 is disposed on the inner housing 220 . the flexible circuit 216 includes an amplifier and contacts for interfacing the sensor module to the processor circuit as discussed more fully below . fig6 d is a right - rear perspective view of the inner assembly 220 of the sensor module 200 of the present invention partially disassembled . as illustrated in fig6 d , the inner assembly includes an optical component holder 222 and a cover 224 . fig6 e is a right - rear perspective view of the optical component holder of the sensor module of the present invention disassembled . as illustrated in fig6 e , the optical component holder 222 is adapted to hold first and second lenses 226 and 228 in a fixed position relative to a phase plate 230 . returning to fig6 d , first and second light emitting diodes ( leds ) 232 and 234 are mounted on the flexible circuit 240 along with a photodetector 240 and amplifier and other circuit elements ( not shown ). the light emitting diodes and the photodetector are of conventional design and have a bandwidth which encompasses the frequencies of the colors of the inks provided by the pens 102 - 108 ( even numbers only ). the leds 232 and 234 are retained at an angle by first and second apertures 236 and 238 , respectively , in the cover 224 of the holder 222 . the cover 224 is secured to the holder 222 by first and second screws 231 and 233 which extend through first and second apertures 235 and 236 , respectively , in the cover 224 and which are received by threads ( not shown ) in the holder 222 . the functional relationships of the components of the sensor module are illustrated in the schematic diagram of fig7 . light energy from the leds 232 and 234 impinges upon the test pattern 40 on the media 30 and is reflected to the photodetector 240 via the first and second lenses 226 and 228 , respectively , and the phase plate 230 . the lenses 226 and 228 focus energy on photodetector 240 via the phase plate 230 . the phase plate 230 is a symmetrical grating constructed of plastic or other suitably opaque material . fig8 a is a top view of the phase plate 230 . a symmetrical array of transparent openings 242 are provided in the opaque material . in accordance with the present teachings , as illustrated in fig8 b , the line widths in the test pattern 40 for the carriage axis patterns 404 and 406 of fig5 are equal to the horizontal spacings between the transparent openings 242 in the phase plate 230 . likewise , as illustrated in fig8 c , the line widths in the test pattern 40 in the media axis patterns 408 of fig5 are equal to the vertical spacings between the transparent openings 242 in the phase plate 230 . the use of the phase plate 230 permits a simple , inexpensive optical arrangement to be used to quickly scan the pattern in each direction of movement . as the sensor module 200 scans the test pattern 40 in either the carriage scan axis or the media scan axis , an output signal is provided which varies as a sine wave . as discussed more fully below , the circuitry of the present invention stores these signals and examines the phase relationships thereof to determine the alignment of the pens for each direction of movement . the alignment procedure of the present invention by which the system corrects for carriage axis misalignment , paper axis misalignment and offsets due to speed and curvature will now be disclosed . as a first step in the alignment procedure , the test pattern 40 of fig5 is generated . the first pattern 402 is generated in the scan axis for the purpose of exercising the pens 102 - 108 ( even numbers only ). the first pattern 402 includes one segment for each cartridge utilized . for example , the first segment 410 is yellow , the second segment 412 is cyan , the third segment 416 is magenta and the fourth segment 418 is black . next , the second , third and fourth patterns 404 , 406 and 408 , respectively , are generated . the second pattern 404 is used to test for pen offsets due to speed and curvature . the third pattern 406 is used to test for misalignments in the carriage scan axis . the fourth patterns 408 are used to test for misalignments in the media axis . the invention is best understood with reference to the carriage and media scan axis alignment techniques thereof . the carriage scan axis alignment pattern 406 is generated by causing each pen to print a plurality of horizontally spaced vertical bars . as mentioned above , the thickness of the bars is equal to the spacing therebetween which is also equal to the width of the transparent openings in the phase plate 230 and the spacings therebetween . in the third pattern 406 the first segment 420 is cyan , the second segment 422 is magenta , the third segment 424 is yellow and the fourth segment 426 is black . pen misalignments in the carriage scan axis are illustrated in fig9 which shows a frontal representation of the first , second , third and fourth inkjet cartridges 102 , 104 , 106 and 108 positioned a height ` h ` over the media 30 for movement along the carriage scan axis . as is known in the art , the distances d12 , d23 , and d34 between the cartridges vary because of the mechanical tolerances and imperfections in the manufacturing