Split (3)

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the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 shows the arrangement of a frequency stabilization circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 reference numeral 101 denotes a mixer for receiving a radio frequency signal s101 and a local oscillation signal s113 to output an intermediate frequency signal s102 ; 102 , a limiter for amplifying the intermediate frequency signal s102 from the mixer 101 while limiting its amplitude ; 103 , a demodulator for demodulating an amplified intermediate frequency signal s103 output from the limiter 102 ; 104 , a level measuring device for measuring the level of the intermediate frequency signal s102 from the mixer 101 , and outputting a dc voltage s105 in accordance with the level ; and 105 , a comparator for comparing the dc voltage s105 from the level measuring device 104 with a reference voltage s104 , and outputting a gate control signal s106 . reference numeral 106 denotes a 2 - input gate for receiving the amplified intermediate frequency signal s103 output from the limiter 102 and the gate control signal s106 from the comparator 105 ; 107 , a reference oscillator for oscillating a reference signal s107 having a frequency obtained by multiplying the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal s102 with an integer ( n ); 108 , a 2 - input gate for receiving the reference signal s107 from the reference oscillator 107 and the gate control signal s106 from the comparator 105 ; 109 , a frequency divider for dividing the reference signal s107 output from the gate 108 into n ; 110 , a frequency comparator for comparing the frequency of a measurement signal s109 output from the gate 106 with the frequency of a reference signal s108 from the 1 / n - frequency divider 109 ; 111 , a controller for outputting voltage data s111 on the basis of frequency difference information s110 as the comparison result of the frequency comparator 110 ; 112 , a d / a converter for converting the voltage data s111 from the controller 111 into a dc voltage s112 ; 113 , a voltage - controlled oscillator for generating the local oscillation signal s113 on the basis of the voltage data s112 output from the d / a converter 112 , and outputting it to the mixer 101 ; and 114 , a reference power supply for generating the reference voltage s104 and outputting it to the comparator 105 . the operation of the frequency stabilization circuit having this arrangement will be explained . the frequency of the radio frequency signal s101 input to the mixer 101 is converted using the local oscillation signal s113 output from the voltage - controlled oscillator 113 , thereby outputting the intermediate frequency signal s102 to the limiter 102 and the level measuring device 104 . the level measuring device 104 always measures the reception electric field level of the intermediate frequency signal s102 , and outputs the measurement value as the dc voltage s105 to the comparator 105 . the comparator 105 compares the dc voltage s105 from the level measuring device 104 with the reference voltage s104 from the reference power supply 114 . when the dc voltage s105 representing the reception electric field strength of the intermediate frequency signal s102 becomes lower than the reference voltage s104 , the comparator 105 outputs the gate control signal s106 of &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; level . the intermediate frequency signal s102 is amplified by the limiter 102 while its amplitude is limited to a predetermined level . as a result , the amplified intermediate frequency signal s103 is output to the demodulator 103 and the gate 106 . the reference oscillator 107 oscillates the reference signal s107 having a frequency n times the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal s102 . the reference signal s107 via the gate 108 is divided into n by the frequency divider 109 , and input as the reference signal s108 to the frequency comparator 110 . the frequency of the target measurement signal s109 output from the gate 106 is compared with the frequency of the reference signal s108 by the frequency comparator 110 to output the frequency difference information s110 to the controller 111 . the frequency difference information s110 is converted into corresponding voltage data s111 by the controller 111 . the voltage data s111 is output to the d / a converter 112 to be converted into the analog control voltage s112 . the control voltage s112 is output to the voltage - controlled oscillator 113 to feedback - control the oscillation frequency of the voltage - controlled oscillator 113 in accordance with the frequency difference obtained in the frequency comparator 110 . when the reception electric field level of the intermediate frequency signal s102 falls , the gate control signal s106 output from the comparator 105 changes to &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; level , as described above . the gates 106 and 108 respectively disable the amplified intermediate frequency signal s103 and the reference signal s107 ( s108 ). accordingly , no frequency difference information s110 is output from the frequency comparator 110 , whereas the oscillation frequency of the output - voltage - controlled oscillator 113 is locked and does not vary . as a result , the frequency is prevented from converging on an erroneous frequency when the reception electric field strength temporarily decreases . fig2 shows an example of the frequency comparator 110 shown in fig1 . in fig2 reference numeral 121 denotes a timing generator for receiving the reference signal s108 from the frequency divider 109 to output a timing signal s121 ; 122 , a counter for counting the number of reference signals s108 in accordance with the timing signal s121 ; 123 , a counter for counting the number of target measurement signals s109 from the gate 106 in accordance with the timing signal s121 ; 124 , a subtracter constituting a data comparator for comparing a count value s122 of the counter 122 with a count value s123 of the counter 123 to output a count difference signal s124 ; and 125 , a data latch for latching the count difference signal s124 in accordance with the timing signal s121 . the operation of the frequency comparator 110 shown in fig2 will be described . upon reception of the reference signal s108 , the timing generator 121 generates the timing signal s121 for outputting the trigger every predetermined time . during the period determined by the timing signal s121 , the counters 122 and 123 count the pulses of the reference signal s108 and the target measurement signal s109 , and output the count values s122 and s123 to the subtracter 124 , respectively . the subtracter 124 subtracts one of the count values s122 and s123 from the other , and outputs the subtraction result , i . e ., the count difference signal s124 to the data latch 125 . the data latch 125 latches the count difference signal s124 on the basis of the timing of the timing signal s121 , and outputs the count difference signal s124 as the frequency difference information s110 within a predetermined time to the controller 111 . when the reception electric field level of the intermediate frequency signal s102 falls , the timing generator 121 does not operate because the reference signal s108 is disabled , as described above . for this reason , the frequency difference information s110 is maintained while the previous value is kept latched by the data latch 125 , so that the oscillation frequency of the voltage - controlled oscillator 113 shown in fig1 is maintained at the previous value . fig3 shows a frequency oscillation circuit added in constituting a frequency stabilization circuit capable of selecting a desired channel ( ch ) frequency that is applied to a portable telephone or the like . the frequency stabilization circuit in this case is constituted by inserting a frequency oscillation circuit 213 shown in fig3 instead of the voltage - controlled oscillator 113 shown in fig1 . in fig3 reference numeral 201 denotes a voltage - controlled oscillator for outputting a local oscillation signal s201 on the basis of the control voltage s112 from the d / a converter 112 ; 202 , a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of the local oscillation signal s201 from the voltage - controlled oscillator 201 to output a reference signal s202 ; 203 , a voltage - controlled oscillator for outputting the local oscillation signal s113 to the mixer 101 on the basis of a control voltage s205 ; 204 , a variable frequency divider for variably dividing the frequency of the local oscillation signal s113 in accordance with frequency division data s206 to output a frequency - divided signal s203 ; 205 , a phase comparator for comparing the phase of the frequency - divided signal s203 from the variable frequency divider 204 with the phase of the reference signal s202 from the frequency divider 202 to output a charge / discharge pulse signal s204 ; 206 , a ch designation controller for outputting the frequency division data s206 corresponding to a channel to the variable frequency divider 204 ; and 207 , a charge pump for repeatedly executing charge and discharge in accordance with the charge / discharge pulse signal s204 from the phase comparator 205 to output the control voltage s205 to the voltage - controlled oscillator 203 . the operation of the frequency oscillation circuit 213 shown in fig3 will be described . when the control voltage s112 from the d / a converter 112 is input to the voltage - controlled oscillator 201 , the voltage - controlled oscillator 201 outputs the local oscillation signal s201 corresponding to the control voltage s112 . the local oscillation signal s201 from the voltage - controlled oscillator 201 is divided by the frequency divider 202 until the frequency of the ch band is obtained , and input as the reference signal s202 to the phase comparator 205 . the local oscillation signal s113 from the voltage - controlled oscillator 203 is output to the mixer 101 . at the same time , the local oscillation signal s113 is divided by the variable frequency divider 204 with a frequency division number designated by the ch designation controller 206 , and input as the frequency - divided signal s203 to the phase comparator 205 . the phase comparator 205 compares the phase of the reference signal s202 with the phase of the frequency - divided signal s203 , and outputs the charge / discharge pulse signal s204 corresponding to a phase lead or delay to the charge pump 207 . the charge pump 207 constituting an integrator integrates the charge / discharge pulse signal s204 to output the control voltage s205 , thereby feedback - controlling the voltage - controlled oscillator 203 . consequently , the local oscillation signal s113 from the voltage - controlled oscillator 203 converges on a desired ch frequency to minimize changes in charge / discharge pulse signal s204 , making the control voltage s205 constant . when the control voltage s205 becomes constant , and a desired ch frequency is selected , the control voltage s112 input to the voltage - controlled oscillator 201 is stabilized by the circuit shown in fig1 . when the reception electric field level of the intermediate frequency signal s102 shown in fig1 falls , the frequency difference information s110 output from the frequency comparator 110 is kept latched at the previous value , as shown in fig2 . therefore , the oscillation frequency of the voltage - controlled oscillator 203 is prevented from being varied by an erroneous frequency . as has been described above , according to the present invention , since the previous frequency difference information is held even when the reception electric field level falls , the voltage - controlled oscillator is not controlled by an erroneous frequency , and the frequency is prevented from converging on an erroneous frequency to cause a reception error . since a circuit for stabilizing an intermediate frequency signal with respect to a desired channel frequency can be easily constituted , a frequency stabilization circuit suitable for the receiver section of a portable telephone or the like can be obtained .	7
a toy vehicle track is shown generally as ( 10 ) in fig1 . the track ( 10 ) is preferably formed of colored , extruded polyvinylchloride . as shown in fig1 , the track ( 10 ) includes a left track surface ( 12 ) and a right track surface ( 14 ), separated by a center rail ( 16 ). the left track surface ( 12 ) and right track surface ( 14 ) are bordered by a left rail ( 18 ) and a right rail ( 20 ), respectively . extending laterally from , and integral with , the left track surface ( 12 ) is a left rib ( 22 ), and extending laterally from , and integral with , the right track surface ( 14 ) is a right rib ( 24 ). although the track ( 10 ) may be constructed of any suitable dimensions or configurations , in the preferred embodiment , the left track surface ( 12 ) and right track surface ( 14 ) are each preferably between 0 . 5 and 20 centimeters wide , and between 0 . 5 and 100 millimeters thick , more preferably , between 2 and 6 centimeters wide and between 1 and 2 millimeters thick , and most preferably , about 4 . 3 centimeters wide and 1 . 5 millimeters thick , to accommodate a 1 / 64 scale car ( 21 ). ( fig2 ). the ribs ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) are preferably the same thickness as the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ), and preferably extend between 1 and 10 millimeters , more preferably between 2 . 5 and 7 . 5 millimeters wide , and most preferably about 4 . 7 millimeters laterally from the center line of the associated rail ( 18 ) or ( 20 ). the rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) are preferably between 1 and 100 millimeters high , more preferably between 25 and 75 millimeters high , and most preferably about 46 millimeters high . although the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ), rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ), and ribs ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) may be constructed in any desired configuration relative to one another , in the preferred embodiment , the rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) are provided perpendicular relative to the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ). if desired , the outside rails ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) may be angled outward from the edges of the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ). the ribs ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) are preferably parallel to the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ), and more preferably planer and integral with the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ). if desired , however , the ribs ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) may be located higher on the rails ( 18 ) and ( 20 ), may undulate along the outside rails ( 18 ) and ( 20 ), or may be provided with supplemental ribs to add further strength to the toy vehicle track ( 10 ). although the toy vehicle track ( 10 ) may be constructed with rails and ribs of any suitable configuration , the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ), rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ), and ribs ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) are preferably constructed in a manner which prevents the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ), and rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ), from “ creasing ” when the toy vehicle track ( 10 ) is coiled . preferably the rails ( 16 ),( 18 ) and ( 20 ) are constructed to ripple before the force of the rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) causes the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) to crease . this accomplished by using a combination of thick track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ), and short flexible rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ), all constructed of a flexible material , such as polyvinylchloride , which resists creasing . if desired , rails ( 16 ), ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) may be provided to divide the track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) into one , two , three or any plurality of track surfaces ( 12 ) and ( 14 ). the toy vehicle track is preferably between 0 . 5 and 5 meters long , more preferably between 1 and 3 meters long , and most preferably about 2 meters long . as shown in fig2 and 3 , when it is desired to attach the toy vehicle track ( 10 ) to the window ( 26 ) of a door ( 28 ), a thin , plastic connector pad ( 30 ) is provided . as shown in fig3 , the connector pad ( 30 ) is preferably provided on one surface ( 32 ) with a strong adhesive ( 34 ), such as those well known in the art . the surface ( 32 ) is preferably covered with a film ( 36 ), cut generally into a top section ( 38 ) and a bottom section ( 40 ). when it is desired to attach the connector pad ( 30 ) to the bottom ( 42 ) of the toy track ( 10 ), the bottom section ( 40 ) of the connector pad ( 30 ) is removed , revealing the adhesive ( 34 ). ( fig3 - 4 ). the adhesive ( 34 ) is thereafter pressed against the bottom ( 42 ) of the toy vehicle ( 10 ) and allowed to cure . the top section ( 38 ) remains on the connector pad ( 30 ) to prevent the adhesive ( 34 ) from securing to any undesired parts . as shown in fig3 , the connector pad ( 30 ) is preferably provided with a die cut ( 44 ) defining a lower , larger circle ( 46 ) and an upper , smaller circle ( 48 ). as shown in fig2 , when it is desired to attach the toy vehicle track ( 10 ) to the window ( 26 ) of the door ( 28 ), a standard suction cup ( 50 ) provided with a boss ( 52 ) is releasably secured to the window ( 26 ). the die cut ( 44 ) is then provided over the boss ( 52 ) and lowered until the upper circle ( 48 ) engages the boss ( 52 ). the boss ( 52 ) may be provided with a narrow center portion to retain the upper circle ( 48 ) and prevent the upper circle ( 48 ) from inadvertently becoming dislodged from the boss ( 52 ). although the start ( 54 ) of the track ( 10 ) may be releasably secured to the window ( 26 ) at any desirable height , in the preferred embodiment , the start ( 54 ) of the track ( 10 ) is preferably releasably secured between 1 and 2 meters from the floor ( 56 ). as shown in fig2 , the track ( 10 ) may be configured with a plurality of loops ( 58 ) and undulations ( 60 ). the undulations ( 60 ) may be provided using simply books ( 61 ) or other materials placed under the track ( 10 ). similarly , the loops ( 58 ) may be provided by simply looping the track ( 10 ) at the desired point . as shown in fig5 , a steel stiffener bar ( 62 ) is provided to secure the track ( 10 ) in place . attaching the stiffener bar ( 62 ) to the track ( 10 ) and adjusting the location of the stiffener bar ( 62 ) allows the angle of descent of the track ( 10 ) to be adjusted , while preventing the weight of the suspended portion of the track ( 10 ) from pulling the remaining portion of the track ( 10 ) rearward , resulting in an undesirable increase in the angle of descent . additionally , while loops ( 58 ) may be formed in the track ( 10 ) without additional support , the stiffener bar ( 62 ) may also be used to form loops ( 58 ) in the track ( 10 ) and prevent any undesired shift of the loops ( 58 ) during play . ( fig2 and 5 ). as shown in fig5 , the stiffener bar ( 62 ) is preferably provided with a pair of stiffening ribs ( 64 ) and ( 66 ) running the length of the bar ( 62 ). the stiffener bar ( 62 ) is also provided with a pair of tabs ( 68 ) and ( 70 ). the tabs ( 68 ) and ( 70 ) are preferably sized and spaced to engage the ribs ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) of the track ( 10 ). the stiffener bar ( 62 ) is preferably one and one - half times the width of the track ( 10 ) and , more preferably , at least twice as long as the width of the track ( 10 ). once the stiffener bar ( 62 ) has been placed beneath the track ( 10 ) and the tabs ( 68 ) and ( 70 ) engaged with the ribs ( 22 ) and ( 24 ), the portion of the loop ( 58 ) passing over the stiffener bar ( 62 ), but not connected to the tabs ( 68 ) and ( 70 ), rests upon the stiffening bar ( 62 ). this added downward pressure on the stiffener bar ( 62 ) further limits movement of the stiffener bar ( 62 ) and , in turn , undesired movement of the loop ( 58 ). as shown in fig2 , a plurality of stiffener bars ( 62 ) may be provided to provide a plurality of loops . although the stiffener bars ( 62 ) are preferably constructed of steel , any desired material and any desired configuration may be utilized . an alternative arrangement of the track ( 10 ) is shown in fig6 , in which a stiffener bar ( 62 ) is used to create a curving right - angled loop ( 72 ). in another alternative configuration of the track ( 10 ) is shown in fig7 , in which two stiffener bars ( 74 ) and ( 76 ) are used to create a pair of offset loops ( 78 ) and ( 80 ). if desired , a box ( 82 ) or similar support , may be positioned between the loops ( 78 ) and ( 80 ) to further add support to the track ( 10 ). as shown in fig7 , if it is desired to couple a second track ( 84 ) to the track ( 10 ), a second connector pad ( 30 ) may be used with the entirety of the film removed . the connector pad ( 86 ) is coupled to the bottom ( 42 ) of the track ( 10 ) and the bottom ( 88 ) of the second track ( 84 ). alternatively , as shown in fig8 , for a releasable connection , a stiffener bar ( 62 ) may be used to straddle the ribs ( 22 ), ( 24 ), ( 90 ) and ( 92 ) of both tracks ( 10 ) and ( 84 ) and secure the tracks ( 10 ) and ( 84 ) together . in these manners , or in any other manner known in the art , any plurality of tracks ( 10 ) may be coupled to one another . when it is desired to store the track ( 10 ), the track ( 10 ) may be coiled as shown in fig9 . preferably , the two - meter track ( 10 ) may be coiled into a coil ( 94 ) less than 50 centimeters in diameter , and more preferably less than 20 centimeters in diameter without the track ( 10 ) permanently creasing . the track ( 10 ) may be maintained in the coiled position within a box ( 92 ), with a releasable tie ( not show ) or with any other suitable means known in the art . fig1 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the track ( 96 ) shown with a single lane ( 98 ). the track ( 96 ) may be configured as described above and may be coupled to additional lengths of track ( 96 ) as desired . although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof , it also to be understood that it is not to be so limited , since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full , intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims . as an example , a clamp or any other suitable means may be used to secure the track ( 10 ) to a table or the like , or the track ( 10 ) may be wedged between the top of a door and the doorframe to secure the track .	0
now , embodiments for carrying out the present invention ( hereafter referred to as “ embodiments ”) will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings . it should be noted that in the description of the present invention , expressions which indicate directions , such as upper , lower , right and left directions , should not be understood in an absolute sense but in a relative sense . these expressions are appropriate as long as they describe the positions of individual members , portions , parts or the like of centrifugal blowing fans according to embodiments as shown in the drawings . however , in case the positions of those members , portions , parts or the like are changed , the above expressions are to be interpreted accordingly . fig1 is a perspective view showing a centrifugal blowing fan of a first embodiment as a whole . according to this figure , the centrifugal blowing fan 11 comprises a scroll - shaped casing 12 comprising a body 12 a and a lid 12 b , wherein an air inlet 13 and an air outlet 14 is formed on the casing 12 . the air inlet 13 is formed on the central portion of the lid 12 b of the casing 12 , and the air outlet 14 is formed on the side surface of the body 12 a , which surface is virtually orthogonal to the lid 12 b . further , a motor 15 and an impeller 16 and so on are accommodated inside the casing 12 . fig2 to 6 show the structure of the motor 15 and the impeller 16 in the centrifugal blowing fan 11 in detail . as shown in fig2 , a cylindrical bearing housing 17 is provided in the body 12 a of the casing 12 . outer rings of two bearings 18 , 18 are respectively supported at the inner side of the bearing housing 17 , and a rotating shaft 19 of the motor 15 is supported in the inner rings of bearings 18 , 18 . a ring 20 is mounted on the lower end of the rotating shaft 19 , which prevents the rotating shaft 19 from dropping out and positions the same in axial direction . the impeller 16 is made from synthetic resin and comprises integrally a plurality of blades 21 , 21 . . . arranged in circumferential direction , an annular collar 22 consisting by joining one of the ends of the plurality of blades 21 , 21 . . . and a doughnut - shaped disk portion 23 formed flat from the inner circumference towards the outer circumference consisting by joining the other ends of the plurality of blades 21 , 21 . . . , wherein the impeller is formed cylindrically by injection molding . further , during the injection molding , a plurality of protrusions 24 ( six protrusions in this embodiment ) with a circular cross section are formed on the lower surface of the disk portion 23 ( hereafter meaning the surface opposing to the flange portion 25 b ) integrally with the disk portion 23 , in circumferential direction and at virtually equal distances . the back yoke 25 is made from metal , being formed by press work virtually cylindrical with a bottom , whereat a flange portion 25 b extending in outer direction virtually perpendicular to the outer surface is provided integrally at the edge of the circumference of an opening . the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 25 a of the back yoke 25 is formed smaller than the inner diameter of the impeller 16 , a wide fitted space is provided between the inner surface of the impeller 16 and the outer surface of the back yoke 25 , whereat the outer diameter of the flange portion 25 b is formed with the same size as the outer diameter of the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 or a little larger . further , a rotating shaft 19 is directly inserted in the central portion of the cylindrical portion 25 a of the back yoke 25 , as shown in fig2 and fig4 , so that the back yoke 25 and the rotating shaft 19 are integrated . further , a plurality of holes 26 ( six holes in this embodiment ) from top through bottom are formed on the flange portion 25 b on the circumferential diameter , which is virtually as same as that of the protrusions 24 of the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 , at same distances . when back yoke 25 and impeller 16 are assembled , the protrusions 24 at the side of the impeller 16 are engaged with the holes 26 of the flange portion 25 b , as shown in fig5 ( a ), and the tip portions of the protrusions 24 , which slightly protrude from the back surface of the flange portion 25 b are heat melted and than fixed by caulking , whereby the impeller 16 and the back yoke 25 are concentrically arranged with the rotating shaft 19 to be integrated . fig2 , fig5 ( b ) and fig6 show a status at which the fixing by thermal caulking is completed , and thus the rotating shaft 19 , the impeller 16 and the back yoke 25 are concentrically fixed and connected and thereby integrated . it should be mentioned that the fixing by caulking of the protrusions 24 is not limited to a fixing by thermal caulking , but a cold caulking is also possible . turning back to fig2 , a ring - shaped magnet 27 is fixed to the inner circumference of the above - mentioned back yoke 25 by adhesion , whereat the rotating shaft 19 , the back yoke 25 and the magnet 27 together form the rotor portion of the motor 15 . a stator core 29 provided with stator windings 28 is fixed on the outer circumference of the bearing housing 17 , defining the fixed portion of the motor 15 . that is , the motor 15 shown here is an outer rotor type motor , whereat the rotor portion is rotatably arranged at the outer side of the fixed portion together with the impeller 16 , with the rotating shaft 19 in the center . further , a pc board 30 , on which by means of electronic components an electronic circuit as brushless motor is built , is mounted below the stator core 29 ( i . e . below the stator 29 shown in fig2 ). the electronic circuit comprising the pc board 30 controls the current to rotate the rotating portion of the motor 15 against the fixed portion of the motor 15 . the stator windings 28 and the electronic circuit integrated into the pc board 30 are connected by lead wires not shown . further , also not shown lead wires are connected to the pc board 30 , through which current is supplied to the pc board 30 . in the thus structured centrifugal blowing fan 11 , the fact is , that when an external current is supplied to the electronic circuit of the pc board 30 , a driving current is supplied to the stator windings 28 of the fixed portion , through control of the electronic circuit , whereby the rotating portion consisting of the rotation shaft 19 , the back yoke 25 , the magnet 27 and so on rotates together with the impeller 16 . then , when the impeller 16 rotates , air is taken in from the air inlet 13 , towards the axial direction of the rotating shaft 19 , into the impeller 16 . further , the air taken into the impeller 16 is forwarded to the radial direction of the impeller 16 by centrifugal force caused by rotation of the blades 21 of the impeller 16 , passes through the air outlet 14 and is then exhausted to the outside of the casing 12 . thus , by turning the air outlet 14 to the designated direction , the centrifugal blowing fan 11 can blow the air towards that direction . therefore , in case of the centrifugal blowing fan 11 according to this embodiment , the fact is , that protrusions 24 serving as fittings provided on the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 are inserted in holes 26 serving as fitted spaces provided on the flange portion 25 b of the back yoke 25 , then , the tip portions of the protrusions 24 which protrude from the back surface of the flange portion 25 b are fixed by caulking , so that under conformity of the central axis of the impeller 16 with the central axis of the back yoke 25 , the impeller 16 and the back yoke 25 can be easily integrated together with the rotating shaft 19 , without applying the conventional structure at which the back yoke was covered with an accommodation made from resin to be thereby integrated with the impeller . further , it is the fact , that the flange portion 25 b of the back yoke 25 made from metal and the holes 26 , which are the fitted spaces , are formed by press work , and the protrusions 24 , which are the fittings of the impeller 16 made from resin , are formed by injection molding , integrally with the back yoke and the impeller , respectively , wherefore the back yoke 25 and the impeller 16 can be easily aligned against the rotating shaft 19 of the motor 15 . further , in the structure of this centrifugal blowing fan 11 , it is the fact , that by providing a flange portion 25 b on the back yoke 25 made from metal , and abutting and mounting a disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 on this flange portion 25 b , the inner surface of the impeller 16 is separated from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 25 a of the back yoke 25 , and since a wide fitted space is provided between the inner surface of the impeller 16 and the outer surface of the back yoke 25 , air can be absorbed through the air inlet 13 to the fitted space between the impeller 16 and the back yoke 25 smoothly , whereby the blowing rate can be increased . further , by separating the impeller 16 from the back yoke 25 , the impeller 16 is separated from the stator windings 28 which are the source of heat . therefore , thermal damage of the impeller 16 is prevented , which makes usage under severe environment possible . further , since the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 is directly mounted on the flange portion 25 b , it is possible to do away the excessive resin to be arranged around the outer surface of the back yoke 25 , which used to be a problem with a conventional blowing fan . further , in the structure of this centrifugal blowing fan 11 , it is the fact , that as long as there is consistency with the diameter of the flange portion 25 b , it is possible to comply with various products ( e . g . products of different types such as sirocco types or turbo types , products with different flow rate , products with different blade height ), by only replacing the impeller 16 , without changing the structure of the motor 15 . in this embodiment , the fact is , that the holes in the flange portion of the back yoke made from metal can be formed by press work , and the protrusions of the impeller made from resin can be formed by injection molding , integrally with the back yoke or the impeller , respectively . further , when the protrusions of the impeller are fitted to the holes in the flange portion of the back yoke , and the protrusions protruding from the back surface are fixed by caulking , the impeller is tightly fixed and connected under consistency of its central axis with the central axis of the back yoke . thus , back yoke and impeller can be aligned against the rotating shaft of the motor and be integrated easily , wherefore manufacturing can be simplified . as a result , costs can be reduced and product quality can be increased . next , a second embodiment of a structure for fixing and connecting the back yoke with the impeller in a centrifugal blowing fan of the present invention will be described with reference to fig7 and fig8 . portions identical or equivalent to those shown in fig1 to 6 will be assigned with the same number and not be explained again . in the following , mainly the differences between the above described embodiments in view of fig5 ( a ) and fig5 ( b ) and fig6 will be explained . fig7 is a bottom view showing a status wherein the back yoke 25 and the impeller 16 are fixed and connected , and fig8 is a cross - sectional view of a - a line of fig7 . in this embodiment , there are provided key - shaped claws 31 as fittings on the disk portion 23 at the side of the impeller 16 , and the flange portion 25 b of the back yoke 25 is provided with notches 32 as fitted spaces into which the key - shaped claws 31 are inserted . with the key - shaped claws 31 at the side of the disk portion 23 , it is the fact , that while the impeller 16 is injection molded , a plurality of such claws ( six claws in this embodiment ) are at the same time formed on the outer circumference of the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 starting from the lower surface of the disk portion 23 toward the lower side ( in abutting direction with the flange portion 25 b ), as shown in fig8 , as claws having an l - shaped cross section facing inward , as shown in fig7 , the claws being formed in circumferential direction at virtually equal distances , integrally with the disk portion 23 . on the other hand , with the notches 32 at the back yoke 25 , it is the fact , that while the back yoke 25 is press work , a plurality of such notches ( six notches in this embodiment ) are at the same time formed on the circumferential edge of the flange portion 25 b of that back yoke 25 , on the circumferential diameter which is virtually as same as that of the key - shaped claws 31 on the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 , that means in a size at which the key - shaped claws 31 can be fitted , as shown in fig7 , the notches being formed at virtually equal distances . in this structure , it is the fact , that when the key - shaped claws 31 of the impeller 16 are pushed into the notches 32 of the flange portion 25 b , the tip portions of the claws 31 abut with the flange portion 25 b and are elastically deformed toward the outside , thereby evading . when they are further pushed in and the tips of the claws reach the back surface of the flange portion 25 b , the elastic force of the claws 31 is reset and the tips of the claws are engaged with the back surface . hereby , the impeller 16 and the back yoke 25 are concentrically , tightly and easily fixed and connected together with the rotating shaft 19 under consistency with the central axis . this status is shown in fig7 and fig8 . though this embodiment discloses a structure whereat notches 32 are provided at the flange portion 25 b of the back yoke 25 , it is also possible to provide holes , instead of notches 32 , into which the claws 31 are to be inserted . in this embodiment , the fact is , that the notches or the holes in the flange portion of the back yoke made from metal can be formed by press work , and the key - shaped claws of the impeller made from resin can be formed by injection molding , integrally with the back yoke or the impeller , respectively . further , when the claws of the impeller are pushed and snapped into the notches or holes of the flange portion , the claws are engaged with the flange portion , and the impeller is tightly fixed and connected under consistency of its central axis with the central axis of the back yoke . thus , back yoke and impeller can be aligned against the rotating shaft of the motor and be integrated easily , wherefore manufacturing can be simplified . as a result , costs can be reduced and production quality can be increased . next , a third embodiment of a structure for fixedly connecting a back yoke with an impeller in a centrifugal blowing fan of the present invention will be described with reference to fig9 and fig1 ( a ) fig1 ( b ) fig1 ( c ) fig1 ( d ). in subsequent description , members , portions or parts identical or corresponding to those shown in fig1 to 6 will be not repeated by assigning the same reference signs thereto . the differences from the first embodiment described above as shown in fig5 ( a ) and fig5 ( b ) and fig6 will be mainly explained . fig9 is a bottom view showing a state just before fixedly connecting the back yoke 25 and the impeller 16 . fig1 ( a ) fig1 ( b ) fig1 ( c ) fig1 ( d ) is an enlarged view of circled b of fig9 . in this embodiment , locks 33 as fittings are provided on the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 , while notches 34 as fitted spaces are provided in the flange portion 25 b of the back yoke 25 to receive the locks 33 . the locks 33 of the disk portion 23 , while the impeller 16 is injection - molded , are formed simultaneously and integrally with the impeller 16 in plurality ( six locks in this embodiment ) on the outer circumference of the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 at substantially equal distances in circumferential direction , in such a way that the locks protrude from the lower surface of the disk portion 23 toward the lower side ( in abutting direction with the flange portion 25 b ) in a key shape respectively having an l - shaped cross section facing inward ( toward the side of the rotating shaft 19 ). the distance between the upper surfaces of the locks 33 ( hereafter , this term refers to the inner flat surfaces of the key - shaped pieces which abut with back surface of the flange portion 25 b ) and the lower surface of the disk portion 23 is virtually as same as the thickness ( wall thickness ) of the flange portion 25 b . with the notches 34 at the side of the back yoke 25 , it is the fact , that while the back yoke 25 is press work , a plurality of such notches ( six notches in this embodiment ), provided with first notches 34 a having a slightly smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of the locks 33 on the disk portion 23 of the impeller 16 and a slightly larger circumferential diameter than the locks 33 , and second notches 34 b which are formed at an outer circumferential diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the blocks 33 in continuance with the first notches 34 a , are formed on the edge of the outer circumference of the flange portion 25 b of the back yoke 25 at distances virtually as same as the distances between the blocks 33 of the disk portion 23 . in this structure , it is the fact , that when the locks 33 of the impeller 16 are corresponded the first notches 34 a and the disk portion 23 is abutted to the flange portion 25 b , the stopping portions 33 will smoothly be fitted in the notches 34 . fig9 , fig1 ( a ) and fig1 ( b ) show this status , whereat in this status , the upper surfaces of the locks 33 are located at a location virtually as same as the location of the lower surface of the flange portion 25 b ( lower part in fig1 ( b )), or at the slightly lower side . then , when the back yoke 25 is rotated around the center of axis in direction of the arrow shown in fig9 , the second notches 34 b are moved to a location corresponding to the locks 33 , as shown in fig1 ( c ) and fig1 ( d ), the locks 33 will be arranged at the lower surface of the flange portion 25 b , and the flange portion 25 b will be sandwiched between the upper surfaces of the locks 33 and the lower surface of the disk portion 23 . by this sandwiching , the impeller 16 and the back yoke 25 are concentrically , tightly and easily fixed and connected together with the rotating shaft 19 under consistency with the central axis . therefore , also in this embodiment , manufacturing can be simplified , costs can be reduced and quality can be increased . the same applies when the impeller 16 is rotated against the back yoke 25 instead of making the back yoke 25 rotate against the impeller 16 . also in the embodiment shown in fig9 and fig1 ( a ) fig1 ( b ) fig1 ( c ) fig1 ( d ), the notches 34 to be provided in the sleeve portion 25 b of the back yoke 25 may instead be formed as holes provided with portions of first notches 34 a and portions of second notches 34 b . to provide a smooth rotation of the back yoke 25 , so that the flange portion 25 b and the locks 33 do not collide , it is preferable to provide the end surfaces of the locks 33 , which correspond with the place where the first notches 34 a and the second notches 34 b are linked ( hereafter referred to as “ linkage 35 ”) with a radially curved surface or inclined surfaces inclining toward the linkage 35 . further , it is possible to make a configuration such that the distance between the upper surfaces of the locks 33 and the lower surface of the disk portion 23 is , at the side of the end surfaces corresponding with the linkage 35 , larger than the thickness ( wall thickness ) of the flange portion 25 b , to make this distance gradually getting narrow toward the rotating direction of the back yoke 25 , so that as a result of the rotation of the back yoke 25 , the flange portion 25 is sandwiched between the upper surfaces of the locks 33 and the lower surface of the disk portion 23 in a pressed manner . this allows the impeller and the back yoke 25 being connected even stronger . in this embodiment , the fact is , that the notches or the holes in the flange portion of the back yoke made from metal can be formed by press work , and the locks on the fittings of the impeller made from resin can be formed by injection molding , integrally with the back yoke or the impeller , respectively . further , when the claws of the impeller are fitted to the notches or the holes of the flange portion , and the back yoke is rotated , the locks of the impeller are engaged with the notches or the holes of the back yoke , the impeller is tightly fixed and connected under consistency of its central axis with the central axis of the back yoke . thus , back yoke and impeller can be aligned against the rotating shaft of the motor and be integrated easily , wherefore manufacturing can be simplified . as a result , costs can be reduced and production quality can be increased . in integrally speaking through the above embodiments , the fact is , that by joining fittings which are provided on the disk portion of the impeller to the flange portion of the back yoke , it becomes possible to integrate impeller and back yoke by tightly fixing and connecting the two , without adopting the conventional structure wherein the back yoke was covered by an accommodation made from resin create a connection with the impeller . further , since the back yoke is not covered with an accommodation made from resin , it is possible to prevent thermal damage of impeller and back yoke , wherefore the quantity of resin for the impeller is reduced and weight can be saved . further , since the disk portion of the impeller is directly mounted on the flange portion of the back yoke made from metal , arranging excessive resin around the outer surface of the back yoke is no more necessary . furthermore , it becomes possible to form a wide fitted space between the inner circumference of the impeller and the outer circumference of the back yoke . repeatedly enumerating , the above embodiments according to the present invention provide the following effects : ( 1 ) by not covering the back yoke with the accommodation made from resin , the impeller and the back yoke can be prevented from thermal damage , and thus they can be in use under severe environment . ( 2 ) the amount of resin for the impeller can be reduced whereby weight can be saved and costs can be reduced as well . ( 3 ) since it is no more necessary to arrange excessive resin around the outer circumference of the back yoke , it is possible to provide a wide fitted space between the inner circumference of the impeller and the outer circumference of the back yoke , wherefore the blowing capability can be enhanced by increasing the air blowing rate . ( 4 ) since the flange portion of the back yoke made from metal can be formed by press work , and the fittings of the impeller made from resin can be formed by injection molding , forming integrally with the back yoke or the impeller integrally , respectively , is possible . thus , back yoke and impeller can be aligned against the rotating shaft of the motor easily , wherefore manufacturing can be simplified . as a result , costs can be reduced and product quality can be increased . ( 5 ) back yoke and flange portion are integral , and since the impeller is fixed and connected to this flange portion , the driving force can easily be transferred to the impeller . ( 6 ) by providing the back yoke with a flange portion and mounting the impeller on the flange portion , impeller and back yoke can be joined at a position which is away from the stator windings of the motor , which is the source of heat . therefore , there is no danger of deformation and / or damage on the impeller , thus increasing the reliability . ( 7 ) the invention can be realized without changing the conventional number of parts and assembly work . ( 8 ) as long as there is consistency with the flange portion diameter , it is possible to comply with various products ( e . g . products of different types such as sirocco types or turbo types , products with different flow rate , products with different blade height ), by only replacing the impeller , without changing the structure of the motor . the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments described above , and other embodiments and / or modifications are also included as long as the scope of the invention claimed can be achieved . 11 . . . centrifugal blowing fan , 13 . . . air inlet , 14 . . . air outlet , 15 . . . motor , 16 . . . impeller , 19 . . . rotating shaft , 21 . . . blade , 22 . . . annular collar , 23 . . . disk portion , 24 . . . protrusion ( fitting ), 25 . . . back yoke , 25 a . . . cylindrical portion , 25 b . . . flange portion , 26 . . . hole ( fitted space ), 27 . . . magnet , 28 . . . stator winding , 31 . . . claw ( fitting ), 32 . . . notch ( fitted space ), 33 . . . lock ( fitting ), 34 . . . notch ( fitted space ), 34 a . . . first notch , 34 b . . . second notch , 35 . . . linkage	5
as referenced above , fig1 shows an optec 360 retinoscope 10 having thumb slide 12 , condensing lens 14 , and lamp 16 . lamp 16 includes a linear filament designed to create the &# 34 ; streak &# 34 ; reflex or reflection seen by the practitioner from the retina of the eye of the patient being examined . slide 12 moves approximately 1 . 6 cm along handle 18 so that , in its upper position , the filament of lamp 16 is approximately 5 . 0 cm from lens 14 , which has power of + 20 . 00 d . in its lower position , therefore , the filament of lamp 16 is approximately 6 . 6 cm from lens 14 . in use , light rays emanating from lamp 16 are reflected by mirror 19 approximately 45 ° into the patient &# 39 ; s eye . the practitioner can view the rays backscattered from the patient &# 39 ; s retina through a small opening 20 in mirror 19 , effectively focusing the backscattered rays into his pupil . in essence , the phoropter or trial frame lenses subsequently placed before the patient are designed to place the patient &# 39 ; s eye in focus with the practitioner &# 39 ; s eye peering through opening 20 . fig3 - 4 illustrate a modified streak retinoscope 22 of the present invention . retinoscope 22 may be a modified optec 360 retinoscope 10 ( fig1 ) or any other suitable device having a displaceable slide 24 or some other means for moving a lamp relative to a lens . as shown in fig3 - 4 , retinoscope 22 includes a potentiometer 28 coupled to slide 24 , providing means for converting displacement of the slide 24 along handle 30 into an electrical resistance . this resistance can in turn be measured by ohmmeter 32 connected to potentiometer 28 and used by a computer 36 or other appropriate mechanism to calculate the optical power necessary to correct a patient &# 39 ; s error . merely by appropriately combining the resistance measured by ohmmeter 32 with the patient &# 39 ; s current prescription using known equations , computer 36 can rapidly and easily determine the optical correction needed for an overrefracted patient . fig4 details the coupling between potentiometer 28 and slide 24 . wire 40 directly attaches slide 24 to the recording wire or contact arm 44 of potentiometer 28 so that , as slide 24 is displaced ( upward or downward ) along handle 30 , contact arm 44 moves in a corresponding manner . accordingly , potentiometer 28 tracks movement of slide 24 , indicating its deviation from a nominal position . those skilled in the art will recognize that other means may be used to sense the position of slide 24 along handle 30 , including mechanisms electrically or optically coupled to slide 24 or uncoupled but otherwise capable of providing the necessary information . a momentary switch 48 or other suitable device may be included as part of computer 36 ( fig3 ), retinoscope 22 , or elsewhere in the circuitry to provide means for indicating the point at which the practitioner determines that a displacement measurement needs to be recorded . to refract a patient &# 39 ; s eye using retinoscope 22 , the practitioner need merely assume a ( fixed ) position a known distance ( e . g . 50 cm ) from the patient . for a patient having a solely spherical error between approximately - 1 . 75 d and + 2 . 75 d , for example , activating retinoscope 22 with slide 24 in its upper position initially provides to the practitioner the streak reflexive image shown in fig5 a . because no astigmatic error is present in this example , neither the width nor intensity of the streak varies as collar or sleeve 50 is rotated ± 90 ° . lowering slide 24 widens the reflected streak ( fig5 b - c ) until it fills the patient &# 39 ; s pupil as illustrated in fig5 d . again , because the patient has no astigmatic error in this example , rotating sleeve 50 diminishes neither the width nor intensity of the streak ( fig5 e ). at this point momentary switch may be depressed , providing computer 36 information concerning the distance slide 24 has been displaced from its upper position . for a patient having a ( solely ) spherical refractive error of - 2 . 00 d , a retinoscope 22 located 50 cm from the patient &# 39 ; s eye , and slide 24 in its upper position , the practitioner will initially view the images of fig5 d - e . accordingly , no further refractive effort is needed and the initial position of slide 24 is immediately converted into an electrical resistance and transmitted to computer 36 . for a patient having a myopic ( solely ) spherical refractive error greater than - 2 . 00 d , the images of fig5 d - e are likely not attainable for working distances of 50 cm or greater . to accommodate these larger spherical errors , the practitioner can place a phoropter or trial frame lens of , for example , between - 3 . 00 d and - 12 . 00 d before the patient ( or use the patient &# 39 ; s existing prescription lens ) and continue lowering slide 24 until the images of fig5 d - e are obtained . again , at that point the practitioner can simply activate computer 36 to record the displacement information obtained through potentiometer 28 . in this case , however , the power of the phoropter , trial frame , or existing prescription lens must be included in the final corrective calculation ( either as a separate input to computer 36 or manually after the displacement information is converted into the refractive error ). alternatively , the practitioner can move toward the patient , decreasing the distance between the retinoscope and eye under examination , until he views the images of fig5 d - e . this decreased working distance must be determined and appropriately factored into the value obtained from computer 36 , however . for a patient having a ( solely ) spherical error greater than ± 12 . 59 d , the images of fig5 d - e are similarly not likely to be obtained at a working distance of 50 cm . the practitioner in such a case can place a phoropter or trial frame lens of , for example , between + 3 . 00 and + 12 . 00 before the patient ( or again use the patient &# 39 ; s existing prescriptive lens ). with this lens in place , the practitioner can continue lowering slide 24 until the images of fig5 d - e are obtained , at which point he can activate computer 36 to record the displacement information obtained through potentiometer 28 . as in connection with the prior example , the power of the phoropter , trial frame , or existing prescription lens must be included in the final corrective calculation . fig5 f - i and 6a - d illustrate reflections viewed for a patient having a cylindrical error in addition to the spherical errors mentioned in examples a - d . in fig5 f - i , the axis of the patient &# 39 ; s spherical error is 180 ° , while in fig6 a - d the axis is 45 °. for the patient having a cylindrical error principally in the 180 ° meridian , the practitioner determines the spherical error in the same way as discussed above . upon rotating sleeve 50 by ± 90 °, however the image of fig5 f is obtained and the angular orientation of the streak ( i . e . 180 °) is noted or estimated by the practitioner . the practitioner again lowers slide 24 ( fig5 g - h ) until the streak fills the pupil ( fig5 i ), at which point computer 36 is utilized to record the displacement of the slide 24 . the noted cylinder axis can then be included with the measurements to produce a final corrective prescription . embodiments of retinoscope 22 can also incorporate lens discs or carriers to permit lenses of other powers to be substituted for or combined with lens 14 . for example , including a disc of spherical lenses in + 0 . 50 d increments capable of being optically aligned with opening 20 would enhance the practitioner &# 39 ; s ability to use retinoscope 22 accurately at any working distance from 0 - 100 cm . incorporating a distance finder into retinoscope 22 would additionally permit electronic measurement of the working distance for input into computer 36 , while electrically or otherwise coupling the lens disc to the computer would allow direct input of the added spherical power into the computer 36 for use in later calculations . other embodiments of retinoscope 22 function opposite the manner described earlier , recording , for example , the distance slide 24 is displaced from its lower position . these embodiments are designed to accommodate the operating principles utilized in some commercial retinoscopes , in which the light rays from lamp 16 are focused at infinity when slide 12 is completed lowered . yet other embodiments of retinoscope 22 contemplate permitting slide 24 to move more than 1 . 6 cm , providing a greater range of dioptric powers available for refraction . the foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating , explaining , and describing embodiments of the present invention . modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention .	0
referring now to fig1 , a simplified schematic of the system 10 of the present invention is shown . the system 10 allows users the ability of adding content , contests and promotions to web properties . the system 10 generally has a server 12 . the server 12 is used for hosting a plurality of on - line gaming applications as well as templates for allowing registered users the ability to customize different on - line gaming applications . the server 12 may be connected to a host computer system 14 . the computer system 14 may have a processor unit 16 and a display 18 . input devices maybe coupled to the processor unit 16 . the input devices may be a keyboard 19 , a mouse 20 and the like . the processor unit 16 may further have an i / o port 22 for downloading data to the processor unit 16 . the i / o port 22 may be a usb port , a firewire port or the like . the listing of the above is given as an example and should not be seen as to limit the scope of the present invention . through the execution of program instructions forming a computer program product within the computer system 14 , the computer system 14 may provide a means that allows registered users the ability of adding content , contests and promotions to web properties and more specifically to allow registered users the ability to customize different on - line gaming applications . the program instructions maybe located within a memory 28 of the processor unit 16 and executed by a central processing unit 30 ( cpu ). any data generated and or gathered from the running of the program instructions may be stored within a storage media , memory 28 , or the like . alternatively , the computer system 14 may have a connection 34 to the server 12 wherein the server 12 is used to store the means that allows registered users the ability of adding content , contests and promotions to web properties and more specifically to allow registered users the ability to customize different on - line gaming applications and to store the data generated . the server 12 and or the computer system 14 may be connected to a communication network 36 . the communication network 36 may be any type of communication system . in accordance with one embodiment , the communication network 36 is the internet . the server 12 and or the computer system 14 maybe connected to a communication network 36 via a wired and or wireless connection 32 . a plurality of computer systems 38 may be coupled to the server 12 via the communication network 36 . each computer system 38 may be coupled to the communication network via a wired or wireless connection 35 . the computer systems 38 allow customers 60 to access the server 12 in order to play the on - line gaming applications provided by the operator 37 of the server 12 . the customers 60 may have to register prior to accessing the on - line gaming applications of the server 12 . in accordance with one embodiment , the gaming applications are mmogs . the computer systems 38 will be similar to the computer systems 14 . the computer system 38 may have a processor unit 40 and a display 42 . input devices may be coupled to the processor unit 40 . the input devices may be a keyboard 43 , a mouse 44 and the like . the processor unit 40 may have a memory 48 and a central processing unit 50 ( cpu ). the processor unit 40 may further have an i / o port 46 for downloading data to the processor unit 40 . the i / o port 46 may be a usb port , a firewire port or the like . the listing of the above is given as an example and should not be seen as to limit the scope of the present invention . one or more customer servers 52 may be coupled to the server 12 via the communication network 36 . the customer servers 52 may be connected to the communication network 36 via wired and or wireless connections 53 . the customer servers 52 are used for hosting customer websites . the customer servers 52 may be coupled to a customer main computer system 54 . the customer main computer system 54 is used for adding content to the customer server 52 . referring now to fig1 - 9 , operation of the system 10 will be disclosed . in operation , a customer 60 will used the system 10 to partner with the operator 37 of the system 10 to offer an online promotion . in accordance with one embodiment , the customer 60 will offer visitors of the customer &# 39 ; s website 62 a chance to win predetermined prizes ( i . e ., cash , gifts , etc .) by playing an online game . in accordance with one embodiment , the online game is an online mmog . the mmog may be a casino game . as shown in fig7 , in the present embodiment , the mmog is a casino table game . to get started , the customer 60 will access the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 . when a customer 60 accesses the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 , the customer may be sent to a registration section 66 of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 . alternatively , the customer 60 may be sent to a home page of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 where the customer 60 may have to navigate by use of navigation tabs 68 to the registration section 66 of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 . the registration section 66 allows the customer 60 to register as a new customer . if the customer 60 needs to register , the customer 60 may need to enter a plurality of identifying information . the registration section of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 will have a plurality of fields 70 where the identifying information is entered . the customer 60 will enter identifying information in the different fields . for example , the customer 60 may need to provide information such as , but not limited to : user name , password , company name , company address , and the like . once the registration information has been submitted and reviewed by the operator 37 , the customer 60 will be notified of acceptance or if the customer &# 39 ; s request has been declined . the notification may be an email , regular mail , a telephonic message , or the like . in accordance with one embodiment , the notification is an email . if the customer 60 has been approved , the email may contain a confirmation of acceptance and a link to login section 72 of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 . in a similar manner , if the customer 60 is already a registered user , the customer will access the login section 72 of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 in order to log into and access the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 . the login section 72 will have one or more fields 74 . the customer 60 may be able to access the operator website 64 by entering at least one of a user name and or a password in the appropriate field 74 . once the user name and or password has been validated , the customer 60 will be sent to the section of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 where the customer 60 may customize a particular gaming application . the section of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 where the customer 60 may customize a particular gaming application allows the customer to select a particular gaming application to use as a promotion . the gaming application may be any type of online gaming application . in accordance with one embodiment , the online gaming application is an online mmog . the mmog may be a casino game . as shown in fig8 in the present embodiment , the mmog is a casino table game and more specifically , a casino poker game . once a particular gaming application has been selected , the customer 60 may customize the gaming application . the customer 60 may customize the gaming application by selecting where and how different advertisements 76 may be shown . in accordance with one embodiment , the customer 60 may upload their logos 78 to be seen on the game table , background graphics to be seen behind the table and can insert advertising call tags so that their visitors see their ads while playing the game . alternatively , the customer 60 may provide links which allows their logos 78 and advertising call tags to be downloaded from the client server 52 . the customer 60 may further have the option of running an invitational tournament for all , or a specific subset ( high speed internet users ) of their players . the customer 60 may offer their registered users a private tournament that is only accessible through the entry of a code , password , or by loading an invitation list of specific emails . the customer 60 may further be provided with banners 78 to be placed on the customer &# 39 ; s website 62 . the banners 78 will provide advertisement inviting visitors to the customer &# 39 ; s website 62 the opportunity to visit the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 where the visitor may play different gaming applications . the visitors to the customer &# 39 ; s website 62 further may have the exclusive opportunity to play in a customer 60 sponsored only invitational tournament held at the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 . the different gaming applications may award the winner different prizes . local league prizes are an option and can be added at any time . when a visitor to the customer &# 39 ; s website 62 clicks on the banner 78 or a link sent via email , the visitor is directed to a customized landing page 68 . the landing page 68 may explains about the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 , reviews the customer &# 39 ; s invitational tournament ( if applicable ), and or provides instructions on how to register . the landing page 68 is customized for each different customer . the landing page 68 may explains the above mentioned via text , audio , and or video means . in accordance with one embodiment , the landing page 68 introduces a site spokesman 80 , and reviews the customer &# 39 ; s invitational tournament ( if applicable ), and provides instructions on how to register . the landing page 68 is customized for each different customer 60 . if a visitor decided to participate and become a player of the mmog , the visitor is taken to a co - branded registration page 82 . the registration page 82 has a plurality of fields 84 . the fields 84 may be used for each player to enter identifying information . as part of the official rules , each player may have to agree to have the registration data shared . the identifying information to be entered in the fields 84 by each player may include , but is not limited to : player name , player address , date of birth , sex , screen name , password , email address , and the like . when a player that has registered from an affiliate site ( i . e ., customer website 62 ) logs - in to the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 to play one of the gaming applications the player is sent to a home page 86 of the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 . the player is ‘ tagged ’ as coming from a specific ‘ affiliate ’ site ( i . e ., customer website 62 ) on which the player registered . this means that players that have registered from these sites see a customized or ‘ skinned ’ presentation layer - extending the affiliates &# 39 ; content seamlessly . thus , each player sees an entirely different presentation layer based upon the affiliate site ( i . e ., customer website 62 ) that particular player registered from . each player will see different advertisements 76 , banners 78 , and the like related to the specific ‘ affiliate ’ site ( i . e ., customer website 62 ) on which the player registered from . when a player selects a particular gaming application , the player is sent to the gaming page 88 selected . again , the player is ‘ tagged ’ as coming from a specific ‘ affiliate ’ site ( i . e ., customer website 62 ) on which the player registered . that player sees the customized or ‘ skinned ’ presentation layer - extending the affiliates &# 39 ; content seamlessly . each player sees a different presentation layer based upon which affiliate site ( i . e ., customer website 62 ) that particular player registered from . thus , each player will see different advertisements 76 , banners 78 , and the like related to the specific ‘ affiliate ’ site ( i . e ., customer website 62 ) on which the player registered from . this allows the system 10 to have the different players playing at a single table all seeing different presentation in the embodiment shown in fig8 , each player sees a branded table top showing the logo 78 , backdrop , and a % of ads 76 that rotate around the table . in accordance with one embodiment , the logo 78 , backdrop , and a % of ads 76 that rotate around the table are called from the affiliate server 52 . this increases site visitation metrics and banner ad revenues , promotes cross conversion to other media and allows for targeted marketing to this online constituency . this also enables web properties to recognize players that have registered from their site at a site - specific basis while also having them compete at a national level . the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 may further have a leaderboard page 90 . the leaderboard page 90 presents standings at both a national and affiliate basis . the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 may further have a video page 92 . prior to and during pre - programmed game - breaks , a streaming media player may open as shown in fig1 . the video page 92 allows customers 60 to showcase ad content or rich - media ads . even if you one is not a customer 60 , the system 10 may allow any sponsor to deploy a promotional tournament , or series of tournaments , using the operator website 64 . for example : company xyz wants to offer their in - store visitors a new promotion . people come into the store and get a card with an invitation code on it . people go to the operator &# 39 ; s website 64 ( or through a landing page ) and register to play in the company xyz poker invitational . in order to register one must have a code — and of course no purchase is necessary . this could be done with a b2b application also where a national sales force runs a promotion and only the 3 , 000 sales people around the country can play and they can enter by just putting their joe @ mycompany . com email address in to the tournament registration area . the system 10 provides the thrill of high - stakes tournament gaming without any of the risk - all wrapped around a branded adver - gaming experience . customers 60 get to touch their visitors on multiple levels in a casual gaming atmosphere . while embodiments of the disclosure have been described in terms of various specific embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the disclosure can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims .	6
the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few 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 avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention . one or more embodiments of the invention relate to spectral purity filters for use in lithography systems . in an embodiment , a spectral purity filter having one edge attached to a supporting member is proposed . during use , gas flow , and preferably laminar gas flow , is furnished to provide gas flow support for the spectral purity filter and to counteract gravity . by way of example , hydrogen is often present in euv lithography systems and may be employed to provide gas flow support for the thin film material of the spectral purity filter . as the term is employed herein , gas flow support refers to the support for the film that otherwise would not exist in the absence of such gas flow . within this broad definition , the support itself may be accomplished by any number of gas ports ( such as a single gas port or multiple gas ports ) directed at or along or across one or both surfaces of the film . furthermore , the direction and / or volume and / or velocity of the gas exiting each port may be the same or may differ as desired . by using a gas flow to support the spectral purity filter , support is provided more evenly for the thin film . this is in contrast to the mesh approach , whereby the thin film is supported mostly in the vicinity of the mesh , necessitating small mesh openings ( and concomitantly a greater ratio of mesh vs . transmittance area ) to support the fragile thin film material . in an embodiment , no mesh material in employed in the area of the thin film that is employed for filtering purposes , thereby maximizing transmittance efficiency . in one or more embodiments , the gas flow is substantially parallel to the thin film surface . in one or more other embodiments , the gas flow may be directed at an angle to the thin film to achieve proper gas flow support to maintain the spectral purity filter at the desired operational position . in one or more embodiments , different gas volumes and / or velocities may be employed at different points and / or on different sides of the thin film to achieve proper and stable gas flow support for the thin film . in one or more embodiments , the remaining edges of the spectral purity filters are unsupported . in this configuration , there are no structures interrupting the laminar gas flow along the thin film surfaces ). in one or more embodiments , one or both of the edges that are parallel to the gas flow may be attached to one or more supporting members to stiffen the thin film . since the gas flow is parallel to the edge supporting members , there are also no structures in the gas flow path that may disrupt the laminar flow even though additional stiffness is achieved . in one or more embodiments , the supporting member that is attached to the thin film is a relatively inflexible supporting member that is capable of providing mechanical strength to permit coupling of the spectral purity filter to the rest of the lithography system . a flexible connecting member , such as a mylar ® film , may optionally be coupled between the inflexible supporting member and the more fragile thin film material . by providing a flexible connecting member , stress fractures due to , for example , vibration or other forms of mechanical stress may be reduced during use . in one or more embodiments , a start - up procedure may be provided . the spectral purity filter may initially rest in a vertical direction and may be supported by gravity . as part of the start - up procedure , gas flow may be gradually provided and may be varied in volume and / or velocity and / or direction to smoothly rotate the thin film to a more horizontal position . the gas flow may be provided in gradually increasing volumes and / or velocities and / or direction to avoid blasting the thin film with a sudden blast of gas . in an embodiment , a mechanical rotating arrangement ( such as a motor ) may be provided , alternatively or additionally , to assist the cantilevered thin film to rotate to the operational position , which may be more horizontal . the features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the figures and discussions that follow . fig1 shows , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , a spectral purity filter 100 having a thin film 102 . thin film 102 is attached along one edge 104 to a support structure 106 . for discussion purpose , edge 104 of thin film 102 that is attached to support structure 106 is referred to herein as the primary supported edge . thin film 102 may represent , for example , a thin film in the range of 10 - 100 nm thick and may be formed of a suitable material such as , for example , zr or si . in one or more embodiments , thin film 102 may be a planar structure having parallel planar surfaces . in other embodiments , thin film 102 may be a tapered structure such that the primary supported edge 104 is either thicker or thinner than the opposite edge or may be in the shape of a lens . in an embodiment , thin film 102 is rectangular or square in shape , and only one edge is attached to a support structure . in another embodiment , thin film 102 may have a different shape than shown ( such as for example a non - polygonal shape or a polygon with more than three or four edges ). fig2 shows , in accordance with an embodiment , spectral purity filter 100 disposed in an example operational position , which is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of gravity . however , such position is not a limitation of the present invention , and the operational position may be at any desired angle . if the operational position is other than vertical , i . e ., other than parallel to gravity , support is provided to spectral purity filter 100 in the form of gas flow support provided by gas flow directed along the planar surface or planar surfaces of spectral purity filter 100 . for example , a gas may be flowed out of gas port 120 a along the lower side 110 of spectral purity filter 100 to provide gas flow support for spectral purity filter 100 . in some embodiments , gas may also be flowed along the upper side 112 of spectral purity filter 100 . this gas is shown flowing from gas port 120 b in the example of fig2 . the angle of incidence of the gas flow may be zero ( in which case the gas is flowed substantially parallelly to the plane of the thin film ) or may be at some other angle to provide the desired gas flow support . gas may be flowed from a single slit disposed near the primary - supported edge as shown in the example of fig2 or may be flowed from one or more jets directed along or at the planar surface or surfaces of the thin film . in one or more embodiments , the gas employed to provide gas flow support for the thin film of the spectral purity filter may be hydrogen , which is present in many euv lithography systems . however , any gas may be employed without limitation . in fig2 , edge 120 that is opposite primary supported edge 104 is preferably left free , i . e ., unattached to a supporting member , so as to avoid disrupting the laminar air flow . furthermore , the edges that are parallel to the air flow are also left unattached . in this cantilevered arrangement , the spectral purity filter is supported mechanically along the primary supported edge 104 and is supported by gas flow elsewhere . in other embodiments , however , one or more of the remaining edges may be attached to a supporting member , which provides mechanical stiffness for the attached edge ( s ). in the example of fig2 , support structure 106 is mechanically coupled to a gas manifold 130 that is configured for flowing gas along the lower and upper surfaces of thin film 102 . manifold 130 may in turn be coupled to other support structures of the lithography system . in an embodiment , the gas flow is directed along the axis that connects primary supported edge 104 with opposite edge 120 . fig3 shows spectral purity filter 100 in the pre - operational position . in this position , supporting structure 106 , which is coupled with primary supported edge 104 , is connected to the gas manifold ( or to other supporting structures of the lithography system ). however , since thin film 102 hangs vertically downward and is supported by gravity , gas flow support is unnecessary . as a start - up sequence , gas flow may be provided to facilitate rotating thin film 102 to its operational position ( e . g ., the horizontal position of fig2 ). the volume and / or velocity of gas employed for rotating thin film 102 may be varied over time and / or direction ( using for example rotatable nozzles ) and / or differentiated between the upper and lower surfaces to facilitate smoothly rotating thin film 102 into its operational position . in this case , support structure 106 may be permitted to free pivot to enable the rotation of spectral purity filter 100 into the operational position . in another example , a rotational force ( using for example a motor ) may be exerted on support structure 106 to assist in the rotation of spectral purity filter 100 into its operational position . it is preferred , however , that gas flow be provided to provide continuous gas flow support to thin film 102 while rotating and while spectral purity filter 100 is disposed at its operational position . fig4 shows , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , a spectral purity filter 400 having a thin film 402 . thin film 402 has an edge 404 coupled to a support structure 410 that comprises a flexible member 408 and a structural member 406 . in the example of fig4 , edge 104 is coupled to flexible member 408 , which is in turn coupled to structural member 406 . flexible member 408 , which is more flexible than structural member 406 , absorbs mechanical vibration and shocks to better protect thin film 402 against mechanical stress . in an example , flexible member 408 represents a flexible membrane such as mylar and may be attached to thin film 402 using an appropriate adhesive , for example . 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 . although various examples are provided herein , it is intended that these examples be illustrative and not limiting with respect to the invention . for example , although the gas that provides gas flow support is shown flowing from slits , it is possible to flow such gas from one or more jets directed along or at the surface ( s ) of the thin film . as another example , although the gas is shown flowing along the axis that connects the primary supported edge with its opposite edge , the gas that provides the support may be flowed cross - wise or in any other direction as suitable for providing such support . as another example , although zr and si are discussed as examples of spectral purity filter thin film material , any suitable spectral purity filter material may be employed . also , the title and summary are provided herein for convenience and should not be used to construe the scope of the claims herein . further , the abstract is written in a highly abbreviated form and is provided herein for convenience and thus should not be employed to construe or limit the overall invention , which is expressed in the claims . it should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations , permutations , and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .	6
the present invention constitutes an improvement over commonly - assigned u . s . pat . no . 3 , 676 , 629 and u . s . pat . no . 2 , 779 , 844 . the u . s . pat . no . 3 , 676 , 629 is itself an improvement over the invention disclosed and claimed in commonly - assigned u . s . pat . no . 2 , 894 , 101 to lindell et al , which employs both a switch operator disclosed in commonly - assigned u . s . pat . no . 3 , 563 , 102 to bernatt et al and an arc - extinguishing housing disclosed in commonly - assigned u . s . pat . no . 3 , 671 , 697 to harner et al . referring first to fig1 there is shown one phase switch 10 of a three - phase , high - voltage switch , the other two phases of which are not shown . the other two phases may be aligned with the phase switch 10 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of fig1 . all three phase switches 10 may be located within a metal housing or cabinet . for a more complete description of this arrangement , see u . s . pat . no . 3 , 676 , 629 . the phase switch 10 is mounted to a metallic frame 12 to which all three phase switches may be commonly mounted . each phase switch 10 includes a switch blade 14 that is secured to a metallic switch - blade support 16 which is carried by one or more horizontal insulators 18 appropriately mounted to pivot about a horizontal axis 20 . electrical connection to the switch blade support 16 is made by a sliding contact 22 which is mounted on , and secured to , a stationary terminal 24 . the stationary terminal 24 is mounted on a stationary lower insulator 26 , which is carried by the frame 12 . the phase switch 10 also includes a stationary contact assembly , generally indicated at 28 , which constitutes the subject matter of the present invention , the details of which are set forth hereinafter . the stationary contact assembly 28 includes a contact support terminal bracket 30 that is mounted on an upper insulator 32 in any appropriate fashion . the stationary contact assembly 28 is enclosed by an arc - extinguishing housing , generally indicated at 34 , which constitutes the subject matter of the harner et al patent . the arc - extinguishing housing 34 is secured in any convenient fashion to the contact support terminal bracket 30 . the insulator 18 and the switch blade 14 are pivoted between the switch opened ( solid lines ) and the switch closed ( phantom lines ) positions about the horizontal axis 20 by the switch operator disclosed and claimed in the bernatt et al patent . the construction of the operator of the bernatt et al patent and its connection to the insulator 18 is such as to pivot the distal end of the switch blade 14 at a high velocity , such as 28 to 34 ft . per second although other blade velocities are contemplated . such relatively high velocity of the switch blade 14 minimizes arcing between the distal end of the switch blade 14 and the associated stationary contact assembly 28 when a circuit ( not shown ), opposed points of which are connected to the stationary terminal 34 and the contact support terminal bracket 30 , is closed to pick up a load , an overload or a short circuit . since the time permitted for arcing is correspondingly reduced by the high speed of the blade 14 , there is accordingly a corresponding reduction in erosion that would otherwise take place on both the blade 14 and the stationary contact assembly 28 if the circuit were not closed so rapidly . the switch blade 14 is arranged to pivot through a slot 35 ( fig2 ) in the arc - extinguishing housing 34 . the slot 35 , as more completely described in the harner et al patent , is defined by a pair of plates or covers 36 , only one of which is shown in fig1 ( see fig2 ). the stationary contact assembly 28 is located within the plates 36 and a pair of additional plate or cover sections 38 ( only one of which is shown in fig1 ), which may be formed integrally with , or otherwise attached to the plates or covers 36 . referring now to fig2 - 5 , it may be seen that the stationary contact assembly 28 includes a pair of contact plates 40 made of a good conducting metal . the contact plates 40 are secured to opposite sides of the contact support terminal bracket 30 by bolts 42 or other fasteners . the contact plates 40 have offset distal ends 44 , which include contacts 46 . the contacts 46 are concavities , preferably spherical , which are coined or otherwise die - formed in the distal ends 44 . typically , the radius of the concave , spherical contacts 46 is quite large , a radius on the order of approximately 13 / 8 inches being typical . this radius is indicated by the reference numeral 48 . the contacts 46 are preferably coaxial . coaxially formed on each contact plate 40 with the respective contacts 46 , are concavities 50 , also preferably spherical . the concavities 50 may be formed at the same time and during the same operation that forms the contacts 46 . the radius 52 of the concavities 50 is typically on the order of 13 / 4 inches . thus , the spherical contacts 46 and the spherical concavities 50 are mutually coaxial and each contact / concavity pair 46 / 50 is concentric . because the convexities 46 and concavities 50 are coined and no large mass ( as in the u . s . pat . no . 3 , 676 , 629 is added , the plates 40 may be spaced close together for a purpose set forth below . the contacts 46 define a gap 54 into and out of which the switch blade 14 is moved for engagement with and disengagement from the contacts 46 . the switch blade 14 is shown disengaged from the contacts 46 in fig4 and is shown engaged with the contacts 46 in fig3 . because of the spherical shape of the contacts 46 , the blade 14 is engaged thereby at opposed points thereof . the switch blade 14 may have a beveled edge , as indicated at 56 in fig2 and 3 . as the switch blade 14 approaches the contacts 46 , the beveled edge 56 is so related thereto that engagement of the blade 14 with the contacts 46 takes place at a relatively shallow angle . silver inserts 58 ( fig3 ) may be mounted in opposite sides of the switch blade 14 to provide low resistance contact engagement with the contacts 46 . preferably , the contact plates 40 are slotted , as shown at 60 ( fig5 ), to define a pair of furcations 62 . both furcations 62 on each contact plate 40 preferably have the contacts 46 and the concavities 50 formed therein . thus , the contact plates 40 define two pair of opposed contacts 46 for engagement with the switch blade 14 . the furcations 62 , and thus the four contacts 46 , are biased toward each other and into contact engagement with the silver inserts 58 by shallow , generally u - shaped leaf springs , generally indicated at 64 . the leaf springs 64 includes elongated central portions 66 which extend along the outside of the contact plates 40 generally parallel thereto . if the contact plates 40 contain the slot 60 forming the furcations 62 , the central portions 66 of the leaf springs 64 may also contain a slot , indicated at 68 , defining furcations 70 . the furcations 70 are generally aligned with the furcations 62 . the leaf springs 64 also include forward legs or extensions 72 and rearward legs or extensions 74 . the rearward legs or extensions 74 bear against the contact plates 40 near the bolts 42 and act as a reaction member for the leaf springs 64 . the forward legs or extensions 72 bear against the surfaces of the concavities 50 generally along the axes thereof . to this end , the terminus of each forward leg or extension 72 is ground , or otherwise shaped , to have a rounded surface which nestles in its respective concavity 50 . typically , the radius of the surface on the terminus of each forward leg or extension 72 is on the order of 1 - 23 / 32 of an inch as indicated by the radius 76 . the terminus of each forward leg or extension 72 both conformally nestles in its concavity 50 , and slidingly , frictionally moves relative thereto , as described below . the leaf springs 54 may be used with backup leaf springs 78 , held against the outside thereof . to facilitate mounting of the backup leaf springs 78 to the leaf springs 74 , and to prevent relative movement therebetween , the leaf springs 64 and 78 may contain mating dimples indicated generally at 80 which lock into each other . the back - up springs 78 may be furcated , by a slot 81 similar to the slot 68 ( see fig5 ). the leaf springs 64 and 78 are maintained bent by an equalizer 82 , which may take the form of a bolt 84 as shown . the bolt 84 extends through aligned clearance holes ( not shown ) in the leaf springs 64 and 78 and in the contact plates 40 . the tightening of a nut 86 on a threaded end of the bolt 84 bends the leaf springs 64 and 78 , and accordingly urges the contacts 46 together . referring again to fig2 and with additional reference to fig3 and 4 , the gap 54 between the contacts 46 maintained by the leaf springs 64 and 78 acted on by the equalizer 82 is slightly less than the thickness of the switch blade 14 . in order to maintain this gap 54 , a spacer pin 88 is employed . the spacer pin 88 may be made of stainless steel or the like , and is held in position by a rectangular insulating support 90 . in the preferred embodiment where the contact plate 40 is bifurcated , the insulating support 90 maintains a pair of spacer pins 88 between each pair of opposed furcations 70 . the insulating support 90 may be positioned between the contact plates 40 and may be located in a complimentarily shaped notch 92 formed in the contact support terminal bracket 30 . engagement of the insulative support 90 by the walls of the notch 92 prevents rotation thereof , while permitting the spacer pins 88 to &# 34 ; float &# 34 ; between the contact plates 40 . the bolt 84 constituting the equalizer 82 passes through a clearance hole ( not shown ) in the insulating support 90 to prevent linear movement thereof . the length of the spacer pins 88 is such that in the absence of the switch blade 14 from the vicinity of the contacts 46 , the gap 54 between the contacts 46 is maintained at a distance slightly less than the thickness of the switch blade 14 . comparing fig3 and 4 , if the switch blade 14 has moved to the closed position ( fig3 ), the contacts 46 are moved slightly apart against the biasing action of the leaf springs 64 and 78 . at this time , the full spring force of the leaf springs 64 and 78 is exerted against the contacts 46 to provide corresponding pressure thereof against the switch blade 14 and the silver inserts 48 therein . in fabricating and adjusting a commercial embodiment of the present invention where the switch 10 is rated for continuous current of 600 amperes , the bolt 84 constituting the equalizer 82 and the nut 86 thereon are tightened until the gap 54 is approximately 0 . 075 inch . subsequently , the bolt 94 and the nut 86 are readjusted with a test fixture in the gap 54 until the pressure of the contacts 46 on the test fixture is 38 pounds , plus or minus 2 pounds , with a gap 54 being maintained at approximately 0 . 125 inch by the test fixture . when the test fixture is removed from the gap 54 , the contacts 46 , which now move back toward each other , must be spaced apart from 0 . 060 to 0 . 080 inch . the switch blade 14 is approximately 0 . 125 inch thick . in operation , the switch blade 14 is pivoted in the direction indicated by arrow 94 ( see fig1 ) by the operator at high velocity . as the switch blade 14 approaches the contacts 46 , under such conditions that current flow at a relatively high voltage is to be established , there is a tendency for an arc to form between the advancing beveled edge 46 of the switch blade 14 and one or the other or both of the contacts 46 . the time for arc initiation to positive mechanical engagement between the switch blade 14 and the contacts 46 is approximately one millisecond if the arc is established at a voltage crest . this represents approximately 1 / 4 of the time for the current to reach its maximum value . if the current is established at a voltage zero , the time will be less than 1 / 3 of a millisecond . as previously noted , because of the beveled edge 56 on the switch blade 14 , and the large radius 48 of the contacts 46 , engagement between the switch blade 14 and the contacts 46 takes places at a relatively shallow angle . there is further blade travel after the time of positive mechanical contact , but during this time , the contact is a sliding contact between the blade 14 and the contacts 46 and little or no arcing exists if the contacts 46 do not bounce . the total time from arc initiation until the switch blade 14 reaches the fully closed position shown in fig2 and 3 , is four to five milliseconds or approximately 1 / 4 cycle at 60 hertz . the switch 10 constructed as described above , is capable of closing on a high - voltage circuit ( 5 , 000 volts or more ) with a high current available ( 40 , 000 amperes or more ). for example , the switch construction disclosed herein is capable of closing on a 40 , 000 ampere fault at from 14 . 4 - 25 kv two times and still carry rated continuous current on the order of 400 - 600 amperes . also , the switch 10 is capable of closing on a 40 , 000 ampere fault at the same voltage twice and still carry and interrupt the rated continuous current . the mounting of the stationary contact assembly 28 within the arc extinguishing housing 34 decreases the violence of a fault closing operation to a level which minimizes damage to the phase switch 10 and to other equipment in its vicinity . also , this construction permits opening the circuit and rapid extinguishment of any arc incident thereto . an important feature of the present invention is reduction to a minimum of transient mechanical oscillations incident to the switch closing operation . this is achieved by the use of the leaf springs 64 and 78 , by the low mass of the contacts 46 , by the close spacing of the plates 40 and by the frictional sliding engagement between the terminus of the forward legs or extensions 72 on the contacts 50 . specifically , the tensioning of the leaf springs 64 and 78 by the equalizer 82 applies a constant high force to the contacts 46 along the axis thereof by the forward legs or extensions 72 . this force application tends to damp out or prevent mechanical oscillations of the furcations 62 when the switch blade 14 engages the contacts 46 . because the contacts 46 are formed by a simple coining or stamping operation , and involve the addition of no mass thereto , in contrast to the u . s . pat . no . 3 , 676 , 629 , the mass thereof is kept to a minimum , considering the current carrying capacity thereof . as a consequence , the natural freqency of the entire mechanical system which includes the furcations 62 is increased over that shown in the u . s . pat . no . 3 , 676 , 629 . this increase in the natural frequency with its concomitant decrease in amplitude tends to minimize the bouncing or mechanical oscillations of the contacts 46 as they are engaged at high speed by the switch blade 14 . oscillations which do tend to occur are easily and quickly damped by the springs 64 and 78 . it will also be noted that , with respect to the contacts 46 , the furcations 62 pivot about a pivot point represented by the spacer pin 88 , as pivoting radius being defined between such spacer pin 88 and the contacts 46 . the central portions 66 of the leaf spring 64 , on the other hand , pivot about the equalizer 82 , the pivoting radius being defined between the bolt 84 thereof and the forward legs or extensions 72 . the pivoting radius for the forward extensions or legs 72 is longer than the pivoting radius for the contacts 46 . as a consequence , when flexing of the furcations 62 and of the leaf springs 64 occurs due to rapid engagement of the contacts 46 by the switch blade 14 , some relative sliding frictional movement between the rounded terminus of each forward leg or extension 72 and its conformally engaged , preferably spherical , concavity 50 occurs . this sliding frictional engagement , which involves the edges of the termini digging or biting into the concavities , dissipates energy and tends to damp or prevent mechanical oscillations of the contacts 46 and , accordingly , bounce of such contacts 46 . lastly , because the contacts 46 are coined , the plates 40 may be spaced closely together , as shown . thus , as the blade 14 engages the contacts 46 , current flow generates a magnetic field which is very effective in pulling the closely spaced plates 40 together further preventing or damping oscillations therein in aid of the springs 64 and 78 . the contact assembly 28 can move slightly from side to side as a unit . as a consequence , large asymmetric magnetic forces due to high ( e . g ., fault ) currents flowing as the switch blade 14 attempts to engage the contacts 46 are unable to cause unbalanced pressure on opposite sides of the switch blade 14 by the contacts 46 . because the contact plates 40 are preferably longer than the leaf springs 64 and 78 , such contact plates 40 cannot apply a large force on the contacts 46 . accordingly , the force applied by the contacts 46 to opposite sides of the switch blade 14 is determined primarily by the leaf springs 64 and 78 . thus , a significant change in contact force by the contacts 46 against the blade 14 does not occur if the contact plates 40 are bent or annealed by either magnetic forces due to high current flowing therein , or heat generated by such currents , or by arcs . as is well known , auxiliary contact fingers ( not shown ) may be attached to the contacts 46 in advance thereof . during a closing operation , any arc that is established to the switch blade 14 terminates on such auxiliary contacts rather than on the contacts 46 . as a result , no initial arcing takes place between the switch blade 14 and the contacts 46 , thus increasing the life of such contacts 46 . the above described embodiments of the present invention are simply illustrative of the principles thereof . various other modifications and changes may be devised by those skilled in the art which embody the principles of this invention yet fall within the spirit and scope thereof .	7
referring to fig1 the engine coolant heater , generally indicated as 11 , includes a housing 13 with an insulation cover 15 to promote thermal efficiency of the engine coolant heater 11 . the top of housing 13 has an opening 17 . contained within the housing 13 is a combustion chamber 19 which includes a stack 21 which extends vertically through opening 17 . the stack 21 has fixably mounted thereto by any conventional means a hood 23 to prevent foreign objects from entering the combustion chamber 19 . the combustion chamber 19 further includes a burner 25 , which in the preferred embodiment forms the base of the combustion chamber 19 . a plurality of members 27 are fixably mounted by any conventional means such as by welding to the bottom of burner 25 and the housing base 29 to support the combustion chamber 19 and stack 21 within the housing 13 . the housing further includes a drain plug 31 screwably mounted in the base 29 to permit draining . a coolant heating tank 33 is mounted within the combustion chamber 19 . the coolant heating tank 33 includes a coolant inlet tube 35 and a coolant outlet tube 37 which journeys through the combustion chamber 19 and the housing 13 in a fitted manner to fixably support the coolant heating tank 33 within the combustion chamber 19 . the inlet tube 35 and outlet tube 37 communicate with an engine cooling system ( not shown ). in operation fuel is continuously delivered to the engine coolant heater 11 from a fuel source ( not shown ) through a fuel line 39 to the burner 25 in metered amounts , the fuel being gravity fed or pump motivated through line 39 . the fuel may be of any suitable type , e . g ., gasoline , diesel fuel , ethyl ether , etc . to initiate fuel combustion , a resistance probe 41 is electrically energized by any conventional means to deliver sufficient thermal energy to the burner 25 contained fuel to initiate combustion . after the fuel is ignited by resistance ignition probe 41 , a temperature sensor 42 will cause the resistance ignition probe 41 to be de - energized in any conventional manner , e . g ., sensor 42 can activate a switching means to remove electrical potential from probe 41 . it is noted that it is not necessary to atomize the fuel ignition and , because the fuel is delivered in a metered amount , the combustion rate is controlled . ignition probe 41 can be composed of a nickel or nickel chromium alloy , which substances when subjected to electrical stimulus will generate sufficient thermal energy to ignite diesel fuel if employed in the preferred embodiment of the preferred embodiment . the heater tank 33 is located in proximity to the burner 25 to receive substantial amounts of thermal energy generated as a result of fuel combustion , therefrom transmitting the received thermal energy to the contained coolant . the coolant outlet tube 37 is vertically elevated with respect to the coolant inlet tube 35 , such that , the acquisition of thermal energy by the contained coolant will increase the kinetic energy of the coolant to allow the coolant to be self - motivated to discharge from the heating tank 33 and circulate within an engine , eliminating the necessity for a pump to stimulate coolant circulation in an engine . referring to fig1 and , more particularly to fig2 the burner 25 of the combustion chamber 19 includes a base 43 having a metering orifice member 44 extending vertically through and slightly beyond the bottom 45 of base 43 . the fuel line 39 is in fitted communication with the metering orifice member 44 beneath the base 43 . the base 43 has a shallow ringed ridge 47 formed therein encircling the metering orifice member 44 atop base 43 . the resistance ignition probe 41 journeys through the housing 13 into the combustion chamber 19 to a point just inside the ringed ridge 47 . the base 43 also has a plurality of holes 49 extending vertically therethrough . because of the spacing between the combustion chamber 19 and stack 21 with respect to the housing 13 external air is permitted to travel unassisted therebetween and beneath base 43 through holes 49 to facilitate in fuel combustion . to promote fuel ignition , fuel delivered through line 39 and metering orifice 44 collects within ring ridge 47 . the heating rod 41 is positioned to directly communicate with fuel collected within ridge 47 and is electrically stimulated by any conventional means to obtain a temperature sufficient to ignite for fuel . for example , in the case of no . 2 diesel fuel the ignition temperature is between 500 ° to 800 ° f . after ignition is obtained , heating rod 41 is de - energized in a manner aforementioned , fuel combustion thereafter being self - sustaining . the metering orifice 44 allows a sufficient fuel flow for continuous combustion . the holes 49 in base 43 have formed ridge 51 therearound atop base 43 of sufficient elevation to protect against spillage of fuel through the holes 49 . to assist flow through the metering orifice 44 when heavy fuels are to be used , for example diesel fuel , an electrical resistance heating coil 53 can be employed . the heating coil 53 is fixably mounted to and beneath base 43 by any conventional jmeans encircling the area of communication between line 39 and metering orifice 44 . also , fixably mounted by any conventional means to the bottom 45 of base 43 is a housing ring 55 which in conjunction with bottom 45 of base 43 partially encases the heating coil 53 to promote thermal efficiency . conduit 57 carries electrical lines 59 to the heating coil 53 to enable coil 53 to be electrically energized by any conventional means . referring to fig3 an alternative burner 25 includes a base 111 having a plurality of holes 113 extending vertically therethrough . holes 113 in base 111 have formed ridge 115 therearound atop base 111 of sufficient elevation to protect against spillage of fuel through the holes 113 . a metering orifice 117 is contained in base 111 in fitted communication with line 39 beneath base 111 . encircling the metering orifice 117 on the top of base 111 is an electrical resistance heating element 119 which has a conduit 121 extending through the base 111 communicating with heating element 119 containing power lines ( not shown ). the heating element 19 creates a heat well to assist fuel flow through the orifice 117 in addition to promoting fuel ignition . aligned below the heating element 119 mounted to the underside of base 111 is insulating material 123 encircling the area of communication between the metering orifice 117 and fuel line 39 just below base 111 . in the alternative embodiment fluid which is transmitted from line 39 through metering orifice 117 is heated by elements 119 , ignition probe 41 which extends slightly within the heat well formed by heating element 119 is electrically energized to achieve ignition . once the ignition is achieved , fuel combustion is self - sustaining and continuous . the preferred embodiments of the present invention are particularly compatible for use in a vehicle in conjunction with an on board micro - processor . the micro - processor can be programmed to activate the engine coolant heater 11 in a manner aforedescribed at a particular time and deactivate the coolant heater 11 when the engine coolant has reached a certain inlet temperature . it is noted , that in the preferred embodiments of the present invention , probe 41 only requires electrical power for a short period of time sufficient to ignite a fuel . the electrical power requirement of heating coil 53 or heating element 119 in the alternative embodiment is relatively small since their function is to only supply sufficient heat to promote through orifices 44 or 117 , respectively , and need not be used unless a heavy fuel is used in the presence of an extremely cold environment . the orifices 44 and 117 are sized to permit a flow rate sufficient to have controlled fuel combustion .	5
100 carrier 120 pocket 122 bottom 124 sides 126 opening 128 upper band 130 panel 140 shoulder strap 142 lower strap 143 strap buckle 150 pet retention member 153 a , 153 b retention member fasteners 170 wedge 180 pet aperture in the following description , the term “ carrier ” refers to carriers worn on the back which are used to transport a pet such as a small or medium sized dog or cat . the term “ longitudinal axis ” when used herein , means the axis defined by line 4 ′- 4 ′ of ( fig3 ). the singular terms “ a ”, “ an ”, and “ the ” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . similarly , the word “ or ” is intended to include “ and ” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of this disclosure , suitable methods and materials are described below . the term “ comprises ” means “ includes .” all publications , patent applications , patents , and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes . in case of conflict , the present specification , including explanations of terms , will control . in addition , the materials , methods , and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting . referring generally to fig1 through 14 , a generally teardrop shaped pet carrier 100 includes a sewn construction with sides 124 , a top opening 126 and a bottom 122 . adhered to or sewn into the bottom is a flexible panel 130 shown in fig8 and 9 as a dashed line . the carrier has sides that stretch and become taut when the panel is in a relaxed position ; i . e ., not folded or rolled for storage purposes . top bands 128 are preferably made of an elasticized fabric that constrain panel 130 to a generally j - shaped or c - shaped profile . whatever the top band material , an elastic cord , not shown , can be placed within bands 128 tying the top left and bottom left corners and the top right and bottom right corners of the panel to maintain a curved shape while permitting the panel to spring and flex slightly when the pet is transported while jogging or riding a bicycle . the panel may be one piece or a divided panel . the panel may be bent or scored transversely . carrier 100 is shown in fig1 - 4 , and fig7 - 14 having a panel in a relaxed state wherein the panel has assumed a j - shape due to the constraining material of the carrier . because panel 130 is flexible , the carrier can be stored by placing straps 140 into opening 126 and further bending along the bend shown at the bottom of the figure . as seen in fig2 , while bottom 122 is unobstructed so as to provide a even surface against a transporter &# 39 ; s back . it is possible that a pad , mat or roll can be placed between the bottom and a transporter &# 39 ; s back for cushioning purposes or to tilt / elevate the carrier ( see fig1 ). fig3 shows top opening 126 of carrier 100 bounded by sides 124 , and bottom 122 which forms a main cavity which can be any depth or size to accommodate various sizes of pets . while pet retention members 150 are depicted in the preferred embodiment as straps similar to shoulder straps 140 , retention members can be for example , a flap with an aperture that permits a pet to pass its head through . it should be also noted that aperture 180 formed by straps or flap retention member is shaped and sized such that a pet may escape if needed , for example , in cases where the pet owner stumbles or falls from his or her bicycle . fig4 is a cross - sectional view taken along lines 4 ′- 4 ′ of ( fig3 ) that shows panel 130 disposed between outer and inner surfaces of the carrier , and side 124 that connects the upper and lower portions of the panel . typically , a semi - rigid plastic panel is sewn between the materials covering of the carrier which can be a ballistic nylon , polyester webbing , kevlar or another durable material . fig4 and 5 depict typical uses of the carrier of the present invention , and show respectively , carrier 100 mounted to the back of a standing transporter , and the carrier mounted to the back of a bicyclist . in either case , the curve of bottom 122 provides a floor that encourages the pet to stand or sit in a forward facing position . in this way the pet can experience the sights along with its human transporter . fig5 a in a diagrammatic view shows a carrier when in a uncollapsed state suitable for carrying a pet , and in fig5 b , the carrier in the process of forced collapse in preparation for storing the carrier . vertices of the panel may be living hinges , or the panel may be scored so that it assumes more readily the desired profile . fig5 c and 5 d show other panel configurations that are collapsible . fig6 depicts a teardrop shaped carrier wherein the panel is divided into sections which are placed or sandwiched between the materials of the carrier . fig7 shows an embodiment having a retention member 150 in the form of a flap with an aperture or slit 180 therein to permit a pet &# 39 ; s head to pass therethrough . such a flap may be connected along any side of the carrier , and secured by fasteners such as hook and loop strips ( 153 a , 153 b ) at its free end . typically , the carrier is worn by the pet owner as shown in fig1 similar to a backpack when walking or riding ( see fig1 ). fig1 shows a typical forward mass shift of a carried body ( m ). the position of the panel 130 curve to frame ( f ) changes as the mass shifts , in this case , forward and down from the first to second frames . the tendency of the bottom of the panel to follow the pet &# 39 ; s mass maintains a stable platform for the pet when subjected to the acceleration and deceleration of transport . the outer materials of the carrier can be any sufficiently lightweight fabric , synthetic material or leather . while in the preferred embodiment , the straps are adjusted by buckles , other strap adjustment means suggesting themselves to persons having skill in the art and benefit of this disclosure can be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention . while panel 130 is shown in the preferred embodiment as a rectangular panel that is curved by biasing caused by the surrounding material / fabric , other panel shapes such as rounded corner rectangles and ellipses are contemplated and can be used together or separately in either unitary form , conjoined , adjacent or abutting each other within the present invention . in any case , when the panel of is curved , it is the intent and design of the present invention that a substantially level foothold relative to a horizontal axis be maintained for the carried pet so pet fatigue is minimized and slumping discouraged . referring to fig1 , the present invention includes an optional wedge 170 for placement between the forward facing surface of the carrier and a pet transporter &# 39 ; s back as shown to adjust the angle of the carrier for a particular mode of transport ; e . g . ; hiking , biking , boating , jogging and running among others , according to user preference and pet comfort . preferably , the wedge is constructed of a closed cell foam , but can be produced by forming a three - sided channel of a flexible plastic . the wedge can be removably affixed to the bottom of the carrier by hook and loop fasteners , snaps , or other fastening means as would suggest itself to those having skill in the art and access to this disclosure . it should be understood that the drawings and detailed description herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive manner , and are not intended to be limiting to the particular forms and examples disclosed . exemplary features and objects of the embodiments described herein can be combined or not combined with one another . accordingly , it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth , but on the contrary , it is intended to cover such alternatives , modifications , and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims .	0
referring initially to fig1 a and 1 b there is illustrated a reservoir , generally indicated by reference numeral 10 , containing hydrocarbons 12 in the sub - surface 14 . a survey vessel 16 , upon which is located a sonar transmitter 18 , being an acoustic source , and an array of receivers 20 , performs a survey by travelling over the reservoir 10 . the first or initial survey , fig1 a , may be referred to as a base survey and is typically performed in the exploration phase before production begins . the base survey of the reservoir 10 provides a set of seismic traces at a first time t . for a given trace , the base survey provides amplitudes that are a function of time . with digital recording and processing the trace is sampled at a set of values ; typical trace lengths correspond to around 1000 samples . the trace is then handled as a set of values . one or more wells 22 may be drilled in order to extract the hydrocarbons 12 . as the reservoir 10 is produced , hydrocarbons will be substituted by other fluids and the fluid pressure will change . additionally , enhanced oil recovery techniques may be applied wherein a fluid is injected into the reservoir at one or more locations giving changes in fluid pressure and saturation . changes within the reservoir may also change the stress and strain state of the surrounding rocks . thus when a further survey is carried out , fig2 b , these changes will be seen due to a consequential change in the velocity field . these changes to velocity will produce time shifts in the seismic expression of underlying reflectors and associated changes in reflectivity , causing a change in the local wavefield . thus reservoir monitoring performs a monitor survey of the reservoir 10 , taken at a second time t + δ t , with a set of seismic traces . in the simplest assumption , δ t is a positive quantity , and the monitor survey is taken at a time later than the base survey ; however , the order in which the surveys are taken is irrelevant to the operation of the process of the invention and , in principle , the time lapse δt could as well be negative — which amounts to comparing the earlier survey to the later one . as for the base survey , a sampled trace in the monitor survey is represented as a set of values . ideally , the traces in the monitor survey are associated to the same positions as in the base survey . this is carried out by using , inasmuch as possible , the same equipment , acquisition geometry and processes for running the base and monitor surveys . techniques such as interpolation may be used where traces in the monitor survey and in the base survey do not fulfil this condition . in order to link the seismic data ( traces ) on which interpretations are based and the geology ( reflection coefficients ) being interpreted , the seismic wavelet ( an impulse response which travels through the surface ) is defined , based on the known convolutional model of a seismic trace , where the seismic trace is a convolution of the seismic wavelet with the subsurface reflectivity ( plus noise ). the seismic wavelet is the waveform which would be recorded by a seismic system for a reflection from a single plane reflecting boundary in the subsurface . this wavelet can be thought of as acting like a filter through which the geology is viewed when interpreting the image provided by seismic data . however , this wavelet needs to be estimated accurately . the problem of wavelet estimation has been a key problem in geophysics for some time . present methods of wavelet estimation comprise deconvolving a seismic trace with a sequence of reflection coefficients from a seismogram . a common way of estimating wavelets is to estimate the wavelet that would best match the reflectivities measured at the well using a convolution process on the 3d seismic data . this technique has many drawbacks which include : 1 . wavelets are not stable neither laterally nor vertically and if the wells are distant to the place of interest , the wavelets may not be well adapted ; 2 . wavelets estimated in this way are adapted to 3d and may not be adequate for 4d processing ; 3 . this technique requires a large time window and so the estimated wavelet may be an “ average ” wavelet ; 4 . with better drilling technology the majority of wells ( producer and injectors ) are now drilled sub - vertically or in some cases horizontally through the reservoir . this makes conventional wavelet estimation difficult and sometimes impossible . other techniques attempt to estimate the wavelets directly from the seismic data : the spectrum can be estimated from the square root of the autorcorrelation ( with the assumption that reflectivity has a white spectrum ) and phase through kurtotsis analysis ( with assumption of uniform distribution ); however none of these approaches are reliable and they are hardly used . the problem of an inaccurately defined wavelet is more acute when dealing with 4d seismic data since only tiny anomalies are being looked for , and an inaccurate wavelet can be a huge source of error . despite this , wavelets estimated as above from 3d seismic data at the wellhead are typically used when interpreting 4d seismic data . therefore , instead of using the reflectivities measured at the well , it is proposed to use the reflectivities provided by the 4d signal . advantages of this approach include : 1 . 4d reflectivities are limited to only a small number of layers where dynamic changes have occurred ; 2 . the reflectivities can be measured away from the wells where the 4d signal actually exists . fig2 is a flowchart describing a method using the 4d signal to estimate the wavelet . at step 200 , the survey data ( base and monitor ) is obtained . this data may have been gathered as described in relation to fig1 a and 1 b . at step 210 , the monitor survey data is aligned to the base survey data . while the base and monitor surveys each show a large number of reflections ( for every boundary ), once aligned , most of the reflections overlap . only in regions where changes have occurred over the time between the surveys will there be non - overlapping reflections . consequently the change in the seismic data δs between base and monitor is sparse , with few dynamic reflections , and can be defined as : where ω is the wavelet , r b are the base reflectivities , r m are the monitor reflectivities and δr is the change in reflectivities between base and monitor . considering a layer where the saturation or pressure ( or both ) have changed , there will be a change of impedance δip at the top of this layer and an opposite change of impedance − δip at the bottom of this layer . therefore the change in reflectivities δr for any dynamic layer can be defined using only three parameters relating to the positions of the boundaries defining the layer and the magnitude of the reflectivity signal at these boundaries . in one embodiment , each layer is defined by the position of the layer top t ( or bottom or any other position identifier ), the thickness of the layer δt and the change in the reflectivity signal amplitude δa for the layer . the 4d seismic data observed will be the result of the convolution of the wavelet by a dipole of opposite sign at position t , t + δt . at step 220 initial values are given to the unknowns in ωδr ( amplitudes , initial reflectivities and the wavelet . a general initial guess of the number of layers is the minimum input . more complex initial guesses can optionally be made by picking horizons from the 4d or 3d data . at step 230 , all the seismic traces ( or a subset thereof ) are optimised simultaneously . the expected ranges of variation of the initial values can also be specified . this optimisation may be performed by minimising a cost function such as : although it should be appreciated that any norm or difference measurement of δs and ω * δr can be used to calculate the cost . while it is true that both the wavelet ω and δr are both unknown , their values relative to each another can be determined . the sparse distribution of the reflection coefficients in the 4d seismic data is the key of this technique . there are theorems in the super resolution literature showing that under certain conditions of sparsity the inversion process is exact . of course the seismic data are not noise free and noise will perturb the inversion response . fortunately as the single inversion uses data from several or many seismic traces , the wavelet can be constrained and a unique wavelet can be solved for . if instead of a single layer there are several layers where changes occur , the situation is the same since the convolution process is linear . therefore , for a signal composed of n traces , with m layers ( composed of 2 reflectors ) and a wavelet of length l , there are in total 3 × m × n + l parameters to optimise ( where the 3 in this total results from the three parameters which define δr ). this total is much smaller than n × s , where s is the number of samples . therefore the problem is overconditioned . with the wavelet estimated in this way , the absolute amplitude of the wavelet co or of the change in reflectivity δr is unknown . in an embodiment , the relative impedance inversion values may be used as they are . in another embodiment , the wavelet may be scaled ( step 240 ) to determine its absolute amplitude . a scaling factor α ( positive or negative ) may be defined , such that : the scaling step determines the constant α that determines correctly the true scaled wavelet : there are a number of different options for performing scaling step 240 , which include : 1 . convolving the unscaled wavelet with some true reflectivity measured ( for example ) at a well location : s = ω * δr true ( local to the estimation or not ). the computed synthetic trace ( s ) can be compared with true seismic ( s true = ω true * δr true ) at the well location using the ratio : 2 . using travel - time information . by using the fact that 4d data has a time shift that is given by the integral of relative velocity changes it is possible to use the base and non - aligned monitor traces to determine the magnitude of δv p / v p . thus using the commonly known expression : δr ≈ δip / ip ≈ δv p / v p + δρ / ρ ≈ βδv p v p and assuming a value for β , the true reflectivity can be approximated along with the scaling factor α ( where δv p / v p is the change in p - wave velocity value , δip / ip the change in impedance , and δρ / ρ is the change in density ). the factor β may represent an estimated ratio between δv p / v p , and δρ / ρ ( such an estimation can be made based upon knowledge of the subsurface composition , as is understood by the skilled person ) and may in a specific embodiment equate to 1 + δv p / v p / δρ / ρ . 3 . it is also possible to use prior information based on production information , reservoir simulation and rock physics modelling to directly infer the maximum reflectivity changes ( max ( δr true )) expected , and to scale the data accordingly by max ( δr )/ max ( δr true )= α . one or more steps of the methods and concepts described herein may be embodied in the form of computer readable instructions for running on suitable computer apparatus , or in the form of a computer system comprising at least a storage means for storing program instructions embodying the concepts described herein and a processing unit for performing the instructions . as is conventional , the storage means may comprise a computer memory ( of any sort ), and / or disk drive , optical drive or similar . such a computer system may also comprise a display unit and one or more input / output devices . the concepts described herein find utility in all aspects ( real time or otherwise ) of surveillance , monitoring , optimisation and prediction of hydrocarbon reservoir and well systems , and may aid in , and form part of , methods for extracting hydrocarbons from such hydrocarbon reservoir and well systems . it should be appreciated that the above description is for illustration only and other embodiments and variations may be envisaged without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	6
turning now to the drawings , systems and methods for operation of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game are illustrated . in several embodiments , an anti - sandbagging hybrid game is a form of a hybrid game that integrates both a gambling game that includes a real world engine ( rwe ) which manages the gambling game , as well as an entertainment game that includes a game world engine ( gwe ) which manages the entertainment portion of a game , and an entertainment software engine ( ese ) which executes the game for user entertainment . in certain embodiments , the anti - sandbagging hybrid game also includes a user interface associated with either or both the gambling game and the entertainment game . in operation of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game , a player acts upon various types of elements of the entertainment game in a game world environment . upon acting on some of these elements , a wager is triggered in the gambling game . in playing the entertainment game , using the elements , a player can consume and accrue game world credits ( gwc ) within the entertainment game . these credits can be in the form of game world objects , experience points , points , etc . wagers are made in the gambling game using real world credits ( rc or rwc ). the real world credits can be credits in an actual currency , or may be credits in a virtual currency . gambling outcomes from the gambling game may cause consumption , loss or accrual of real or virtual credits . in addition , gambling outcomes in the gambling game may influence elements in the entertainment game such as by restoring a consumed element , causing the loss of an element , restoration or placement of a fixed element , etc . example elements include enabling elements ( ee ) which are elements that enable a player &# 39 ; s play of the entertainment game and may be consumed during play and may also be replenished during play within the entertainment game . other types of elements include actionable elements ( ae ) which are elements that are acted upon and may not be restorable during normal play of the entertainment game . various hybrid games are discussed in patent cooperation treaty application no . pct / us11 / 26768 , filed mar . 1 , 2011 , entitled “ enriched game play environment ( single and / or multi - player ) for casino applications ” and patent cooperation treaty application no . pct / us11 / 63587 , filed dec . 6 , 2011 , entitled “ enhanced slot - machine for casino applications ” each disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . in many embodiments , an anti - sandbagging hybrid game utilizes an anti - sandbagging so that entertainment game play of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game is fair to the player ( s ) of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game irrespective of player skill level at the entertainment game . the anti - sandbagging module can employ handicaps to entertainment game play to ensure that both less and more skilled players can derive a normal level of pleasure and progress in entertainment game play and that there is a fair amount of competition between players of different skill levels in head to head play of the entertainment game . in certain embodiments the anti - sandbagging module only monitors entertainment game play to ensure fair game play of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game irrespective of player skill level at the entertainment game . in particular embodiments the anti - sandbagging module monitors the entire anti - sandbagging hybrid game , such as by factoring in random outcomes in the entertainment game due to payouts from the gambling game , to ensure fair play of the entertainment game irrespective of player skill level at the anti - sandbagging hybrid game . in several embodiments , an anti - sandbagging module ensures fair game play irrespective of player skill level by assigning rankings to each player of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game based upon player performance measurements and by assigning handicaps based upon each player &# 39 ; s rankings . in certain embodiments , player performance measurements are based upon a player &# 39 ; s performance results from head to head play against opponents . in particular embodiments , player performance measurements are experience points for game attributes from which a player &# 39 ; s ranking can be derived . in numerous embodiments , an anti - sandbagging module monitors a player &# 39 ; s performance during entertainment game play after an initial player ranking is assigned to handicap the player if the player has significantly deviated from the player &# 39 ; s expected performance at the entertainment game . in certain embodiments , statistical analysis using a player &# 39 ; s current performance measurements and historical performance measurements are used determine if the player has significantly deviated from expected performance at the entertainment game . anti - sandbagging hybrid games in accordance with embodiments of the invention are discussed further below . in many embodiments , an anti - sandbagging hybrid game integrates high levels of entertainment content with a game of skill ( entertainment game ), a gambling experience with a game of chance ( gambling game ), and a fair game play experience irrespective of player skill level with an anti - sandbagging module . an anti - sandbagging hybrid game provides for a random outcome independent of player skill while providing that the user &# 39 ; s gaming experience ( as measured by obstacles / challenges encountered , time of play and other factors ) is shaped by the player &# 39 ; s skill . an anti - sandbagging hybrid game in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig1 a . the anti - sandbagging hybrid game 128 includes a rwe 102 , gwe 112 , ese 120 , gambling game user interface 122 , entertainment game user interface 124 and an anti - sandbagging module 126 . the two user interfaces may be part of the same user interface but are separate in the illustrated embodiment . the rwe 102 is connected with the gwe 112 and the gambling game user interface 122 . the ese 120 is connected with the gwe 112 and the entertainment game user interface 124 . the gwe 112 is connected also with the entertainment game user interface 124 . the anti - sandbagging module 126 is connected with the gwe 112 . in several embodiments , the rwe 102 is the fundamental operating system for the gambling game of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game 128 and controls and operates the gambling game . the operation of a gambling game is enabled by money , such as real funds , accretes and declinates real gambling credits based on random gambling outcome , and whose gambling proposition is typically regulated by gaming control bodies . in many embodiments , the rwe includes a rw operating system ( os ) 104 , random number generator ( rng ) 106 , level “ n ” real - world credit pay tables ( table ln - rwc ) 108 , rwc meters 110 and other software constructs that enable a game of chance to offer a fair and transparent gambling proposition , and to contain the auditable systems and functions that can enable the game to obtain gaming regulatory body approval . a random number generator ( rng ) 106 includes software and / or hardware algorithm and / or processes , which are used to generate random outcomes . a level “ n ” real - world credit pay table ( table ln - rwc ) 108 is a table that can be used in conjunction with a random number generator ( rng ) 106 to dictate the real world credits ( rwc ) earned as a function of game play and is analogous to the pay tables used in a conventional slot machine . table ln - rwc payouts are independent of player skill . there may be one or a plurality of table ln - rwc pay tables 108 contained in a gambling game , the selection of which may be determined by factors including ( but not limited to ) game progress a player has earned , and / or bonus rounds which a player may be eligible for . real world credits ( rwc ) are credits analogous to slot machine game credits , which are entered into a gambling game by the user , either in the form of money such as hard currency or electronic funds . rwcs can be decremented or augmented based on the outcome of a random number generator according to the table ln - rwc real world credits pay table 108 , independent of player skill . in certain embodiments , an amount of rwc can be required to enter higher ese game levels . rwc can be carried forward to higher game levels or paid out if a cash out is opted for by a player . the amount of rwc required to enter a specific level of the game “ level n ” need not be the same for each level . in many embodiments , the gwe 112 manages the overall anti - sandbagging hybrid game operation , with the rwe 102 and the ese 120 effectively being support units to the gwe 112 . in several embodiments , the gwe 112 contains mechanical , electronic and software system for an entertainment game . the gwe 112 includes a gw game operating system ( os ) 114 that provides control of the entertainment game . the gwe additionally contains a level “ n ” game world credit pay table ( table ln - gwc ) 116 from where to take input from this table to affect the play of the entertainment game . the gwe 112 can further couple to the rwe 102 to determine the amount of rwc available on the game and other metrics of wagering on the gambling game ( and potentially affect the amount of rwc in play on the rwe ). the gwe additionally contains various audit logs and activity meters ( such as the gwc meter ) 118 . the gwe 112 can also couple to a centralized server for exchanging various data related to the player and their activities on the game . the gwe 112 furthermore couples to the ese 120 . in many embodiments , a level “ n ” game world credit pay table ( table ln - gwc ) 116 dictates the gwc earned as a function of player skill in the nth level of the game . the payouts governed by this table are dependent upon player skill and game play at large and may or may not be coupled to a random number generator . in several embodiments , game world credits ( gwc ) are player points earned or depleted as a function of player skill , i . e . as a function of player performance in the context of the game . gwc is analogous to the “ score ” in a typical video game . each entertainment game has one or more scoring criterion , embedded within the table ln - gwc 116 that reflects player performance against the goal ( s ) of the game . gwc can be carried forward from one level of game play to another , and ultimately paid out in various manners such as directly in cash , or indirectly such as earning entrance into a sweepstakes drawing , or earning participation in , or victory in , a tournament with prizes . gwc may be stored on a player tracking card or in a network - based player tracking system , where the gwc is attributed to a specific player . in certain embodiments , the operation of the gwe does not affect the rwe &# 39 ; s gambling operation except for player choice parameters that are allowable in slot machines today including but not limited to the wager amount , how fast the player wants to play ( by pressing a button or pulling the slot &# 39 ; s handle ) and / or agreement to wager into a bonus round . in this sense , the rwe 102 provides a fair and transparent , non - skill based gambling proposition co - processor to the gwe 112 . in the illustrated embodiment , the communication link shown between the gwe 112 and the rwe 102 allows the gwe 112 to obtain information from the rwe 102 as to the amount of rwc available in the gambling game . the communication link can also convey a necessary status operation of the rwe ( such as on - line or tilt ). the communication link can further communicate the various gambling control factors which the rwe 102 uses as input , such as the number of rwc consumed per game or the player &# 39 ; s election to enter a jackpot round . in fig1 a , the gwe 112 is also shown as connecting to the player &# 39 ; s user interface directly , as this may be necessary to communicate certain entertainment game club points , player status , control the selection of choices and messages which a player may find useful in order to adjust their entertainment game experience or understand their gambling status in the rwe 102 . in various embodiments , the ese 120 manages and controls the visual , audio , and player control for the entertainment game . in certain embodiments , the ese 120 accepts input from a player through a set of hand controls , and / or head , gesture , and / or eye tracking systems and outputs video , audio and / or other sensory output to a user interface . in many embodiments , the ese 120 can exchange data with and accept control information from the gwe 112 . in several embodiments an ese 120 can be implement using a personal computer ( pc ), a sony playstation ® ( a video game console developed by sony computer entertainment of tokyo japan ), or microsoft xbox ® ( a video game console developed by microsoft corporation of redmond , wash .) running a specific entertainment game software program . in numerous embodiments , an ese can be an electromechanical game system of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game that is an electromechanical hybrid game . an electromechanical hybrid game executes an electromechanical game for player entertainment . the electromechanical game can be any game that utilizes both mechanical and electrical components , where the game operates as a combination of mechanical motions performed by at least one player or the electromechanical game itself . various electromechanical hybrid games are discussed in patent cooperation treaty application no . pct / us12 / 58156 , filed sep . 29 , 2012 , the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . the ese 120 operates mostly independently from the gwe 112 , except that via the interface , the gwe 112 may send certain gw game control parameters and elements to the ese 120 to affect its play , such as ( but not limited to ) what level of character to be using , changing the difficulty level of the game , changing the type of gun or car in use , and / or requesting potions to become available or to be found by the character . these game control parameters and elements may be based on a gambling outcome of a gambling game that was triggered by an element in the entertainment game being acted upon by the player . the ese 120 can accept this input from the gwe 112 , make adjustments , and continue the play action all the while running seamlessly from the player &# 39 ; s perspective . the ese &# 39 ; s operation is mostly skill based , except for where the ese &# 39 ; s algorithm may inject complexities into the game by chance in its normal operation to create unpredictability in the entertainment game . utilizing this interface , the ese 120 may also communicate player choices made in the game to the gwe 112 , such as but not limited to selection of a different gun , and / or the player picking up a special potion in the gw environment . the gwe &# 39 ; s job in this architecture , being interfaced thusly to the ese 120 , is to allow the transparent coupling of entertainment software to a fair and transparent random chance gambling game , providing a seamless perspective to the player that they are playing a typical popular entertainment game ( which is skill based ). in certain embodiments , the ese 120 can be used to enable a wide range of games including but not limited to popular titles from arcade and home video games , such as but not limited to gears of war ( a third person shooter game developed by epic games of cary , n . c . ), time crisis ( a shooter arcade game developed by namco ltd of tokyo , japan ), or madden football ( an american football video game developed by ea tiburon of maitland , fla .). providers of such software can provide the previously described interface by which the gwe 120 can request amendments to the operation of the ese software in order to provide seamless and sensible operation as both a gambling game and an entertainment game . in several embodiments , the rwe 102 can accept a trigger to run a gambling game in response to actions taken by the player in the entertainment game as conveyed by the ese 120 to the gwe 112 , or as triggered by the gwe 112 based on its algorithms , background to the overall game from the player &# 39 ; s perspective , but can provide information to the gwe 112 to expose the player to certain aspects of the gambling game , such as ( but not limited to ) odds , amount of rwc in play , and amount of rwc available . the rwe 102 can accept modifications in the amount of rwc wagered on each individual gambling try , or the number of games per minute the rwe 102 can execute , entrance into a bonus round , and other factors , all the while these factors can take a different form than that of a typical slot machine . an example of a varying wager amount that the player can choose might be that they have decided to play with a more powerful character in the game , a more powerful gun , or a better car . these choices can increase or decrease the amount wagered per individual gambling game , in the same manner that a standard slot machine player may decide to wager more or less credits for each pull of the handle . in several embodiments , the rwe 102 can communicate a number of factors back and forth to the gwe 112 , via an interface , such increase / decrease in wager being a function of the player &# 39 ; s decision making as to their operational profile in the entertainment game ( i . e . power of the character , gun selection , car choice , etc .). in this manner , the player is always in control of the per game wager amount , with the choice mapping to some parameter or component that is applicable to the entertainment game experience of the hybrid game . in a particular embodiment , the rwe 102 operation can be a game of chance running every 10 seconds where the amount wagered is communicated from the gwe 112 as a function of choices the player makes in the operation profile in the entertainment game such as those cited above . in many embodiments , an anti - sandbagging hybrid game integrates a video game style gambling machine , where the gambling game ( i . e . rwe 102 and rwc ) is not player skill based , while at the same time allows players to use their skills to earn club points which a casino operator can translate to rewards , tournament opportunities and prizes for the players . the actual exchange of monetary funds earned or lost directly from gambling against a game of chance , such as a slot machine , is preserved . at the same time a rich environment of rewards to stimulate “ garners ” can be established with the entertainment game . in several embodiments , the anti - sandbagging hybrid game can leverage very popular titles with “ garners ” and provides a sea change environment for casinos to attract players with games that are more akin to the type of entertainment which a younger generation desires . in various embodiments , players can use their skill towards building and banking gwc which in turn can be used to win tournaments and various prizes as a function of their “ gamer ” prowess . numerous embodiments minimize the underlying changes needed to the aforementioned entertainment software for the hybrid game to operate within an entertainment game construct , thus making a plethora of complex game titles and environments , rapid and inexpensive to deploy in a gambling environment . in certain embodiments , anti - sandbagging hybrid games also allow players to gain entry into subsequent competitions through the accumulation of game world credits ( gwc ) that accrue as a function of the user &# 39 ; s demonstrated skill at the game . these competitions can pit individual players or groups of players against one another and / or against the casino to win prizes based upon a combination of chance and skill . these competitions may be either asynchronous events , whereby players participate at a time and / or place of their choosing , or they may be synchronized events , whereby players participate at a specific time and / or venue . in many embodiments , one or more players engage in playing an entertainment game , resident in the ese , the outcomes of which are dependent at least in part on skill . the anti - sandbagging hybrid game can include an entertainment game that includes head - to - head play between a single player and the computer , between two or more players against one another , or multiple players playing against the computer and / or each other , as well as the process by which players bet on the outcome of the entertainment game . the entertainment game can also be a game where the player is not playing against the computer or any other player , such as in games where the player is effectively playing against himself or herself ( such as but not limited to solitaire and babette ). in many embodiments , if an entertainment game includes a version of madden football ™ for example , a player can bet on whether or not the player is going to beat the computer , or if the player is playing against another player , that other player . these bets can be made , for example , on the final outcome of the game , and / or the state of the game along various intermediary points ( such as but not limited to the score at the end of the 1st quarter ) and / or on various measures associated with the game ( such as but not limited to the total offensive yards , number of turnovers , or number of sacks ). players can bet against one another , or engage the computer in a head to head competition in the context of their skill level in the entertainment game in question . as such , players can have a handicap associated with their player profile that describes their skill ( which can be their “ professed skill ” in certain embodiments ), and which is used by a gwe ( such as a local gwe or a gwe that receives services from remote servers ) to offer appropriate bets around the final and / or intermediate outcomes of the entertainment game , and / or to condition game play as a function of player skill , and / or to select players across one or more anti - sandbagging hybrid games to participate in head to head games and / or tournaments . in such a scenario , assurances should be made to ensure that the player is not sandbagging , i . e . that the player has not previously performed below his actual skill level , in order to play in a future game with a lower skill rating and consequently have a better chance to win . for example , a highly skilled scrabble ® player might play ten games of scrabble and intentionally garner mediocre scores so as to be handicapped as a “ beginner ”. this highly skilled player could then enter a “ beginner ” tournament , making a number of bets regarding the progress or outcome of the game , and in such tournament play at his true level of skill ( i . e . “ expert ”), thereby giving him a substantial advantage over the true beginner players in the tournament . such a player would be guilty of sandbagging . various embodiments include measures to prevent sandbagging in the context of hybrid games where the outcome of the game is in part or in whole determined by player skill and where betting as a function of skill - related performance and / or outcomes is permitted . each of these embodiments can be used singularly or in conjunction with one or more of the other embodiments . each of the embodiments is configured by the casino through the gwe ( via an “ anti - sandbagging module ”) or a master anti - sandbagging server to which the relevant gwes are subscribed . the gwe uses the anti - sandbagging software module to evaluate player performance against the player &# 39 ; s professed skill level as represented by his handicap . it does this by comparing the player &# 39 ; s performance during game play against the player &# 39 ; s historical performance and / or the historical performance of players with similar handicaps . to the extent that the player &# 39 ; s current performance exceeds his historical performance and / or the historical performance of his peers ( vis - à - vis their handicaps ) in a statistically meaningful way , the player is deemed to be sandbagging . in that event one or more of the below embodiments can be brought into force , having been parameterized previously by the casino as regards the severity with which the player &# 39 ; s performance and / or status is to be affected . in numerous embodiments , an anti - sandbagging module receives player performance measurements from the anti - sandbagging hybrid game and determines an appropriate skill level or ranking for the player based on those player performance metrics and initiates anti - sandbagging provisions as may be appropriate . performance measurement data may include , but is not limited to , an outcome of the player playing the entertainment game , such as an expenditure , gain , loss or accumulation of gwc , player &# 39 ; s experience points or the like ( either as a rate or a total accumulation ), a player &# 39 ; s use of entertainment game resources such as ees or aes ( either as a rate or an absolute amount ) during one or more playing sessions , or a player &# 39 ; s use , loss or accumulation of wagered credit resources , either real or virtual , ( either as a rate or an absolute amount ), etc . in addition , various other metrics may be derived from the performance measurement data , such as by determining a relationship , such as a ratio , between an outcome of the player &# 39 ; s play of the entertainment game and a resource utilized by a player when playing the entertainment game . for example , determining the relationship of a rate of accumulation of gwc or other types of experience points by a rate of use of ee , credit , ae , etc . other derivations may be determining a relationship between an accumulation of a gwc or other measure of experience by a total amount of a resource used , such as ees , aes , credits , etc . although various components of anti - sandbagging hybrid games are discussed above , anti - sandbagging hybrid games can be configured with any component appropriate to the requirements of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention . network connected anti - sandbagging hybrid games are discussed further below . anti - sandbagging hybrid games in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can operate locally while being network connected to draw services from remote locations or to communicate with other anti - sandbagging hybrid games . in numerous embodiments , an anti - sandbagging module receives player performance measurements from one or more anti - sandbagging hybrid games and determines an appropriate skill level or ranking for the player based on those player performance metrics and initiates anti - sandbagging provisions as may be appropriate . in a case where two or more players wish to compete against each other in a head to head anti - sandbagging hybrid game , the anti - sandbagging module determines an appropriate anti - sandbagging provision for each player based on a comparison of the player &# 39 ; s rankings to historical performance measurements for the players . a deployment diagram of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig1 b . in the diagram , an anti - sandbagging hybrid game 130 may be hosted by any computing device 132 capable of presenting interactive entertainment and gambling games to a player , such as ( but not limited to ) a land based or casino gaming machine , a personal computer , a gaming console , a wireless device such as a personal digital assistant , notepad computer , or smart phone . the anti - sandbagging hybrid games 130 may include a server 134 hosting an anti - sandbagging module connected with the various computing devices via a computer network , such as a local area network or a wide area network . in many embodiments , operations associated with an anti - sandbagging hybrid game such as ( but not limited to ) processes for calculating score or rwc and gwc tracking can be performed across multiple devices . these multiple devices can be implemented using or in connection with a single server or a plurality of servers such that an anti - sandbagging hybrid game is executed as a system in a virtualized space , such as ( but not limited to ) where the rwe and gwe are large scale centralized servers “ in the cloud ” coupled to a plurality of widely distributed ese controllers or clients via the internet . in many embodiments , an rwe server can perform certain functionalities of a rwe of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game . in certain embodiments , a rwe server includes a centralized odds engine which can generate random outcomes ( such as but not limited to win / loss outcomes ) for a gambling game , thereby eliminating the need to have that functionality of the rwe performed locally within the anti - sandbagging hybrid game . the rwe server can perform a number of simultaneous or pseudo - simultaneous runs in order to generate random outcomes for a variety of odds percentages that one or more networked anti - sandbagging hybrid games may require . in certain embodiments , an rwe of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game can send information to a rwe server including ( but not limited to ) table ln - rwc tables , maximum speed of play for a gambling game , gambling game monetary denominations or any promotional rwc provided by the operator of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game . in particular embodiments , a rwe server can send information to a rwe of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game including ( but not limited to ) rwc used in the gambling game , player account information or play activity and a profile associated with a player . in several embodiments , a gwe server can perform the functionality of the gwe across various anti - sandbagging hybrid games . these functionalities can include ( but are not limited to ) providing a method for monitoring high scores on select groups of games , linking groups of games in order to join them in head to head tournaments , and acting as a tournament manager . in a variety of embodiments , management of player account information can be performed by a gwe patron management server separate from a gwe server . a gwe patron management server can manage player account information , including ( but not limited to ) data concerning players &# 39 ; characters , players &# 39 ; game scores , players &# 39 ; rwc and gwc and managing tournament reservations . although a gwe patron management server is discussed separate from a gwe server , in certain embodiments a gwe server also performs the functions of a gwe patron management server . in certain embodiments , a gwe of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game can send information to a gw patron management server including ( but not limited to ) gwc and rwc used in a game , player account information , play activity and profile information for players and synchronization information between a gambling game and an entertainment game or other aspects of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game . in particular embodiments , a gw patron management server can send information to a gwe of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game including ( but not limited to ) entertainment game title and type , tournament information , table ln - gwc tables , special offers , character or profile setup and synchronization information between a gambling game and an entertainment game or other aspects of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game . in numerous embodiments , an ese server provides a host for managing head - to - head play , operating on the network of eses which are connected to the ese server by providing an environment where players can compete directly with one another and interact with other players . although an ese server is discussed separate from a gwe server , in certain embodiments a gwe server also performs the functions of an ese server . servers connected via a network to implement anti - sandbagging hybrid games in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can communicate with each other to provide services utilized within an anti - sandbagging hybrid game . in several embodiments a rwe server can communicate with a gwe server . a rwe server can communicate with a gwe server to communicate any type of information as appropriate for a specific application , including ( but not limited to ): configure the various simultaneous or pseudo simultaneous odds engines executing in parallel within the rwe to accomplish the anti - sandbagging hybrid game system requirements , determine metrics of rwe performance such as random executions run and outcomes for tracking system performance , perform audits , provide operator reports , and request the results of a random run win / loss result for use of function operating within the gwe ( such as where automatic drawings for prizes are a function of ese performance ). in several embodiments a gwe server can communicate with an ese server . a gwe server can communicate with an ese server to communicate any type of information as appropriate for a specific application , including ( but not limited to ): the management of an ese server by a gwe server such as the management of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game tournament . typically a gwe ( such as a gwe that runs within an anti - sandbagging hybrid game or on a gwe server ) is not aware of the relationship of itself to the rest of a tournament since in a typical configuration the actual tournament play is managed by the ese server . therefore , management of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game tournament can include ( but is not limited to ) tasks such as : conducting tournaments according to system programming that can be coordinated by an operator of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game ; allowing entry of a particular player into a tournament ; communicating the number of players in a tournament and the status of the tournament ( such as but not limited to the amount of surviving players , their status within the game , time remaining on the tournament ); communicating the status of an ese contained in a game ; communicating the performance of its players within the tournament ; communicating the scores of the various members in the tournament ; and providing a synchronizing link to connect the gwes in a tournament , with their respective ese &# 39 ; s . in several embodiments a gwe server can communicate with a gw patron server . a gwe server can communicate with a gw patron server to communicate any type of information as appropriate for a specific application , including ( but not limited to ) information for configuring tournaments according to system programming conducted by an operator of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game , exchange of data necessary to link a player &# 39 ; s profile to their ability to participate in various forms of game play ( such as but not limited to the difficulty of play set by the gwe server or the gwe in the game they are playing on ), determining a player &# 39 ; s ability to participate in a tournament as a function of a player &# 39 ; s characteristics ( such as but not limited to a player &# 39 ; s gaming prowess or other metrics used for tournament screening ), configuring the game contained gwe and ese performance to suit preferences of a player on a particular anti - sandbagging hybrid game , as recorded in their player account , determining a player &# 39 ; s play and gambling performance for the purposes of marketing intelligence , and logging secondary drawing awards , tournament prizes , rwc and gwc into the player &# 39 ; s account . in many embodiments , the actual location of where various algorithms and functions are executed may be located either in the game contained devices ( rwe , gwe , ese ), on the servers ( rwe server , gwe server , or ese server ), or a combination of both . in particular embodiments , certain functions of a rwe server , gwe server , gw patron server or ese server may operate on the local rwe , gwe or ese contained with an anti - sandbagging hybrid game locally . in certain embodiments , a server is a server system including a plurality of servers , where software may be run on one or more physical devices . similarly , in particular embodiments , multiple servers may be combined on a single physical device . anti - sandbagging hybrid games in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can be networked with remote servers in various configurations . a networked anti - sandbagging hybrid game in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig1 . the networked anti - sandbagging hybrid game 160 is connected with a rwe server 162 , gw patron management server 164 , gwe server 166 and ese server 168 over a network 170 , such as ( but not limited to ) the internet . servers networked with a networked anti - sandbagging hybrid game 160 can also communicate with each of the components of a networked anti - sandbagging hybrid game and amongst the other servers in communication with the networked anti - sandbagging hybrid game 160 . although various networked anti - sandbagging hybrid games are discussed above , networked anti - sandbagging hybrid games can be configured in any manner as appropriate to the requirements of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention . assignment of handicaps within anti - sandbagging hybrid games is discussed further below . anti - sandbagging hybrid games in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can provide the fairness of entertainment game play irrespective of player skill level by assigning handicaps as ant - sandbagging provisions to players based upon a player &# 39 ; s performance measurements . an anti - sandbagging hybrid game includes a gwe that utilizes input from an anti - sandbagging module to implement the proper handicap to players to ensure fairness of entertainment game play . an anti - sandbagging module is able to assign handicaps based upon a player &# 39 ; s ranking , and a player &# 39 ; s ranking can be based upon performance measurements received from a gwe . a sequence diagram describing an anti - sandbagging hybrid game that assigns handicaps to players that can be dynamically adjusted by current play sessions in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig2 . the timing diagram 200 includes an anti - sandbagging module 204 receiving ( 206 ) player performance measurements from a gwe 602 for a player . these performance measurements are stored as historical performance measurements to be used to evaluate the player &# 39 ; s performance in a future playing session . in the same or subsequent playing session , additional player performance measurements are received ( 210 ) are received by the anti - sandbagging module 204 . the anti - sandbagging module determines ( 212 ) if the player exceeded an expected player performance as described herein . if the player has exceeded the expected player performance , then a handicap as an anti - sandbagging provision is assigned to the player . the anti - sandbagging module then transmits ( 216 ) the assigned handicap to the gwe . the gwe then implements ( 220 ) the handicap during a player session , whether it be head - to - head or in solo play . player performance measurements . the anti - sandbagging module also receives ( 222 ) information on player performance during the handicapped play sessions to determine ( 224 ) if the player significantly deviates from expected player performance in a statistically meaningful way . the information on player &# 39 ; s performance can include current as well as historical player performance and can also include information on the particular player , other players or a group of players . if the player significantly deviates from the expected player performance in a statistically meaningful way , then the player &# 39 ; s ranking can be adjusted ( 226 ) accordingly . in certain embodiments , the player &# 39 ; s handicap is also adjusted according to the adjustment made to the player &# 39 ; s ranking . in some embodiments , the historical performance measurements are from players that are similarly ranked as the player being evaluated . that is , in the case that the player has asserted a particular ranking , the player may be evaluated to determine if the player has misstated their ranking by determining if the player &# 39 ; s performance exceeded the player performance of similarly ranked players . the extent to which randomness , as opposed to skill , affects events in , or the outcome of , the entertainment game can be altered so as to reduce the impact of player skill relative to the impact of random events upon game play . in a shooting game , for example , the accuracy with which shots can be aimed at targets is a function of the aim of the player plus a random component that impacts the trajectory of the player &# 39 ; s shot . the amount by which the trajectory is affected by the random component can be a small or large amount relative to the underlying accuracy with which the player actually aims the gun . the random component in this case can be thought of as a radius extending outward from the inherent aiming accuracy of the player , with the radius increasing to the extent which randomness is to play a greater role in determining the result of the shot , from a radius of zero to a radius much , much greater than the inherent accuracy of the player &# 39 ; s aim . in some embodiments , the introduction of randomness can be consistently applied across the game for all players participating in a game , or it can be applied independently as a function of each player &# 39 ; s handicap ( i . e . the measure of their skill in the game ) on a player by player basis . the introduction of randomness can also be dynamically established during game play in response to an evaluation of the player &# 39 ; s performance relative to historical norms for that player , or a population set of relevance ( e . g . players with a similar handicap ). if a player is outperforming his historical performance levels by a statistically significant margin as determined by the anti - sandbagging module , the amount of randomness introduced into the player action ( s ) under consideration will be increased on the fly , until such time as the player &# 39 ; s performance in the game aligns more closely with the performance expected as a function of the player &# 39 ; s professed skill level ( i . e . his handicap ). another example of using randomness as a handicap would be to introduce error in the steering ( analogous to a “ loose ” steering system ) of a race car game for the player who has been deemed by the anti - sandbagging system to be operating outside normal level ranges ( in a statistically significant way ) of play given the player &# 39 ; s professed level of skill . conventionally , games utilize an absolute scoring system to evaluate performance of the player . as a mechanism to preclude sandbagging , the invention allows for a relative scoring system to be utilized , such that the amount of gwc that a player accumulates during a game and at its conclusion , as a function of various actions and / or achievements , is scaled as a function of one of a number of factors . factors that can algorithmically modify the baseline ( i . e . absolute ) scoring system ( inclusive of the game &# 39 ; s modifications to scoring as a function of level of difficulty and / or other variables ) resident in the game include , but are not limited to the following . in some embodiments , a modifier to the score is applied as a function of player skill — either demonstrated in the immediate context of the game or based upon prior performance within the game or prior game play sessions . to do so , a modifier to the score as a function of the player &# 39 ; s performance in the game relative to his expected performance based upon a previously established handicap as established by the anti - sandbagging module through the use of one or more such modifiers , a skilled player is in effect discouraged from sandbagging because his score can be retarded as a function of demonstrated performance superior to expected or professed capability . for example , in a game of pop - a - shot , two players enter a head - to - head tournament professing to be “ beginners ” ( meaning in this case they are likely to hit less than 40 % of their shots ), information contained within their player profile . in reality one of these players , player b , is “ advanced ”, meaning he can hit over 70 % of his shots in the game , but he has sandbagged his previous playing of the game to trick the system into believing he is a beginner . the game is slated to take four minutes . during the first minute , the game calculates that player b is hitting 75 % of his shots , and determines , by comparing this performance against the historical performance of legitimate beginner players during the first minute of play , that this performance is , statistically speaking , only 10 % likely to represent the play of an actual beginner player . as a result , subsequent baskets made by player b , instead of being worth 10 points are worth a lesser amount . in this example , they are now worth only four points , which corresponds to a score that would drive player b to a number of points equivalent to the median of “ beginner ” players ( i . e . hitting 75 % of his shots at 40 % of the nominal score makes each attempt worth three points , which would be equivalent to a beginner player hitting 30 % of his shots ). in many embodiments , this process could be revisited continuously throughout game play , periodically , or a single time as a function of set up parameters controlled by the casino via the anti - sandbagging module of the gwe of the anti - sandbagging hybrid game . the algorithmic modification of the score can take as arguments not only the aforementioned evaluation of skill and the players &# 39 ; professed skill , but can also take into account the gap in score between the player or players relative to each other , or a historical record of score history for the players themselves or a class of players to which they each belong ( i . e . “ beginner ”, players who have played in excess of twenty times , players over 65 and with less than twenty plays , etc .). as such , the anti - sandbagging hybrid game can modify a player &# 39 ; s score downwards or upwards more or less via the aforementioned mechanisms ( and others ) to ensure that the game remains “ close ”. in another embodiment , the anti - sandbagging hybrid game enforces limits on the value of bets that can be placed , and / or the amount that can be won , by players as a function of the professed skill level of one or more of the players , these limits being established by the casino or operator . generally speaking , the amount that can be bet on a game , an intermediate outcome of a game , or an intermediate or final characteristic of the game would be limited . limiting the amount that can be wagered in this way dissuades high skill players from masquerading as lower skill players because the amount of money they can win is less . this functionality , configured by the casino or operator via the anti - sandbagging function within the gwe , can take a number of forms , including , but not limited to , the following . maximum bets limited for all players as a function of the lowest professed skill level of all players in the game . for example if two players are going to be competing in a football game , the lower skill level player &# 39 ; s level ( e . g . “ high school ”, “ college ”, “ pro ” might be the levels used to grade players in the context of the football game ) will govern the maximum bet that can be made for each available wager between the players . in another embodiment , the anti - sandbagging hybrid game enforces limits on the number of bets that can be placed , and / or the aggregate value of bets placed and / or the aggregate value of bets won , by players over time as a function of the professed skill level of one or more of the players , these limits being established by the casino . this functionality can take a number of forms , including , but not limited to , the following or some combination thereof . maximum number of bets a player can place over a fixed period of time , or a fixed number of game plays , or in the absolute . this cap may be applied in the context of the player &# 39 ; s professed skill level as recorded in their player profile , such that if the player moves up or down a skill level the cap can be periodically reset . maximum number of bets a player can win over a fixed period of time , or a fixed number of game plays , or in the absolute . this cap may be applied in the context of the player &# 39 ; s professed skill level as recorded in their player profile , such that if the player moves up or down a skill level the cap can be reset . maximum value of bets a player can place over a fixed period of time , or a fixed number of game plays , or in the absolute . this cap may be applied in the context of the player &# 39 ; s professed skill level as recorded in their player profile , such that if the player moves up or down a skill level the cap can be reset . maximum value of bets a player can win over a fixed period of time , or a fixed number of game plays , or in the absolute . this cap may be applied in the context of the player &# 39 ; s professed skill level as recorded in their player profile , such that if the player moves up or down a skill level the cap can be reset . in another embodiment , the anti - sandbagging hybrid game prevents sandbagging by monitoring player performance in the anti - sandbagging hybrid game against the historical performance of all players of the same overarching skill level , and / or a representative but static data set of similar information and / or against the player &# 39 ; s own historical performance . the gwe anti - sandbagging module ( or a server based version of the anti - sandbagging module interfacing to a number of gwes ) utilizes statistical methods to establish , to a prescribed confidence interval , whether the player &# 39 ; s performance in the game suggests that the player is of a higher skill level than the professed skill level of the player as recorded within his player profile . a counter is maintained in the player &# 39 ; s profile as to the number of times that the player &# 39 ; s performance exceeds the statistically expected performance for a player of the professed skill level . when the counter reaches a certain level ( a ), a warning may be issued to the player . the counter may reflect ( non - comprehensively ) the number of individual game sessions in which sandbagging was identified , or the number of specific intervals ( e . g . time or levels ) of game play in which sandbagging was identified , or the number of times sandbagging occurred and a bet over a certain amount was won , or a combination of these factors , etc . when the counter reaches a second threshold ( equal to or greater to the level a ), ( b ), the player may have his account flagged for manual review and a higher level of go - forward scrutiny , and his skill level ratcheted up one level . at a third threshold ( c ), the player &# 39 ; s account may be temporarily suspended , and at a fourth threshold ( d ) the account may be permanently closed and the individual behind the account precluded from participating in subsequent activities within the game in question , the casino in question and / or the casino group in question . the thresholds a through d may be coincident or reflect a step - wise ( but not necessarily linear ) increase in the counter , and a variety of different punitive actions ( distinct from the exemplary list above ) may be implemented . the withholding of winnings , reduction of winnings , or the assessment of penalties or fines ( against a deposit that could , for example , be required by players to participate in the skill based wagering aspect of anti - sandbagging hybrid game play ) can accompany crossing one or more of the thresholds a through d . note also that the such an embodiment is not limited expressly to four levels of punitive action , but that any number from 1 to n may be included as part of the penalty assessment construct . generally speaking , the penalty assessment methodology establishes a series of penalty thresholds . for each threshold a specific punitive action is prescribed . penalty thresholds are reached as a function of the player having been found to be sandbagging a certain number of times . the counter used to establish whether a threshold has been crossed can track one or more measures of sandbagging frequency within a single counter ( i . e . each game in which a player sandbags across multiple game titles can be tracked singularly ), or multiple counters can be used in parallel across different games or to measure sandbagging along multiple dimensions within a single game , each triggering thresholds independently . for example , consider a first person shooter game , where a player professes to be of intermediate skill , but actually has the capabilities of an expert . having sandbagged for a number of games to establish his skill as intermediate he enters into a head - to - head competition with a truly intermediate player , and then plays to the fullest of his ability . the gwe anti - sandbagging module compares the accuracy of the player &# 39 ; s shooting over a period of twenty shots against the distribution of accuracy for players graded as intermediate and determines with a high degree of statistical confidence that the player is in fact not an intermediate player . the counter increases from 0 to 1 , and in this case threshold a is crossed at a count of “ one instance where the player &# 39 ; s shooting accuracy is statistically such that it is not of an intermediate level ”. a warning is issued to the player and game play continues . two more samples of twenty shots are evaluated subsequently , and because the determination is made that the player is still performing at a level significantly above that of an intermediate player the counter has incremented to three , and threshold b is crossed , causing the player &# 39 ; s account to be flagged for review , a second warning issued , and the player &# 39 ; s professed skill as recorded in his profile to be elevated to “ expert ” for subsequent game play . in some embodiments , the aforementioned counter is maintained until a resetting event takes place , such as a certain number of game plays or a certain amount of elapsed time without any increase in the counter . note also that the penalties assessed can be “ outside ” the entertainment game ( e . g . suspension of a player &# 39 ; s account , disgorgement of winnings , resetting the player &# 39 ; s handicap to a higher level ), or “ inside ” the entertainment game ( e . g . player &# 39 ; s character is severely injured by stepping on a land mine , the player &# 39 ; s gun jams , the player &# 39 ; s football team is assessed a penalty and loss of down in a football game , etc .). reducing the benefits of skill via the introduction of deterministic errors as anti - sandbagging provision in some embodiments , performance in the context of the entertainment game is a function of both player skill and a certain degree of randomness introduced during game play . to address perceived sandbagging ( as measured in the manner previously described , i . e . a statistically significant deviation of current player performance relative to a standard or norm ) a deterministic ( instead of random ) error ( which need not be a static value ) is injected into the entertainment game . for example , in a first person shooter game , if the anti - sandbagging module determines that the player is sandbagging , a deterministic error in the player &# 39 ; s aim can be introduced into the data encapsulating the aim of the weapon generated in the entertainment game when the player fires his weapon , before such data is used by the game to establish whether the target was hit . the introduction of this inaccuracy can take place between the player &# 39 ; s game controller and the ese , or within the ese itself ( as a function of a flag set by the gwe or other means ), after data from the controller has been received . while it is possible for the player to ultimately compensate for deterministic errors , they still have the effect of causing the player to perform at a lower level than otherwise for a period of time . in various embodiments , the amount of error introduced ( or its vector ) can be altered over time as a function of the current status of the player &# 39 ; s performance relative to his professed skill . in this way a feedback loop is at work , continuously adjusting the vector of the error introduced until the player &# 39 ; s measured performance is in line with expected norms given his professed skill level . another form of sandbagging consists of players introducing “ ringers ” i . e . imposters whose pretense is intended to gain an advantage in competition , as replacements in head - to - head and / or tournament play . for example , an intermediately skilled scrabble ® player may be ranked appropriately , but allow a highly skilled player to use his account , making a number of bets regarding the progress or outcome of the game , and in such tournament play at his true level of skill ( i . e . “ expert ”), thereby giving him a substantial advantage over the true beginner players in the tournament . such a player would be guilty of using a ringer . linking an individual player to a specific account prevents ringers . in some embodiments , the anti - sandbagging module uses biometric identification methods . in order to confirm the identity of the player and to prevent a player from re - enrolling under a different name , player names and / or accounts are linked to specific biometric measurements . such measurements could include but are not limited to : retinal scans , iris recognition , fingerprints , palm prints , facial / image recognition , and voice prints . these measurements could be used for both positive and negative biometric identification . initial measurements may be taken during account set - up , when first engaging in gameplay , or when issued a unique id such as a ticket , code , or other means for anonymous play . biometric data would “ travel with ” any unique id or account . in many embodiments , players confirm biometric identification as soon as a he logs into an account or starts gameplay . if a player fails to provide accurate biometric measurements , the anti - sandbagging module may first issue a warning and allow the player to submit measurements again . further failures subject players to the penalty assessments described above . in numerous embodiments , biometric identification methods are used when the anti - sandbagging module alerts the operator that play is inconsistent with past performances . gameplay may pause , requiring the player to immediately submit to biometric identification . alternatively , the anti - sandbagging module may periodically take unobtrusive biometric measurements to confirm identification throughout gameplay . failure to provide accurate biometric measurements subjects players to the penalty assessments described above . in some embodiments of individual recognition , the player may be required to answer specific questions . these can include security questions established at account creation , questions regarding past performances , questions about account set - up date , etc . failure to provide accurate answers subjects players to the penalty assessments described above . in numerous embodiments , player geographic location or ip addresses may be tracked . changes in either may subject players to a higher degree of scrutiny or the penalty assessments described above . in an anti - sandbagging hybrid game , performance in the context of the entertainment game is a function of both player skill and a certain degree of randomness introduced during game play . however , player skill level is not necessarily a fixed factor . as players experience the game , their skill levels may measurably improve ( a beginner player becomes an intermediate player , and so on ). such an increase of skill could expose a player to censure by the anti - sandbagging module . to avoid penalizing players gaining skill rather than sandbagging , in some embodiments , upon detection that a player has improved progressively over recorded levels , the anti - sandbagging module could allow for raising the expected level of the player . alternatively , players could self - report increases of skill and thus increase expected performances before engaging in play . in various embodiments , at the onset of any game session the player is informed by the system as to their professed skill ( if one is on record at all ), and asked to confirm or alter the skill level . if no professed skill ( handicap ) is on record , the player selects the skill level they believe to be appropriate . this notification could be incorporated into player / account selection at the start of gameplay rather than as a separate event . in many embodiments , there is a short period at the onset of gameplay during which the anti - sandbagging module assesses player skill level and evaluates whether the professed skill level matches demonstrated skill . if there is a disparity , the hybrid game is paused and a player is given the option to alter his skill rating . this allows the player to more accurately self - report skill level and skill level changes . in some embodiments , a player can use the anti - sandbagging hybrid game in a mode ( for a short period of time and for free ) whereby they are “ tested ” to establish an updated handicap . this mode would be finite rather than the beginning of gameplay . in numerous embodiments , a player can , at any time , interface with the ui of a suitably configured anti - sandbagging hybrid game , a dedicated terminal , and / or a person operating a dedicated terminal or application , to report in with a new skill level . in many embodiments , a player is “ tested ” for actual v . professed skill periodically , ( e . g . day , week , month , every x game plays ) through free game play or as part of the player &# 39 ; s paid game play ( during which time the player may or may not be engaged in head - to - head competition , and may or may not be permitted to gamble ). these embodiments may or may not require participation in a player club . when a player club is unavailable or a player elects not to participate in one , the player is still identified . rather than linked explicitly to a specific account , the player is anonymously tracked , via the use of a ticket , code , or other means by which he is given a unique id that persists but is not tied to his person ( i . e . not linked specifically to his name , etc .). the process of initiating an anti - sandbagging provision has been described as taking place within the gwe anti - sandbagging module . the anti - sandbagging module interacts with the ese to implement the aforementioned embodiments . the gwe anti - sandbagging module communicates with the ese to cause the ese to alter the entertainment game environment and / or game play to impose penalties as necessary . certain embodiments , such as bet volume limits , do not invoke this gwe - ese interaction , but others , such as the introduction of random or deterministic errors require handshaking between the gwe and ese to affect the penalty or penalties . although various anti - sandbagging hybrid games constructed to assign handicaps to players are discussed above , anti - sandbagging hybrid games can be constructed to assign handicaps as anti - sandbagging provisions in any manner as appropriate to the requirements of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention . assignment of rank in anti - sandbagging hybrid games are discussed further below . performance in the context of the entertainment game in accordance with many embodiments of the invention is a function of both player skill and a certain degree of randomness introduced during entertainment game play . in order to apply the correct handicap , a player &# 39 ; s skill level is ranked . as a player &# 39 ; s skill level increases or decreases , the player &# 39 ; s overall rank , and therefore handicap , can be adjusted to reflect the change in player skill level . additionally , a player &# 39 ; s skill level at a particular entertainment game may not be related to the player &# 39 ; s skill level at other entertainment games . for example , success in a racing type entertainment game may not be indicative of the player &# 39 ; s skill level in a shooting type entertainment game . however , a player &# 39 ; s skill level in one game may be related to a player &# 39 ; s skill level in a related game , such as sequels to the same entertainment game . in many embodiments , a player may be ranked depending on the ratings of the player &# 39 ; s opponents , and the results of the player &# 39 ; s play against the opponents . in certain embodiments , the relative difference in rating between two players determines an estimate for the expected score between them . the design of the ranking system , including the range and mean rank may be chosen by the operator as appropriate for the anti - sandbagging hybrid game . thereby , rankings are calculated based on the strength of a player &# 39 ; s opponent and the actual results of the game play between the players . this system , where performance is not measured absolutely , allows handicapping inferred from wins , losses , and draws against other players . if a player wins a game , the player is assumed to perform at a higher level than his opponent for that game . conversely if a player loses , the player is assumed to perform at a lower level than the opponent . if the game is a draw , the two players are assumed to perform at nearly the same skill level . in several embodiments , these rankings are then used to predict performance so handicapping can be applied . when a player &# 39 ; s results exceed the player &# 39 ; s expected scores , the system takes this as evidence that a player &# 39 ; s ranking is too low , and can be adjusted upward . similarly when a player &# 39 ; s actual results fall short of the player &# 39 ; s expected scores , that player &# 39 ; s ranking can be adjusted downward . the anti - sandbagging module may use a simple linear adjustment proportional to the amount by which a player over performed or underperformed the expected score . this type of system can be used in a variety of entertainment games . additionally , this rating can be applied when a player &# 39 ; s performance is measured over time , rather than during play of single gaming session . the adjustment mechanism may also include a “ deadband ” or weighting functionality such that the player &# 39 ; s rating is not immediately adjusted solely as a function of a single or recent performance ( s ), but rather considers recent results in the context of a broader set of player performance data . in numerous embodiments , different rankings can be divided into “ bands of skill ,” ( similar but not the same as the popular chess ranking system elo , where a player with an elorating from 2000 - 2199 may be considered an expert , while a rating from 600 - 799 may be considered a beginner ). this allows a general handicap to be assigned to different skill bands rather than to individual ranks depending on the entertainment game in question . in a variety of embodiments , players are placed on a “ ladder ” and each player is assigned a numerical value that shows how skilled the player is at a certain game . the ladder system proceeds via a system of challenges . head to head games may occur on a scheduled or ad hoc basis between different rungs on the ladder . in ad hoc play , a first player may challenge a player at a higher level on the ladder . in certain embodiments , refusing a challenge may lead to penalties for the refusing player ( such as but not limited to reduction in rank , and / or being barred from tournaments ). if the low - ranked player wins the match , then the two players swap places on the ladder or are moved up and down a certain number of “ rungs ” on the ladder ( which may also affect the position of other players between the two rungs initially occupied by the two players ). if the low ranked player loses , then that player may be banned from challenging the same person again without challenging someone else first . there may be a limit as to how many rungs above themselves players may challenge . initial placement on the ladder may be random or deterministic based upon an entry test / challenge . in a number of embodiments , player ranking may be assigned on level based progression . a player can accumulate experience points ( xp ) based on play time , tasks undertaken , skills learned and / or a variety of other criterion . to “ level ” or “ level up ,” a player gains enough xp to reach the next level . when a level is gained , the player &# 39 ; s abilities or statistics increase , making the player stronger . in a number of embodiments , a player &# 39 ; s ranking is based ( at least in part ) on the level attained by the player , and a handicap assigned accordingly . in many embodiments , skill level may be assigned based on performance in specific aspects of the game . in certain embodiments involving a hunting game , factors including but not limited to accuracy , type of animals killed , and kill quantities may be valued separately and then combined to provide the overall ranking . in particular embodiments , skill level is not necessarily based on wins / loses , and handicapping may be applied based on specific aspects of the game ( a skilled player in each aspect of the above hunting game may be handicapped with features such as , but not limited to , less accurate guns , fewer numbers of animals , or more difficult kill - shots ). in several embodiments , there can be a short period at the onset of game play during which the anti - sandbagging module assesses player &# 39 ; s current skill level and evaluates that skill level relative to the player &# 39 ; s historical skill level ( s ) before applying the appropriate handicap . in a number of embodiments , the anti - sandbagging module assesses player skill level throughout game play to evaluate the player &# 39 ; s skill level . the anti - sandbagging module may then apply the appropriate handicap at the conclusion of the game play session . in various embodiments , a player can use an anti - sandbagging hybrid game in a mode ( such as for a short period of time and / or without payment ) whereby the player is “ tested ” to establish a skill rating . this mode can be finite rather than at the beginning of gameplay . also , this test mode can be distinct from actual gameplay . in numerous embodiments , if no professed skill is on record , players may select the skill level they believe to be appropriate . this selection could be incorporated into player / account selection at the start of gameplay rather than as a separate event . as play continues , the player &# 39 ; s performance is measured and compared to others of the professed skill level . where there are discrepancies , the rating assigned and the handicap applied is adjusted . alternatively , players that estimate their performance inaccurately may be disqualified from play . in several embodiments , ranking systems can implement skill floors for individual players . a skill floor is the minimum ranking that a player can fall to . for instance , if a player has an established ranking of “ expert ”, subsequent poor performances cannot reduce his ranking to “ beginner .” however , depending on the hybrid game in question , an “ expert ” player may have his or her rank decreased to an “ intermediate player ,” depending on the skill floor assigned . a skill floor may be assigned according to any arbitrary criteria , including but not limited to the number of games played , amount of money won , amount of games won , and / or additional factors that can be used establish a player &# 39 ; s skill level . several embodiments may or may not require participation in a player club . when a player club is unavailable or a player elects not to participate in one , the player is still identified . rather than linked explicitly to a specific account , the player is anonymously tracked , via the use of a ticket , code , or other means by which a player is given a unique id that persists but is not tied to a player &# 39 ; s person ( such as but not limited to not being linked specifically to the player &# 39 ; s name ). in numerous embodiments , rankings may be continuous or discrete . rankings may be specific to the casino , the casino family , and / or geographic location or other divisions . the anti - sandbagging module may function to normalize disparate rankings or rankings across multiple systems and locations . a process flow diagram of a process for determining if a player &# 39 ; s current performance at an anti - sandbagging hybrid game exceeds historical performance in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig3 a . the process 300 includes an anti - sandbagging module retrieving current player performance measurements ( 502 ) and historical performance measurements ( 504 ) for a player while playing an anti - sandbagging hybrid game . the historical performance measurements are for the particular player &# 39 ; s historical performance measurements . the order in which current player performance measurements and historical performance measurements are retrieved is non - limiting and can be retrieved in any order . the anti - sandbagging module then performs ( 206 ) statistical analysis upon the current player performance measurements and historical performance measurements . if there is sufficient deviation from expected performance measurements as defined in sandbagging definitions 507 , then the player &# 39 ; s rankings and corresponding handicaps as anti - sandbagging provisions can be adjusted ( 508 ) according to any of the anti - sandbagging provisions described herein and as specified by an operator &# 39 ; s anti - sandbagging parameters 509 . in various embodiments , the player &# 39 ; s ranking , and subsequent handicap , may be re - ranked upward to a higher rank . however , if the currently player &# 39 ; s performance measurement information indicates a poorer quality of fair play during the current play session , the player &# 39 ; s rank , and subsequent handicap , may be adjusted to a lower value . in many embodiments , an outlier test is used to determine if the player &# 39 ; s current performance information indicates that the player has significantly deviated from expected performance . in certain embodiments , an outlier test such as ( but not limited to ) the grubb &# 39 ; s outlier test can be used . the grubb &# 39 ; s outlier test can be used to detect outliers in a data set assumed to come from a normally distributed population . to perform the grubb test , a value t is calculated : xmean = mean of historical player performance measurements for previous play sessions ; and once t is calculated , a lookup table is used to determine the probability that a rejection of xi as belonging to the population of xmean is improper . for example , the lookup table illustrated in fig3 b can be utilized . in fig3 b , the headings represent the probability , in percentages , that a rejection is improper , and n is the number of sampled historical data points for player performance that were used to calculate xmean . in other embodiments , any technique for determining whether player performance is inconsistent with past performance can be utilized as appropriate to the requirements of a specific anti - sandbagging hybrid game . the table is used by looking up the value of t in the table for the number n samples . then , the probability is determined by looking up the column to the probability value featured in the header . for example , if n = 20 sampled player performance measurements and t is calculated to be 2 . 71 , then the rejection of xi as not belonging to the population of the sampled player performance measurements has a 2 . 5 % chance of being improper . put another way , there is a 97 . 5 % chance the particular instance of player performance is proper . in several embodiments , outlier tests such as ( but not limited to ) dixon &# 39 ; s q - test are used . in a dixon q - test , a ratio of distance between a tested value and its next closest value in a set of sampled values as compared to the range of all values in the sample is used to determine if the tested value comes from the same population as the set of sampled values . in certain embodiments , a process for determining a q - test is as follows . the sampled values of historical player performance measurements are arranged in ascending order : a ratio , q exp , is calculated as the difference between the value of the currently player performance measurement , x n , being tested from its nearest neighbor value , x n − 1 , divided by the range of the values of player performances : the obtained q exp value is compared to a critical q - value ( q crit ) found in the table containing the critical q values produced below . if q exp & gt ; q crit for a particular confidence interval , then the tested player performance value can be characterized as an outlier , that is , that the current player performance measurement may significantly deviate from expected player performance measurements in a statistically meaningful way . a table containing the critical q values for confidence level ( cl ) 90 %, 95 % and 99 % and n = 3 - 10 is given below : in certain embodiments , the expected performance can be the player &# 39 ; s own historical performance while playing a particular hybrid game . in particular embodiments , the expected performance can be the performance of other players having the same or similar ranking as the player in question for a particular hybrid game . although various anti - sandbagging hybrid games constructed to evaluate the rank of players are discussed above , anti - sandbagging hybrid games can be constructed to evaluate rank in any manner as appropriate to the requirements of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention . a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game that assigns handicaps as anti - sandbagging provisions according to player skill level in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig4 . the sequence diagram 400 includes interactions between one or more gwes 402 of one or more anti - sandbagging hybrid games and an anti - sandbagging module 404 . the sequence includes an anti - sandbagging module receiving ( 406 ) player performance measurements for each player 1 to n from one or more gwes 402 and determining ( 408 ) if each player 1 to n exceeded their respective expected performance based upon how each player &# 39 ; s performance measurements are related to respective historical performance measurements of the player . as the players are evaluated for sandbagging , appropriate handicaps are assigned ( 414 ) for each of the players based upon the determination of sandbagging for each player . the anti - sandbagging module then returns ( 418 ) instructions to apply appropriate handicaps as anti - sandbagging provisions or each player to the one or more gwes and the gwes implement ( 220 ) the handicaps as appropriate . a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game that adjusts a player &# 39 ; s ranking dynamically in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig5 . the anti - sandbagging module 504 receives ( 506 ) player performance measurements from a gwe 502 and assigns ( 508 ) a player ranking based upon the player performance measurements . then , the anti - sandbagging module 504 receives ( 510 ) player performance measurements from subsequent sessions of entertainment game play after the initial ranking was assigned . the anti - sandbagging module 504 can analyze the subsequent performance measurements to determine ( 512 ) if the player significantly deviated from expected player performance and adjust ( 514 ) the player &# 39 ; s rankings and handicaps applied as ant - sandbagging provisions in light of the significant deviation . although various anti - sandbagging hybrid games constructed to assign rank to players are discussed above , anti - sandbagging hybrid games can be constructed to assign rank in any manner as appropriate to the requirements of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention . any of a variety of processing apparatuses can host various components of an anti - sandbagging hybrid game and / or an anti - sandbagging module in accordance with embodiments of the invention . in several embodiments , these processing apparatuses can include , but are not limited to , a gaming machine , a console game , a personal computing device such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant , a general purpose computer , a computing device and / or a controller . a processing apparatus that is constructed to implement an anti - sandbagging hybrid game in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . in the processing apparatus 700 , a processor 704 is coupled to a memory 706 by a bus 728 . the processor 704 is also coupled to non - transitory processor - readable storage media , such as a storage device 708 that stores processor - executable instructions 712 and data 710 through the system bus 728 to an i / o bus 726 through a storage controller 718 . the processor 704 is also coupled to one or more interfaces that may be used to connect the processor to other processing apparatuses as well as networks as described herein . the processor 704 is also coupled via the bus to user input devices 714 , such as tactile devices including but not limited to keyboards , keypads , foot pads , touch screens , and / or trackballs , as well as non - contact devices such as audio input devices , motion sensors and motion capture devices that the processing apparatus may use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the processing apparatus . the processor 704 is connected to these user input devices 714 through the system bus 728 , to the i / o bus 726 and through the input controller 720 . the processor 704 is also coupled via the bus to user output devices 716 such as ( but not limited to ) visual output devices , audio output devices , and / or tactile output devices that the processing apparatus uses to generate outputs perceivable by the user when the user interacts with the processing apparatus . in several embodiments , the processor is coupled to visual output devices such as ( but not limited to ) display screens , light panels , and / or lighted displays . in a number of embodiments , the processor is coupled to audio output devices such as ( but not limited to ) speakers , and / or sound amplifiers . in many embodiments , the processor is coupled to tactile output devices like vibrators , and / or manipulators . the processor is connected to output devices from the system bus 728 to the i / o bus 726 and through the output controller 722 . the processor 704 can also be connected to a communications interface 702 from the system bus 728 to the i / o bus 726 through a communications controller 724 . in various embodiments , a processor loads the instructions and the data from the storage device into the memory and executes the instructions and operates on the data to implement the various aspects and features of the components of a gaming system as described herein . the processor uses the user input devices and the user output devices in accordance with the instructions and the data in order to create and operate user interfaces for players , casino operators , and / or owners as described herein . although the processing apparatus is described herein as being constructed from a processor and instructions stored and executed by hardware components , the processing apparatus can be composed of only hardware components in accordance with many embodiments . in addition , although the storage device is described as being coupled to the processor through a bus , those skilled in the art of processing apparatuses will understand that the storage device can include removable media such as but not limited to a usb memory device , an optical cd rom , magnetic media such as tape and disks . also , the storage device can be accessed through one of the interfaces or over a network . furthermore , any of the user input devices or user output devices can be coupled to the processor via one of the interfaces or over a network . in addition , although a single processor is described , those skilled in the art will understand that the processor can be a controller or other computing device or a separate computer as well as be composed of multiple processors or computing devices . in numerous embodiments , any of an rwe , a gwe , ese and anti - sandbagging module as described herein can be implemented on multiple processing apparatuses , whether dedicated , shared or distributed in any combination thereof , or may be implemented on a single processing apparatus . in addition , while certain aspects and features of element management processes described herein have been attributed to an rwe , a gwe , an ese or an anti - sandbagging module these aspects and features may be implemented in a hybrid form where any of the features or aspects may be performed by any of a rwe , gwe , ese or anti - sandbagging module within an anti - sandbagging hybrid game without deviating from the spirit of the invention . while the above description contains many specific embodiments of the invention , these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention , but rather as an example of one embodiment thereof . it is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically described , without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . thus , embodiments of the present invention should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive .	6
referring to fig1 , the baseball training aid includes a first portion 6 and a second portion 8 , where the first portion 6 is joined with the second portion 8 by a pivotal connection such as a hinge 18 . the first portion includes a knob 10 at its proximal end followed by a grip 11 on handle 12 . a first barrel portion 14 is located adjacent to the handle . a transverse hole 5 is located in said distal portion through which a first pivot pin 20 can be located . hinge 18 is pivotally connected to first portion 6 using first pivot pin 20 and second pivot pin 22 which is located in a similar transverse hole in the proximal portion of second section 8 which includes second barrel 16 . as a preferred embodiment , the first portion is 22½ inches long and the second portion is inches long . in this preferred embodiment which was directed to training a 12 - year - old little leaguer , the weight of the first portion is about 1 - 3 pounds and the weight of the second portion is about 1 pound . the diameter of the second barrel portion is 2 inches while the diameter of the first barrel varies from 1½ to 2 inches , while the length of the first barrel is about 6 inches long . again in the preferred embodiment , the distance between the first pivot pin and the distal end of the first portion is about 1 inch and the distance between the second pivot pin and the proximal end of the second portion is about 1 inch . the hinge &# 39 ; s length is 2½ inches by 2¼ inches . in the preferred embodiment and as shown in fig2 , the pivotal connection is provided by hinge mechanism 18 which urges unidirectional rotation and therefore the overall swing is attempted to be restricted to substantially one plane to groove the swing in a substantially horizontal direction — although the hinge could be replaced by other similar apparatus . in the preferred embodiment of fig2 the hinge arm ( horizontal ) portions 19 are about 2½ inches long and the vertical portions 17 are about 2¼ inches long . as mentioned previously , a typical flawed swing is often caused by kids being spoiled by the ultra - light nature of the aluminum bat and the trampoline effect of these bats which drive the ball great distances without proper arm and body rotation . especially as the kids get older , and the velocity of the pitches increase , participants using these ultra - light bats have a tendency to just stick the bat out in the way of the ball to just make contact and not properly use their wrists and not their arms , hips , thighs and torsos . in contrast , the same swing with a wooden bat would not produce nearly the same impact or distance . in many instances , the problems with these hand swings are also compounded by hitting the ball too much in front , which is worsened by , in many instances , the participant stepping frontward , causing the body to be pivoted on the front foot and the swing deprived of the benefits of the push from the back foot followed by rotation of the trunk and arms and fully utilizing the hips , thighs , and torso . during the days when heavier bats were used , participants had to use their bodies , their hips and their arms as if they were swinging an ax to cut down a tree . indeed , it is reported that the legendary player ted williams practiced his baseball swing by chopping down trees with an ax . accordingly , one of the purposes of the invention is to build up good habits as was done with the wooden bat and as illustrated in fig3 . fig3 is an illustration of the correct way that the bat should be swung with hips turned , body back , no front step and the ball is hit in front of the body over the front foot . this is the method which the present invention tries to groove . fig4 shows the device in fig1 where the second portion of the barrel has a front striking surface which is flat to further groove a flat swing . if a ball is pitched to the batter using this training aid and the swing is not flat , it will be difficult to get a correct hit . fig5 is a global top view of the operation of the batting training aid which is the subject of this invention . the drawing shows a top view of the operation of the bat starting with the bat being in position 1 proceeding counter - clockwise from approximately the 4 p . m . position on a clock . the head of a right - handed person swinging the bat is shown by numeral 100 . the person is facing north or 12 : 00 p . m . the arms are not shown . in position 1 , at about 4 : 00 p . m ., the weight is evenly distributed from front to back foot and the batter is in “ loaded ” position which , in a right - hand batter , means that the bat is generally over the right shoulder . because the subject batting aid is heavy , especially with a younger participant , full extension might be problematic if someone was using a large adult bat . in most instances a kid would not be able to hold a heavy adult bat upright . the subject invention solves this problem by operation of the hinged embodiment which folds the bat and makes the center of gravity lower and much closer to the shoulders and the head , making it easier for a kid to “ load ” with a heavy batting aid . going now to position 2 , at about 3 p . m ., in order to make the transition from folded bat position to a straighter position where the second portion of the bat is generally aligned in relation to the front portion , the participant is forced to bring the knob of the bat generally forward and rotate the body around an imaginary axis of rotation through the head . as the rotation of the batter continues , the first and second portion of the batting aid becomes more generally aligned as shown in position 3 . once again , because of the weight of the bat and the momentum caused , balance and stability must be maintained through almost equal weight distribution to both feet while a turning through the aforementioned axis of rotation using the hips , arms , and torso . when the bat reaches position 4 , at about 12 p . m ., the momentum caused by the second portion of the training aid translating and rotating by means of the hinge encourages the bat to be over the front foot — basically the ideal place a ball can be properly hit using the subject invention . if the leading end of the second portion is flat , as shown in fig4 , and if the hinge is constructed so as to encourage horizontal motion , such as shown in fig2 , the additional goal of grooving a flat swing is also encouraged . the benefits of this training can be emphasized by throwing a wiffle ball and forcing the hitter to try to make contact with the outer barrel — which can best be achieved with weight forward and the hips rotated . the bat position from position 4 to position 5 in fig5 , shows how the momentum of the hinged second portion causes a pendulum motion and ultimately the roll of the wrist and the follow through ending up in position 6 . in operation , when the participant practices using this training aid , the participant builds up his / her muscles and grooves a horizontal swing using the correct muscle groups with the knob of the bat pulled through the swing first and the flip of the wrist occurring only after the knob is generally over the front foot , followed by a progressive follow through which automatically occurs because of the momentum of the second portion of the bat and the pendulum action caused by the hinging movement . other embodiments encompassed by this invention is shown in fig6 where weights 30 are added within a hollow outer barrel portion 32 . the weights are threaded over a bolt 34 fastened at the end and are added inside . the bolt can be inward or outward 36 as shown in fig7 where weights are added to the outside , a much easier feat , and fastened with a nut 37 . fig8 shows weights 39 added to the first portion either through an opening in the handle 41 or distal thereto . fig9 shows that the building up of foam 38 or similar padding to the outside of the bat to minimize injury . fig1 shows another embodiment where the second barrel portion is fitted with fins 40 that create air resistance and force the swing to be close to the body and the knob of the bat 42 to proceed first preventing what is called “ early casting ” where the wrists break too early and before the impact point . if the swing is not proper , it will simply be too difficult to get the second portion smoothly through the hitting zone . fig1 shows yet another embodiment with fins 44 added to the first portion of bat 45 near the handle . fig1 shows yet another embodiment where a slideable sleeve 46 is utilized to fix the positions of the first and second members , so that they can be adapted to either swing freely as in fig1 or be unitary as in fig1 . in the embodiment of fig1 , instead of a hinged embodiment there is shown a unitary bat structure having a handle 48 and a flat striking surface 50 . the handle has a spacer 52 which holds the hands apart from one another . this encourages or grooves a flat swing and the proper arm and body motion as described earlier , analogous to a hockey swing . in the preferred embodiment , the flat portion is 14 inches long while the overall bat length was 34 inches long . the spacer is 6 inches long . yet another embodiment is shown in fig1 which illustrates an embodiment similar to fig1 but where an annular member 54 is positioned to slide over the handle portion of the bat from position 1 ( no . 56 ) to position 2 ( 58 ). with a right - handed batter , the left hand is placed adjacent to the knob while the right hand is placed over the annular member a distance away . the batter starts the swing with hands a distance apart at the load position but as the swing is initiated and the bat rotates into the hitting zone , the hands come together again urging a flat swing . in the embodiment in fig1 the flat striking surface training bat as illustrated in fig1 is shown with the addition of fins 58 . in the preferred embodiment , four fins are placed in the area between the handle and striking area . the fins add air resistance to the swing not only building up strength but preventing early casting . the flat striking surface allows the training aid to be used to hit practice balls further grooving a flat swing because of the flat striking area . if the swing is not flat , it will be difficult to hit the ball . while we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention , it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without the parting of the scope and spirit of this concept .	0