of the device . this results in undesired displacements in the placement of the ink drops of one cartridge with respect to another cartridge . pen misalignments in the carriage scan axis are corrected by scanning the third pattern 406 along the carriage scan axis with the sensor module 200 . as the sensor module 200 illuminates the third pattern 406 , the lenses 226 and 228 thereof ( fig6 e ) focus an image on the phase plate 230 and the photodetector 240 . in response , the photodetector 240 generates a sinusoidal output signal which is the mathematical convolution of the phase plate pattern and the test pattern 406 . fig1 is a block diagram of the electronic circuit 300 utilized in the alignment system of the present invention . the circuit 300 includes an amplification and filtering circuit 302 , an analog to digital converter 304 , a slave microprocessor controller 306 , a sample pulse generator circuit 308 , a carriage position encoder 310 , a media position encoder 312 , a master control and data processing unit 314 , a carriage and media axis servo - control mechanism 316 , a digital to analog converter 318 and a light control circuit 320 . the electrical signals from the sensor module 200 are amplified , filtered and sampled by the slave microprocessor 306 . the carriage position encoder 310 provides sample pulses as the carriage assembly 100 moves along the encoder strip 120 of fig1 and 2 . a sample pulse generator circuit 308 selects pulses from the carriage position encoder 310 or the media position encoder 312 depending on the test being performed . fig1 is a graph illustrative of the quadrature outputs of the carriage and media position encoders . fig1 illustrates the sample pulses generated by the sample pulse generator circuit 308 . the slave microprocessor 306 uses the sample pulses to generate sample control signals for the analog - to - digital converter 304 . on receipt of a sample control pulse , the analog - to - digital converter 304 samples the output of the amplification and filter circuit 302 . this is illustrated in fig1 , 14 and 15 . the output of the sensor module 200 is illustrated in fig1 . fig1 shows how the output of the sensor module 200 appears after amplification and filtering . fig1 is a graph which illustrates how the output of the amplification and filtering circuit 302 is sampled to provide data which is input to the slave microprocessor controller 306 . the digitized samples are stored in memory for each direction of movement in the slave microprocessor controller 306 . the master control and data processing unit 314 mathematically fits a reference sine wave to the sample points stored in memory , using a least squares fit algorithm or other suitable conventional algorithm , and computes a phase difference between the reference sine wave and the sensed sine wave . the location of the phase difference provides an indication as to which cartridge is out of alignment . the polarity of the phase difference indicates the direction of misalignment and the magnitude of the phase difference indicates the magnitude of the misalignment . offsets for each cartridge are generated by the master control and data processing unit which are stored in the machine . these offsets are used to control activation of the pens as the assembly is scanned in the carriage axis via the servo mechanisms 316 . sensor module light activation is provided by the slave microprocessor controller 306 , a digital - to - analog converter 318 and a light control circuit 320 . other corrections which must be made in the carriage scan axis are for 1 ) image misplacement due to the velocity of the carriage and 2 ) image displacements due to curvature of the platen . fig1 is a magnified bottom view of the thermal inkjet nozzles of each of the pen cartridges 102 , 104 , 106 and 108 , respectively . typically , only 96 of the 104 nozzles ( e . g ., nozzles numbered 5 - 100 ) are used for printing . the remaining eight nozzles are used for offset adjustment as discussed more fully below . as the printheads move in forward and reverse directions at a height h above the media 30 , as depicted in fig9 the images created by the nozzles deviate from ideal as shown in fig1 . fig1 shows offsets due to speed and the effect of platen curvature for a print image . at a higher speed v 2 , a greater offset from ideal results . when the media is supported by a curved platen , such as that shown at 154 in fig3 a height differential δ , as illustrated in fig1 , exists . fig1 is a magnified side view of a nozzle 102 above a curved platen 154 . the variation in height due to curvature of the platen increases the delay time for the ink to reach the media . this manifests as curvature in the line as illustrated at ( d ) in fig1 where the dashed line represents the ideal image shape and location . the present invention corrects for offsets due to speed and curvature as discussed below . offsets due to speed are corrected first by printing images from a single cartridge ( e . g ., the black cartridge 102 ) at three different speeds in each direction . this is illustrated at 430 - 440 ( even numbers only ) in the bidirectional pattern 404 of the test pattern 40 of fig5 . the bidirectional pattern 404 is generated by causing each pen to print a plurality of horizontally spaced vertical bars . as mentioned above , the thickness of the bars is equal to the spacing therebetween which is also equal to the width of the transparent openings in the phase plate 230 and the spacings therebetween . first the first section 430 is printed at the lowest speed , e . g ., 13 . 