fig1 is a block diagram of an rf transponder 5 according to one embodiment of the present invention . the rf transponder 5 includes a burst switch 10 , which is described in more detail in connection with fig2 . the burst switch 10 is in electronic communication with a processing unit 15 , which may be , without limitation , a microprocessor , a microcontroller , or some other type of processor device . the processing unit 15 may further be another type of electronic device , such as a cmos device or any other electronic circuit element provided on , for example , a semiconductor substrate or printed circuit board ( pcb ), which performs a particular function or functions . the processing unit 15 is capable of being placed into an inactive , sleep state where the current drawn by it is at a minimum . in addition , the processing unit 15 may be woken up , i . e ., moved from the inactive , sleep state to an active state , upon receipt of an external input signal . an rf transmitter 20 is in electronic communication with the processing unit 15 . the rf transmitter 20 may be a separate transmitter component , or may be part of a transceiver component that is capable of both transmitting and receiving rf signals . the rf transmitter 20 is , in response to commands received from the processing unit 15 , able to transmit rf signals through an antenna 25 connected thereto . like the processing unit 15 , the rf transmitter 20 is capable of being placed into an inactive , sleep state where the current drawn by it is at a minimum , and can be woken up by receipt of an external input signal provided by the processing unit 15 . the rf transponder 5 also includes a battery 30 which provides the power required for the operation of the processing unit 15 and the transmitter 20 . the battery 30 may alternatively be replaced by another power source , such as , without limitation , a fuel cell or a super capacitor . fig2 is a schematic diagram of the burst switch 10 . the burst switch 10 includes an antenna 35 , which , in the embodiment shown in fig2 , is a square spiral antenna . the antenna 35 is electrically connected to a matching network 40 , which in turn is electrically connected to a voltage boosting and rectifying circuit preferably in the form of a charge pump 45 . charge pumps are well known in the art . basically , one stage of a charge pump essentially doubles the effective amplitude of an ac input voltage and stores the resulting increased dc voltage on an output capacitor . the voltage could also be stored using a rechargeable battery . successive stages of a charge pump , if present , will essentially increase the voltage from the previous stage resulting in an increased output voltage . the matching network 40 matches the input impedance of the charge pump 45 to the impedance of the antenna 35 for optimal performance of the antenna 35 and optimal charge pump 45 output voltage . in one particular embodiment , the matching network 40 is an lc tank circuit formed by , for example , the inherent distributed inductance and inherent distributed capacitance of the conducing elements of the antenna 35 . the antenna 35 is tuned to receive rf signals having a particular frequency or range of frequencies . the rf signals that are received by the antenna 35 are provided , in the form of an ac signal , to the charge pump 45 through the matching network 40 . the charge pump 45 essentially amplifies and rectifies the received ac voltage signal and outputs the resulting dc signal . these operations are performed without requiring the consumption of power from the battery 30 or any other power source within or connected ( physically ) to the rf transponder 5 . referring again to fig1 , in operation , the rf transponder 5 is deployed in a state wherein the processing unit 15 and the transmitter 20 are in the inactive , sleep state . as such , the draw on the battery 30 will be at a minimum . when it is desired to “ wake - up ” the rf transponder 5 , an rf signal of an appropriate frequency is transmitted to the rf transponder 5 by , for example , an rfid reader or other suitable device . the rf signal is received by the burst switch 10 , and as described above , the rf signal is used to produce a dc signal . the dc signal that is produced is provided to the sleep input ( pin ) of the processing unit 15 , which causes the processing unit 15 to move from the inactive , sleep state to its active state . in the active state , the processing unit 15 is able to perform any action that is required , such as waking up the rf transmitter 20 and causing it to transmit a signal that contains information such as an identifier for the rf transponder 5 . when finished ( or after some predetermined period of time ), the processing unit 15 can return to an inactive , sleep state until subsequently woken up as described herein . as will be appreciated , the burst switch 10 as shown in fig2 is designed to produce a dc signal of an appropriate level for input into the sleep input of the processing unit 15 through appropriate selection of the parameters of the antenna 25 , the matching network 40 and / or the charge pump 45 . a shortcoming of the rf transponder 5 shown in fig1 is that spurious rf energy ( noise ) received by the burst switch 10 could inadvertently cause the processing unit 15 to move to the active state , thereby consuming power when not needed . also , if a number of similar rf transponders 5 ( i . e ., similar meaning the antenna 35 of each is tuned to the same frequency or frequency range ) are deployed together , an rf signal that is transmitted by a reader will activate all of the rf transponders 5 , even if they are not all currently of interest to the reader . in other words , there is no way to selectively activate one or more of them without also activating the remaining ones of them . fig3 is a block diagram of an rf transponder 50 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention that addresses the shortcomings of the simple rf transponder 5 shown in fig1 . as seen in fig3 , the rf transponder 50 is similar to the rf transponder 5 in that it includes a burst switch 10 , a processing unit 15 , an rf transmitter 20 connected to an antenna 25 , and a battery 30 . however , the rf transponder 50 further includes a low power filtering circuit 55 . specifically , as shown in fig3 , the dc output of the burst switch 10 is provided to the filtering circuit 55 , and the output of the filtering circuit 55 is provided to the sleep input of the processing unit 15 . the function of the filtering circuit 55 is twofold . first , the filtering circuit 55 prevents spurious rf energy ( noise ) from inadvertently causing the processing unit 15 to move from an inactive , sleep state to an active state . second , the filtering circuit 55 provides a mechanism by which the particular rf transponder 50 in which the filtering circuit 55 is included can be selectively woken up , i . e ., have its processing unit 15 selectively moved to an active state . the filtering circuit 55 performs these functions by causing a wake - up signal to be sent to the sleep input of the processing unit 15 only if a particular sequence or pattern ( i . e ., format ) of rf signals is received by the burst switch 10 . in the preferred embodiment , the filtering circuit 55 is a state machine that will generate a wake - up signal only if a particular pre - set “ code ” is received from the burst switch 10 , wherein the code is a particular sequence of a certain number of voltage “ bursts ” ( i . e ., voltage signals of a certain ( although possibly varying ) length or duration ; in this case , the bursts are dc signals , but bursts as used herein may also refer to rf signals of a certain ( although possibly varying ) length or duration ) from the burst switch 10 each having a particular length expressed as a multiple of some pre - set unit of time , such as 1 millisecond . fig4 shows an example of a 4 element code that may be required to be output by the burst switch 10 and received by the filtering circuit 55 in order for the filtering circuit 55 to generate a wake - up signal for waking up the processing unit 15 . in the example of fig4 , the code that must be received is a 4 burst code consisting of a burst of length 5 ( e . g ., 5 milliseconds ), followed by a burst of length 2 ( e . g ., 2 milliseconds ), followed by a burst of length 4 ( e . g ., 4 milliseconds ), followed by a burst of length 6 ( e . g ., 6 milliseconds ). in effect , the code is 5 2 4 6 . as will be appreciated , the code scheme of fig4 is meant to be exemplary only , and any number of bursts of any possible length and any base length unit of time may be used for a particular code without departing from the scope of the invention . in operation , the filtering circuit 55 will count ( possibly on a dedicated counter ) the number of separate bursts received and the length of each burst ( the length of each burst may be stored in a register or any suitable memory ). when the count reaches the pre - set number , e . g ., 4 , the registers ( or memory ) are checked for the proper code ( i . e ., has the proper sequence of burst lengths been received ). if the code is determined to be correct , the filtering circuit 55 will generate a wake - up signal for the processing unit 15 . as will be appreciated , the required code may be generated by an rfid reader by generating a sequence of an appropriate number of rf bursts wherein each rf burst is of a particular time . as described in connection with fig2 , each such rf burst will result in a corresponding dc voltage ( dc burst ) being output by the burst switch 10 having a length equal to the length of the rf burst . thus , in order to generate the 5 2 4 6 code described above , an rf reader must output an rf burst having a length of 5 ( e . g ., 5 milliseconds ), followed by an rf burst having a length of 2 ( e . g ., 2 milliseconds ), followed by an rf burst having a length of 4 ( e . g ., 4 milliseconds ), followed by an rf burst having a length of 6 ( e . g ., 6 milliseconds ). the filtering circuit 55 thus solves the noise problem by requiring a particular sequence of rf bursts before the processing unit 15 is awakened . the filtering circuit 55 also allows a number of rf transponders 50 to be deployed and selectively and independently awakened . in particular , each transponder 50 ( or set of transponders 50 to be grouped and awakened together ) that is deployed at a location can be provided with a unique code . in order for an rfid reader to wake up a particular transponder 50 ( or set of grouped transponders 50 ), the rfid reader will need to generate the appropriate rf bursts . as an alternative , any particular rf transponder 50 may be provided with more than one code that would enable it to be awakened , wherein one code may be used to awaken the rf transponder 50 individually , and another code may be used to awaken it as part of a group of particular transponders 50 . as seen in fig3 , the filtering circuit 55 is connected to the battery 30 for power purposes . preferably , the filtering circuit 55 is a device or component that may enter a low power sleep state . the filtering device 55 will remain in a sleep state until a burst is received , at which time it will move to an active state ( the burst is the wake - up signal ), count the burst , measure its duration , and return to sleep until the next burst is received . as a result , minimal power is consumed by the filtering circuit 55 . as will be appreciated , the filtering circuit 55 thus may be any low power electronic device that can be turned on for a short period of time , increment a counter , measure a burst length , and then go back to sleep . fig5 is a block diagram of an rf transponder 60 according to a further alternative embodiment of the present invention that includes an alternate arrangement for addressing the shortcomings of the simple rf transponder 5 shown in fig1 , i . e ., the noise problem and the inability to discriminate among multiple transponders . as seen in fig5 , the rf transponder 60 is similar to the rf transponder 5 in that it includes a processing unit 15 , an rf transmitter 20 connected to an antenna 25 , and a battery 30 . however , the rf transponder 60 includes multiple burst switches 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , and 10 d wherein the antenna 35 of each burst switch 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , 10 d is tuned to a different frequency or range of frequencies ( although only four burst switches 10 are shown , more or less than four may be employed to suit the particular needs of the application in question without departing from the scope of the present invention ). in addition , as represented by passive logic combination 65 , the burst switches 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , 10 d are topologically interconnected in manner that implements a selected logical combination , such as an and , an or , or any other logic operation or combination of operations . it will be appreciated that each burst switch 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , 10 d will only output a dc signal if it receives an rf signal of the appropriate frequency ( each referred to as a “ burst switch frequency ” for convenience ). thus , the passive logic combination 65 can be chosen to only provide a wake - up signal to the processing unit 15 if a particular combination of the burst switch frequencies is received . for example , the passive logic combination 65 could be implemented as an and such that all of the burst switch frequencies must be received for a wake - up signal to be sent to the processing unit 15 . alternatively , the passive logic combination 65 could be implemented with a series of ands and ors such that any two , or any three of the burst switch frequencies or a particular two or a particular three of the burst switch frequencies must be received for a wake - up signal to be sent to the processing unit 15 . thus , because particular burst switch frequencies must be received to wake - up the processing unit 15 , the arrangement shown in fig5 prevents spurious rf energy ( noise ) from inadvertently causing the processing unit 15 to move from an inactive state to an active state . in addition , the arrangement shown in fig5 may also be used to provide a mechanism by which the particular rf transponder 60 in which it is included can be selectively woken up , i . e ., have its processing unit 15 selectively moved to an active state . specifically , a number of transponders 60 may be deployed with different burst switch frequencies and / or different passive logic combinations 65 such that an rfid reader can generate appropriate rf signals to selectively wake - up certain ones of the rf transponders 60 . for example , one rf transponder 60 could be deployed wherein all of the burst switch frequencies are required to wake it up , another rf transponder 60 could be deployed wherein a particular two of the burst switch frequencies are required to wake it up , another rf transponder 60 could be deployed wherein a different particular two of the burst switch frequencies are required to wake it up , another rf transponder 60 could be deployed wherein a particular three of the burst switch frequencies are required to wake it up , and so on . in an alternative embodiment of the rf transponder 60 , instead of providing the passive logic combination 65 , the burst switches 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , and 10 d could be combined and biased with respect to one another such that the burst frequencies must be received in a particular pre - set order for a wake - up signal to be sent to the processing unit 15 . in such an arrangement , each burst switch 10 following a first one of the burst switches 10 would require the preceding burst switch 10 to be energized before it would be capable of outputting a dc signal . in this sense , the arrangement of burst switches 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , 10 d functions like an electronic combinational lock , and as such is able to prevent noise from inadvertently waking up the processing unit 15 and is able to allow the rf transponder 60 in which it is implemented to be selectively woken - up . fig6 is a block diagram of an alternative rf transponder 5 ′ that is similar to rf transponder 5 shown in fig1 except that it further includes an rf receiver 70 connected to an antenna 75 . the rf receiver 70 may be caused to move from an inactive , sleep state to an active state by the burst switch 10 in order allow for further communication with the processing unit 15 via the rf receiver 70 . the communications may be according to an established standard , such as the iso 18000 part 7 standard . similarly , fig7 is a block diagram of an alternative rf transponder 50 ′ that is similar to rf transponder 50 shown in fig3 except that it also further includes an rf receiver 70 connected to an antenna 75 . the rf receiver 70 in this embodiment may be caused to move from an inactive , sleep state to an active state by the burst switch 10 and filtering circuit 55 in the manner described elsewhere herein in order to allow for further communication with the processing unit 15 of the rf transponder 50 ′ via the rf receiver 70 . again , the communications may be according to an established standard , such as the iso 18000 part 7 standard . fig8 is a block diagram of an rfid system 80 according to an aspect of the present invention . the rfid system 80 includes a plurality of rf transponders 85 deployed in a particular location , such as within a building . the rf transponders 85 may be , without limitation , any of the rf transponder embodiments described herein , such as rf transponder 5 , rf transponder 5 ′, rf transponder 50 , rf transponder 50 ′ or rf transponder 60 . the rf transponders 85 may also be an rf transponder as described in co - pending u . s . provisional application ser . no . 60 / 673 , 715 entitled “ method and device for reducing power consumption of active rfid tags ,” owned by the assignee of the present invention , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference , or any other type of known or later developed suitable rf transponder . the rfid system 80 further includes an interrogator unit 90 which is in electronic communication with a host ( central ) computer system 95 . under the control of the host computer system 95 , the interrogator unit 90 generates the rf signals ( e . g ., bursts ) that are required to selectively awaken one or more of the rf transponders 85 in the manners described elsewhere herein . once awakened , each rf transponder 85 may simply transmit some identifying information to the interrogator unit 90 to confirm its presence at the location , or , in those embodiments that permit ( e . g ., rf transponders 5 ′ and 50 ), each rf transponder 85 may receive further communications from the interrogator unit 90 ( for example , according to the iso 18000 part 7 standard ) and respond accordingly . thus , due to the power conserving capabilities of the rf transponder 5 , the rf transponder 5 ′, the rf transponder 50 , the rf transponder 50 ′ and the rf transponder 60 described elsewhere wherein , the rfid system 80 is able to operate with minimal power consumption and therefore an extended lifetime . in order to avoid collisions in one embodiment , the rf interrogation response signals are transmitted one at a time in a sequential manner , such as according to an order determined by the unique identifier of each rfid tag 110 . other collision avoidance mechanisms are also possible . fig9 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an asset management system 100 according to a further aspect of the present invention . the asset management system 100 enables centralized , remote location tracking of a number of assets 105 within a particular location 115 , such as , for example and without limitation , a hospital or another environment . the assets 105 may be any type of physical item , including both movable items and items that are permanently or temporarily fixed in place . for example , in a hospital application , the assets 105 may be various types of medial equipment , such as , without limitation , a crash cart , an ekg machine , a wheel chair , a gurney , an oxygen dispenser , a staff member , or a patient . each of the assets 105 has an rfid tag 110 physically associated therewith , preferably by physically attaching the rfid tag 110 to the asset 105 . each rfid tag 110 is preferably any of the rf transponder embodiments described herein , such as rf transponder 5 , rf transponder 5 ′, rf transponder 50 , rf transponder 50 ′ or rf transponder 60 . the asset management system 100 further includes a central asset management computer system 120 that is connected to a main network 125 . the asset management computer system 120 may include , without limitation , a pc or another suitable computing device that is provided with one or more software applications for implementing the system described herein . as seen in fig9 , a number of wireless access points 130 are in electronic communication , preferably wired communication , with the main network 125 and are dispersed throughout the location 115 . each wireless access point 130 is capable of receiving a signal from the main network 125 , and thus from the asset management computer system 120 , and wirelessly transmitting that signal within a particular defined area . in addition , each wireless access point 130 is capable of receiving wireless signals from within its particular defined area and transmitting those signals to the main network 125 , and thus to the asset management computer system 120 . the main network 125 and wireless access points 130 thus form a wireless network for the location 115 . in the preferred embodiment , the wireless network for the location 115 is a wifi network that is implemented according to the ieee 802 . 11 family of standards , or another suitable standard . the asset management system 100 also further includes a number of interface devices 135 that are dispersed throughout the location 115 . each interface device 135 is located within the range of at least one of the wireless access points 130 . as described in greater detail below , each interface device 135 is capable of receiving wireless ( rf ) signals from and transmitting wireless ( rf ) signals to the associated wireless access point 130 according to the appropriate protocol . in addition , each interface device 135 is capable of transmitting rf signals to the rf tags 110 that are in proximity thereto and receiving rf signals from those rf tags 110 . in particular , based upon control signals received from the asset management computer system 120 through the main network 125 and the appropriate wireless access point 130 , each interface device 135 is capable of transmitting one or more rf signals to the burst switch 10 of the associated rf tags 110 ( in the manner or manners described elsewhere herein in connection with the embodiments of the rf transponder 5 , the rf transponder 5 ′, the rf transponder 50 , the rf transponder 50 ′ and the rf transponder 60 ) for purposes of causing the processing unit 15 of the associated rf tags 110 to move to an active state . in addition , each interface device 135 is capable of receiving response signals from the associated rf tags 110 after they have been awakened . in this respect , the interface devices 135 function like rfid readers or interrogators . for reasons that will be explained hereinafter , each interface device 135 is provided with an identifier that uniquely identifies it . such identifiers enable the asset management computer system 120 to associate each interface device 135 with a particular location within the location 115 , such as a particular room or wing in a building . this may be done in the form of a table stored by the asset management computer system 120 . thus , each interface 135 can be located or found to be non - functional through the asset management system 100 itself . fig1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the interface device 135 shown in fig9 . the interface device 135 includes a processing unit 140 , which may be , without limitation , a microprocessor , a microcontroller , or some other type of processor device . the processing unit 140 is electrically connected to a power interface 145 which provides power thereto . the power interface 145 is adapted to be coupled to an ac source , such as a wall outlet , in order to receive an ac voltage . the power interface 145 converts the ac voltage into a dc signal that is suitable for use by the processing unit 140 . a wireless network transceiver 150 is provided in electronic communication with the processing unit 140 . the wireless network transceiver 150 is adapted to receive wireless ( rf ) signals from and transmit wireless ( rf ) signals to one or more wireless access point 130 according to the appropriate protocol , such an 802 . 11 protocol , using an appropriate frequency , such as 2 . 45 ghz . in addition , a tag transceiver 155 is provided in electronic communication with the processing unit 140 for enabling the processing unit 140 to transmit appropriate rf signals to the associated rfid tags 110 and to receive appropriate response signals from associated rfid tags 110 . thus , as will be appreciated , each interface device 135 functions as an interface between the two communications systems , i . e ., the wireless network implemented by the wireless access points 130 and the wireless communications links to the rfid tags 110 . in an alternative embodiment , a separate ( dedicated ) transmitter may be provided in each interface device 135 for sending the required signals to the burst switch 10 , and the rf transceiver 155 may be used for other communication with the rfid tags 110 . in one particular embodiment of the asset management system 100 , each of the rfid tags 110 is an rf transponder 5 ( or , alternatively , an rf transponder 5 ′). the burst switch 10 of each of the rf transponders 5 has an antenna 35 that is tuned to a particular frequency or frequency range , such as 433 mhz . in this embodiment , the asset management computer system 120 stores one or more files , such as , without limitation , one or more files in a database , that include for each asset 105 an identification of the asset type ( e . g ., crash cart , ekg machine , etc .) and a unique identifier for the asset 105 . the unique identifier may be , without limitation , a serial number . the rfid tag 110 ( i . e ., transponder 5 ) associated with each asset 105 stores the unique identifier for the asset 105 . the unique identifier may be stored in a memory of the rfid tag 110 that is part of the processing unit 15 thereof or that is separate from but in electronic communication with the processing unit 15 thereof . when deployed , the processing unit 15 of each rfid tag 110 is in a sleep state , and will remain in that state until awakened as described below . in operation , this particular embodiment of the asset management system 100 is adapted to track and maintain an inventory of each asset 105 including the particular location of each asset 105 within the location 115 . to do so , the asset management computer system 120 periodically or on demand generates an asset interrogation signal . the asset interrogation signal is sent to the main network 125 and then to each wireless access point 130 . each wireless access point 130 then wirelessly transmits the asset interrogation signal according to the appropriate protocol , such as an 802 . 11 protocol . the wirelessly transmitted asset interrogation signal is received by each interface device 135 that is within the range of each wireless access point 130 . in response to receipt of the asset interrogation signal , each interface device 135 generates a second rf interrogation signal having a frequency that will be picked up by the antenna 35 of the burst switch 10 of each rfid tag 110 . as described elsewhere herein , when the burst switch 10 of each rfid tag 110 receives the second rf interrogation signal , a dc signal is generated that causes the processing unit 15 of each rfid tag 110 to move to an active state . each such processing unit 15 is adapted to then cause an rf interrogation response signal of an appropriate frequency ( e . g ., 433 mhz ) to be generated by the associated transmitter 20 in the rfid tag 110 . each rf interrogation response signal includes the unique identifier stored by the rfid tag 110 that generated the rf interrogation response signal . in order to avoid collisions , the rf interrogation response signals are , in one embodiment , transmitted one at a time in a sequential manner , such as according to an order determined by the unique identifier of each rfid tag 110 . other collision avoidance mechanisms are also possible . the rf interrogation response signals are then received by the respective interface devices 135 ( i . e ., the interface device 135 that is in proximity to the rfid tag 110 that generated the rf interrogation response signal ). each interface device 135 compiles a list of rf interrogation response signals that is has received , and transmits a second interrogation response signal for the corresponding particular location 137 ( fig9 ) according to the chosen protocol of the wireless network that is implemented . the second interrogation response signal generated and transmitted by each interface device 135 will include the unique identifier of the interface device 135 and the list of rf interrogation response signals complied by the interface device 135 . the second interrogation response signals are then received by the associated wireless access points 130 and transmitted to the asset management computer system 120 through the main network 125 . upon receipt of the second interrogation response signals , the asset management computer system 120 is able to update the location of each asset 105 in its records . in particular , each second interrogation response signal that is received will include a list of unique identifiers that , as described above , uniquely identify each asset 105 . each second interrogation response signal will also include the identifier of the interface device 135 that sent it , thus identifying the location of that interface device 135 . as a result , the asset management computer system 120 can use this information to associate a particular location within the location 115 with each asset 105 . as described elsewhere herein , one of the shortcomings of the rf transponders 5 and 5 ′ is that they could be inadvertently awakened by spurious rf noise . this could present a problem for the embodiment of the asset management system 100 just described as the rfid tags 110 , being rf transponders 5 or 5 ′ in that embodiment , could be caused to inadvertently send rf interrogation response signals in response to noise . this problem is addressed in an alternative embodiment of the asset management system 100 in which each of the rfid tags 110 is an rf transponder 50 ( or , alternatively , an rf transponder 50 ′) that will be awakened by the same burst code , e . g ., 5 2 4 6 . in this particular embodiment , operation of the asset management system 100 is similar to that described above . however , in this embodiment , the second rf interrogation signal that is generated by each interface device 135 upon receipt of the asset interrogation signal from a wireless access point 130 will be an rf signal consisting of the appropriate rf bursts sufficient to cause the burst switch 10 of each rfid tag 110 to create the required burst code for the filtering circuit 55 of the rfid tag 110 . as described elsewhere herein , that code , when received by the filtering circuit 55 , will cause a wake - up signal to be generated for the associated processing unit 15 , which , in response , will wake - up and generate the appropriate rf interrogation response signal . thus , in this embodiment , the adverse affects of noise are minimized . a further shortcoming of the rf transponders 5 and 5 ′ is that there is no mechanism for discriminating among a number of them when deployed , i . e ., there is no way to selectively cause only certain ones of them to respond . as result , the embodiment of the asset management system 100 that utilizes the rf transponder 5 or 5 ′ will be required to interrogate all of the rfid tags 110 each time an inventory update is desired , as opposed to only interrogating selected rfid tags 110 and thus selected assets 105 . as will be appreciated , while this will still gather the necessary asset location information , it will cause battery power for certain of the rfid tags 110 to be unnecessarily consumed . thus , according to a further aspect of the present invention , a further alternative embodiment of the asset management system 100 is provided in which selected ones and / or selected groups of the rfid tags 110 may be interrogated . in this particular embodiment , each of the rfid tags 110 is an rf transponder 50 ( or , alternatively , an rf transponder 50 ′) that may be awakened by a burst code that is unique to that rfid tag 110 . for example , each individual rfid tag 110 may be assigned a unique 4 element burst code as described elsewhere herein ( such as 5 2 4 6 ) ( a 4 element burst code is merely an example , and it should be understood that the burst code may have more or less than 4 elements ). as a result , each of those rfid tags 110 may be selectively , individually interrogated by the asset management computer system 120 in the manner described elsewhere herein using the appropriate burst code in order to determine the current location thereof . in addition , one or more of the rfid tags 110 may also be adapted to be awakened by a particular burst code that is common to a selected group of rfid tags 110 . in other words , certain groups of rfid tags 110 ( and thus certain groups of assets 105 ) may also be assigned a second burst code that may be used to awaken each of the rfid tags 110 in the group . for example , all assets 105 of type one ( e . g ., crash carts , or assets on floor one of a building ) may be assigned the burst code 4 2 4 3 , all assets 105 of type two ( e . g ., ekg machines , or assets on floor two of a building ) may be assigned the burst code 3 1 4 2 , etc . as a result , the location of all assets 105 in a particular group , such as crash carts , can be readily determined , if desired , by the asset management system 100 using a single burst code . as will be appreciated , in the embodiment of the asset management system 100 just described , each asset interrogation signal that is sent by the asset management computer system 120 will need to include information that identifies the particular burst code that is to be used for that interrogation . the interface devices 135 will then use that information to generate the appropriate second rf interrogation signals that are transmitted . when multiple assets 105 or specified groups thereof are to be interrogated in this manner , the asset management computer system 120 will preferably generate and transmit the appropriate asset interrogation signals in a sequential fashion in order to avoid signal collision problems ( the responses will also be sent in a similar , corresponding sequential fashion ). thus , according to an aspect of the present invention , the asset management computer system 120 maintains a table or similar record that links each asset 105 with the code or codes that may be used to awaken the rfid tag 110 associated with the asset 105 . that same table or other record will also preferably separately list specified asset groups ( e . g ., crash cards , ekg machines , assets in a particular wing , etc .) and the common code that is assigned to each group so that such common codes may be readily accessed . in yet a further alternative embodiment of the asset management system 100 , each of the rfid tags 110 is an rf transponder 60 that , as described elsewhere herein , is able to be awakened by a particular combination or sequence of burst switch frequencies . this embodiment is similar to the embodiment of the asset management system 100 described above that employs the rf transponders 50 or 50 ′, except that the burst codes are replaced by specified combinations or sequences of burst switch frequencies . the basic operation of the asset management system 100 otherwise remains essentially the same . the present invention therefor provides a number of embodiments of rf transponders and assets management systems employing the same that minimize the power that is consumed by each transponder . as a result , the lifetime of each rf transponder may be maximized . while preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated above , it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting . for example , the majority of the description contained herein describes the burst switch 10 as awakening a processing unit 15 . it should be appreciated that the burst switch 10 may be utilized to awaken any type of electronic device that is capable of entering an inactive , sleep state . additions , deletions , substitutions , and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention . accordingly , the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims .	6
the method and molding assembly of the subject invention are described herein with respect to the manufacture of a casing for an electronic control unit . the casing is made e . g . of a synthetic resin and is identified by the numeral 10 in fig1 . the casing 10 is in the form of a box with an open top . at least one printed circuit board 11 and / or bus system is accommodated in the casing 10 and at least one circuit board connector , capacitor , fuse and / or other electrical or electronic component 12 is connected with the printed circuit board 11 . an unillustrated cover is mounted on the casing 10 and the covered casing 10 is mounted on an unillustrated body . a function portion 20 bulges out sideways from one sidewall of the casing 10 . long narrow metallic cap nuts 30 are at least partly embedded in the function portion 20 , as shown in fig9 and 10 , and can be connected respectively with two conductors . one of the conductors is a terminal fitting 40 connected with an end of a wire w that extends outside the casing 10 . the other conductor is a busbar 80 that extends inside the casing 10 . the nuts 30 are arranged substantially side by side and stand vertically in the function portion 20 . as shown in fig2 and 9 , the function portion 20 has first tubes 21 that correspond with the respective nuts 30 . each first tube 21 covers substantially all of the respective nut 30 except opening thereof . the function portion 20 also has second tubes 22 that are unitarily continuous with the first tubes 21 . the second tubes 22 have introducing holes 23 that communicate from above with the openings of the nuts 30 and that are configured for receiving male screws . the function portion 20 also has third tubes 24 that are unitarily continuous with the first and second tubes 21 , 22 and that extend transversely therefrom . the third tubes 24 have insertion holes 25 that communicate with the openings of the nuts 30 ( see e . g . fig9 ) and that are configured for receiving terminal fittings . the terminal fittings 40 are inserted into the insertion holes 25 of the third tubes 24 so that leading ends of the terminal fittings 40 face the openings of the nuts 30 from above . the second tubes 22 are arranged vertically and open up . however , the third tubes 24 are arranged substantially normal to the second tubes 22 and open sideways . the introducing holes 23 extend substantially vertically along a first direction 1 d in the second tubes 22 and the introducing holes 25 extend substantially horizontally along a second direction 2 d in the third tubes 24 . thus , the first and second introducing holes 23 and 25 communicate with each other at substantially right angles above the openings of the nuts 30 . the second tubes 22 are adjacent to each other and their ends are joined unitarily . circumferentially spaced ribs 26 extend from the outer circumferential surface of each third tube 24 . one rib 26 a spans between and unitarily connects the adjacent third tubes 24 . a substantially cylindrical rubber plug 60 is fit into the introducing hole 23 of each second tube 22 after the male screw 50 is introduced . a plurality of circumferential lips 61 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rubber plug 60 and closely contact the inner wall of the introducing hole 23 to seal the introducing hole 23 . a step 23 a is provided at an intermediate position of the inner wall of each introducing hole 23 along the first direction 1 d , and the rubber plug 60 is placed to abut the step 23 a . the terminal fitting 40 is formed by bending a metal plate to define a barrel 41 and a main portion 42 continuous with and in front of the barrel 41 . the barrel 41 is configured to be crimped , bent or folded into connection with an exposed end section of the wire w . the main portion 42 is substantially flat and is arranged substantially normal to the first direction 1 d . the leading end of the main portion 42 is substantially ring - shaped . thus , a shaft 51 of the male screw 50 can be inserted through the ring - shaped main portion 42 and into the nut 30 when the main portion 42 is above the opening of the nut 30 ( see e . g . fig1 ). the busbar 80 has a ring - shaped first end disposed above the opening of the nut 30 and dimensioned to receive the shaft 51 of the male screw 50 . the busbar 80 also has a second end arranged in the casing 10 for connection with a conductor path of the printed circuit board 11 or another electric / electronic device . an intermediate portion of the busbar 80 is embedded in the casing 10 . the first end of the busbar 80 and the leading end of the main portion 42 are placed one over the other above the opening of the nut 30 . as a result that the shaft 51 of the male screw 50 can be introduced through communicating holes to engage the nut 30 . a hollow cylindrical seal 90 is mounted on the insulation coating of the wire w behind a rear portion of the terminal fitting 40 . two annular lips 91 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the seal 90 . the lips 91 closely contact and seal with the inner wall of the insertion hole 25 . a mold assembly for insert molding is shown in fig5 . the mold assembly has a first mold 70 , a second mold 71 and a slidable mold 72 . the second mold 71 is movable along a first moving direction 1 md towards and away from the first mold 70 . the slidable mold 72 is movable sideways along a second moving direction 2 md substantially normal to the first moving direction 1 md . the slidable mold 72 is used to form the insertion holes 25 of the third tubes 24 and is shaped in conformity with shapes of the insertion holes 25 . as shown in fig3 , the lower mold 70 has support columns 73 for forming the introducing holes 23 of the second tubes 22 . a stepped cylindrical stopper 74 penetrates each support column 73 and has a plurality of diameters along the moving direction md 1 . each stopper 74 has a fixing portion 75 at least partly embedded in the support column 73 . a screw 76 is continuous with the upper end of the fixing portion 75 and has a diameter smaller than the fixing portion 75 . an external thread is formed on the screw 75 and is spirally engageable with the nut 30 . the stopper 74 is slidable along the moving direction md 1 and relative to the support column 73 . thus , the fixing portion 75 can project from and retract into the upper surface of the support column 73 . the nut 30 is screwed down onto the screw 76 of the stopper 74 to prevent loose movements of the nut 30 in response to pressure from the resin during insert molding . a projecting distance of the screw 76 is shorter than the shaft 51 of the male screw 50 and the screw 76 is engaged only with a part of an internally threaded area of the nut 30 . the first end of each busbar 80 is fit on the screw 76 of the corresponding stopper 74 . each nut 30 then is turned upside down and screwed down until the leading end surface of the nut 30 contacts the upper surface of the busbar 80 , as shown in fig4 . as a result , the nut 30 is held in position and loose movements are prevented . the slidable mold 72 then is moved and the upper mold 71 is lowered to close the mold , as shown in fig5 and 6 . molten resin then is injected and filled into a cavity 77 of the mold to form the function portion 20 . the mold is opened after the synthetic resin has cooled and solidified . ejector pins 78 then push the stoppers 74 up , as shown in fig8 , and the second tubes 22 are removed from the support columns 73 . the entire casing 10 , including the function portion 20 , then can be taken out of the mold . the molded article then is turned upside down and the stoppers 74 are turned and separated from the nuts 30 to complete the casing 10 . the seals 90 are mounted on the wires w and the terminal fittings 40 are crimped into connection with the ends of the wires w and the seals 90 . the terminal fittings 40 then are inserted into the insertion hole 25 of the corresponding second tube 22 so that the main portion 42 of the terminal fitting 40 is placed on the first end of the busbar 80 . the screw 50 then is inserted in the opening of the introducing hole 23 . the shaft 51 of the screw 50 passes through the leading end of the terminal fitting 40 , through the first end of the busbar 80 and into the nut 30 . the screw 50 then is tightened so that the terminal fitting 40 and the busbar 80 are squeezed between the head 52 of the screw 50 and the nut 30 along the first direction 1 d . in this way , the terminal fitting 40 and the busbar 80 are connected electrically . the rubber plug 60 is fit into the introducing hole 23 of the second tube 22 in the first direction 1 d after this screw - fastening is completed to seal the introducing hole 23 hermetically . further , the insertion hole 25 of the third tube 24 is sealed hermetically by the seal 90 mounted on the terminal fitting 40 . as described above , the nuts 30 are screwed at least partly onto the stoppers 74 mounted in the first mold 70 and are held in position while having loose movements thereof prevented . the mold then is closed and the molten resin is filled into the cavity 77 . the stoppers 74 are separated from the nuts 30 after the resin is solidified . thus , no pin withdrawal hole is left , and there is no need for potting or the like to close the pin withdrawal holes . the molten resin is filled into the cavity and solidified therein . the mold then is opened and the stoppers 74 are separated from the lower mold 70 as the mold is opened . thus , the lower mold 70 does not accompany the stoppers 74 upon separating the stoppers 74 from the nuts 30 , and operability is even better . the invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment . for example , the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims . beside the following embodiments , various changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims . the stoppers are mounted in the mold and the nuts are inserts assembled with the stoppers in the foregoing embodiment . however , the nuts may be mounted in the mold and the stoppers may be the inserts assembled with the nuts according to the invention . the fastening nuts for connecting the terminal fittings and the busbars are used as inserts in the foregoing embodiment . however , other nuts or the like may be used as inserts instead of the inserts having the above - described function . the stoppers are mounted detachably in the mold in the foregoing embodiment . however , the stoppers may be fixed to the mold according to the present invention .	1
the preferred form of the invention is illustrated in fig1 and 2 utilizing a four cylinder internal combustion engine , it being understood that substantially only the inventive features are illustrated without regard to the fuel , exhaust , timing , electrical , lubricating or valve assemblies which are not pictured herein for the sake of brevity and clarity . as presented in fig1 the engine block is of the linear &# 34 ; straight &# 34 ; type with pistons joined at their distal ends to a cylindrical connecting member which is affixed at each end thereof to a different crank bearing . the preferred embodiment as shown in fig1 includes one end of the connecting member fitted within a relatively small roller bearing as shown in fig2 said small bearing fixed inside of the internal race of a larger crank bearing . also , behind the smaller roller bearing ( fig2 ) is a crank bearing plate which is also joined to the internal crank bearing race . the opposite end of another connecting member is affixed to said plate , within an opening therein whereby the small internal bearing , the crank plate and the second connecting member all rotate in unison with the first connecting member . as would be understood from fig1 as the series of pistons reciprocate , each of said connecting members is driven and rotational motion is delivered to the power take - off . for a better understanding of the crankless mechanism of the invention , turning now to the drawings , fig1 demonstrates in schematic fashion a linear or straight four cylinder internal combustion engine 10 whereby piston a is shown in its lower most position , piston b at the apex of its cycle , piston c somewhat below piston b and piston d slightly lower than piston c . as would be understood the firing sequence and piston alignments are shown herein for illustrative purposes and are not to be considered as exact configurations . as further shown in fig1 pistons a , b , c and d are joined respectively to piston rods 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 . each piston rod is connected at its distal end to a cylindrical connecting member 15 . piston rods 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 are rotatably joined at 16 to their respective cylindrical connecting members 15 by bearings or otherwise . one end of each connecting member 15 is rotatably positioned within bearing 17 , shown in greater detail enlarged in fig2 . connecting member bearing 17 seen in fig2 is permanently affixed within crank bearing 18 by rigid attachment such as by welding to internal race 19 . on the other or &# 34 ; closed &# 34 ; side of bearing 18 , plate 20 is also rigidly affixed to internal race 19 . thus , as would be understood , as a particular cylinder fires such as piston a , piston a is driven downwardly thereby imparting rotational motion to race 19 through connecting member 15 , thereby in turn imparting rotational motion to a subsequent connecting member 15 &# 39 ; ( as illustrated in fig2 for clarity purposes ) to likewise rotate power take - off 21 . power take - off 21 comprises forward engine shaft 22 having mounted thereon fan belt pulleys 23 , 24 , distributor gear 25 , and timing gear 26 . rear engine shaft 27 likewise , as shown in fig1 ( in abbreviated fashion ) has flywheel 28 joined thereto . rear engine shaft 27 is joined to crank bearing 29 which comprises a modified form of crank bearing 18 . rear engine shaft 27 rotates simultaneously with forward engine shaft 22 . as earlier discussed , engine 10 configuration as demonstrated in fig1 is merely a schematic representation and those skilled in the art will realize that various other cylinder configurations such as the common &# 34 ; v &# 34 ; type could also be employed with more or less pistons than those shown , depending on the particular power and size requirements needed . as hereinbefore mentioned , only the novel features of internal combustion engine 10 are illustrated without regard to the conventional fuel , lubrication ( circulating or spray type ), valve , electrical , exhaust , timing and other necessary features as required for actual engine operation . in fig3 piston f is featured with wrist pin 30 supported in proximal rod bearing 31 which is affixed to piston rod 32 . distal rod bearing 33 is likewise joined to piston rod 32 at the distal end thereof . as shown along lines 4 -- 4 of bearing 34 of fig3 fig4 depicts a cross - sectional view of connecting member 35 rigidly affixed to race 36 of bearing 34 with the opposite end of a subsequent connecting rod 37 mounted in bearing plate 38 . rod 37 may also be joined to race 36 directly , thereby eliminating the need for plate 38 . in fig5 yet another piston g is presented having a pair of wrist pin bearings 40 , 40 &# 39 ; which rotatably maintain wrist pin 41 therein . piston rod 42 is rigidly affixed to wrist pin 41 and as shown the pivoting motion between piston g and piston rod 42 is allowed due to wrist pin bearings 40 , 40 &# 39 ;. while various bearing and rigid connections are shown in the engine mechanisms of fig1 - 5 , it has been found that a crankless engine with crank bearings can be provided which is efficient , reduces internal friction , is powerful and long lasting and which eliminates many problems and disadvantages of internal combustion engines having conventional crankshafts . the illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims .	5
referring to fig1 there is shown a cylindrical chamber 10 immersed in an underwater environment 12 , such as a natural body of seawater . intake and outflow systems 14 and 16 , respectively , are provided to enable samples of water from environment 12 to be drawn into and expelled from the interior of cylindrical chamber 10 , in controlled amounts and at a selected rate of flow . consequently , if light emitting activity 18 is taking place in environment 12 in proximity to chamber 10 , various characteristics of such activity may be determined by monitoring the light emission which is taking place within respective samples of water contained in chamber 10 . in order to detect light emission activity which is of very low intensity , a number of photodetector assemblies 20 are provided , each assembly 20 enclosing a device such as a photomultiplier tube . each phototube includes a light sensitive surface , and generates electrical signals which represent discrete photons impinging upon its light sensitive surface . photodetector assemblies 20 are positioned in an array at an end of chamber 10 , and are oriented so that photons occurring in the interior of chamber 10 may travel toward and impinge upon the light sensitive surfaces enclosed in respective assemblies . each photodetector assembly 20 includes a quartz pressure window 22 , which protects the assembly from water and pressure of environment 12 while allowing light to pass from the interior of chamber 10 to the light sensitive surface of the assembly . each assembly is coupled to a processing electronics package 24 , which receives signals generated by respective phototubes , and each assembly is joined to chamber 10 by means of a retaining ring 26 . since the bioluminescent light which naturally occurs in an underwater environment 12 is likely to obscure other sources of low intensity light therein , as aforementioned , each assembly 20 includes an optical filter element for preventing light in excess of 400 nm ., the bioluminescent range , from being detected . fig1 shows an array of five photomultipliers positioned at an end of cylindrical chamber 10 . however , it is to be understood that the geometrical configuration of chamber 10 , and the number and respective positions of photodetector assemblies 20 in relation thereto , may be selectively varied , according to the requirements of a particular application , without going beyond the scope of the present invention . when the various surfaces enclosed within chamber 10 come into contact with the seawater of environment 12 , biological growth commences thereupon . as aforementioned , within a two to three day period , windows 22 may become so covered with such growth that no light is able to penetrate therethrough to the light sensitive surfaces of respective photodetector assemblies . therefore , in order to enable chamber 10 to be deployed for an extended time period in an environment in which frequent maintenance is impractical or impossible , each quartz window 22 is coated or overlaid with a material 28 , which includes an anti - foulant material such as an organic tin polymer , in the form of a clear coating . tin polymer coatings found to be suitable for the above purpose include a substance produced by the navy and designated thereby as omp - 2 , and a substance produced by m & amp ; t corporation and designated thereby as cn9484 . if a photon 30 , having a wavelength in the range 300 - 400 nm ., is generated in the interior of chamber 10 , the attenuation length thereof is 5 meters , as aforementioned . such length is sufficient to enable large numbers of photons 30 generated in chamber 10 to penetrate the anti - foulant material of coating 28 upon an assembly , and also the respective optical elements thereof , without being absorbed . on the other hand , it is very difficult for a photon 32 , having a wavelength in the range 200 - 300 nm ., to reach the light sensitive surface of an assembly 20 . photons 32 are likely to be absorbed by the anti - foulant material or optical elements of the assembly such as its window or optical filter . however , photons 32 may comprise a very significant proportion of the light within chamber 10 which is less than 400 nm . wavelength , and which is therefore available for low level light detection activity . consequently , coating material 28 also includes a waveshifting material having the property that photons of 200 - 300 nm . wavelength which are received thereby are shifted in wavelength into the 300 - 400 nm . range . such waveshifting material is usefully formed by dissolving the substance p - terphenyl into toluene , in a closed cycle reflux apparatus . such solution is mixed with one of the aforementioned anti - foulant polymer paints , for example , in the concentration of 3 grams per liter of p - terphenyl . by overlaying windows 22 with the above mixture , photons 32 reaching the windows tend to be shifted in wavelength before being absorbed by the anti - foulant material , and are thereby enabled to reach the light sensitive surfaces of the photodetector assemblies . in order to substantially increase the number of photons 32 in chamber 10 which get shifted into the 300 - 400 nm . range , the inner cylindrical wall 34 of chamber 10 comprises a light scattering material such as the material commercially marketed by dupont under the trademark teflon . teflon surface 34 is coated or overlaid with material 28 , so that light photons 32 impinging thereupon are shifted in wavelength to become photons 30 , and are then scattered back into chamber 10 . the anti - foulant material included in mixture 28 prevents biological growth upon the teflon surface 34 , so that the light scattering capability thereof is not diminished over time . it has been found that the above configuration of chamber 10 , photodetector assemblies 20 , and combination wave - shifting and anti - fouling material enables low levels of light activity in seawater to be monitored for periods on the order of several months . referring to fig2 there is shown a cross - sectional view of a photon detection assembly 20 , the assembly including a housing 36 for enclosing the respective elements thereof . fig2 shows the face of quartz window 22 which is exposed to environment 12 coated by mixture 28 , as aforementioned , and further shows window 22 optically coupled to an optical filter 38 by means of a layer of optical coupling grease 40 . optical filter 38 comprises a device for preventing passage of light which is in excess of 400 nm . in wavelength , to eliminate the effects of bioluminescence as aforementioned , and usefully comprises a device known in the art as a corning 7 - 54 , or a schott ug - 11 optical filter . a second layer of optical coupling grease 40 , which usefully comprises a substance known in the art as ge - g688 , is emplaced between filter 38 and the light sensitive surface 42 of a photomultiplier tube 44 . a photomultiplier tube is a device which generates electrical signals representing discrete photons which impinge upon its light sensitive surface , and usefully comprises a device manufactured by rca , and designated thereby as the rca - 8575 . fig2 further shows an o - ring 46 , which is placed in an annular channel formed in housing 36 . o - ring 46 is compressed by quartz window 22 , when retaining ring 26 is tightened , to form a watertight seal between environment 12 and the cavity of housing 36 in which photomultiplier tube 44 is contained . referring to fig3 there is shown a curve ( a ), which indicates the responsivity of the photomultiplier tube 44 of a photodetector assembly 20 to photons of various wavelengths , when the window 22 of the assembly and the cylindrical inner wall of chamber 10 are coated with mixture 28 , as described above . fig3 also shows a curve ( b ), which indicates the responsivity of the photomultiplier when the window and the inner cylindrical wall are left uncoated and a sample of environment 12 is brought into chamber 12 . it will be noted that above 300 nm ., curves ( a ) and ( b ) substantially concur . on the other hand , in the wavelength range 200 - 300 nm ., the responsivity of the photomultiplier is shown by fig3 to be improved by many orders of magnitude by the employment of mixture 28 . a substantial increase in the sensitivity in the monitoring or detecting of low intensity light emission may thereby be realized . it is to be noted that curves ( a ) and ( b ) are compiled by data generated by processing electronics package 34 in response to signals received thereby from respective photomultipliers 44 . while the structure of electronic package 34 may vary according to the intended application thereof , it is anticipated that one of skill in the art could readily provide a suitable electronics package for a particular application . referring to fig4 there is shown a photodetector assembly 20 immersed in underwater environment 12 to monitor low level light activity therein . a device 48 , known in the art as a winston collector , is employed to direct photons which enter the collector toward window 22 of the assembly 20 , and to pass therethrough to the photomultiplier tube of the assembly . the inner wall of the winston collector 48 is coated with mixture 28 so that when photons 32 impinge against the inner wall thereof , they are waveshifted into the 300 - 400 nm . range , as aforementioned . the inner wall of collector 48 may comprise teflon material , as aforementioned , or any other material which is capable of ( 1 ) reflecting light impinging thereupon ( 2 ) withstanding corrosive effects of seawater when exposed thereto over a period of time ( 3 ) and providing a surface to which mixture 28 is bondable . it has been found that very few materials besides teflon are available which have all of the above capabilities . as an alternative to using teflon , collector 48 may have an inner wall 50 , comprising a selected light reflective material , such as aluminum , an inner wall 50 being overlaid with a light transmissive material 52 which is capable of both withstanding seawater corrosion and providing a surface to which mixture 28 will adhere . obviously , many other modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the 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 .	6
with reference to fig1 a glass sheet forming and quenching system generally indicated by 10 includes a furnace 12 for heating glass sheets , a forming station 14 for forming the heated glass sheets , and a quench station 16 that is constructed in accordance with the invention to provide the quenching method thereof as is hereinafter more fully described . the construction of the quench station 16 and its method of operation will be described in an integrated manner to facilitate an understanding of all aspects of the invention . with continuing reference to fig1 the furnace 12 of the system includes a conveyor 18 on which glass sheets g are heated within a heating chamber of the furnace to a sufficiently high temperature to permit forming and quenching of the glass . after the heating , the heated glass sheets g are transferred or conveyed in any suitable manner to the forming station 14 where forming apparatus 20 forms each heated glass sheet from a flat shape to a curved shape . after the forming , the heated glass sheet is supported as illustrated by an upper vacuum mold 22 in preparation for being transferred to the quench station 16 which , as mentioned above , is constructed in accordance with the present invention . the quench station 16 of the invention as illustrated in fig1 includes first and second quench sections 24 and 26 , a shuttle 28 that simultaneously provides movement of three formed sheets g 1 , g 2 , and g 3 through the quench station as is hereinafter more fully described . in addition , the quench station also includes a control 30 that supplies quenching gas in a controlled manner which during cyclical operation moves the glass sheets upwardly from and subsequently downwardly back onto the shuttle 28 upon passage through the quench station . it should be noted that the formed glass sheets normally will have curvature in a transverse direction to the direction of conveyance through the quench station 26 and may also have curvature along the direction of conveyance as illustrated . as illustrated by fig1 and 2 , the first quench section 24 has lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 for respectively supplying upwardly and downwardly directed quench gas to a formed glass sheet therebetween to provide partial quenching of the formed glass sheet . the quenching provided by the first quench section 24 is insufficient without further forced cooling in addition to natural convention to prevent loss of the glass temperature differential that toughens the glass upon final cooling to ambient temperature , either by heat strengthening or more rapid cooling that provides tempering . the second quench section 26 of the quench station also has lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 for respectively supplying upwardly and downwardly directed quenching gas to the partially quenched glass sheet upon being received therebetween during the shuttle transfer cycle described below . this quenching in the second quench station 26 completes the quenching of the glass sheet to provide heat strengthening or tempering as required by the particular manufacturing job being processed . downstream to the right of the second quench section 26 , the quench station includes an after - cooling section 36 having an upper stop 38 against which a quenched glass sheet is supported during the transfer cycle in preparation for being transferred to an unshown after - cooling conveyor and ultimate delivery from the system . the shuttle 28 illustrated in fig1 is movable along a transfer direction that corresponds with the direction conveyance c toward the right through the system and is moved by an actuator 40 so as to be simultaneously moved with respect to the forming station 14 where each glass sheet is formed , the first quench section 24 , and the second quench section 26 as well as the after - cooling section 36 . the shuttle 28 has three positions each of which includes an associated open ring 42 , 44 and 46 for respectively supporting and transferring three glass sheets during each movement toward the right . more specifically , the shuttle 28 simultaneously moves the one glass sheet g 1 from the forming station 14 to the first quench section 24 as shown , the second glass sheet g 2 from the first quench section 24 to the second quench section 26 as shown , and the third glass sheet g 3 from the second quench section 26 to the after - cooling section 36 for transfer to the unshown after - cooling conveyor and ultimate delivery as previously mentioned . as illustrated further in fig1 the gas quench control 30 includes a source 48 of pressurized quenching gas that is delivered to the quench station through a main supply conduit 50 . a valve controller 52 controls valves 54 and 56 that respectively control flow through delivery conduits 58 and 60 to the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 of the first quench section 24 . valve controller 52 also controls valves 62 and 64 that control the flow of quenching gas through conduits 66 and 68 that supply the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 of the second quench station 26 . in addition , the valve controller 52 controls a valve 70 that controls the flow of quenching gas 72 to a lower blowup plenum 74 that supplies upwardly directed quench gas at the after - cooling station 36 . each cycle of operation of the shuttle 28 illustrated in fig1 is performed by moving the shuttle from the left toward the right to the position illustrated to transfer three glass sheets , one glass sheet g 1 from the forming station 14 to the first quench section 24 , the second glass sheet g 2 from the first quench section 24 to the second quench section 26 , and the third glass sheet g 3 from the second quench section 26 to the after - cooling section 36 . with the shuttle positioned as shown in fig1 the quenching gas is supplied under the operation of control 30 to the first and second formed glass sheets g 1 and g 2 for a sufficient time to provide the partial quenching of the first glass sheet g 1 and to complete the quenching of the second glass sheet g 2 . the time involved for such quenching will depend upon the glass thickness but will normally be about 1½ to 2 seconds . the control 30 then provides a change in the force applied to the glass sheets to provide lifting thereof upwardly off of the associated shuttle rings 42 , 44 and 46 . thus , the glass sheet g 1 is moved upwardly against the upper quench head assembly 34 of the first quench section 24 , the second glass sheet g 2 is moved upwardly against the upper quench head assembly 34 of the second quench section 26 , and the third glass sheet g 3 is moved upwardly against the stop 38 of the after - cooling section 36 . the quenching proceeds at this time with the lower quench head assemblies 32 of both the first and second quench sections 24 and 26 continuing to supply upwardly directed quenching gas and with the upper quench head assemblies 34 continuing to supply downwardly directed quenching gas . simultaneously , the movement of the shuttle 28 back toward the left permits commencement of another cycle as the glass sheets progress through the quench station from the left toward the right with three being moved during each shuttle movement toward the right . prior to the commencement of each cycle , the quenching gas supplied to the first and second quench sections 24 and 26 is changed by the control 30 to release the formed glass sheets from their associated upper quench head assemblies 34 to allow the glass sheet thereof to respectively drop downwardly onto the shuttle rings 44 and 46 in preparation for respective movement from the first quench section 24 to the second quench section 26 and for movement from the second quench section 26 to the after - cooling section 36 . the change in the gas flows to lift the glass sheets can be done by : ( 1 ) increasing the upward gas flow ; ( 2 ) decreasing the downward gas flow ; or ( 3 ) both increasing the upward gas flow and decreasing the downward gas flow . when the glass sheets are forced upwardly against the upper quench head assemblies 34 in both the first and second quench section 24 and 26 shown in fig1 the greater supply of upwardly directed quenching gas relative to the amount of downwardly directed quenching gas is offset by the fact that the glass sheets are positioned closer to the upper quench head assemblies 34 so that the cooling provided is more uniform from both the lower and upper sides . as illustrated in fig1 and 2 , the lower and upper blast head assemblies 32 and 34 each include a plurality of quench heads 76 and 78 , respectively , through which quenching gas is supplied upwardly and downwardly through openings in the opposed faces of the quench heads . furthermore , as shown in fig1 the upstream ends of the lower and upper quench heads 76 and 78 are respectively connected by lower and upper linkages 80 and 82 and are positioned by lower and upper templates 84 and 86 . likewise , the downstream ends of the lower and upper quench heads 76 and 78 of the second quench section 26 are also respectively connected by lower and upper linkages 80 and 82 and are positioned by lower and upper templates 84 and 86 . furthermore , while the lower and upper quench heads 76 and 78 of the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 of the first and second quench section 24 and 26 are fluidly isolated from each other , their respective downstream and upstream ends have mechanical lower and upper connectors 88 and 90 so as to be movable and positioned with each other in association with the lower and upper linkages 80 and 82 and the lower and upper templates 84 and 86 . as shown in fig2 - 5 , the quench station includes a framework 92 including vertical posts 94 and horizontal beams 96 on which the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 are mounted . both the lower and upper linkages 80 and 82 of the lower and upper quench head assemblies have a construction best illustrated in fig4 by the lower linkage which includes lower and upper link rows 98 and 99 that each include links 100 having pivotal connections 101 to the associated quench heads and to the adjacent links to provide a saw tooth shape that controls the angular positioning of the quench heads with respect to each other so the lower and upper quench heads oppose each other . the quench heads of the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 are thus adjustable with respect to each other to permit quenching of different shapes of formed glass sheets . as shown in fig3 the lower and upper templates 84 and 86 have upwardly facing positioning notches 102 and 104 that receive lower and upper positioners 106 and 108 on the adjacent ends of the lower and upper quench heads 76 and 78 to provide proper positioning of the quench heads with the associated linkages providing the proper angular location of the lower and upper quench heads with respect to each other . as illustrated in fig2 the quenching gas supply ducts 50 a and 50 b supply pressurized quenching gas to flexible lower and upper conduits 58 and 60 that respectively supply quenching gas to the lower and upper quench heads 76 and 78 of the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 . the lower and upper linkages 80 and 82 of the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 as mentioned above ensure that the opposed faces of the lower and upper quench heads 76 and 78 are aligned with each other in order to provide uniform distribution of quenching gas to the quenched glass sheet g therebetween . furthermore , as illustrated in fig3 and 7 , lower and upper adjusters 110 and 112 respectively associated with the lower and upper templates 84 and 86 provide the proper positioning of the templates on the framework 92 in order to provide the proper positioning of the lower and upper quench heads 76 and 78 in association with the angular positioning provided by the lower and upper linkages . each adjuster 110 and 112 as shown in fig6 and 7 includes a threaded adjusting member 114 that is received by a threaded member 116 on the associated template and has a lower end engaged with a support lug 118 on the framework 92 such that threading of the adjusting member provides upward and downward movement of the template to the proper location . upon such proper positioning , a lock nut 120 on the adjusting member 114 is threaded against the template mounted member 116 to secure the adjusted position . as also illustrated in fig3 and 7 , lower and upper clamps 122 and 124 respectively associated with the lower and upper templates 84 and 86 provide clamping of the templates to the framework 92 after the adjustment provided by the lower and upper adjusters 110 and 112 as described above . as illustrated in fig6 and 7 , the lower and upper clamps 122 and 124 include clamp members 126 that are operated by clamp actuators 128 in any conventional manner to clamp the associated template against the framework 92 and prevent any movement thereof after the adjustment of the templates to the proper position . clamp connectors 130 of each clamp extend from the clamp member 126 to the clamp actuator 128 and are received within downwardly opening notches 132 ( fig3 ) in the lower side of the associated template so as to permit the upward and downward adjusting movement as necessary until the template is in the proper position for the clamping . as best illustrated in fig4 the lower and upper quench head assemblies include lower and upper actuators 134 and 136 that extend between the framework 92 and the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 . more specifically , each of the lower and upper quench head assemblies 32 and 34 has a center quench head 76 , 78 that is fixedly positioned while the other quench heads are movable under the control of the lower and upper linkages previously described . the movement of the quench head assemblies for positioning by the templates as previously described prior to adjustment by the adjusters that were also previously described is initially provided by the lower and upper actuators 134 and 136 . the lower actuators 134 have lower ends that are mounted on lower horizontal beams 96 and extend upwardly for connection to the lower quench head assembly 32 with some of the actuators having connections through links 138 and others having pivotal connections 140 connected directly to the associated lower quench heads 78 . the lower actuators 134 are extendible to move the lower quench heads upwardly as required with the associated lower linkage 80 providing control of the angular position of the quench heads as they are moved . the upper actuators 136 illustrated in fig4 and 5 are mounted on upper horizontal beams 96 of the framework 92 and have connections 142 extending downwardly to a pair of links 144 that are connected to an adjacent pair of the upper quench heads 78 . these upper actuators 136 move the upper quench heads 78 under the control of these upper linkages which provide the proper angular positioning so as to oppose the lower quench heads . as best illustrated in fig5 the upper quench head assembly 34 includes thermally insulative stops 146 against which the glass sheets are forced upwardly by the quenching gas during the transferring operation as previously described . these thermally insulative stops 46 position the glass sheet and have sufficiently low thermal conductivity so as not to provide excessive conductive cooling thereof that would disrupt the uniformity in the glass cooling . as shown in fig2 and 4 , the quench station framework 92 includes an upper frame 148 that supports each upper quench head assembly 34 and has a motor driven ball screw mechanism 150 for lifting the upper frame and the upper quench head assemblies to allow broken glass removal as well as maintenance and repair . another system incorporating the quench station , a roll bending station that can be used to provide the glass sheet forming , and a press station that can be used to provide the glass sheet forming are respectively disclosed in u . s . patent applications : ( docket glt 1773 pus ); ( docket glt 1774 pus ); and ( docket glt 1775 pus ), which are all being filed concurrently herewith and the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference . while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described , those familiar with the art to which the invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims .	2
fig1 shows a portion of a motor vehicle , such as a truck , comprising a first embodiment of the inventive energy conversion system 30 in association with the vehicle &# 39 ; s electrical system 32 . the truck electrical system may be a nominal 12 volt dc system that has one or more storage batteries . when the engine is running , an engine - driven alternator supplies current for system loads and keeps the battery or batteries charged . when the engine is not running , certain loads continue to draw battery current . when the ignition switch that turns the engine on and off is in “ off ” position , only loads that have direct connection to the battery draw current . generally that current draw is fairly small . when the ignition switch is in “ on ” position without the engine running , additional loads may draw battery current . those additional loads will increase the rate at which battery state of charge diminishes . if battery state of charge diminishes to the point where battery voltage is insufficient to crank the engine at engine starting , the engine will not start . a truck may occasionally be parked for an extended amount of time during which the engine is not re - started . even the fairly small loads that are directly on the battery during this time may deplete battery charge to a point where the engine cannot be re - started . the inventive energy conversion systems that are disclosed herein can provide supplemental current for at least extending the allowable time that a vehicle can be parked without losing battery charge to the point where the engine cannot be re - started , and ideally extend the time indefinitely so that a parked vehicle can always be re - started . energy conversion system 30 comprises a self - configuring solar array assembly 34 that comprises multiple solar cell arrays ( solar cell groups ), four such arrays 36 a , 36 b , 36 c , 36 d in this example . assembly 34 further comprises an array configuration module 38 , sometimes referred to as a configuration , and a solar radiation sensor 40 . electrical system 32 comprises one or more batteries 42 and various loads that include one or more parasitic loads 44 , one or more intermittent loads 46 , a telemetric system 48 , a security system 50 , and a heating , ventilating , air conditioning system ( hvac ) 52 . a voltage monitor load control computer 54 is associated with certain loads , 46 , 48 , 50 , 52 in this example , and with configuration 38 . a cab temperature sensor 56 is also associated with monitor 54 . electrical system 32 comprises a power and ground grid 58 that places the various loads and monitor 54 across positive and negative terminals of battery or batteries 42 . configuration 38 is also placed on grid 58 . overload protection devices , such as fuses f , prevent shorts in any of the devices on the grid from shorting out the battery . arrays 36 a , 36 b , 36 c , 36 d are arranged on the vehicle at various locations where solar radiation can be incident on them . they may be identical in size or different in size . they may face in the same direction or in different directions . configuration 38 functions to configure the connection of the arrays to grid 58 according to the intensity of incident solar radiation as measured by sensor 40 . configuration 38 comprises electrically controlled switches , transistors for example , that selectively connect the individual arrays in ways that create various configurations that present different voltage / current output characteristics to grid 58 . this is believed to be an effective way to associate the arrays with the grid because array size can be optimized , and the array can operate at a higher efficiency because relatively less efficient dc - to - dc conversion is unnecessary . configuration 38 may have a self - contained processor that controls the manner in which the individual arrays are connected based on processing of data from sensor 40 to operate the controlled switches , or alternatively the controlled switches in the configuration may be controlled by a remote processor that is part of electrical system 32 using data from sensor 40 . parasitic loads 44 shown in fig1 represent memory in certain on - board electronic devices that require some electric current to maintain stored data . such current requirements are relatively small , typically & lt ; 10 milliamps each , but are always present . array assembly 34 is sized to meet the load requirements of such devices , and for example , may be designed to convert incident solar radiation for a constant 50 milliamp parasitic load . intermittent loads may also be powered by converted solar radiation . computer 54 monitors conditions in electrical system 32 , including battery state of charge , and prioritizes and schedules activation of various intermittent loads 46 when the ignition switch is off . additional intermittent loads are telemetric system 48 , security system 50 , and hvac system 52 . array assembly 34 therefore can supply electric power for continuous lower current ( as a primary function ) or intermittent higher current ( as a secondary function ) while the vehicle engine is off and the alternator is not keeping the battery charged . the solar cells in each array are configured to supply an open circuit voltage that will overcome the battery charge acceptance voltage at some intensity of incident solar radiation . because the magnitude of that open circuit voltage will change as the intensity incident solar radiation changes , it is appropriate to select an intensity that will enable the arrays to be effective to some degree during cloudy or overcast weather conditions . in the embodiments disclosed here , the arrays are sized to provide that voltage level when the intensity of incident solar radiation exceeds 100 watts per square meter . this allows the array to function on cloudy days . intensity of incident radiation can become much greater and a representative response of a properly sized array is shown in fig2 . each array comprises a collection of individual solar cells . the voltage output of a cell varies with type , but is approximately 0 . 5 v . the peak current output of a cell depends on efficiency and size . a solar array is a collection of cells which are connected together in various series and parallel configuration to produce an assembly with the desired voltage and current rating . typically , the configuration is fixed , and the array produces a voltage and current response similar to that shown in fig2 . the horizontal axis of fig2 is normalized voltage output , and the vertical axis , normalized current output . when the intensity of incident solar radiation exceeds the battery charge acceptance voltage represented by the line 60 , current is delivered into the grid . at low intensity the deliverable current is relatively small , but at highest intensity ( full sunlight ), much larger current can be delivered . the line 62 illustrates array voltage / current output at incident intensity of 100 watts per square meter , and the line 62 illustrates array voltage / current output at incident intensity of 1000 watts per square meter . fig3 illustrates a condition where configuration 38 has placed the arrays in a “ parallel ” configuration . it is in this configuration that array assembly 34 can most efficiently supply current during full sun conditions . the corresponding voltage / current characteristic is presented in fig3 a . fig4 illustrates a condition where configuration 38 has placed the arrays in a “ series ” configuration . it is in this configuration that array assembly 34 can most efficiently supply current during cloudy and overcast conditions . the corresponding voltage / current characteristic is presented in fig4 a . by comparing fig3 a and 4a , one can see that the configuration of fig3 is incapable of overcoming the battery charge acceptance voltage during cloudy conditions , and hence is incapable of delivering current into the grid , while that of fig4 can deliver current . and at full sun , the configuration of fig3 can deliver more current than that of fig4 . the maximum open circuit voltage for the configuration of fig3 is 15 . 0 volts while that for fig4 is 22 . 5 volts , and so because fig3 a and 4a represent open circuit voltage of array assembly 34 , it should be kept in mind that when the assembly is delivering current into the grid , the open circuit voltage will be forced to the grid voltage , which is typically around 12 volts dc in a 12 volt electrical system . fig5 discloses a second embodiment of energy conversion system 70 that comprises two separate solar cell arrays 72 , 74 , each integrated into a respective side view mirror assembly 76 , 78 of a motor vehicle . these arrays can be connected in series or parallel configurations to provide power for continuous low current ( as the primary function ) or intermittent high current loads ( as the secondary function ) while the vehicle engine is off . fig5 shows only the parallel connection . the integration of an array into a mirror assembly provides considerable protection from environmental factors and reduces the possibility of poor solar performance due to blockage from snow , ice , dust , or other debris . each array 72 , 74 is mounted inside a respective mirror assembly shell and receives solar radiation through a lens integrated into the outer surface of the shell . the result is a multi - function assembly . the mirror shell protects the solar array from the environment , and the integrated lens allows solar radiation to enter the assembly . part of this radiation is converted to electricity when it strikes the solar array . another portion is converted to heat which is helpful in keeping the assembly clear of snow and ice , although the assembly may be provided with an electric heating element . such a heating element can perform the dual function of melting snow and ice from 1 ) driver &# 39 ; s and passenger &# 39 ; s mirrors and 2 ) the solar lenses . the heater is typically used when the vehicle engine is running , but can also be activated for short periods when the engine is off . in fig5 , the same elements that were described in connection with fig1 are designated by the same reference numerals . not all of the loads on the grid are shown in fig5 . each array 72 , 74 is protected not merely by a fuse f , but also by a respective diode 80 , 82 . each assembly also comprises a respective electric heater 84 , 86 for heating both the mirror and the lens as mentioned above . heating provided by the heaters is controlled by a respective heater control 88 , 90 , that is remote from the respective mirror assembly . each assembly further comprises a respective icing sensor 92 , 94 that signals computer 54 when there is a need for the respective heater 84 , 86 to be activated . the computer then processes the request and may initiate de - icing . as will be more fully explained later , the nature of the de - icing may depend whether the vehicle engine is or is not running . fig6 - 12 illustrate more detail of mirror assemblies 76 , 78 . in addition to housing each array 72 , 74 , each mirror assembly 76 , 78 also houses a rearview mirror 96 having a mirrored surface . respective shells 98 serve to house the arrays and the rearview mirrors . a respective protective lens 99 that is transparent to solar radiation is disposed in association with the respective shell 98 in covering relation to the respective array 72 , 74 . each shell 98 encloses the respective array , the respective heater 84 , 86 , and the respective icing sensor 92 , 94 . mirror assembly 76 is mounted on the right side of the vehicle , and mirror assembly 78 , on the left . hence they are essentially symmetrically opposite about a horizontal fore - aft centerline of the vehicle . each rearview mirror 96 is oriented so that the driver of the vehicle can have a rearward field of view when looking at it . the mirrors 96 are adjustable within shells 98 to secure a desired field of view , and in that regard may be motorized to allow the driver to position them remotely when seated in the driver &# 39 ; s seat . the arrangement of mirror assemblies 76 , 78 on the vehicle and the orientations of arrays 72 , 74 are important aspects of the invention in enabling a parked vehicle to keep battery charge . each array has a face that faces generally opposite the direction in which the respective mirror 96 faces . the array face is pitched both horizontally and vertically , the example here showing a pitch of about 20 ° from vertical and a pitch of about 25 ° from horizontal when mounted on the vehicle . if the mirror assemblies are mounted on the side doors that swing open and closed , it is understood that the array orientations just described assume that both doors are closed . hence it is those orientations that are present in fig6 , and 8 which show a truck 100 , with the mirror assemblies relatively enlarged for purposes of clarity . in fig8 , vp is the vertical pitch and hp is the horizontal pitch . another way to describe the array orientation is with reference to an imaginary line that is normal to the face of the array . each array face may be said to face in a direction that is oblique to an imaginary vertical line passing through the array , oblique to an imaginary horizontal line passing through the array parallel to the fore - aft direction in the vehicle , and oblique to an imaginary horizontal line passing through the array perpendicular to the fore - aft direction in the vehicle . the array orientations on truck 100 produces a daily window of exposure for each array that depends on the orientation of the truck . the arrangement of solar arrays mounted at opposing angles allows for access to direct solar radiation for several hours each day regardless of vehicle orientation . the “ worst case ” orientation will occur when the vehicle is pointed north . fig1 - 18 and the explanatory notations accompanying them show the amount of time that an array will have direct solar exposure with the vehicle pointed north for different times of year and different latitudes in the northern hemisphere . as the arrays convert solar radiation into electricity , that electricity is fed into grid 58 . heaters 84 , 86 can warm the interior of the shells with heat also being conducted to the exterior surface . a heater can be turned on by the driver when the vehicle is running or by computer 54 when the engine is off . sensors 92 , 94 can sense moisture and temperature and send a de - icing request to computer 54 that then processes the request and may initiate a short de - icing cycle if the proper conditions exist ( i . e . enough battery charge ). the inventive systems are designed to operate under different prevailing ambient conditions , which may be classified generally as either as cool and cloudy , or as hot and sunny . during either type of prevailing condition , the primary function of providing supplemental power for operating low current loads without depleting battery charge can be accomplished . the arrays are designed such that the open circuit voltage remains above the charge acceptance voltage of the batteries even during cloudy conditions so that the arrays deliver supplemental current to the grid . the systems eliminate the need for energy conversion ( dc to dc converters ) or auxiliary storage . by keeping the battery or batteries at a high state of charge , battery cycling and battery stress are reduced . during hot sunny days , considerably more power is required for cab cooling via hvac system 52 , but the inventive systems can supply power under that condition too because the intensity of incident solar radiation is also greater . cab temperature sensor 56 in fig1 signals temperature inside the truck cab . when the temperature rises to a point where some ventilation of the cab interior is appropriate , computer 54 operates a ventilation fan that can provide some ventilating to relieve the temperature . because a motor is used to ventilate the cab , the current draw is much larger than the continual draw of the parasitic loads . hence , such ventilation is allowed only intermittently . the loads for which the arrays may be considered as two distinct types , 1 ) low power continuous loads ( less than 0 . 12 watts for example ) and 2 ) high power controllable loads ( greater than 0 . 12 watts for example ). in addition to those already mentioned , the low power loads may include devices such as clocks and devices which have two modes of operation ( sleep or active ). devices in sleep mode retain active memory and monitor sensor inputs . the controllable ( active ) loads include telemetric system 48 , security system 50 , and hvac system 52 . the inventive systems function to power these load types both directly and indirectly . the arrays provides direct power to low level loads during daylight hours when the arrays are active and can supply power in excess of that required for the low level loads . the excess power provides additional charge to the vehicle battery or batteries . when the arrays are unable to supply all the required power , the deficiency is reclaimed from the battery or batteries . active loads are controllable and can be activated ( or made inactive ) by human intervention or intervention of the vehicle &# 39 ; s computer . in some cases the solar arrays will not be capable of supplying power to an active load continuously . when the ignition switch is off however , most active loads can be operated intermittently and still satisfy the requirements of the vehicle , in which case the arrays can supply power for intermittent occasional operation of active loads with the deficiency being supplied from the vehicle battery or batteries functioning as a power reservoir . when the engine is off , the vehicle &# 39 ; s computer can be used to calculate battery state of charge , estimate active loads , and measure ambient temperature . in this way , the computer can determine which loads can be safely turned on and for how long . the vehicle security system 50 is active when the ignition switch is off . the inventive systems provide power for this function which operates in low and high power modes . in the low power mode ( a majority of the time ), the system scans various sensors for abnormal conditions . when an abnormal condition occurs , the security system becomes active for a short time to handle the condition . the function of telemetric system 48 is to acquire information concerning the vehicle and transmit the information to a central base station . telemetric can operate both when the engine is running and off the inventive systems supply power for telemetric when the ignition switch is off . control of telemetric system 48 is accomplished using computer 54 to schedule periodic telematic transmissions , which is often once a day . therefore , the average power consumption required for this function is within the capabilities of the arrays . cab cooling is desirable to reduce cab interior temperature during periods of high solar loading . this function takes significant power and could not effectively be accomplished unless a power source is available . the solar array provides a good source since this is the time of peak array output . the cab cooling function is accomplished by controlling equipment typically supplied with the vehicle . these components are mostly found in hvac system 52 and include mode control doors , fan , and a hvac controller . the cooling cycle is controlled by the vehicle central computer , which monitors the system and controls the cooling cycle . the process is initiated by a cab cooling request which is generated when the temperature of a cab crosses a programmed setpoint . after this the computer reads the solar radiation sensor and calculates the amount of power available for cab cooling . the computer will cycle the cooling fan on and off using a low speed setting . during on times , some of the required power may be extracted from the batteries , but they will be replenished during fan off times . the computer will adjust the fan duty cycle so that the average power required does not exceed the power available through the solar array or arrays . a typical on / off cooling cycle may be 120 seconds long with the fan on for 12 seconds ( 10 % duty cycle ). the system is independent of the method used to control fan speed , and will work with any hvac system which uses one of the common methods ( resistive element , pwm , linear power module , etc ). for a vehicle having one or more arrays totaling an area of 0 . 10 square meter and a conversion efficiency of 12 %, the average daily power output can be calculated for various geographic locations . two sample locations are used as examples for calculating power output , 1 ) saint paul , minnesota ( 45 ° north latitude ), and 2 ) phoenix , ariz . ( 33 . 5 ° north latitude ). for these two locations , the average daily incident solar energy per square meter , as published by nasa , is shown in fig2 . in the embodiment of fig5 , the size of each array 72 , 74 is approximately 0 . 05 square meter . direct sunlight produces approximately one kilowatt of energy per square meter . the amount of energy expected from each mirror assembly per hour of incident solar radiation is : 1 kw - hr x area ( 0 . 05 ) x efficiency ( 0 . 12 )= 6 watt - hrs . spreading this over a 24 hr period provides average power of 0 . 25 watts . dividing by an assumed battery voltage of 13 . 0 volts yields an average delivered current of 19 . 2 milliamps per kw - hr of insolation . because the two arrays 72 , 74 are mounted in approximately opposite directions , one array will typically receive direct sunlight , and the other , indirect sunlight . for the array receiving indirect sunlight , an estimated 0 . 8 kw - hr day will be used . for the array receiving direct sunlight , the chart in fig2 is used . a de - rating factor of 0 . 74 is used for the saint paul location in the winter months to account for poor orientation of the array . the resulting calculations produce the estimates for power and current output shown in fig1 . the inventive systems can supply efficient power over this wide range of solar inputs and provide the power requirements for certain devices under various conditions as explained earlier . when a system has multiple arrays , a configuration like configuration 38 in fig1 can selectively connect the arrays to optimize the system for the available solar energy for the particular power requirements of the vehicle electrical system ( low power on cloudy days , high power on sunny days ). fig2 a , and 4 a show that array output is substantially different during a cloudy period of a day from that of a sunny period . although the output is substantially less during cloud cover , the power needs of the loads like those shown in fig1 for example are also typically lower , and so array power can still provide a substantial portion of those power needs . to extract such power from a fixed configuration array , the array would need to be sized such that the vehicle system voltage is low ( i . e . 60 %) when compared with the array &# 39 ; s peak voltage . that however is not the optimal configuration during a sunny condition when the vehicle is requesting higher power for cab cooling . during sunny conditions , the optimal configuration will be higher ( i . e . 80 % of peak voltage ). therefore , a fixed array cannot operate efficiently for these diverse conditions without some type of output conversion or array manipulation . fig2 discloses a further embodiment of energy conversion system 110 . the same elements that were described in connection with fig1 are designated by the same reference numerals in fig2 . this system comprises a single array 36 whose output is voltage regulated by a voltage regulator 116 controlled by computer 54 to prevent battery overcharging by the array . a protection diode 114 connects the regulated voltage output to grid 58 . while a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described , it should be appreciated that principles of the invention apply to all embodiments falling within the scope of the following claims .	7
the present invention is based on the discovery that the properties of a ceramic composite body , particularly a ceramic composite body which is manufactured by reactive infiltration of a parent metal comprising zirconium , hafnium , tantalum , titanium , etc ., into a permeable mass , for example , comprising boron carbide , can be modified by a post - manufacturing treatment . such post - manufacturing treatments comprise a carburization process , a boriding process , a high temperature assisted consolidation ( e . g . hiping ) and / or a nitriding process . each of the above - mentioned post - manufacturing treatments can alter the microstructure , and thus the resultant mechanical , physical , and thermal properties , of a portion or substantially all of a zbc composite body . in a first preferred embodiment , a zbc composite body , produced according to patent &# 39 ; 130 ( discussed above herein ), can be modified by exposing the composite to a gaseous carburizing species . such a gaseous carburizing species can be produced by , for example , embedding the zbc composite body in a graphite bedding and reacting at least a portion of the graphitic bedding with moisture or oxygen in a controlled atmosphere furnace . however , the furnace atmosphere should comprise typically , primarily , a non - reactive gas such as argon . the use of grade 5 argon gas from matheson gas products , inc ., produces desirable results . it is not clear whether impurities present in the argon gas supply the necessary o 2 for forming a carburizing species , or whether the argon gas merely serves as a vehicle which contains impurities generated by some type of volatilization of components in the graphitic bedding or in the zbc composite body . in addition , a gaseous carburizing species could be introduced directly into a controlled atmosphere furnace during heating of the zbc composite body . once the gaseous carburizing species has been introduced into the controlled atmosphere furnace , the lay - up should be designed in such a manner to permit the carburizing species to be able to contact at least a portion of the surface of the zbc composite body buried in the loosely packed graphite powder . while not wishing to be bound by any specific theory , it is believed that carbon in the carburizing species , and / or carbon from the graphitic bedding , will dissolve into the interconnected zirconium carbide phase and / or the zirconium metal , which can then transport the dissolved carbon throughout substantially all of the zbc composite body , for example , by a vacancy diffusion . the diffusion of carbon into the residual zirconium parent metal is relatively low ( e . g ., when the processing temperature is below about the melting point of the parent metal ). thus , absent the zirconium carbide phase , it would be less practical , or economical , to attempt to dissolve carbon throughout all of the residual zirconium metal in the zbc composite body , because the process would take a relatively long period of time ( e . g ., the rate of diffusion is dependent upon the temperature and the diffusion coefficient ). in this regard , the diffusion of carbon in the zirconium carbide phase and in the zirconium metal phase are both time dependent . however , the rate of transport of carbon in the zirconium carbide phase is much faster than the transport rate of carbon in the zirconium metal phase . once a desirable amount of carbon has been diffused into the zbc composite body and contacts residual zirconium parent metal , the zirconium parent metal is substantially converted into zrc . such conversion is desirable because the modified zbc composite will have an increased hardness and an increased elastic modulus , at the limited expense of both flexural strength and toughness . moreover , the elevated temperature properties will also improve because of a lower metal content in the zbc composite . it has been discovered that zbc composites having a residual parent metal in an amount between 5 to 30 volume percent can be modified by a post - carburization treatment to result in about 0 to about 2 volume percent , typically about 1 / 2 to about 2 volume percent , of parent metal remaining in the zbc composite body . thus , substantially all of the parent metal , however , typically about 4 - 1 / 2 to 28 volume percent of the parent metal , can be transformed from zirconium into zrc . while not wishing to be bound by any specific theory , the following discussion is believed to explain the manner in which carburization occur within a zbc body . specifically , carburizing a zbc body may be dependent upon the ability to induce movement of carbon through the zbc body at a sufficient rate . the flux or movement of carbon is generally proportional to the product of the diffusivity of carbon times the solubility of carbon into the zbc body . particularly , below the melting point of zr ( e . g ., about 1850 ° c . ), the diffusivity of c into the zr phase is greater than in the zrc x phase , whereas the solubility of c in the zr phase is relatively low . thus , the product of solubility and diffusivity may be relatively higher in the carbide phase than in the zr phase and accordingly , the carbon transport may occur substantially through the carbide phase in comparison to the metal phase . for temperatures above 1850 ° c ., zr may be liquid and the solubility of c increases whereas the diffusivity of carbon tends to be relatively constant . accordingly , it is believed that in this higher temperature regime ( e . g ., above the melting point of zirconium ), transport of carbon is primarily through the zr phase with a relatively smaller quantity of carbon being transported within the carbide phase . moreover , by controlling the time of exposure of the zbc composite body to any one of the post - manufacturing treatments , namely , the carburizing , boriding , hiping and / or nitriding and controlling the temperature at which these processes occur , a modified zone or layer can be formed on at least one exterior surface of a zbc composite body . further , in some aspects of the present invention , a plurality of post - manufacturing treatments may be desirably conducted simultaneously or sequentially . such post - treatment processes can result in a hard , wear - resistant surface surrounding a core of zbc composite material having a higher metal content and higher fracture toughness . in summary , it has been found that by subjecting a zbc composite containing , typically between about 5 - 30 volume percent of residual zirconium parent metal , to a carburizing , a boriding , and / or a nitriding species in a controlled atmosphere furnace operating at a temperature of about 1500 °- 2200 ° c ., for a period of time of about 5 - 48 hours that a modified zbc composite will be formed resulting in a more desirable composite body . the following are examples of the present invention . the examples are intended to be illustrative of various aspects of a post - manufacturing treatment of a composite body , particularly a zbc composite body . however , these examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . a zbc composite body formed according to example 1 disclosed in patent &# 39 ; 130 , was produced . table 1 shows various mechanical properties of the formed zbc composite body . all surfaces of the zbc composite body were degreased ultrasonically by using acetone and ethanol . the zbc composite was then buried in a high purity graphite powder bedding having an average particle diameter of about 75 microns . the graphite powder was purchased from lonza , inc ., and was identified as ks - 75 . the graphite powder bedding was contained within a graphite mold ( grade atj from union carbide ). the mold was covered on a top surface thereof with a graphite cover plate . the complete assembly of the buried zbc composite body was then placed into a closed atmosphere resistance heating furnace . the atmosphere in the furnace was grade 5 argon from matheson gas products , inc . the furnace was first evacuated at room temperature to a pressure of 1 × 10 - 4 torr and thereafter backfilled with argon . the furnace was then evacuated to a pressure of about 1 × 10 - 2 torr and thereafter heated to a temperature of about 500 ° c . under vacuum . the furnace was again backfilled with argon which then remained flowing at a rate of about one liter per minute and was maintained at a qauqe pressure of about 2 psig . the furnace was heated to a temperature of about 1750 ° c . over a 6 - hour period and then held at 1750 ° c . for about 12 hours . the furnace was then cooled for about 6 hours . after cooling , the carburized zbc composite was removed from the furnace and any excess graphite powder was removed by grit blasting . table 1 shows the mechanical properties of the zbc composite after the carburization treatment had been affected . it is evident that the amount of residual zirconium parent metal was reduced from about 10 % to about 1 / 2 %, by volume ; the hardness , elastic modulus , and shear modulus all increased . however , the increase occurred at the limited expense of flexural strength . it is noted that a flexural strength of about 500 mpa is adequate for many aerospace applications . table 1______________________________________ before after carburization carburization______________________________________zr content , vol % 9 . 9 0 . 5 80 . 6 hra 81 . 9 hrahardness 1011 hk 1388 hkelastic modulus , gpa 364 442shear modulus , gpa 158 184flexural strength 875 497mpa ( 4 - point ) ______________________________________ a preform comprising b 4 c was formed by mixing about 477 grams of 1000 grit b 4 c , about 9 . 5 grams of dow xus 40303 binder and about 715 grams of methylene chloride which mixture was sediment cast into a 7 inch diameter atj graphite mold . before sediment casting , the graphite mold was sanded with a relatively coarse grit sandpaper . the preform was placed into a furnace in order to burnout or remove the binder . the furnace was then evacuated and backfilled with argon . during the subsequent heating step , argon was passed through the furnace at a rate of approximately 2 liters per minute . the furnace was heated from room temperature up to about 200 ° c . in about four hours . this temperature was maintained for approximately two hours . the furnace was heated from about 200 ° c . to about 50 ° c . at a rate of approximately 20 ° c . per hour . the temperature was increased from about 350 ° c . to about 450 ° c . in about two hours . the furnace was permitted to cool to room temperature in approximately eight hours . the preform weighed about 466 grams and measured about seven inches in diameter and about 0 . 6 inches in thickness . a nuclear grade zirconium sponge weighing about 2333 . 25 grams supplied by western zirconium was cleaned and air dried at about 45 ° c . for one hour and at 70 ° c . for at least two hours . the zirconium sponge was placed directly on top of the b 4 c preform inside the graphite mold . the graphite mold was placed on top of a 10 × 10 × 4 inch inverted agsx boat into an electric resistance vacuum chamber furnace . the furnace was evacuated and backfilled with argon . a vacuum was drawn on the furnace and the furnace was brought to a temperature of about 1000 ° c . after 1000 ° c . was reached , argon at 2 liters / min was passed through the furnace having a chamber pressure of about 2 psig . heating was continued until a temperature of about 1900 ° c . was reached . the total time to reach 1900 ° c . was about 8 . 5 hours . this temperature was maintained for approximately one hour . the furnace was permitted to cool to room temperature in about 12 hours . the graphite crucible was removed from the furnace and inspected . it was discovered that the zirconium sponge had reactively infiltrated the b 4 c to form a platelet reinforced composite comprising zirconium diboride and zirconium carbide . the platelet reinforced composite weighed approximately 2670 grams . the composite was lightly sand blasted in order to remove unreacted b 4 c . after the sand blasting treatment , the composite weighed approximately 2570 grams and measured approximately 7 inches in diameter and about one inch in thickness . the formed composite then was subjected to a boriding treatment . specifically , the above described platelet reinforced composite was embedded in 1000 grit b 4 c in a graphite crucible having an inner diameter of approximately 8 inches . the amount of b 4 c utilized weighed approximately 521 grams and was obtained from esk . the graphite crucible containing the platelet reinforced composite and the b 4 c bedding material was placed into a vacuum furnace . the furnace was evacuated and backfilled with argon . the furnace was heated at a rate of approximately 300 ° c . per hour . when a temperature of about 1000 ° c . was reached , argon was passed through the furnace at a rate of approximately 2 liters per minute . the chamber pressure was about 2 psig . the furnace was continually heated until a temperature of about 1900 ° c . was obtained . this temperature was maintained for about 30 hours . the furnace was permitted to cool to room temperature at a rate of approximately 200 ° c . per hour . the graphite crucible was removed and inspected . it was discovered that the b 4 c bedding had reacted with residual zirconium metal in the zbc platelet reinforced composite . the borided composite had a reduced metal content on the order of about 0 - 2 volume percent . fig2 is a photomicrograph at 1000 × of a section of the modified zbc composite produced according to the method of example 2 . the darker regions are platelets of zrb 2 . the gray region comprise zrc 2 . a zbc body was formed substantially according to the procedures set forth in example 1 in patent &# 39 ; 130 . all surfaces of the zbc composite were degreased and ultrasonically cleaned by utilizing acetone and ethanol . the zbc body weighed approximately 3 . 6 grams and was embedded in 1 . 0 - 5 . 0 micron zrn powder which was contained in an al 2 o 3 refractory boat . the al 2 o 3 boat containing the zrn powder and the zbc body was placed into an electric resistance tube furnace . the furnace was evacuated and backfilled with dried nitrogen gas . during subsequent heating steps , nitrogen was passed through the furnace at a rate of approximately 300 ° c . per minute . the furnace was heated at a rate of approximately 200 ° c . per hour until a temperature of about 1600 ° c . was reached . this temperature was maintained for about 12 hours . the furnace was cooled at a rate of approximately 200 ° c . per hour . the alumina crucible was removed from the furnace and inspected . it was discovered that a nitrogen species had reacted with the zbc body to form a zrn phase . fig3 is a photomicrograph at 1000 × of a section of the modified zbc composite produced according to the method of example 3 . the darkest areas correspond to platelets of zrb 2 . the dark region in the upper left hand side , which is defined by zrb 2 platelets , comprises zrc . the lighter region on the lower left - hand side comprises zr ( c x n 1 - x ) y . the lightest region comprises zr metal . rectangular zbc bodies were made substantially in accordance with the procedures set forth in example 1 of the &# 39 ; 533 application . the zbc bodies ( labelled a through h ) were embedded within a bedding comprising cancarb ® carbon black powder inside an agsx graphite boat . the boat and its contents were placed inside a vacuum / inert atmosphere furnace . the furnace chamber was twice evacuated and backfilled with argon gas . during the subsequent heating steps , argon was passed through the furnace at a rate of about 500 cc / min which produced a furnace chamber pressure of 2 ( gauge ) psig . the temperature was raised from room temperature to about 1500 ° c . in 5 hours and held there for approximately 24 hours . the temperature of the furnace was cooled to room temperature . upon removal from the furnace , each sample showed a carburized layer approximately 1 mm thick upon the surface which was in contact with the carbon black . the carburization substantially converted the free zirconium metal within the zbc into a carburized layer comprising zirconium carbide ( i . e ., zrc x ). the following table 1 exhibits the percent weight gain for seven samples which were processed in accordance with this example . specifically , a greater weight gain corresponds to a greater degree of carburization ( e . g ., a thicker zone of of zirconium carbide upon the zbc body ). table 1______________________________________sample sample size percent weight gain______________________________________a 1 &# 34 ; × 2 &# 34 ; 0 . 24b 1 &# 34 ; × 2 &# 34 ; 0 . 23c 1 &# 34 ; × 2 &# 34 ; 0 . 22d 1 &# 34 ; × 2 &# 34 ; 0 . 18e 1 &# 34 ; × 3 / 4 &# 34 ; 0 . 26f 1 &# 34 ; × 3 / 4 &# 34 ; 0 . 23g 1 &# 34 ; × 3 / 4 &# 34 ; 0 . 30h 1 &# 34 ; × 3 / 4 &# 34 ; 0 . 25______________________________________ fig4 is a photomicrograph at 50 × of a section from the aboveidentified sample a . for example , the carburized zone comprising zirconium carbide in sample a is approximately 1 mm in thickness and is represented in fig4 by the lighter colored region on the left hand side of the photomicrograph . a zbc body was formed using the techniques disclosed in the &# 39 ; 533 application . the zbc body was a rectangular parallel piped measuring about 0 . 17 × 0 . 24 × 0 . 8 inches and weighed 2 . 3 grams . the zbc body was substantially embedded in boron powder ( from the aee co ., crystalline boron , - 325 mesh , 98 - 99 % purity ) inside an agsx grade graphite crucible . the crucible and its contents were placed in an avs vacuum / inert graphite resistance heated furnace which was then twice evacuated and backfilled with 99 . 999 % pure argon gas ( supplied by airco products ). during the subsequent heating steps , argon gas was passed through the furnace at a rate of about 2 liters / minute . the temperature was then raised from room temperature to about 1500 ° c . in 4 hours , held there for about 12 hours and then cooled to room temperature in 3 hours . after removal from the furnace , visual inspection showed that the color of the sample changed from a metallic appearance to a light grey . a borided layer of about 150 microns was formed by substantially converting free zirconium metal within the borided layer into zrb 2 . the boriding process of this example was conducted at a temperature below the melting point of the zirconium parent metal . particularly , by utilizing a temperature greater than the melting point of the zr metal phase of the zbc body , the degree of boridization may be increased . example 5 was substantially repeated , but the boron powder was replaced with boron carbide ( b 4 c ) powder ( 500 grit , esk co .). the zbc body measured about 0 . 17 × 0 . 24 × 0 . 9 inches and weighed about 2 . 4 grams . after reaction , the sample changed color to a light grey and had a reacted ( i . e ., borided ) to a depth of about 150 microns . however , the zirconium metal within the zbc body was not converted entirely into a boride and thereby produced a core of zbc surrounded by a layer comprising zrc and zrb 2 . a zbc body was formed from a 7 - inch diameter preform prepared by mixing 60 % by weight of methylene chloride ( from j . t . baker co .) with 1 % by weight of an organic binder ( dow experimental binder xus 40303 . 0 , lot 861230 - 2 ) to form a solution into which about 39 % by weight b 4 c powder ( 1000 grit esk , lot m9 - b , dried at 110 ° c .) was added . the mixture was then stirred to get a high viscosity slip which was sediment cast into a 7 - inch diameter graphite atj grade boat which was presoaked with methylene chloride for one hour . the crucible with the mixture was air dried until all the solvent visually disappeared and dried further in an oven at about 45 ° c . for 1 hour and heated further at about 70 ° c . for 2 hours to remove the remaining traces of solvent . the crucible containing the preform was placed inside an avs vacuum / inert graphite electric resistance furnace which was twice evacuated and backfilled with argon gas . during the subsequent heating steps , argon was passed through the furnace at a rate of about 2 liters / min . the furnace was heated from room temperature to about 200 ° c . in 4 hours , held at 200 ° c . for 2 hours , heated from about 200 ° c . to about 350 ° c . at 20 ° c . per hour and heated further from 350 ° c . to 450 ° c . in about 2 hours . the preform was cooled to room temperature in about 8 hours resulting in a density of 1 . 24 g / cm . sup . and a thickness of about 0 . 59 inches . approximately 2333 grams of zirconium metal sponge ( western zirconium nuclear grade , lot 4903 ) was placed upon the preform to comprise an assembly . the assembly was placed on top of a 10 - inch by 10 - inch by 4 - inch thick agsx boat and inside an avs vacuum / inert graphite resistance heated furnace which was evacuated and backfilled with 99 . 999 % pure argon gas ( supplied by airco products ). the furnace was heated under a vacuum to about 1000 ° c . at which time the argon gas was permitted to flow through the furnace at a rate of 2 liters / minute . the assembly was heated further to about 1900 ° c . in a total of 8 . 5 hours , held there for about 1 hour and cooled to room temperature in 12 hours . after removal of the assembly from the furnace , the excess b 4 c ( e . g ., about 100 grams ) was removed from the composite by sandblasting . the formed zbc body was about 7 inches in diameter and had about 1 inches cut off one side before being placed within a bedding of 1000 grit b 4 c ( esk co . lot m9 ) inside an 8 inch diameter atj grade graphite crucible . the zbc body weighed about 2103 grams prior to processing . the crucible and its contents , the zbc body and the bedding , were placed inside an avs vacuum / inert graphite resistance heated furnace which was evacuated and backfilled with argon gas . the furnace was heated under vacuum to about 1000 ° c . at which time the argon gas was permitted to flow through the furnace at a rate of about 2 liters / minute . the assembly was further heated to about 1900 ° c . at a total rate of about 300 ° c . per hour , held there for about 30 hours and then cooled to room temperature at a rate of 200 ° c . per hour . after removal from the crucible the sample was analyzed and indicated the presence of the following phases : about 61 area percentage zrb 2 ; about 38 area percentage zrc ; and 1 area percentage zr . the sample displayed room temperature mechanical properties of a shear modulus of about 175 gpa ; a young &# 39 ; s modulus of about 422 gpa ; and a poisson &# 39 ; s ratio of about 0 . 205 . also , the sample had a room temperature toughness of about 11 mpa - m and a room temperature strength of about 693 mpa . a zbc body was formed by substantially the techniques disclosed in the patent &# 39 ; 130 . the zbc body was a rectangular parallelepiped with dimensions of about 2 . 55 cm long by 0 . 55 cm thick by 0 . 44 cm wide and weighed about 3 . 8 grams . the zbc body was substantially embedded in zrn powder ( 99 . 8 $, 1 - 5 micron , atlantic equipment engineers ) within an alumina crucible . the crucible and its contents were placed inside a lindberg electric resistance tube furnace which was twice evacuated and backfilled with 99 . 999 % pure argon gas ( supplied by airco products ). during the subsequent heating steps , argon was passed through the furnace at a rate of about 500 cc / minute . the temperature was raised from room temperature at a rate of 250 ° c . per hour to a temperature of about 1600 ° c . at which time the gas was switched to substantially oxygen - free nitrogen ( i . e ., dried by passing through an approximately 7 inch column of a hydrous calcium sulfate ) also flowing at 500 cc / minute . the temperature was maintained at 1600 ° c . for about 1 / 2 hour and then lowered to room temperature at a rate of 300 ° c . per hour . visual examination of the sample showed a color change to a golden color . an increase in the sample weight indicated an reaction . further analysis showed that diffusion of the nitrogen into the zbc body to form zrn had occurred which varied from about 25 microns to 500 microns depending on the positioning of the sample within the flow of nitrogen gas passing through the furnace ( e . g ., upstream or downstream of the nitrogen go flow ). fig5 is a photomicrograph at 400 × of a section of the nitrided zbc body formed according to this example . specifically , the lighter colored region to the left of fig5 represents the nitrided region . the darker region to the right represents the original zbc body . example 8 was substantially repeated using a zbc bar shaped body with dimensions of about 1 . 1 cm long by 0 . 59 cm thick by 0 . 26 cm wide and weighing about 1 . 1 grams . the nitridation reaction temperature was maintained at about 1600 ° c . for about 1 hour and then lowered to room temperature at a rate of 300 ° c . per hour . visual examination of the sample showed a color change to a golden color . an increase in the sample weight indicated a reaction . further analysis showed that diffusion of the nitrogen into the zbc body was approximately ioo microns . fig6 is a photomicrograph at 400 × of a section of the nitrided zbc body formed according to this example . specifically , the lighter colored region to the left of fig6 represents the nitrided region . the darker region to the right represents the original zbc body . example 8 was substantially repeated using a zbc bar shaped body with dimensions of about 1 . 9 cm long by 0 . 59 cm thick by 0 . 26 cm wide and weighing about 1 . 8 grams . the reaction temperature was maintained at about 1600 ° c . for about 2 hours . visual examination of the sample showed a color change to a golden color . further analysis showed that nitrogen had diffused into the zbc body to a depth of approximately 250 microns . fig7 is a photomicrograph at 400 × of a section of the nitrided zbc body formed according to this example . specifically , the lighter colored region to the left of fig8 represents the nitrided region . the darker region to the right represents the original zbc body . example 8 was substantially repeated using a zbc bar shaped body with dimensions of about 1 . 5 cm long by 0 . 59 cm thick by 0 . 26 cm wide and weighing about 1 . 8 grams . the reaction temperature was maintained at about 1600 ° c . for about 4 hours . visual examination of the sample showed a color change to a golden color . there was a relative increase in the sample weight ( about 2 . 7 % by weight ) indicating a more complete reaction . further analysis showed that diffusion of the nitrogen into the zbc body had occurred through substantially the entire body . there was an outer larger scale comprising zrn and zrc which was about 125 microns thick , while the remainder of the body was composed of a composite of zrc and residual zr . particularly , examples 7 through 11 demonstrate that a post - treatment process may be controlled by selecting an appropriate reaction time to provide a post - treated composite possessing a modified region having a predetermined thickness . while the present invention has been disclosed in its preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise disclosure contained herein , but may otherwise be embodied in various changes , modifications , and improvements which may occur to those skilled in the art , without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .	2
referring to fig1 the plug or packer 10 has a mandrel 12 preferably made of a readily milled material such as a composite . mandrel 12 can optionally have a passage 13 that can be optionally closed with a ball landed on a seat or with a valve ( not shown ). shoulder 14 supports sealing element 16 . a cone 18 has individualized tapered surfaces 20 on which a slip , drag block or other retainer , collectively referred to as slip 22 is guided between opposed surfaces 24 and 26 . the slips 22 are each connected to a slip ring 28 that has a triangular undercut 30 when viewed in section in fig1 that extends for 360 degrees , preferably . the undercut is defined by surfaces 32 and 34 as better seen in fig2 . the undercut 30 and lock ring 36 may be inverted from the fig2 position in which case the ribs 56 will be oriented uphole to resist differential pressure in an uphole direction . lock ring 36 has an outer surface 38 that is preferably parallel to surface 32 of undercut 30 . bottom surface 40 of ring 36 is contacted by surface 34 of undercut 30 during the setting process . a shear pin or some other breakable member 42 allows the sealing element 16 to be compressed against a surrounding tubular that is not shown before the slips 22 are released to move up ramp surfaces 20 by the breaking of the shear pin 42 . movement of ring 28 relative to mandrel 12 brings together surfaces 34 and 40 to push the lock ring 36 in tandem with ring 28 during setting with a setting tool that is well known and is not shown and which serves as the force to brace the mandrel 12 while applying compressive force to the sealing element 16 and then extending the slips 22 against the surrounding tubular . the slips 22 have a surface treatment such as wickers 44 that resist reaction force from the compressed sealing element 16 as well as applied pressure loads from uphole applied in the direction of arrow 46 . because the wickers 44 are designed to hold pressure differential from above they are oriented downhole so that when the flow back rate is significantly increased the wickers 44 will disengage from the surrounding borehole wall , usually a tubular and the plug 10 will come loose . if there is a ball landed on a seat in the plug it may lift off and come uphole or lift and come uphole to seat on the next borehole plug . the flow through the plug will be sufficient to propel that plug into the plug above it , if any , and then further up the hole into specialized surface or subsurface equipment for isolation and depressurization so that the plug or plugs can be removed . the lock ring 36 has a surface treatment 48 on bottom surface 50 that faces the mandrel 12 . during setting when the ring 28 takes lock ring 36 with it the surface treatment 48 rides along surface 54 of mandrel 12 without penetration of surface 54 . however , after the set and release from the plug by the setting tool the reaction force from the sealing element 16 causes the downhole oriented ribs 56 to penetrate the surface of the mandrel 12 to brace the lock ring 36 so that it can act as a wedge using surface 38 to prevent motion of ring 28 in the direction of arrow 46 . lock ring 36 can run continuously for nearly 360 with a single split to facilitate assembly to the mandrel 12 . alternatively , there can be discrete spaced segments for the majority of the 360 degree extent of the undercut 30 . undercut 30 can be continuous or discontinuous for 360 degrees to retain lock ring 36 when lock ring 36 is formed of discrete segments . the wedging action between surfaces 32 and 38 reduces the stress in an axial direction parallel to surface 54 to discourage shear failure of the ribs 56 while the preferred composite construction of the mandrel 12 encourages penetration through surface 54 . the wedging action creates a radial and axial component forces to the ribs 56 to increase the penetration into the mandrel 12 and to decrease the axial shear force component acting on the ribs 56 at the outer surface of said mandrel 12 . the ribs 56 can be parallel or one or more spiral patterns or a thread form such as a buttress thread . the rib spacing can be equal or variable . the lock ring 36 can preferably be made of composite material or a soft metallic that can be easily drilled . optionally , if lock ring 36 is a continuous split ring the faces 58 and 60 that define the split can be placed on opposed sides of a tab 62 on mandrel 12 to rotationally lock the two together to prevent lock ring relative rotation with respect to the mandrel 12 when milling out . when segments are used for the lock ring 36 each segment can be rotationally retained in a dedicated undercut 30 in ring 28 to rotationally secure the components when milling out . alternatively , some or all of the above described plug 10 apart from sealing element 16 can be made of a disintegrating controlled electrolytic material to forgo the milling out altogether . optionally the ribs 56 can be omitted so that bottom surface 50 can make frictional contact with surface 54 with no or minimal penetration so that the retaining force is principally or entirely a frictional contact . surface 50 can have surface roughening or it can even be smooth . while the ability to hold reaction force may be somewhat decreased without the ribs 50 there is still enough resistance to reaction force to hold the set position for some applications . wedging action creates the frictional retention force . fig4 shows packers 10 still in position and others already displaced by a new uphole force shown schematically as arrow 70 . this condition is normally accomplished by reducing pressure above the set packers 10 from a surface location . when a net uphole force is developed against any of the packers 10 the wickers at some level of net uphole force will no longer be able to retain the grip to the surrounding tubular and the packer 10 will move uphole . it wall pass lower valve 74 of surface or subsurface capture equipment 72 and will be stopped by the upper valve 76 . once one or more of the packers 10 are in the specialized surface or subsurface capture equipment 72 , the bottom valve 74 is closed and a vent valve 78 is opened and the packers are removed out the top of the specialized surface or subsurface capture equipment 72 through valve 76 . milling is only needed if one of the packers 10 fails to come to the surface under a net uphole flow from the formation schematically represented by arrow 70 . the specialized surface or subsurface capture equipment 72 can also feature a counter to give a local signal of how many packers 10 have passed into the specialized surface or subsurface capture equipment 72 . as previously stated the orientation of wickers 44 in a downhole direction allows them to function to hold the set of each packer 10 with a net force applied from uphole in a downhole direction such as when performing a treatment . care must be taken to keep a constant net force in a downhole direction to keep the packer or packers 10 in position . when the treatment ends for the zone the surface pressure is reduced and the grip of the wickers 44 is overcome . the wickers need no radial retraction , they simply give up their grip in the uphole direction as wickers 44 are not oriented to dig in in the uphole direction . this makes the design suitable for treatment where the net pressure is in a downhole direction and later retrieval where the net force on the packer is reversed in direction to bring the packer or packers to the surface . with that the sealing element 16 cannot hold the packer 10 in position and the motion starts uphole into the specialized surface or subsurface capture equipment 72 . the one way oriented wickers 44 allow fixation under a net downhole pressure and retrieval under a net uphole flow . if the packers 10 have a landed object on a seat that closes a passage through the mandrel of a packer 10 it is possible for the object to lift off the seat and then flow through the packer 10 passage as well as the net uphole flow on the mandrel will bring that packer uphole . bringing up one or more packers can also wipe the borehole of proppant or other solids that may have accumulated in the borehole . optionally if the borehole has sliding sleeves for zone access , the recovery of the packers 10 with flow from below can also act to close sliding sleeves on the way out of the borehole . one such sliding sleeve 80 is shown adjacent treated formation 82 although multiple such sliding sleeves can be used and operated to close or to open by the passing packers 10 depending on the application . fig5 illustrates a horizontal borehole 100 that has a smaller dimension than an upper section 102 with a transition 104 in between . section 100 can be a liner with a top at transition 104 and the upper section can be casing . two plugs 106 and 108 are illustrated although more can be used . the plug 106 is backed by wiper 110 and the plug 108 is backed by wiper 112 . arrow 114 represents a net uphole force on the plugs 106 and 108 sufficient to dislodge their grip to the horizontal borehole after a treatment such as fracturing for example . this condition is typically accomplished by lowering the pressure above the plugs 106 and 108 such as by lowering the pressure above them from the surface for one example . the wipers 110 and 112 move with their respected plugs 106 and 108 out of section 100 and past transition 104 into casing 102 . as that happens the fins 116 oriented uphole and the fins 118 oriented downhole flex to a relaxed position as shown for plug 110 that has passed the transition 104 . the plugs 110 and 112 each have a mandrel 120 with an open passage 122 . the lowermost wiper is preferably positioned uphole from tow perforations 124 . the plugs 110 and 112 can be delivered with their associated plug so that for example wiper 112 is delivered with plug 108 on a variety of conveyances such as coiled tubing , wireline or slickline . as an alternative to the arrangement in fig6 a single wiper or multiple stacked wipers 126 can be delivered first ahead of plugs 128 , 130 and 132 as shown in fig6 so that a net uphole force represented by arrow 134 can bring up the wiper or wipers 126 with all the plugs above such as 128 , 130 and 132 although a greater or lesser number of plugs can be retrieved in this manner . the opposed orientation of fins 116 and 118 allows pumping the associated wiper into the hole as well as recovering the associated wiper with a net uphole force from the formation with there being at least some fins in either direction of movement that engage the surrounding borehole wall to aid in the movement of the wiper in question . note that sealing against the borehole walls of various dimensions on the way up the hole is not critical as long as flow is deterred sufficiently to allow the wiper in question to take up the hole however many plugs are used and that need recovery without a need to drill them out . accordingly , as in fig7 a wiper 136 can be associated with a plug 138 . a wiper 140 can be associated with plug 142 and a wiper 144 can be associated with plug 146 . typically the plugs illustrated in fig7 are identical and can be of the type that receive progressively larger balls in an uphole direction to close off a passage through them or depending on the treatment they can be straight plugs with no passage through them . either way whether one wiper per plug is used or one wiper for a plurality of plugs , the goal is to be bring the plugs with the wiper or wipers to a capturing device above or below the wellhead as previously described . fig8 - 11 illustrate some alternative wiper designs . fig8 has been previously described and fig9 varies in that the fins , typically made of a resilient material such as rubber are extending radially perpendicular to the mandrel of the illustrated wiper . the wiper design can simply be a ring around a mandrel that may have a passage through the mandrel . the ring can have a quadrilateral shape as shown in fig1 or a round shape as shown in fig1 or triangular to name a few options . the ring may be flexible foam or some other material that can compress without undue resistance when going into a smaller dimension in the borehole and have some shape memory to expand on the way up the hole as the size of the hole increases one or more times . the rings need not be continuous because , as stated before , enough resistance to flow around the wiper is needed to keep the plug or plugs moving uphole at a reasonable speed . typically the well is allowed to come in by opening a valve or valves at the surface to release the plugs so that the plugs with the associated wiper or wipers can come up the hole . the plugs may engage each other on the way up the hole after they are broken loose and start the trip up the hole . as long as there is a perforation for formation access below the lowest wiper , all the plugs and wiper ( s ) should come up to the capture device as the path of least resistance is toward the surface . with regard to fig1 - 14 , alternative arrangements for retaining or capturing packers or plugs 200 and 202 are illustrated with the understanding that the number of such packers or plugs can vary . the construction that is preferred for each plug has been described above although other designs that will release with a net uphole differential pressure are also contemplated . preferably the plugs have slips arranged below the sealing element and not above the sealing element making them amenable to release with a lowering of the pressure above so that formation fluid can flow them toward the surface . fig1 illustrates a receptacle 204 above a wellhead 206 that includes isolation valve ( s ) of a type typically used in wellheads . the receptacle is in a position typically used for lubricators but lubricators are typically used for insertion of assemblies into the borehole whereas receptacle 204 is used to catch packers or plugs such as 202 and 204 that are flowed to the surface with induced differential pressure that makes them lose grip when the differential is in the direction of the surface . receptacle 204 has a closed top 208 that leads to a valve 210 . valve 212 is connected to receptacle 204 near a lower end 214 . line 216 can be oriented to a tank or flare that is not shown . line 218 connects the receptacle 204 to valve 210 and line 220 connects the receptacle 204 to valve 212 . the two positions of valve 212 are to close off line 220 or to open line 220 into line 222 . valve 210 aligns line 218 to line 216 or in another position aligns line 222 to line 216 . arrows 224 schematically illustrate packers or plugs 200 and 202 moving to the surface when a passage from receptacle 214 is open to line 216 . initially , pressure above plugs or packers 220 and 202 is reduced sending plugs or packers that can be above them but are not shown into receptacle 204 . the presence of such plugs or packers in receptacle 204 can slow the uphole fluid velocity if the access to line 216 is through valve 210 and one or more plugs or packers are covering line 218 . in those circumstances valve 212 can align line 220 to line 222 with valve 210 positioned to communicate line 222 to line 216 . alternatively both lines 218 and 220 can be lined up at the same time to line 216 as this will keep any plugs or packers in receptacle 214 away from line 220 so it can operate as an unrestricted vent . since the fluid coming up with the packers or plugs such as 200 and 202 is treatment fluid for the earlier treatment there is a very low risk of flammability . line 216 can be connected to separation equipment to remove hydrocarbons that can either be captured or flared . arced line 224 is intended to schematically illustrate a multifunctional device or multiple devices that count the number of packers or plugs that enter the receptacle 204 and provides a trap for those entering packers or plugs to prevent their exit . this can be in the form of spring loaded spaced fingers that flex up toward closed top 208 to allow entry of plugs or packers into receptacle 204 but the spring return that pushes the finger array down prevents exit of such plugs or packers , effectively trapping them . other one way devices to trap plugs or packers in receptacle 204 are also contemplated . fig1 is slightly different than fig1 and where the components are the same similar numbers will be used . the main differences are that receptacle 204 ′ has valve 226 at the top that opens wide enough to pass packers or plugs . an adequately secured hose 228 is directed to a tank 230 . instead of capture inside the receptacle 204 ′ the plugs or packers 200 ′ or 202 ′ continue their movement into hose 228 and tank 230 displacing mostly treatment fluids ahead of them . the plugs or packers 200 ′ and 202 ′ and others that may have been further uphole can be recovered from the tank 230 . tank 230 can be an open pit or an enclosed vessel with a remote vent to separation equipment and ultimately a flare . once the counter 224 ′ confirms to surface personnel that all the plugs and packers are out of the hole valve 226 can be closed . valve 232 is an alternate outlet out of receptacle 204 ′ in case there is a blockage with a packer or plug in hose 228 . valve 232 is an alternative fluid outlet out of receptacle 204 ′ into line 216 ′. wellhead 206 ′ has several inline valves that are not shown and between such valves there are side outlet valves one of which is valve 234 connected to line 236 that communicates with line 216 ′. line 216 ′ can function as a production line . after all the packers or plugs are in receptacle 204 ′ or in the tank 230 through hose 228 , valves 226 and an inline valve in wellhead 206 ′ can be closed and valve 234 opened to communicate through lines 236 and 216 ′ to tank 230 or another location for storage of produced fluid that is not shown . in essence there is no or minimal delay between flowing the plugs or packers to the surface and clearing the borehole to the next step in getting production . the captured plugs or packers can be dealt with at a later time without delaying production and , of course avoiding the need to mill anything . it should be noted that the wellhead 206 in fig1 can be equipped in a similar way as in fig1 so that trapped packers or plugs in receptacle 204 can be isolated and the next step toward production initiated without delay or any milling . the captured plugs in receptacle 204 can be removed at a later time while production is on the way . the entire receptacle with the captured plugs or packers can be removed with a hoist or crane off of closed inline valves in wellhead 206 . fig1 illustrates a capture assembly that can be located between a wellhead 206 ″ and one or more remotely actuated formation isolation valves such as 238 . valves ( s ) 238 are typically full opening ball valves that can be remotely actuated in a number of known ways . a slotted liner 204 ″ has a closed top 208 ′. the slotted liner 204 ″ serves as a receptacle for the plugs or packers 200 ″ and 202 ″ and can be located in the blowout prevented in part or supported at another location below . an inlet guide cone 240 has openings 242 to allow flow to go into receptacle 204 ″ and out through its slots or to go in an annular space 244 around the outside of receptacle 204 ″ and onto the surface . while it is conceivable that production can begin with receptacle 204 ″ still in the hole , it will be clear that it is preferred to remove receptacle 204 ″ after closing formation isolation valve ( s ) 238 before production begins . other enclosures different from a slotted liner are also contemplated . basically cylindrically shaped enclosures big enough to accept the plug or packer without getting the plug or packer cocked inside are acceptable . there needs to be openings for sufficient flow to get the plugs or packers to releases in the first place and that condition needs to continue after some of the plugs or packers are captured . fig1 - 17 describe options for collecting borehole data from locations where plugs 300 are set . in fig1 there is a passage 302 through each plug which can be a location for data sensing and collecting module 304 placed there in a manner that still allows flow through passage 302 for rapid deployment of each plug 300 . alternatively , module 304 can be incorporated into the body of each plug . as another alternative there may not even be a passage 302 or a seat 306 on which an object such as a ball 308 lands on . instead , the plug body itself would contain the module 304 and when pressure is reduced above the plugs as described in detail above they are made to release and travel uphole where they can be recovered as also described above and the module 304 can then be connected to a processor that is not shown to collect the data in a format for analysis in aid of production which follows after a treatment as defined herein is completed . a host of properties can be sensed and collected over time such as temperature , formation properties such as porosity , pressure or viscosity to name a few examples . alternatively module 304 can be in a recess 310 and held by a retainer 312 that is flush with the outer surface 314 of the object which is preferably a sphere . the same sensors could be used regardless of the location of the module 304 in the plugs 300 or the objects 308 landed on the plugs 300 , if used . there are alternative procedures for the data recovery from the modules 304 . in one option a plug 300 as described above , is set and an object 308 is landed on seat 306 for performance of a treatment . subsequently another plug 300 is located further uphole and another object 308 is landed on that plug followed by a treatment further uphole . this process repeats until the entire interval is treated . after that the pressure uphole of all the plugs 300 is reduced and they release their grip as described above and flow toward the surface taking all the objects 308 with them . regardless of whether the modules 304 are in the plugs 300 or the objects 308 they are all readily identifiable as to which plug 300 or object 308 they correlate to either by external markings or through stored data in module 304 . the data from each module can be correlated to a well depth in that manner . the plugs 300 and the associated objects 308 would typically come out and be collected in the reverse order from which they were introduced into the borehole but an opportunity for losing that order can occur at the surface so that they are tagged so that order can be recreated if necessary . as mentioned before the plugs 300 may be configured without passages but can still contain a module 304 in which case when all the plugs 300 are caused to release and flow to the surface the modules 304 will be recovered with the plugs 300 . in another possible method one plug 300 can be run in with a module 304 in it or alternatively with an object 308 preferably a ball with a module 304 delivered to the plug 300 . after treatment against a first plug 300 it can be caused to release to come to the surface , with a ball 308 if used , and a second plug 300 can be set further uphole and the process repeated . alternatively , if a ball 308 is used with a plug 300 and the module 304 is in the ball 308 the ball can be recovered after treatment against first plug 300 without the first plug 300 by reducing pressure above ball 308 enough to bring up the ball but not so much as to release the plug 300 . the teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations . these operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation , the fluids resident in a formation , a wellbore , and / or equipment in the wellbore , such as production tubing . the treatment agents may be in the form of liquids , gases , solids , semi - solids , and mixtures thereof . illustrative treatment agents include , but are not limited to , fracturing fluids , acids , steam , water , brine , anti - corrosion agents , cement , permeability modifiers , drilling muds , emulsifiers , demulsifiers , tracers , flow improvers etc . illustrative well operations include , but are not limited to , hydraulic fracturing , stimulation , tracer injection , cleaning , acidizing , steam injection , water flooding , cementing , etc . the above description is illustrative of the preferred embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims below :	4
the embodiments below are provided by way of example , so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete , and fully conveys the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art . like numbers refer to like elements throughout . the examples relate to a general power interface for connecting a load to an adjustable power supply circuit having a time - dependent holding current level . in the examples below the adjustable power supply circuit is sometimes embodied as a triac which may be part of a dimmer . however , the adjustable power supply circuit may be any adjustable power supply circuit fulfilling any requirements set forth below . in the examples below the load is sometimes embodied as a ( led - based ) light source . however , the load may be any suitable load fulfilling any requirements set forth below . fig1 illustrates a prior art circuit 100 comprising a voltage source 102 , an adjustable power supply circuit 104 and a load 106 . the adjustable power supply circuit may have a time - dependent holding current level . there may be a problem with operating the circuit if , for example , the load is too small to work properly with the adjustable power supply circuit . this could , for example , be the case if the adjustable power supply circuit is a wall dimmer and the load is a light source , particularly if the light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes ( leds ). as a result the light source may start to flicker or even permanently switch off when the dimming level determined by the dimmer becomes too low . according to an embodiment of the present invention , a current shaper 110 is arranged to be operatively connected between the load 106 and the adjustable power supply circuit 104 as shown in a power interface circuit 108 of fig2 a . the power interface is thus provided for connecting the load to the adjustable power supply circuit . as will be further disclosed below , the power interface is arranged such that the above mentioned problems are avoided , or at least reduced . particularly the current shaper is configured to interrupt and re - establish a current flow from the adjustable power supply circuit to the load . the current shaper thus ensures that the current through the adjustable power supply circuit at least periodically is above the holding current level of the adjustable power supply circuit . thereby the current shaper keeps the adjustable power supply circuit in a conducting state even if the average current consumption of the load is lower than the holding current level . the current shaper may be configured to supply the load with a minimum forward voltage being higher than a peak value of a mains voltage provided to the adjustable power supply circuit by the voltage source . the holding current level may be determined by a circuit topology ( including the electronic components and the values thereof ) of the adjustable power supply circuit and a switch comprised in the adjustable power supply circuit . fig2 b is a second example of a power interface circuit comprising an adjustable power supply circuit 202 , a load 204 , a rectification circuit 206 , a power supply 208 and a current shaper 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention . for illustrative purposes the adjustable power supply circuit 202 is in fig2 b embodied as a triac 214 circuit . the triac may be comprised in a typical dimmer . further , the load 204 is represented by a typical led - based light source 216 . however , it may also be possible to use the disclosed power interface with non - ssl light sources , e . g . for dimmable low wattage cfl - lamps . in fig2 b a set of diodes form the rectification circuit 206 . the presence of a rectification circuit 206 as such and / or the components comprised in the rectification circuit 206 generally depends on the realization of the current shaper 210 . the power interface circuit will be described in an operating state . when it is activated , a current higher than the holding current requirement of the triac 214 is built up . during a deactivation period , firstly the energy stored in an inductor 218 ( further inductors may be comprised in the current shaper 210 , see below ) freewheels into the capacitor 220 , which generally has a voltage higher than the peak value of the mains voltage ( as supplied by the voltage source 208 ), and secondly there is a pause in the mains supply current . the capacitance of the capacitor 220 may be determined according to a pre - determined maximum amount of flicker in the light outputted by the light source . due to the short duration of the pause , the triac 214 will stay on and further current flow is possible during the next activation interval . the purpose of resistor 222 is to reduce the voltage over the leds . the diode 224 is a free - wheeling diode used to allow continuation of current flow from an inductive load after deactivation of the switch in the current shaper , thereby eliminating sudden voltage spikes occurring at inductive loads when the supply voltage is suddenly reduced or removed . the current shaper 210 may have a certain minimum operating voltage , i . e . it may not be possible to draw the full required peak current at very low input voltages around the zero crossing . as a result , at the end of the ( either positive or negative ) mains half cycle the current may fall below the value required to keep the triac 214 on . however , this is the indented mode of operation . during the next half cycle , the circuit power interface 210 will start consuming power from the mains voltage source as soon as the triac 214 is activated again . using a current shaper having a fixed peak current ( but without output voltage regulation ) may result in an output voltage which varies according to the firing angle of the adjustable power supply circuit . the minimum forward voltage of the load , such as the minimum forward voltage of the led - based light source , has to be selected to be higher than the peak value of the mains voltage . but , when using a different power interface circuit topology which incorporates some voltage translation ratio , a lower forward voltage of the load , such as lower led burning voltages , may also be possible . the load is powered all the time from the energy stored in the capacitor 220 . the size of this capacitor has to be selected according to the allowed level of flicker in the light output of the lamp . the allowed level of flicker may be pre - determined . fig2 c is a third example of a power interface circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention . as in fig2 b the circuit of fig2 c comprises an adjustable power supply circuit 202 , a load 204 , a rectification circuit 206 , a power supply 208 and a current shaper 210 arranged to generate a pulsed current . the functions of these elements are generally the same as the functions of the corresponding elements in fig2 b ; the adjustable power supply circuit 202 is embodied as a triac circuit 214 , the load 204 is embodied as a led - based light source 216 , and the rectification circuit 206 is embodied as a number of diodes . in comparison to the circuit of fig2 b the circuit of fig2 c comprises a reduced number of rectification and freewheeling diodes . the requirement of a rectification circuit and / or the number of freewheeling diodes may in general depend on the current shaper . for the embodiment in fig2 c the current shaper requires a rectification circuit . fig2 d - 2 e show further examples of a power interface circuit according to embodiments of the present invention . the power interface circuits of fig2 d - 2 e each comprise an adjustable power supply circuit 202 , a load 204 , a rectification circuit 206 , a power supply 208 and a current shaper arranged to generate a pulsed current . the functions of these elements are generally the same as the functions of the corresponding elements in fig2 b ; the adjustable power supply circuit 202 is embodied as a triac circuit 214 , the load 204 is embodied as a led - based light source 216 , and the rectification circuit 206 is embodied as a number of diodes . in the circuit of fig2 d the current shaper is formed by an inductor 226 , a diode 228 and a switch 230 controlled by a switch control signal generator 232 . the switch control signal generator 232 is arranged to control a switch of the current shaper . the switch 230 is thus utilized when the pulsed current is being generated . in comparison to the power interface circuit of fig2 d the power interface circuit of fig2 e comprises two additional current sensing resistors 234 , 236 . in fig2 e the switch control signal generator 232 is arranged to receive feedback signals from the load and the adjustable power supply circuit , respectively , thereby providing an adaptive switch control signal generator . examples of switch control signal generators and their internal components will be further disclosed below with references to fig4 a - 4 b . in general the current shaper comprises a circuit capable of switching between two different impedances . fig3 a is a schematic illustration of a first current shaper according to an embodiment of the present invention . the current shaper may be formed by an electric circuit providing a pulsed current . the current shaper of fig3 a comprises an inductor 302 , a diode 304 and a switch 306 . when being charged the current shaper acts as a load and absorbs energy ; when being discharged , it acts as an energy source . the voltage produced by the current shaper during the discharge phase is related to the rate of change of current , not to the original charging voltage , thus allowing different input and output voltages . the current shaper may be a boost converter ( also known as step - up converter ) which is activated and deactivated according to a required pulse repetition rate . for a boost converter a rectifier circuit may be required , but other current shapers may not require such a rectifier . the current converter may be configured for a fixed peak current by choosing its components ( and the control thereof ) accordingly . with reference to fig6 , a description is given of a test circuit which may be used to choose values of the components of the current shaper . as stated above there may be other variations of current shapers . fig3 b - 3 e show further examples of current shapers according to embodiments of the present invention . the current shapers of fig3 b - 3 e have in common that the circuit design is based on a transistor acting as the switch . in more detail , the switches of the current shapers of fig3 b - 3 e are embodied as either metal oxide semiconductor field - effect transistors ( mosfet ) 308 , 310 or bipolar junction transistors ( bjt ) 312 , 314 controlled by switch control signal generators 316 , 318 , 320 , 322 . switch control signal generators will be further disclosed below with reference to fig4 a - 4 b . the switch of the current shaper of fig3 b is embodied as a mosfet 308 connecting its drain between the inductor and the anode side of the diode of the current shaper . the source of the mosfet 308 is connected to ground . alternatively , as shown in the current shaper of fig3 c , the switch may be embodied as a mosfet 310 connecting its source between the inductor and the diode of the current shaper . for this embodiment the drain of the mosfet 310 is connected to ground . the switch of the current shaper of fig3 d is embodied as a npn bjt 312 connecting its collector between the inductor and the diode of the current shaper . the emitter of the npn bjt 312 is connected to ground . according to a further alternative as shown in fig3 e , the switch of the current shaper may be embodied as a pnp bjt 314 connecting its collector between the inductor and the diode of the current shaper . for this embodiment the emitter of the pnp bjt 314 is connected to ground . alternatively , without changing the effective functionality of the circuit , the positive potential may be directly connected to the load , wherein the inductor and the diode are placed in the negative path . as mentioned above the current shaper may comprise a switch control signal generator . fig4 a - 4 b are schematic illustrations of switch control signal generators according to embodiments . a first example of a switch control signal generator is shown in fig4 a . in the switch control signal generator of fig4 a the functionality is based on a standard timer integrated circuit 402 , well know in the literature and to the person skilled in the art . the duration of the high and low periods of the output signal is determined by the components connected to the timer circuit 402 , namely resistors 404 , 406 , capacitors 408 , 410 and diode 412 . in contrast to the switch control signal generator of fig4 a , where the timing is fixed by the components used , it is also possible to generate the timing signal in dependence on actual measured or captured data . in fig4 b , a possible control loop to generate the switch signal is shown . via a first input the rectified input voltage is measured . based on this , the type of adjustable power supply circuit and the current setting of the adjustable power supply circuit is detected ( by the so - called dimmer type and setting detection 414 ). the generation of timing signals in the switch current control loop 416 is influenced by this detection . in addition a so - called dim value is derived . based on this dim value ( being the set point command ), a measured led current ( being the actual value ) and a measured capacitor voltage ( being a feed forward disturbance compensation ), the desired switch current and hence the led current is calculated in a led control loop 418 . the result of the block 418 ( as set point command ) is compared with the actual switch current ( being the actual value ) to calculate the timing signals , influenced by the result from the so - called dimmer type and setting detection 414 . finally , a switch driver 420 is used to amplify the timing signal towards a suitable gate or base drive signal . fig5 illustrates the pulsed current 502 generated by the current shaper as a function of time . in general , the figure shows that the pulsed current is made up of time intervals of high current and time intervals of no current . the period of the current comprising one time interval of high current and one time interval of no current is denoted t 1 . the behavior of the pulsed current depends inter alia on the circuitry of the current shaper . more particularly , the components of the current shaper and the control signals thereof are chosen such that the period t 1 of the current shaper in general is 5 - 50 μs , preferably 15 - 30 μs . the activation time of the current shaper is denoted t 2 . a longer t 1 may imply a longer t 2 . in general , if the adjustable power supply circuit comprises a capacitance , then t 1 ( and thus also t 2 ) will depend on this capacitance . thus , the period t 1 may be defined by inter alia a capacitance in the adjustable power supply circuit . further , the peak value of the pulsed current should be higher than the required holding current level of the triac . fig6 is a schematic illustration of a test circuit according to embodiments . thus , the test circuit may be utilized in the design process of the current shaper . hence the test circuit may be regarded as a triac evaluation circuit . in other words the test circuit may be used to find the parameters of the current shaper for a given triac 602 and a given load . in the example of fig6 the load is represented by resistors 604 , 606 , 608 and leds 610 , 612 , 614 connected to the resistors 604 , 606 , 608 . that is , the resistors 604 , 606 , 608 are used to set the current level , in combination with the supply voltage level provided by the source 630 . in fig6 the current shaper is formed by the mosfet 616 and the resistor r 1 . one purpose of r 1 is to limit the switching speed of the mosfet 616 . the external pulse generator vpulse is utilized to control the period of the mosfet 616 . the mosfet 616 is used to modulate the current , depending on the pulse train supplied by vpulse ( i . e ., the mosfet 616 enables a pulsed current to be generated ). a resistor 618 may be utilized in order to reduce the voltage over the mosfet 616 . the led 620 next to the resistor 618 provides a visual reference of the pulse . a diode 622 is a freewheeling diode . further , inductors 624 and 626 represent inductors used in a typical wall dimmer circuit and the parasitic inductance in the installation , respectively , where this kind of inductance is typically present . free - wheeling diodes may be used in order to allow for demagnetisation of the inductors . in the intended power interface circuits according to fig2 a - 2 e , this demagnetization is performed by the current shaper presenting a forward voltage higher than the mains voltage . during a test evaluation , the circuit of fig6 can be activated by manually pressing a button 628 to supply a trigger current , while supplying a static on - signal ( duty - cycle = 100 %) to the mosfet 616 . then , the duty cycle of the mosfet drive signal can be reduced until the triac 602 switches off . at a slightly higher duty cycle , it is possible to start the circuit again and keep it in the conductive state for any desired period of time . thus , by tuning the values of the components of the current shaper a suitable duty cycle ( i . e . wherein the triac is kept in a conductive state for any desired period of time ) may be found . as an example , a triac with a static dc holding current of 13 . 2 ma was used . for the present example the current flow thought the load was activated every ˜ 23 μs for a time period of ˜ 3 μs . due to the inductance , this current slowly ramped up and down . the average value of the current consumption was then measured to be only ˜ 8 ma . this current is to be compared to the dc holding current of the triac which , as stated above , is 13 . 2 ma . thus , as a result , the minimum average current to keep the triac on in pulsed mode is significantly smaller than in dc mode . in a 230v system , the 8 ma would correspond to a load with a maximum power consumption of 1 . 2 w ( if not adjusted by the adjustable power supply circuit ). the combination of repetition rate , activation period and peak current ( in this example : 23 μs , 3 μs and 55 ma , respectively ) may thus be tuned to the requirements of the circuitry . a higher repetition rate , longer activation periods and higher current may be possible , whereas e . g . a slower repetition rate may be possible at a higher peak current . the person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above . on the contrary , many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims .	7
as an exemplary patient - specific orthotic device type , a posterior leaf spring afo that treats drop foot was chosen . a standard afo was characterized ( type c - 90 superior posterior leaf spring , alimed , inc ., dedham , mass .) and the performance of the orthotic device produced by practice of the method of the invention was compared to this standard device . the main steps in the method according to the invention are now described . all these steps are general and could be used on any body part . referring now to fig5 , after the body part of the patient in need of the patient - specific orthotic device is identified , the appropriate appendage of the patient is positioned ( 42 ) and the external contours of the body part are imaged ( 43 ) to obtain a digital image of the freeform surfaces comprising the patient &# 39 ; s anatomy in the area of interest using any 3d camera / scanning technology that is capable of creating a full 3d point cloud . this process requires data from the full extent of the body part to be fitted . for an ankle - foot orthotic device , for example , data are collected from below the knee to the heel of the leg and also from the underside of the foot . depending on the scanning technology selected , individual challenges and techniques exist to obtaining the best quality surface data . due to the semi - transparent exterior layers of the epidermis , variation in skin tones and presence of hair follicles , assistive scanning devices may be required . in the case of stereoscopic photogrammetry , for example a skin - tight nylon stocking can be wrapped around the anatomy portion to be scanned , which eliminates many of these challenges and normalizes the color tones over the appendage . use of the skin - tight stocking material also isolates the color ranges for hue and saturation of the white scan surface from extraneous surface data , e . g ., the practitioner &# 39 ; s gloves and floor . the patient must remain completely still during the scan in order to record the correct surface data . to hold the patient appendage steady during surface capture , it may be necessary to use a fixture or assistive device to the medical practitioner . the scanner itself may be hand held by the practitioner , a medical assistant , or controlled as part of a robotic armature for automated scanning . as a supplement to the method of the invention , the patient &# 39 ; s surface data may be captured by making a cast or impression of a specific region of the body part , and this impression may be used as a negative surface representing the patient &# 39 ; s anatomy . this kind of supplementation may be necessary , e . g ., in order to capture geometry on the side of a joint such as the interior contour of a hand grasping a bar . referring again to fig4 , the captured data are next modified and manipulated using a range of digital processing tools . these data are in the form of a point cloud , which is a collection of points in three - dimensional space representing the co - ordinates of the scanned surface . any of the points in the point cloud not matching the hue and saturation range of the scanned surface may now be removed from the scan automatically according to the standards set by the software . remaining overlapping data points are removed through decimation of the point clouds , and extraneous anomalies like spikes and singularities are removed according to the derivative of the surface curves . when all extraneous data points have been removed , the individual points in the cloud may be connected by triangles to form a surface mesh . then , according to the instructions of the gait analysis prepared by the medical practitioner , specific surfaces in the mesh from the point cloud may be expanded or contracted to give the final fit more or less freedom of motion against the patient &# 39 ; s body . up to this stage the surfaces comprising the digital model of the patient have contained data of the entire scanned extremity , rather than just the surface area expected to be in direct contact with the patient - specific medical device . the extra data around the contact surfaces is necessary to minimize deviation tolerances during digital manipulation by keeping distances of neighboring points consistent . the extra surfaces are no longer necessary , and are removed when the orthosis contact region is isolated and trimmed using a boundary curve . this is a curve projected onto the surface of the cleaned data points which represents the trimlines where the medical practitioner would normally cut the physical orthosis for the patient . once the modified surface has been finalized , it may be offset a distance to provide room for tolerance and compliance with the patient &# 39 ; s skin . this offset surface is then thickened into a 3d object along the vectors normal to the surface . the digital model may now have cavities created for the later insertion of embedded components in the final device or may be moved directly to the fabrication step . as indicated in fig4 , fabrication of the orthotic device using the final digital model ( 45 ) can take place using any automated machine capable of following instructions to create 3d surface contours ( e . g ., layered manufacturing techniques , such as stereolithography ; fused deposition modeling ; selective laser sintering ; cnc milling ). the build orientation in the layered fabrication machine is significant because the mechanical properties of the device material will change depending on the build direction . all layered fabrication techniques yield anisotropic materials , which have different material properties depending on the orientation of stress and strain . currently the weakest build direction in all layered manufacturing processes is in the z axis ( build direction ) and so should be noted when orienting a part inside the build envelope . if a part is expected to have certain stiffness properties from a finite element simulation but is oriented differently in the build envelope , then it may deform or yield in unexpected modes . to maintain the highest strength and longest effective lifespan , an afo , for example , should be build on its side , as if the tibia and navicular are orthogonal with the build direction . insertion of embedded components may take place either during the build process , following the insertion method described herein as a guideline , or at post - fabrication stages . embedded components ( some of which are shown in fig2 a - 2d ) are meant to diversify the functionality and effectiveness of the device and provide quantifiable feedback to the medical practitioner and patient in the form of sensor data in order to aid the rehabilitation process . exemplary embedded components and their functions include , e . g ., components for sensing ( fig2 b ), for power , for data storage , for data transmission , for electrical muscle stimulation ( ems ). for example , strain sensors may be placed at key locations for predicting and tracking the fatigue of the orthotic device and for estimating when the orthotic device might be most likely to break and what the failure mode might be . for an afo , such sensors are most useful in the region just under the calcaneous , cuboid , and at the base of the fibula as shown in fig2 c . a pedometer / accelerometer sensor would be useful for tracking the number of steps taken with the device and for relating a failure mode to distance traveled . temperature sensors can monitor heat on the skin or friction created by the orthotic device , which can be an indication of skin breakdown in the case of diabetic foot ulcers . pressure sensors could be used to monitor for swelling in the patient or the distribution of forces during the gait cycle . any embedded sensor could be implemented in conjunction with a separate instrumentation kit that enabled field deployed gait analysis or actual gate data acquisition at the point of care , which could be in a remote location from the gait lab . in addition , embedded electrodes with an on - board power supply have the potential to aid rehabilitation by stimulating muscle activity from inside the orthotic device . recent research has shown that low levels of electrical current can help in the healing process . magnets have been shown to benefit patients under certain treatment regimes . other exemplary embedded components include actuators ( such as electro - active polymers , shape memory alloys ( as shown in fig2 d ), piezoelectric actuators and electromagnetic actuators ), which could assist the patient in movement during toe off and also soften forces during heel strike . microprocessors can permit automatic adjustments and calculations in the orthotic device according to sensor and environmental input . memory chips can store data from a microprocessor in the orthotic device or can transmit the data wirelessly to a data transmitter / receiver ( such as ir , rf , fm or optical ), which could be used to transmit information to and from the orthotic device . moreover , any patient wearing an instrumented orthosis with embedded data transmission electronics can have a single or team of medical practitioners remotely monitor their rehabilitation gait exercises without physically attending a medical facility . a group of medical experts may monitor a wearer with the capacity to simultaneously conference with engineers and orthotists to recommend redesign constraints to a patient &# 39 ; s orthotic device without the need of any two parties to be in the same physical location . remote monitoring via teleorthotics also allows a practitioner to warn a patient if they are not remaining within their assigned rehabilitation regiment or remind a patient if their orthotic device is reaching the end of its expected safe lifetime . interchangeable rods or other components of various geometries , as shown in fig2 a , or materials ( such as rubber , carbon fiber , aluminum , steel or fiberglass ) can be inserted in cavities of the orthotic device , e . g ., to change the mechanical characteristics of the device , for example , to stiffen or dampen key regions according the intended patient treatment process . depending on the treatment regimen and patient range of motion , interchangeable components for an afo device , for example , could be inserted around the tarsal - metatarsal joints for lateral stability or along the fibula and calcaneous for dorsiflexion / plantarflexion stability support . this would allow for a broader range of orthotic devices all created using the same simple method . a component can be embedded during the build process by following a basic insertion procedure developed for the production of an articulated robotic hand having embedded components , as described in de laurentis et al ., assembly automation , 2004 , vol . 24 ( 4 ), 394 - 405 . as described in this reference , the proper insertion point for the component was determined by dividing the height ( the distance from the platform to the proposed layer of part introduction ) by the layer thickness plus one ( 1 ) since the machine begins its count at layer one : it is important to have enough time during the build process for the proper placement of the component into the part being fabricated . this is accomplished by either stopping the machine ( not recommended ) or by adjusting the z - wait time length at not only the desired layer but also at the previous and successive layers . in summary , the key points to consider for inserting or embedding component parts are as follows : ( 1 ) correct clearance for part / component types ; ( 2 ) proper build orientation ; ( 3 ) utilization of support structures ; ( 4 ) support configuration and / or style ; ( 5 ) elimination or venting of trapped resin volumes ; ( 6 ) appropriate selection of components to be embedded ; ( 7 ) protection or preparation of sensitive parts to be inserted ; ( 8 ) calculation of the right insertion layer level ; and ( 9 ) suitable adjustment of the z - wait time . the same process described above may be used in the surface contour design , development , and fabrication of other patient - specific devices such as haptic computer interfaces ( e . g ., joysticks , keyboards , mouse ); personal electronics ( e . g ., cell phones , digital camera , remote controller , wearable computer devices ); sports equipment ( e . g ., padded glove , racquet handle , steering wheel , rifle stock , archery bow frame ); safety equipment ( e . g ., safety eyewear , helmet , body padding , wrist guard ); ergonomic furniture ( e . g ., armchair backing , armrest ); and tools ( e . g ., kitchen tools and cutlery , surgical hand tools , power tool gripping surface ). the process described herein does not require that the scanning , data modification , and device fabrication facilities are in close proximity to each other . each step can be completed remotely from the others since the patient scan data , modification steps , and fabrication instruction files can be communicated over the internet ( e . g ., via secure server downloads or electronic mail attachments ) and , thus , can be separate from each other , which allows for a telemedicine / teleorthotics treatment for patients . one embodiment of service architecture to support such remote communication is given in the flow chart of fig6 . for example , 3d scanner regional facilities ( 62 ) located in different parts of a state each can service several orthotist clinics ( 63 ) by scanning patients , e . g ., for fit of an afo . each scanner regional facility digitally transfers ( 64 ) its scan data to a central data processing facility ( 65 ) along with a matching instruction file from each orthotist per patient scan . the central data processing facility prepares , modifies , and manipulates the scan data ( 66 ) according to the orthotists &# 39 ; instructions and sends the instruction files to several computer automated fabrication facilities for manufacture ( 67 ), based on which facility is close to which orthotist . the manufactured afo device is then returned to the ordering orthotist . the following examples are presented to illustrate the advantages of the present invention and to assist one of ordinary skill in making and using the same . these examples are not intended in any way otherwise to limit the scope of the disclosure . an exemplary patient - specific orthotic device was manufactured by layered fabrication according to the method of the invention in two prototypes and a final device using different materials and different machines to determine the optimum combination . the common fabrication machine was the viper si2 stereolithography ( sla ) ( three d systems , rock hill , s . c .). an sla machine uses a laser beam to sequentially trace the cross sectional slices of an object in a liquid photopolymer resin ( e . g . cross sections of an orthosis , organ , anatomical feature ). the area of photopolymer that is hit by the laser partially cures into a thin sheet . the platform upon which this sheet sits is then lowered by one layer &# 39 ; s thickness ( resolution on the order of 0 . 05 mm ) and the laser traces a new cross section on top of the first . these sheets continue to be built one on top of another to create the final three - dimensional shape . the current afo that was selected as a model was the type c - 90 superior posterior leaf spring ( alimed , inc ., dedham , mass .) this model geometry , which is available in injection molded polypropylene and a pre - determined range of sizes , offers the subject a full range of plantar and dorsiflexion . the resin used for prototype 1 and prototype 2a was accura si 40 from three d systems for the purpose of validating the fabrication surface resolution of sla . this resin is intended primarily for prototyping and testing of rigid cases and enclosures and is most suitable for high temperature applications . prototype 2b was built using somos ® 9120 epoxy photopolymer ( dsm somos , elgin , ill . ), which offers superior fatigue properties and strong memory retention . this resin is intended for making medical products and serves as the validation for a medical - grade sla material . the mechanical properties observed comparing these three materials are listed in table 1 . the 3d scans used for the prototypes were obtained by use of a 3d facecam 500 ( genex technologies , inc ., bethesda , md .). this 3d scanner uses stereoscopic photogrammetry to capture a 3d surface by triangulating the reflection of a projected scattered pattern of colored light . the field of view allows a 3d resolution of 307 , 200 ( 640 × 480 ) data points of information . this technology is able to capture images for both the geometry and the texture of the desired body part of the subject that is being scanned . the data that is received from the camera is in the form of a full 3d point cloud with all contours greater than 0 . 5 mm . in order to get the best quality data from the 3d scans , a specific process was used to capture and securely hold the patient &# 39 ; s ankle - foot complex . the scanning operation was broken down into 3 images of the ankle region with the patient in a seated incline position leaning forward . other orientations are possible but this was the best combination of patient comfort , minimal number of scans , and ease to position the ankle into the necessary pose of “ subtalar neutral .” the patient &# 39 ; s leg was covered with a skin - tight nylon sock to create a uniform surface to scan and counteract inherent scanning difficulties like hair follicles , specularity , and non - uniform skin tone . this step is a valuable aid in the software processes that follow because it normalized the scan surface . the 3d camera ( facecam ) was placed on level with the part of the body that required an orthotic device . the facecam was placed at 70 cm from the target body part for optimal focal range . for an ankle - foot orthotic device such as described herein , the patient should be leaning forward at an incline exposing the ankle and leg . fig3 shows the position of the camera for each of the scans of the ankle area while load bearing . the 3d scanner should be placed at the same level as the patient &# 39 ; s ankle cup and 70 cm directly behind the posterior of the leg . the first scan is taken from this position . the next two scans are taken from − 45 and 45 degrees from the posterior scan , as illustrated in fig3 . the software used to clean , smooth and combine the scans to a workable cad model was rapidform2004 ( rapidform , inc . sunnyvale , calif .). after the data for the scans were moved into the rapidform software , extraneous data for the background and floor were removed based on the color of the patient &# 39 ; s leg and the background . the individual scans were cleaned to remove spikes and anomalies as well as to smooth the contours and fill holes in the mesh for any missing data points . as few modifying steps as possible were used so as to preserve the integrity of the original scans while at the same time removing extraneous data . to merge individual meshes into a single mesh , it is necessary that the meshes overlap slightly by sharing common points . the algorithms used by rapidform require common points as a reference to align the meshes . after the cleaning and merging procedures were carried out , the surfaces of the digital model which will be the patient contact interface ( e . g ., edges of the orthotic device ) were isolated and cut using a boundary curve . the final surface was offset and thickened according to the guidelines described herein . once completed , the final model was exported from rapidform2004 as a . stl file for use in a rapid prototyping machine , e . g ., the viper si2 sla machine . the digital model for prototype 1 was created to prove the viability of the technology and the processes used by evaluating the resolution of the freeform surfaces comprising the contours on the anterior part of the leg . this prototype was successfully fabricated using the viper sla machine and preliminary data from the patient &# 39 ; s leg . the build cycle consisted of 1643 layers of resin , and was built in a total time of 21 . 07 hours . the data for the bottom of the foot were not available for this prototype , so underside surfaces were added in synthetically from the rapidform2004 program using the hole - filling tool . prototype 1 proved that the process could produce a reasonable end surface for a product , but showed that further refinement of the scan surface data would be required and illustrated the need for a number of scanning positions to collect the appropriate data . in prototype 2 , bottom of the foot data were captured to a new 3d scan to show that merging of data from the bottom of the foot was possible . this prototype digital model was fabricated with two different sla materials : accura si 40 ( prototype 2a ) and somos ® 9120 ( prototype 2b ). due to restrictions of the built platform of the viper , prototype 2a had to be fabricated in an inclined build orientation . this build cycle consisted of 2 , 269 layers of resin and was built in a total time of 16 . 7 hours . the prototype 2b digital model was sent to a commercial rp service vendor to be built using somos 9120 resin ( prototype 2b ). fig5 shows the final computer model for prototype 2 that was sent to be built . both fabricated versions of prototype 2 proved that with the included bottom of the foot data , the fit to the patient was excellent . table 2 is a comparison between the physical properties of the standard polypropylene afo and prototype 2 ( a & amp ; b ), whose dimensions closely matched those of the polypropylene afo but weighed 21 % less . gait evaluations were conducted of a single healthy subject at spaulding rehabilitation hospital , boston , mass . using a vicon motion capture system . a healthy subject &# 39 ; s gait cycle was used as a control to evaluate gait deviations without an afo compared to gait with a standard ( polypropylene ) afo and the afos fabricated according to the method of the invention . each of the three afos was fitted to the right leg of the subject during four separate walking tests to determine the effect , if any , of the orthotic device on a subject &# 39 ; s normal gait : ( 1 ) with sneakers and no afo ( no afo ); ( 2 ) with the standard polypropylene afo ( standard afo ); ( 3 ) with the rigid afo made with the accura 40 resin ( prototype 2a ), and ( 4 ) with the flexible afo made from the somos ® 9120 resin ( prototype 2b ). to characterize the gait pattern of the subject reflective markers placed with on the following specific anatomical landmarks of the subject &# 39 ; s pelvis , and knee , ankle and foot of each leg . additional markers were also rigidly attached to wands and placed over the mid - femur and mid - shank . the subject was instructed to walk along a 20 foot walkway at a comfortable speed for all trials . results from this type of study can be used by physicians in the prescription and evaluation of orthotic and prosthetic devices as well as for other clinical applications requiring the analysis of movement patterns during ambulation . the normal gait analysis results are gathered in order to have baseline comparison data . comparing the three different afos allows one to establish how the patient specific afo perform compared to the standard afo . for each setup , data were gathered from both the left and the right side . the data taken for each side were broken down into the sagittal plane and the coronal plane . pelvic , hip , knee and ankle data were taken for each plane , as listed in table 3 . temporal parameters were examined across all the experimental conditions to test whether different afo implementations had an effect on the temporal characteristics of ambulation . these parameters include cadence , step length , step time , stride length , stride time , and walking speed . additionally , the percent of the gait cycle spent in double support and the timing of foot off , opposite foot contact and opposite foot off were calculated . these characteristics are compared in table 4 for four gait conditions ( no afo , standard afo , rigid final prototype , and flexible final prototype ). when the subject performed each of the testing exercises wearing each of the afos to be tested , the results compared to no afo showed that initial contact with the floor was made with the foot in a more neutral position , which allowed for more plantarflexed initial contact . this result is most likely due to the afos being made when the subject &# 39 ; s foot was set in subtaylor neutral position , i . e ., 0 ° dorsiflexion , and wearing the device then decreased range of motion for platarflexion . there was more range of motion ( rom ) for the standard polypropylene afo vs . afos made by the method of the invention . this may be due to greater compliance and flexability of polypropylene or to a poorer fit of the standard afo around the foot and ankle of the subject . a poorer fitting afo will likely allow more movement at the ankle joint , which it is meant to control , because it is not in sufficient contact with all of the bony protuberances around the calcaneus and cuboid . just before toe - off , an afo is meant to assist with the progression of the lower leg over the foot by stabilizing dorsiflexion at the ankle . the standard polypropylene afo allows more rom during this phase compared to the afos according to the invention , which perform similarly . this greater rom is due to a combination of greater plantarflexion and also greater dorsiflexion during gait , derived from the specificity of the fit of the afo according to the invention to the subject . overall , results showed that the patient - specific afos performed as well as the standard afo for rom studies , and in some respects outperformed them for securing the ankle - foot complex during gait . while the present invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment , one of ordinary skill , after reading the foregoing specification , will be able to effect various changes , substitutions of equivalents , and other alterations to the compositions and methods set forth herein . it is therefore intended that the protection granted by letters patent hereon be limited only by the definitions contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof .	1
referring to the drawings in detail , fig1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a regeneration system 10 for a dehydrator . gas from a well is brought to the base of an absorber 12 as shown by arrow 14 . prior to introduction of the gas to the absorber , it may be passed through an optional inlet scrubber ( not shown ) which typically comprises a separator system which may be an integral part of the absorber or a separate vessel . water vapor is removed from the gas stream by dehydration in the absorber 12 . a hygroscopic liquid , such as glycol , is used to remove the water vapor from the gas . diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol are the principal glycols used for gas dehydration . glycols have good hygroscopicity , stability to heat and chemical decomposition , and low vapor pressures . in the absorber , the gas flows upward through a packed bed or through a series of bubble cap or valve trays filled with glycol where intimate contact with the gas is made . the dry gas leaves absorber 12 near the top thereof at gas outlet 15 as shown by arrow 16 . dry , lean concentrated glycol is continuously pumped into the absorber near the top as shown by arrow 18 through a glycol inlet 20 . as the glycol moves downward , it absorbs water vapor from the rising gas stream . the water - rich glycol is removed at the bottom of the absorber as shown by arrow 22 through glycol outlet 24 . the absorber and its operation are well known in the prior art and do not form a part of the invention . a glycol - gas heat exchanger 30 may be utilized which uses the dry gas leaving the absorber 12 to cool the lean glycol prior to entering the absorber 12 . this heat exchanger 30 may be a coil at the top of the absorber or may be an external unit . after passing through the glycol - heat exchanger 30 , dry gas is allowed to flow into a sales or transmission line as shown by arrow 32 . the rich glycol exiting the glycol outlet 24 of the absorber is often passed through a glycol filter 34 to remove solids and other impurities . the rich glycol is thereafter directed to a pump 36 as shown by arrow 38 . the circulating pump 36 utilizes the rich glycol under pressure from the absorber 12 to furnish part of its required driving energy . gas , under pressure from the absorber 12 , is taken in with the rich glycol to supply additional volume and driving energy for the pump . the gas entrained with the rich glycol will not enter the sales or transmission line and is sometimes termed &# 34 ; waste gas &# 34 ;. in the schematic diagram shown in fig1 solid lines with arrows represent glycol flow while dashed lines with arrows represent gas flow . the rich glycol with entrained gas is forced from the pump 36 to a reflux jacket chamber 40 . the reflux jacket chamber inlet 42 as shown by arrows 44 . the reflux jacket chamber 40 is a closed unit as will be seen . the reflux jacket chamber is elongated with a closed top and a bottom arranged vertically to the ground . gravity will cause gas in the rich glycol to separate so that the gas moves upward toward the top of the reflux jacket chamber 40 and the glycol settles downward . this gas is removed from the reflux jacket chamber 40 via gas outlet 46 . the retention time in the reflux jacket chamber may vary , although it has been found that a minimum average of five minutes is satisfactory to separate the gas dissolved in the glycol . the reflux jacket chamber , thus , acts as a glycol - gas separator that captures waste gas from the pump and flash gas dissolved in the glycol . unlike other glycol - gas separators , the reflux jacket chamber operates at atmospheric pressure . no automatic controls are required as it is filled by the pump and emptied by gravity . the rich glycol is then forced out of the reflux jacket chamber 40 through glycol outlet 48 . as shown by arrow 50 , the rich glycol may be directed through a glycol heat exchanger 52 which cools the lean glycol coming from the reboiler after regeneration and preheats the rich glycol which is going to a reboiler 54 . the rich glycol is then forced to a reboiler 54 through a glycol inlet 56 as shown by arrow 58 . the reboiler 54 applies heat above the boiling point of water to separate the glycol and water by simple distillation . the reboiler may be equipped with a direct fired firebox using a portion of the dehydrated gas for fuel . alternatively , the reboiler may use hot oil or steam as are well known in the art . the gas separated and removed from the glycol in the reflux jacket chamber 40 is directed to the reboiler through an inlet 60 as shown by arrow 61 to a preheat coil 62 within the reboiler . the gas in the preheat coil 62 is in heat exchange relationship with the glycol heated in the reboiler . the gas is thus heated before being directed to a stripper tube 64 which contains a sparger tube 66 therein . the gas is used as a stripping gas to remove residual water from the glycol in the reboiler . the stripping gas provides intimate contact between the hot gas and lean glycol after most of the water has been removed by distillation . the gas is allowed to bubble out of apertures ( not shown ) in the sparger tube 66 and through the glycol . on top of the reboiler , and in communication therewith , is a still column 68 . liquid vapor will rise from the reboiler through the still column . glycol vapors which coalesce will drop back down into the reboiler 54 and be heated . the passage of the water vapor through the still column 68 is shown by arrow 70 . the water vapor and waste gas leaves the still column and enters riser tubes in the reflux jacket chamber shown by arrow 72 . finally , the water vapor and waste gas will be allowed to drop down through a downcomer tube illustrated by arrow 74 to outlet 76 . fig2 illustrates a sectional view of a reboiler 54 , still column 68 and reflux jacket chamber 40 to show the regeneration of the glycol . rich glycol , having been forced from the pump 36 ( not seen in fig2 ), is directed into the reflux jacket chamber 40 through glycol inlet 42 . the reflux jacket chamber has a closed top 80 and a bottom 82 . the reflux jacket chamber in the present embodiment is substantially cylindrical although it will be understood that other configurations are possible . the rich glycol will be allowed to fill substantially the entire bottom portion of the reflux jacket chamber 40 with the exception of riser tubes to be described hereafter . the glycol in the reflux jacket chamber will be relatively cool . gas that has been entrained in the rich glycol will separate by action of gravity so that the gas will move to the top of the chamber . the gas is illustrated by dots while the glycol is illustrated by a series of dots separated by dashed lines . the level of glycol in the chamber is illustrated at reference numeral 84 . after the glycol has settled out of the gas , the rich glycol is removed from the reflux jacket chamber through outlet 48 . an auxiliary glycol outlet 86 may also be provided . the rich glycol is thereafter directed to the reboiler glycol inlet 56 shown at the base of the reboiler . a fire tube or other heating mechanism 102 heats the glycol . it has been found that reboiler temperatures can be lowered significantly when the present system is employed because adequate glycol purity can be achieved at lower temperatures . the gas that has been separated from the glycol and reflux jacket chamber is directed through the gas outlet 46 shown by arrow 61 and to reboiler gas inlet 60 as illustrated by arrow 61 . the gas , which is relatively cool , is heated in the preheat coil 62 and delivered to a sparger tube 66 . it retains a number of apertures . a sparger tube is located within a stripper tube 64 . in the present embodiment , the stripper tube is inched horizontally with respect to the reboiler . as the gases bubble through the sparger tube , it strips residual water in the glycol . since the stripping gas is waste gas that was introduced by the pump and used to power the pump , the amount of gas available is proportional to the rate of the glycol being pumped . the stripping gas rate is therefore somewhat proportional . the reboiler in the present embodiment is aligned with a storage tank 88 . the lean glycol must travel through the stripper tube on its way out of the reboiler . the lean glycol in the storage tank 88 is allowed to exit the storage tank through outlet 90 and return to begin the system anew as shown by arrow 92 . the water vapor boiled off from the glycol in the reboiler 52 along with the remaining waste gas will rise upward into the still column 68 and through the packing 94 which is illustrated by the &# 34 ; x &# 34 ; pattern in fig2 . an enlarged view of the reflux jacket chamber is shown in fig3 . after the water vapor , remaining glycol vapor and waste gas rises through the still column , it will be allowed to enter a series of riser tubes 96 which are in heat exchange relation with the rich glycol in the reflux jacket chamber 40 . as the water vapor , remaining glycol vapor and waste gas rise through the riser tubes , it will cool and the remaining glycol vapor will condense . the riser tubes terminate in a plenum chamber 97 . the water vapor and waste gas are allowed to move down downcomer tube 98 which passes through the entire length of the reflux jacket chamber and terminates at outlet 100 . by taking the place and physical position of a reflux coil , the reflux jacket chamber enhances the reflux ability of the still column 68 and , therefore , cuts down on glycol loss from the still column . the cool , rich glycol in the reflux chamber absorbs energy from the rising vapors and causes glycol vapors to condense and fall back into the reboiler . fig3 is an enlarged sectional view of the reflux jacket chamber 40 that has been rotated from the fig2 sectional . fig4 is a sectional view of the reflux jacket chamber taken along lines 4 -- 4 of fig3 . whereas , the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto , it should be understood that other and further modifications , apart from those shown or suggested herein , may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention .	1
the invention solves the previously discussed problems associated with parasitic loading by reducing the voltage swing of signal line voltages by half the supply voltage from drivers to their associated receivers . fig2 a illustrates a timing diagram of one example of operation , associated with the invention . such a diagram can indicate the timing of the driver - to - receiver scheme shown in the schematic drawings of fig2 b and 2c . following a precharge of line 8 of fig2 b and 2c , as indicated by the precharge signal transition from high to low of precharge signal pc , the signal at node in rises from logic low to logic high . the precharge of line 8 results in node dout and dout -- of fig2 b and 2c respectively , being precharged to a voltage level of v dd / 2 as shown in fig2 a . after node in attains its logic high level , nodes dout and dout -- began transition from their precharged voltage levels . in the particular example shown in fig2 a , node dout rises to a logic high value of voltage v dd while node dout -- falls to voltage v ss , a logic low value . note , however , that in another example of operation , node dout could have been illustrated so it falls to v ss in voltage from its precharged v dd / 2 level while node dout -- rises to v dd from its v dd / 2 precharged level . in any case , the voltage transitions that nodes dout and dout -- must make are substantially reduced as compared with precharging nodes dout and dout -- to voltage v dd and having one of them fail in voltage v ss . the reduced precharge voltage thus results in power consumption reduction and increased device speed . fig3 illustrates a schematic drawing of the invention &# 39 ; s driver and receiver circuits . p - channel transistors 20 , 26 and n - channel transistors 24 , 28 are off during the precharge of line 8 to voltage v dd / 2 thus the signal at nodes in and in -- are at a logic low level during precharge . nodes in and in -- represent nodes receiving complementary logic voltage levels during normal operation except that during precharge both of these nodes are at a logic low level . precharge of line 8 is accomplished through n - channel transistors 32 and 34 which comprise a precharge circuit which may be part of or stand separate from the driver circuit which turn on in response to a high precharge signal at node pc . transistors 32 and 34 receive one - half the supply voltage to the remainder of the driver circuit . as shown , node in for receiving an input signal is connected to the gate of transistor 24 . transistor 26 receives an inverter input signal through inverter 40 . transistor 28 receives the complement of the signal at node in through its connection to node in -- , and transistor 20 is connected to node in -- through its connection to inverter 30 . when the precharge signal at node pc is turned off , lines 8 are left floating at around their precharge voltage . next , one of the signals at nodes in and in -- is switched to a logic high level resulting in either node dout ( in low ) being pulled logic low in voltage and node dout -- being pulled logic high in voltage or node dout -- ( in high ) being pulled logic low in voltage and dout being pulled logic high in voltage . receiver circuit 6 receives signals at nodes dout and dout -- for processing , after its own precharge cycle which occurs via p - channel transistors 42 and 44 . this precharge occurs substantially concurrent with the precharge of driver circuit 2 . receiver circuit 6 has both a true output at node rout and a complemented output at node rout -- . the outputs are preceded by inverters 46 and 48 respectively which are connected to cross - coupled elements , p - channel transistors 50 and 52 and n - channel transistors 54 and 56 . after precharge , the voltage difference between nodes dout and dout -- , when in excess of the threshold voltage of transistor 54 or transistor 56 , will amplify and latch the values at nodes rout and rout -- . fig4 illustrates a timing diagram of the foregoing discussed circuits of fig3 . note that the reduced precharge and transition from a lower voltage of nodes dout and dout -- result in both a faster and more energy conservative operation . fig5 illustrates a schematic drawing of an alternative embodiment of the invention &# 39 ; s driver circuit . p - channel pull - up transistors 20 and 26 of fig3 have been omitted . thus , as shown , the circuit of fig5 provides considerable simplification of the driver circuit of fig3 . when either transistor 24 or transistor 28 receives a logic high level at its input at nodes in and in -- respectively , only line 8 directly connected to that logic high input receiving transistor is pulled low in voltage . the other line 8 remains floating at around its precharge level . fig6 illustrates a schematic drawing of an improvement of the invention &# 39 ; s driver circuit as shown in fig5 . during operation , the line 8 which is not being driven is connected to one - half of the supply voltage of the receiver circuit shown in fig3 v dd / 2 , by n - channel transistor 21 or 27 . thus , only one line 8 is pulled low while the other line 8 remains connected to a precharge voltage , v dd / 2 , through a drain - source path of a turned - on transistor 21 or 27 rather than floating around the precharge voltage as in the driver circuits of fig3 and 5 . fig7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention &# 39 ; s receiver circuit . transistors 54 and 56 are shown as having their gates connected to a voltage reference source , v ref , instead of being cross - coupled in the manner shown in the receiver circuit of fig3 . this embodiment provides considerable improvement in many instances over that shown in the receiver circuit of fig3 . with cross - coupling , the operating level of transistors 54 and 56 are self - referencing and cannot easily be adjusted . however , the v ref level in fig7 can be easily changed as suited such that the receiver operating speed can be improved . although the invention has been described in detail herein with reference to its preferred embodiment and certain described alternatives , it is to be understood that this description is by way of example only , and it is not to be construed in a limiting sense . it is to be further understood that numerous changes in the details of the embodiments of the invention , and additional embodiments of the invention , will be apparent to , and may be made by , persons of ordinary skill in the art having reference to this description . it is contemplated that all such changes and additional embodiments are within the spirit and true scope of the invention as claimed below .	7
in the following description , numerous references to “ one embodiment ” or “ an embodiment ” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment , although they may . in the figures , like numbers refer to like elements . the present invention provides a user - interface , data organization , and protocols for locating information using search technologies suited to the information to locate . protocols include facilities to pass queries to the search engines and return results . protocols further include facilities for exchanging search engine capabilities , user profile information , search logs , and other information to be described . herein , various reference is made to the term “ search engine .” the meaning of “ search engine ” should be understood to comprise any technology capable of searching for information according to a received query . fig1 shows a system embodiment 100 in accordance with the present invention . the client system 103 interacts with a search manager 108 of a server system 107 . interaction may take place by way of a web browser 104 in communication with a web server 106 . client system 103 may comprise a computer system , such as a personal computer , handheld computer , laptop computer , set top box , and so on . in general , any device comprising a processor and memory to store instructions and data for execution and manipulation by the processor , may serve as client system 103 . the web browser 104 enables the client 103 to communicate with servers of a computer network , such as the internet or a corporate intranet . the client 103 may submit a search query to the server 107 by way of the web browser 104 . the search query may have certain properties , such as search scope . one example of a search scope is a date restriction , e . g . to return only documents having a creation date later than a certain date , or before a certain date , or between dates , etc . other examples of scope are content author and content language , to name just a few . the search query may be received by the web server 106 , which forwards the query to the search manager 108 . the search manager 108 may associate content categories with the query . the search manager 108 may identify a suitable search engine , such as search engine 110 , to service queries having the associated content categories . the search manager 108 may further identify specific domains of the search engines which are suitable to the content categories and other properties of the query ( such as scope ). the search manager 108 may pass the query to the search engine 110 using various protocols to be discussed . the search engine 110 may perform the search and return search results to the search manager 108 , again via the protocols . although only a single search engine 110 is shown , the search manager could pass the query to multiple search engines . the search manager 108 is distinguished from the search engine 110 , in that the search manager may not directly perform actual searching . the search manager 108 is capable of communicating with one or more search engines which perform searching . the search manager 108 may also perform searching , although this need not be the case . fig2 shows an embodiment 200 of a system in accordance with the present invention . the search manager 108 may identify and communicate with a plurality of search engines suited to servicing a particular query . the search manager 108 may accomplish this , for example , by ascertaining the search capabilities of the search engine 110 . these capabilities may include content categories and scopes to which the search engine 110 is best suited . these capabilities may be identified as a collection of properties returned to the search manager 108 by the search engine 110 . these properties may assist the search manager 108 in ascertaining the search technology &# 39 ; s suitability to handling a particular query . the search manager 108 may query another search engine 202 in a similar fashion . in fact , the search engines 110 and 202 may be part of a set of search engines queried by the search manager 108 . the search engine 110 may communicate with the search engines 204 and 206 , to ascertain their properties , using protocols in accordance with the present invention . the search engine 110 may apply properties returned by engines 204 and 206 to ascertain whether either or both are suitable candidates for servicing particular queries . the search engine 110 may query engines 204 and 206 for their properties and may include these with its own properties in response to a query for properties from the search manager 108 . once the properties of the various search engines are known , the search manager 108 may identify which particular search engines are most suitable for servicing a particular query to locate information . for example , the search engine 110 may be identified based upon the properties returned to the search manager 108 . using protocols in accordance with the present invention , the search manager 108 may submit the query to locate information to the search engine 110 , possibly specifying domain or scope restrictions for the search . the search engine 110 may attempt to service the query , and may also communicate the query to search engines 204 and 206 . search engines 204 and 206 may also attempt to service the query , and may return search results to the search engine 110 . the search engine 110 may merge these returned search results with the results of its own attempt to service the query , and the merged query results may be returned to search manager 108 . all of this may be carried out using protocols in accordance with the present invention . the search manager 108 may return the complete search results to the client 103 which initiated the query . fig3 shows an embodiment 300 of a mapping scheme in accordance with the present invention . the mapping scheme 300 may be employed to define a set of search engines to employ for servicing a query to locate information . content category selections 304 are made from a set 302 of available content categories . content categories are broad classifications of content ; for example “ sports ”, “ weather ”, “ finance ”, etc . selected content categories 304 are mapped to a set 306 of suitable search engines and possibly also domains for locating content in those content categories . mapping of selected content categories 304 to suitable search engines 306 may be accomplished in various ways , for example , by way of a lookup table or database which maps content categories to search engines . the database and / or lookup table may be kept current by using protocols to request the properties of available search engines whenever desired . a set of one or more domains may be associated with a particular search engine . when the search manager 108 receives a query , selected content categories may be associated with the query . the selected categories may map to particular search engines and domains best suited to the query . search domains may comprise a set of one or more servers which provide the physical storage for documents . domains may have certain attributes , such as branding , copyright , and access policies . other attributes of domains may include the domain &# 39 ; s availability for searching , and a range of dates for the documents of the domain ( e . g . scope ). content categories may be independent of the search domain . for example , a single content category of “ sports ” may comprise several — or several hundred — domains . some domains might be internal to an organization ( part of an intranet ), whereas others of these domains may be on the world wide web ( the internet ). the set of underlying web domains for “ sports ” could change daily , along with the associated search engines , but the content category would remain “ sports ”. it may be possible to query a search engine for properties of its associated domains , such as the name and description of a domain , a count of the number of documents or other information sources available on the domain , a range of dates associated with the information on the domain , and copyright and branding information for the domain . content categories may be arranged in a taxonomy . fig4 shows a category taxonomy embodiment 400 in accordance with the present invention . high level content categories 402 include finance , health and sports . within the finance category are other categories 404 , including stocks , bonds , and ira . in other words , categories may be the parents of other categories . the stocks category includes the categories of semi - conductor stocks , consumer products stocks , and biotechnology stocks 406 . of course , resolution into finer categories can continue indefinitely . in one embodiment , in addition to a parent - child relationship , categories may also be associated with other related categories in addition to parents , children , and siblings . fig5 shows a system in accordance with the present invention . an administration system 509 includes an administrator application 502 and web browser 504 . the administrator 509 may communicate via web server 106 to the server 107 . the administrator system 509 may be employed to configure a content category taxonomy for the search manager 108 . the administrator system 509 may be further employed to configure a mapping of content categories to domains . in one embodiment , the taxonomy and mappings may be stored by the server 107 . of course , the taxonomy and mapping could also be stored elsewhere , including in a fashion distributed among servers of the network . for example , each available search engine could store its own content categories and associated mapping of content categories to domains , which might then be merged to produce a complete taxonomy . the administrator 509 may also be employed to associate access policies with search engines and / or search domains . for example , some search domains may require an authentication procedure , or certain payment terms , before allowing a search to proceed . further , the administrator 509 may be employed to define a set of one or more default search engines and / or domains for particular content categories . it may be possible for a user , upon submitting a query , to override these defaults by explicitly specifying a set of search engines and / or domains . the administrator 509 may also be employed to set policies for the order in which search results should be returned from multiple search engines and / or domains , and how multiple sets of search results should be merged ( duplicate elimination , etc .). the search manager 108 may read user profile information from a profile database 506 . profile information for a user may comprise information about prior searches submitted by the user , as well as a user &# 39 ; s preferences . using the profile information , the search manager 108 may instruct the search engine 110 to update the results of the user &# 39 ; s prior searches . the updated results of the user &# 39 ; s prior searches may be stored in the content cache 508 . the user may access these results , which may then reflect more recently available information . a web crawler 510 may be employed to direct the updating of prior search results on a periodic basis . the user profile information may also be provided to search engines so that when a search query is received from a particular user , the search engines may determine how many search results to return , how to interpret various search terms , and so on . fig6 shows an embodiment 600 of a system in accordance with the present invention . an agent 602 may be employed to facilitate a selection of content categories most suited to a query . the client 103 generates a query 604 . by way of example , the query is “ fiber optic stocks ”. of course this is merely one possible query . the query is submitted to the agent 602 , which comprises intelligence for ascertaining relevant content categories , sub - categories , sub sub - categories , etc . most suited to the query . using said intelligence , the agent 602 identifies suitable categories 304 from the set of available content categories 302 . for example , the selected content category 1 may comprise “ semi - conductor stocks ”, and the selected content category 3 may comprise “ telecommunication stocks ”. the selected content categories 304 may be mapped to search technologies and search domains most suited to servicing the categories “ semi - conductor stocks ” and “ telecommunication stocks .” the agent may further apply user profile information from a profile database 506 in determining the selected content categories . for example , the user profile information may indicate that the user has frequently submitted queries to locate information on the world cup . thus , thus upon receiving a query including the term “ football ”, the agent would tend to select content categories related to “ soccer ” over categories related to national football league - style football . in one embodiment , the scope of a search may be limited to information having a particular creation date or range of creation dates — for example , documents created on or after jul . 1 , 2000 . the search scope may also be limited to content from one or more particular domains . fig7 shows a server embodiment 700 in accordance with the present invention . embodiment 700 comprises a processor 702 coupled to a controller 704 by way of a processor bus 722 , commonly referred to as a front side bus . bus controller 704 is coupled to memory 706 via memory bus 724 . bus controller 704 is also coupled to various peripheral devices such as mass storage 714 , network interface 726 , and display 708 via i / o bus 728 . network interface 726 provides apparatus 700 with access to networks such as the internet or corporate intranets . memory 706 stores a software embodiment 734 to perform search management operations , and / or web server operations , and / or agent operations , including communication with search engines and mappings , as herein described and in accordance with the present invention . software 734 may be stored in memory 706 in a form suitable for access and execution by processor 702 . an archived loadable form 736 of software 734 may be stored by mass storage 714 for loading into memory 706 for execution by processor 702 . mass storage 714 may comprise any form of non - volatile memory including hard drives , cd rom drives , zip drives , diskettes , and so on . memory 706 is typically a form of random access memory ( ram ) such as a dram , flash memory , sdram , and so on . memory 706 supplies the instructions of software 734 stored therein to processor 702 for execution . execution of software embodiment 734 by processor 702 may result in a process to perform search management , and / or web server operations , and or agent operations , including mappings and communication with search engines , as herein described and in accordance with the present invention . of course , those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments could comprise and software , hardware , and firmware , or any combination thereof , to carry out the operations of the present invention as well . details of one embodiment of communication protocols between search managers and search engines , and search engines and search engines , will now be described . communication between these components may include connection , message exchange , encoding , message format , message syntax , and message schema . connection is the process of establishing communication . message exchange involves the exchange of particular messages designed to elicit particular actions and responses . encoding is the manner in which the data in messages is represented for the purposes of security , size , and reliability . message format is the high - level data organization to which the message conforms , such as extensible markup language ( xml ) or extensible style sheets ( xls ). message syntax is the grammar and rules for parsing a message format . message schema is the particular field interpretations for the message format . in an embodiment , connection and encoding may comply with hypertext transfer protocol ( http ) or the secure hypertext transfer protocol ( https ), although other connection and encoding protocols are certainly possible . the message format may comprise xml , xls , or the widely available but potentially more limited http get and http post command formats . message exchange may include messages to initiate searches , return search results , return search activity logs , and return search engine domains and capabilities , among others . message syntax may comprise the well - known internet url message syntax ( henceforth , the internet syntax ), a subset of the internet syntax ( henceforth internet light ), structured query language ( sql ), and many others . message schema will vary according to the particular message format and syntax . one embodiment of a message syntax and schema is described in more detail in tables 1 and 2 . the protocols may include facilities to retrieve search activity logs from search engines . search activity logs comprise properties of prior searches performed by a search engine . properties may include the text or terms of the search query , the type of the return data ( documents , statistics , etc . ), time and date of the search , the client making the search request , and so on . as previously described , it may be expedient to merge search results returned from multiple search engines . typically , each search engine will assign a unique ( unique within the returned results ) identifier to each “ document ”, e . g . container of information , in the return results . however , when results are returned from multiple search engines , these identifiers may collide , that is , may apply to more than on document in the merged results , even when the documents are different . in one embodiment , a search engine id is combined with the document id for each returned document , so that there are no duplicate identifiers in the merged results even when document ids from separate search engines collide . it is also possible that the search results from a first search engine may identify a document which is the same as a document identified in the results returned from a second search engine . these are known as duplicates . each search engine may assign the document a different identifier . thus , the document would be identified in the merged search results using two different identifiers . to correct for this possibility , in one embodiment the uniform resource locators ( urls ) associated with each returned document are examined . when the urls of two documents are identical , one of the documents may be removed from the list of search results , or otherwise identified as a duplicate . in one embodiment , communication between search managers and search engines , and between search engines , is accomplished by way of a common gateway interface ( cgi ) entry point . this entry point may have a “ standard ”, e . g . predetermined , name , such as “/ _search ”. this entry point may be located in the root directory of a web server , which operates on port 80 , in manners well known in the art . a message may be submitted to the search engine as follows : here , “ search_engine . com ” is the domain name of the search engine . “ query ” is a keyword which indicates that the text which follows defines a query . see table 2 for more details about one embodiment of a query message schema , including keyword definitions and their meanings . in one embodiment , the query message schema may support more than just queries to locate and return documents matching a certain criteria . the schema may support messages to return a set of domains which may be accessed by a search engine , to return activity logs from a search engine , to return categories supported by a search engine , and search statistics , to name just some of the possibilities . table 1 , below , describes one embodiment of a query message schema in more detail . table 2 below identifies one embodiment of a search string syntax and schema in accordance with the present invention . this term is excluded ( e . g . must not be present ) for a the title , description , date , alt , and keywords fields are well - known meta - data fields which may be included in documents to facilitate searches . the url field describes a documents url . while certain features of the invention have been illustrated as described herein , many modifications , substitutions , changes and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art . it is , therefor , to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such embodiments and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention .	8