33 inches per second ( ips ) from right to left . next , the second section 432 is printed at the same speed from left to right . then the third section 432 is printed at the next highest speed ( 16 . 67 ips ) from right to left and the fourth section 436 is printed from left to right at the same speed . finally , at the highest speed , e . g ., 26 . 67 ips , the fourth section 438 is printed from right to left and then the sixth section 440 is printed from left to right at the that speed . next , the pattern 404 is scanned and a phase for each section is determined in the manner described above . the measured phase difference between sections allows for a correction due to speed as illustrated in fig1 ( e ). to correct for offsets in the scan axis , for a given speed , the difference in the phases between sections of the pattern associated with the two directions of travel is calculated and translated to a time of flight delay value b . the delay b for each speed is used to determine a least squares fit line 510 therebetween . this is illustrated in the graph of delay versus speed of fig1 . this least squares fit calculation results in the slope of the line ` m ` and the b axis intercept ` b o `. in equation form : where m is the slope , v c is the speed or velocity , and b o is a constant which represents the b axis intercept . for a given speed , v c , knowledge of the slope m and the constant b o allows for a calculation of the delay b required to correct for the offset . correction for curvature is effected by adding an additional delay ( e . g . 25 % or 1 . 25 × b ). as illustrated in fig1 ( f ), this has the effect of joining the curved tails of the segments to create an image in which the curvature is less discernible to the naked eye of the casual observer . correction of pen offsets in the media axis and between pens another source of image misregistration derives from paper slippage on the roller or platen 154 . in accordance with the present teachings , correction for paper or media slippage is effected by first printing the media axis test pattern 408 of the test pattern 40 of fig5 . as mentioned above , the thickness of the bars is equal to the spacing therebetween which is also equal to the width of the transparent openings in the phase plate 230 and the spacings therebetween . the pattern 408 includes five columns of vertically spaced horizontal bars 1 - 5 . each column has three rows segments 1 - 3 . the first row in each column is created by scanning the carriage assembly 100 in the carriage axis and causing one cartridge ( e . g ., the cartridge containing cyan ink ) to print . thus , each column has a first row of cyan colored bars . in the second row , a different colored cartridge is activated in each column with the exception that the cyan cartridge 108 is activated in the second row of the first and fifth columns . finally , the cyan cartridge is activated for the third row of each column in the pattern 408 . media axis pen alignment is effected by scanning the pattern 408 with the sensor module 200 along the media axis , column by column and calculating phase data p ij , in the manner described above , where i denotes the row and j denotes the column . the phase data is stored in a matrix as shown below : ## equ1 ## ideally , p 11 = p 31 . thus , by comparing the phases of the first row to those of the third row , paper slippage or &# 34 ; walk &# 34 ; within one pen over a given distance may be detected and corrected in the manner described below . image registration between colors is calculated in the manner set forth below : p m / c represents pen offset in the media axis between the cyan pen 108 and the magenta pen 106 , p y / c represents pen offset in the media axis between the cyan pen 108 and the yellow pen 104 , and p k / c represents pen offset in the media axis between the cyan pen 108 and the black pen 102 . the pen offsets in the media axis between pens are corrected by selecting certain nozzles for activation . in fig1 , for example , initially nozzles 5 through 100 may be activated for all pens . as a result of the phase difference calculations , it may be necessary to activate nozzles 3 - 98 of the second pen 104 , nozzles 1 - 96 of the third pen 106 and nozzles 7 through 102 of the fourth pen 108 . this selective nozzle activation scheme has the effect of offsetting the images produced by the pen in the media axis . thus , the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application . those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications applications and embodiments within the scope thereof . it is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications , modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention . | 1 |
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