for some individuals ( e . g ., individuals suffering from atrial fibrillation ), anatomical structures within the heart , such as a laa , can be problematic with respect to the pooling of blood , the formation of blood clots , and subsequent damage ( e . g ., heart attacks , strokes , and the like ) that can be caused by these clots . reduction of the size of , or occlusion / covering of a laa can minimize the risk of clot formation and subsequent damage caused by the formed clots . referring now to fig1 a , a left atrium 10 can include a lateral wall 12 with a laa 20 having physiological characteristics that are distinct from the other portions of the lateral wall 12 of the left atrium 10 . exemplary characteristics that distinguish the laa 20 from the surrounding lateral wall 12 can include increased distensibility of the laa , higher concentration of atrial natriuretic factor ( anf ) granules , differing neuronal configuration , and the like . during normal heart function , the laa 20 can expand and contract in synchronization with the left atrium 10 , but to a greater degree due in part to the increased distensibility of the laa 20 . when the laa 20 expands , an interior 22 of the laa 20 can fill with blood , which can be emptied during subsequent contraction of the left atrium 10 and the laa 20 . during irregular heart function ( e . g ., atrial fibrillation , irregular function due to mitral valve disease , or the like ) blood may pool and stagnate within the interior space 22 , leading to the formation of blood clots . these clots can travel from the interior 22 of the laa 20 , to the interior 16 of the left atrium 10 , and throughout the circulatory system , possibly resulting in heart attack or stroke . preventing blood flow in and out of the laa 20 by decreasing the size of , and / or occluding / covering the laa 20 may reduce the risk of thromboembolism . in some cases , only a small amount of the laa can be inverted ( fig1 h - 1j ). for example , a small portion of the laa ( as seen in fig1 i ) or a large portion of the laa ( as seen in , e . g ., fig1 a ) can be inverted depending upon , e . g ., the type of device , the size of the device , and / or the desired treatment . in some cases , a device provided herein can be used to stiffen the lateral wall of the left atrium . referring now to fig1 b - 1c , pressure can be applied to the laa 20 through the use of an externally placed occlusion device 30 . the inversion device 30 can approach the laa 20 from a position external to the laa ( e . g ., the epicardial / pericardial space 14 ) and can apply pressure to the laa 20 causing at least a portion of the laa 20 to prolapse toward the interior 16 of the atrium 10 into the ostium 26 . the inversion device 30 can be designed in such a way as to minimize damage and avoid puncturing or piercing the laa 20 when used . once tissue 24 of the laa 20 has been inverted into the ostium 26 ( e . g ., as shown in fig1 b ), an occlusion device , such as a laa occlusion plug 100 , can be placed in the laa 20 . the occlusion plug 100 can retain the laa 20 in an at least partially inverted position ( e . g ., as depicted in fig1 c ), minimize or eliminate the remaining interior space 22 , and / or isolate the interior space 22 of the laa 20 from the interior space 16 of the left atrium 10 . in the position depicted in fig1 c , blood can continue to flow within the interior 16 of the atrium 10 , but may be prevented from flowing into the occluded interior space 22 of the laa 20 . referring now to fig1 c , the occlusion plug 100 can include a “ mushroom ” shape with a smaller proximal portion 110 and a larger distal portion 120 . the occlusion plug 100 can be delivered to the ostium 26 and abut the at least partially inverted tissue 24 of the laa 20 in an unexpanded state ( not shown ) that is smaller than the expanded state shown in fig1 c . once delivered in the unexpanded state to the ostium 26 of the laa 20 , the occlusion plug 100 can be expanded to the state shown in fig1 c . in some embodiments , when the plug 100 is transitioned to the expanded state , the laa can be further pushed inward into the interior 16 of the atrium 10 , increasing the amount of the tissue 24 prolapsed into the interior 16 of the atrium 10 and decreasing one or more portions 28 of the laa 20 remaining in the epicardial / pericardial space 14 . as the occlusion plug 100 expands , the cross - sectional area of the distal portion 120 can become larger than the cross - sectional area of the ostium 26 , such that portions of the inverted tissue 24 ( e . g ., the portions 25 a and 25 b ) can contact the lateral wall 12 of the atrium 10 . in the case of a plug 100 that has a cross - sectional area that is circular in shape ( shown in fig1 d ), a ring of tissue 24 from the laa 20 can contact a ring shaped portion of the lateral wall 12 , effectively sealing off the remaining interior space 22 of the laa from the interior space 16 of the atrium 10 . in some embodiments , the plug 100 can include cross - sectional shapes other than circular ( e . g ., square , rectangular , triangular , and the like ) that , when expanded , can fluidly disconnect the interior space 22 from the interior space 16 . with the interior space 22 fluidly disconnected from the interior space 16 , blood may no longer flow from the interior space 16 to the interior space 22 . if clots form within the interior space 22 , these clots may not enter the interior space of the atrium 16 to be moved throughout the circulatory system , thus minimizing the risk of heart attack , stroke , and the like , caused by embolisms formed in the interior space 22 of the laa 20 . in some embodiments , the occlusion plug 100 is a balloon - type plug , made of an expandable , biocompatible material , that can be deployed in the area of the laa 20 in a non - expanded state . after deployment to the laa 20 , the occlusion plug 100 can be expanded by filling the interior under pressure . exemplary materials that can be used to fill the interior of the plug 100 can include saline , silicone , expanding foam , a liquid polymer than can solidify when cured , and the like . in some embodiments , the plug 100 can include an expanding mechanism that biases the plug 100 to the expanded state shown in fig1 c . as explained in more detail in connection with fig1 d , the plug 100 can include expansion arms that bias the plug to the expanded state . prior to deployment , the plug 100 can be stressed from the expanded state to the non - expanded state . after deployment , the force applied to transition the plug 100 to the non - expanded state can be removed , thus allowing the bias of the expansion mechanism to return the plug 100 to the expanded state . referring now to fig1 c - 1d , in some embodiments , the occlusion plug 100 can have a generally cylindrical shape , with the distal end 120 having a larger diameter than the proximal end 110 . when deployed , the distal end 120 of the plug 100 can invaginate a portion of the tissue 24 such that it can completely cover the ostium 26 without encroaching on blood flow within the interior 16 of atrium or from the pulmonary veins . the plug 100 can include one or more expansion arms 140 that can bias the expansion device toward the expanded state shown in fig1 c - 1d . in some embodiments , the expansion arms include a material that exhibits superelasticity when used in the patient &# 39 ; s body . as such , the expansion arms can flexibly shift from a non - expanded state to an expanded state when deployed in the body . for example , the arms 140 may be formed from a length of nitinol wire or from a sheet of nitinol material , which has been processed to exhibit superelasticity below or at about a normal human body temperature , such as below or at about 37 degrees c . the nitinol material may comprise , for example , nickel titanium ( niti ), niobium titanium ( nbti ), or the like . in some cases , the expansion arms 140 may include a metal material such as stainless steel , spring steel , titanium , mp35n and other cobalt alloys , or the like . in these embodiments , the expansion arms 140 can be formed from a material or materials that allow them to be reversibly adjustable from a non - deployed position to a deployed position . referring now to fig1 e , some embodiments of the occlusion device can include a woven nitinol disc 145 . the woven structure could be circular ( as shown in fig1 e ), or any other shape , examples of which are shown in fig1 f & amp ; 1g . the weave pattern 147 and nitinol gauge may be selected such that the device can remain flexible and deployable ( through a catheter ) while being rigid enough to resist forces ( e . g ., the pressures exerted by the left atrium ) and remain in position . as with other embodiments , the nitinol disc 145 can have an atraumatic covering ( fabric , polymer , etc .). in some embodiments , the exterior surfaces of the occlusion device can include a porous , biocompatible material that can allow for tissue ingrowth . for example , the outer skin of the expandable plug can include porous polyethylene terephthalate , porous polytetrafluoroethylene , and the like . after implantation , the body can produce tissue ingrowth into the surface of the occlusion device , therefore adding additional securement to the device . referring now to fig1 h - 1j , some embodiments of the occlusion device can invert only a small amount of the laa 20 into the interior 16 of the left atrium 10 . as depicted in previous embodiments , a large amount of the tissue of the laa 20 can be inverted and / or manipulated such that the remaining interior volume 22 of the laa 20 can be only a small fraction ( e . g ., 10 %, 14 %, 21 %, 27 %, less than half , or the like ) of the original volume . in other examples , such as those shown in fig1 h - 1j can invert only a small amount of the tissue associated with the laa 20 , such that the remaining volume 22 is greater than half of the original volume . the amount of tissue that is inverted can depend on factors such as the diameter of the ostium 26 , the size of the occlusion device , the method used to secure the occlusion device in place , the size of the involution tool 30 , and the like . in use , the occlusion device can be deployed via a catheter with a lumen capable of delivering a stabilizing catheter / sheath , performing measurements ( e . g ., electrograms , impedance , ultrasound , pressure , and the like ) and having suction capabilities to remove and potentially recirculate blood . in some embodiments , where an intercostal approach is used , it is preferable to not puncture , pierce , or in other way damage the lung , which generally lies between the chest wall and the laa 20 . once the pleural space is entered , the lung can be mechanically displaced , for example , by using a deflectable paddle / sweeper - type catheter , inflating a balloon , injecting an inert gas such as helium to temporarily deflate the lung , wet gauze / cloth , and the like . in some cases , the pleural space need not be entered . for example , both the pleura and lung can be deflected away using the techniques described herein . in such cases , the need to leave a chest tube in place can be avoided . in some cases , the pleural space can be entered when there might be pleural or pericardial adhesions making it difficult to deflect the pleural space with the lung . with the lung partially out of the way , direct access to the laa can be possible . in one example , the pleural space can be entered using a dual lumen needle , through which two flexible wires can pass . one wire can be used to place an asymmetrically expanding balloon in the pleural space . the asymmetrically expanding balloon may be biased to expand to a greater degree toward the exterior and posterior of the patient . in other words , when the balloon is expanded , it can encourage the lung to move out of the pleural space , thus leaving a working space . the second wire can be used to advance , for example , a sheath , a needle , an occlusion device , and the like into the vicinity of the laa 20 . in another example , a balloon in front of and around an access sheath can be used to move the lung out of the way while the same sheath , having a lumen to be used with appropriate deflection , can be used to target the laa and deploy a laa occlusion device . in some embodiments , selective intubation of the right main bronchus can be used to deflate ( wholly or partially ) the left lung to allow placement of an access sheath . it would be apparent to one skilled in the art that there exist many methods of delivering an occluding device to a laa , using a catheter , and not puncture or pierce the lung . in some embodiments , an access sheath can be coated with lung repellent substances ( e . g . a wet sponge coating ) and / or a tissue compatible / atraumatic coating . in some embodiments , techniques for imaging for the lung , pleural space , pericardial space , laa , laa ostium , and the like , can be incorporated to assist in placement of the occluding device . exemplary forms of imaging may include direct imaging ( e . g ., ultrasound , ct , or the like ), or indirect / inferred imaging ( e . g ., measuring oxygen saturation , impedance , electrical signals , and the like ). for example , ultrasound may be used directly to guide the catheter . this may be two - dimensional imaging and / or doppler ( e . g ., as is used to check pulses ) which could be implemented in a hollow tube / sheath . in examples using doppler , an operator can identify heart sounds blood flow when in close proximity to the laa , and / or sounds typical of pulmonary auscultation when the lungs are in the way . when respiratory interference is audible , the patient can be instructed to exhale allowing a needle that is measuring impedance and an electrocardiographic signal to be passed through the hollow doppler sheath or guide . this can be incorporated into a timed respiratory training for the patient who will be awake ( e . g ., when local anesthesia is used ) to control breathing and facilitate deployment . in some examples , a side arm of the sheath can have capabilities for lung deflation , lung deflection , suction , and the like , as noted above . referring now to fig1 f - 1g , embodiments of the occlusion device can include expandable plugs , such as expandable plugs 150 ( fig1 f ) and 160 ( fig1 g ) that are not generally cylindrical in shape . expandable plug 150 can have a generally triangular shape , while plug 160 has a generally square shape . many other shapes can be designed and utilized to cover , occlude , and / or prolapse a laa for the purpose of preventing blood flow in and out of the laa . referring now to fig2 a - 2l , some embodiments of the occlusion device can be used to maintain , and / or further invert , at least a portion of the laa 20 in the interior space 16 of the atrium 10 and isolate the remaining interior space 22 of the laa 20 from the interior space 16 of the left atrium . for example , fig2 a depicts an expandable disc 200 which can be delivered to the laa 20 . after use of the inversion device 30 , the expandable disc 200 can be delivered to the laa 20 in a non - expanded state ( not shown ), where the cross - sectional area of the expandable disc 200 in the non - expanded state is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the ostium 26 . once in place , the disc 200 can expanded ( e . g ., in a way that is similar to the way in which the plug 100 is expanded ), to further invert a portion of the tissue 24 of the laa 20 and cause portions of the tissue 24 ( e . g ., the portions 25 a and 25 b ) to contact the lateral wall 12 , thus effectively isolating the remaining interior space 22 of the laa 20 from the interior space 16 of the left atrium . referring now to fig2 j , in some embodiments , the expandable disc 200 can be further secured to the atrium 10 through the use of securement devices such as sutures or clips ( e . g ., clips 201 a and 202 b ). referring now to fig2 b , an embodiment of the occlusion device includes an umbrella device 210 that can include a mechanical device that can be used to transition the umbrella device 210 from a non - expanded state ( not shown ), where the cross - sectional area of the device 210 is smaller than the cross - section area of the ostium 26 , to the expanded state shown in fig2 b , where portions of the laa 20 can contact the lateral wall 12 , thus effectively fluidly disconnecting the remaining interior space 22 of the laa 20 from the interior space 16 of the left atrium 10 . in this embodiment , the mechanical device can include arms 212 that are biased to the orientation shown in fig2 b . during storage and / or prior to insertion , the arms 212 can be stressed into a position that increases the longitudinal length 213 of the umbrella device 210 while decreasing the cross - sectional area of the device 210 to a size that is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the ostium 26 . when deployed , the force applied to maintain the arms 212 in the stressed positions can be removed , thus allowing the bias of the arms 212 to reversibly transition the umbrella device 210 to the expanded state shown in fig2 b . referring now to fig2 c , an embodiment of the occlusion device can include an occlusion device 220 that includes a combination of a mechanically expandable disc 221 , which is biased to a expanded state shown in fig2 c and a conforming / spacing filling balloon 222 . for example , after use of the inversion device 30 , the expandable disc 221 can be stressed to a non - expanded state ( not shown ), where the cross - sectional areas of the expandable disc 221 and the balloon 222 are smaller than the cross - sectional area of the ostium 26 , and delivered to the laa 20 . once in place , the disc 221 can be allowed to expand to further invert the tissue 24 of the laa 20 . after allowing the expandable disc 221 to transition to the expanded state shown , the balloon can be inflated / expanded until portions ( e . g ., the portions 25 a and 25 b ) contact the lateral wall 12 , thus effectively isolating the remaining interior space 22 of the laa 20 from the interior space 16 of the left atrium . the conforming / space filling balloon can be expanded , for example , by filling it with saline , which will be retained within the balloon 222 . referring now to fig2 d , an embodiment of the occlusion device can include a radial expander 230 which can be retained in place through radial force applied at or within the ostium 26 of the laa 20 . for example , the radial expander 230 , prior to placement in an laa 20 , can be transitioned to a non - expanded state where the radial expander 230 is smaller than the space created through the use of the inversion device 30 ( not shown ). once positioned , the radial expander 230 can be expanded in the radial direction ( e . g ., in the directions represented by arrow 231 ) to the partially expanded state shown . continued expansion of the radial expander 230 can exert force on portions of the laa 20 ( e . g ., portions 25 a and 25 b ). the expansion of the radial expander 230 can cause portions of the laa 20 ( e . g ., the portions 233 a and 233 b ) to contact the lateral wall 12 of the atrium , thus fluidly disconnecting the interior 16 of the atrium 10 from the remaining interior 22 of the laa 20 . in some embodiments , the radial expansion of the radial expander 230 can occur due to actuation of a mechanical expansion system , such as the turning of a screw , advancement of a ratchet system , and the like . the actuation of the mechanical system can cause the radius of the radial expander 230 to increase , thus displacing portions of the laa 20 . in other embodiments , the radial expander 230 may include a balloon that can be expanded by filling the balloon with , for example , saline , silicone , or the like . in still other embodiments , the expander 230 can be biased by one or more mechanical devices toward the fully expanded state ( not shown ). in some embodiments , the radial expander 230 can be nitinol based ( e . g ., constructed of a nitinol mesh ) such that the expander 230 is normally biased toward the expanded state . prior to insertion , the radial expander 230 can be stressed from the expanded state to a non - expanded state where the diameter of the expander 230 is smaller than the diameter of the ostium 26 . after being positioned , the stress maintaining the device 230 in the non - expanded state can be removed , allowing the bias of the device 230 to transition it to the expanded state . referring now to fig2 e - 2f , another embodiment of the occlusion device can include a double - disc system 240 delivered to the laa 20 . after use of the inversion device 30 , the expandable discs 241 and 242 can be delivered to the laa 20 in non - expanded states ( not shown ), where the cross - sectional areas of the expandable discs 241 and 242 are smaller than the cross - sectional area of the ostium 26 . once in place , the discs 241 and 242 can expanded . the disc 241 can further invert the laa 20 , for example , causing the inverted tissue 24 to have a diameter that is greater than that of the ostium 26 . as with the embodiment described in connection with fig2 a , the expansion of the disc 241 can cause portions of the laa 20 ( e . g ., the portions 25 a and 25 b ) to contact the lateral wall 12 of the left atrium 20 , thereby fluidly disconnecting the interior 16 of the atrium 10 from the remaining interior 22 of the laa 20 . to further secure the system 240 in place and / or increase the force sealing the laa 20 against the lateral wall 12 , the second disc 242 can be secured against the laa 20 and / or the lateral wall 12 through the use of an adjustment mechanism 244 . for example , the adjustment mechanism 244 may include teeth that can interact with a ratchet mechanism included in the second disc 242 . when the discs 241 and 242 are deployed to the positions shown in fig2 e , force can be applied to the second disc 242 causing it to move toward the disc 241 with the direction indicated by arrow 243 , while a balancing force is applied to the adjustment mechanism 244 , maintaining the disc 241 against the lateral wall 12 of the left atrium 20 , minimizing it &# 39 ; s impinging of the left atrial interior space . the disc 242 can be moved until reaching the position shown in fig2 f . through the combination of the adjustment mechanism 244 and the discs 241 and 242 , the discs 241 and 242 can be held in the positions shown in fig2 f , thus securing the system 240 in place , minimizing the remaining interior space 22 of the laa 20 , and fluidly disconnecting the interior space 22 from the interior space 16 of the atrium 10 . in this embodiment , the discs 241 and 242 are positioned on opposing sides of the lateral wall 12 , while still remaining epicardially in that neither disc 241 nor disc 242 contact the blood . in alternate embodiments , the system 240 can be deployed from the endocardial side . in some cases , the margins at the circumference of the disc that is more external ( away from the heart ; e . g ., disc 242 ) can tilt towards the disc that is relatively more internal ( e . g ., disc 241 ). referring now to fig2 m - 2o , some embodiments of the occlusion device can include a woven nitinol device 245 that can function in a similar manner to the occlusion device described in connection with fig2 e - 2f . in one example , the device 245 can be constructed of a nitinol mesh that is biased toward the deployed shape depicted in fig2 o . prior to insertion , the device can be reversibly transitioned toward the non - deployed shape depicted in fig2 m , thus allowing it to be passed through , for example , a catheter lumen . once located in the vicinity of a left atrial appendage , the catheter can be withdrawn , allowing the device 245 to begin transitioning to the deployed state . fig2 n depicts the device 245 where the distal portion 246 has been allowed to return to the deployed state , while the proximal portion 247 still remains in the non - deployed state ( e . g ., still within a catheter lumen ). further withdrawal of the catheter can allow the entire device 245 to transition to the deployed state shown in fig2 n . referring now to fig2 g , an embodiment of the occlusion device can include an laa invaginated segment enlarging device 250 that can be employed to increase the size ( e . g ., diameter ) of the inverted portion of the laa 20 to a size ( e . g ., diameter ) that is greater that that of the ostium 26 . after use of the inversion device 30 ( as described in connection with fig1 b ), the enlarging device 250 can be delivered to the laa 20 such that it abuts the inverted tissue 24 of the laa 20 ( not shown ). once in position , the enlarging device 250 can be expanded to increase the amount of inverted tissue 24 of the laa 20 to the size shown in fig2 g . as the amount of inverted tissue 24 increases , portions 25 a and 25 b of the inverted tissue 24 can contact the lateral wall 12 , thus fluidly disconnecting the interior 16 of the atrium 10 from the remaining interior 22 of the laa 20 . in some embodiments , the enlarging device 250 can be expanded by introducing a fluid , such as a liquid polymer , foam , or resin into the interior 251 of the enlarging device . for example , a liquid polymer can be introduced into the interior 251 to enlarge the device 250 . once the device 250 is enlarged to a point where the portions 25 a and 25 b contact the lateral wall 12 , thus fluidly disconnecting the interior 16 of the atrium 10 from the remaining interior 22 of the laa 20 , the polymer can be allowed to cure , thus maintaining the inverted tissue 24 in substantially the position shown in fig2 g and effectively isolating the interior 22 of the laa 20 from the blood located in the interior 16 of the atrium 10 in some embodiments ( depicted in fig2 p - 2q ), metal coils ( e . g ., platinum coils , and the like ) can be injected into the laa 20 to maintain or increase the size ( e . g ., diameter ) of the inverted portion of the laa 20 to a size ( e . g ., diameter ) that is greater that that of the ostium 26 . for , the inversion device 30 can be used to invert a portion of the laa 20 ( as described in connection with fig1 b ) to a size similar to that shown in fig2 p . metal coils 255 can then be delivered to the laa 20 such that they fill up space and maintain the laa in the inverted position . coils can be injected until the portions 25 a and 25 b contact the lateral wall 12 , thus fluidly disconnecting the interior 16 of the atrium 10 from the remaining interior 22 of the laa 20 , and effectively isolating the interior 22 of the laa 20 from the blood located in the interior 16 of the atrium 10 referring now to fig2 h , an embodiment of the occlusion device can include a nitinol expanding device 260 that can be employed to secure a portion of the laa 20 tissue in the ostium 26 and / or fluidly disconnect the interior 22 of the laa 20 from the interior 16 of the atrium 10 . after use of the inversion device 30 ( as described in connection with fig1 b ), the nitinol expanding device 260 can be delivered to the laa 20 in an elongated , non - expanded state ( similar to the elongated state depicted in fig2 m ), where the cross - sectional area of the expanding device 260 in the non - expanded state is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the ostium 26 . once in place , the expanding device 260 can be allowed to expand ( e . g ., by removing a surrounding catheter ), from the non - expanded state , to the normally - biased , expanded state shown in fig2 h . the distal portion 262 can expand to further invert a portion of the tissue 24 of the laa 20 and cause portions of the tissue 24 ( e . g ., the portions 25 a and 25 b ) to contact the lateral wall 12 , thus effectively isolating the remaining interior space 22 of the laa 20 from the interior space 16 of the left atrium , while the proximal portion 264 can expand to fill space and help maintain the device 260 in the position shown in fig2 h . referring now to fig2 i , an embodiment of the occlusion device can include a patch device 270 used to further collapse the laa 20 into the interior 16 of the atrium 10 , thus minimizing or eliminating the interior 22 of the laa 20 . for example , after use of the inversion device 30 ( as described in connection with fig1 b ), the patch device 270 can be applied to the laa 20 such that a disc or patch 271 is abutted against at least a portion of the laa 20 in the epicardial / pericardial space 14 . in some embodiments , one more anchors ( e . g ., anchors 272 a and 272 b ) can be secured around the perimeter of the patch 271 via securing sutures ( e . g ., sutures 273 a and 273 b ). after placement of the patch 271 , the anchors 272 a and 272 b can be inserted through the cardiac tissue of the lateral wall 12 and into the interior 16 of the atrium 10 . once inside the atrium 10 , the anchors can abut the interior of the lateral wall 12 and , via the sutures 273 a and 273 b , hold the patch 271 in place ( e . g ., in the position shown in fig2 i . in some embodiments , the laa 20 can be further inverted by tightening the sutures 273 a and 273 b , thus further minimizing or eliminating the interior 22 . referring now to fig2 k , an embodiment of the occlusion device can include an endocardially deployed suture loop . for example , pressure can be applied to the laa 20 through the use of the inversion device 30 , as described in fig1 b . fig1 b depicts an embodiment where pressure is applied until at least a portion of the laa 20 prolapses toward the interior 16 of the atrium 10 into the ostium 26 . however , in the embodiment described here , pressure can be applied with the inversion device 30 until the majority of the laa 20 prolapses into the interior 16 of the atrium 10 , as shown in fig2 k . an endocardial catheter 280 can deploy a loop / suture 281 around the inverted tissue 24 of the laa 20 , as shown . as the loop / suture 281 is tightened , portions 25 a and 25 b of the laa 20 are drawn toward each other in the directions indicated by arrows 282 until the portions 25 a and 25 b contact each other , thus substantially eliminating the interior 22 of the laa 20 and securing the majority of the tissue 24 in the interior 16 of the atrium 10 . referring now to fig2 l , another embodiment of the occlusion device can include a set of epicardially deployed anchors 290 a and 291 a and a set of endocardially deployed anchors 290 b and 291 b . for example , after use of the inversion device 30 ( as described in connection with fig1 b ), anchor 290 a can be deployed from an epicardial catheter 292 a and anchor 290 b can be deployed by from an epicardial catheter 292 b . when tightened , as depicted by anchors 291 a and 291 b , the anchors can secure a portion of the inverted tissue 24 of the laa 20 , minimize or eliminate the interior 22 of the laa 20 , and / or fluidly disconnect the interior 22 of the laa 20 from the interior 16 of the atrium 10 . now referring to fig3 a - 3d , some embodiments of an occlusion device include “ clam - shell ” type occluding devices which can be deployed into the epicardial and / or endocardial regions ( described in greater detail in connection with fig4 a - 4d ). the occluding devices can then be used to exclude the flow of blood into the interior 22 of the laa 20 and / or to minimize or eliminate the interior 22 . referring now to fig3 a , one embodiment of a “ clam - shell ” occluding device 300 can include expandable discs 301 a and 301 b connected by adjustment member 302 . for example , the expandable disc 301 a can be deployed in the interior 16 of atrium 10 , the expandable disc 301 b can be deployed in the epicardial / pericardial space 14 , with the adjustment member passing through the tissue of the laa 20 . one exemplary method of deploying the occluding device 300 will be described in more detail in connection with fig4 a - 4d . once deployed as shown in fig3 a , discs 301 a and 301 b can be brought closer together using , at least in part , the adjustment member 302 . as the discs 301 a and 301 b are brought together , at least the perimeter of disc 301 a can contact the lateral wall 12 of the left atrium 10 ( e . g ., at portions 13 a and 13 b ) and the disc 301 b can contact the tissue of the laa 20 . due in part to the increased distensibility of the laa 20 , as the distance between the discs 301 a and 301 b is decreased , the disc 301 a can remain substantially stationary as the disc 301 b moves toward the disc 301 a ( in the direction indicated by the arrow 303 ), thus collapsing the laa 20 . in some embodiments , the distance between the discs 301 a and 301 b can be decreased until reaching the positions shown in fig3 b . in other embodiments , the discs 301 a and 301 b can be brought closer together and can even be brought together until the laa 20 is fully collapsed . still referring to fig3 a , in some embodiments , surfaces 305 a and 306 a of the disc 301 a and surfaces 305 b and 306 b of the disc 301 b can be substantially flat . in some embodiments , however , the surfaces 305 a , 305 b , 306 a , and 306 b can be curved , making them convex or concave . for example , the disc 301 a can be curved such that the surface 305 a facing the interior 22 of the laa 20 is concave , while the surface 306 a facing the interior 16 of the atrium 10 is convex . in some embodiments , the disc 302 b can also be curved such that the surface 305 b facing the interior 22 of the laa 20 is concave , while the surface 306 b facing the epicardial / pericardial space 14 is convex . referring now to fig3 c , one embodiment of a “ clam - shell ” occluding device can employ expandable discs that are both deployed in the epicardial / pericardial space and can be used to minimize or eliminate the interior of a left laa , and / or fluidly disconnect the interior of the laa 20 from the interior of the left atrium . for example , an occluding device 310 can include expandable discs 311 a and 311 b connected by adjustment member 312 . the expandable discs 301 a and 301 b can both be deployed in the epicardial / pericardial space 14 on two sides of the laa 20 , substantially parallel to each other , but substantially perpendicular to the lateral wall 12 of the left atrium 10 . in some embodiments , the adjustment member can be a pair of sutures that connect the two discs 311 a and 311 b and surround , but don &# 39 ; t penetrate the laa 20 . in other examples , one or more sutures can connect the discs 311 a and 311 b and pass through the laa 20 . once deployed as shown in fig3 c , discs 311 a and 311 b can be brought closer together using , at least in part , the adjustment member 312 . as the discs 311 a and 311 b are brought together , they can remain substantially parallel to the lateral wall 12 and contacting the laa 20 . in some embodiments , the distance between the discs 311 a and 311 b can be decreased until reaching the positions shown in fig3 d . in other embodiments , the discs 311 a and 311 b can be brought closer together , further shrinking the interior 22 , isolating the interior 22 from the interior 16 of the left atrium 10 , and / or fully collapsing the laa 20 , thus eliminating the interior 22 . referring now to fig3 e , one embodiment of a “ clam - shell ” occluding device 320 can include expandable discs 321 a and 321 b connected by adjustment member 322 . for example , the expandable disc 321 a can be deployed in the interior 16 of atrium 10 and the expandable disc 321 b can be deployed in the epicardial / pericardial space 14 , with the adjustment member passing through the tissue of the laa 20 . one exemplary method of deploying the occluding device 300 will be described in more detail in connection with fig4 a - 4d . expandable disc 321 a can include a protrusion 323 on one side that , when deployed , can be positioned in an ostium 324 of a pulmonary vein 325 , such the upper pulmonary vein . when positioned , the protrusion 323 can help in anchoring the disc 321 a relative to the pulmonary vein 325 . once deployed as shown in fig3 e , discs 321 a and 321 b can be brought closer together using , at least in part , the adjustment member 322 . as the discs 321 a and 321 b are brought together , at least the perimeter of disc 321 a can contact the lateral wall 12 of the left atrium 10 , for example , at portions 13 a and 13 b as shown in fig3 e , isolating the interior 22 of the laa 20 from the interior 16 of the left atrium 10 . due in part to the increased distensibility of the laa 20 , as the distance between the discs 321 a and 321 b is decreased , the disc 321 a will remain substantially stationary , with respect to the left atrium 10 , as the disc 321 b moves toward the disc 321 a ( in the direction indicated by the arrow 326 ), thus collapsing the laa 20 . in some embodiments , the distance between the discs 321 a and 321 b can be decreased to or fluidly disconnect the interior of the laa 20 from the interior 16 of the left atrium 10 and / or minimize or eliminate the interior 22 of the laa 20 . referring now to fig3 f , an embodiment of a “ clam - shell ” occluding device 300 can include a space filling device 304 that can assist in disconnecting the interior 22 of the laa 20 from the interior 16 of the left atrium 10 and / or filling the interior 22 of the laa 20 . after deployment of the occluding device 300 , the adjustment mechanism 302 can be used to compress the laa 20 by decreasing the distance between the discs 301 a and 301 b . when desired , the space filling device can be expanded to seal off the interior 22 from the interior 16 of the atrium 10 and / or minimize or eliminate the interior 22 . in some embodiments , the space filling device 304 can be biased to the expanded state depicted in fig3 f . in these embodiments , prior to expanding the space filling device 304 , the space filling device 304 can be stressed into a non - expanded state for delivery . when desired , the stress maintaining the space filling device 304 in the non - expanded state can be removed , thus causing the device 304 to return to the expanded state shown . in some embodiments , the space filling device can be a structure ( e . g ., a balloon ) that can normally be in a non - expanded state ( not shown ). when desired , the space filling device 304 can be filled ( e . g ., with saline , silicone , or the like ) causing it to expand to the state shown in fig3 f . in some cases , the margins at the circumference of one or more discs for a “ clam - shell ” device provided herein can be configured to tilt towards the other disc . for example , both discs of a “ clam - shell ” device provided herein can be configured such that a portion at the circumference of each disc can tilt toward a portion of the other disc . in one exemplary use , depicted in fig4 a - 4c , a fine needle 400 can be used to deploy an laa occlusion device , such as the “ clam - shell ” occluding device 300 around the laa 20 . in this example , the heart can be accessed from an epicardial position using the needle 400 , which can be advanced from the intercostal space ( e . g ., third , fourth , or fifth between the mid - clavicular and posterior axillary lines ) through the tissue 24 of the laa 20 and into the interior 16 of the left atrium 10 . referring to fig4 a , when the tip 405 of the catheter 400 is located in the left atrium 10 , the expandable disc 301 a can be deployed from the tip 405 until fully deployed as shown in fig4 b . as the needle 400 is withdrawn from the interior 16 of the atrium 10 into the interior 22 of the laa 20 ( e . g ., as depicted in fig4 b ), the adjustment mechanism 302 can be deployed from the needle 400 . the disc 301 a can be pulled back until flow into the interior 22 of the laa 20 is excluded . as the needle 400 is withdrawn , the adjustment mechanism 302 will continue to deploy from the tip 405 . referring now to fig4 c , at a point after the needle 400 is withdrawn from the laa 20 into the epicardial / pericardial space 14 , the expandable disc 301 b of the occlusion device 300 can begin to be deployed from the needle 400 into the epicardial / pericardial space 14 . the two disc 301 a and 302 b of the occlusion device 200 can be brought closer together with a ratchet , screw , or sliding mechanism to completely exclude flow into the interior 22 laa 20 and / or to collapse the laa 20 until the interior 22 is minimized or eliminated . in some cases , the expandable devices provided herein can contain expandable portions that are not only radially expandable . for example , the entire device can go from being a cylinder to a cone shape with the larger diameter portion of the cone shape being internal to the ostium ( but either internal or external to the atrium itself ) and the point or smaller diameter portion of the cone shape being external to the ostium . such devices can be deployed in a manner such that when the device is ratcheted or effectuated using a mechanism to expand the internal portion , the external portion can become smaller . in some cases , an unexpanded device can resemble a cylinder that , when effectuated , the device expands internally but externally as well either radially or in a fairly gradual expansion so it resembles , for example , a dumbbell . while the previous embodiments describe the application of external pressure to invert and / or obliterate a left atrial appendage , followed by securing of the appendage , similar techniques can be applied to other appendage like structures to prevent fluid communication of an interior of a structure with a main lumen or visceral cavity . exemplary applications can include the gallbladder , appendage , diverticula , pseudoaneurysms of the ventricle , pharyngal pouches and peripheral veins , diverticulae or aneurysmally enlarged veins / varices , and the like . it is noted that a laa occlusion device can include any of the features , improvements , and alterations disclosed herein , in any combination . it is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof , the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention , which is defined by the scope of the appended claims . other aspects , advantages , and modifications are within the scope of the following claims .	0
in general , the present invention extends the techniques of prior lumber sorting systems by employing a limiter connected to a hook to limit the rotation of the hook while the limiter is within a raceway . fig2 is a side elevation view of a portion of a representative embodiment of a sort conveyor 21 of a lumber sorter constructed in accordance with principles of the present invention , showing generally a hook and limiter assembly in a raceway . sort conveyor 21 has a hook 26 for picking up , moving and dropping pieces of board lumber . hook 26 has a head portion 27 , a distal end 36 and an opening 43 . hook 26 has a carrying portion 5 for carrying pieces of board lumber . hook 26 is pivotally connected to a belt 34 at a pivot 30 such that it can rotate with respect to belt 34 . also connected to hook 26 is a limiter 80 which is connected to hook 26 about pivot 30 . hook 26 and limiter 80 form an assembly 81 . limiter 80 is shown running within a raceway 90 which is comprised of an upper wall 92 and a lower wall 94 . raceway 90 may be provided as an elongate channel defined by the vertically opposed upper wall 92 and lower wall 94 . the distance between upper wall 92 and lower wall 94 is predetermined according to the shape and / or size of limiter 80 . limiter 80 will have at least one dimension that is longer than the distance between upper wall 92 and lower wall 94 to impede rotation of limiter 80 within raceway 90 . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , limiter 80 is a block with a first contact element 82 , a second contact element 84 , a first rounded edge 86 and a second rounded edge 88 . first contact element 82 and second contact element 84 are positioned apart from each other at a distance that is greater than the width of raceway 90 as formed by upper wall 92 and lower wall 94 . in operation , limiter 80 can rotate within raceway 90 upon rounded edges 86 , 88 until first contact element 82 and second contact element 84 contact raceway walls 92 , 94 . continued rotation is arrested because the width formed by first and second contact elements 82 , 84 is greater than the width of raceway 90 as formed by walls 92 , 94 . in the embodiment shown in fig3 , first contact element 82 and second contact element 84 restrain limiter 80 from rotating clockwise , but do permit counter - clockwise rotation if force is applied to counter - act gravity . because hook 26 is connected to limiter 80 to form assembly 81 , assembly 81 , and therefore hook 26 , are also limited in their rotation accordingly . alternative embodiments permit different configurations of the degree of rotation of limiter 80 within raceway 90 by , for example , altering the location of contact elements 82 , 84 . for example , the rotation of limiter 80 within raceway 90 may be reduced below 90 degrees by including a lug ( not shown ) on limiter 80 between first contact element 82 and second rounded edge 88 and between second contact element 84 and first rounded edge 86 . in this embodiment the lugs become alternate contact elements that meet walls 92 , 94 of raceway 90 and restrict continued rotation before limiter 80 has rotated 90 degrees . another alternative embodiment has a limiter that is not comprised of a block . for example , first and second contact elements 82 , 84 may be pegs ( not shown ) or ends of a rigid elongate member ( not shown ). the pegs or ends of the rigid elongate member limit the continued rotation of limiter 80 once they contact walls 92 , 94 of raceway 90 because they are spaced apart at a distance that is greater than the separation between walls 92 , 94 . fig3 a is another side elevation diagram of a portion of sort conveyor 21 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention showing generally six hook and limiter assemblies 81 travelling counter - clockwise around a pulley 22 in the direction of arrows 24 . the operation of limiters 80 in sorting pieces of board lumber is described with reference to the assemblies 81 shown in the diagram , proceeding counter - clockwise from assembly 81 a through to 81 f . assembly 81 a is travelling within raceway 90 a in a first orientation . first contact element 82 a is in contact with upper wall 92 a and second contact element 84 a is in contact with lower wall 94 a , preventing the downward rotation of distal end 36 a under gravity . first contact element 82 a , upper wall 92 a , second contact element 84 a , lower wall 94 a and gravity maintain assembly 81 a in the first orientation relative to belt 34 . the application of pivotal force to assembly 81 a in a counter - clockwise direction rotates 81 a in a counter - clockwise direction up to about 90 degrees , until first contact element 82 a meets lower wall 94 a and second contact element 84 a meets upper wall 92 a , at which point further counter - clockwise rotation is impeded and a clockwise rotation will be effected by gravity once the applied force ceases . assembly 81 b is exiting from raceway 90 a in the first orientation . as assembly 81 b exits raceway 90 a first contact element 82 b and second contact element 84 b come out of contact with the walls of raceway 90 a . as assembly 81 b exits raceway 90 a , lug 100 b , which is connected to pulley 22 , rotates into contact with head portion 27 b . the rotation of assembly 81 b under gravity is impeded by the contact between lug 100 b and head portion 27 b such that assembly 81 b is maintained in the first orientation relative to belt 34 . assembly 81 c is rotating along the periphery of pulley 22 in the first orientation . as assembly 81 c rotates along the periphery , lug 100 c rotates with pulley 22 and maintains contact with head portion 27 c . the rotation of assembly 81 c under gravity is impeded by the contact between lug 100 c and head portion 27 c such that assembly 81 c is maintained in the first orientation relative to belt 34 . assembly 81 d is continuing to rotate along the periphery of pulley 22 such that limiter 80 d is being guided to entry within raceway 90 b in the first orientation . lug 100 d ensures that assembly 81 d is in the proper orientation as limiter 80 d enters raceway 90 b . the rotation of assembly 81 d under gravity is impeded by the contact between lug 100 d and head portion 27 d such that assembly 81 d is maintained in the first orientation relative to belt 34 and is in a suitable orientation for the entry of limiter 80 d within raceway 90 b . as lug 100 d guides limiter 80 d into raceway 90 b , first contact element 82 d and second contact element 84 d come into contact with lower wall 94 b and upper wall 92 b respectively . assembly 81 e is travelling within raceway 90 b in the first orientation and has just been released from contact between head portion 27 e and lug 100 e . first contact element 82 e is in contact with lower wall 94 b and second contact element 84 e is in contact with upper wall 92 b . upon release by lug 100 e , assembly 81 e rotates clockwise about 90 degrees under gravity on rounded edges 86 e , 88 e to the second orientation , as indicated by arrow 110 . assembly 81 f is travelling within raceway 90 b and has just rotated clockwise about 90 degrees under gravity along the direction of arrow 110 to a second orientation . first contact element 82 f is in contact with upper wall 92 b and second contact element 841 is in contact with lower wall 94 b , preventing the continued clockwise rotation of assembly 81 f beyond the second orientation . first contact element 82 f , upper wall 92 b , second contact element 84 f , lower wall 94 b and gravity maintain assembly 81 f in the second orientation relative to belt 34 . the application of pivotal force to assembly 81 f in a counter - clockwise direction rotates 81 f in a counter - clockwise direction up to about 90 degrees , until second contact element 84 f meets upper wall 92 b and first contact element 82 f meets lower wall 94 b , at which point further counter - clockwise rotation is impeded and a clockwise rotation will be effected by gravity once the applied force ceases . fig3 b is a continuation of fig3 a showing another portion of sort conveyor 21 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention showing generally six hook and limiter assemblies 81 travelling counter - clockwise around a pulley 23 in the direction of arrows 24 . the operation of limiters 80 in sorting pieces of board lumber is described with reference to the assemblies 81 shown in the diagram , proceeding counter - clockwise from assembly 81 g through to 81 l . assembly 81 g is travelling within raceway 90 b in the second orientation . first contact element 82 g is in contact with upper wall 92 b and second contact element 84 g is in contact with lower wall 94 b , preventing continued rotation under gravity . first contact element 82 g , upper wall 92 b , second contact element 84 g , lower wall 94 b and gravity maintain assembly 81 g in the second orientation relative to belt 34 . the application of pivotal force to assembly 81 g in a counter - clockwise direction rotates 81 g in a counter - clockwise direction up to about 90 degrees , until second contact element 84 g meets upper wall 92 b and first contact element 82 g meets lower wall 94 b , at which point further counter - clockwise rotation is impeded and a clockwise rotation will be effected by gravity once the applied force ceases . assembly 81 h is exiting from raceway 90 b in the second orientation . as assembly 81 h exits raceway 90 b first contact element 82 h and second contact element 84 h come out of contact with the walls of raceway 90 b . as assembly 81 h exits raceway 90 b , lug 100 h , which is connected to pulley 23 , rotates into contact with head portion 27 h . the rotation of assembly 81 h under gravity is impeded by the contact between lug 100 h and head portion 27 h such that assembly 81 h is maintained in the second orientation relative to belt 34 . assembly 81 i is rotating along the periphery of pulley 23 in the second orientation . as assembly 81 i rotates along the periphery , lug 100 i rotates with pulley 23 and maintains contact with head portion 27 i . the rotation of assembly 81 i under gravity is impeded by the contact between lug 100 i and head portion 27 i such that assembly 81 i is maintained in the second orientation relative to belt 34 . assembly 81 j is continuing to rotate along the periphery of pulley 23 in the second orientation such that limiter 80 j is being guided to entry within raceway 90 a . lug 100 j ensures that assembly 81 j is in the proper orientation as limiter 80 j enters raceway 90 a . the rotation of assembly 81 j under gravity is impeded by the contact between lug 100 j and head portion 27 j such that assembly 81 j is maintained in the second orientation relative to belt 34 and is in a suitable orientation for the entry of limiter 80 j within raceway 90 a . as lug 100 j guides limiter 80 j into raceway 90 a , first contact element 82 j and second contact element 84 j come into contact with lower wall 94 a and upper wall 92 a respectively . assembly 81 k is travelling within raceway 90 a in the second orientation and has just been released from contact between head portion 27 k and lug 100 k . first contact element 82 k is in contact with lower wall 94 a and second contact element 84 k is in contact with upper wall 92 a . upon release by lug 100 k , assembly 81 k rotates counter - clockwise about 90 degrees under gravity on rounded edges 86 k , 88 k to the second orientation , as indicated by arrow 111 . assembly 81 l is travelling within raceway 90 a and has just rotated counter - clockwise about 90 degrees under gravity along the direction of arrow 111 to the first orientation . first contact element 82 l is in contact with upper wall 92 a and second contact element 84 l is in contact with lower wall 94 a , preventing the continued counter - clockwise rotation of assembly 81 l beyond the first orientation . first contact element 82 l , upper wall 92 a , second contact element 84 l , lower wall 94 a and gravity maintain assembly 81 l in the first orientation relative to belt 34 . as shown in fig3 a and 3b , gravity is used to transition assembly 81 from one orientation to the other . between transitions , limiter 80 , raceway walls 92 , 94 and lug 100 cooperate to maintain the assembly 81 in its current orientation . before it is transitioned , assembly 81 is moved from one raceway to another while held by a lug to restrain its rotation relative to the belt . once assembly 81 has been moved to the other raceway , it is released by the lug allowing gravity to transition assembly 81 to the other orientation . the transition from the first orientation to the second orientation allows hook 26 to pick up pieces of board lumber from a feed conveyor . this arrangement allows for assembly 81 to be rotated to a dropping position by diverter lug 42 and counter - rotated by gravity to a resting , or carrying , position and no further . in the foregoing description , assembly 81 rotates from one orientation to the other under the force of gravity . however , this is not essential . if desired , mechanical means may be used to force rotation of the assembly 81 , either acting with or against the force of gravity . now that the invention has been described , numerous modifications , substitutions and mechanical equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art . the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described herein with reference to the described drawings , but is defined in the claims appended hereto .	1
referring first to fig1 and 2 , and especially fig1 numeral reference 1 deontes a pair of vertical rods each comprising two pipes telescopically connected to each other with their upper ends being bent to form handles 2 . explanation will hereinafter be given on one vertical rod for simplicity . the vertical rod is provided at its lower end with a wheel 3 which includes a hub 4 provided on its one side with a brake 5 . in this embodiment , as the brake use is made of a drum brake for automobiles ; however , this invention is not limited thereto . it is , therefore , understood that the brake of any type that can apply a braking force to a wheel may be employed . the brake 5 is actuiated by manipulation of a brake lever 7 connected thereto by way of a wire 6 , said lever being attached to the handle 2 . it will be noted that the wire 6 is passed through the inside of the vertical rod 1 to shorten its length as much as possible , since it otherwise will interfere with such manipulation . as shown in fig2 numeral reference stands for a one - way clutch mounted on the other side of the hub 4 . as the one - way clutch , use may be made of a free wheel comprising a combination of a rachet and a pawl . this one - way clutch is fixed at its inner side to the hub 4 and a stop pin 9 is inserted in between the teeth of a sprocket positioned on the outer side thereof , whereby the reversal of motion of the wheel is prevented . numeral reference 10 denotes a step mounted on the upper portion of the wheel 3 . in this embodiment , a l - shaped pipe 11 is fixed to the lower portion of the vertical rod 1 to use as the step its horizontal portion , and the hub 4 is supported at its end by the lower end thereof . thus , the hub is supported at its both ends . said stop pin 9 is also locked at the lower portion of the l - shaped pipe 11 by a nut 12 . numeral reference 13 stands for a lock nut for preventing expansion and contraction of the vertical rod . referring now to fig3 and 4 , and especially to fig3 numeral reference 1 denotes a pair of vertical rods each comprising two pipes telescopically connected to each other with their upper ends being bent to form handles 2 . explanation will hereinafter be given on one vetical rod for simplicity . a wheel 3 is mounted on the lower end of the vertical rod 1 , and a horizontally extending step 4 is fixed to the portion of the vertical rod 1 which lies just above said wheel 3 . in this embodiment , a l - shaped pipe 5 is fixed to the lower portion of the vertical rod 1 to use its horizontal portion as the step 4 , and the axle 6 of the wheel is supported at its one end by the lower end of the pipe 5 and at its other end by the lower end of the vertical rod 1 . said wheel 3 is rotatively supported at its hub on the axle 6 through bearings 8 and 8 , and an annularly recessed portion 9 is formed in said hub 7 in coaxial relation to the axis of the axle 6 and hence the axis of the wheel 3 . the outer side of said recessed portion 9 is closed by a side plate 10 fitted over the axle and secured to the lower end portion of the vertical rod 1 . a pair of semicircular brake shoes 11 are disposed in the recessed portion 9 to operate against the outer periphery 9a which forms a brake drum . the brake shoes 11 and a brake cam 12 are of a known inside expanding type braking device , in which one end of each brake shoe 11 is pivoted by pin ( not shown ) provided on the inner side of the plate 10 , while the other end of each shoe is in abutting contact with the brake cam 12 rotatively attached to the side plate 10 . the outer end of the brake cam 12 is also caused to project outwardly through the side plate 10 . to this projection 12a is fixed a lever 13 . the lever 13 is connected to a brake lever 15 pivotally mounted on the handle 12 by way of an inner cable 14a of a push - pull cable 14 . reference 11a denotes a brake lining secured to the outer periphery of the brake shoe . a one - way clutch 16 is mounted on the inner periphery 9b of the recessed portion 9 . the one - way clutch 16 is similar to an ordinary one - way clutch interposed between the rear wheel sprocket and the rear axle of a bicycle etc ., in which one of the opposite faces of an inner race 16a is secured to the inner periphery 9b of the recessed portion 9 and an outer race 16b surrounds the inner race with a series of needles 16c disposed between the races . as in the common form of bicycle hub one - way clutch , the needles are somewhat flattened in cross - section and the spacing between the races is less than the maximum needle diameter . this construction allows relative rotation between the inner and outer races in one direction only . the outer race 16b of the one - way clutch 16 is provided on its outer periphery with a number of radially extending portions 16d in engagement with member 17 . these members which hold the outer race in position are threaded through the side plate 10 , and are designed to be horizontally movable from the side plate 10 toward the inside of the recessed portion 9 . in this connection , it will be noted that the one - way clutch is designed such that the wheel is permitted to rotate only at the time of the forward movement . numeral reference 18 denotes a lock nut for preventing expansion and contraction of the vertical rod 1 . the operation of the sliding type athletic apparatus according to the present invention will now be described mainly with reference to the second embodiment mentioned hereinbefore . the handles 2 are first gripped to draw the brake levers 15 , so that the levers 13 rotate in a counterclockwise direction ( in fig3 ) through the inner cables 14a of the push - pull cables 14 , followed by rotation of the brake cams 12 . the brake shoes 11 expand and rotate diametrically by said brake cams , so that the brake linings 11a come in abutting contact with the outer peripheries 9a of the recessed portions 9 to brake the wheels . in this state , one &# 39 ; s feet are placed on both steps , and the brake levers 15 are gradually unloosed while taking one &# 39 ; s balance , so that the levers 13 , brake cams 12 and brake shoes 11 rotate in the direction reverse to that above mentioned . as a result , the brake lining 11a are out of engagement with the outer peripheries of the recessed portion 9a to release the braking of the wheels . at the same time , one wheel 3 is kicked rearward in the same manner as in roller skates , so that the wheel 3 is apt to rotate rearward . in this case , however , the one - way clutch 16 is actuated such that it is in engagement with the members 17 thereby to restrain such rotation . hence , the other wheel 3 is caused to rotate forward due to the resultant counter action . when the wheel 3 rotates in the forward direction , the one - way clutch 16 is released while the one - way clutch and members 17 are located inwardly of the brake shoe 11 , with the result that there in no fear that these components come in collision with the brake shoe 11 and the wall surface of the recessed portion 9 . thus , the sliding type athletic apparatus of the present invention can be caused to slide forward by alternately kicking a pair of the wheels 3 rearward in the same manner as aforesaid . furthermore , the one - way clutch 16 is kept immovable even at the time of the rearward movement of the wheel 3 by removing the members 17 . therefore , a practiced hand can take a variety of exercises with this apparatus . the sliding type athletic apparatus according to the present invention is effective in building up the sense of physical equilibrium and permitting a wide variety of exercises . moreover , the apparatus can be made small by forming a recessed portion in one side of the hub of each wheel and arranging a braking device and a one - way clutch in said recessed portion thereby to restrain any increase in the horizontal width . depending upon height , each vertical rod can be adjusted by unloosing the lock nut . although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown in the foregoing specification , it will , of course , be understood that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention . it is , therefore , intended that the following claims cover all such modifications and changes as may fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .	0
although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures . while the preferred embodiment has been described , the details may be changed without departing from the invention . referring now to the drawings and in particular to fig1 and 2 , an embodiment of the cable tie tensioning and cut - off tool 10 incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown as having a housing 12 in the shape of a pistol or gun and having a handle or grip portion 14 , a barrel portion 16 , and a trigger 18 . the trigger 18 is located forwardly of the grip 14 and under the barrel portion 16 where it fits naturally in the hand of a user ( not shown ). the tool 10 is typically used to install cable ties 20 ( seen in phantom in fig4 a - 4d ) around elongate bundles 22 , such as wire cable or the like . as mentioned earlier , cable ties are widely used in a variety of environments and applications , and may be used , for example , to bundle a plurality of elongate wires , cables , or other elongate articles 22 , as shown in the figures . however , it is to be understood that the tool 10 of the present invention may be used to secure cable ties 20 in other applications , such as to secure elongate articles to rigid structures or used as hose clamps ( not shown ), by way of non - limiting example . as illustrated , a tie 20 includes a head portion 24 and a tie tail portion 26 . the tool 10 grips the tail portion 26 of the tie 20 and pulls it through the head 24 until a predetermined tension is achieved . the tool 10 then locks the tension and automatically cuts off the excess tail portion 26 adjacent the head 24 . as seen in fig4 a - 4d , one housing 12 sidewall has been cut away to show the opposite housing 12 sidewall and the internal parts and mechanism of the present tool 10 . the tool 10 generally contains a reciprocating tension mechanism , such as the pawl link 28 shown , located in the barrel portion 16 of the tool 10 . the tension mechanism 28 further includes a gripping mechanism , such as the tie - gripping pawl 30 shown , for gripping the tail portion 26 of a tie 20 , and a locking mechanism , such as the rack 32 and pinion 34 shown for locking the tension mechanism 28 at a predetermined tension prior to activating a cutoff mechanism . in operation , the tensioning mechanism pulls the gripped tail portion 26 rearwardly to a predetermined tension . upon reaching the predetermined tension , the locking mechanism locks the tension . a cutoff mechanism , such as the illustrated cutter link 118 , also located at the forward end of the barrel portion 16 , then activates to cause a blade member 160 to cut off the tie tail 26 closely adjacent the head portion 24 . the predetermined tension is set or adjusted by way of a tension adjustment mechanism located at the rear of the tool 10 , as will be discussed in detail . the present device provides consistent tension and cutting performance such that uniform tension per setting across all tools is achieved . the device target goal is no scatter in tension force per setting . present devices have tolerances of up to +/− 25n . tolerance range is greatly reduced with the present device . the present tool 10 includes a novel tension adjustment mechanism . as will be seen , the tension control and adjustment mechanism of the present tool 10 functions to provide a controlled tension to the rear of the cutoff cam 36 ( see fig4 a - 4c ). this , in turn , determines the point at which the cutoff cam 36 pivots to actuate the locking mechanism and the cutoff mechanism , to thereby cutoff the tie tail 26 . the tension adjustment system of the present device is simple to use and eliminates the use of two knobs , as in known devices , through the use of an acme thread cam action and knob as will be discussed . with reference particularly to the view of fig5 - 7c , it may be seen that the tension control mechanism includes a u - bracket 38 positioned horizontally , and slidably moveable , within the housing 12 at the rear end of the barrel portion 16 . the forward ends 40 of the u - bracket 38 are pivotally coupled to the rear end of the cutoff cam 36 by means of a tension pin 42 extending through the forward ends 40 of the u - bracket and through an elongated slot 44 formed in the cutoff cam 36 ( see particularly fig1 b ). the rearward end of the u - bracket 38 is biased toward the rear of the housing 12 by means of the inner and outer tension springs , 46 , 48 respectively . the tension springs 46 , 48 are confined between a tension shaft 50 and a tension nut 52 . a rotating cam 54 is coupled to a tension adjustment knob 56 by way of tessellated portions 58 which engage corresponding interlocking splines 60 in the adjustment knob 56 . the rotating cam 54 further includes a threaded portion 62 adapted to threadingly engage fixed cam 64 and its housing 66 . as the adjustment knob 56 is turned , the rotating cam 54 either draws the tension shaft 50 closer to the rear of the housing 12 or drives the tension shaft 50 farther from the rear of the housing 12 depending on the direction in which the adjustment knob 56 is turned . accordingly , the tension applied by the u - bracket 38 to the cutoff cam 36 is increased as the adjustment knob 56 is turned so as to compress the tension springs 46 , 48 and is decreased as the adjustment knob 56 is turned to decompress the tension springs 46 , 48 . as seen in fig7 a , the tessellated portions 58 of rotating cam 54 mate with and slide on splines 60 . this features allows the threaded portion 62 to rotate and move longitudinally along the splines , while the adjustment knob 56 remains stationary . this feature allows the overall tool 10 length and overall ergonomics to remain constant throughout its adjustment range . preferably , the adjustment knob 56 includes indicia 68 to designate selected tension settings . the indicia 68 may correspond to the incremental tension ranges provided by detents 70 on the adjustment knob 56 in which a ball 72 , or other suitable device , rides . the present tension adjustment system further includes capability to calibrate , hold and lock . a locking latch 74 is slidingly located on the housing 66 of the fixed cam 64 . as seen particularly in the view of fig6 - 8b , the locking latch 74 includes a switch 76 and a locking pin 78 , seen as a screw in these views . to adjust tension , the hold switch 76 on the top of the tool 10 is moved to an unlocked position ; the adjustment knob 56 is rotated to the desired tension setting ; the hold switch 76 is released to the lock position . the precise tension setting is accomplished by rotating the adjustment knob 56 across multiple discrete detent stops 70 . the tension adjustment system preferably includes the mil spec 1 through 8 settings , including ½ and ¼ increments . further , the tension adjustment system may be calibrated at the point of manufacture or may be calibrated in the field . when the device 10 is to be calibrated in the field , a calibration tension tool 80 , may be used , as will be discussed later with reference to fig1 a - 17b . the tension - lock - cut system embodying various features of the invention , and its operation , may be seen in fig9 - 12 . the tension - lock - cut system of the present invention reduces the tool 10 backlash perceived by a user , eliminates dynamic tension on the cable tie 20 during the tension and cut phases , and standardizes cut - off force during the cut phase . to these ends , the tension - lock - cut system includes a tension - lock - cut linkage 82 ( see fig1 a and 10b ). as seen , the linkage 82 includes a pawl link 28 mounted for horizontal , linear reciprocal movement relative to the housing 12 . the pawl link 28 is supported for linear movement within the housing 12 by way of channels ( not shown ) formed in the interior wall the housing 12 . a tie gripping pawl 30 is carried at the forwardmost end 84 of the pawl link 28 ( see fig1 ) and is pivotally attached to the pawl link 28 . the gripping pawl 30 is upwardly pivotable , as will be discussed later in greater detail . referring further to fig1 a and 10b , the pawl link 28 is reciprocated within the housing 12 by way of an actuating structure located in the trigger 18 , a short link 86 , and a handle link 88 . the trigger 18 includes an elongate , rigid trigger handle link 90 that extends upwardly into the barrel portion 16 of the housing 12 . as seen , the trigger handle link 90 includes two substantially parallel spaced arms 92 at its upper end . each of the arms 92 includes an aperture 94 . a pair of trigger bearings 96 dimensioned to be closely received in the apertures 94 serves to pivotally mount the trigger handle link 90 within the housing 12 for movement around a substantially horizontal pivot axis 98 . when thus mounted , the trigger 18 is movable from a forward or initial position shown in fig1 a , to a rearward or final position adjacent the handle 14 , as shown in fig1 d . a pair of trigger inner links 100 extends upwardly into the barrel portion 16 of the housing 12 alongside the trigger handle link 90 between the arms 92 . the lower ends 102 of the trigger inner links 100 are pivotally joined to the trigger handle link 90 for pivoting movement around a substantially horizontal pivot axis 104 . the upper ends 106 of the trigger inner links 100 further include apertures 108 . the upper ends 106 support a horizontally disposed dog bone cam shaft 110 that is concentrically aligned with the apertures 94 in the upper ends of the trigger handle link 90 and apertures 108 in the inner trigger links 100 . intermediate links 112 each comprise rigid , elongate , substantially parallel member that are of arcuate form . the intermediate links 112 are each pivotally joined at their lower ends 114 at a rearward point 116 of the cutter link 118 . the intermediate links 112 are further pivotally joined at their upper ends 120 to the upper ends 106 of the trigger inner links 100 by way of dog bone cam shaft 110 . a rack member 32 having a plurality of upstanding teeth 31 is affixed to the rearwardmost end 122 of pawl link 28 . the rack member 32 is adapted to engagingly support pinion member 34 . pinion member 34 includes a plurality of teeth members 33 adapted to engage the corresponding teeth members 31 in the rack member 32 . the pinion member 34 further includes an upstanding arm member 124 and pivot members 126 . pivot members 126 are adapted to support pinion torsion spring 128 ( see fig1 b and 11a ). the pinion torsion spring 128 pivotally biases the pinion 34 toward the cutoff cam 36 , such that the upstanding arm member 124 is in contact with the cutoff cam 36 . the cutoff cam 36 is pivotally mounted for pivotal movement around a substantially horizontal pivot axis 130 and includes a cradle 132 in its upper surface . the dog bone cam shaft 110 ordinarily rests in the cradle 132 . the cutoff cam 36 is preferably further formed with a pair of spaced apart blocks 134 which form a channel 136 at a rearward portion of the cutoff cam 36 . the channel 136 is adapted to receive the upstanding arm member 124 of pinion 34 . it is to be noted that the width of the cradle 132 is preferably of a width great enough to enhance toll longevity and consistent repeatability . as further shown , the linkage 82 also includes a handle link 88 having an upper end extending upwardly and forwardly toward the rear end 122 of the pawl link 28 . a pair of substantially parallel spaced short links 86 is pivotally joined at their forward ends 138 to the trigger inner link 100 at pivot axis 140 . the short links 86 are further joined at their rearward ends 130 to the handle link 88 for pivoting movement around substantially horizontal axis 142 . as mentioned previously , the linkage 82 is coupled to the tension adjustment system through the u - bracket 38 . forward ends 40 of the u - bracket 38 are pivotally coupled to the rear end of the cutoff cam 36 by means of a pin 42 extending through the forward ends of the u - bracket 38 and through the elongated slot 44 formed in the cutoff cam 36 . fig1 a shows the linkage in its initial , un - actuated state . in this position , the trigger handle link 90 and trigger inner links 100 are fully forward and away from the handle member 14 . the cutoff cam 36 is pivoted in its full clockwise position around the pivot axis 130 under a predetermined tension developed and controlled by the tension adjustment system . this seats the dog bone cam shaft 110 into the cradle 132 and aligns the dog bone cam shaft 110 , the upper end 106 of the inner trigger links 100 , and the upper ends 120 of the intermediate links 112 with pivot axis 144 . as viewed in fig1 b , cable tie tensioning beings when the trigger 18 is squeezed toward the handle or grip portion 14 in the direction of arrow a . as the trigger 18 begins moving , the short link 86 pivots the handle link 88 in a clockwise direction around the pivot axis 146 and against handle torsion spring 148 . at the same time , the handle link 88 draws the pawl link 28 away from the nose piece 150 ( see fig4 b and 4 c ). as the pawl link 28 begins to move back in the direction of arrow b , the pawl 30 disengages from the nose guide block 152 and begins to pivot upwardly in response to its spring bias , thereby trapping the tie tail 26 between itself and the nosepiece backing plate 154 . this grips the tie tail 26 and pulls the tie tail 26 back along with the pawl 30 and pawl link 28 . this has the further effect of pulling the tie tail 26 through the head portion 24 to tighten the tie 20 around a bundle 22 . when the tie 20 is initially installed and the tie tail 26 is first pulled back , it generates little resistance to being pulled . as the tie 20 draws up against the bundle 22 , the tie tail 26 begins to resist being pulled . the resistance is felt by the pawl link 28 and is transferred through the handle link 88 , the short link 86 and inner trigger link 100 to the dog bone cam shaft 110 . as long as the tie tail 26 does not resist being pulled by the pawl link 28 , little resistance is felt by the handle link 88 as it is pushed back by the short link 86 . as the tie tail 26 begins to resist being pulled , the resistance felt by the pawl link 28 is transferred back through the handle link 88 , the short link 86 , the inner trigger link 100 , and to the dog bone cam shaft 110 . the resistance force transferred by the short link 86 to the inner trigger link 100 tends to pivot the inner trigger link 100 in a clockwise direction about the pivot axis 140 . such pivoting movement on the inner trigger link 100 is impeded by the dog bone cam shaft 110 that is held in position by the cutoff cam 36 . the resistance force that is transferred to the dog bone cam shaft 110 through inner trigger link 100 tends to rotate the cutoff cam 36 around the cam pivot axis 130 . the cutoff cam 36 resists such rotation due to the restraining force applied to it by the tension control mechanism . the force increases as the tie tail 26 is pulled more snugly , until the resistance force becomes great enough to overcome the force applied to the cutoff cam 36 by the tension control mechanism . when this occurs , the cutoff cam 36 rotates in the counterclockwise direction shown by arrow c in fig1 d . an alternative , low tension arrangement may be seen in the views of fig9 - 9d . when the tool 10 is used in low tension operation , the possibility exists that tension is insufficient to disengage the cutoff cam 36 . in this context , and as shown , the tool 10 may be provided with a cavity 200 , having a spring biased ball bearing 202 . when engaged , the ball bearing 202 provides biasing pressure against the cutoff cam 36 to thereby provide the additional tension necessary for proper tool 10 function in low tension applications . as illustrated , a slidable low tension latch 204 may be moved from a first position to a second position to thereby change the degree of compression on the spring 206 and thereby adjust the degree of ball 202 bias against the cutoff cam 36 . the lock operation may be best viewed in the illustration of fig1 d . as seen , operation of the device has progressed to the point at which the resistance force transferred through the pawl link 28 , the handle link 88 , the short link 86 and inner trigger link 100 to the dog bone cam shaft 110 has become great enough to overcome the force applied to the cutoff cam 36 by the tension control mechanism . as seen , the cutoff cam 36 rotates in the counterclockwise direction shown by arrow c around the cam pivot axis 130 , thereby allowing the dog bone cam shaft 110 to move forwardly , in the direction of arrow d , out of the cradle 132 in the cutoff cam 36 . when this occurs , the pinion 34 rotates in a counterclockwise direction , shown by arrow e , through the biasing action of pinion torsion spring 128 . the pinion 34 continues to rotate in the direction of arrow e until the plurality of pinion teeth members 33 engage corresponding teeth members 31 in the rack 32 . the engagement of pinion teeth members 33 and rack teeth members 31 effectively locks further rearward tensioning of the component parts . it will be appreciated that the advantage provided by the locking of rearward tensioning just prior to the cutoff operation causes the tool 10 to accurately tension the tie tail 26 each time a cut is performed . further , blade 160 life is increased since the tie tail 26 is stationary during cutoff . this eliminates inadvertent drag of the tie tail 26 across the blade 160 sharp edge which occurs when the tie tail 26 is constantly tensioned during cutoff operation . cutoff of the tie tail 26 and movement of cooperating parts may be viewed in fig4 d and 12 . as seen , once the pinion 34 and rack 32 have engaged one another and rearward tensioning ceases , intermediate link 112 moves in the direction of arrow f ( see fig1 ). as it does so , it pushes the rear end 116 of the cutter link 118 down in the direction of arrow g ( see fig1 d ). this movement pivots the cutter link 118 around the cutter link axis 162 thereby causing the cutter link 118 to raise the blade member 160 in the direction of arrow h , and thereby cut off the tie tail 26 . when the tie tail 26 is cut , it no longer applies a resisting force to the pawl link 28 and the tool 10 returns to the original condition seen in fig4 a . the present device 10 is further provided with certain features designed to improve the ergonomics of the device . as may be viewed particularly in fig1 a - 14c , the device 10 may include protective coverings , or boots 170 , over certain areas of user interface . with particular reference to fig1 a - 13c , it may be seen that the handle portion 14 may include a handle boot 170 . the handle boot 170 is preferably fabricated of soft , elastomeric material , such as rubber , or other suitable resilient material that will conform to the user &# 39 ; s hand ( not shown ). the boot 170 may be joined to the handle member 14 by way of a key lock system as is shown , wherein key members 172 are molded as a part of the boot 170 , with key members 172 adapted to be engaged in lock apertures 168 in the handle member 14 . as may be seen with particular reference to fig1 c , while in the installed position , the handle boot 170 and the handle member 14 interact to create a air bladder 174 . the air bladder 174 , in conjunction with the soft characteristic of the handle boot 170 , creates a trampoline effect during use of the tool 10 . for example , as the user &# 39 ; s hand pushes against the handle boot surface 171 , the air bladder 174 and boot 170 conform to the user &# 39 ; s hand thereby reducing user fatigue and discomfort . as may be viewed in fig1 a - 14c , the device 10 is seen to further include a trigger boot 170 a . similar to the handle boot 170 , the trigger boot 170 a is preferably formed of a soft , elastomeric material , such as rubber , or other suitable resilient material that will conform to the user &# 39 ; s hand . as in the handle boot 170 , the trigger boot 170 a may be joined to the trigger member 18 by way of a key lock system . in the case of the trigger boot 170 a key members 172 may be formed as a part of the trigger member 18 , which are adapted to be engaged in lock apertures 168 formed in the trigger boot 170 a . the overall design and mentioned ergonomic improvements to the tool 10 are known to improve measurable applied grip force , thereby reducing musculoskeletal injury to the user and improving work environment safety . for example , when rated on the borg - 10 rating of perceived exertion scale , users consistently rated the tool 10 as requiring less than “ moderate ” effort as compared to other prior art tools . ( see borg , g . a ., psychophysical bases of perceived exertion , med sci sports exerc . 1982 ; 14 ( 5 ): 377 - 81 for discussion of the borg - 10 scale ). further , when evaluated using the strain index , ( see moore j s , garg a ., the strain index : a proposed method to analyze jobs for risk of distal upper extremity disorders , am ind hyg assoc j . 1995 may ; 56 ( 5 ): 443 - 458 ), the present tool 10 resulted in more “ low risk ” scenarios as compared to other prior art tools . the strain index is a semi - quantitative evaluation method that considers several exposure variables to determine the risk of user musculoskeletal disorders . variables include intensity of effort , efforts per minute , percent duration of exertion , among others . with attention now to fig1 a and 15b , it may be seen that the forwardmost end of the device 10 barrel 16 carries a nosepiece 150 . the nosepiece 150 preferably includes a blunt , substantially vertical planar face 151 adapted to butt up against the head 24 of a cable tie 20 ( not seen in these views ) when the tie 20 is tensioned . the nosepiece 150 further includes an upper , horizontal portion 153 that , in cooperation with the face 151 defines a slot 156 for receiving the tie tail portion 26 of the cable tie 20 . as may be further seen , the slot 156 may be open toward the left side of the device 10 so that the tail 26 may be inserted into the device 10 from the side . a nose guide block 152 positioned behind the nose piece 150 defines a lower surface for supporting the underside of the tie tail 26 . as further viewed in fig1 a and 15b , the sharpened blade member 160 is located immediately behind the nose piece 150 and the nose guide block 152 . blade member 160 is confined between a pair of vertical channels 157 defined between the nosepiece 150 and the housing 12 which permit the blade member 160 to reciprocate vertically behind the nosepiece 150 . as further seen , the blade member 160 includes a blade link aperture 161 arranged to secure the forward end 119 of the cutter link 118 therethrough and thereby carry the blade member 160 on the cutter link 118 during reciprocation of the cutter link 118 while cutting . with specific reference to fig1 a , it may be seen that the blade member 160 further includes a blade perimeter 158 having a beveled portion 159 . as seen , the beveled portion 159 corresponds to a respective beveled area 164 on the housing 12 . the blade beveled portion 159 is configured to allow single directional mounting of the blade 160 by the user . this feature alleviates improper blade 160 mounting during replacement or repair . correct blade 160 mounting further increases the longevity of both the blade member 160 and the tool 10 . further , the beveled portion 159 gives a well understood indication to users of correct blade 160 placement , thereby increasing user efficiency during blade replacement . as mentioned previously , the tension adjustment system may be calibrated at the point of manufacture or may be calibrated in the field . calibration sets the base tension point from which the further tension adjustments , discussed previously , may be made . during calibration , a calibration tension tool 80 may be used . with specific reference to fig1 a - 17b , a calibration tension tool 80 for use with the present device 10 may be seen . as seen , the calibration tension tool 80 includes a first side 180 and a second side 182 . as viewed particularly in fig1 a , the first side 180 preferably includes a plurality of upstanding protuberances 184 . illustrated in fig1 b is the second side 182 of calibration tension tool 80 and showing an upstanding , elongate key device 186 . as shown , the key device 186 may further include at least one pin portion 188 . use of the calibration tension tool 80 may be viewed in fig1 a and 17b . as seen in fig1 a , the first side 180 of calibration tool 80 may be used to remove the calibration cap 190 . as seen , the protuberances 184 engage corresponding detents 191 in the calibration cap 190 while the calibration tool 80 rotates in the direction of arrow f to twist off the calibration cap 190 . with the calibration cap 190 removed , and as seen in fig1 b , the key device 186 on the second side 182 of calibration tool 80 along with pin portions 188 engage the tension calibration nut 52 in corresponding detents 192 . the calibration tool 80 is then rotated in the direction of arrow g to thereby rotate the tension shaft 50 and rotating cam 54 to a predetermined tension position . it is to be noted that rotation of the tension shaft 50 may be in clockwise or counterclockwise direction , depending on whether the user wishes to set calibration at a higher or lower set tension . the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention . furthermore , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described . while the preferred embodiment has been described , the details may be changed without departing from the invention .	8
turning now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same , fig1 illustrates a medical imaging apparatus a in data communication with an image processor b . the imaging device a is illustrated as a computed tomography scanner which is adapted to output digitized image data . it will be appreciated , however , that the imaging device is suitably comprised of any medical imager which is adapted for generation of digitized image data . the image processor b includes a pixel processor 10 in data communication , through a bus 12 , to a system memory . in the preferred embodiment , the pixel processor 10 is comprised of a motorola 68020 microprocessor running in the range of 16 - 25 mhz . it will be appreciated , however , that various other processors are suitably adaptable for the pixel processing functions . the system memory includes dynamic random access main memory (&# 34 ; dram &# 34 ;) 14 and video random access memory (&# 34 ; vram &# 34 ;) 16 . vram is a dual port memory which provides an ability for dual port access ( concurrent reads and writes ). transfers of data between the imager a , the pixel processor 10 , the dram memory 14 , and the vram memory 16 , accordingly all occur via the bus 12 . all operations of components of image processor b are synchronized by a system clock ( not shown ), as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art . data transfers are alternatively provided via the pixel processor 10 , or directly via direct memory access (&# 34 ; dma &# 34 ;) control . data transfers utilizing the pixel processor 10 must engage in a three - step operation . for example , data from the dram memory 14 is read into the pixel processor 10 via the bus 12 . in a subsequent clock cycle , data is read from the pixel processor 10 to the vram 16 . in the dma mode , memory may , for example , be transferred in one cycle between the dram 14 and the vram 16 . such dma transfers require , however , independent control . this is provided by the chained dma control unit 22 . in the preferred embodiment , the vram covers 768k ( 786 , 432 ) bytes of memory ; each byte comprising , 8 bits . each pixel is defined by two bytes or 16 bits . this memory configuration allows for storage of an image . the vram 16 physically covers 768 × 512 pixels . the display area is 640 × 512 pixels . the image size is sized at 512 &# 34 ; horizontal &# 34 ; × 512 &# 34 ; vertical &# 34 ; pixels , with each pixel being assigned one of 2 14 colors . it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art , however , that other memory sizes may be used to provide for varying degrees of image size or image complexity , such as resolution and coloration . the chained dma control 22 provides for selective linear or non - linear addressing of memory locations in dram 14 or vram 16 . the functioning of dma control 22 will be described with particularity below . output from the vram 16 is written to a digital - to - analog converter (&# 34 ; dac &# 34 ;) 24 . an analog output 26 of the dac 24 is communicated to an associated video display terminal such as a crt ( not shown ). turning now to fig2 and 3 , with continuing reference to fig1 the chained dma control 22 will be described with particularity . in the preferred embodiment , addresses of the memory 14 , 16 are comprised of 32 bits . addressing within the dma control unit 22 is formed either linearly , via a linear address generator 30 , or as a chained address , via chained address generator 32 . the linear address generator 30 provides the standard , linear , sequential chain of memory address locations . this address is provided as a single 32 bit output 36 . parameters for commencement and completion of a linear address string are setable via interface with a central processing unit (&# 34 ; cpu &# 34 ;), such as pixel processor 10 . the chained address generator 32 , similarly to the linear address generator 30 , generates an address portion comprised of 32 bits . for purposes of discussion , the 32 bit address output from chain address generator 32 has been divided into a 12 - bit column address portion 40 and a 20 - bit row address portion 42 . the designations &# 34 ; row &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; column &# 34 ; are utilized for ease in visualization of a corresponding vdt output . in actuality , a single 32 - bit address is used . the column address is comprised of the least significant 12 bits of the address , while the row address portion is comprised of the most significant 20 bits thereof . the chained address generator 32 is , similarly to the linear address generator 30 , cpu programmable . an additional input to the chained address generator 32 is provided by an end - of - line counter 44 , which provides an end - of - line signal eol thereto . the end - of - line counter 44 is similarly cpu programmable . relative interactions of the end - of - line counter 44 and the chained address generator 32 will be described with particularity below . the linear address generator 30 , the chained address 32 , and the end - of - line counter 44 are all synchronized to the system data clock which is illustrated at 50 . with particular reference to fig3 and continuing reference to fig2 the function of the chained address generator 32 and end - of - line address counter 44 will be described . fig3 graphically illustrates a memory address space 54 which includes a column address extent a and a row address extent b . an arbitrary memory location 56 is defined by a unique row / column address in the form of ( a i , b i ). the column a i is dictated by the column address portion 40 , while the row address b i is dictated by the row address portion 42 . in the preferred embodiment , the memory address space 54 is defined as 2 megabytes , addressable from address 0 to address 1 , 048 , 575 . the column address extent a is defined as 2 12 addresses in banks of 4k each . accordingly , the extent of each row is : ( 4 , 096n )- 1 , where n is defined as the row number . these 4k of column addresses per row are defined by the 2 12 bits from the column address portion 40 . a vram space 60 is mapped as a portion of the memory address space 54 . the vram space 60 is mapped over a portion of the memory address space 54 , with the remainder 58 being reserved for expansion . the vram space 60 defines the output to be communicated to the digital - to - analog converter 24 ( fig1 ), and thereafter to the associated video display terminal . the extent of the vram space 60 is limited only by the vram present . as noted above , in the preferred embodiment , this includes 768k of total vram memory . the vram 60 has stored data obtained from the imaging apparatus a ( fig1 ). the contents of the vram 60 are sequentially polled to form a video output which is communicated to an associated video display terminal . the dma transfer is defined by a commencement point 64 , a column extent c , and a total transfer size , which infers a row extent d by the relation : ## equ1 ## the total memory area of the vram which is available for image generation is dictated by a × b . this quantity is limited by the geometry of a selected video display . turning particularly to fig2 with continued reference to fig3 a row and column address representative of commencement point 64 is loaded into chained address generator 32 , together with total byte count c × d . vram column extent c is preprogrammed into the end - of - line counter 44 . the chained address generator sequentially , at a rate dictated by the data clock 50 , increments the column address portion 40 from the column of the commencement point 64 . the end - of - line counter 44 similarly increments its column register synchronously with the data clock 50 , comparing it after each such increment with the preprogrammed value of the vram column extent c therein . when this extent has been achieved , the counter 44 generates the end of line signal eol , and communicates it to the chained address generator 32 . after receipt of the eol signal , the chained address generator increments its row address number to the next row , at the column address dictated by the commencement point 64 . this continues until the total byte count d has been achieved , after which time the processor ends and the pixel transfer 20 regains control . in this fashion , a rectangular image of any size is written directly to the vram space 60 . concurrently with the dma writing of image data to the vram 16 , data is also communicated for display through the dac 24 . it will be appreciated that vram provides a means by which concurrent reads and writes of data stored therein are enabled . such concurrent addressing and accessing of the vram memory provides a means by which sequential cine images are formed . the fast , non - linear , dma control provides a means for efficient utilization of expensive vram memory , and the provision of high resolution , flicker - free , display of cine images . vram provides a means by which image data stored therein is displayable concurrently with updates thereto . this increases efficiency of the transfer . this , combined with chained dma provides for fast access to non - sequential display . the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment . obviously , modifications and alterations will occur to others upon the reading and understanding of the specification . it is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims , or the equivalents thereof .	6
with reference to fig1 - 3 , there is illustrated an apparatus useful to perform the method and obtain a strip product having a refined domain structure to provide electrical steels according to the present invention . the domain refinement is carried out by local mechanical deformation irrespective of whether the steel is at elevated temperature or not . as shown , there two rows , 10 and 12 , of low inertia rolls 14 which are staggered such that the initially occurring row has three evenly spaced apart rolls 14 and downstream thereof there are three evenly spaced apart rolls 14 . the total number of such rolls in each row is arbitrary but , preferably the total number of rolls is an even number to prevent lateral thrust on the strip because of the angled scribe patterns being imparted thereto . as shown in fig2 the rolls 14 of each row are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the axial lengths of the rolls of the other row . the aggregate of the axial lengths of the rolls of both rows are selected to at least correspond to or exceed the width of the strip to be scribed . the length of each roll 14 may range up to about one - half the strip width . preferably , each scribing roll may have an axial length on the order of between 1 and 22 inches ( 2 . 5 to 55 . 9 cm ) long . the arrows shown in these figures indicate the direction of travel of the strip which is also parallel to the rolling direction . the rolls 14 are each supported by a yoke 48 connected by a ball joint to foundation structure to allow freedom of lateral movement . vertical movement of each roll is controlled by operation of a piston and cylinder assembly 15 to apply a predetermined pressure causing the operation of the scribing roll . directly below the scribing rolls 14 of each of the rows 10 and 12 at the opposite side of the strip , there are arranged identical anvil or press rolls 16 . the rotational axis of rolls 16 extends parallel to the rotational axes of the rolls 14 thereabove and have their axes co - planar with the associated scribing rolls . the anvil rolls are adapted to serve as rigid resistant members for the scribing rolls and support the strip when fed between the cooperative set of rolls . the scribing rolls are urged by actuators 15 ( fig1 ) against the strip to effect the desired local mechanical deformation in the upper surface of the strip under a pressure sufficient to impart plastic deformation along the sites where each of protruding ridges of the scribing roller contact the strip . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 - 3 , the rolls 14 are idler rolls which rotate by the frictional contact with the constantly moving strip . the strip is advanced between the rolls by a strip driving means , such as one or more well known pinch roll units , not shown and / or by driving the anvil rolls 16 as described hereinafter . the strip speed is within the range of approximately 20 to 400 feet per minute ( 6 to 92 meters per minute ). the rolls 16 are rotatably supported by providing a support shaft 20 extending from opposite ends of the rolls and supported in bearing units 22 mounted in a well known manner , not shown . motor gear drive units 24 are coupled to the shaft 20 to drive the rolls 16 . in some application of the invention , either or both of the rolls 14 and 16 may be directly driven either to advance the strip through the roll units or , if the strip is moved by other means , to match the roll speed with the strip speed . in the arrangement shown in fig1 - 3 , the anvil rolls are positively driven by motor - gear drive units 24 . one of the considerations as to whether the rolls are directly driven or not will be whether the strip is in a heated condition or cooler , such as at room temperature . in the heated condition the yield strength of the strip may be greatly reduced resulting in a danger that the inertia of the rolls may tear or otherwise damage the strip or cause the forming of non - uniform scribes during the scribing . each of the scribing rolls 14 is provided with strip deforming projections that may take any one of several different forms according to the present invention . fig2 and 3 illustrate a helical arrangement of spaced apart projections 26 formed on the outer peripheries of each scribing roll . the projections 26 extend the full face length of each roll and are constructed so that the scribe lines produced thereby in the face of the strip always extend in a direction generally transverse to the rolling direction . the scribing rolls are arranged as shown such that the ridges 26 of each scribe roll are oriented so that the scribe lines 27 in the strip are in pattern of columns c1 , c2 , c3 , c4 - cn . the columns extend the length of the strip with the scribe lines of adjacent patterns merging to form a chevron design which occurs repeatedly across the width of the strip . one or more chevron patterns may be scribed on the steel strip by the alternating orientation or arrangement of staggered scribing rolls 14 . the projections of each staggered scribing roll 14 is axially at an angle in alternating directions . in a preferred embodiment the scribing pressure is selected to impart plastic deformation to the base metal of the strip and thereby cause an affect upon the magnetic domain walls . the refinement has been found to be heat resistant when recrystallized grains are formed in the strip beneath the plastically deformed surface by annealing at a temperature of , for example , 1400 ° f . for one minute or less . the mgo coating or other oxide coating on the strip may be refurbished to reestablish a smooth face surface , filling in the gaps where scribing occurred . alternatively , the chevron pattern may be used to refine the magnetic domains with little or no plastic deformation of the steel strip and without damaging the coating . such steel may exhibit non - heat resistant domain refinement . in the embodiment of fig4 the projections in the body of scribing roll 14a are in the form of a chevron pattern of scribing ridges 28 extending across the roll face but change direction between opposite ends of the scribing roll 14a . furthermore , the apexes of the chevrons fall in a substantially common plane at approximately the axial longitudinal center of the scribing roll 14a . in the embodiments of fig1 - 3 and fig4 the scribing ridges 26 and 28 are spaced apart and extend across the face surface of the scribing rolls . the pitch or spacing of the scribing ridges as measured between the valleys or scribed grooves defining two adjacent projections may be on the order of 1 to 15 mm , usually between 2 to 10 mm , preferably between 5 and 10 mm , and have a depth on the order of 0 . 5 to 1 . 0 mil . the groove formed by each scribing surface 26 and 28 extends at an angle of 45 ° or less and can have an angle between 10 ° to 20 °. the helical arrangement of ridges formed by the scribing ridges produces on the surface of the strip as a result of the scribing operation pattern , scribed lines that always change direction but are always angled at an angle , θ , of 45 ° or less , preferably between 20 ° and 10 ° from the perpendicular to the strip rolling . the arrangement of the scribed marks caused by the adjacent patterns on segments form an included angle φ of at least 90 °, preferably in the range of 90 ° to 160 ° and form a chevron pattern of scribe lines on the strip across the entire width of the strip . the chevron projections are pressed against the strip under a pressure support to impose local compressive forces or stresses on a strip surface as scribe lines . it has also been found that chevron patterns with smaller legs tend to provide further improvement in core loss values over larger chevrons . by smaller legs , it is meant that the oblique lines of the chevron are shorter , and do not extend to the end of the scribing roll , such as shown in fig4 . in such embodiments , two or more chevrons are provided on a scribing roll 14a such that the oblique lines or legs of the chevron may range from 0 . 5 to 22 inches long , preferably about 0 . 5 inch . such chevron patterns provide at least three advantages over typical mechanical scribe lines which extend substantially across the width of the sheet strip transverse to the rolling direction . first , there appears to be an improvement in maintaining the track of the strip as it passes between the scribing rolls and the anvil rolls . a tendency of the strip to &# 34 ; drift &# 34 ; or shift laterally in the plane of the sheet was observed when providing mechanical scribing that extends in a direction substantially across the strip width from edge to edge . the chevron patterns appear to minimize tracking problems . thus the scribe lines in the scribing pattern should form equally a plus and minus θ to the scribe lines to maximize the neutralizing benefit to lateral thrust that might otherwise result when the scribe lines occur at different angles in columns or arrays . θ is the angle between the scribe lines and the normal to the easy direction of magnetization . with regard to the embodiment of fig1 - 3 , it bears particular note that the angled arrangement of the scribe lines imparted by the strip by each scribe roller impose a lateral thrust on the strip which is neutralized by selecting the number of scribe rolls and the orientation of the scribe lines produced thereby so that there is no net lateral thrust as would occur should the alternating patterns of scribe lines be the result of an unequal number of scribing rollers . second , there is a further improvement in core loss reductions by 5 to 10 milliwatts per pound ( mwpp ) at 60 h z and 1 . 5t . over typical scribing which has scribe lines extending substantially across the width of the sheet strip . this is shown by the data in the following table for high permeability steel with μ10 of the order of 1920 to greatly benefit the magnetic quality by a chevron scribing pattern . table______________________________________scribe line core loss , mwpp @ 60 h . sub . zorientation , θ pitch , mm μ10 1 . 5t 1 . 7t______________________________________none none 1923 369 511 ± 15 ° 5 1918 338 (- 9 . 6 %) 470 (- 9 . 6 %) 0 ° 5 1916 344 (- 6 . 5 %) 473 (- 7 . 3 %)± 15 ° 10 1924 350 (- 4 . 9 %) 480 (- 5 . 0 %) ______________________________________ third , there appears to be an improvement in handling characteristics of the scribed material during core winding operations for the transformer manufacturer . the chevron patterns appear to provide fewer winding and lacing difficulties , perhaps as the result of the absence of unidirectional scribe lines that may induce lateral thrust . such improved winding and lacing results in improved gap patterns and higher stacking factors . the segmented scribing roller disclosed in pending u . s . patent application ser . no 07 / 978 , 204 , filed nov . 18 , 1992 , and assigned to the same assignee as this patent application , can be used to scribe a surface of the strip while supported by a solid anvil roll to carry out the method and obtain the strip product according to the present invention . the segmented scribing roller offers the advantage of providing uniform scribing pressure by the use of an arbor used to support inflatable bladders that apply uniform pressure or support of segments . the segments rotate about an axis and each have scribing surfaces contacting the strip for the scribing operations . it being necessary , however , to form the scribing surfaces so as to produce the requisite chevron pattern as shown and described herein . the segmented anvil roller disclosed in pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 07 / 977 , 359 , filed nov . 17 , 1992 , and assigned to the same assignee as this patent application , can be used to support the strip during scribing by any one of a variety of scribing roll patterns and roll constructions described herein . the segmented anvil roller offers the advantage of providing uniform support for the strip while contacted at the opposite face by a scribing roller having scribing surfaces arranged to produce the requisite chevron pattern shown and described herein . the steel strip and method for producing the same according to the present invention , may utilize the very hard surface anvil or press roll as disclosed in pending u . s . application ser . no . 07 / 977 , 584 , filed nov . 17 , 1992 and assigned to the same assignee of this patent application . such features for the anvil or press roll prevent excessive penetrations of the scribes in the steel strip and allow controlling of the degree of such penetrations to maintain high stacking factor . while the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures , 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 . therefore , the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment , but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims .	1
in fig1 the reference numeral 10 designates a flow meter embodying features of the present invention . the meter 10 includes a flow meter body 12 having a crankcase portion 14 and opposing , axially - aligned , hollow first and second cylinder portions 16 and 18 , respectively , extending outwardly from the crankcase portion 14 . the head ends of the cylinder portions 16 and 18 are capped by first and second head end cover plates 20 and 22 , respectively . the bottom of the crankcase portion 14 is sealed by a removable base cover 24 having a well portion 24a defined by a cylindrical wall 24b extending downwardly and a closed bottom end 24c . an opening 24d is formed in the wall 24b and extends horizontally , as viewed in fig1 from the exterior to the interior of the well portion 24a . the opening 24d is sealed with a tube 26 inserted into the well portion 24a and sized to fit firmly against the wall 24b . the tube 26 comprises a relatively thin wall , non - magnetic metallic material such as aluminum or stainless steel . two o - ring gaskets 28 are disposed between the tube 26 and the wall 24b in annular grooves 24e formed in the upper and lower inside portions of the wall 24b to further seal the opening 24d . a magnetic wheel assembly 30 having a support structure 32 is secured to the base cover 24 via a plurality of screws , two of which are shown identified by the reference numerals 34a and 34b , which extend through the structure 32 into the base cover 24 . the support structure 32 is composed of a plastic material such as delrin or kevlar and includes a bore 32a formed in the center thereof through which a shaft 36 is rotatably mounted . a slotted wheel 38 is attached to the top end of the shaft 36 and includes a slot 38a formed therein which extends radially and opens outwardly therefrom . the slotted wheel 38 further includes a boss 38b having a diameter approximately twice that of the shaft 36 for rotatably seating the slotted wheel 38 on the structure 32 . a magnetic wheel 40 is coupled to the lower end of the shaft 36 and is thus disposed inside the tube 26 . the magnetic wheel 40 is formed from a plastic injection molded material and incorporates a series of 20 magnetic poles ( not shown ) angularly spaced about the outer circumference of the wheel 40 . the magnetic wheel 40 is diametrically sized so that a small gap will exist between the wheel 40 and the tube 26 . a thrust washer 42 is disposed between the magnetic wheel 40 and the structure 32 to reduce surface contact therebetween and consequent wear on materials and drag on the fluid meter 10 . a hall effect transducer 44 having two sensors , commonly known in the art , is mounted in the opening 24d such that the sensors abut the tube 26 and are thus located within close proximity to the magnetic wheel 40 . the opening 24d is then sealed with a potting compound such as an epoxy material to further seal the opening 24d . due to the proximity of the sensors to the wheel 40 , the sensors can detect fluctuations in the magnetic influence of the magnetic poles of the wheel 40 when the wheel 40 rotates . in response to such detection , the transducer 44 generates a pulsed signal proportional to the rate of rotation of the wheel 40 . the two sensors are , furthermore , horizontally spaced so that the direction of rotation of the magnetic wheel 40 can be determined by identifying which of the two sensors first detects the magnetic influence of a particular pole . a bore 46 is formed in the top central portion of the flow meter body 12 and a ball bearing assembly 48 is fitted therein . a crankshaft 50 is rotatably disposed in the bearing assembly 48 and , as more clearly shown in fig2 a and 2b , includes a straight vertically oriented upper shaft portion 52 which bears laterally against the bearing 48 . an upper third 52a of the upper shaft portion 52 extends above the bearing assembly 48 and is shaped to receive a rotary valve discussed below with reference to fig3 a and 3b below . a circumferential groove 52b is formed near the top end of the upper shaft portion 52a for receiving a snap ring , discussed below , to secure the crankshaft 50 in the bearing assembly 48 . a ring portion 52c is formed at the lower end of the shaft portion 52 and bears upwardly against the bottom of the bearing assembly 48 . a first link 54 is connected to the lower end of the upper portion 52 below the ring portion 52c and extends radially outwardly therefrom . a first crank pin 56 extends downwardly from the first link 54 through a first roller bearing 58 and into a second link 60 . as best shown in fig2 b , relative to the crankshaft upper portion 52 , the second link 60 is angularly offset from the first link 54 by 60 °. a second crank pin 62 extends downwardly from the second link 60 through a second roller bearing 64 secured thereto with a snap ring 66 which resiliently fits into a circumferential groove appropriately formed in the lower end of the second crank pin 62 . a pin 68 extends downwardly from the second crank pin 62 into the slot 38a for engaging the slotted wheel 38 and imparting rotary motion to the slotted and the magnetic wheels 38 and 40 , respectively , when the crankshaft 50 is rotated . referring to fig1 the flow meter 10 further includes first and second pistons 80 , 81 reciprocally disposed in the cylinders 16 , 18 . first and second connecting rods 82 , 83 drivingly connect the respective pistons 80 , 81 to the respective first and second roller bearings 58 , 64 , and hence to the crankshaft 50 . the first piston 80 and connecting rod 82 are more clearly shown in fig4 a and 4b . it is understood that the numbers shown in fig4 a and 4b , when primed , refer to substantially identical aspects or components of the second piston 81 and connecting rod 83 . accordingly , the first and second connecting rods 82 , 83 are formed from flat stock with scotch yoke portions 82a , 82a &# 39 ; which are punched to provide oblong slotted yokes 82b , 82b &# 39 ; for slidingly engaging the respective first and second roller bearings 58 , 64 . guide extensions 82c , 82c &# 39 ; extend longitudinally from the yoke portions 82a , 82a &# 39 ; and include spherically shaped end portions 82d , 82d &# 39 ;. referring to fig4 a , the pistons 80 , 81 include cylindrical guide chamber walls 80a , 80a &# 39 ; which define guide chambers 80b , 80b &# 39 ; each of which have one open end and an inside diameter sized for receiving the respective spherical end portion 82d &# 39 ;, 82d . the pistons 80 , 81 further include grooves 80c , 80c &# 39 ; circumscribed thereabout for receiving gaskets 86 , 86 &# 39 ; made of a resilient material such as delrin . the connecting rods 82 , 83 include , opposite the end portions 82d , 82d &# 39 ;, connecting ring portions 82e , 82e &# 39 ; which slide onto the piston guide chamber walls 80a , 80a &# 39 ; and are secured thereto via snap rings 84 , 84 &# 39 ;. it is understood that the rods 82 , 83 may be secured to the pistons 80 , 81 using a number of techniques know in the art . for example , the piston rods 82 , 83 may be welded or threaded onto the pistons 80 , 81 or secured thereto by a bolt connection to a flange formed on the connecting rods 82 , 83 . it is further understood that , when disposed in the flow meter 10 , the guide chambers 80b , 80b &# 39 ; receive and , in operation , guide the opposing end portions 82d &# 39 ;, 82d of the respective second and first connecting rods 83 , 82 to thereby facilitate reciprocation of the pistons 81 , 80 in the cylinders 18 , 16 . referring to fig1 it can be appreciated that the pistons 80 , 81 delineate in the cylinders 16 , 18 respective first and second inner ends 88 , 90 having open communication with the crankcase portion 14 , and respective first and second head end chambers 92 , 94 opposing the inner ends 88 , 90 . it can be further appreciated that a crankcase chamber 96 is defined by the crankcase portion 14 in combination with the inner ends 88 , 90 . the gaskets 86 , 86 &# 39 ; circumscribing the pistons 80 , 81 engage the cylinders 16 , 18 and seal the head end chambers 92 , 94 from the crankcase chamber 96 . as depicted in fig5 taken along the line 5 -- 5 in fig1 a valve seat 100 is defined in the top central portion of the flow meter 10 . the valve seat 100 includes first , second , and third , arcuate ports 102 , 104 , 106 , respectively . each of the ports 102 , 104 , 106 subtend an arc about the bore 46 of approximately 80 ° and are angularly spaced apart approximately 40 ° between ports . referring to both fig1 and 5 , the first port 102 is in fluid communication with the first head end chamber 92 via a first passageway 108 formed in the fluid meter body 12 . the second port 104 is in fluid communication with the second head end chamber 94 via a second passageway 110 formed in the fluid meter body 12 . referring to fig5 and 6 , the third port 106 is in fluid communication with the crankcase chamber 96 via a third passageway 112 formed in the fluid meter body 12 . referring to fig1 a rotary valve 120 is positioned on top of the valve seat 100 to control the admission and discharge of a fluid into and out of the first , second , and third ports 102 , 104 , 106 . the valve 120 is composed of a plastic material such as delrin and , with reference to fig3 a and 3b , includes a hole 120a formed in the center thereof through which the upper crankshaft portion 52a extends for rotatably coupling the valve 120 to the crankshaft 50 . as shown in fig1 a sleeve 122 and a coil spring 124 are fitted over the upper crankshaft portion 52a , until they rest on the rotary valve 120 , and are secured thereto by a snap ring 126 placed in the groove 52b . the valve 120 and the crankshaft 50 are thus resiliently secured together longitudinally by the spring 124 , though the downward movement of the spring 124 is limited by the sleeve 122 which prevents the spring 124 from compressing more than a predetermined amount . referring to fig3 a and 3b , the valve 120 further includes an arcuate inlet port 120b and an arcuate outlet port 120c axially and radially aligned to alternately register with the first , second , and third arcuate ports 102 , 104 , 106 of the valve seat 100 when the valve 120 is rotated by the crankshaft 50 . each of the ports 120b , 120c subtend an arc about the hole 120a of approximately 100 ° and are angularly spaced apart approximately 80 ° between ports . as further shown in fig1 a dome 132 is secured to the top of the flow meter body 12 and the rotary valve 120 . a supply chamber 134 is formed in the dome 132 for supplying fluid to the inlet port 120b of the rotary valve 120 . a supply port 136 formed in the dome 132 provides fluid communication between the supply chamber 134 and fluid supply lines ( not shown ). similarly , an annular discharge chamber 138 is formed in the dome 132 about the supply chamber 134 for receiving fluid discharged from the outlet port 120c of the rotary valve 120 . a discharge port 140 provides fluid communication between the discharge chamber 138 and fluid discharge lines ( not shown ). fig7 is a plan view depicting one instantaneous position of the rotary valve ports 120b , 120c ( shown in phantom ) superimposed over the first , second , and third ports 102 , 104 , 106 of the valve seat 100 . in operation , the rotary valve 120 is rotated by the crankshaft 50 in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 142 . accordingly , the inlet and outlet ports 120b , 120c sequentially register with each of the ports 102 , 104 , 106 . as shown in fig7 the inlet port 120b is registered with the third port 106 and the outlet port 120c is registered with the second port 104 . registration of the inlet port 120b with the first port 102 is depicted as impending . because each of the ports 102 , 104 , 106 subtend an angle of approximately 80 ° and each of the rotary valve ports 120b , 120c subtend an angle of approximately 100 °, each port 102 , 104 , 106 alternately registers with the inlet port 120b for 180 ° of rotation of the crankshaft 50 and then with the outlet port 120c for 180 ° of rotation . it can be appreciated that the inlet port 120b or the outlet port 120c may register with one or two , but not all three , of the ports 102 , 104 , 106 simultaneously . the ports 102 , 104 , 106 may , however , register with only one of the ports 120b , 120c at a time . to more fully illustrate the operation of the flow meter 10 , and with reference to fig1 it will be assumed that , initially , the flow meter body 12 is filled with fluid , the crankshaft 50 is rotated to place the first piston 80 in as close proximity to the head cover 20 as possible ( i . e ., a &# 34 ; top dead center &# 34 ; position ), the second piston 81 leads the first piston 80 by a phase angle of 60 °, and the rotary valve ports 120b , 120c are related to the first , second , and third ports 102 , 104 , 106 as shown in fig7 . a fluid , such as gasoline from an external source ( not shown ), is then supplied through the supply port 136 and passed through the supply chamber 134 , the inlet port 120b of the rotary valve 120 , and , in accordance with fig7 through the third port 106 . the fluid then flows through the third passageway 112 ( fig6 ) and into the crankcase chamber 96 where it applies pressure to displace the second piston 81 outwardly ( away from the crankshaft 50 ) ( the first piston 80 resists outward movement since it is in a top dead center position ). the outward movement of the second piston 81 expels fluid from the second chamber 94 thereby causing the fluid to pass through the second passageway 110 , the second port 104 , the discharge chamber 138 , and out through the discharge port 140 to a discharge line ( not shown ). the movement of the second piston 81 also drives the crankshaft 50 via the second connecting rod 83 . accordingly , the crankshaft 50 imparts counterclockwise rotation to the rotary valve 120 and the inlet port 120b begins to register with the first port 102 . fluid in the supply chamber 134 then begins to flow through the inlet port 120b of the rotary valve 120 and through the first port 102 . the fluid then flows through the first passageway 108 into the first chamber 92 and applies pressure to displace the first piston 80 inwardly ( towards the crankshaft 50 ), thereby effecting further rotation of the crankshaft 50 and the rotary valve 120 . the process continues according the principles described herein . as a result , the pistons 80 , 81 reciprocate in the cylinders 16 , 18 , respectively , thereby rotating the crankshaft 50 , the attached rotary valve 120 , and the magnetic wheel 40 . the sensors in the hall effect transducer 44 , detect the consequent fluctuation in the magnetic influence of the magnetic poles on the wheel 40 , and generate a pulsed signal which is proportional to the flow rate of the fluid passing through the flow meter 10 . although not clear from the drawings , it is understood that the pulsed signal may be employed to drive an electronic counter and indicator for recording the volume and total value of fluid , such as gasoline , dispensed through the flow meter 10 . table 1 shows the relative amount of fluid supplied to and discharged from each of the three chambers 92 , 94 , 96 of the flow meter 10 as the crankshaft 50 rotates through 30 ° increments . an initial reference angle of 0 ° is defined by the instantaneous position of the rotary valve as depicted in fig7 . positive values indicate fluid supplied and negative values indicate fluid discharged . ______________________________________angle first second crankcase total totalof chamber chamber chamber fluid fluidrotation 92 94 96 in out______________________________________ 0 - 30 ° 0 . 27 - 1 . 00 0 . 73 1 . 00 - 1 . 0030 - 60 ° 0 . 73 - 1 . 00 0 . 27 1 . 00 - 1 . 0060 - 90 ° 1 . 00 - 0 . 73 - 0 . 27 1 . 00 - 1 . 00 90 - 120 ° 1 . 00 - 0 . 27 - 0 . 73 1 . 00 - 1 . 00120 - 150 ° 0 . 73 0 . 27 - 1 . 00 1 . 00 - 1 . 00150 - 180 ° 0 . 27 0 . 73 - 1 . 00 1 . 00 - 1 . 00180 - 210 ° - 0 . 27 1 . 00 - 0 . 73 1 . 00 - 1 . 00210 - 240 ° - 0 . 73 1 . 00 - 0 . 27 1 . 00 - 1 . 00240 - 270 ° - 1 . 00 0 . 73 0 . 27 1 . 00 - 1 . 00270 - 300 ° - 1 . 00 0 . 27 0 . 73 1 . 00 - 1 . 00300 - 330 ° - 0 . 73 - 0 . 27 1 . 00 1 . 00 - 1 . 00330 - 360 ° - 0 . 27 - 0 . 73 1 . 00 1 . 00 - 1 . 00______________________________________ as evident from the table , the inlet and outlet ports 120b , 120c and the ports 102 , 104 , 106 cooperate such that the volume of fluid admitted to , or withdrawn from , the crankcase chamber 96 is equal to the algebraic sum of the volume respectively withdrawn from , or admitted to , the head end chambers 92 , 94 . thus the crankcase chamber 96 provides what may be termed a &# 34 ; blind &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; hypothetical &# 34 ; piston and cylinder , mechanically and hydraulically cooperating with the pistons 80 , 81 which are structurally existent . thus the meter operates hydraulically and mechanically like a three piston meter or hydraulic motor although it only has the physical components of a two piston meter or motor . it should be noted that the flow into and out of the flow meter 10 is substantially constant . this constant flow results from reciprocating the axially - aligned pistons 80 , 81 sixty degrees out of phase and from utilizing scotch yokes 82b , 82b &# 39 ; which are substantially harmonic . fig8 shows an alternative connecting rod 82 that may be utilized having straight guide edges 82f which reciprocate along guide rails 144 provided in the crankcase 14 as the piston 80 reciprocates in the cylinder 16 thereby rendering the guide end portion 82d and corresponding guide chamber 80b unnecessary . it is understood that less harmonic conventional connecting rods having circular rather than oblong yokes 82b , 82b &# 39 ; and which thus do not require any supplemental guiding may also be used . according to the embodiment of fig9 - 11 , a flow meter 10a is provided which is identical to the flow meter 10 of fig1 - 8 with the exception that the connecting rods 82 and 83 of the flow meter 10 have been replaced by connecting rods 152 and 150 respectively , in the flow meter 10a . the connecting rod 150 is better shown in fig1 and is formed from flat stock including a yoke portion 150a through which an elongated slot 150b extends for receiving the bearings 58 . a connecting tab 150c is formed at one end portion of the connecting rod 150 by bending the latter portion at right angles to the remaining portion of the connecting rod . two openings are provided in the tab 150c for receiving bolts , or the like ( not shown ), for attaching the connecting rod 150 to the piston 81 ( fig1 ). two spaced guide tabs 150d and 150e are provided at the other end portion of the connecting rod 150 , which corresponds to the distal end of the yoke portion 150a . the guide tabs 150d and 150e are formed by bending the latter end portion at right angles to the plane of the connecting rod 150 and cutting away a portion of the end portion extending between the tabs . each tab 150d and 150e is provided with a guide notch for reasons to be described . fig1 depicts the connecting rod 150 attached to the piston 81 along with a connecting rod 152 which is attached to the piston 80 and which is identical to the connecting rod 150 . for the convenience of presentation , the bearing 58 , which extends in the yoke 150b of the connecting rod 150 , and the bearing 64 , which extends in the corresponding yoke of the connecting rod 152 are not shown in fig1 , since they function in the same manner as shown and described in connection with the embodiment of fig1 - 7 . a portion of each of the opposite edge portions of the connecting rod 152 extend in the notches in the guide tabs 150d and 150e of the connecting rod 150 . likewise , a portion of each of the opposite edge portions of the connecting rod 150 extend in the notches in the corresponding guide tabs of the connecting rod 152 . therefore , during the reciprocal movement of the pistons 80 and 81 as described above , the connecting rod 150 supports and guides the connecting rod 152 , and the connecting rod 152 supports and guides the connecting rod 150 . it is understood that multiple flow meters may be integrated into a single unitary assembly to gain several advantages over the single flow meter described above . for example , a multiple flow meter wherein two fluid meters are integrated together facilitates the construction of gasoline dispenser pump stations having two , four , six , or eight gasoline dispensers . such an example is shown in fig1 which contains the flow meter 10a of fig9 - 11 in addition to an identical flow meter 10b mounted adjacent the flow meter 10a within a single housing , shown in general by the reference numeral 160 . to this end , the housing 160 encloses the flow meter body 12 of the embodiment of fig9 - 11 and an additional flow meter body 12a which is a mirror image of the body 12 . a partition 162 separates the meter bodies 12 and 12a , and the housing 160 includes a dome 132a that extends over both of the meter bodies . several components of the flow meter 10a , including the cover plate 20 , the magnetic wheel assembly 30 , the transducer 44 , the rotary valve 120 , and the outlet port 140 have been omitted from fig1 in the interest of clarity . since the meter 10b is identical to the valve 10a only a portion of the former valve is shown in fig1 . in this context , the meter 10b includes a pair of pistons , one of which is shown by the reference numeral 80a , which are identical to the pistons 80 and 81 . the meters 10a and 10b are oriented in the housing 160 so that their respective pistons 80 and 80a are aligned in the same plane , while the piston 81 of the meter 10a is aligned in the same plane as the corresponding piston ( not shown ) of the meter 10b . also , the connecting rods 150 and 152 of the meter 10a extend parallel to the connecting rods ( not shown ) of the meter 10b . an inlet port 136a extends through the dome 132a and is identical to the inlet port 136 of the meter 10a with the exception that it is located so as to supply fluid to a chamber ( not shown ) of the meter 10b that is identical to the chamber 134 of the meter 10a . in this context , an outlet port ( not shown ) would also be provided through the dome 132a for discharging fluid from the latter chamber of the meter 10b . in operation , the meter 10b would function in an identical manner as described above in connection with the operation of the meter 10a . in this context a single inlet port or conduit could be provided which supplies the fluid to the inlet ports 136 and 136a of the meters 10a and 10b , respectively , so that they can operate independently , or simultaneously , as needed . it can be appreciated that the multiple meter assembly of fig1 eliminates the need for two separate houses , or meter bodies , along with their associated components , and is therefore relatively compact and cost efficient especially since manufacturing costs are considerably reduced . also , installation of multiple flow meters is facilitated as a result of simplified mounting and pipe work and the reduced cabinet size required . flexibility is also enhanced because a multiple flow meter could also serve a single hose outlet at twice the speed of delivery of a single unit flow meter . it is understood that several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention . for example , the provision of two meters in the embodiment of fig1 is shown by way of example only and additional meters , preferably in multiples of two arranged as shown in fig1 , could be employed . it is also understood that the multiple meter assembly of fig1 could incorporate the connecting rods and associated components of fig1 - 8 . further , in each of the embodiments , the ports 102 , 104 , 106 , 120b , 120c may subtend arcs of a number of different angles and , moreover , may have non - arcuate shapes . also , the supply port 136 and the discharge port 140 may instead be utilized as discharge and supply ports respectively . furthermore , the supply and discharge lines connected thereto may be arranged for measuring the volume of any fluid that flows through any line . for example , in addition to measuring a fluid , such as gasoline , that flows from a dispenser , the meter could be used to measure the volume of water flowing from a pipe into a structure such as a residential house or other building . it is understood that other variations in the present invention are contemplated and in some instances , some features of the invention can be employed without a corresponding use of other features . accordingly , it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention .	7
digital watermarking is a quickly growing field of endeavor , and many techniques are known . generally , all seek to steganographically convey multi - bit data ancillary to some other signal or medium . digital watermarking systems typically have two primary components : an encoder that embeds the watermark in a host media signal , and a decoder that detects and reads the embedded watermark from a signal suspected of containing a watermark ( a suspect signal ). the encoder embeds a watermark by altering the host media signal . the detector component analyzes a suspect signal to detect whether a watermark is present . in applications where the watermark encodes information , the reader component extracts this information from the detected watermark . the present assignee &# 39 ; s prior application ser . no . 09 / 127 , 502 , filed jul . 31 , 1998 ( now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 345 , 104 ), shows techniques by which very fine lines can be printed on a medium to slightly change the medium &# 39 ; s apparent tint , while also conveying digital data . commonly owned application ser . no . 09 / 074 , 034 , filed may 6 , 1998 ( now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 449 , 377 ), details how the contours of printed imagery can be adjusted to convey digital data . ( that technique can be applied to printed text characters , as well as the line art imagery particularly considered .). assignee &# 39 ; s u . s . pat . no . 5 , 850 , 481 details how the surface of paper or other media can be textured to convey optically - detectable binary data . the assignee &# 39 ; s u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 841 , 886 , 5 , 809 , 160 , and the priority applications cited above , detail various techniques for steganographically encoding . three papers by brassil et al show other techniques for conveying watermark data by slight changes to printed text , “ electronic marking and identification techniques to discourage document copying ,” proceedings of infocom &# 39 ; 94 conference on computer , ieee comm . soc conference , jun . 12 - 16 , 1994 , pp . 1278 - 1287 ; “ hiding information in document images ,” november , 1995 , 7 pages , at & amp ; t bell laboratories technical report ; and “ document marking and identification using both line and word shifting ,” infocom &# 39 ; 95 . the foregoing is just a sampling of the large literature on watermarking . the artisan is presumed to be familiar with such art , all of which is generally suitable for use with the novel implementations detailed below . in accordance with any of the known watermarking techniques , a business card is steganographically encoded with plural bit data . in one embodiment , at least part of this data identifies an internet address or web site at which data about the giver of the card is stored . if sufficient bits can be encoded into the business card , ascii or binary numeric encoding can encode the address literally . alternatively , to reduce the data payload , an abbreviated form of an address is encoded . one example of such an abbreviated form is a unique identifier ( uid ), which can be , e . g ., a 24 - bit value . desirably , the steganographic encoding is tailored to facilitate decoding in the presence of arbitrary rotation or scale distortion of the card introduced during scanning . ( some such techniques are shown , e . g ., in applicant &# 39 ; s related patents identified above . of course , other techniques are known to those skilled in the art , and such techniques may be employed with the present invention .). as shown in fig1 , the card is scanned ( e . g ., by use of conventional opto - electronic devices , such as a business card reader , scanner , web cam or other sensing device ). the output data is then optionally processed to account for any skew or scale factor . the plural - bit digital data is then decoded and / or stored , e . g ., in personal productivity software . ( although not particularly shown in fig1 , the detailed process may often be supplemental to known ocr - reading of business cards , and entry of the textual data into personal productivity software . that is , the scan data may be processed both by ocr techniques , and by steganographic decoding techniques , and the results of both operations may be selectively stored in a data structure or other memory for later reference .). the steganographically - decoded plural - bit data is provided to a web browser or other internet appliance and used to initiate a link to a remote computer over the internet &# 39 ; s network of computers . if the remote address was literally encoded in the business card , that address is used directly . if an abbreviated form of address was encoded , an additional step may be required . if a uid was encoded in the card , rather than a literal address , the web browser might consult an index to correlate the uid to an address . the index could be a table or other data structure stored on the user &# 39 ; s local computer , but more commonly is a remote name server database to which the browser links as a default when processing business card uids . data obtained from the index is then used to complete the linking to the ultimate destination — e . g ., a web site associated with the card - giver . ( in addition to reducing the business card payload , such linking through an index , e . g ., by a uid , offers flexibility in that the ultimate destination can be moved to other server sites as needed , with just a simple update to the index . alternatively , all business cards encoded with the former address would be rendered obsolete if the site were relocated .) at the ultimate site , in one embodiment , the card - recipient is presented with whatever information the business card giver chooses to provide , including biographical information , photos , promotional offers or advertisements relating to the card - giver &# 39 ; s business ( or relating to enterprises to whom the card - giver has rented screen space ), etc ., etc . in one embodiment , the giver &# 39 ; s site is linked to the giver &# 39 ; s personal productivity tool ( s ) and permits viewing , e . g ., of calendar information ( showing where the business card giver is scheduled to be today , or for the rest of the week , month , etc .) typically , this calendar information is not available to casual web browsers ; the steganographically decoded data from the business card may include some authentication data ( akin to a password ) that permits access to otherwise restricted data . this authentication data can take the form of a web page address to which no publicly - accessible link points , a password that is separately presented to the web server by the user &# 39 ; s browser after a link is established , or other known technique . in one form of the invention , the giver of business cards may have several differently - encoded cards , each with a different level of access authorization . thus , some cards may access a biographical page without any calendar information , other cards may access the same or different page with access enabled to today &# 39 ; s calendar , and still other cards may access the same or different page with access enabled for the card - giver &# 39 ; s complete calendar . in another form of the invention , a single card is used with all recipients , yet provides different recipients with different levels of access . this may be done , for example , by providing the most limited form of access to all recipients . if a recipient desires more information , he can enter supplemental information ( e . g ., a name , email address , phone number or other information ) that identifies him or her . the giver of the business card can pre - authorize certain identified individuals to receive different levels of access ( e . g ., by setting permission levels in a calendary program or otherwise ). based on the supplemental information entered by the user , a commensurate level of access is granted . ( a great variety of other ways of granting different permissions can naturally be used ; the foregoing just illustrates a range of possibilities .) an illustrative system 10 is now described with reference to fig2 and 3 . system 10 facilitates registration , the obtaining ( or accounting of ) unique identifiers , and access to additional data stored in an on - line database via the watermarked business card . fig2 illustrates system 10 , including a plurality of user terminals 40 , 41 and 42 , and a central site 43 . the user terminals 40 , 41 and 42 communicate with the central site 43 via a network , such as an internet , intranet , dedicated network , wan , lan , wireless network , etc . of course , the user terminals 40 , 41 and 42 may be adjacently located , or may be located remotely with respect to one another . for example , a first user terminal 40 may be located in an office or business , while a second user terminal 41 may be located in a residence . the third terminal 42 may even be a remote terminal , which gains access to the network via a wireless connection , remote connection , guest connection , etc . of course , system 10 will typically include many more user terminals , and may even include a plurality of distributed servers , which collectively function as central site 43 . if a plurality of distributed servers is employed , the servers can communicate to synchronize their data . preferably , with such a distributed server configuration , each distributed server may respond to individual requests . preferably , each of the user terminals 40 , 41 , 42 includes a general purpose or dedicated computer incorporating at least a cpu , memory , interface to an input device ( e . g ., web camera , business card reader , optical scanner , other sensing device , etc . ), a display ( or other output device ), and a network connection . the network connection may be used to connect to the network to communicate with central site 43 . of course , a user terminal may comprise a portable computing unit , such as a personal financial assistant , portable phone , wireless imaging device , pocketpc , palmpilot , pda , etc ., with associated imaging components and / or wireless , cable , phone or other networking ability . to illustrate , such units may include a miniature digital camera module , e . g ., a “ digital eye ” or other input sensing device . such an input sensing device enables mobile or portable devices to capture , display and transmit digital data ( audio , images , video ). the “ digital eye ” modules typically include a complete camera on a chip , cmos imaging sensor , miniaturized lens , imaging software , etc . suitable client software programming instructions , stored in a user terminal memory , or in a remote memory , can be used to affect various types of functionality for the user terminals 40 , 41 and 42 . for example , the software may include a browser or other internet navigation tool . alternatively , the software may be a separate module or may be integrated within a software application . in either case , the software instructions help to facilitate communication between the respective user terminal and the central site 43 . the user terminals 40 , 41 and 42 preferably include software instructions to facilitate detection and decoding of embedded data . central site 43 includes a computer or server ( or a plurality of interconnected servers ). as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , these computers maintain and execute software , e . g ., for hosting ( and / or supporting ) web pages , communication , database management , etc . site 43 also maintains suitable software program instructions to facilitate the system operations described herein . of course , system 43 may include a plurality of distributed central sites and a database ( or databases ). the database may be maintained under the direction of the central site 43 , or may be remotely accessed by the central site 43 . a user ( e . g ., a card - giver ) initiates a registration process by accessing a website or other interface supported by central site 43 , e . g ., with the aid of an interface residing on a user terminal 40 , 41 or 42 . the interface may include a dialog box , web browser , application , and / or other communication mechanism . the central site 43 maintains a series of web pages ( or other interface ) to facilitate the registration process . from a user &# 39 ; s perspective , a first - time user initially registers with the central site 43 . the registration process may include gathering the user &# 39 ; s contact information , selecting payment options ( e . g ., credit card , on - line exchange , etc . ), and optionally assigning a user name ( or id ) and password . as a result of the registration process , the user is assigned a unique identifier . ( of course , this assignment may either be perceptible or imperceptible to the user . such an assignment will typically be associated the user ( and / or username / password ) with the unique identifier .). the unique identifier is typically embedded by the central site 43 in a gallery item to be provided to the user , along with an address ( e . g ., a url , ip address , and / or uid ) associated with the central site 43 . preferably , the central site 43 maintains a plurality of gallery items including , for example , patterns , colors , graphics , shading , tints , backgrounds , logos , fonts , etc . via the central site 43 interface , a user selects a gallery item ( or items ) to be applied when printing a business card . the selected gallery item is then digitally watermarked . the watermark includes the user &# 39 ; s unique identifier and may include the central site &# 39 ; s address ( in some applications , the central site &# 39 ; s address is known to the decoding software without being specified on the card , or is inferred by the decoder from the identifier , e . g ., identifiers in the range of 3000 - 5000 are directed to www . digimarc . com / bizcards ). the selected , watermarked gallery item is provided to the user , e . g ., via e - mail , downloaded , etc ., from the central site 43 . the selected , watermarked gallery item is then used in a typical printing process . for example , a watermarked background item is used as a card &# 39 ; s background when printing a business card . consider the following applications . a watermarked background item is provided for use with printing software ( e . g ., quark express , microsoft word , adobe acrobat , etc ., etc .). the software incorporates the background item in a particular custom business card design . the resulting cards are printed ( e . g ., from a home computer system or commercial printer ). alternatively , an electronic version of the watermarked background item is supplied to a commercial printer ( e . g ., copy store , office supply store , printer , etc .). the printer applies the watermarked background to the card during the printing processes . the resulting business cards include the watermarked background . preferably , the user provides information to an on - line informational database , associated with the central site 43 . this process may occur during the initial registration process via the web pages or user interface . or the user may later access the database with a username / password . as a further alternative , the user is provided with access data that is used to access the database . the access data may include embedded data having appropriate identifiers and authorizations , and may even be embedded into a document , such as a “ master ” business card or other item ( e . g ., a watermarked driver &# 39 ; s license , or key chain ). the master business card can then be read by a compliant reader ( e . g ., a user terminal ), which uses the embedded data to access the database or user interface . in one embodiment , central site 43 maintains the database . in another embodiment , central site 43 links ( or provides redirection data ) a user and / or card recipient to a remotely accessed database . upon access to the on - line database , the user may enter data . the data may include business contact information , personal data , current ( or “ now ”) contact numbers , etc . this now contact number can be continually updated throughout the day ( either by the user , or in accordance with a programmed calendar ) with the then - most - suitable communications channel to contact the user ( card - giver ). when the user leaves home to go to the office , or leaves the office for a trip in the car , or works a week at a corporate office in another town , etc ., this data field can be updated accordingly . ( a pocket gps receiver , with a wireless uplink , can be carried by the person to aid in switching the “ now ” number among various possibilities , depending on the user &# 39 ; s instantaneous position .). the now number may also include an “ out - of - office ” or a “ currently - unavailable ” setting , which allows a user to indicate that they are away from the office . such a setting may also include redirection information , such as when the user will return , whom to contact in the user &# 39 ; s absence , etc . when this on - line database is polled for the “ now ” number , it provides the then - current information . the user data can also include pictures , resumes , corporate or personal web links , graphics , pdf versions of brochures , logos , etc . of course , this information may be updated as needed . optionally , the user provides audio / visual data , such as audio and / or video clips ( e . g ., digital files ). the clips may include greetings , further information , contact information , personalized messages , virtual tours , mission statements , etc . alternatively , the user may enter pointers or links to such audio / visual data . as a further alternative , system 10 may allow a user to input a “ redirect ” address ( e . g ., a url ), which is then associated by system 10 with the user &# 39 ; s unique identifier . system 10 then redirects any card - recipients to the redirect address when selected ( or automatically upon access to the central site 43 ). of course , the user can turn on / off the redirect address , and / or update the redirect address as needed . the system may optionally support translation and / or pronunciation tools . to illustrate , the central site 43 may optionally allow a registered user to provide an audio and / or video clip to demonstrate the correct pronunciation of their name , business and / or other personal data to card recipients ( or other persons who gain access ). the system may also optionally include automated translation and pronunciation functionality ( e . g ., audio synthesis , wave files , digital speech , etc . ), which can be provided to a card recipient . watermarked business cards are distributed in a typical fashion . after receipt , a card recipient presents the embedded card to an associated input device of a recipient &# 39 ; s terminal 45 , as shown in fig3 . ( of course , a recipient &# 39 ; s terminal 45 may include components and software like those discussed above with respect to the user terminals 40 , 41 and 42 . in one embodiment , the user terminals may be used as a recipient terminal . of course system 10 may include many such recipient terminals .). the embedded data is extracted by decoding software running on the recipient &# 39 ; s terminal 45 . preferably , as discussed above , the extracted data includes the card - giver &# 39 ; s unique identifier and , in some cases , an electronic address . in one embodiment , the address is a url corresponding to the central site 43 . in other embodiments , the recipient terminal 45 is provided with software that always looks to a programmed , default address . or a protocol is established by which the decoder can locally look - up the identifier in a data structure and determine an address to which the identifier should be sent ( e . g ., identifiers in the range 3000 - 5000 are sent to www . digimarc . com / bizcards ). the software interface ( e . g ., browser ) is redirected to the address , and the extracted unique identifier is provided to the central site 43 . upon receipt of a recipient &# 39 ; s request , the central site 43 indexes the on - line database via the provided unique identifier . at this point , the card recipient can access the respective user &# 39 ; s data via web pages ( or other interface ) supported by central site 43 . preferably , some or all of the user &# 39 ; s data is electronically available ( e . g ., via download , e - mail , etc .) in a standardized format , such as in a vcard or ascii file . the term vcard is used generally herein to include electronic files or standardized formats of digital information . in one example , a vcard is a standardized format which allows a card recipient to seamlessly incorporate the electronic data into her software appointment / contact manager , such as in microsoft &# 39 ; s outlook application , etc . in another example , a vcard is a virtual card that includes a greeting , data or other message . a vcard may include a “ hot ” url , which allows a card - recipient to link to the card - giver &# 39 ; s website . ( instead of accessing the central site , presentation of the card can cause a remote computer to dispatch an e - mail to the card - recipient &# 39 ; s terminal ( e . g ., addressed per e - mail address data transmitted to the central site with the card - recipient &# 39 ; s request ). this e - mail can contain the user information described above , or any of the information detailed below . functionality detailed below can be invoked by a card - recipient through activating a hyperlink included in the e - mail sent to the card - recipient &# 39 ; s terminal . alternatively , instead of accessing the card - giver data in a database or website , presentation of the card can open an instant message dialog channel with the recipient ( a channel which may convey video and audio , as well as text ). again , information and functionality described above and below can be presented to the card - recipient through this channel . in another embodiment , a card - giver up - loads a vcard into the database , to help simplify data entry . the vcard can be uploaded in a number of know methods , including drag - and - drop , file transfer , cut - and - paste , copy , etc . or an extension may be added to a software productivity manager , such as microsoft &# 39 ; s outlook , to facilitate such transfer . the card recipient may also select from a plurality of options provided by the central site 43 . ( of course , the following options may be provided as standard or optional features .). as a first option , the recipient selects a contact channel for the respective user ( card - giver ). for example , an e - mail link may be selected , which will launch an e - mail program on the recipient &# 39 ; s terminal . as another example , a “ now ” contact channel is selected and the card - giver &# 39 ; s defined “ now ” channel is activated ( e . g ., a phone number is dialed , an e - mail application is launched , a video link is established , a pager number is called , a radio frequency channel is activated , a personal computing assistant is pinged , etc .). in one embodiment , a card - recipient leaves her own “ calling card ” in the form of a link ( or vcard , message , etc .) to her own central - site ( or other ) account . for example , the card - recipient brings up the card - giver &# 39 ; s account ( in any of the methods discussed above ), and then flashes ( e . g ., presents to an optical scanner or other input device ) her own card . system 10 stores the link to the card - recipient &# 39 ; s account ( e . g ., data associated with the card - recipient &# 39 ; s unique identifier ). an e - mail alert ( or other communication ) is automatically sent by system 10 to the card owner stating that a calling card has been left and can be picked up any time . the card - giver , upon access to system 10 , can check a mailbox or recent message area to retrieve the message . or the calling card , vcard , or link to the card - recipient &# 39 ; s account can be included in the e - mail or other communications . the central site 43 may support one or more “ hot ” buttons . a hot button is preferably a link or shortcut to a communications channel , website or ip address . for example , an e - mail hot button can be selected by a card - recipient , which launches an e - mail program . ( in one embodiment , an e - mail program resident on the card - recipient &# 39 ; s terminal is launched . in another , the e - mail program is maintained by central site , which the card - recipient interfaces with .). selecting other hot buttons may invoke a phone call , video conference , fax , voice mail ( e . g ., calling a voice mailbox or recording and / or uploading an audio file for delivery to the card - giver ), pager , and / or gps locator . a card recipient may select to listen or view the card - giver &# 39 ; s audio / visual files , or to activate the translation and / or pronunciation files . such files are transferred ( or streamed ) to the card recipient &# 39 ; s terminal for performance via a multimedia player . of course , such a player may be an independent application , or may be integrated with a browser or other tool . alternatively , the card recipient selects a link to another location ( via a pointer or link ). the files are retrieved or accessed at this other location . the card recipient may request that a “ tickler ” be sent when the respective card - giver updates her on - line data . there can be various levels of gradation to trigger such a tickle . for example , the recipient can be notified ( e . g ., via e - mail , phone - messaging , and / or mail , etc .) when a standard contact field ( address , e - mail , etc .) is changed . alternatively , the card recipient is tickled when any information changes , including the “ now ” contact number . the card recipient may select an option to expedite contact with the card - giver in the future ( e . g ., the next time the card recipient holds the business card up to their compliant device ). for example , the card recipient may request that instead of accessing the data in the on - line database , a contact channel be opened . to accomplish this , a cookie or other data structure may be stored locally on the recipient &# 39 ; s terminal 45 . the cookie or data structure identifies the user ( via the user &# 39 ; s unique identifier ) and also the recipient ( e . g ., via an identifier or last - session identifier ). such data is provided to the central site 43 the next time the card recipient accesses the central site 43 via the recipient &# 39 ; s terminal 45 . the central site 43 examines the data and determines that , instead of viewing the user &# 39 ; s data , the recipient wishes to activate a contact channel ( e - mail , phone number , etc .). optionally , the recipient is queried to confirm her choice ( e . g ., a dialog box which asks the recipient whether they want to access the database , or activate the communications channel .). of course , locally storing extracted identifiers in an “ immediate contact list ,” and then comparing a currently extracted user identifier to the immediate contact list can be used to carry out this same process . this same result is achieved by assigning the card recipient a username and / or password , which is examined by the central site 43 . an immediate contact list can be associated with the username / password to determine access to the database , or to launch a communications channel . a card - recipient may also register with the central site 43 . upon registration , the card - recipient is given a username / password ( or is allowed to select such ). ( in another embodiment , the card - recipient is given embedded data , which is applied to a printed document or item .) the username / password ( and embedded data ) can be used to access the central site in the future . for example , if the card - recipient loses a business card , or does not have access to a respective , downloaded vcard , the card - recipient “ logs - on ” to the central site and searches for a particular name . ( in this case , the central site supports a name search functionality using known database search / index techniques .). permissions levels can be established to prevent a card - recipient from unauthorized perusing . to illustrate , a card - recipient may only access those files ( e . g ., card - giver accounts ), which she has already accessed via an embedded business card . or a card - recipient is only permitted access to a minimum level of information , such as name , contact number or e - mail . system 10 generates many benefits , such as the ability to enhance functionality of business cards , change on - line data while static data on a business card remains the same , simplifying contact processes , and linking to related information . centralizing the data in an on - line database also provides efficiency and security . these and other benefits are readily apparent from the description in this document . as an alternative implementation , a representative , administrator , or office supplier may handle the registration process , instead of the user . such an administrator may represent a variety of users and have special access privileges . for example , a print shop or office supplier may contact the central site 43 on a user &# 39 ; s behalf , to obtain a watermarked gallery item . optionally , the print shop or office supplier may also to enter the user &# 39 ; s data into the online database . similarly , an organization or business may complete the registration process for its members or employees , and thereafter control database entry . organizational control may be advantageous in that a position ( e . g ., purchasing agent , sales person , technical position ) may be updated to reflect personnel changes , organizational restructuring , etc . control can also be important to organizations , in that terminated employees can be removed from association with the company . such control also allows a company to maintain brand and image control . for example , a highly “ brand - sensitive ” company may not want its employees to be able to add non - brand related content to the contact site . accordingly , the company can control the content associated with an employee &# 39 ; s unique identifier . whereas the above system implementation has been described with respect to business cards , the present invention is not so limited . in fact , many other watermarked documents may be used to accomplish the same functionality via the system 10 architecture . consider envelopes , letterhead , note pages ( e . g ., post - it brand notes ) and stationary . a user may similarly register and obtain a gallery item to apply to such . a card recipient , upon receipt of these types of watermarked documents , presents the respective document to a compliant terminal in the manner discussed above . access to the on - line data repository is similarly achieved . ( corporations too , may want to have these types of items linked to general contact or company information .). now consider a resume . a potential employee may submit watermarked resumes to a plurality of potential employers . the potential employee adds impressive data to the linked on - line database , including , for example , audio or video clips , to be viewed by potential employers . a potential employee may even custom design the information for an individual employer by sending the employer a resume embedded with a corresponding , specific unique identifier . the employer , upon access to the on - line data via the encoded resume , is greeted with specific and targeted data . ( a business card may even replace a resume , in that the bibliographic information is easily accessible on - line via the encoded business card .). encoded labels may also be used with system 10 . for example , printed mailing / shipping labels may be encoded with an identifier , which is used to link to associated information ( e . g ., sender , addressee , corporate information , product information , etc .). such an encoded label could be used with packaging to augment a shipping manifest , shipping label , product and handling instructions , etc . for shipments without external markings , the encoded label could provide a means to determine the package &# 39 ; s content . moreover , such an encoded label may be used to track a package throughout a distribution system . of course , other documents , such as stickers , brochures , appointment cards , etc . may be encoded in a similar manner , and implemented with system 10 . as a further alternative , a user need not select a gallery item , but may instead present her own document to be watermarked . the user &# 39 ; s document itself is then embedded with data , which can then be reprinted . for example , a user presents a business card to an optical scanner . the optical scanner captures an electronic copy of the business card . the electronic copy is then watermarked ( e . g ., by subtle alterations to the text or graphics already present ) and returned to the user for printing and distribution . ( the watermarking may be accomplished via the central site 43 , or via software maintained by a user terminal , which communicates with the central site 43 to assign or register a unique user identifier .). of course the watermark survives the printing process , and is reproduced when the watermarked , electronic copy is printed . since , a unique identifier is assigned to the user &# 39 ; s document , the user may then access the on - line database for data entry associated with the unique identifier . similarly , a further embodiment allows a user to submit an electronic card image to a watermarking professional , who embeds the image with the unique identifier ( and , optionally , with an electronic address ). the watermarking professional can then either return the watermarked , electronic card image to the user or send the card image directly to a printer for printing . in this case , the professional preferably communicates ( either before , during or after embedding ) with the central site to facilitate the association of a unique user identifier with the user . alternatively , upon an initial access to the central site , the identifier is extracted and registered , and the user is then permitted to enter data . as even a further embodiment , system 10 supports a model wherein a professional designs a document ( e . g ., business card ), potentially including artwork ( e . g ., graphics , text , shading , background , etc . ), which document is specifically supportive of digital watermarks . the document is then watermarked with a unique identifier as discussed above . in one embodiment , a card - recipient maintains a visual database of each card - giver accessed via the on - line database . to illustrate , a card - recipient , upon access to the on - line database , may download a visual icon ( e . g ., a digital image of the card - giver , a company logo , graphic , etc .) associated with a card - giver . the icons serve as a shortcut to the card - giver &# 39 ; s data . the card - giver &# 39 ; s data ( e . g ., vcard , unique identifier , perhaps encrypted for protections , and / or other data ) may be stored locally , or may be accessed via the on - line database . such icons may be stored in a file , folder , or on a computer &# 39 ; s desktop environment . a card - giver , in one embodiment , may choose to have her e - mail forwarded to the on - line database . ( the database may manage the e - mail in an account associated with the card - giver &# 39 ; s unique identifier .). the card - giver may then access the on - line database ( e . g ., via a her own watermarked business card or a master business card ) to retrieve her e - mail . this allows a traveler to easily access her e - mail when on the road , upon the presentment of her business card to a compliant device . ( kiosks may be set - up , in airports , travel hubs , coffee shops , convention centers , offices , corporate sites , etc ., to provide additional compliant devices for such travelers .). the central site 43 and / or online database can be configured to allow a user to be associated with a plurality of different data sets . for example , a business card may include two unique identifiers , each of which triggers a separate response . a first identifier may be included on a front side of a business card , while a second identifier is included on the backside of the card . the first identifier links to business data , while the second identifier may link to personal data , corporate data , and / or industry data , etc . from the perspective of the database , the user may be assigned separate identifiers to accomplish the separate responses , or the identifiers may be linked as subsets to a user &# 39 ; s main profile . alternatively , a user may carry several differently watermarked cards , each linked to separate information in the on - line database . another variation included within the scope of the present invention is a distributed system . for example , instead of storing data in a central site ( or a plurality of central sites ), user data may be distributed or maintained in alternative locations . to illustrate , a card - giver may maintain related data ( e . g ., contact information , audio / video clips , links , etc .) on her own client system ( or on a designated system ). software resident on a recipient or user terminal may then query a look - up router to obtain an appropriate address ( e . g ., one corresponding to the extracted unique identifier ) to access for the card - giver &# 39 ; s related data . ( in this case , a user may initially query the look - up router to obtain an appropriate unique identifier . in one embodiment , the user &# 39 ; s address is the unique identifier .). upon receipt of the address , the software accesses to the indicated site ( or terminal ). as a further alternative , the watermark itself includes sufficient encoded address information so that the decoding software ( and / or communications software ) can link to the client system without needing to query a central site or look - up router . ( in this case , the user &# 39 ; s address may serve as a unique identifier , which can be embedded by client software on the user &# 39 ; s terminal .). of course , such modifications are within the scope of the present invention . the reference to business cards is illustrative only . of course , the invention is more widely applicable . going back a century , “ calling cards ” were used by persons whose interests were strictly social , rather than business . the principles of the present invention can similarly be applied . teenagers can carry small cards ( or adhesive stickers ) that can be exchanged with new acquaintances to grant access to private dossiers of personal information / favorite music / artwork / video clips / etc ., to invoke instant message communications , or any other purpose . the cards can be decorated with art or other indicia that can serve purposes wholly unrelated to the linking data steganographically encoded therein . additionally , a calling card may even be blank ( e . g ., no text or obvious graphic ), while still carrying encoded data in the background , texturing , or shading . or the card may have a one word identifier or graphic to identify the card - giver . even the “ card ” paradigm is too restrictive . the same techniques can be applied to any object . a music cd cover can be encoded to point to a promotional site associated with the music artist . a book jacket can link to a similar site . printed advertising distributed through the us mail ( cards , magazines , etc .) can be encoded to point to related web - based promotional sites . ( sponsors of such advertising or other sites can reward visits to their internet site by issuing card recipients digital tokens or coupons that can be redeemed for premiums , cash - back , etc ., either for any such visit , or only if the visit was effected through the portal of a steganographically - encoded printed medium .). many contexts arise in which data to be presented to a consumer is valuable only if timely . the postal service mail is ill - suited for some such information due to the latency between printing a document , and its ultimate delivery to a recipient . the principles of the present invention allow the recipient to take a steganographically - encoded data object ( card , etc .) that was printed well before delivery , and use it on receipt to receive up - to - the - minute information . ( in this and other embodiments , the steganographically - encoded data can also include data uniquely identifying the recipient / user , so the web site can present data customized to that user .) the present technology also has application in access control systems . an identification badge ( either with photo or graphics , or with text alone ) can be encoded with steganographically access control data ( e . g ., access codes or digital keys ) that is recognized by optical - scanner - equipped locks and the like , permitting access by authorized persons to restricted areas or restricted services ( e . g ., computer privileges ). given the low cost of media and printing ( as compared with other access control technologies ), the cards can be issued on a daily , weekly , or other frequent interval , and the access control system can be programmed to permit access in response to such cards only for the pre - set limited period . lost cards soon lose their threat . tickets to sporting events , concerts , and other events can be steganographically encoded to permit the bearer to access premium web content available only to those who have purchased tickets ( e . g ., an on - line text -, audio -, or video - chat session with the featured performer or sports star the day before the event ). alternatively , the encoded data may link to a transactional site . in some such embodiments , the ticket is printed with a nominal show data and seat assignment , but also includes a uid in addition to the encoded address of an associated transactional ticket site . the user then can visit the transactional web site to change seating ( or date ). on attending the event , the consumer presents the ticket to a steganographic decoder apparatus that discerns the uid and looks up the seat assignment most - recently picked by the consumer . it then prints a chit entitling the consumer to take the seat earlier selected on - line . the reference to “ scanning ” of objects naturally brings to mind images of desktop flatbed scanners , or multi - function hydra devices . while such devices can be used — together with convention digital cameras ( including video cameras )— the inventors foresee that image input devices will soon be much more commonplace . the provision of digital cameras as built - in components of certain computers ( e . g ., the sony vaio laptops ) is just one manifestation of this trend . another is camera - on - a - chip systems , as typified by u . s . pat . no . 5 , 841 , 126 and detailed in nixon et al ., “ 256 × 256 cmos active pixel sensor camera - on - a - chip ,” ieee j . solid - state circuits , vol . 31 ( 12 ), pp . 2046 - 2051 ( 1996 ), and fossum , “ cmos image sensors electronic camera - on - a - chip ,” ieee transactions of electron devices , vol . 44 , no . 10 , october 1997 . still another is head - mounted cameras ( as are presently used in some computer - augmented vision systems ). another is a camera module for mobile phones that use a ccd image sensor . such camera often feature low electric power consumption , and high sensitivity . another is a wristwatch with an image sensor . these and other image input devices could all be used in connection with the present invention . to facilitate embodiments of the present invention , a prior art camera - on - a - chip system can be modified to also include a steganographic watermark detector on the same semiconductor substrate . such a chip — in addition to providing image output data — can also analyze the image data to discern any steganographically encoded data , and produce corresponding output data . ( again , such analysis desirably includes correction for scale and rotation factors , so precise positioning of the object being “ read ” is not essential for correct decoding .). to provide a comprehensive disclosure without unduly lengthening this specification , applicants incorporate by reference the patents , applications , and publications identified above . having described and illustrated the principles of our invention with reference to illustrative embodiments , it should be recognized that the invention is not so limited . for example , while certain of the embodiments were illustrated with reference to an internet - based embodiment , the same techniques are similarly applicable to any other computer - based system . for example , the central server does not necessarily need to be on the internet . within a company , such central site may be available via an intranet or other network . watermark documents or objects ( e . g ., an id or security badge ) may be used for access to specific documents or access to specific locations or services within the company &# 39 ; s facilities . also , for internet - based embodiments , the use of web browsers and web pages is not essential ; other digital navigation devices and other on - line data repositories can be similarly accessed . while steganographic encoding of the digital data is used in the preferred embodiments , visible forms of digital encoding — such as bar codes or alphanumeric codes — can naturally be employed where aesthetic considerations permit . although not belabored , artisans will understand that the registration , watermarking , detecting and other operations can be performed in accordance with software instructions stored in a computer memory ( or library ) or on other storage media , and executed by a processor in the computer as needed . ( alternatively , dedicated hardware , or programmable logic circuits , can be employed for such operations .). the above section headers ( e . g ., “ system implementation ”) provide no substantive limitations . rather , the section headers are merely provided for the reader &# 39 ; s convenience . of course , elements discussed in one section can be combined with those in another section , and so forth . in view of the many embodiments to which the principles of our invention may be applied , it should be recognized that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of our invention . rather , we claim as our invention all such embodiments as fall within the scope and spirit of the following claims , and equivalents thereto .	6
turning first to fig1 there is shown a typical prior art strut assembly 10 used to support a mirror 12 . the strut assembly 10 includes a typical mirror mount pad 14 affixed to mirror 12 . the mirror mount pad 14 includes a cup section 16 with an internal radiused bearing surface or ball socket 18 . residing in cup section 16 is strut ball 20 which engages ball socket 18 . ball socket 18 and strut ball 20 form a ball joint . strut ball 20 is retained in cup section 16 by means of cap 22 which threadably engages the outside of cup section 16 . there is a strut 24 which includes a first threaded end 26 and a second threaded end 28 . first threaded end 26 engages a threaded orifice through strut ball 20 . second threaded end 28 includes a similar threaded orifice in a second strut ball 30 . strut ball 30 resides in a lower cup section 32 which includes a radiused bearing surface or socket 34 . lower cup section 32 ( as shown ) is an integral extension of the support structure 36 . there is a lower cap 38 which threadably engages the outside of lower cup section 32 to retain strut ball 30 within lower cup section 32 . this type of prior art strut assembly 10 is used in a six strut system . the six strut system provides kinematic control of the six degrees of freedom of the mirror 12 as the mirror 12 is adjusted . each strut 10 carries a vertical load component of one - sixth of the weight of the mirror 12 and mount pads 14 . to adjust the position of the mirror 12 , one strut assembly 10 is either driven up or down , or the strut length is adjusted . in either case , when one strut joint 10 is moved , the other five strut assemblies 10 must rotate freely to carry the load in tension or compression only with no bending of the strut 24 . if there is friction in the ball joint , the result will be some bending of strut 24 . this , in turn , generates a moment which is transmitted to the mirror 12 which , in turn , results in error producing distortion in mirror 12 . since frictional moments are proportional to p , r , and μ , where p is load , r is the radius of the ball , and μ is the coefficient of friction , the choices available for reducing the frictional moment are to reduce the load , reduce the radius of the ball , or reduce the coefficient of friction . looking next at fig2 there is shown the upper portion off - loaded strut joint assembly 50 of the present invention . strut joint assembly 50 includes a mount pad 52 which is affixed to mirror 54 . mount pad 52 includes an integral upper cup section 56 with a radiused bearing surface or upper ball socket 58 . residing within upper cup section 16 and engaging upper ball socket 58 is upper strut ball 60 . upper strut ball 60 and upper ball socket 58 form an upper ball joint . extending down from upper strut ball 60 is upper shank 62 . there are a series of circumferential grooves 64 in upper shank 62 . similarly , there are a series of circumferential grooves 66 in the internal surface of upper cup section 56 . upper shank 62 terminates at a shoulder 68 . upper shank 62 and shoulder 68 are integral parts of strut 70 which continues to extend downward from shoulder 68 . residing between the lower portion of upper cup section 56 and shoulder 68 is a flexible rolling seal 72 . rolling seal 72 should be constructed with very little stiffness to rotation about the directions normal to the longitudinal axis of strut 70 . the rolling seal should preferably be fabricated of a low durometer elastomeric material which is non - porous , compatible with the epoxy material , and which does not produce unacceptable outgassing products in the space environment . rtv is an example of such a material . it should be as thin as practicable to minimize bending stiffness , but still withstand the air pressure without risk of failure . an annular chamber 74 is defined by the inner surface of upper cup section 56 , the outer surface of upper shank 62 , and rolling seal 72 . there is an air pressure port 76 on one side of upper cup section 50 allowing for communication with annular chamber 74 . similarly , there is an epoxy injection port 78 on an opposite side of upper cup section 56 also allowing for communication with annular chamber 74 . there is tube 80 connected to air pressure port 76 through which compressed air can be injected into annular chamber 74 from a source ( not shown ). there is also a tube 82 connected to the epoxy injection port 78 with a valve 84 therein . a source of epoxy ( not shown ) is connected to valve 84 . mount pad 52 includes cylindrical chamber 86 above upper strut ball 60 . there is a bore 88 which passes through upper strut ball 60 and has an axis which is collinear with the cylindrical axis of strut 70 . there is a bore 90 which passes through upper shank 62 intersecting with bore 88 with bore 88 and 90 being substantially perpendicular to one another . bores 88 and 90 allow for the equalization of air pressure between annular chamber 74 and cylindrical chamber 86 . increasing air pressure within annular chamber 74 and cylindrical chamber 86 via air pressure port 76 reduces the load on upper strut ball 60 . pressure can be increased until the joint separates and the air pressure carries the entire load . in other words , the air pressure can be increased until upper strut ball 60 and upper ball socket 58 separate . at that point , air pressure carries the entire load for strut joint assembly 50 . by adjusting the pressure through a valve ( not shown ) located in tube 80 to a value just below the separation pressure , contact between upper strut ball 60 and upper ball socket 58 can be maintained while little of the load is actually carried by upper strut ball 60 . at this pressure , the friction moment that can be generated by the ball joint ( the interface between upper strut ball 60 and socket 58 will be minimized and will be greatly reduced from the friction moment developed by a joint which is carrying the full gravity load of mirror 54 . when the adjustment of the position of mirror 54 is complete , the ball joint is locked by injecting an epoxy adhesive through valve 84 and tube 82 to thereby fill annular chamber 74 . the completion of the filling of annular chamber 54 can be determined by looking for epoxy exiting through air pressure port 76 into tube 80 which , of course , is preferably clear to allow for visual inspection . the volume of air contained within tube 80 from the source ( not shown ) should be great enough such that the displacement of air from annular chamber 74 caused by the injection of epoxy will not increase the air pressure within annular chamber 74 and cylindrical chamber 86 . once the epoxy is injected into annular chamber 74 , it is allowed to cure and , after cure , air pressure may be released . grooves 64 , 66 are provided to ensure that sufficient pull - out strength is developed in the ball joint . in essence , rolling seals 72 in combination with annular chamber 74 , bores 88 , 90 and cylindrical chamber 86 create an air spring . the force of the air spring is adjustable through the amount of air pressure supplied through air pressure port 76 . the lower end of strut 70 ( see fig3 ) also includes shoulder 92 and a lower shank 94 which terminates at lower strut ball 96 . lower strut ball 96 , lower shank 94 and shoulder 92 reside within cylindrical housing 98 which is affixed to support structure 40 . the lower end 100 of cylindrical housing 98 is internally threaded and threadably engaged therewith is strut position adjuster 102 . extending from strut position adjuster 102 is platform 104 which supports hemisphere 106 thereon . hemisphere 106 is allowed to float laterally on platform 104 . positioned above hemisphere 106 is floating seat 108 . floating seat 108 includes an annular channel 110 therein in which resides an o - ring 112 . o - ring 112 acts as a seal between floating seat 108 and the internal wall of cylindrical housing 98 . located at the base of floating seat 108 is a radiused bearing surface 114 which engages the outer surface of hemisphere 106 . the upper portion of floating seat 108 includes a radiused bearing surface or lower ball socket 116 which engages the outer surface of lower strut ball 96 . lower ball socket 116 and lower strut ball 96 form a lower ball joint . floating seat 108 further includes a chamber 118 below lower strut ball 96 . there is an annular groove 120 in the internal surface of housing 98 . similarly , there is an annular groove 122 in the circumferential surface of shoulder 92 . annular grooves 120 , 122 provide residence for rolling seal 124 . there is an air pressure port 126 into housing 98 which is positioned just below rolling seal 124 . on the opposite side of housing 98 there is an epoxy fill port 128 which is preferably positioned lower on housing 98 than is air pressure port 126 . lower shank 94 includes multiple grooves 130 . there is a bore 132 which passes through lower shank 94 preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of strut 70 . bore 132 intersects with bore 134 . the cylindrical axis of bore 134 is substantially collinear with the longitudinal axis of strut 70 . bores 132 , 134 create a pressure equalization passage between chamber 136 and chamber 118 . in order to align mirror 54 , strut position adjuster 102 is used . through rotation of strut position adjuster 102 , floating seat 108 and strut 70 can be raised or lowered . floating seat 108 in combination with hemisphere 106 which merely rests on platform 104 and is not affixed thereto obviates potential rotation of floating seat 108 as well as lateral translation of seat 108 which may have otherwise resulted from machining eccentricities . hemisphere 106 accommodates wobble at the surface of platform 104 and can slide laterally on platform 104 as adjuster 102 is utilized thereby uncoupling eccentricity effects . as was described in connection with the upper strut assembly , lower strut assembly can be off - loaded by supplying air under pressure through air pressure port 126 into chamber 136 . air pressure equalizes in chamber 118 such that the entire load of strut 70 can be carried by air pressure as opposed to the interface between lower strut ball 96 and lower ball socket 116 . by adjusting the pressure to a value just below the separation pressure , lower strut bill 96 can still maintain contact with radius bearing surface 114 but carry very little of the load . at this pressure , the frictional moment that can be generated by the lower ball joint assembly will be minimized and will be greatly reduced from the frictional moment developed by a ball joint which is carrying the full gravity load . when the adjustment of the position of mirror 54 is complete , the lower ball joint is locked by injecting an epoxy adhesive through epoxy fill port 128 into chamber 136 . after the epoxy adhesive is cured , air pressure may be released . turning next to fig4 there is shown the upper portion of a strut joint assembly 150 which is an alternative embodiment to the strut joint assembly 50 . mount pad 152 includes an integral upper cup section 156 with a radiused bearing surface or upper ball socket 158 . residing within upper cup section 116 and engaging upper ball socket 158 is upper strut ball 160 . upper strut ball 160 and upper ball socket 158 form an upper ball joint . extending down from upper strut ball 160 is upper shank 162 . there are a series of circumferential grooves 164 in upper shank 162 . similarly , there are a series of circumferential grooves 166 in the internal surface of upper cup section 156 . upper shank 162 terminates at a threaded shoulder 168 . extending down from threaded shoulder 168 is strut 170 . there is a rolling seal 172 which engages the internal surface of upper cup section 156 on one side thereof and engages adjusting nut 173 the , opposite side thereof . there is an annular chamber 174 between upper cup 156 and upper shank 162 . there is an epoxy injection port 176 into one side of upper cup section 156 and an epoxy fill indicator port 178 on an opposite side of upper cup section 156 . residing in annular chamber 174 is helical coil spring 180 which preferably has a very low stiffness in rotation about directions normal to the cylindrical axis thereof . in such manner , moments due to rotational stiffness over the small range of adjustment necessary for mirror alignment are negligible as compared to fully loaded frictional moments . the force of coil spring 180 on mount pad 152 is adjusted by rotating adjusting nut 173 on threaded shoulder 168 . thus , the force of helical coil spring 180 can be adjusted until mount pad 152 just lifts off of upper strut ball 160 . the adjusting nut 173 can then be backed off a small amount to allow contact between upper strut ball 160 and upper ball socket 158 but with minimal load carried by upper strut ball 160 . the mirror 154 can then be aligned and , once alignment is complete , the ball joint can be locked by injecting epoxy into annular chamber 174 through epoxy injection port 176 . epoxy fill indicator port 178 allows for recognition of when annular chamber 174 has been filled . rolling seal 172 defines the lower portion of annular chamber 174 and prevents leakage of epoxy from annular chamber 174 when epoxy is injected therein . extending from the bottom of strut 170 ( see fig5 ) is threaded shoulder 192 and lower shank 194 terminating in lower strut ball 196 . threadably engaging threaded shoulder 192 is adjusting nut 197 . lower strut ball 196 , lower shank 194 and shoulder 192 reside within cylindrical housing 198 which is affixed to support structure 140 . the lower end 200 of cylindrical housing 198 is internally threaded and threadably engaged therewith is strut position adjuster 202 . extending from strut position adjuster 202 is platform 204 which supports hemisphere 206 thereon . hemisphere 206 is allowed to float laterally on platform 204 . positioned above hemisphere 206 is floating seat 208 . floating seat 208 includes an annular channel 210 therein in which resides an o - ring 212 . o - ring 212 acts as a seal between floating seat 208 and the internal wall of cylindrical housing 198 . located at the base of floating seat 208 is a radiused bearing surface or socket 214 which engages the outer surface of hemisphere 206 . the upper portion of floating seat 208 includes a radiused bearing surface or lower ball socket 216 which engages the outer surface of lower strut ball 196 . lower ball socket 216 and lower strut ball 196 form a lower ball joint . floating seat 208 further includes a chamber 218 below lower strut ball 196 . annular grooves 220 , 222 provide residence for rolling seal 224 . there is an epoxy fill indicator port 226 into housing 198 which is positioned just below rolling seal 224 . on the opposite side of housing 198 there is an epoxy injection port 228 which is preferably positioned lower on housing 198 than is epoxy fill indicator port 226 . lower shank 194 includes multiple grooves 230 . there is an annular chamber 236 defined on the sides by the internal surface of housing 198 and the circumferential surface of lower shank 194 , on top by adjusting nut 197 and at the bottom thereof by floating by 208 . residing in annular chamber 236 is helical coil spring 240 which has a very low stiffness in rotation about the directions normal to the axis thereof . thus , moments resulting from rotational stiffness of coil spring 240 over the small range of adjustment rotation necessary for mirror alignment are negligible compared to fully loaded friction moments . strut position is adjusted through rotation of strut position adjuster 202 . through rotation of adjusting nut 197 , lower strut ball 196 can be lifted such that it no longer engages radius bearing surface 116 . full load from strut 170 would be passed through coil spring 240 to floating seat 108 and ultimately to strut position adjuster 202 with full load , of course , being carried by the support structure 240 . by backing off slightly on adjusting nut 197 , contact between lower strut ball 196 and lower ball socket 116 is reinitiated but with a minimal amount of load being transmitted through lower strut ball 196 . with minimal load being carried by lower strut ball 196 , mirror 154 can be aligned . once mirror 154 is aligned , the ball joint can be locked by injecting epoxy through epoxy fill port 228 to fill annular chamber 236 . once the epoxy is cured , the ball joint is locked . note that fig5 shows that there is no seal between housing 198 and adjusting nut 197 . this assumes that housing 198 is in a vertical , upright orientation . for other orientations , it will be necessary to include a seal such as a rolling seal between adjusting nut 197 and housing 198 . turning next to fig6 there is shown a schematic of a mirror 54 , 154 supported on six strut joint assemblies 50 , 150 which are attached to a support or a reaction structure 40 , 140 . the adjustment is performed by translating the strut assembly in the vertical direction using the strut position adjuster 102 , 202 ( see fig3 and 5 ). the upper and lower ball joints may then be locked in arbitrary order , but essentially simultaneously . in order to support and align a mirror 54 utilizing the strut joint assembly 50 of the present invention , the mount pads 52 are first attached to mirror 54 . housings 98 are affixed to the support structure 40 with the lower balls 96 engaging sockets 116 . upper balls 60 are left unrestrained . rolling seals 124 are in place . rolling seals 72 have already been installed on upper shanks 62 . mirror 54 is then lowered with the upper balls 60 positioned so that as mirror 54 descends , upper balls 60 engage upper sockets 58 . at this point , mirror 54 is supported on the six strut joint assemblies 50 . rolling seals 72 are then engaged with upper cups 56 . the air pressure fittings and tubing are then connected to air pressure ports 76 , 126 and the epoxy injection fittings and tubing are connected to the epoxy injection ports 78 , 128 . the valves connected to the epoxy injection ports 78 , 128 are closed . air pressure is then applied annular chambers 74 , 156 through air pressure ports 76 , 126 to a pressure sufficient unseat upper balls 60 and lower balls 96 from upper sockets 58 and lower sockets 116 , respectively . the air pressure is then adjusted to allow upper balls 60 and lower balls 96 to engage upper sockets 58 and lower sockets 116 , respectively , but with upper balls 60 and lower balls 96 carrying minimal load . the alignment of mirror 54 is then checked and the positional error is determined . using an adjustment matrix , the direction and magnitude of each required strut position change is then calculated . each strut is then adjusted as required . the motion imparted during this adjustment may be measured with the appropriate instrumentation . the steps of checking the alignment of mirror 54 , calculating the direction and magnitude of each required strut position change , and adjusting each strut are then repeated until mirror 54 is aligned within tolerance limits . the wavefront error of mirror 54 is determined by optical wavefront testing , and the deformation due to strut forces is substracted from the measured interferogram . if the resulting wavefront meets the requirements , strut joint assemblies 50 may be locked . epoxy is then injected through epoxy injection ports 78 , 128 with epoxy injection equipment ( not shown ) until the epoxy begins to flow out of the air pressure ports 76 , 126 . the epoxy is allowed to cure . air pressure is maintained at the adjusted level within annular chambers 74 , 136 through injection and curing of the epoxy so that upper and lower balls 60 , 96 remain substantially off - loaded . a final wavefront test may then be performed to verify acceptable performance . in order to support and align a mirror 154 utilizing the strut joint assembly 150 of the present invention , the mount pads 152 are first attached to mirror 154 . housings 198 are affixed to the support structure 140 . adjusting nuts 197 are adjusted to allow lower balls 196 to rest in ball sockets 216 . upper balls 160 are left unrestrained . rolling seals 172 have already been installed on upper shanks 162 . the upper rolling seals 172 , coil springs 180 , and adjusting nuts 173 are then assembled with upper shoulders 168 and upper cups 156 with adjusting nuts 173 in the &# 34 ; slack &# 34 ; position . mirror 154 is then lowered with the upper balls 160 positioned so that as mirror 154 descends , upper balls 160 engage upper ball sockets 158 . at this point , mirror 154 is supported on the six strut joint assemblies 150 . rolling seals 172 are then engaged with upper cups 156 . the appropriate fittings and tubing are then connected to the epoxy injection ports 176 , 226 . upper and lower adjusting nuts 173 , 197 are then adjusted to compress coil springs 180 , 240 to a sufficient degree to unseat ( separate from ) upper balls 160 and lower balls 196 from upper ball sockets 158 and lower ball sockets 216 , respectively . upper and lower adjusting nuts 173 , 197 are then backed off a predetermined amount , dependent on mirror weight and spring stiffness , to allow upper balls 160 and lower balls 196 from upper ball sockets 158 and lower ball sockets 216 to re - engage with ball sockets 158 , 216 carrying a very small portion of the total load . the alignment of mirror 154 is then checked and the positional error is determined . using an adjustment matrix , the direction and magnitude of each required strut position change is then calculated . each strut is then adjusted as required . the motion imparted during this adjustment may be measured with the appropriate instrumentation . the steps of checking the alignment of mirror 154 , calculating the direction and magnitude of each required strut position change , and adjusting each strut are then repeated until mirror 54 is aligned within tolerance limits . the wavefront error of mirror 154 is determined by optical wavefront testing , and the deformation due to strut forces is substracted from the measured interferogram . if the resulting wavefront meets the requirements , strut joint assemblies 150 may be locked . epoxy is then injected through epoxy injection ports 176 , 228 with epoxy injection equipment ( not shown ) until the epoxy begins to flow out of the epoxy fill indicator ports 178 , 226 . the epoxy is allowed to cure . a final wavefront test may then be performed to verify acceptable performance . in using strut joint assemblies 50 , 150 of the present invention , all six upper ball joints and all six lower ball joints should be off - loaded throughout mirror alignment , epoxy injection and epoxy cure . it is important to be able to perform an optical test in the off - loaded condition . ideally , all six upper ball joints and all six lower ball joints would be epoxied simultaneously . as a practical matter , epoxy injection can be performed one ball joint at a time . from the foregoing , it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are apparent and which are inherent to the invention . it will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed with reference to other features and subcombinations . this is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims . as many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof , it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth are shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense .	6
describing the invention in detail as shown in the drawings , the apparatus 1 comprises a support frame 2 which has a plurality of vertically aligned bearings 3 and 4 mounted thereon in which an operating shaft assembly 5 is journaled . the shaft assembly is split into two counter - rotary sections 8 and 10 . shaft section 8 is connected to one jaw or clamp holder 12 and the shaft section 10 is connected to jaw or clamp holder 14 of a die 15 . the jaw sections each carry a half section segment 16 of a die ring 17 . each section 16 has a tongue 18 fitted into a groove 20 in the associated jaw or clamp holder 12 or 14 . in addition , there is provided an end stop 22 at each end of segment 16 abutting the end of the same , the stop being attached by screws 24 , 24 threaded into the associated end portion of the jaw section 12 or 14 . jaws 12 , 14 have arms 25 , 26 respectively at one of their ends keyed by keys 27 , 28 to the respective shaft sections 8 and 10 . the shaft sections 8 and 10 are connected to pistons 34 , 36 of air or hydraulic motors 38 , 40 , the pistons operating in cylinders 42 , 44 . thus , the clamps and their associated die sections are opened and closed by reversely turning the respective shaft sections in order to admit cup - shaped container halves or cups 45 , 46 which are made of metal , preferably aluminum of about 6 - 10 mils in thickness . associated delivery and discharge mechanism is used to bring the cups to the assembly apparatus 1 and to remove the assembled container but are of no concern as to the present invention . as best seen in fig1 and 2 , the assembly apparatus is provided with vacuum holders 48 , 49 which are mounted on the frame and each have an arcuately shaped pocket 40 with a vacuum slot 51 connected with an associated vacuum line 53 . the holders 48 , 49 releasably hold the upper and lower halves 45 , 46 of the container with the open end portions 55 , 56 ( fig4 ) thereof facing each other . the clamps are then closed about these open end portions as seen in the right half of fig4 . if desired , the clamps may first be closed and the halves advanced toward each other and entered into the upper and lower ends of the die 17 . it will be noted that the upper and lower end portions 58 , 60 of the dies are provided with truncated conical guide surfaces 61 , 62 which flare downwardly and upwardly respectively and at their outer ends are of a diameter greater than that of the body portions 63 , 64 of the upper and lower cup sections . thus , the edge portions 55 , 56 of the body portions 63 , 64 are easily guided into the center portion of the die . the center portion of the die has an upper cylindrical die portion with a surface 67 which is equal to substantially the outside diameter of the upper cup . the upper cup is advanced into the surface 63 which rounds the lower edge portion of the upper cup by an upper pusher 70 which has a cap 71 at the lower end of rod 72 of a piston which operates in an air cylinder 73 carried by the frame . the upper cup slips along the holder 48 and is guided into the cylindrical die surface 67 until the lower edge 75 of the upper cup seats upon the shoulder 76 at the bottom of the squaring surface 67 . simultaneously , with the upper cup being inserted into the cylindrical section 67 , the lower cup is pushed upwardly by an air or hydraulic cylinder 77 which has a base pod 78 bearing against the bottom or base 79 of the lower or male cup . the edge portion 56 of the lower cup has been previously coated with an appropriate adhesive 79 . the edge portion 56 of the lower cup is very slightly necked - in but not deformed as it moves past the shoulder 76 . the inner edge of the shoulder 76 is of a diameter slighty less than the inner diameter of the upper cup , and the shoulder 76 has a radial dimension slightly larger than the thickness of the metal of the body wall of the upper cup . it has been found that the fit of the lower cup edge portion into the upper edge portion merely springs the metal of the lower cup very slightly without permanent deformation and that upon release from the die , the hoop compressive forces on the edge portion 56 are slightly relieved and tensile hoop stresses develop in the edge portion 55 . thus , a tight fit is insured between the two halves and the adhesive which is preferably thermoplastic polyolefin resins such as carboxylated polypropylene or polyethylene as well as thermosetting resins such as epoxy resins . these resins , when heated , will distribute and bond in shear the opposing outer surface 82 of the inner portion 56 to the inner surface 83 of the outer portion 55 . it will be noted that no inner support is required to telescope the two cups into each other and no wrinkling occurs at the juncture so that a good , leak - proof bond is developed which resists separation of the two halves in shear . it will be understood that any cold adhesive or thermoplastic adhesives may be used to bond the two halves . after the two cup halves are assembled , the die is opened and the upper and lower pushers separated and a vacuum withdrawn from the holders and the assembled unit is withdrawn or drops out and the following two halves are entered into the apparatus at opposite sides of the die and assembled in a continuous process . having described a preferred embodiment of the invention , it will be appreciated that various other variations will now become apparent to those skilled in the art which are comprehended within the scope of the appended claims .	1
fig5 ( a ) and 5 ( b ) show examples of the relations between groove widths , pulse widths and pulse intervals with peak currents as parameters in an electric discharge method of cutting a work piece with a wire electrode . a work piece 1 to be cut is of skd - 11 which contains , according to the japan industrial standard , c 1 . 4 - 1 . 6 %, si less than 0 . 4 %, mn less than 0 . 6 %, p less than 0 . 03 %, s less than 0 . 03 %, cr 11 . 0 - 13 . 0 %, mo 0 . 8 - 1 . 2 %, v 0 . 2 - 0 . 5 %, and fe remaining , and is 60 mm in thickness . in fig5 ( a ), the pulse interval and the relative speed between the wire electrode and the work piece 1 are maintained unchanged ( the relative speed being 0 . 5 mm / sec ) and the pulse width is changed . in fig5 ( b ), the pulse width and the relative speed are maintained constant , and the pulse interval is changed . fig5 ( c ) illustrates the width of a groove cut thereby . in order to cut the work piece into a configuration as shown in fig3 it is apparent from fig5 that it is necessary to obtain the width of a groove cut in the straight portion from the cutting conditions thereof in fig5 and then to obtain the electric energy , i . e ., the peak current and the pulse width , or the peak current and the pulse interval with which the same cut groove width as that in the straight portion is obtained in the curved portion with the relative speed of the wire electrode 2 and the work piece 1 in the lower surface , so that the electric energy is decreased to the value thus obtained . in this case , the width of the curved groove is smaller than that of the straight portion in the upper surface , because the relative speed in the curved portion is higher than that in the straight portion . however , in the case of the die , the accuracy of the curved portion may not be so high . if it is required to increase the accuracy of the curved portion , then the curved portion can be additionally machined later because it still has a margin owing to the narrow groove width . a difficulty may occur that when the electric energy is reduced so that the groove width of the curved portion becomes equal to that of the straight portion in the lower surface , the wire electrode and the work piece may be short - circuited because of the high relative speed described above , which makes it impossible to cut the work piece . however , the difficulty can be readily eliminated by employing a method such that , as is clear from fig5 and its description above , the above - described relative speed in the curved portion is further decreased and the electric energy is also decreased so as to have the same groove width as that of the straight portion . one example of the various experiments which have been actually conducted will be described as conducive to a full understanding of the invention . a work piece was cut in such a manner that the groove width of the curved portion was equal to that ( 0 . 33 mm ) of the straight portion in the upper surface of the work piece 1 , i . e ., the relative speed of the material and the wire electrode in the curved portion was equal to that ( 0 . 5 mm / sec ) of the straight portion . as a result , the maximum groove width of the curved portion in the lower surface was 0 . 38 mm . in this experiment , the relative speed in the lower surface was 0 . 3 mm / sec , the width of the pulse voltage applied to the discharge gap was 10 μsec , the pulse interval thereof was 2 μsec , the open voltage was 150 v , the peak current was 25 a , the taper angle θ was 1 . 3 degrees , the work piece 1 was of skd - 11 , the thickness thereof was 60 mm , the wire electrode was of copper and had a diameter ( d ) of 0 . 2 mm , and the working liquid was a water having a specific resistance of 20 kω cm . in view of the foregoing result , another work piece was cut , in which the groove width of the curved portion was equal to the groove width ( 0 . 33 mm ) of the straight portion in the lower surface , the pulse width was decreased to 2 μsec in cutting the curved portion by referring to fig5 ( a ) and the remaining conditions were the same as those in the above - described case . in this case , the groove width of the straight portion was equal to that of the curved portion in the lower surface . however , the groove width in the upper surface of the work piece 1 was 0 . 29 mm , and the work piece 1 and the wire electrode 2 were short - circuited in the upper surface . in order to eliminate the short - circuit phenomenon , another work piece was cut in which , referring to fig5 ( a ), the relative speed of the work piece 1 and the wire electrode 2 was decreased to 0 . 1 mm / sec , the pulse width was further decreased to 0 . 5 μsec so that the groove width of the curved portion was equal to that of the straight portion in the lower surface , and the remaining conditions were the same as those in the above - described case . the groove width of the curved portion was equal to that ( 0 . 33 mm ) of the straight portion in the lower surface of the work piece 1 . no short - circuiting was caused between the work piece 1 and the wire electrode 2 in the upper surface . in this case , the relative speed of the material 1 and the wire electrode 2 in the curved portion of the upper surface was 0 . 25 mm / sec , and the groove width was 0 . 28 mm . shown in fig6 through 9 is one example of an automatic control device adapted to automatically control the electric energy . the control device 20 comprises an n / c device 22 , a computer 23 and a multiplexer 24 . the control device 20 drives the drive motors 4 , 5 , 14 and 15 with the aid of instructions from a magnetic tape 21 so that the table 3 and the upper wire guide 10 are suitably moved to cut the work piece into a desired configuration . for instance , when the cutting operation is advanced to the point b - b in fig3 the computer 23 in the control device 20 calculates the electric energy necessary for cutting the curved portion by using data stored therein , the electric energy is converted into electrical signals by the n / c device 22 and the multiplexer 24 , and the electrical signals thus obtained are outputted as instruction signals , as a result of which the electric energy supplied to the gap between the work piece 1 to be cut and the wire electrode 2 is controlled to a desired value . as well known in the art , the computer 23 ( fig7 ) comprises a main memory circuit 231 , an operation circuit 232 and an input and output control circuit 233 . the computer 23 carries out numerical calculation processes such as arc interpolation calculations , straight line interpolation calculations , and conversions of decimal numbers into binary numbers according to the data supplied thereto . in fig7 the arrows show the flow of such data . as shown in fig8 the n / c device 22 functions to read the program data of the tape 21 by a tape reader 221 , to supply the read data to the input - output control circuit 233 of the computer 23 so that the program data is processed by the computer 23 to form signals which are necessary to control the cutting apparatus and to amplify the resultant signals by an x - and y - axis drive amplifiers amp thereof to drive the motors 4 and 5 for the x - y table , or to switch the electrical conditions . the multiplexer 24 in fig9 comprises and gates 2441 , 2442 , 2443 , 2444 , 2451 , 2452 , 2453 , 2454 , 2461 , 2462 , 2463 and 2464 , so that the output data # 1 through # 4 of the n / c device are stored in and outputted by temporary latch circuits 244 , 245 and 246 with the aid of selection signals spw , srw and spi of pulse width , pulse interval and peak current . the power supply unit 16 comprises a dc power source 17 , current limiting resistors r1 through r4 and a switching circuit trc having switching elements tr1 through tr4 which are adapted to switch these resistors and carry out the switching of the pulse circuit . the peak value of the pulse current can be changed to a desired value by the selective on - off control of the switching elements tr1 through tr4 by means of gate circuits g1 through g4 . a pulse width and pulse interval setting pulse generator , or a control circuit prwcc , comprises first and second presettable counters 25 and 26 , a j - k flip - flop 27 , an or gate g5 , and gates g6 and g7 , and an oscillator osc . the preset values of the presettable counters 25 and 26 are controlled by the output of the multiplexer 24 to control the pulse width and the pulse interval . for instance , it is assumed that , in carrying out the cutting operation as shown in fig1 through 4 , a value &# 34 ; 6 &# 34 ; is applied by the multiplexer 24 to the counter 25 for the straight cutting operation . ( in this case , the output q of the flip - flop 27 is assumed at a logical level &# 34 ; 1 .&# 34 ;) then the clock pulse from the oscillator osc is applied through the gate g6 ) to the first presettable counter 25 . when the count value of the counter 25 reaches a value &# 34 ; 6 ,&# 34 ; then the counter 25 outputs a coincidence signal to the or gate g5 . as a result , a pulse is applied to the clock terminal t of the j - k flip - flop to change the state of the j - k flip - flop whereby the output q thereof is set to a logic level &# 34 ; 0 .&# 34 ; accordingly , the gate g7 is opened , and the second presettable counter 26 for setting the pulse interval starts its counting operation . when the count value of the counter 26 reaches the predetermined output value of the multiplexer 24 , the first counter 26 for setting the pulse width starts its operation again . thus , the pulse width and the pulse interval , and the peak current value are controlled to the predetermined values . when the wire electrode 2 reaches the change points b and b , then the multiplexer 24 outputs a numerical value &# 34 ; 0010 &# 34 ; according to the instruction preset in the tape 21 , and the set value of the first presettable counter 25 is decreased to &# 34 ; 2 .&# 34 ; in other words , the set value of the counter 25 in the straight cutting operation ( in the first mode ) is lower than that of the counter 25 in the curved cutting operation ( in the second mode ). accordingly , the time interval which elapses from the time instant that the first presettable counter 25 receives the signal from the gate g5 until the counter 25 provides the output to the gate g6 in the curve cutting operation is shorter than that in the straight cutting operation . accordingly , the time that the output q of the flip - flop 27 is at &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is shorter , and the period of time that the switching circuit trc is closed in the curve cutting operation is shorter than that in the straight cutting operation . that is , the pulse width of the pulse voltage applied between the work piece 1 and the wire electrode 2 becomes smaller . in the curve cutting operation , the drive signals applied to the motors for the table 3 , namely , the x - axis motor and the y - axis motor by the amplifier amp in the n / c device are so changed that the speed of movement of the table effected by the two motors 4 and 5 , i . e ., the relative speed of the material 1 and the wire electrode 2 is decreased . furthermore , various instructions are stored in the tape 21 in advance to satisfy the conditions that control is so made that the cut groove width of the curved portion is equal to that of the straight portion in the lower surface to the work piece 1 as described above , and the pulse width and the table 3 feeding speed are such that the work piece 1 and the wire electrode 2 are not short - circuited . the control is started at the change points b and b where the straight cutting operation is switched over to the curve cutting operation and ended at the change points c and c where the curve cutting operation is changed to the straight cutting operation again . in the straight cutting operation after the change points c and c , the same control as that in the straight cutting operation which was effected until the wire electrode reaches the change points b and b is carried out . instead of the control of the pulse width as described above , the control of the pulse interval may be carried out . in this case , as is apparent from fig5 ( b ), the pulse interval in the curve cutting operation is made longer than that in the straight cutting operation . that is , the multiplexer 24 outputs a numerical value , for instance , six ( 6 ) in decimal notation ( corresponding to &# 34 ; 0110 &# 34 ; in binary rotation ) to set the count setting value of the second presettable counter 26 to six in decimal notation . that is , the count setting value in the curved cutting operation is made larger than that in the straight cutting operation . in the case where the groove width is controlled by controlling the peak current value , the peak current value in the curve cutting operation is made smaller than that in the straight cutting operation . it is assumed that all of the semiconductor switching elements tr1 through tr4 shown in fig6 are conductive ( on ) in the straight cutting operation , that is , in fig9 all of the data # 1 through # 4 are at &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and the peak current selection signal spi is at &# 34 ; 1 .&# 34 ; then , in the curve cutting operation , the switching elements tr1 and tr2 are rendered conductive ( on ), while the switching elements tr3 and tr4 are rendered nonconductive ( off ) if the data # 1 and # 2 are at &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and the data # 3 and # 4 are at &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and the peak current selection signal spi is at &# 34 ; 1 .&# 34 ; accordingly , all of the current limiting resistors r1 through r4 are parallel - connected in the straight cutting operation . on the other hand , in the curve cutting operation , only the resistors r1 and r2 are parallel - connected . therefore , the total current limiting resistance in the curve cutting operation is higher than that in the straight cutting operation , and accordingly the peak current value is decreased in the curve cutting operation . selection of the above - described pulse width control , the pulse interval control and peak current value control and combination of them depend on various factors such as the material and the thickness of the work piece 1 , the taper angle , the roughness of the cut surface , and the dimensional accuracy . at any rate , the tape 21 should be prepared so that the work piece can be cut in accordance with the above - described requirements . according to the data stored in the tape 21 thus prepared , at least one of the pulse width selection signal spw , pulse interval selection signal srw and peak current selection signal spi is raised to &# 34 ; 1 ,&# 34 ; and at least one of data # 1 through # 4 is raised to &# 34 ; 1 .&# 34 ; as is apparent from the above description , in the above - described embodiment of the invention , even in the case where the relative speed of the work piece 1 and the wire electrode 2 in the upper surface must be made different from that in the lower surface due to the difference between the length of the cutting path in the upper surface and that in the lower surface , the electric energy supplied to the cutting apparatus can be readily controlled according to the data set therein and , accordingly , the groove width of a portion of the work piece , i . e ., a predetermined portion thereof can be controlled as desired . fig1 is a graphical representation indicating the relations between open voltages and groove widths with the various relative speeds of the work piece and the wire electrode as parameters . in this case , the work piece 1 is of skd - 11 and is 60 mm in thickness , and the capacitance of a discharge capacitor 19 ( fig1 ) described later is 0 . 6 μf . in order to cut a material into a configuration as shown in fig3 it is apparent from fig1 that it is necessary to obtain the width of a groove cut in the straight portion similarly as in the case of fig5 ( a ) and 5 ( b ), by using fig1 and then to obtain an open voltage with which the same groove width as that in the straight portion is obtained in the curved portion with the relative speed of the wire electrode 2 and the work piece 1 in the lower surface , so that the open voltage , i . e ., the electric energy is reduced to the value thus obtained . in this case , the groove width of the curved portion is smaller than that of the straight portion in the upper surface similarly as in the case of fig5 ( a ) and 5 ( b ). however , in the case of a die , the accuracy of the curved portion may not be so high and if it is required to increase the accuracy of the curved portion the curve portion can be additionally cut later because it still has a margin owing to the narrow groove width , as mentioned before . a difficulty may be caused that when the open voltage is reduced so that the groove width of the curved portion is equal to that of the straight portion in the lower surface , the wire electrode and the work piece may be short - circuited similarly as in the above - described case , which makes it impossible to cut the work piece . however , the difficulty can be readily eliminated by employing a method such that , as is clear from fig1 and its description above , the above - described relative speed in the curved portion of the lower surface is further decreased , and the open voltage is also decreased so that the groove width of the curved portion is equal to that of the straight portion . the control of the open voltage can be manually achieved . shown in fig1 is one example of a control device which automatically achieve the control of the open voltage . the control device 20 comprises an n / c device 22 , a computer 23 ; and a digital - to - analog ( d / a ) converter 24 . the control device 20 drives the drive motors 4 , 5 , 14 and 15 with the aid of instructions from the magnetic tape 21 so that the table 3 and the upper wire guide 10 are suitably moved to cut the work piece into a desired configuration . for instance , when the cutting operation is advanced to the point b - b in fig3 the computer 23 calculates the open voltage which is necessary for cutting the curved portion by using the data stored therein . the digital signal is applied through the n / c device 22 to the d / a converter , where it is converted into an analog signal e , which is outputted as an instruction signal by the control device 20 . a power supply unit 16 comprises a dc electric source 17 , a discharge circuit made up of a limiting resistor 18 and a capacitor 19 and a voltage control circuit vrc constituted by connecting a transistor tr 1 , a first transistor tr 2 and a second transistor tr 1 in the main circuit , and resistors 31 through 35 whose resistances are r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 and r e , respectively , as shown in fig1 . the operation of the circuit shown in fig1 will be described . when an instruction signal , or a voltage e is applied to the base of the transistor tr 3 , then the voltage at the emitter thereof is e - v be3 ( v be3 being the base - emitter voltage of the transistor tr 3 ), and the voltage at the emitter of the transistor tr 2 is also e - v be3 because the voltage at the emitter of the transistor tr 2 is equal to the voltage at the emitter of the transistor tr 3 . in general , each of the base - emitter voltage v be3 of the transistor tr 3 and the base - emitter voltage v be2 of the transistor tr 2 is equal to about 0 . 6 v . therefore , the transistor tr 1 is so controlled that the base voltage v b2 of the transistor tr 2 is e - v be3 + v be2 ≈ e , and accordingly , the potential at the voltage division point vdp of a voltage division circuit vdc made up of the resistors 31 and 32 is also e . as a result , the emitter voltage of the transistor v e1 of the transistor tr 1 is : ## equ1 ## the emitter voltage v e1 of the transistor tr 1 is the open voltage of the power supply unit 16 and is proportional to the instruction voltage e as described above . thus , the emitter voltage v e1 is controlled to a predetermined release voltage . as is apparent from fig1 ad 11 , also in the embodiment shown in fig1 , even in the case where the relative speed of the material 1 and the wire electrode 2 in the upper surface must be made different from that in the lower surface due to the difference between the length of the cutting path in the upper surface and that in the lower surface , the open voltage applied to the cutting apparatus is automatically controlled , and accordingly the cut groove width of a portion of the material , i . e ., a predetermined portion thereof can be controlled to a predetermined value , or , if necessary , to a desired different value . the operation of the circuit shown in fig1 will be described in more detail . in the straight cutting operation , the voltage of the signal e is 5 v , that is , the voltage at the voltage division point vdp is 5 v . therefore , the cutting operation is carried out with the emitter voltage v e1 of the main transistor tr 1 , i . e ., the open voltage of the power supply unit 16 being 150 v . when the wire electrode 2 reaches the change point b - b , the output of the d / a converter 27 , i . e ., the voltage e is reduced to 2 . 5 v in accordance with the instruction stored in the tape 21 , and accordingly the voltage at the voltage division point vdp is also decreased to 2 . 5 v . therefore , the emitter voltage v e1 of the main transistor tr 1 , i . e ., the open voltage of the power supply unit 16 is decreased to 75 v . during the curved cutting operation , the voltage is maintained at 75 v . when the wire electrode reaches the change point c - c to perform the straight cutting operation again , the voltage is restored to 150 v again . when , in the curved cutting operation , the open voltage of the power supply unit becomes lower than that in the straight cutting operation as described above , then the cut groove width is decreased as is clear from fig1 . accordingly , similarly as in the embodiment shown in fig6 the cut groove width of the curved portion becomes equal to that of the straight portion in the lower surface of the work piece 1 . also in the embodiment shown in fig1 , similarly as in the embodiment shown in fig6 it is necessary to make the relative speed of the work piece 1 and wire electrode 2 in the curved cutting operation lower than that in the straight cutting operation so that the work piece 1 and the wire electrode 2 and not short - circuited in the upper surface of the work piece 1 . the apparatus described above may be so programmed that , when a work piece is being electrically cut with the wire electrode being held vertical in an ordinary manner , the width of a groove cut therein can be controlled at a predetermined point . while the invention has been described with reference to the electric discharge type taper - cutting , it should be noted that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby . that is , the invention is applicable to the case also where a work piece is cut with the wire electrode while an electrolytic liquid being applied to the working gap between the work piece and the wire electrode for electrolysis action . in the electrolysis type cutting operation , the amount of cutting is determined as a function of current density and time and as a function of applied voltage ( normally 5 to 15 v ) and time . therefore , the variation of the relative speed of the wire electrode and the work piece to be cut in the electrolysis type cutting affects the width of a groove cut more than that in the electric discharge type cutting . accordingly , the effect of the invention in the electrolysis type taper - cutting should be highly appreciated . in the above - described embodiments , the wire is employed as the electrode , however , it should be noted that it is not always necessary that the electrode is a wire , as can be understood from the nature of the present invention . that is , the same effect can be obtained by using a so - called &# 34 ; wire - shaped electrode &# 34 ; such as an electrode which is made of , for instance , a non - flexible rod . as is apparent from the above description , in the invention , the electric energy applied between the wire electrode and the material to be cut is controlled so that the width of a groove cut therein is controlled at a predetermined time instant using the cutting operation . accordingly , the curved cutting ( or the bent cutting ) can be effectively and suitably carried out in a cutting operation according to the taper - cutting method .	1
in fig1 is shown a schematic representation of a preferred arrangement of an energy conserving greenhouse 11 of the present invention . the energy conserving greenhouse 11 , hereinafter referred to as greenhouse can , of course , be any desired shape but is shown herein as preferrably having a gabled roof 12 that is supported by upstanding walls 13 that rest on a foundation 14 and should be understood to have at least one entrance into the interior thereof . the greenhouse 11 preferrably has at least one sun passing opening formed therethrough that is herein identified as a shuttered lense 15 . shuttered lense 15 is shown arranged through roof 12 to pass sunlight directed thereon from a focusing collector 16 . the focusing collector 16 is arranged , preferrably , on the roof 12 to focus and pass sunlight , shown as arrows a , into the shuttered lense 15 , that sunlight , as a beam , passes into greenhouse 11 and into an infra red filter trap 17 , hereinafter referred to as i . r . trap 17 . through the i . r . trap 17 a liquid is passed that absorbs the sunlight infra red spectra , heating that liquid , passing therethrough the sunlight visible spectra , also known as the sunlight photosynthetic portion . the i . r . filter trap 17 is preferrably arranged within the greenhouse 11 and should , for obtaining good heat conduction , be located as close to focusing lense 15 as possible and could even be arranged as part of the focusing lense 15 , but if so arranged , would tend to pass heat therefrom into the atmosphere above the structure and so it is preferred to arrange it within the structure . shown in fig1 and 2 , a diffuser reflector 18 is included within greenhouse 11 to break up and reflect that visible spectra passed from the i . r . filter trap 17 onto living plants 19 and earth 19 ( a ) therein . to further reflect visible spectra light passing from the diffuser 18 and visible spectra light reflected off from the leaves of plants 19 , the greenhouse 11 interior walls 20 and ceiling 20 ( a ) are preferrably arranged to reflect light , by painting the surfaces white , covered with a mirror surface , or the like , to provide for a maximum utilization of the photosynthetic fractions in the plant growth process . to further provide a maximum utilization of the sunlight photosynthetic fractions the greenhouse soil 19 ( a ) can be covered with a reflective material . so arranged the only light absorbing surfaces within the greenhouse 11 would be plants themselves , achieving thereby a maximum utilization of the growth fractions of sunlight visible spectra , and providing a minimization of the amount of sunlight needed to be passed into the greenhouse 11 for plant growth . so arranged the sunlight gathering surface area of the focusing collector 16 and the open area of the shuttered lense 15 can be held to only that required to collect and pass just that minimum sunlight , holding energy losses through that open area to the minimum . the above light reflecting arrangement of providing reflective surfaces to everything but the growing plants in the greenhouse 11 reduces to a minimum the ratio of sunlight required as compared to the plant growth area . so arranged , the ratio is less than one foot of growth area per each foot of sunlight gathering surface of the focusing collector to adequately support growth of plants 19 . the block schematic of fig3 shows the sunlight processing flow into and within the greenhouse 11 . shown therein the entering sunlight is identified as arrow a and is shown as consisting of infra red spectra portions , broken arrow c , and a visible spectra portion or photosynthetic fractions , including ultra violet , shown as solid arrow b . shown therein the sunlight spectra is separated at the infra red filter trap 17 , that infra red spectra being utilized for heating a liquid that provides , as shown by broken lines c going to a heat storage unit 21 and by broken lines d therefrom , heating the absorbant walls and air , block 21 ( b ), for immediate heating of the greenhouse 11 interior . a uniform temperature is thereby achieved for plants 19 and earth 19 ( a ), the heat storage unit 21 also retaining heat therein for later greenhouse 11 heating , that heat passing into the greenhouse through duct 21 ( a ), shown in fig1 . the remaining sunlight spectra , specifically the visible and ultra violet portions passes , from the i . r . filter trap 17 , shown as arrow b , against diffuser 18 whereat it is broken up and reflected against plant 19 surfaces , earth 19 ( a ), reflective walls 20 and ceiling 20 ( a ), that light eventually striking and being absorbed by a plant 19 surface , promoting plant growth and providing some heating of the greenhouse 11 interior . fig2 shows a cross section of a portion of the greenhouse 11 showing preferred apparatus for passing sunlight therein . it should , however , be obvious that , while only one such arrangement is shown a number of such arrangements could be so included as part of greenhouse 11 , which additional arrangements would still fall within the scope of this disclosure . shown in fig2 sunlight , arrows a , passes into a sunlight receiving area , shown herein as a lense 16 ( a ) of focusing collector 16 . focusing collector 16 should , of course , be understood to also include a tracking arrangement , not shown , align continuously the lense 16 ( a ) such that captured sunlight will be directed into and through shuttered lense 15 no matter the sun &# 39 ; s attitude . as already mentioned herein , sunlight passes from the shuttered lense 15 , shown also as arrow a , through the infra red filter trap 17 and thence against diffuser 18 . at the filter trap the infra red portion of the sunlight is absorbed by an infra red absorbing media , preferrably a liquid flowing therein , heating that liquid , the remainder of the sunlight passed therethrough , identified as arrow b , consists of the visible spectra or sunlight photosynthetic fractions and ultra violet . this sunlight remainder is then deflected and separated by diffuser reflector 18 , shown by arrows b 1 , onto and against growing plants 19 and earth 19 ( a ) that are shown arranged as a single tier in fig1 and as two tiers in fig2 and against wall and ceiling inner surfaces 20 and 20 ( a ). as shown in fig2 the greenhouse walls 13 and the roof 12 are preferrably well insulated to minimize the heat loss therethrough , and , of course , the shuttered lense 15 preferrably involves only a narrow or small area , that should be understood to be only that area necessary to pass an amount of sunlight a therethrough that is just that light needed for utilization by plants 19 and earth 19 ( a ) in the growth process . to further minimize heat loss , as shown in fig2 through the shuttered lense 15 , a shutter cap 23 , shown best in fig7 is preferrably included to close off and seal the shuttered lense 15 during hours where sunlight is not available . shutter cap 23 , preferrably consists of a plate 24 which can be manual or lever operated but is preferrably operated by a driver can 25 having a dog 25 ( a ) on one end that is journaled into a hole 24 ( a ) in plate 24 . so arranged , by operating motor 26 that turns , through a belt 26 ( a ), a pulley 27 that rotates a shaft 27 ( a ) to turn can 25 so as to move plate 24 across the shuttered lense . so arranged , the end 24 ( b ) of plate 24 will pass into an appropriate notch 12 ( a ) formed in roof 12 . obviously , the shutter cap 23 , to avoid damage or potential fire , if it were inadvertantly left across said shuttered lense when sunlight is passing therethrough , should include a failsafe arrangement , not shown , to release said shutter plate 24 so that it will pass back into its recessed attitude shown in fig7 . also , to further preclude fire or damage , the shutter plate 24 should have a reflective surface on the surface opposite to the focusing collector 16 and should also be formed from a material that will not be damaged by high temperatures . sunlight passed from and through shuttered lense 15 , as already discussed herein , travels through the i . r . filter trap 17 . i . r . filter trap 17 , as shown best in fig8 preferrably consists of a transparent or translucent fluid carrying pipe 28 , shown preferrably herein as a rectangular pipe , that receives the consolidated beam of sunlight , arrow a , containing both of infra red spectra , arrow c , and visible spectra or photosynthetic fractions and ultra violet , arrow b . as stated , the infra red spectra thereof , arrow c , is absorbed by fluid 29 traveling in pipe 28 , the visible spectra or photosynthetic fractions , and ultra violet , arrow b , passing therethrough , for diffusion within the greenhouse 11 providing heating and lighting therein . the heated fluid 29 is circulated as part of a greenhouse heating system 22 , shown best in fig1 that consists of the i . r . filter trap 17 , a heat storage section 21 and ducts 21 ( a ). heat from fluid 29 , not immediately used in greenhouse heating , is transferred for storage , as into rocks , or the like , not shown . the heating system 22 , as needed , may also involve fans , pumps or the like , not shown , to transfer heat from that storage section 21 during the period when the sun is not shining into the air and walls of the greenhouse 11 , to maintain a constant temperature therein . in practice , a solution of copper chloride , or an organic salt saturated solution , or the like , has been found to have sufficient infra red spectra heat absorption capabilities to absorb that heat portion of the sunlight spectra . the visible spectra or photosynthetic fractions of sunlight , arrow b , as already stated herein , pass from the i . r . filter trap 17 against diffuser 18 , shown in fig2 and best in fig1 . diffuser 18 , preferrably is arranged to scatter or disperse outwardly the visible spectra striking thereon but , it should be understood , could be arranged to pass light therethrough , spreading that light in such passage , not shown . so arranged , the sunlight spectra , arrow b , is scattered or broken into multiple beams , shown as arrows b 1 in fig2 . to provide for required light dispersion a faceted reflective surface is preferrably included with the diffuser 18 and in addition to the convex surface shown in fig2 and 10 , it can also involve flat or concave surfaces , not shown , to direct a portion of the visible spectra striking thereon against another surface , such as a reflective wall or ceiling whereat it is broken up . the respective convex , concave , or flat surfaces of diffuser 18 , shown at 30 in fig1 , can be covered with such things as dimpled aluminum , frosted glass , flat white paint , or be a glass beaded screen , or the like , for breaking up , and reflecting light striking thereon . preferrably , however , any portion of the diffuser 18 that is intended to redirect light received thereon should be a light reflective surface . referring to fig9 ( a ) and 9 ( b ), the focusing collector 16 could be arranged either laterally or longitudinally on the surface of roof 12 . in either of configuration of fig9 ( a ) or 9 ( b ) the present invention should be understood to include an alignment arrangement , not shown , for tracking the sun as it moves from east to west daily and / or north to south seasonally . optimumlly , it would be ideal if sufficient energy could be removed from sunlight striking the focusing collectors 16 to both promote the photosynthesis of plants within greenhouse 11 , and to satisfy the greenhouse heating needs . however , as those heating needs are dependent upon outside temperature as well as the amount of sunlight available and the amount actually collected , it is preferrable to include with greenhouse 11 a backup heating arrangement , not shown . certainly , in determining heating needs it is necessary to consider : the heat retention qualities of the insulated walls , roof and flooring of greenhouse 11 ; the amount of heat generated in the plant growth process ; the heat available in the sunlight after its passage through the i . r . filter trap 17 ; and the heat generated by auxiliary equipment such as fans , pumps , and the like therein . whether the greenhouse 11 of the present invention provides for either a partial or total energy independence , it is certainly an improvement in energy conservation over former conventional greenhouses . therefore , as the cost of construction of such a former greenhouse as compared to the cost of construction of the greenhouse 11 of the present invention would be essentially the same , the greenhouse 11 of the present invention provides a significant energy saving improvement over former greenhouses . obviously , in calculating sunlight needed in greenhouse 11 it is necessary to take into consideration the cost of focusing collectors 16 and the size of the shuttered lense 15 and the predicted heat losses therethrough , balanced against the greenhouse heat and light needs . as has been outlined herein , the amount of available photosynthetic fraction of incident sunlight for plant growth can be increased by appropriately including reflecting surfaces within the greenhouse itself and even covering the earth wherein the plants grow with a reflective surface . as a further consideration in determining the visible spectra needs within the greenhouse 11 it has been found that the light intensity necessary to promote plant growth is somewhat dependent upon the presence of atmospheric co 2 as well as the interior temperature of the structure . while the maintenance of optimum co 2 level has been difficult in conventional greenhouses due to ventilation requirements , as the greenhouse 11 can be closed and is well insulated , the co 2 level can therefore be maintained within very close limits . further , where it has heretofore been found in practice that somewhat less than a foot of collector area is needed for each foot of plant growth area , by closely controlling conditions within the greenhouse and providing for a full utilization of light passed therein for plant growth , as is possible with the present invention , it is possible for the greenhouse 11 to require as little as one quarter plant growth area . the greenhouse 11 of the present invention would preferrably not be designed at such minimum sunlight admission level but would preferrably be arranged to approximately match one square foot or less of collector area for each foot of greenhouse plant growth area . further , as the weather is unpredictable and certainly changeable , it may be necessary in anticipation of a cloudy day to provide for artificial illumination within the greenhouse to augment natural sunlight , which inclusion of artificial illumination would also come within the scope of the present disclosure . assuming therefore that the focusing collectors 16 have sufficient area to provide the required light within greenhouse 11 , it is of course desirable that they be arranged to focus that sunlight into as small an area or narrow band as possible for projection through shuttered lense 15 , the size of which area or band , or course , determining the size of the shuttered lense . certain focusing collectors have been shown appropriate for use with the greenhouse of the present invention . in fig4 is shown an example of a square fresnel lense arrangement of a focusing collector , viewed from above that is shown to resemble a target , with , in fig4 ( a ) that fresnel lense shown in profile view as consisting of a number of circular incline planes 31 which planes are each themselves prismatic lenses . in this arrangement sunlight striking on each plane is bent , as shown in fig4 to meet at a common area , at which area shuttered lense 15 is preferrably arranged . in this configuration the shuttered lense 15 could be circular or square in shape . a number of such focusing collectors may have to be installed with roof 12 to provide for the required amount of sunlight , though only one such focusing collector is shown herein for purposes of this disclosure . distinct from the point or small area focusing , shown with the focusing collector of fig4 and 4 ( a ), in fig5 is shown a rectangular panel configuration of a focusing collector 16 , that includes a number of incline plane lenses 32 that are shown arranged alongside one another . each incline plane lense 32 should be taken as being a prismatic lense , the lenses facing oppositely on different sides of a common longitudinal center 32 ( a ), the incline faces of the two adjacent lenses meeting at the longitudinal center 32 ( a ). so arranged , sunlight striking thereon will be focused into a band that passes into a narrow rectangular shuttered lense 15 . another embodiment of a focusing collector 16 is shown in fig6 . therein , focusing lense 16 is shown as consisting of two concave mirrors 33 that are arranged as opposite sides of a parabola with a slot or narrow opening 34 therebetween . a collimating mirror 35 , is arranged with its reflective face opposite to opening 34 such that sunlight , arrow a , striking on the reflective faces of the concave mirrors 33 will be reflected therefrom against the collimating mirror 35 that , in turn , reflects that sunlight , arrow a , through opening 34 and thence through shuttered lense 15 into i . r . filter trap 17 . in all of the above embodiments of shuttered lense 16 sunlight is focused into a small area or narrow band for passage through a minimal opening of shuttered lense 15 . a wide area of sunlight can thereby be consolidated into a smaller area or narrow band necessitating thereby that only a minimum opening be formed through an insulated greenhouse roof for passing just sufficient sunlight therethrough needed to promote plant growth within that greenhouse . the present invention , therefore , provides for a collection of that amount of sunlight necessary or needed for plant growth for transmittal into a greenhouse such as to require only a minimal opening formed therethrough so as to compromise to a minimum the insulative characteristics of the structure , minimizing thereby heat losses through the structure . although a preferred embodiment of my invention in an energy conserving greenhouse and the individual components thereof have been herein disclosed , it should be understood that the present disclosure is made by way of example and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims , which claims i regard as my invention .	8
the embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non - limiting embodiments and detailed in the following description . descriptions of well - known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein . the examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein . accordingly , the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein . as mentioned above , there remains a need for designing a rigid modular holding system with radial and axial compensation giving high rigidity and good precision . referring now to drawings , and more particularly to fig3 through 11 , where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures , there are shown preferred embodiments . according to an embodiment , fig3 a cross sectional view of a female portion 300 of the embodiment here in with parts and the front view . a joining portion of one side of modular locking can be called as female portion 301 . herein embodiment taken as cylindrical shape but not limited to joining of triangular , cubical , rectangular , hexagonal , heptagonal etc as per the design requirement . butting face and inside contour can be machined accurately to the required size as per the design and the other side of the female part can be machine spindle holder of any design for example bt holders , iso holders , hsk holders and also not limited to combination tools , multiple series connections , structural member coupling , motor shafts etc . which require modular connection as per application and design . corresponding female side is having cylindrical hole 304 as mentioned in above embodiment and shape is not limited to triangular , cubical , rectangular , hexagonal , heptagonal etc as per the design requirement . 309 and 310 are respective depth of cylindrical and cubical parts of 301 . central through coolant 311 can be concentric or can be designed as per the requirement . having threaded holes 303 perpendicular to cylindrical portions 304 and at the same time parallel and near to the butting face . cylindrical portion is continued with cubical part 305 concentric to the female part and the shape is not limited to cylindrical , triangular , cubical , rectangular , hexagonal , heptagonal etc as per the design requirement . threaded hole 302 in angular direction as shown and the desired angle is as shown as 45 degree in the embodiment and not limited to 15 degree − 75 degree . as per the design and application requirement number of threaded holes 302 and 303 are in four numbers each but not limited to 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 8 or equaling to number of sides designed . in an embodiment , fig4 a cross sectional view of a male portion 400 of the embodiment here in with parts and the front view . a joining portion of another side of modular locking can be called as male portion 401 . herein embodiment taken as cylindrical shape but not limited to joining of triangular , cubical , rectangular , hexagonal , hectogonal etc as per the design requirement . butting face and projected portion can be machined accurately to the required size as per the design and matching with the other butting female portion accurately with the required clearance as per the design concentric to the male portion . here , the cubical portion is machined to the required size but shape is not limited to joining of triangular , cubical , rectangular , hexagonal , hectoganal etc as per the design requirement . cylindrical portion 402 guides the male portion into the female portion and at the same time can have sufficient clearance for the radial adjustment as per the design . cylindrical portion 402 is continued with cubical portion 403 but the shape is considered as cubical but not limited to triangular , cubical , rectangular , hexagonal , hectoganal etc as per the design requirement . the size is designed with the required clearances moving freely inside the cubical portion of female part 305 and at the same time have enough clearance for radial adjustment . this cubical portion 403 have notch on the flat portion as shown as 404 may accommodate tightening of the grub screw 307 , can act as radial adjustment for compensation locking when tightened locks the butting face 407 and 308 rigidly without any gap at the same time parallel to the axis . the number of notches and the screw is designed as four numbers in the embodiment but not limited to any numbers etc as per the design requirement and application . here centre through coolant 411 can be designed concentric or as per the application and requirement . in an embodiment , modular holding system with axial and radial compensation is developed with cylindrical mounting and with cubical locking system in holding parts , which acts as anti rotational as well as guiding and holding the parts together . according to an embodiment , as shown in fig3 an fig4 , male and female portion can have clearance in od and face as per the design , end of 409 and 410 can have enough clearance so that cannot touch to the female body in the face except 407 and 308 butting together tightly , rigidly without any gap when assembled together . according to an embodiment , radial and axial run outs and locking can be done by grub screws designed by the sizes as per the requirement with very low cost compared to the cost of nuts and bolts , bullets , grub screws and number of parts are reduced considerably . in an example embodiment , as per fig4 may be a cutting tool , but not limited to reamer , milling cutter , arbor , boring bar , a shaft , motor side , structural part , modular connection required serial connection , cartridge for blade type of reamer , milling cutters or reamers , in modular form etc ., as per the design and application for which modular holding is required . according to an embodiment , fig5 illustrates assembly with a cross sectional view of a modular holding 500 where male and female portion are assembled together by inserting 402 and 403 in respecting mating parts 304 and 305 . screw 307 can be tightened in such a way that it may be locked or inserted inside the groove or notch touching 404 . this can enable the 401 positioned in placed with 301 so that 401 may not have any risk of coming out from its position . now tighten 306 uniformly and make them to just touch flat locking portion of 402 on cylindrical od . dial can be mounted on od of 406 where axial run out to be adjusted by rotating the assembly can identify the highest run out point and inline corresponding screw 306 can be adjusted axial run out very closely up to 0 - 5 micron . and all other screws 306 tightened moderately to touch the cylindrical locking portion . now dial can be mounted on 408 highest run out can be checked and inline opposite screw 307 to be tightened to adjust the radial run out within 0 - 5 micron . then all other corresponding screws 307 can be tightened to hold the butting face 407 and 308 together rigidly without any gap . once again dial can be mounted on 406 to check the axial run out if it is disturbed slightly above procedure will be repeated once again to achieve run out as close as 0 - 2 micron axially and radially . coolant hole can be taken in the central concentric as shown in the fig5 very easily without affecting the rigidity and also can be designed as per the requirement off centre to the cutting edges or where ever required . provision of appropriate seal also can be designed butting faces of 407 , 308 or end of 403 as per the design . according to an embodiment , a rigid modular holding system with axial and radial compensation is designed where modular locking is achieved within the diameter , size of the joining parts hence amount of material require for modular locking is reduced considerably almost 50 % and also considerable reduction in processing cost . with the simple design face butting is achieved within the outside diameter and there is no gap and 100 % butting of the joining faces which gives high rigidity acts like a single piece . in an embodiment , fig6 is a cross sectional view of modular holding of structural joints . here , requirement is modular locking of the two parts 601 and 602 by rigidly can be almost importance . axial run out adjustment may not be that critical and required and if required also can be adopted . however in the fig6 shown with modular locking as explained above with angular locking screw 607 on thread 606 and tightened together for locking of male and female portion corresponding 604 and 605 rigidly with the butting face . however not shown in the fig6 central portion concentric hole can be made in 604 and 605 to reduce the weight and the cost appropriately designing without affecting the rigidity . here , number of screws 607 can be designed as per application and the size of the modular connection required . the major advantage is that the modular connection by utilizing the space within the 604 and 605 and corresponding 601 and 602 for which modular holding is required . here no material protruding out from the surface of 601 and 602 anything assembling and fixing over that members can not have any problem , where flange may become obstruction for designing like this as shown in the fig2 . 2 . at the same time lot of saving on material and processing cost of flanges , nut bolts and fasteners is replaced by simple grub screws can be tightened and loosened easily by required allen keys . according to an embodiment , fig7 illustrates assembly with a cross sectional view of serial joints of multiple modular holding . as per the embodiment , fig7 showing multiple serial connection of modular locking for any numbers as shown in the 701 , 702 , 703 , 704 or 705 but not limited to any number . as explained in the fig5 assembly of modular locking can be done starting from 701 to 702 axial and radial adjustment can be controlled in microns . 702 can be connected with 703 , same procedure can be repeated for all other modular connection and at the end of 705 can be achieved axial and radial run out in microns . in cutting tool application anywhere in between or at the end of 705 cutting edges or modular connection with cutting edges can be designed as per the required design and application . according to an embodiment now referring fig8 shows assembly with cross sectional view of padded type of reamer with modular cartridge type of holding with multiple cutting edge . here , the traditional usage of blades used like in mapal design is replaced by innovative modular locking system where 802 is made up carbide not limited to any other cutting materials hss , ceramic , pcd , cbn , steel with brazed type etc ., as per the design requirement and also the cutting edge 803 . further , the modular locking as explained in fig5 is designed and mounting screws can be designed as per the requirement of size and criticality . axial screws are used for size adjustment by shifting 802 in axial direction an projecting out cutting edge 803 to the required size of 3 - 20 micron from the pad and the inline angular screw can be tightened and adjusted to get the require back tapper and clamping of 802 rigidly by face butting 804 . here , number of cutting edges can be one but not limited to 2 , 4 , 6 or 8 as per the design and application . further , once the cutting edge is used it can be rotated for other cutting edges . cartridge 802 can be replaced by new cartridge . considerable cost saving can be achieved and at the same time higher speed and feed can be achieved . in an embodiment , fig9 illustrates assembly with multiple cartridges used for boring , reaming , milling and in tooling design . as per the embodiment , fig9 multiple modular cartridge holding system with cutting edges with single or multiple cutting edges . 901 is a tool holder body and 902 cartridges as explained in the fig5 can be designed for multiple cartridges . as shown in the fig9 are cartridges and 903 is cutting edge . here by adjusting axial locking screws whole cartridge can be moved to the desired side and od run out and size can be achieved on cutting edge 903 at the same time with the angular locking screw back tapper of cutting edge 903 can be achieved . this can be applied to reamer with multiple cutting edges and not limited to boring bars with the single or multiple cutting edges , iso inserts , boring bars , milling cutters etc ., as per the design and application . cartridge 902 can have single cutting edge or multiple cutting edges as per the design and application . cost reduction in tooling can be achieved with the novel application of the modular holding . according to an embodiment , fig1 illustrates assembly with a cross sectional view of coupling type of modular holding . as per the embodiment , fig1 is a cross sectional view of typical modular joints can be designed for shaft joining or coupling as per the design and application . here , 1001 is considered as motor side or drive side as a female part of modular joint . 1005 as connected shaft side as a male part of modular joint . as explained in the embodiment axial adjustment not shown in the drawing can be used only if it is required and angular holding grub screws 1003 is used for locking the joints rigidly . number of grub screws can be designed as per the size and application . modular joints on the butting face designed with gasket /‘ o ’ ring / sealing elements 1006 which can helps to avoid vibration , sealing as well as required expansion and flexibility in the coupling joints which is very essential . modular joints are rigid and economical . according to an embodiment , fig1 illustrates assembly with a cross sectional view of piping joint or hollow shaft modular holding with sealing . as per the embodiment now referring fig1 cross sectional view of typical piping or hollow shafts modular joining system . here full internal area of pipes or hollow shafts are used for the intended purpose or flow of fluid inside . this modular joint can be designed for piping , pipe fittings , valves , piping instruments , modular connection . here 1101 is the pipe and female part can be joined together by welding 1102 is forming the female part of the modular joint and 1107 is a pipe and male part may be joined together by welding 1102 is forming the male part of the modular joint . further , axial locking may not be used much and only if in the critical design can be used if required . angular locking grub screw 1106 is clamped for locking the joints rigidly . number of grub screw required can be designed as per the size and application . here sealing element , ‘ o ’ ring , gasket are designed and provided in two places of the butting faces of the male and female parts which acts as a sealing element with the modular locking . the design is simple , rigid , leak proof and cost effective . according to an embodiment , a rigid modular holding system with axial and radial compensation is designed to use for modular holding in engineering , construction , machine building field where above short comings are eliminated by material used within the size of joining parts . face butting is 100 % face to face locking . alignment or concentric locking of mating parts is achieved by simple design of angular locking by the grub screw . axial locking screws may be used as per the design if required to achieve the alignment in rotary or static parts modular locking . the foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily modify and / or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept , and , therefore , such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments . it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation . therefore , while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein .	5
this invention is a convenient , low - temperature method for preparing pt — ti nanometer size particle catalysts . the use of pt — ti catalysts will allow a reduced platinum loading on the cathode of the fuel cell , and thus reduce its cost . the two main sources for the degradation of the cathode performance in the fuel cell are carbon corrosion and sintering of the pt catalyst particles . the presence of the titanium may prevent sintering of the catalyst particles and thus improve the durability of the cathode . in accordance with this invention platinum - titanium alloys are synthesized under cavitation conditions to produce nanosize particles of the alloys by co - reduction of titanium and platinum molecular compounds . titanium and platinum may be incorporated into the same sonically decomposable precursor compound , or separate compounds of the metals may be used . the process has been demonstrated with compounds of platinum ( ii ) and titanium ( iv ). but it is considered feasible to use compounds of the metals in other oxidation states , such as platinum ( iv ) and titanium ( iii ). examples of suitable separate compounds of titanium and platinum include titanium ( iv ) tetrachloride — ticl 4 , dicyclopentadienyl titanium dicarbonyl —( c 5 h 5 ) 2 ti ( co ) 2 , indenyltitanium trichloride — c 9 h 7 ticl 3 , or titanium ( iv ) ethoxide — ti ( oc 2 h 5 ) 4 ; and bis ( ethylenediamine ) platinum ( ii ) dichloride —[( nh 2 ch 2 ch 2 nh 2 ) 2 pt ] cl 2 , dimethyl ( 1 , 5 - cyclooctadiene ) platinum ( ii )—( ch 3 ) 2 pt ( c 8 h 12 ), or platinum ( ii ) acetylacetonate — pt ( ch 3 cochcoch 3 ) 2 . the reducing agent is hydrogen gas , either in pure form , or in a combination or mixture with an inert gas such as helium or argon . a hydrocarbon solvent with low vapor pressure is suitable as the reaction medium and it may be cooled to sub - ambient temperatures . tridecane , decalin , or tetralin are examples of suitable hydrocarbon liquids . anaerobic conditions are maintained inside the reaction vessel by flowing high purity argon gas over the liquid surface , and the reducing gas ( hydrogen ) is bubbled through the liquid reaction medium during the reduction reaction . the average pressure inside the reaction vessel is close to atmospheric pressure throughout the reaction . the reaction vessel is cooled to sub - ambient temperatures in order to lower the vapor pressure of the reaction medium and volatile precursors , and in order to affect a selective entrainment of the reactants into the bubbles formed in it by cavitation . ultrasonic sound energy of suitable frequency and amplitude is used in the synthesis of the platinum and titanium containing particles . the frequency will usually be above about 16 khz and depend upon the specific sound generating device that is used . a generator producing sonic energy at a frequency of about 20 khz is suitable . the high - intensity ultrasound source or a high - shear mixer creates microscopic bubbles inside the reaction medium with diameters ranging from 10 to 200 μm with a lifetime of about one microsecond temperatures and pressures in the bubbles can reach , respectively , 5000 k and 2 kbar . each bubble is surrounded by a shell 2 to 10 μm in thickness , of extremely hot liquid in which the temperature can be as high as 2 , 000 k . under these conditions in the liquid medium , the platinum and titanium molecular compounds are reduced to the respective metals , and nanosize alloy particles are formed due to the very fast cooling rates achieved in the process . the size and morphology of the particles can be varied by selectively adjusting , for example , the composition of the liquid medium , the composition or concentration of the precursors in the reaction medium , the temperature of the medium in the reaction vessel , or the duration and intensity ( amplitude ) of the ultrasonic pulses . a pt — ti alloy has been synthesized sonochemically from ticl 4 and pt ( ch 3 cochcoch 3 ) 2 precursors , under a flow of pure hydrogen gas in decalin . x - ray diffraction ( xrd ) and chemical analysis data indicate a disordered pt 3 ti alloy with crystallite size of about seven nanometers . electrochemical tests showed that the oxygen reduction activity of the alloy was very close to that of pure platinum and that no platinum oxidation occurs for potentials as high as 1 . 2 v . the reaction mixture , containing about equimolar amounts of titanium and platinum , was prepared in an inert atmosphere just prior to use . fifty milliliters of the mixture were made by adding 0 . 5 ml of 1m ticl 4 in toluene to 40 ml of decalin containing 0 . 1967 g of pt ( ii ) acetylacetonate dissolved in 0 . 5 ml of toluene . more decalin was added to take the volume up to 50 ml . the resulting yellow - orange mixture contained a significant amount of finely divided solid particles or colloidal material that did not readily settle . 30 ml of the mixture were placed in a sonication cell , a water - jacketed glass vessel with a port for the ultrasonic horn , and several other ports for gas management , solution addition , and temperature measurement . hydrogen was bubbled through the mixture , and an argon blanket was maintained above the liquid . cooling was provided to the cell by a refrigerated circulating bath . the temperature of the reaction mixture was initially − 8 ° c ., but it quickly climbed to about 5 ° c . during the sonication . the mixture was exposed to 225 w of vibrational energy at 20 khz ( ultrasonic ) with a duty cycle of 0 . 1 sec . “ on ” to 0 . 4 sec . “ off ”. the sonication was allowed to continue with this protocol until 5 . 3 hrs of “ on ” time had accrued . the mixture was centrifuged and the solid was collected and washed with toluene . preferred process specifications for the synthesis of a specific alloy or intermetallic compound of titanium and platinum are suitably developed by varying conditions and compositions on a small scale batch reactor basis . the preferred batch reaction , with its specified precursor ( s ), liquid medium composition , liquid medium temperature , reducing gas composition and flow , and ultrasound frequency and intensity , can be scaled to a suitable production capacity . the process may also be conducted on a continuous basis by flowing a stream of the liquid medium and precursors around or past the ultrasonic generator . while the invention has been described in terms of specific examples it is recognized that other modes of practice can readily be adapted by those skilled in the art . the scope of the invention is , to be limited only by the following claims .	1
[ 0014 ] fig1 illustrates a block diagram of a speech recognition device or system 100 of the present invention . in one embodiment , the speech recognition device or system 100 is implemented using a general purpose computer or any other hardware equivalents as shown in fig5 below . although the recognition device or system 100 is preferably implemented as a portable device , it should be noted that the present invention can also be implemented using a larger computer system , e . g ., a desktop computer or server and the like . the speech recognition device or system 100 comprises a sampling and analog - to - digital ( a / d ) conversion module 110 , a feature extractor or feature extraction module 120 , a speech recognizer or a speech recognizer module 130 and various input / output ( i / o ) devices 140 . in operation , an input audio signal ( e . g ., a speech signal ) on path 102 is received by the sampling and analog - to - digital ( a / d ) conversion module 110 , where the input signal is sampled and digitized from a microphone ( not shown ) into a sequence of samples that are later processed by a processor . the digitized sequence of samples is then forwarded on path 103 to the feature extraction module 120 . the sample sequence is first grouped into frames ( commonly 1 centi - second in length ) and speech features are extracted for each of the frames using various signal processing methods . some examples of these are mel - cepstral features , or plp cepstral features . specifically , conventional feature extraction methods for automatic speech recognition generally rely on power spectrum approaches , whereby the acoustic signals are generally regarded as a one dimensional signal with the assumption that the frequency content of the signal captures the relevant feature information . this is the case for the spectrum representation , with its mel or bark variations , the cepstrum , fft - derived ( fast fourier transform ) or lpc - derived ( linear predictive coding ), lpc derived features , the autocorrelation , the energy content , and all the associated delta and delta - delta coefficients . cepstral parameters are effectively used for efficient speech and speaker recognition . originally introduced to separate the pitch contribution from the rest of the vocal cord and vocal tract spectrum , the cepstrum has the additional advantage of approximating the karhunen - loeve transform of speech signal . this property is highly desirable for recognition and classification . in one embodiment of the present invention , the speech features on path 104 can be mel - cepstral features , or plp cepstral features . it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to a particular type of feature , as long as the same features are used to train the models and used during the recognition process . namely , the present invention is not feature dependent . in turn , the speech recognizer 130 receives the speech features and is able to decode the “ recognized text ” from the speech features using various models as discussed below . finally , the recognized text on path 105 is further processed by various i / o devices or other processing modules 140 , e . g ., natural language processing module , speech synthesizer and the like . [ 0021 ] fig2 illustrates a block diagram of a generic speech recognizer 130 comprising a text decoder or extractor 210 , acoustic models 220 and a language model 230 . specifically , the input speech features on path 104 obtained from the utterance ( input audio signal ) are decoded using the acoustic models 220 and a language model 230 . the acoustic models are trained using a large amount of training speech . typically , acoustic models are hidden markov models ( hmms ) trained for each sound unit ( phone , triphone , etc .). each hmm usually has 3 states and each state may be modeled using one or more gaussians . some of the states may be tied by sharing the same gaussians . the hmm techniques are used to identify the most likely sequence of words that could have produced the speech signal . however , one problem with the hmm based speech recognition is the mismatch between the speech data used for training and during testing / use . typical training data is obtained under controlled environments that are noise free . however , the test speech is obtained in real world conditions which are usually noisy . this mismatch leads to a significant loss in performance . thus , the present dnc is developed to compensate for the mismatch . [ 0023 ] fig3 illustrates a block diagram of a speech recognizer 130 of the present invention comprising a text decoder or extractor 210 , a dynamic noise compensator , or a dynamic noise compensation module 310 , clean acoustic models 320 and a language model 230 . fig3 illustrates the speech recognizer using the dnc of the present invention . in one embodiment , the input noisy speech features are used to compensate the clean speech models ( using the dnc formula as disclosed below ) to generate models for noisy speech . these models are then used along with the language model 230 to decode the input speech features on path 104 . [ 0024 ] fig4 illustrates a block diagram of the dynamic noise compensation module 310 of the present invention . it should be noted that fig4 when viewed with the discussion provided below , also serves as a flowchart for the present noise compensation method . [ 0025 ] fig4 illustrates the architecture of the dnc comprising a noise estimation module 410 , a model weight selection module 420 , two multipliers 430 and a summer 440 . the first two stages are the noise model estimation module and the model weight selection module . specifically , the noise model is estimated using the features corresponding to the noise in the input . in one implementation , the energy is used to identify the low energy frames . the noise estimate is then used to select appropriate weight for the interpolation . this weight is then used to combine the clean speech models and the noise model to generate the models for noisy speech . specifically , the noise energy estimate is used to compute an estimate of the signal to noise ratio ( snr ). in one implementation , the snr is approximated by the ratio of the maximum energy to the estimated noise energy . this snr is used to look up a table of snr - weight pairs and the weight corresponding to the closest snr value in the table is used . in one embodiment , the snr - weight table is generated in accordance with the following procedure . first , the clean speech is used to build the clean speech hmms . second , a test set of clean speech is used and corrupted using random samples of a variety of noises ( for example , car noise or other noises in an environment that the speech recognition system is intended to operate within ). the noise energy is then changed to produce noisy speech data at different snrs . the present dnc algorithm is then applied with a number of weights , where the appropriate weight is then selected ( i . e ., the weight which produced the best recognition performance for a noisy speech having a particular snr ). this estimation is repeatedly performed at different snrs , thereby generating the table of snr - weight pairs . namely , the dynamic noise compensation is a new method that estimates the models for noisy speech using models for clean speech and a noise model . current state - of - the - art speech recognition systems use hmms to model speech units like triphones . a typical hmm has 3 states each modeling the initial , middle and the final segments of that triphone . typically , these models are gaussian mixture models ( gmms ) which are a collection of gaussians modeling the probability distribution of the features belonging to that state . each gaussian is represented by two parameters , the mean and the variance . the use of hmms in the field of speech recognition is well known and description of hmms can be found in general references such as l . rabiner and b . juang , “ fundamentals of speech recognition ”, prentice hall , 1993 and frederick jelinek , “ statistical methods for speech recognition ”, mit press , cambridge , mass ., 1998 . in the context of the present dnc , the hmms are trained using clean speech data . the training procedure estimates the parameters of all the gaussians in the models . in dnc , these parameters are modified so that they now model noisy speech . consider a gaussian modeling clean speech . let the mean of the gaussian be m and standard deviation c . if the noise estimate from the noisy speech is n , then the mean m ′ and variance c ′ for noisy speech are estimated as : the interpolation weight w is determined from an estimate of the signal to noise ratio ( snr ). in one embodiment , the noise estimate ( and the snr ) is obtained by averaging low energy frames in the input noisy speech . specifically , to estimate the noise , the frames with the lowest energy in the input speech are identified . these frames are assumed to be noise frames and these are used to estimate a noise model . generally , the noise model can be a gmm ( i . e ., a mixture of gaussians ), but in practice it has been found that a single gaussian model of noise works quite well . in turn , the mean of the noise model ( n ) is used in the dnc formula to estimate the noisy speech models . this noise estimate is used to update all the gaussians in the clean speech models ( hmms ) using the above formula . [ 0032 ] fig5 illustrates a block diagram of a speech recognition system 500 of the present invention as implemented using a general purpose computer . the speech recognition device or system 500 comprises a processor ( cpu ) 512 , a memory 514 , e . g ., random access memory ( ram ) and / or read only memory ( rom ), a speech recognizer module 516 , and various input / output devices 520 , ( e . g ., storage devices , including but not limited to , a tape drive , a floppy drive , a hard disk drive or a compact disk drive , a receiver , a transmitter , a speaker , a display , a speech signal input device , e . g ., a microphone , a keyboard , a keypad , a mouse , an a / d converter , and the like ). namely , speech recognizer module 516 can be the speech recognizer module 130 of fig1 . it should be understood that the speech recognizer module 516 can be implemented as a physical device that is coupled to the cpu 512 through a communication channel . alternatively , the speech recognizer module 516 can be represented by one or more software applications ( or even a combination of software and hardware , e . g ., using application specific integrated circuits ( asic )), where the software is loaded from a storage medium , ( e . g ., a magnetic or optical drive or diskette ) and operated by the cpu in the memory 514 of the computer . as such , the speech recognizer module 516 ( including associated methods and data structures ) of the present invention can be stored on a computer readable medium , e . g ., ram memory , magnetic or optical drive or diskette and the like . additionally , it should be understood that various modules and models ( e . g ., feature extraction module , language models , acoustic models , speech synthesis module , translation module and its sub - modules ) as discussed above or known in the art can be stored and recalled into memory 514 for execution . although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein , those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings .	6
a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester composition and a method of producing the same according to the present invention are described in the following . the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester composition in the present invention comprises causing a radical polymerization inhibitor , or both of a radical polymerization inhibitor and a basic compound , to coexist with a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the following general formula ( 1 ): in the formula , r 1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group , r 2 represents an organic residue and r 3 represents a hydrogen atom or an organic residue . the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in the present invention are compounds represented by the general formula ( 1 ) and having specific structures containing a vinyl ether group represented by — o — ch ═ ch — r 3 and a ( meth ) acryloyl group represented by ch 2 ═ cr 1 — coo — within one molecule . in the practice of the present invention , such compounds may be used singly or two or more of them may be used in combination . in the practice of the present invention , the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the general formula ( 1 ) may be those compounds in which the substituent represented by r 1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group , the substituent represented by r 2 is an organic residue and the substituent represented by r 3 is a hydrogen atom or an organic residue . in the present specification , the term “ organic residues ” as used herein in defining compounds represented by the general formula means organic groups bound to the fundamental structures constituting these compounds . the organic residues represented by r 2 in the above general formula ( 1 ) are preferably , for example , straight , branched or cyclic alkylene groups containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms , alkylene groups containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms and having at least one oxygen atom in the form of an ether linkage and / or an ester linkage within the structure thereof , and aromatic groups which contain 6 to 11 carbon atoms and may optionally be substituted . among them , alkylene groups containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms and alkylene groups containing 4 to 10 carbon atoms and having at least one oxygen atom in the form of an ether linkage are preferred . the organic residues represented by r 3 in the above general formula ( 1 ) are preferably , for example , straight , branched or cyclic alkyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aromatic groups which contain 6 to 11 carbon atoms and may optionally be substituted . among them , alkyl groups containing 1 to 2 carbon atoms and aromatic groups containing 6 to 8 carbon atoms are preferred . as typical examples of vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 1 ), specifically , the following ones are preferred : 2 - vinyloxyethyl ( meth ) acrylate , 3 - vinyloxypropyl ( meth ) acrylate , 1 - methyl - 2 - vinyloxyethyl ( meth ) acrylate , 2 - vinyloxypropyl ( meth ) acrylate , 4 - vinyloxybutyl ( meth ) acrylate , 4 - vinyloxycyclohexyl ( meth ) acrylate , 6 - vinyloxyhexyl ( meth ) acrylate , 4 - vinyloxymethylcyclohexylmethyl ( meth ) acrylate , 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl ( meth ) acrylate and 2 -( vinyloxyethoxyethoxy ) ethyl ( meth ) acrylate . in the practice of the present invention , methods of producing vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the general formula ( 1 ) are preferably , for example , the method comprising subjecting a ( meth ) acrylic acid and a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether to esterification ( method a ), the method comprising subjecting a ( meth ) acrylic acid halide and a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether to esterification ( method b ), the method comprising subjecting a ( meth ) acrylic anhydride and a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether to esterification ( method c ), the method comprising subjecting a ( meth ) acrylic ester and a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether to transesterification ( method d ), the method comprising subjecting a ( meth ) acrylic acid and a halogen - containing vinyl ether to esterification ( method e ) and the method comprising subjecting a ( meth ) acrylic acid alkali ( or alkaline earth ) metal and a halogen - containing vinyl ether to esterification ( method f ). among them , the method comprising subjecting a ( meth ) acrylic ester and a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether to transesterification ( method d ) is preferred . on that occasion , the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which is mentioned later herein is preferably applied . in accordance with the present invention , stabilized vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester compositions can be obtained by causing a radical polymerization inhibitor , or both of a radical polymerization inhibitor and a basic compound , to coexist with the above vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters . the radical polymerization inhibitor and basic compound may each be used singly or a combination of two or more species . as methods of producing vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester compositions according to the present invention , ( 1 ) the method comprising adding a predetermined amount of a radical polymerization inhibitor , or a predetermined amount of a radical polymerization inhibitor and a predetermined amount of a basic compound , to the above vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester , ( 2 ) the method comprising adding the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester to a predetermined amount of a radical polymerization inhibitor , or a predetermined amount of a radical polymerization inhibitor and a predetermined amount of a basic compound , and ( 3 ) the method comprising a combination of the above two methods are preferred . such a production method , namely the method of causing a radical polymerization inhibitor , or both of a radical polymerization inhibitor and a basic compound , to coexist with the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ), also constitutes an aspect of the present invention . the radical polymerization inhibitors to be used in accordance with the invention maybe those radical polymerization inhibitors in general use . specifically , there may be preferably mentioned quinone type polymerization inhibitors such as hydroquinone , methoxyhydroquinone , benzoquinone and p - tert - butylcatechol ; alkylphenol type polymerization inhibitors such as 2 , 6 - di - tert - butylphenol , 2 , 4 - di - tert - butylphenol , 2 - tert - butyl - 4 , 6 - dimethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol and 2 , 4 , 6 - tri - tert - butylphenol ; amine type polymerization inhibitors such as alkylated diphenylamine , n , n ′- diphenyl - p - phenylenediamine , phenothiazine , 4 - hydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine , 4 - benzoyloxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine , 1 , 4 - dihydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine and 1 - hydroxy - 4 - benzoyloxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine ; copper dithiocarbamate type polymerization inhibitors such as copper dimethyldithiocarbamate , copper diethyldithiocarbamate and copper dibutyldithiocarbamate ; n - oxyl type polymerization inhibitors such as 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl , 4 - hydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl , 4 - benzoyloxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl and esters of 4 - hydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl ; etc . among these , quinone type polymerizaiton inhibitors , amine type polymerization inhibitors , copper dithiocarbamate type polymerization inhibitors and n - oxyl type polymerization inhibitors are preferred radical polymerization inhibitors . particularly preferred radical polymerization inhibitors are hydroquinone , methoxyhydroquinone , benzoquinone , p - tert - butylcatechol , phenothiazine , alkylateddiphenylamine , copper dibutyldithiocarbamate , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl , 4 - hydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl , esters of 4 - hydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl , and the like . the level of addition of the above radical polymerization inhibitors may vary according to the species of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the general formula ( 1 ) but preferably is not less than 0 . 00001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 0001 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 0002 % by weigh , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 0005 % by weight , but preferably not more than 5 % by weight , more preferably not more than1 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 0 . 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 0 . 1 % by weight , relative to said vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters . the above range of the radical polymerization inhibitor addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of polymerization inhibition and economy . the basic compounds to be used in accordance with the present invention are preferably , for example , alkali ( alkaline earth ) metal hydroxides such as lithium hydroxide , sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , cesium hydroxide , magnesium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide ; alkali ( alkaline earth ) metal carbonate salts such as lithium hydrogen carbonate , sodium hydrogen carbonate , potassium hydrogen carbonate , cesium hydrogen carbonate , magnesium hydrogen carbonate , calcium hydrogen carbonate , lithium carbonate , sodium carbonate , potassium carbonate , cesium carbonate , magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate ; alkali ( alkaline earth ) metal carboxylate salts such as lithium acetate , sodium acetate , potassium acetate , cesium acetate , magnesium acetate and calcium acetate ; alkali ( alkaline earth ) metal alkoxides such as sodium methoxide , sodium ethoxide , sodium butoxide , potassium methoxide , potassium ethoxide , potassium butoxide and calcium ethoxide ; amines such as ammonia , methylamine , ethylamine , butylamine , ethanolamine , dimethylamine , diethylamine , dibutylamine , diethanolamine , trimethylamine , triethylamine , tributylamine , tris ( 2 - ethylhexyl ) amine , triethanolamine , ethylenediamine , tetramethylethylenediamine , tren , 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 , 2 , 2 ] octane , aniline , methylaniline , dimethylaniline , pyridine , piperidine , picoline , n , n - dimethyl - p - toluidine , lutidine , quinoline , isoquinoline and collidine ; etc . preferred among these basic compounds are alkali ( alkaline earth ) metal hydroxides and amines . particularly preferred basic compounds are sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , tris ( 2 - ethylhexyl ) amine , tributylamine and triethanolamine . the level of addition of the above basic compounds may vary according to the species of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the general formula ( 1 ) but preferably is not less than 0 . 00001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 0001 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 0002 % by weigh , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 0005 % by weight , but preferably not more than 5 % by weight , more preferably not more than 1 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 0 . 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 0 . 1 % by weight , relative to said vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters . the above range of the basic compound addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of polymerization inhibition and economy . by causing radical polymerization inhibitors , or both of radical polymerization inhibitors and basic compounds , to coexist with vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the general formula ( 1 ) in accordance with the present invention , it becomes possible to stabilize the above esters more effectively . the ratio between the radical polymerization inhibitor and basic compound on that occasion may be such that each are used at an addition level within the range mentioned above . the compositions of the present invention , namely “ the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters and the radical polymerization inhibitors ”, or “ the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters together with the radical polymerization inhibitors and the basic compounds ” may be used together with other components such as additives , organic solvents and the like . in such cases , the ratio of other components is preferably not less than 50 % by weight , more preferably not less than 70 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 80 % by weight , particularly preferably not less than 90 % by weight , most preferably not less than 95 % by weight , relative to the total amount of the composition . the method of handling vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters according to the present invention is now described . the method of handling vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters according to the invention is preferably ( a ) the mode in which the water concentration in a liquid phase containing the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) is at a level not higher than 15 % by weight , ( b ) the mode in which the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in contact with the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) is at a level of 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume , ( c ) the mode in which the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) is handled in a lightproof structure or ( d ) the mode in which the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) is handled in a lightproof structure while keeping the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within said lightproof structure at 0 . 01 to 22 % by volume . it is also possible to appropriately combine the modes ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ). the term “ handling ” as used in the present invention means the transportation of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in tank lorries or the like ; the storage in tanks , containers or the like ; transfer through piping including pipes , valves , nozzles , etc . ; and mixing and stirring in reaction vessels , reaction apparatuses , tanks , containers or the like . these operations may be conducted singly or two or more of them may be conducted in appropriate combination . in handling the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters of the general formula ( 1 ) according to the present invention , it is preferred that radical polymerization inhibitors , or both of radical polymerization inhibitors and basic compounds be caused to coexist with the esters . as the radical polymerization inhibitors and basic compounds , there may respectively be used those specifically mentioned hereinabove . the level of addition of the above radical polymerization inhibitors may vary according to the species of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) but preferably is not less than 0 . 0001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 0005 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 001 % by weigh , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 002 % by weight , but preferably not more 5 % by weight , more preferably not more 1 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 0 . 1 % by weight , relative to said vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters . the above range of the radical polymerization inhibitor addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition and economy . the level of addition of the above basic compounds may vary according to the species of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the general formula ( 1 ) but preferably is not less than 0 . 00001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 0001 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 0002 % by weigh , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 0005 % by weight , but preferably not more than 5 % by weight , more preferably not more1 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 0 . 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than0 . 1 % by weight , relative to the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters . the above range of the basic compound addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition and economy . in cases where the above radical polymerization inhibitors and basic compounds are caused to coexist with the esters , the ratio between the radical polymerization inhibitor and basic compound may be such that each are used at an addition level within the range mentioned above . in handling vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in the above - mentioned mode ( a ), the water concentration in the liquid phase , namely in the liquid phase containing vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 1 ), is adjusted within a specific range . the water concentration in the liquid phase is not more than 15 % by weight , preferably not more than 5 % by weight , more preferably not more than 3 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 1 %, particularly preferably not more than 0 . 5 % by weight . the above water concentration range is preferred from the viewpoint of stable handling . for adjusting the water concentration in the above liquid phase to not more than 15 % by weight in the production of vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters , the following methods are preferred : the method comprising storing them promptly after purification by distillation or washing with water - insoluble solvents ; the method comprising bubbling dried inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon and mixed gas composed of such inert gas and oxygen through the esters at room temperature or under warming conditions ; the method comprising drying the esters with dehydrating agents such as molecular sieve , calcium chloride , magnesium sulfate , calcium sulfate or potassium carbonate , etc . these methods may appropriately be used in combination . in handling vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in the above - mentioned mode ( b ), the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase , namely in the gaseous phase in contact with the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters , is adjusted within a specific range . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase is 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume , preferably not lower than 0 . 02 % by volume , more preferably not lower than 0 . 05 % by volume , but preferably not higher than 12 % by volume , more preferably not higher than 10 % by volume . the above molecular oxygen concentration range is preferred from the viewpoint of stable handling and economy . the “ gaseous phase ( gaseous phase in contact with the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester )” means the gaseous phase in containers or structures , such as tank lorries or tanks , with the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters placed therein for handling . as for the method of adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration in the above gaseous phase to 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume , for example , the method comprising blowing inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon , into the gaseous phase and / or liquid phase and the method comprising blowing mixed gas composed of inert gas and oxygen into the gaseous phase and / or liquid phase are preferred . furthermore , in accordance with the present invention , it is preferred from the viewpoint of stable handling and economy that , in handling the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters , the molecular oxygen concentration in the above gaseous phase be adjusted to 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume and the water concentration in the liquid phase containing the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester be adjusted to not higher than 15 % by weight . in this case , the adjustment methods , the preferred molecular oxygen concentration range and the preferred water concentration range are the same as mentioned above . in handling vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in the above - mentioned mode ( c ), handling them in lightproof structures makes stable handling possible . the “ lightproof structures ” used in handling according to the present invention are structures made of lightproof materials , such as structures for transportation for example tank lorries ; structures for storage for example tanks , drums , bottles and cans ; structures for transfer for example pipes , nozzles and valves ; and structures for mixing and stirring for example reaction vessels , tanks and containers ; etc . the portion of the inside surface area of the structure to which light can reach is preferably not more than 20 %, more preferably not more than 15 %, still more preferably not more than 10 %, particularly preferably not more than 8 %, of the whole inside surface area of the structure . the “ lightproof materials ” as so referred to herein are materials substantially impermeable to light ( visible rays , ultraviolet rays and infrared rays ). furthermore , the structure inside surface portion to which light can reach or the structure inside surface portion to which light cannot reach may be continuous or discontinuous . the lightproof materials mentioned above include , for example , as preferred species , iron and steel such as industrial pure iron , carbon steel ( jisg - ss , jisg - sc , jisg - sb , jisg - sm , jisg - sgp , jisg - stgp , jisg - sts , jisg - stb , jisg - stl , jisg - stkm , jisg - swr , jisg - sk , jisg - sf , jisg - sc , etc . ), cast iron ( jisg - fc , jisg - fcd , jisg - fcm , etc . ), low - alloy steeel ( jisg - snc , jisg - sncm , jisg - scr , jisg - scm , jisg - sacm , jisg - sca , etc . ), low - alloy cast iron ( nitensil , nihard , acicular , etc . ), low - nickel steel ( jisg - stpl , jisg - stbl , jes - ni , astm - a203 , etc . ), nickel steel ( astma353 , etc . ), chrome stainless steel ( jisg - suh1 , jisg - suh2 , jisg - suh3 , aisi - tp501 , aisi - tp503 , etc . ), etc . ; high silicon cast iron ; high nickel cast iron such as 15 % ni cast iron ( ni - resist1 , etc . ), 20 % ni cast iron ( ni - resist2 , etc . ), 30 % ni cast iron ( ni - resist3 , etc . ), etc . ; high chromium steel such as high cr cast iron ( nirosta , etc . ), high cr — mo cast iron , etc . further includes martensitic stainless steel such as 13 crsteel ( sus403 , sus410 , sus414 , sus416 , etc . ), 13cr steel ( sus420 , etc . ), 16cr2ni steel ( sus431 , sus440a , sus440b , sus440c , etc . ), etc . ; ferritic stainless steel such as 18 cr steel ( sus420 , etc . ), 25cr steel ( sus446 , etc . ), 13cr — al steel ( sus405 , etc . ), etc . ; austenitic stainless steel such as 18 - 8 steel ( sus301 , sus302 , sus303 , sus304 , sus305 , sus308 , sus321 , sus347 , etc . ), 18 - 8l steel ( sus304l , etc . ), 18 - 8mo steel ( sus316 , sus317 , etc . ), 18 - 8mol steel ( sus316l , etc . ), 22cr - 12ni steel ( sus309 , sus309s , etc . ), 25cr - 20ni steel ( sus310 , sus310s , sus314 , etc . ), etc . ; special austenitic stainless steel such as 20 alloys ( worthite , durimet20 , carpenter20 , aloyco20 , fa20 , etc . ), hn alloys ( chromax , etc . ), etc . ; fe — cr — al alloys such as fe — cr — al — si alloys ( sicromal8 , sicromal9 , sicromal10 , sicromal11 , sicromal12 , etc . ), fe — cr — al — co alloys ( kanthala , etc . ), etc . ; high manganese steel such as jis - scmnh , etc . ; copper and copper alloys such as industrial pure copper ( jis - cup , jis - cub , jis - cut , jis - dcup , jis - dcut , etc . ), cu — al alloys ( jis - abp , jis - abb , jis - bstf , aluminum bronze , aluminum brass , etc . ), cu — si alloys ( jis - sibt , jis - szbc , siliconbronze , everdur , aralloys , silzinbronze , etc . ), cu — sn - p alloys ( jis - pbp , jis - pbs , jis - pbb , jis - pbc , phosphor bronze , etc . ), cu — sn — zn alloys ( jis - bsc , bronze casting , etc . ), cu — zn alloys ( jis - nbsp , etc . ), cu — zn — sn alloys ( red - brass , etc . ), cu — zn alloys ( jis - bsp , jis - lbc , jis - rbsp , brass , leadedbrass , redbrass , etc . ), etc . ; cu — ni alloys such as cu — ni 20 ( cupro - nickel , jis - cntf2 , etc . ), ni — ag ( nickel silver , german silver , jis - nsp , jis - snp1 , etc . ), cu — ni 30 ( cupro - nickel , jis - cntf3 , jis - cnp3 , etc . ), etc . ; aluminum and aluminum alloys such as industrial pure aluminum ( jis - alp , jis - alr , jis - alb , jis - alv , jis - alw , jis - alt , alcoa - ec , alcoa - 1050 , alcoa - 1060 , alcoa - 1100 , alcoa - 1130 , alcoa - 1175 , alcoa - 1260 , etc . ), highlypure aluminum , al — mn alloys ( jis - a2p3 , jis - a2t3 , alcoa - 3003 , etc . ), high - tensile aluminum alloys ( jis - a3p , jis - a3r , jis - a3t , jis - a3b , jis - a3w , alcoa - 2014 , alcoa - 2017 , alcoa - 2024 , alcoa - 2025 , duralumin , super duralumin , y alloys , etc . ), al — mg — si alloys ( jis - a4f , alcoa - 6061 , etc . ), al — si alloys ( jis - ac3a , jis - ac4abc , alcoa - 4032 , silumin casting , etc . ), al — mg alloys ( jis - corrosion protected aluminum alloy type 1 , jis - corrosion protected aluminum alloy type 2 , jis - corrosion protected aluminum alloy type 7 , alcoa - 5052 , alcoa - 5056 , alcoa - 5083 , etc . ), etc . ; magnesium and magnesium alloys such as industrial pure magnesium , magnesium alloys ( jis - mc , dowmetal , elektron , etc . ), etc . ; nickel such as industrial pure nickel ( jis - vnip , jis - vcnip , jis - vniw , jis - vcnit , astm - b39 , astm - 160 , astm - 161 , astm - 162 , etc . ), etc . ; ni — cr — fe alloys such as 27a ( inconel , colmonoy6 , etc . ), 27b ( incone1600 , astm - b163 , astm - b166 , astm - b167 , astm - b168 , etc . ), 27c , etc . ; ni — cu alloys such as monel ( jis - ncut , jis - ncup , astm - b127 , astm - b163 , astm - b164 , astm - b165 , monel 400 , etc . ), k monel , etc . ; ni — mo — fe — cr alloys such as 30a ( hastelloya , contracid , etc . ), 30b ( astm - b333 , astm - b335 , astm - b494 , hastelloyb , chlorimet2 , etc . ), 30c ( astm - b336 , astm - b494 , hastelloyc , chlorimet3 , etc . ), 30d ( hastelloyn , etc . ), 30e ( hastelloyf , etc . ), 30f ( ni - o - nel , etc . ), 30g ( r - 55 , etc . ), etc . ; ni — cr — cu — mo alloys such as 31a ( illiumg , etc . ), 31b ( illium98 , etc . ); ni — si alloys such as hastelloyd , etc . ; cobalt alloys such as co — cr alloys ( stelite21 , stelite23 , stelite27 , stelite31 , etc . ), co — cr — ni alloys ( haynes25 , haynes36 , etc . ), co — si alloys , etc . ; lead and lead alloys such as industrial pure lead ( jis - pbp , jis - pbt , jis - pbtw , astm - b29 , astm - b325 , etc . ), lead telluride , hard lead ( jis - hpbp , jis - hpbt , astm - b23 , astm - b32 , etc . ), homogen lead fusion lining , etc . ; tin ; zinc and zinc alloys such as industrial pure zinc ( jis - zinc plate , astm - b6 , etc . ), zinc alloys ( astm - b69 , etc . ), etc . ; precious metals such as silver , gold , platinum , niobium , tantalum ( astm - b364 , astm - b365 , etc .) and platinum group and vanadium group metals ; tungsten ; titanium and titanium alloys such as industrial pure titanium ( jis - tp , jis - ttp , jis - tb , jis - tw , astm - b265 , astm - b337 , astm - b338 , astm - b348 , astm - b299 , astm - b367 , astm - b381 , etc . ), titanium alloys ( astm - b265 , astm - b348 , astm - b367 , astm - b381 , etc . ), etc . ; zirconium and zirconium alloys such as zirconium ( astm - b349 , astm - b350 , astm - b351 , astm - b352 , astm - b353 , astm - b356 , etc . ), zirconium alloys ( zircaloy - 1 , zircaloy - 2 , zircaloy - 3 , astm - b350 , astm - b351 , astm - b352 , astm - b353 , astm - b356 , etc . ), etc . ; molybdenum such as astm - b384 , astm - b385 , astm - b386 , astm - b387 , etc . ; chromium such as astm - b383 , astm - b391 , astm - b392 , astm - b393 , astm - b394 , etc . ; silicate products such as porcelain , earthenware , liparite , acid - resistant bricks , acid - resistant tiles , acid - resistant porcelain , silica cement , fire bricks , refractory mortar , vitreous enamel , etc . ; concrete ; sulfur cement ; carbon and graphite products such as carbon formed products , graphite formed products , impervious carbon , impervious graphite , etc . ; asbestos ; synthetic resins such as opaque vinylidene chloride resin , opaque phenol resin , opaque furan resin , opaque vinyl chloride resin , opaque ethylene tetrafluoride , opaque ethylene trifluoride , opaque silicate resin , opaque polyethylene , opaque polyisobutylene , opaque polystyrene , opaque epoxy resin , opaque unsaturated polyester , opaque polyamide resin , opaque chlorinated polyether resin , opaque polycarbonate resin , opaque polyurethane resin , opaque urea resin , opaquemelamine resin , etc . ; asphalt ; natural rubber and synthetic rubber such as opaque natural rubber , opaque natural rubber hydrochloride or chlorinated natural rubber , opaque nitrile rubber , opaque styrene rubber , opaque butadiene - isobutylene synthetic rubber , opaque polychloroprene , opaque asbestos - filled rubber sheet , opaque butyl rubber , opaque polysulfide rubber , opaque chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber , opaque fluorine rubber , opaque silicone rubber , opaque urethane rubber , etc . ; glass such as glass of which inside and / or outside is coated with opaque synthetic resin , glass of which inside and / or outside is coated with natural rubber or synthetic rubber , glass of which inside and / or outside is coated with metal , glass of which inside and / or outside is plated with metal , etc . among these , iron and steel , high silicon cast iron , high nickel cast iron , high chromium steel , martensitic stainless steel , ferritic stainless steel , austenitic stainless steel , special austenitic stainless steel , fe — cr — al alloys , high manganese steel , copper and copper alloys , cu — ni alloys , aluminum and aluminum alloys , magnesium and magnesium alloys , nickel , ni — cr — fe alloys , ni — cu alloys , ni — mo — fe — cr alloys , ni — cr — cu — mo alloys , ni — si alloys , cobalt alloys , lead and lead alloys , tin , zinc and zinc alloys , tungsten , titanium and titanium alloys , zirconium and zirconium alloys , molybdenum and chromium are more preferred as the lightproof material . these lightproof materials can be used singly or two or more of them may be used in combination . in handling a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) in the above mode ( d ), the ester is handled in a lightproof structure in an atmosphere such that a molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the structure of 0 . 01 to 22 % by volume , whereby quality degradation due to polymerization or decomposition can effectively be prevented and the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester can be handled in a more stable manner . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the above structures is preferably not lower than 0 . 02 % by volume , particularly preferably not lower than 0 . 05 % by volume , but preferably not higher than 18 % by volume , particularly preferably not higher than 15 % by volume . if the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the structures is lower than 0 . 01 % by volume , vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters may undergo polymerization due to free of oxygen . if the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the structures is higher than 22 % by volume , quality degradation may occur due to polymerization or decomposition . therefore , the above molecular oxygen concentration range is preferred from the viewpoint of quality , polymerization inhibition and economy . it is necessary to handle the esters in lightproof structures since the quality degradation due to polymerization or decomposition mentioned above is accelerated in optically transparent structures . available for use in adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the above structures to a specific range are ( a ) the method comprising feeding molecular oxygen or a gas containing molecular oxygen , such as air , and an inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon , respectively to the structure and ( b ) the method comprising admixing molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen - containing gas , such as air , with an inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon , in advance and then feeding the mixture to the structure , and the like . as for the gas feeding method , the gases or gas mixture is fed to one or both of the liquid phase and gaseous phase either continuously or intermittently . as for the method of maintaining the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the structure within a specific range , the continuous or intermittent feeding method and the method comprising initial atmosphere substitution , followed by tight closure are preferred . in handling vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 1 ), the handling temperature is , specifically , preferably not lower than − 20 ° c ., more preferably not lower than − 15 ° c ., still more preferably not lower than − 5 ° c ., particularly preferably not lower than 0 ° c . conversely , it is preferably not higher than 125 ° c ., more preferably not higher than 100 ° c ., still more preferably not higher than 80 ° c ., particularly preferably not higher than 60 ° c . the handling pressure may be at ordinary pressure ( atmospheric pressure ), under pressure or under reduced pressure . the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester according to the present invention is described in the following . the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester is a method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 1 ). the above method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester comprises reacting a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether represented by the following general formula ( 2 ): in the formula , r 2 represents an organic residue and r 3 represents a hydrogen atom or an organic residue , with a ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the following general formula ( 3 ): in the formula , r 1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and r 4 represents an organic residue , and in which the above hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether contains at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a divinyl ether represented by the following general formula ( 4 ): in the formula , r 2 represents an organic residue and the two r 3 groups are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom or an organic residue , a 2 - substituted - 1 , 3 - dioxo compound represented by the following general formula ( s ): in the formula , r 2 represents an organic residue and r 3 represents a hydrogen atom or an organic residue , and an unsaturated bond - containing vinyl ether represented by the following general formula ( 6 ): in the formula , r 3 represents a hydrogen atom or an organic residue ; r 5 represents an organic residue containing an unsaturated bond represented by — cr 6 ═ cr 7 —; and r 6 and r 7 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom or an organic residue . in the present specification , such production method is referred to as the production method ( a ). in the above production method ( a ), vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters can be produced economically by using hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether compositions containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of divinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 4 ), 2 - substituted - 1 , 3 - dioxo compounds represented by the above general formula ( 5 ) and unsaturated bond - containing vinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 6 ) as a raw material ( raw material composition ) without using an entirely pure hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether as a raw material and , by using such hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether compositions , it becomes possible to remove the by product lower alcohols more easily and curtail the time for producing the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters as compared with the case of using the entirely pure hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers . in accordance with the present invention , the starting material alcohols in the transesterification reaction are compositions containing hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers . the above hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers may be the compounds represented by the above general formula ( 2 ), in which the substituent represented by r 3 is a hydrogen atom or an organic residue and the substituent represented by r 2 is an organic residue . the above r 2 and r 3 are the same as the r 2 and r 3 in the above general formula ( 1 ), respectively . typical examples of the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 2 ) specifically include the following preferred ones : 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether , 3 - hydroxypropyl vinyl ether , 4 - hydroxybutyl vinyl ether , 4 - hydroxycyclohexyl vinyl ether , 1 , 6 - hexanediol monovinyl ether , 1 , 4 - cyclohexanedimethanol monovinyl ether , diethylene glycolmonovinyl ether , triethylene glycol monovinyl ether and dipropylene glycol monovinyl ether . the raw material compositions used in the practice of the invention contain , in addition to the hydroxy - containing vinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 2 ), at least one compound selected from the group consisting of divinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 4 ), 2 - substituted - 1 , 3 - dioxo compounds represented by the above general formula ( 5 ) and unsaturated bond - containing vinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 6 ). the divinyl ethers of the above general formula ( 4 ), 2 - substituted - 1 , 3 - dioxo compound of the above general formula ( 5 ) and unsaturated bond - containing vinyl ethers of the above general formula ( 6 ) may be contained respectively singly or two or more of them may be contained . the lower limit to the total amount of the impurities represented by the above general formulas ( 4 ), ( 5 ) and ( 6 ) is preferably not less than 0 . 01 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 05 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 1 % by weight , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 5 % by weight , but preferably not more than 70 % by weight , more preferably not more than 50 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 30 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 20 % by weight , relative to the raw material composition . the above impurity content range is preferred from the viewpoint of reaction rate , yield and economy . the impurities represented by the above general formula ( 4 ), the above general formula ( 5 ) and the above general formula ( 6 ) are preferably contained in the starting material hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers of the above general formula ( 2 ). they may also occur in the reaction system , however , as a result of intentional addition to the reaction system or formation during the reaction , for instance . in cases where the above impurities occur in the reaction system , the lower limit to the total amount thereof is preferably not less than 0 . 001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 005 % by weight , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 01 % by weight , but preferably not more than 10 % by weight , more preferably not more than 8 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 3 % by weight , relative to the reaction system . the above impurity content range is preferred from the viewpoint of reaction rate , yield and economy . one species of the impurities to be contained in the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers in the practice of the present invention is the divinyl ethers . the divinyl ethers may be those compounds represented by the above general formula ( 4 ), in which the substituent represented by r 3 may be the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom or an organic residue and the substituent represented by r 2 is an organic residue . the above r 2 and r 3 are the same as mentioned above . typical examples of the divinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 4 ) specifically include such preferred ones as divinyl ether , ethylene glycol divinyl ether , propylene glycol divinyl ether , propanediol divinyl ether , butanediol divinyl ether , 1 , 4 - cyclohexane divinyl ether , 1 , 6 - hexanediol divinyl ether , 1 , 4 - cyclohexanedimethanol divinyl ether , diethylene glycol divinyl ether , triethylene glycol divinyl ether and dipropylene glycol divinyl ether . one species of the impurities to be contained in the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers in accordance with the present invention is the 2 - substituted - 1 , 3 - dioxo compounds , and may be the compounds represented by the general formula ( 5 ), in which the substituent represented by r 3 is a hydrogen atom or an organic residue and the substituent represented by r 2 is an organic residue . the above r 2 and r 3 are the same as mentioned above . typical examples of the 2 - substituted - 1 , 3 - dioxo compounds represented by the above general formula ( 5 ) specifically include such preferred ones as 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane , 2 , 4 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane , 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - dioxane , 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - dioxepane , 1 , 6 - hexanediol acetaldehyde cyclic acetal , diethylene glycol acetaldehyde cyclic acetal , triethylene glycol acetaldehyde cyclic acetal and dipropylene glycol acetaldehyde cyclic acetal . one species of the impurities to be contained in the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers in accordance with the present invention is the unsaturated bond - containing vinyl ethers , and may be the compounds represented by the above general formula ( 6 ), in which the substituent represented by r 3 is a hydrogen atom or an organic residue and the substituent represented by r 5 is an organic residue containing an unsaturated bond represented by — cr 6 ═ cr 7 —. the above r 3 is the same as mentioned above . the organic residue represented by r 5 in the above general formula ( 6 ) and containing an unsaturated bond represented by — cr 6 ═ cr 7 —, in which r 6 and r 7 are the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom or an organic residue , is an organic residue having a structure derived from the — r 2 — oh group in the general formula ( 2 ) by dehydration . specifically , when — r 2 — oh is — ch 2 ch 2 ch 2 — oh , for instance , the organic residue represented by r 5 is — ch 2 ch ═ ch 2 and both of r 6 and r 7 are hydrogen atoms . when — r 2 — oh is — ch 2 ch ( oh ) ch 3 , the organic residue represented by r 5 is — ch 2 ch ═ ch 2 or — ch ═ ch — ch 3 and r 6 is a hydrogen atom in either case and r 7 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group . typical examples of the unsaturated bond - containing vinyl ethers represented by the above general formula ( 6 ) specifically include such preferred ones as2 - propenyl vinyl ether , 1 - propenyl vinyl ether , 3 - butenyl vinyl ether and 5 - hexenyl vinyl ether . the ( meth ) acrylic esters , which are starting materials in the practice of the invention may be those compounds represented by the above general formula ( 3 ), in which the substituent represented by r 1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and the substituent represented by r 4 is an organic residue . the organic residues represented by r 4 in the above general formula ( 3 ) are preferably , for example , straight , branched or cyclic alkyl groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms and aromatic groups containing 6 to 10 carbon atoms , which may optionally be substituted . among these , alkyl groups containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms are preferably used . typical examples of the ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 3 ) are , specifically , as preferred ones , lower alkyl ( meth ) acrylic esters such as methyl ( meth ) acrylate , ethyl ( meth ) acrylate , propyl ( meth ) acrylate , isopropyl ( meth ) acrylate , butyl ( meth ) acrylate , isobutyl ( meth ) acrylate , sec - butyl ( meth ) acrylate and tert - butyl ( meth ) acrylate . these may be used singly or in admixture . in the practice of the invention , the transesterification reactions are preferably carried out in the presence of transesterification catalysts . the alcohols formed as reaction byproducts are preferably removed from the reaction system . as for the reaction mole ratio between the ( meth ) acrylic esters and the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers in the above transesterification reactions , specifically , the ( meth ) acrylic esters / hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers mole ratio is preferably within the range of 6 / 1 to 1 / 5 , more preferably within the range of 5 / 1 to 1 / 3 , still more preferably within the range of 4 / 1 to 1 / 2 , particularly preferably within the range of 3 / 1 to 1 / 1 . the above mole ratio range is preferred from the viewpoint of yield and economy . the above transesterification catalysts are , specifically , as preferred ones , oxides such as calcium oxide , barium oxide , lead oxide , zinc oxide and zirconium oxide ; hydroxides such as potassium hydroxide , sodium hydroxide , lithium hydroxide , calcium hydroxide , thallium hydroxide , tin hydroxide , lead hydroxide and nickel hydroxide ; halides such as lithium chloride , calcium chloride , tin chloride , lead chloride , zirconium chloride and nickel chloride ; carbonate salts such as potassium carbonate , rubidium carbonate , cesium carbonate , lead carbonate , zinc carbonate and nickel carbonate ; hydrogen carbonate salts such as potassium hydrogen carbonate , rubidium hydrogen carbonate and cesium hydrogen carbonate ; phosphate salts such as sodium phosphate , potassium phosphate , rubidium phosphate , lead phosphate , zinc phosphate and nickel phosphate ; nitrate salts such as lithium nitrate , calcium nitrate , lead nitrate , zinc nitrate and nickel nitrate ; carboxylate salts such as lithium acetate , calcium acetate , lead acetate , zinc acetate and nickel acetate ; alkoxy compounds such as sodium methoxide , sodium ethoxide , potassium methoxide , potassium ethoxide , potassium tert - butoxide , calcium methoxide , calcium ethoxide , barium methoxide , barium ethoxide , tetraethoxytitanium , tetrabutoxytitanium and tetra ( 2 - ethylhexanoxy ) titanium ; acetylacetonato complexes such as lithium acetylacetonate , zirconia acetylacetonate , zinc acetylacetonate , dibutoxytin acetylacetonate and dibutoxytitanium acetylacetonate ; quaternary ammonium alkoxides such as tetramethylammonium methoxide , tetramethylammonium tert - butoxide and trimethylbenzylammonium ethoxide ; dialkyltin compounds such as dimethyltin oxide , methylbutyltin oxide , dibutyltin oxide and dioctyltin oxide ; distannoxanes such as bis ( dibutyltin acetate ) oxide and bis ( dibutyltin laurate ) oxide ; and dialkyltin dicarboxylate salts such as dibutyltin diacetate and dibutyltin dilaurate . these may be used singly or two or more of them may be used in combination . among these transesterification catalysts , potassium carbonate , cesium carbonate , tetraethoxytitanium , tetrabutoxytitanium , tetra ( 2 - ethylhexanoxy ) titanium , zirconia acetylacetonate , dibutyltin oxide , dioctyltin oxide , bis ( dibutyltin acetate ) oxide , bis ( dibutyltin laurate ) oxide , dibutyltin diacetate and dibutyltin dilaurate are preferably used . the level of addition of the above transesterification catalysts is , specifically , preferably not less than 0 . 001 mole percent , more preferably not less than 0 . 005 mole percent , still more preferably not less than 0 . 01 mole percent , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 05 mole percent , but preferably not more than 20 mole percent , more preferably not more than 15 mole percent , still more preferably not more than 10 mole percent , particularly preferably not more than 5 mole percent . the above range of transesterification catalyst addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of yield and economy . as the method of removing the above by product alcohols , for example , the method comprising carrying out the reaction under reduced pressure , the method comprising carrying out the reaction using azeotropic solvents and the method comprising carrying out the reaction in the presence of adsorbents are preferred . among these , the method comprising carrying out the reaction under reduced pressure and the method comprising carrying out the reaction using azeotropic solvents are preferred . the above azeotropic solvents may be ones which do not adversely affect the reaction . specifically , ethers such as diethyl ether , diisopropyl ether and dibutyl ether ; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene , toluene and xylene ; aliphatic hydrocarbons such as pentane , hexane , heptane and cyclohexane ; halogenated hydrocarbons such as chloroform , methylene chloride , 1 , 2 - dichloroethane and chlorobenzene ; and the like are preferred . these azeotropic solvents may be used singly or two or more of them may be used in combination . the level of addition of the above azeotropic solvents is , specifically , preferably not less than 0 % by weight relative to the total weight of the ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the general formula ( 3 ) and the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers represented by the general formula ( 2 ). conversely , it is preferably not more than 300 % by weight , more preferably not more than 200 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 150 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 100 % by weight , relative to the total weight of the ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the general formula ( 3 ) and the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers represented by the general formula ( 2 ). the above range of the organic solvent addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of yield and economy . the ( meth ) acrylic ester used in excess as well as the impurities represented by the above general formulas ( 4 ), ( 5 ) and ( 6 ) may also serve as the azeotropic solvent . the reaction temperature for the above reaction is preferably not lower than the boiling point or azeotropic point of the by product alcohol . specifically , the temperature is preferably not lower than 40 ° c ., more preferably not lower than 50 ° c ., particularly preferably not lower than 60 ° c . conversely , it is preferably not higher than180 ° c ., more preferably not higher than 170 ° c ., particularly preferably not higher than 160 ° c . the reaction pressure may be at ordinary pressure , under pressure or under reduced pressure . the reaction time can appropriately be selected so that the above reaction can be driven to completion . from the viewpoint of polymerization inhibition and yield , the production of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters of the above general formula ( 1 ) is preferably carried out in the presence of polymerization inhibitors . as for the polymerization inhibitors , those radical polymerization inhibitors mentioned above are preferably used , for instance , and one or two or more of them may be used . the level of addition of the above polymerization inhibitors may vary according to the species of the ( meth ) acrylic ester of the general formula ( 3 ) as used and the species of the product vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester of the general formula ( 1 ) but is preferably within the range of not less than 0 . 0001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 0002 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 0005 % by weight , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 001 % by weight , but preferably not more than 5 % by weight , more preferably not more than 1 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 0 . 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 0 . 1 % by weight relative to the ( meth ) acrylic esters of the general formula ( 3 ). the above range of polymerization inhibitor addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition and economy . in the production method according to the invention , it is also preferable to cause basic compounds to coexist with radical polymerization inhibitors . suited for use as basic compounds are the same ones as mentioned hereinabove , and one or two or more of them may be used . the level of addition of the above basic compounds may vary according to the species of the starting material hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether and the species of the product vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester of the general formula ( 1 ) but preferably is not less than 0 . 0001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 0002 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 0005 % by weight , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 001 % by weight , but preferably not more5 % by weight , more preferably not more 1 % by weight , still more preferably not more than 0 . 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 0 . 1 % by weight , relative to the above hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers . the above range of basic compound is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition and economy . as the method of producing vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters according to the present invention , the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which comprises reacting a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether represented by the above general formula ( 2 ) with a ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 3 ) in the presence of not more than 5 % by weight of water ( production method ( b )), the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which comprises reacting a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether represented by the above general formula ( 2 ) with a ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 3 ) in an atmosphere such that a molecular oxygen concentration is 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume ( production method ( c )), the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which is carried out in a lightproof structure ( production method ( d )) and the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which is carried out in a lightproof structure in an atmosphere such that a molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within said lightproof structure is 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume ( production method ( e )) are preferred . also suited are the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which comprises reacting a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether represented by the above general formula ( 2 ) with a ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the general formula ( 3 ) in the presence of an n - nitrosophenylhydroxylamine salt represented by the following general formula ( 7 ): in the formula , m represents a metal atom or an ammonium group and n represents an integer equal to the valence of m ( production method ( f )) and the method of producing a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which comprises reacting a hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether represented by the above general formula ( 2 ) with a ( meth ) acrylic ester represented by the above general formula ( 3 ) in an atmosphere such that a molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) concentration in the gaseous phase in the reaction system is 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume ( production method ( g )). one of these production methods may be carried out or the production methods mentioned above may be carried out in appropriate combination . it is preferred , however , that they be carried out in appropriate combination . in the above production methods ( b ), ( c ), ( f ) and ( g ), hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers of the above general formula ( 2 ) and ( meth ) acrylic esters of the above general formula ( 3 ) are subjected to transesterification reaction . the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers of the above general formula ( 2 ), the ( meth ) acrylic esters of the above general formula ( 3 ), the methods of subjecting these to transesterification reaction and the reactions conditions , and the like , are the same as those mentioned hereinabove . further , in carrying out the transesterification reaction , the reaction is preferably carried out in the presence of the above - mentioned radical polymerization inhibitors or the radical polymerization inhibitors and the basic compounds . the levels of addition of the radical polymerization inhibitors and basic compounds are the same as in the production method ( a ). the above production method ( b ) is carried out in the presence of not more than 5 % by weight of water . thus , the amount of water in the liquid phase in the reaction system is kept at not more than 5 % by weight relative to the total weight of the liquid phase in the reaction system . in the above production method ( b ), the amount of water in the reaction system , namely in the liquid phase in the reaction system , is not more than 5 % by weight , preferably not more than 3 % by weight , more preferably not more than 1 % by weight , relative to the total weight of the liquid phase in the reaction system . the above water content range is preferred from the viewpoint of selectivity , yield and economy . in the above production method ( c ), the transesterification reaction is carried out in an atmosphere such that the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the reaction system is 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume . by selecting the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the reaction system in the above range , the polymerization in the above reaction system can be effectively inhibited and the desired vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester can be produced in high yields . in a preferred embodiment , the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the above reaction system is not less than 0 . 02 % by volume , more preferably not less than 0 . 05 % by volume , but preferably not more than 9 % by volume , more preferably not more than 8 % by volume . the above molecular oxygen concentration range is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition in reaction system , explosion avoidance and economy . available for adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration in the above gaseous phase to 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume are ( a ) the method comprising feeding molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen - containing gas , such as air , into a reaction vessel ( vapors occurring therein ) during reaction until that concentration falls within the range of 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume relative to the volume of the gaseous phase in the reaction system , ( b ) the method comprising feeding molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen - containing gas , such as air , and an inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon , respectively into a reaction vessel ( vapors occurring therein ) during reaction until the concentration falls within the range of 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume relative to the volume of the gaseous phase in the reaction system , ( c ) the method comprising admixing molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen - containing gas , such as air , with an inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon , in advance and feeding the mixture into a reaction vessel ( vapors occurring therein ) during reaction until the concentration falls within the range of 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume relative to the volume of the gaseous phase in the reaction system , and the like . as the methods for feeding molecular oxygen or a mixed gas containing molecular oxygen to the reaction system , it may be fed to one or both of the liquid phase and gaseous phase in the reaction system either continuously or intermittently . in the above production method ( f ), the polymerization in the above reaction system can be effectively inhibited and the desired vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters can be produced in high yield by causing n - nitrosophenyl - hydroxylamine salts represented by the above general formula ( 7 ) to coexist in the step of the transesterification reaction . the n - nitrosophenylhydroxylamine salts of the general formula ( 7 ) may be used singly or two or more species may be used in combination . referring to the above general formula ( 7 ), typical examples of the metal atom represented by m are aluminum , copper , iron ( iii ), tin , zinc , magnesium and the like . among these , aluminum is particularly preferred . the level of addition of the above n - nitrosophenyl - hydroxylamine salts is preferably not less than 0 . 00001 % by weight , more preferably not less than 0 . 0001 % by weight , still more preferably not less than 0 . 0002 % by weight , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 0005 % by weight , but preferably not more5 % by weight , more preferably not morel % by weight , still more preferably not more than 0 . 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 0 . 1 % by weight , relative to the ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 3 ). the above range of n - nitrosophenylhydroxylamine salt addition level is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition in reaction system , and economy . in the above production method ( g ), the polymerization in the above reaction system can be effectively inhibited and the desired vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters can be produced in high yields by carrying out the transesterification reaction in an atmosphere such that the molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) concentration in the gaseous phase in the reaction system is 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume . the molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) concentration in the gaseous phase in the above reaction system is preferably not less than 0 . 01 % by volume , more preferably not less than 0 . 02 % by volume , still more preferably not less than 0 . 05 % by volume , but preferably not more than 10 % by volume , more preferably not more than 9 % by volume , still more preferably not more than 8 % by volume . the above range of molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecularnitrogendioxide ( no 2 ) concentration is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition in reaction system , explosion avoidance , and economy . for adjusting the molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) concentration in the above gaseous phase to 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume , there are available , ( a ) the method comprising feeding a gas containing molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) into a reaction vessel ( vapors occurring therein ) during reaction until the concentration falls within 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume relative to the volume of the gaseous phase in the reaction system , ( b ) the method comprising feeding molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) and an inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon , respectively into a reaction vessel ( vapors occurring therein ) during reaction until the concentration falls within 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume relative to the volume of the gaseous phase in the reaction system , and ( c ) the method comprising admixing molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) with an inert gas , such as nitrogen or argon , in advance and feeding the mixture into a reaction vessel ( vapors occurring therein ) during reaction until the concentration falls within 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume relative to the volume of the gaseous phase in the reaction system . as the method for feeding molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ), or a mixed gas containing molecular nitrogen monoxide ( no ) and / or molecular nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ) to the reaction system , it may be fed to one or both of the liquid phase and gaseous phase in the reaction system either continuously or intermittently . the term “ production ” as used herein referring to the above production methods ( d ) and ( e ) includes , within the meaning thereof , the steps of raw materials charging , reaction , reaction solution transfer and so forth . these steps may be carried out independently or two or more of them may be carried in appropriate combination . among these , the raw materials charging step and the reaction step , in particular , are meant by the term . the above production methods ( d ) and ( e ) can be applied , for example , in carrying out the above - mentioned production methods a to f . among these , the production method which comprises subjecting ( meth ) acrylic esters and hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers to transesterification reaction ( production method d ) is preferred from the industrial viewpoint . as the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers and ( meth ) acrylic esters , the same ones as those hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ethers represented by the general formula ( 2 ) and those ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the general formula ( 3 ), and the like are preferred . the method of subjecting these to transesterification reaction and the reaction conditions may be the same as mentioned referring to the production methods mentioned above , for instance . in cases where the mode of the above production methods ( d ) and ( e ) are applied to the production methods a to f , it is preferred in each case that radical polymerization inhibitors and / or basic compounds be caused to coexist . furthermore , in carrying out the transesterification reaction , the reaction is preferably carried out in the presence of the above - mentioned radical polymerization inhibitors or the radical polymerization inhibitors and the basic compounds . the level of addition of the radical polymerization inhibitors may vary according to the species of the starting material ( meth ) acrylic compound , such as ( meth ) acrylic acid , ( meth ) acrylic halide , ( meth ) acrylic anhydride , ( meth ) acrylic ester , ( meth ) acrylic acid alkali ( or alkaline earth ) metal salt or the like , and the level of addition of the above basic compounds may vary according to the species of the starting material vinyl ether , such as hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether , halogen - containing vinyl ether or the like . however , they are the same as in the production method ( a ). according to the above production method ( d ), vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) can be produced in a stable manner by producing them in lightproof structures . as the lightproof structures used in production , there may be mentioned structures made of lightproof materials such as reaction vessels , reaction apparatus , mixing apparatus , tanks , pipes , nozzles , valves and the like for the production purpose . the inside surface area of the structures to which light can reach is the same as mentioned above . the lightproof materials are also preferably the same ones as mentioned above . according to the above production method ( e ), vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 1 ) can be produced in a more stable manner by producing them in lightproof structures in an atmosphere such that the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within said lightproof structures is 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume . in this manner , by carrying out the reaction while adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the lightproof structures to 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume , it becomes possible to effectively inhibit the polymerization of vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in the liquid phase and / or gaseous phase as well as the formation of impurities and of peroxides , hence it becomes possible to produce the desired vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in high yields . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the above lightproof structures is generally 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume . preferably , however , it is not less than 0 . 02 % by volume , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 05 % by volume , but preferably not more than 12 % by volume , particularly preferably not more than 10 % by volume . if the molecular oxygen concentration within the gaseous phase in the lightproof structures is less than 0 . 01 % by volume , the starting material ( meth ) acrylic compounds and the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters may undergo polymerization due to free of oxygen . if the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the structures is higher than 15 % by volume , the formation of impurities and of peroxides and the polymerization of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters may occur . therefore , the above molecular oxygen concentration range is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition , and economy . the above - mentioned formation of impurities and of peroxides and polymerization of vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters are more accelerated in structures permeable to light and , therefore , it is necessary to carry out the production inside lightproof structures . in adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase within the lightproof structures to 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume , those methods of adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration mentioned hereinabove can be applied . as for the gas feeding method , the gas may be fed to one or both of the liquid phase and gaseous phase either continuously or intermittently in each step of the production process . the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters of the general formula ( 1 ) produced by the above production methods can be obtained by purifying the reaction solution . as methods of purifying the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the above general formula ( 1 ), there may preferably be applied , for example , the method of purifying a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester which is carried out in an atmosphere such that the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the purification system is 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume ( purification method ( a )), the method of purifying vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters which is carried out in a lightproof structure in an atmosphere such that the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the purification system is 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume ( purification method ( b )) and a combination of these . the above - mentioned purification method ( a ) and purification method ( b ) constitute a further aspect of the present invention . the methods of purifying vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters according to the invention are described below . the above term “ purification ” used herein means procedures after which the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters represented by the general formula ( 1 ) have improved concentration and / or purity as compared with the value before that procedure . more specifically , procedures include raw materials recovery , catalysts recovery , neutralization , filtration , decantation , extraction , water washing , evaporation , distillation , column chromatography and other procedures . the above procedures may be performed singly or two or more may be performed in appropriate combination . among them , the distillation procedure is particularly preferred . as the “ lightproof structures ” used in the above purification , there may be mentioned structures made of lightproof materials such as distillation vessels , distillation towers , rectification towers , distillation apparatus , separation apparatus , filtration apparatus , mixing apparatus , tanks , pipes , nozzles , valves and the like , for the purification purpose . the inside surface area of the structures to which light can reach is the same as mentioned above . the lightproof materials are also preferably the same ones as mentioned above . in the above purification method ( a ), the impurity formation due to polymerization and decomposition in the above process of purification can be effectively prevented and the desired vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters can be purified stably in simple and economical manners by carrying out the purification procedure in an atmosphere such that the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the purification system is 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the above purification system is 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume . preferably , however , it is not less than 0 . 02 % by volume , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 05 % by volume , but preferably not more than 9 % by volume , particularly preferably not more than 8 % by volume . the above molecular oxygen concentration range is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition , impurity formation prevention and economy . in adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration to 0 . 01 to 10 % by volume , the above - mentioned methods of adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration can be applied . as for the methods of gas feeding to the purification system , the gas may be fed to one or both of the liquid phase and gaseous phase in the purification system either continuously or intermittently . in the above purification method ( b ), the impurity formation due to polymerization and decomposition in the above process of purification can be effectively prevented and the desired vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters can be purified stably in simple and economical manners by carrying out the purification procedure in lightproof structures in an atmosphere such that the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the purification system is 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the above purification system is 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume . preferably , however , it is not less than 0 . 02 % by volume , particularly preferably not less than 0 . 05 % by volume , but preferably not more than 12 % by volume , particularly preferably not more than 10 % by volume . the above molecular oxygen concentration range is preferred from the viewpoint of yield , polymerization inhibition , and economy . in adjusting the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase in the above purification system to 0 . 01 to 15 % by volume and in gas feeding , the same methods as in the purification method ( a ) can be applied . as the use of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester compositions according to the invention and of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters produced and purified according to the invention , they can be used in a wide range , for example as raw materials in the medicinal and agricultural chemicals , as synthetic intermediates and further as polymerizable materials . the present invention , which has the constitution mentioned above , can improve the stability of vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters by preventing the polymerization of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters during storage and handling thereof without impairing the polymerizability thereof and thus makes it possible to handle the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in a stable manner . it further makes it possible to produce and purify vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters in a simple , economical and stable manner while preventing the formation of impurities due to polymerization and decomposition in the process of production or purification of the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters . the following examples illustrate the present invention in further detail . they are , however , by no means limitative of the scope of the invention . a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester composition was prepared by adding 10 mg of methoxyhydroquinone , a radical polymerization inhibitor , to 100 g of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate . the composition was placed in a sealed container and stored at 50 ° c . for 120 days . thereafter , as results of analyses by visual observation and by an hlc - 8120 gpc type gel permeation chromatography ( product of tosoh ; hereinafter referred to as “ gpc ”) with tetrahydrofuran as the carrier , neither discoloration nor high - molecular compound formation was observed . the same procedure as in example 1 was followed except that the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester and / or radical polymerization inhibitor used differed in species and / or the amounts thereof were varied . the species used , the amounts thereof and the results of visual observation and gpc are shown in table 1 . as regards the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters , vea stands for 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate , vem for 2 - vinyloxyethylmethacrylate , veea for 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate , veem for 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate , vba for 4 - vinyloxybutyl acrylate , and vbm for 4 - vinyloxybutyl methacrylate . as regards the radical polymerization inhibitors , mehq stands for methoxyhydroquinone , ptz for phenothiazine , hq for hydroquinone , and tempo for 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine - n - oxyl . a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester composition was prepared by adding 5 mg of methoxyhydroquinone , a radical polymerization inhibitor , and 5 mg of sodium hydroxide , a basic compound , to 100 g of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate , and the composition was placed in a sealed container and stored at 50 ° c . for 120 days . as results of analyses by visual observation and gpc , neither discoloration nor high - molecular compound formation was observed . the same procedure as in example 13 was followed except that the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester and / or radical polymerization inhibitor and / or basic compound used differed in species and / or the amounts thereof were varied . the species used , the amounts thereof and the results of visual observation and gpc are shown in table 2 . a 100 - g portion of each of radical polymerization inhibitor - free vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester was placed in a sealed container and stored at 50 ° c . an hour later , all the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters used began to become turbid and , after 5 hours , became white solids insoluble in tetrahydrofuran . the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters used were as shown in table 3 . the symbols used in table 3 are the same as above . except that radical polymerization inhibitor - free butyl methacrylate was used in comparative example 7 and radical polymerization inhibitor - free 2 -( methoxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate in comparative example 8 . butyl methacrylate and 2 -( methoxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate both showed no turbidity for 10 hours , without formation of any substance insoluble in tetrahydrofuran . a vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester composition was prepared by adding 10 mg of methoxyhydroquinone , a radical polymerization inhibitor , to 100 g of 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate , and the composition was placed in a sealed container and stored at 100 ° c . for 12 hours . until 5 hours later , no solid matter was detected by visual observation . after 12 hours , however , the composition became a solid insoluble in tetrahydrofuran . the same procedure as in example 25 was followed except that 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate was used in lieu of 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate . until 5 hours later , no solid matter was detected by visual observation . after 12 hours , however , the composition became a solid insoluble in tetrahydrofuran . the same procedure as in example 25 was followed except that 2 -( methoxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate was used in comparative example 9 and 2 -( methoxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate in comparative example 10 . with both 2 -( methoxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate and 2 -( methoxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate , no tetrahydrofuran - insoluble matter formation was observed . the same procedure as in example 13 was followed except that 100 g of toluene was added following the production of the composition obtained by example 13 . as results of analyses by visual observation and gpc , neither discoloration nor high - molecular compound formation was observed . the same procedure as in example 13 was followed except that 50 g of toluene was added following the production of the composition obtained by example 13 . as results of analyses by visual observation and gpc , neither discoloration nor high - molecular compound formation was observed . the same procedure as in example 13 was followed except that 25 g of toluene was added following the production of the composition obtained by example 13 . as results of analyses by visual observation and gpc , neither discoloration nor high - molecular compound formation was observed . the same procedure as in example 13 was followed except that 10 g of toluene was added following the production of the composition obtained by example 13 . as results of analyses by visual observation and gpc , neither discoloration nor high - molecular compound formation was observed . the same procedure as in example 13 was followed except that 5 g of toluene was added following the production of the composition obtained by example 13 . as results of analyses by visual observation and gpc , neither discoloration nor high - molecular compound formation was observed . each vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester used in the following examples 32 to 55 was synthesized by the above - mentioned production method d and then purified by distillation under reduced pressure . a 100 - g portion of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate having a water content of 0 . 01 % by weight as determined by using a model mks 510 karl fischer moisture meter ( product of kyoto denshi kogyo , hereinafter referred to as “ moisture meter ”; indicator : hydranal composite 5k ( product of r & amp ; h laborchemikalien gmbh & amp ; co . kg ); solvent : dehydrated solvent kt ( product of mitsubishi chemical )) was added to a test tube and 10 mg of methoxyhydroquinone was further added . after mixing , a 21 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was passed through the gaseous phase in the test tube for 10 minutes and then the test tube was tightly stoppered . the test tube prepared in the above manner was shaken on an oil bath maintained at 80 ° c . for 40 days , followed by visual observation and by analysis using a model gc - 1700 gas chromatograph ( product of shimadzu ; hereinafter this chromatographic analysis is referred to as “ gc ”), gpc and analysis using a model rq flex peroxide assaying instrument ( product of merck co . ltd . ; hereinafter this analysis is referred to as “ rq assay ”). while neither impurity formation nor high - molecular substance formation was observed , a peroxide content of 2 ppm was detected . the same procedure as in example 32 was repeated except that the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester and / or radical polymerization inhibitor used differed in species and / or the amounts thereof were varied and that the oxygen concentration and / or water content was varied and further that a basic compound was used or not used . the species used , the amounts thereof , the storage temperature , the number of days of storage , and the results of visual observation , gc , gpc and rq assay are shown in tables 4 to 6 . the symbols used in tables 4 to 6 are the same as in table 1 and table 2 . [ 0165 ] table 5 example 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 vinyl ether group - containing vea vem veea veea veem veem vba vbm ( meth ) acrylic ester ( g ) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 radical polymerization inhibitor mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq ( mg ) 10 10 10 5 10 5 10 10 basic compound — — — teha — teha — — ( mg ) — — — 5 — 5 — — oxygen concentration 1 . 5 vol % 0 . 8 vol % 5 vol % 10 vol % 7 vol % 9 vol % 7 vol % 0 . 5 vol % water content 7 wt % 7 wt % 7 wt % 7 wt % 7 wt % 7 wt % 7 wt % 7 wt % storage temperature 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . number of days of storage 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days visual observation no change no change no change no change no change no change no change no change result of gc analysis 3 % purity 3 % purity 3 % purity 3 % purity 3 % purity 3 % purity 3 % purity 3 % purity decrease decrease decrease decrease decrease decrease decrease decrease result of gpc analysis no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer formed formed formed formed formed formed formed formed result of rq assay not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected [ 0166 ] table 6 example 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 vinyl ether group - containing vea vem veea veea veem veem vba vbm ( meth ) acrylic ester ( g ) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 radical polymerization inhibitor mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq ( mg ) 10 10 10 5 10 5 10 10 basic compound — — — teha — teha — — ( mg ) — — — 5 — 5 — — oxygen concentration 7 vol % 7 vol % 7 vol % 7 vol % 7 vol % 7 vol % 7 vol % 7 vol % water content 0 . 01 wt % 0 . 01 wt % 0 . 01 wt % 0 . 01 wt % 0 . 01 wt % 0 . 01 wt % 0 . 01 wt % 0 . 01 wt % storage temperature 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . 80 ° c . number of days of storage 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days 40 days visual observation no change no change no change no change no change no change no change no change result of gc analysis no change no change no change no change no change no change no change no change result of gpc analysis no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer formed formed formed formed formed formed formed formed result of rq assay not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected not detected 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate ( 100 g ), 5 mg of methoxyhydroquinone and 5 mg of tris ( 2 - ethylhexyl ) amine were added to a 200 - ml sus 316container used as a lightproof structure . after mixing up , the gaseous phase in the container was completely substituted with a 7 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ), followed by tight closure . the container was stored outdoors in an applicants &# 39 ; research laboratory at suita , osaka , japan for 180 days starting from apr . 1 , 2000 , followed by visual observation , gc , gpc and rq assay . no deterioration in quality was observed , namely neither impurity formation , nor high molecular substance formation nor peroxide formation was detected . the same procedure as in example 56 was repeated except that the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester and / or radical polymerization inhibitor and / or basic compound used differed in species and / or the amounts thereof were varied and the oxygen concentration was varied . the species used , the amounts thereof and the results of visual observation , gc , gpc and rq assay are shown in table 7 and table 8 . the symbols used in tables 7 and 8 are the same as in tables 1 and 2 . [ 0169 ] table 8 example 65 66 67 68 69 70 vinyl veem veem veem veem vba vba ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester ( g ) 100 100 100 100 100 100 radical mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq mehq polymerization inhibitor ( mg ) 5 10 10 10 5 10 basic teha — — — teha — compound ( mg ) 5 — — — 5 — oxygen 0 . 5 vol % 9 vol % 21 vol % 30 vol % 15 vol % 0 . 2 vol % concentration number 180 days 180 days 180 days 180 days 180 days 180 days of days of storage visual no change no change no change no change no change no change observation result no change no change no change no change no change no change of gc analysis result no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer of gpc formed formed formed formed formed formed analysis result not detected not detected not detected 10 ppm not detected not detected of rq assay example 71 72 73 74 vinyl vba vbm vbm vbm ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester ( g ) 100 100 100 100 radical mehq mehq mehq mehq polymerization inhibitor ( mg ) 10 5 10 10 basic — teha — — compound ( mg ) — 5 — — oxygen 21 vol % 18 vol % 0 . 3 vol % 21 vol % concentration number 180 days 180 days 180 days 180 days of days of storage visual no change no change no change no change observation result no change no change no change no change of gc analysis result no polymer no polymer no polymer no polymer of gpc formed formed formed formed analysis result not detected not detected not detected not detected of rq assay the same procedure as in example 56 was followed except that a 200 - ml glass container coated with an opaque tetrafluoroethylene resin on 85 % of the inside surface area thereof was used as a structure . upon gc , gpc and rq assay , no deterioration in quality was observed , namely no impurity formation , no high - molecular substance formation or no peroxide formation was detected . the same procedure as in example 56 was followed except that a 200 - ml transparent glass container was used as a structure . as a result of visual observation , gc , gpc and rq assay , impurity formation , the formation of a high - molecular substance with a molecular weight ( number average ) of 1 , 500 and peroxide formation ( 12 ppm ) were found . the same procedure as in comparative example 11 was followed except that 2 - vinyloxyethyl propionate , which is the acryloyl group - free vinyl ether having similar structure as 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate , was used in lieu of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate . the same procedure as in comparative example 11 was followed except that 2 - ethoxyethyl acrylate , which is the vinyl ether group - free acrylate ester having similar structure as 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate , was used in lieu of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate . in reference examples 1 and 2 , each composition in the container after 180 days of storage was evaluated by visual observation , gc , gpc and rq assay . no deterioration in quality was observed , namely neither impurity formation nor high - molecular substance formation nor peroxide formation was detected . according to the above results , it can be recognized that the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic esters have specific properties , which are not seen in either acryloyl group - free vinyl ethers having similar structure or vinyl ether group - free acrylate esters having similar structure . a glass - made 3 - liter five - necked flask equipped with a stirrer , thermometer , oldershaw rectifying column , gas inlet tube and liquid addition line was charged with 529 g of 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether containing 11 g of ethylene glycol divinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine and 10 g of dioctyltinoxide . the contents were mixed and stirred while introducing air into the liquid phase from the gas inlet tube , and heating was started on an oil bath maintained at 130 ° c . this was the production starting point . the reaction was continued while continuously adding that amount of the acrylate ester corresponding to the weight of ethyl acrylate found in the ethyl acrylate - ethanol azeotrope , namely the distillate at the top of the oldershaw rectifying column , to the reaction system through the liquid addition line . samples were taken from the reaction system at 30 - minute intervals from the production starting point and the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was followed by gc . the yield became constant after 8 hours . the production time was thus 8 hours . the yield of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate at that time was 95 mole percent . the same procedure as in example 76 was repeated except that different starting materials , different impurities contained therein , different polymerization inhibitors and different catalysts were used . the materials used , the amounts thereof , the reaction time , the product and the yield thereof as determined by gc for each run are shown in table 9 . in cases where methyl methacrylate was used as one of the starting materials , that weight of methyl methacrylate corresponding to the methyl methacrylate in the methyl methacrylate - methanol azeotrope distillate was continuously added to reaction system through the liquid addition line . as regards the ( meth ) acrylic ester , ae stands for ethyl acrylate , and mma for methyl methacrylate . as regards the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether , hev stands for 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether , degv for diethylene glycolmonovinyl ether , and bdv for 1 , 4 - butanediol monovinyl ether . as regards the impurity of the general formula ( 4 ), namely the compound represented by the general formula ( 4 ) given hereinabove , egdv stands for ethylene glycol divinyl ether , degdv for diethylene glycol divinyl ether , and bddv for 1 , 4 - butanediol divinyl ether . as regards the impurity of the general formula ( 5 ), namely the compound represented by the general formula ( 5 ) given herein above , mdol stands for 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane , mtoc for 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 , 6 - trioxocane , and mdop for2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - dioxepane . as regards the impurity of the general formula ( 6 ), namely the compound represented by the general formula ( 6 ) given herein above , 4bve stands for 4 - butenyl vinyl ether . as for the radical polymerization inhibitor , tempol stands for 4 - hydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethyl - piperidine - n - oxyl . as regards the catalyst , dbto stands for dibutyltin oxide , doto for dioctyltin oxide , tbt for tetrabutoxytitanium , dbtdac for dibutyltindiacetate , bdbtlo for bis ( dibutyltinlaurtae ) oxide , and zraa for zirconia acetylacetonate . the other symbols are the same as in table 1 . the same apparatus as used in example 76 was charged with 529 g of 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine , 10 g of dioctyltin oxide and 11 g of ethylene glycol divinyl ether , and the same procedure as in example 76 was carried out . as a result of following by gc , the production time was found to be 8 hours , after which the yield of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was 95 mole percent . the same apparatus as used in example 76 was charged with 529 g of 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine and 10 g of dioctyltin oxide , and the reaction was started , with stirring , by immersing the apparatus in an oil bath at 130 ° c . the same procedure as in example 76 was followed except that 11 g of ethylene glycol divinyl ether was added 2 hours after the start . as a result of following by gc , the production time was found to be 9 hours , after which the yield of 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was 95 mole percent . the same procedure as in examples 76 , 79 , 82 , 84 , 90 or 93 was repeated except that the hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether used was free of any impurity . the starting materials , polymerization inhibitor and catalyst used , the amounts thereof , the production time found , the product and the yield thereof as determined by gc in each run are shown in table 10 . the symbols used in table 10 are the same as in table 9 . a glass - made 3 - liter five - necked flask was charged with a stirrer , thermometer , oldershaw rectifying column , gas inlet tube and liquid addition line was charged with 529 g of 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine and 10 g of dibutyltin oxide . on that occasion , the water content of the whole system as determined by the moisture meter was 0 . 1 % by weight . while introducing air into the liquid phase from the gas inlet tube , the contents were mixed and stirred and then temperature raising was started by immersing the flask in an oil bath at 130 ° c . while continuously adding that amount of the acrylate ester corresponding to the weight of ethyl acrylate in the ethyl acrylate - ethanol azeotrope distilling from the top of the oldershaw rectifying column to the reaction system through the liquid addition line , the reaction was continued for 12 hours . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 95 mole percent . when 10 g of the reaction system was added to 100 ml of hexane , the system was dissolved to give a colorless transparent homogeneous solution . the starting materials , polymerization inhibitor , basic compound and catalyst used , the amounts thereof , the water content of the whole system as determine by using the moisture meter , the product and the yield thereof , and the result of the test for solubility in hexane are shown in table 11 for each run . the symbols used in table 11 are the same as in tables 1 to 10 . in cases where methyl methacrylate was used as one of the starting materials , that weight of methyl methacrylate corresponding to the methyl methacrylate in the methyl methacrylate - methanol azeotrope distillate was continuously added to reaction system through the liquid addition line . the starting materials , polymerization inhibitor , basic compound and catalyst used , the amounts thereof , the water content of the whole system as determine by using the moisture meter , the product and the yield thereof , and the result of the test for solubility in hexane are shown in table 12 for each run . the symbols used in table 12 are the same as in tables 1 to 10 . a glass - made 3 - liter five - necked flask equipped with a stirrer , thermometer , oldershaw rectifying column , gas inlet tube and liquid addition line was charged with 529 g of 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine and 10 g of dibutyltin oxide . the contents were mixed and stirred while introducing an 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase from the gas inlet tube , and heating was started on an oil bath maintained at 130 ° c . the reaction was continued for 12 hours while continuously adding that amount of the ethyl acrylate corresponding to the weight of the ethyl acrylate found in the ethyl acrylate - ethanol azeotrope , namely the distillate at the top of the oldershaw rectifying column , to the reaction system through the liquid addition line . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 109 was followed except that a 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced into the gaseous phase . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 109 was repeated except that the ( meth ) acrylic ester and / or hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether and / or radical polymerization inhibitor used differed in species and / or the amounts thereof were varied and that the oxygen concentration was varied and further that a basic compound was used or not used . the species used , the amounts thereof , the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester produced and the yield thereof , the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction , and the absence or presence of a solid matter in the gaseous phase and in the liquid phase of the reaction system and the result of analysis by rq assay are shown for each run in table 13 . the symbols used in table 13 are the same as in tables 1 to 12 . in cases where methyl methacrylate was used as one of the starting materials , that weight of methyl methacrylate corresponding to the methyl methacrylate in the methyl methacrylate - methanol azeotrope distillate was continuously added to reaction system through the liquid addition line . a glass - made 3 - liter five - necked flask equipped with a stirrer , thermometer , oldershaw rectifying column and liquid addition line was charged with 793 g of diethylene glycol monovinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine , 300 mg of aluminum n - nitrosophenylhydroxylamine and 10 g of dioctyltin oxide . while mixing and stirring , the flask was immersed in an oil bath maintained at 130 ° c ., and the temperature was allowed to begin to rise . the reaction was continued for 12 hours while continuously adding that amount of ethyl acrylate corresponding to the weight of the ethyl acrylate found in the ethyl acrylate - ethanol azeotrope , namely the distillate at the top of the oldershaw rectifying column , to the reaction system through the liquid addition line . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate was found to be 95 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . the same procedure as in example 117 was followed except that 1 , 502 g of methyl methacrylate was used in lieu of ethyl acrylate . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate was found to be 97 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . a glass - made 3 - liter five - necked flask equipped with a stirrer , thermometer , oldershaw rectifying column , gas inlet tube and liquid addition line was charged with 793 g of diethylene glycol monovinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine and 10 g of dioctyltin oxide . the contents were mixed and stirred while introducing an 8 % ( by volume ) nitrogen monoxide gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase from the gas inlet tube , and heating was started on an oil bath maintained at 130 ° c . the reaction was continued for 12 hours while continuously adding that amount of ethyl acrylate corresponding to the weight of the ethyl acrylate found in the ethyl acrylate - ethanol azeotrope , namely the distillate at the top of the oldershaw rectifying column , to the reaction system through the liquid addition line . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . the same procedure as in example 109 was followed except that an 8 % ( by volume ) nitrogen monoxide gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced into the gaseous phase . the molecular nitrogen monooxide concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . the same procedure as in example 119 was followed except that 1 , 502 g of methyl methacrylate was used in lieu of ethyl acrylate . the molecular nitrogen monooxide concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate was found to be 97 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . the same procedure as in example 109 was followed without introducing the 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). after 2hours , a white solid was formed in the gaseous phase and liquid phase and , therefore , the reaction was discontinued . a lightproof structure , namely a 3 - liter separable apparatus made of sus 316and equipped with a stirrer , thermometer holder , gas inlet tube , liquid addition line and rectifying column was charged with 529 g of 2 - hydroxyethyl vinyl ether , 1 , 502 g of ethyl acrylate , 300 mg of phenothiazine and 10 g of dibutyltin oxide . the contents were mixed and stirred while introducing air into the liquid phase from the gas inlet tube , and heating was started on an oil bath maintained at 130 ° c . the reaction was continued for 12 hours while continuously adding that amount of ethyl acrylate corresponding to the weight of the ethyl acrylate found in the ethyl acrylate - ethanol azeotrope , namely the distillate at the top of the oldershaw rectifying column , to the reaction system through the liquid addition line . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 21 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , 3 ppm of peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 122 was followed except that a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of air . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . as a result of analysis by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 123 was repeated except that the ( meth ) acrylic ester and / or hydroxyl group - containing vinyl ether and / or radical polymerization inhibitor used differed in species and / or the amounts thereof were varied and that the oxygen concentration was varied and further that a basic compound was used or not used . the species used , the amounts thereof , the vinyl ether group - containing ( meth ) acrylic ester produced and the yield thereof , the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction , and the absence or presence of a solid matter in the gaseous phase and in the liquid phase of the reaction system and the result of analysis by rq assay are shown for each run in table 14 . the symbols used in table 14 are the same as in tables 1 to 13 . in cases where methyl methacrylate was used as one of the starting materials , that weight of methyl methacrylate corresponding to the methyl methacrylate in the methyl methacrylate - methanol azeotrope distillate was continuously added to reaction system through the liquid addition line . the same procedure as in example 123 was followed except that the upper lid - forming portion of the sus 316 - made separable apparatus used in example 123 was replaced with a transparent glass lid ( in this case , the lightproof material sus 316 accounted for 83 % of the reaction apparatus structure inside surface area otherwise through which light could reach within the structure inside ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . as a result of analysis by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 109 was followed except that air was introduced in lieu of the 8 % ( by weight ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 21 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . as a result of analysis by rq assay , however , 17 ppm of peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 109 was followed except that a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 8 % ( by weight ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during reaction was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . as a result of analysis by gc , the yield of the desired 2 - vinyloxyethyl acrylate was found to be 96 mole percent . no solid matter formation was found either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the reaction system . as a result of analysis by rq assay , however , 12 ppm of peroxide was detected . the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 was introduced into a glass - made 3 - liter distillation apparatus equipped with a stirrer , thermometer holder , gas inlet tube , pressure reducing regulator and rectifying column . while introducing an 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase , the contents were mixed and stirred and heating was started on an oil bath maintained at 130 ° c . by reducing the pressure gradually from 667 hpa to 67 hpa , ethyl acrylate and ethanol were allowed to distill out of the top of the rectifying column and the starting material ethyl acrylate was recovered . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 133 was followed except that a 10 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 10 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 133 was followed except that a 0 . 1 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 02 to 0 . 1 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 133 was followed except that the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 129 was introduced in lieu of the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 . methyl methacrylate and methanol were thus allowed to distill out of the top of the rectifying column and the starting material methyl methacrylate was recovered . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . following the procedure of example 133 , the contents in the apparatus were mixed and stirred while introducing an 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase , and the temperature was raised on an oil bath at 150 ° c . by reducing the pressure to 17 hpa , that portion of the starting material diethylene glycol monovinyl ether remaining unreacted was caused to distill off from the top of the rectifying column and thus recovered . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . following the procedure of example 136 , the same procedure as in example 137 was followed . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 137 was introduced into a glass - made one - liter distillation apparatus equipped with a stirrer , thermometer holder , gas inlet tube , pressure reducing regulator and rectifying column . while introducing an 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase from the gas inlet tube , the contents were mixed and stirred and heating was started on an oil bath maintained at 150 ° c . by reducing the pressure gradually to 13 hpa , 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate was caused to distill off from the top of the rectifying column for purifying the same . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during distillation / purification was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis by rq assay of the liquid phase and of the distillate 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 139 was followed except that the mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 138 was introduced in lieu of the mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 137 , to thereby causing 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate to distill out for purifying the same . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during distillation / purification was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis by rq assay of the liquid phase and of the distillate 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate , no peroxide was detected . a 400 - ml portion of the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 was introduced , together with 400 ml of a 1 n aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide , into a glass - made one - liter separating apparatus equipped with a stirrer and a gas inlet tube . while introducing an 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the gaseous phase from the gas inlet tube , the contents were stirred at room temperature for 1 hour , and then the contents were allowed to stand for 1 hour , whereby they separated into an oil phase , an aqueous phase and a catalyst phase . after removing the aqueous phase containing unreacted diethylene glycol monovinyl ether , the catalyst phase was removed by filtration . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the separating apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the oily phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 141 was followed except that the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 129 was introduced in lieu of the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 , to thereby remove the aqueous phase containing unreacted diethylene glycol monovinyl ether and the catalyst layer . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the separating apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the oil phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 was introduced into a lightproof structure , namely a sus 316 - made 3 - liter distillation apparatus equipped with a stirrer , thermometer holder , gas inlet tube , pressure reduction regulator and rectifying column . while introducing a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase through the gas inlet tube , the contents were mixed and stirred , and heating was started on an oil bath at 130 ° c . by reducing the pressure gradually from 667 hpa to 67 hpa , ethyl acrylate and ethanol were allowed to distill out of the top of the rectifying column and thus the starting material ethyl acrylate was recovered . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 143 was followed except that an 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 8 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 143 was followed except that a 0 . 1 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 02 to 0 . 1 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 143 was followed except that the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 129 was introduced in lieu of the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 , to thereby cause methyl methacrylate and methanol to distill out of the top of the rectifying column for recovering the starting material methyl methacrylate . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . following the procedure of example 143 , the residue was stirred while introducing a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase , and heating was started on an oil bath at 150 ° c . by reducing the pressure to 17 hpa , the unreacted portion of the starting material diethylene glycol monovinyl ether was distilled out of the top of the rectifying column for recovering the same . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . following the procedure of example 146 , the same procedure as in example 147 was followed . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis by rq assay of the liquid phase , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 133 was followed except that a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during raw material recovery procedure was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis by rq assay of the liquid phase , 12 ppm of peroxide was detected . the mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 147 was introduced into a lightproof structure , namely a sus 316 - made one - liter distillation apparatus equipped with a stirrer , thermometer holder , gas inlet tube , pressure reduction regulator and rectifying column . while introducing a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the liquid phase through the gas inlet tube , the contents were mixed and stirred , and heating was started on an oil bath at 150 ° c . by reducing the pressure to 13 hpa , 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate was allowed to distill out of the top of the rectifying column and the same was thus purified . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during distillation / purification was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis by rq assay of the liquid phase and of the distillate 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl acrylate , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 149 was followed except that the mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 148 was introduced in lieu of the mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 147 , to thereby cause 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate to distill out for purifying the same . the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during distillation / purification was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis by rq assay of the liquid phase and of the distillate 2 -( vinyloxyethoxy ) ethyl methacrylate , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 139 was followed except that a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). the molecular oxygen concentration in the gaseous phase during distillation / purification was 0 . 1 to 15 % by volume . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the distillation apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the liquid phase by rq assay , 21 ppm of peroxide was detected . a 400 - ml portion of the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 was introduced , together with 400 ml of a 1 n aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide , into a lightproof structure , namely a sus 136 - made one - liter separating apparatus equipped with a stirrer and a gas inlet tube . while introducing a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) into the gaseous phase , the contents were stirred at room temperature for 1 hour , and then the contents were allowed to stand for 1 hour , whereby they separated into an oil phase , an aqueous phase and a catalyst phase . after removing the aqueous phase containing unreacted diethylene glycol monovinyl ether , the catalyst phase was removed by filtration . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the separating apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the oily phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 151 was followed except that the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 129 was introduced in lieu of the reaction mixture obtained by the same procedure as in example 127 , to thereby remove the aqueous phase containing unreacted diethylene glycol monovinyl ether and the catalyst layer . no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the separating apparatus . furthermore , as a result of analysis of the oily phase by rq assay , no peroxide was detected . the same procedure as in example 141 was followed except that a 15 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ) was introduced in lieu of the 8 % ( by volume ) oxygen gas ( the balance being nitrogen ). no solid matter formation was observed either in the gaseous phase or in the liquid phase of the separating apparatus . however , as a result of analysis of the oily phase by rq assay , 10 ppm of peroxide was detected .	2
the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference made to the accompanying drawings . referring to fig1 a fluid powered brush system a includes a toothbrush b , a flexible cord c , a shower head d , an impeller housing e , and a supply pipe f . referring to fig3 the brush b includes an operating head 2 detachably connected to a handle 4 at g . specifically , operating head 2 includes an annular member 3 which is inserted into a corresponding annular recess formed in handle 4 . preferably , the annular member 3 has a thickness which is equal to or slightly greater than the width of the recess in handle 4 to snugly secure the operating head 2 to handle 4 . it will be readily appreciated that other conventional removable fastening arrangements may be used . a pair of brushes 6 are rotatably supported by operating head 2 . each of the brushes 6 include an upper surface 8 and a lower surface 10 . a bevel gear 12 extends around the upper surface 8 of each of the brushes 6 . a plurality of bristles 14 extend downwardly from the lower surface 10 of each of the brushes 6 . although two brushes 6 are shown , it will be readily appreciated that this number may be varied as desired . an output shaft 16 extends substantially parallel to the horizontal axis of toothbrush b and is rotatably supported in operating head 2 by shoulders 18 and 20 . a pair of bevel gears 22 are nonrotatably supported by shaft 16 directly above the bevel gears 12 . the bevel gears 22 are disposed in meshing engagement with the corresponding bevel gears 12 . although the gear ratio for bevel gears 12 and 22 is depicted as being approximately 1 to 1 , it will be readily appreciated that this ratio may be varied if it is desired to rotate one of brushes 6 at a faster rate . the flexible cord c includes a protective sheath 24 and a flexible , rotatable cable 26 . a support collar 28 is connected to handle 4 and rotatably supports cable 26 therein . the rotatable cable 26 extends substantially parallel to the horizontal axis of toothbrush b in handle 4 and is detachably connected to output shaft 16 at h . output shaft 16 includes a pin 30 ( shown in dotted lines ) which is received in a corresponding hole in rotatable cable 26 . the pin 30 preferably has a diameter equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the hole formed in cable 26 to nonrotatably secure the output shaft 16 to cable 26 . other types of detachable fasteners may be used . for example , the pin 30 may be provided with a plurality of fins extending radially therefrom to be inserted into corresponding grooves extending outwardly from the outer periphery of the hole formed in cable 26 . such an arrangement would prevent any relative rotation between output shaft 16 and cable 26 . as seen in fig1 and 2 , the impeller housing e is positioned upstream of the openings 32 of shower head d . an impeller 34 , having a plurality of vanes 36 extending outwardly therefrom is nonrotatably secured to a gear 38 . the impeller 34 and gear 38 are rotatably supported in impeller housing e by shaft 39 . shaft 39 is secured to shower head d at the end opposite impeller 34 and gear 38 . three supply conduits 40 ( only two of which are shown ) are equally spaced in impeller housing e and are secured to the inner surface thereof . the supply conduits 40 direct the fluid flowing through pipe f at the impeller 34 in order to rotate the same . a gear 42 is positioned in meshing engagement with gear 38 adjacent the periphery of housing e . gear 42 includes a shaft 44 and is rotatably supported by bearings 46 . the flexible cord c includes a support collar 48 secured to the impeller housing e . the rotatable cable 26 passes through the support collar 48 and is nonrotatably fixed to shaft 44 of gear 42 . thus , cable 26 rotates upon rotation of impeller 34 , which in turn causes brushes 6 to rotate . the gear ratio for gears 38 and 42 may be varied as desired . this embodiment is a significant improvement over previously known fluid powered brush systems . specifically , the drive force imparted on each of the brushes 6 is constant . thus , the brushes 6 may be rotated at substantially the same speed if desired . moreover , none of the fluid passing through pipe f is drawn off to drive toothbrush b . this aspect of the invention permits an individual to brush his or her teeth while taking a shower without in any way reducing the amount of fluid ultimately emitted by the shower head e . finally , numerous operating heads 2 may be used with the handle 4 . fig4 through 7 illustrate various alternative arrangements for driving rotatable cable 26 which will be described hereinafter . components of these embodiments which are identical to those of the fluid powered brush system a illustrated in fig1 to 3 will be given like reference numerals . referring to fig4 the impeller housing e is disposed such that it extends substantially parallel to supply pipe f . specifically , impeller housing e is detachably connected to conduit 51 which extends substantially perpendicular to pipe f . in this embodiment , a wall 52 directs all of the fluid flowing through pipe f into the impeller housing e to rotate impeller 34 . the fluid is subsequently directed out of the impeller housing e and through shower head d . in the embodiment depicted in fig5 an impeller 54 is disposed in the shower head d . the impeller 54 has a plurality of vanes 56 extending outwardly therefrom and is secured to bevel gear 58 . shaft 60 rotatably supports the bevel gear 58 and impeller 54 in the shower head d . a bevel gear 62 is positioned in meshing engagement with bevel gears 58 and 64 . the cable 26 ( not shown ) is nonrotatably secured to bevel gear 64 . three supply conduits 40 direct fluid to the impeller 54 to rotate the same . as best seen in fig6 and 7 , the toothbrush b may be drivingly connected to an external body brush i . the external body brush i includes a plurality of brush heads 66 which are preferably driven in a similar manner to brushes 6 illustrated in fig1 through 3 . the flexible cord c includes a detachable support sleeve 68 for detachably securing the same to external body brush i . the support collar 68 includes a flexible annular collar 70 . the collar 70 mates with flexible annular collar 72 of shoulder 74 . flexible cable 26 includes a pin 75 inserted in a corresponding hole in shaft 76 . a bevel gear 78 is formed on the innermost end of shaft 76 . gear 78 is disposed in meshing engagement with the bevel gear 80 extending from the immediately adjacent brush head 66 . although not shown , a similar arrangement may be used to detachably secure the cord c to the impeller housing e and / or shower head d . the above - identified figures depict alternative arrangements for toothbrush b which will hereinafter be described . referring to fig8 toothbrush j includes an operating head 82 and a handle 84 . a shaft 86 extends through operating head 82 and handle 84 and is rotatably supported therein by shoulders 88 . a pair of brushes 90 extend from the lower surface of operating head 82 and are identical in configuration to brushes 6 illustrated in fig3 . bevel gears 92 extend around the upper surface of each of the brushes 90 . a pair of bevel gears 94 are fixed to output shaft 86 and disposed in meshing engagement with corresponding bevel gears 92 . four impellers 96 are spaced along output shaft 86 in handle 84 . referring to fig9 the impellers 96 include a plurality of vanes 98 extending outwardly therefrom . as seen in fig1 , impellers 96 may be provided with arcuately shaped vanes 100 . a plate 102 separates handle 84 into a working chamber 104 and a reservoir chamber 106 . the plate 102 has a plurality of apertures 108 formed therein . a supply line 110 includes a first end which is disposed in handle 84 . the other end of supply line 110 is preferably connected upstream of the shower head such that a portion of the water flowing to the shower head is drawn off and directed to toothbrush j . the supply line 110 includes four outlet ports 112 disposed directly above corresponding impellers 96 . a control valve 114 is positioned upstream of the outlet ports 112 to prevent the flow of fluid therethrough . upon depression of the control valve 114 , fluid is permitted to flow through the outlet ports 112 to turn impellers 96 which subsequently rotate brushes 90 . a drain 116 is formed in the handle 84 to drain fluid from reservoir chamber 106 . a drain tube may be connected to drain 116 to direct fluid away from the individual and to the shower drain . a conduit 118 extends between the reservoir chamber 106 and opening 120 formed in operating head 82 . a control valve 122 similar to control valve 114 regulates the flow of fluid through conduit 118 . upon depression of the control valve 122 , fluid from the reservoir chamber 106 is permitted to flow through the conduit 118 and out opening 120 to provide the user with fluid to rinse his or her mouth . this embodiment is a significant improvement over previously known fluid powered brushes . more specifically , the brush j avoids substantial discrepancies in the drive force imparted on each of the brush heads 90 . thus , the brush heads may be rotated at substantially the same speed . further , this arrangement readily enables an individual to rinse his or her mouth . referring to fig1 , toothbrush k includes an operating head 124 and a handle 126 . the operating head 124 is identical to operating head 82 of toothbrush j . also , conduit 128 and control valve 130 are identical to conduit 118 and valve 122 of toothbrush j . plate 132 rotatably supports four impellers 134 . the vanes of impellers 134 can be configured in either the manner shown in fig9 or fig1 . a bevel gear 136 is fixed to each of the impellers 134 via shaft 138 . four bevel gears 140 are fixed to output shaft 142 and are disposed in meshing engagement with corresponding bevel gears 136 . thus , shaft 142 rotates upon rotation of impellers 134 . supply conduit 144 extends in handle 126 and includes four outlet ports 146 disposed directly adjacent corresponding impellers 134 . although not shown , a control valve similar to control valve 114 of toothbrush j may be provided to control the flow of fluid through supply conduit 144 . the opposite end of supply conduit 144 is connected upstream of the shower head e , as shown in fig1 . a wall 148 directs all of the fluid passing through pipe f to supply line 144 . plate 150 separates handle 126 into a working chamber 152 and a reservoir chamber 154 . a plurality of apertures 156 are formed in plate 150 to permit fluid to flow therethrough . a one way valve 158 is associated with each of the apertures 156 . the one way valves 158 prevent fluid in the reservoir 154 from flowing into working chamber 152 . a return conduit 160 communicates with reservoir chamber 154 and directs the fluid back to pipe f so that it may emitted through shower head e . this embodiment includes all of the advantages discussed in connection with toothbrush j . in addition , the toothbrush k minimizes the fluid drawn off from the shower by redirecting most if not all of the fluid to the shower head via return conduit 160 . while this invention has been described as having a preferred design , it is understood that it is capable of further modifications , uses and / or adaptions of the invention following in general the principle of the invention including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains , and as may be applied to the essential features set forth , and fall within the appended claims .	0
fig2 shows a robot 20 having a robot arm 30 in accordance with the invention . robot 20 and robot arm 30 are contained within a micro - environment enclosure 32 which is in communication with a plurality of stations 34 arranged along two rows 36 and 38 . each station 34 can be a processing station in which steps of a semiconductor manufacturing process are to be performed on a semiconductor wafer ( not shown ), or a storage module such as a cassette containing a stack of such wafers . robot arm 30 comprises an extensible linkage 40 and an end effector linkage 50 . extensible linkage 40 comprises individual links 42 , 44 and 46 , with link 42 being considered proximalmost and being rotatably mounted at a proximal portion thereof in robot 20 . similarly , link 44 is rotatably mounted at a proximal portion thereof to a distal portion of link 42 , and link 46 is rotatably mounted at a proximal portion thereof to a distal portion of link 44 . it will be understood that the terms “ proximal ,” “ proximalmost ,” “ distal ,” and “ distalmost ,” used herein are relative terms and are not to intended to be limited to any specific physical elements described , but are rather intended to merely designate relationships between elements . end effector linkage 50 is mounted at the distal portion of distalmost link 46 of extensible linkage 40 . an end effector support structure 58 is provided at the distal portion of link 46 for supporting the end effector linkage 50 . end effector linkage 50 comprises proximalmost link 52 mounted at a proximal portion thereof to support structure 58 . link 52 is rotatable , either by virtue of rotation relative to structure 58 or by rotation of structure 58 itself . rotation is imparted using a suitable motor discussed below . link 54 is rotatably mounted at a proximal portion thereof to a distal portion of link 52 . at the distal portion of link 54 , an end effector 56 is rotatably mounted and suitably configured for holding substrates such as semiconductor wafers and conveying these to or from the different stations 34 . motion of linkages 40 and 50 is preferably decoupled . in this manner , extensible linkage 40 serves to generally transport end effector linkage 50 laterally along the x direction by translating distalmost portion of link 46 , to which end effector linkage 50 is mounted , along a lateral trajectory . end effector linkage 50 is thus transported to the vicinity of the desired station 34 , thereby enabling end effector linkage 50 to reach the station 34 in order to deliver the wafer thereto or retrieve it therefrom . such motion of end effector linkage 50 , and of end effector 56 in particular , may be along a straight line trajectory or a different trajectory depending on the arrangement of stations and the particular application contemplated . additionally , it will be appreciated that the motions of the linkages 40 and 50 , while decoupled mechanically , may be synchronized in time so as to reduce the length of time required to reach a particular station 34 . specifically , extension or retraction of extensible linkage 40 may occur during a first duration , while extension or retraction of end effector linkage 50 may occur during a second duration . however , the first and second durations may at least partially overlap to reduce overall time of the combined motions . of course , such synchronization would be governed by the particular layout of the system as a whole , taking in account the presence of obstacles at a particular instant during motion of the linkages 40 and 50 and the end effector 56 . motion to extensible linkage 40 is imparted using a first , r - axis motor 62 housed in robot 20 as shown in fig3 and 4 . r - axis motion is the extension and retraction motion of linkage 40 along the x direction , with the origin of this radial motion being taken to be rotation axis 63 of the proximal portion of proximalmost link 42 . rotation of motor 62 is transferred to links 42 , 44 and 46 via a first mechanical linkage which includes belts 64 and 66 cooperating with pulleys such as pulley 68 , as seen from fig3 and 4 . it will be appreciated that the number of links of the extensible linkage 40 and end effector linkage 50 can be different from that described . in the three - link arrangement , the mechanical linkages used to couple the links preferably provide a 1 : 2 motion ratio between the first and second link and then a 2 : 1 ratio between the second and third link so that the result is linear motion of the linkage as a whole . accordingly , as mentioned above , rotation of motor 62 results in extension and retraction of linkage 40 in a straight line in the x direction , thereby translating end effector linkage 50 mounted thereon in the direction of rows 36 and 38 of stations 34 . other motions , of course , are possible , depending on the particular application and the arrangement of stations 34 to be accessed . for instance , robot arm 30 can also be rotated ( t - axis motion ), for example to accommodate a different arrangement of stations 34 . t - axis motion can be provided by a motor 70 in robot 20 . in fig4 the t - axis is shown to be coincident with axis 63 about which link 42 rotates . it will be appreciated that this is not necessary , however , and a non - coincident configuration is also contemplated . end effector linkage 50 can be extended and retracted independently of extensible linkage 40 . extension / retraction motion of end effector linkage 50 is motivated by motor 72 provided in support structure 58 . a suitable belt and pulley linkage , including belts 69 and 71 for instance , transfers rotation of motor 72 to links 52 and 54 and end effector 56 in a manner similar to that described with respect to extensible linkage 40 . the extension / retraction motion of end effector linkage 50 will be referred to as secondary radial motion as referenced from support structure 58 . motors 62 and 72 corresponding to extensible linkage 40 and end effector linkage 50 , respectively , are independently actuated such that the motions of the two linkages are decoupled . the arrangement of fig1 is such that two rows ( 36 , 38 ) of stations 34 are arranged in opposing relation , with arm 30 disposed therebetween . to access confronting stations , end effector 56 is mounted in end effector linkage 50 such that its motion is “ reversible ” and it can be “ flipped ” to access stations 34 from either row 36 or row 38 . specifically , as seen from fig3 links 52 and 54 and end effector 56 are stacked one on top of the other such that rotation of any of the links does not interfere with rotation of any other link . a similar arrangement is shown for the extensible linkage 40 , providing a “ reversible ” extension direction such that stations on either side of the robot 20 along the x direction can be accessed . in other words , the extensible linkage 40 can be made to extend either to the right or to the left of robot 20 in the plane of fig1 . end effector linkage 50 is also equipped for y - axis , or yaw , motion . such motion is provided by y - axis motor 74 mounted to second link 44 of extensible linkage 40 and connected via belt 76 and pulleys 78 to support structure 58 in order to rotate the support structure and end effector linkage 50 mounted thereon . in this manner , y - axis , or yaw , motion of end effector linkage 50 is achieved . this motion can be used to supplement or replace the secondary radial motion of end effector linkage 50 in order to achieve the reversible motion of the end effector 50 described above . additionally , end effector 56 itself can be mounted to have yaw axis motion . a separate motor ( not shown ) can be provided for this purpose . robot 20 is preferably a gpr ( global positioning robot ) type robot and is provided with elevational , z - axis motion for arm 30 . a plurality of z - axis motors 80 ( only one is shown ) mounted in a stationary frame 81 are used to vertically move a plate 82 , which is part of an elevatable frame in which arm 30 is mounted , in order to impart elevational motion to robot arm 30 . robot 20 is also designed to be tiltable with respect to the z axis in order to provide an additional degree of freedom to arm 30 generally and to end effector 56 in particular . tilting is achieved by for example rotating motors 80 to different extents as described in detail in related u . s . pat . ser . nos . 5 , 954 , 840 and 6 , 059 , 516 which are directed to a gpr robot and which are incorporated herein by reference . a gpr robot is a parallel - serial type manipulator , wherein the elevational , z - axis motion comprises the parallel component and the substantially planar multiple link motion of arm 30 comprises the serial component . a parallel - serial manipulator is uniquely suited for use in the invention because it overcomes disadvantages associated with parallel manipulators and serial manipulators considered singularly . to achieve comparable degrees of freedom , serial manipulators require universal wrists and associated actuators , which are of significant size and weight but which cannot practically be placed close to the base of the robot in order to reduce the effect of their mass . on the other hand , parallel manipulators have very limited motion and working space . exacerbating these constraints is the context of semiconductor processing , wherein severe limitations are imposed relating to manipulator weight and size and the type of components , such as motors , links , and mechanical linkages , used . these limitations are a function of the highly controlled conditions of friction , contamination , humidity , temperature , etc . gpr robots combine the advantages of parallel and serial manipulators , providing fast global ( over a large working area ) motion through simple planar ( t , r , y ) serial arm and accurate elevational ( z ) and tilting motion . while described with respect to a single end effector 56 and end effector linkage 50 , in the preferred embodiment the robot arm is equipped with dual end effectors and associated linkages as shown in fig5 - 7 . end effectors 92 and 94 are mounted in support structure 96 disposed at the distal portion of extensible linkage 98 , and more specifically , in distalmost link 99 thereof . support structure 96 is rotatable such that y - axis , or yaw motion , is achieved . a motor 100 and suitable mechanical linkage comprised of belt 102 and pulleys 104 motivate this motion , with motor 100 being mounted in second link 97 of extensible linkage 98 . end effector 92 is part of end effector linkage 106 , which includes links 108 and 110 . end effector 94 is part of end effector linkage 112 , which includes links 114 and 116 . motors 118 and 120 motivate linkages 106 and 112 , respectively , using appropriate mechanical linkages which include belts 122 and 124 and pulleys 126 and 128 . motion of linkages 112 and 116 is decoupled such that they can be moved independently of each other and of extensible linkage 98 . as seen from fig7 end effectors 92 and 94 are designed to be offset vertically so that they can overlap when their respective linkages are extended to the same extent . to that end , upper end effector 92 is provided with a bracket portion 130 which is sized and shaped to clear any substrate , such as semiconductor wafer 132 , carried by lower end effector 94 . in this manner , end effectors 92 and 94 are capable of occupying the same radial and angular positions with respect to the mounting portion of the extensible linkage 40 in which end effector linkages 106 and 112 are mounted . the use of two independently motivated end effectors 92 and 94 provides several advantages , including the ability to simultaneously access two oppositely disposed stations 34 from the dual - row arrangement of stations shown in fig1 . additionally , swapping of substrates from a single station 34 can be effected substantially simultaneously , with one end effector for example removing a substrate from a location within a station 34 and the other end effector substituting a second substrate into the same location . this obviates the need to remove the first substrate from the station 34 , drop off the first substrate at a different station 34 , pick up a second substrate , return to the first station 34 , and drop off the second substrate at the first station . the savings in time made possible by the dual end effector arrangement , which translate to substantial savings in processing costs , will be readily appreciated . the above are exemplary modes of carrying out the invention and are not intended to be limiting . it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications thereto can be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims .	1
under beer &# 39 ; s law a = abc , where a is the amount of light absorbed by a sample , a is the molar absorptivity of the sample , b is the path length of the light as it travels through the sample , and c is the concentration . the value of a , i . e ., the molar absorptivity , is constant for each sample compound . since the path length will vary across different portions of a cylindrical volume , such as a capillary column , it is necessary to integrate over the volume to obtain the total transmitted light . it can be shown that beer &# 39 ; s law for a cylinder can be expressed as a = π / 4 abc , where b is the diameter of the column . in a system with a large amount of scattered or stray light , deviations from beer &# 39 ; s law will occur . the deviation will result in a measured absorbance a &# 39 ; which differs from the true absorbance a . the measured absorbance is defined as : ## equ1 ## where : i o is the light incident on the sample region ; i o &# 39 ;= i o + i s is the total incident light intensity ; and substituting the true absorbance a =- log ( i / i o ) into eq . 1 we obtain a relation between the measured and the true absorption as follows : ## equ2 ## at low absorption , where a & lt ;& lt ; 1 , this can be reduced as follows : ## equ3 ## thus , stray light will cause a constant depression from the true absorbance , and thus stray light becomes a limiting factor in determining the detection level , i . e ., the minimum amount of material that can be sensed . at high absorption , where a & gt ;& gt ; 1 , eq . 2 can be reduced as follows : ## equ4 ## thus , the stray light becomes the limiting factor for the absorbance that can be measured . accordingly , stray light affects the overall dynamic range of the detector at both ends , i . e ., at high and at low absorption levels . fig1 is a plot of eq . 4 , based on theoretical calculations , assuming the presence of 35 % ( curve 10 ) and 75 % ( curve 15 ) stray light . the pronounced effects of stray light can be clearly seen as the curves approach limiting absorbencies of 0 . 45 and 0 . 12 respectively . data collected in connection with the development of the present invention shows that the amount of stray or scattered light present in a capillary on - column optical detection system of the prior art can easily be in the range of 35 - 75 %. while the adverse effects of stray light have been shown in connection with optical absorbance , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that similar adverse effects will occur in other systems , e . g ., in a fluorescence detector . accordingly , while the present invention is , for convenience , described primarily in connection with absorption detection , it is not intended to be so limited , and it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the benefits herein described will be applicable to other optical detection apparatus . the present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for minimizing the effects of stray light so as to provide greater dynamic range and improved linearity of detector response . the reduction of stray light is accomplished using a combination of techniques each of which reduces stray light in the system . an overall absorbance detector 20 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically in fig2 to which we now turn . a lamp 30 provides light for use in the detector . this light is processed in a known manner by optical elements 41 - 47 . in the embodiment shown , one of these optical elements , grating 46 , is used to provide monochromatic light . it should be understood that as used herein the term &# 34 ; light &# 34 ; is intended to include radiation in the ultraviolet ( uv ) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum , in addition to &# 34 ; visible &# 34 ; and infrared light . uv light is very commonly used in absorbance and fluorescence detection in hplc , ce and sfc . light from grating 46 passes through exit slit 50 and follows a path through focussing lens 60 , slit 70 , capillary column 80 , spatial filter 90 , and collecting lens 100 according to the present invention and as described below in greater detail in connection with fig3 . a portion of the unfiltered , unabsorbed light which exits collecting lens 100 reaches photodiode 110 where it is detected using known current measurement techniques . except for the modifications within dashed line 25 which are shown in greater detail in fig3 and described below , an embodiment of system 20 used by the inventors is a modified version of a commercially available uv detector design which can be purchased as varian model no . 2550 . this commercial detector is designed for use with large - bore hplc and requires modification for use with capillary columns . while an embodiment of the present invention has been built using the varian apparatus , it should be apparent that alternative designs and techniques are widely available . in particular , everything up to exit slit 50 can be replaced by a number of known designs and techniques for producing monochromatic light . moreover , in some applications monochromatic light is unneeded and may not be desired . turning now to fig3 ray tracings are shown in connection with the apparatus of the present invention to illustrate the methods employed to minimize the stray light reaching photodiode 110 . monochromatic light passing through exit slit 50 is shown having a slight amount of divergence . in the embodiment using the aforementioned commercial system , the angle of divergence was approximately 8 °. this light is captured by lens 60 and focussed onto capillary column 80 . capillary column 80 is made of fused silica which is optically transparent to light radiation at the wavelengths of interest and , in particular , to uv light . any coating on the column is removed in the area where light is to be focussed , as described in the aforementioned u . s . pat . no . 4 , 375 , 163 . using a commercially available lens , it is possible to focus light from exit slit 50 down to a spot slightly less than 1 mm in diameter . as noted above , in ce a sample plug be approximately 1 mm in length , and in capillary column hplc a sample plug may be even longer . thus , if a focal spot were significantly smaller than 1 mm less of the sample would be illuminated , to the detriment of the efficiency of the system . however , a 1 mm focal spot is still much larger than the outer diameter of the typical capillary column used for separation . accordingly , slit 70 is positioned in front of column 80 to block or mask light which would otherwise strike the column walls and be scattered . when using a column with an inner diameter of 75 μm and an outer diameter of 375 μm , it has been found that a 100 μm slit greatly reduces the stray light without adversely affecting illumination of the sample . in theory , it would appear that the width of the slit should be approximately the same size as the inner diameter of the column to minimize the amount of light striking a portion of the column wall that is not in front of the column bore . however , when working with the very small dimensions involved , the miniature size of the slit will make the task of attaining and maintaining the nearly perfect optical alignment which is required very difficult . these alignment problems are mitigated by the use of a 100 μm slit . if a slit smaller than the diameter of the column , i . e ., less than 75 μm were used , or if alignment is not accurate , the illumination of the sample would be reduced , to the detriment of the signal - to - noise ratio of the system . after passing through slit 70 and column 80 , the remaining light is incident on collecting lens 100 . in the preferred embodiment , lenses 60 and 100 are a matched pair and are coaxially aligned . in one embodiment , two commercially available 6 mm diameter quartz lenses with a 5 mm focal length were used . moreover , as is explained in greater detail below , it has been found that by placing lens 100 approximately the same distance from the column as lens 60 , the effects of stray light are further reduced . it should be noted that , in this configuration , the distance between the column and either lens is approximately the focal length of the lens . thus , light exiting collecting lens 100 will have approximately the same angle of divergence as the light reaching the lens 60 in accordance with well known principles of optics . a mask or spatial filter 90 is placed in front of lens 100 , i . e ., between column 80 and the lens . in the above described embodiment , spatial filter 90 had an aperture diameter of 2 mm and thus blocks a significant portion of the periphery of the lens . use of a spatial filter in front of lens 100 was found to further reduce the amount of stray light reaching photodiode 110 . a series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the various techniques used to minimize stray light . the results of the experiments are shown below : table 1______________________________________ detection limit - uraciloptical design ( moles / liter ) ______________________________________a ) slit only 7 . 0 × 10 . sup .- 6b ) a & amp ; focussing lens 3 . 3 × 10 . sup .- 6c ) b & amp ; collecting lens @ 9 mm , & amp ; mask 2 . 5 × 10 . sup .- 6d ) b & amp ; collecting lens @ 5 mm , no mask 5 . 0 × 10 . sup .- 6e ) d & amp ; mask 9 . 1 × 10 . sup .- 7______________________________________ optical design c is similar to that shown in fig3 however , the collecting lens is positioned farther away from the column , i . e ., 9 mm , with the result that the collected light is focussed onto the photodiode . comparing design c with the design of the present invention , i . e ., design e , it should be noted that placing the collecting lens at a distance approximately equal to its focal length , so that the light from the column is slightly divergent , improves sensitivity by a factor of almost three . likewise , use of a mask improves sensitivity by a factor greater than five over a comparable maskless design , i . e ., design d . while data suggest that , at least in the designs tested , use of a spatial filter or mask in front of the collecting lens provides a greater improvement of detection limit than positioning of the collecting lens , proper positioning of the collecting lens can be quite significant . the primary source of stray light emanating from the column is , as noted above , from the column walls . use of a ray tracing programs has shown that this light will mostly be at the periphery of the beam passing through the sample in the column , and will stay at the periphery . placement of a properly sized spatial filter or mask will prevent this peripheral light from reaching the photodiode . it is believed that even more dramatic improvements in the detection limit can be obtained be carefully sizing and configuring the spatial filter . for example , the mask need not have a circular aperture since the sample is not circular . rather the sample is closer to being cylindrical . thus , a rectangular or elliptical aperture is likely to be an improvement over the design tested . moreover , while the preferred embodiment is shown wherein the spatial filter is positioned in front of the collecting lens , in an alternate embodiment , the spatial filter is placed in front of the photodiode . again , the purpose of this is to block the periphery of the light beam where most of the scattered light is present . however , in the design of the present invention the photodiode is , effectively , self - masking due to the placement of collecting lens 100 . in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention collecting lens 100 is positioned a distance approximately equal to its focal length from the column . as explained above , as a result of this placement , light passing through the lens is substantially collimated or even slightly divergent . assuming that the photodiode is properly sized , light at the periphery of the beam from lens 100 will miss the photodiode . again , the primary component of the peripheral light is light scattered from the column walls . in comparison , in design c , where the collecting lens is positioned so as to produce a converging beam , the peripheral scattered light is focussed on the photodiode . this self - masking phenomenon explains the apparently incongruous result shown in table 1 , where the detection limit of design b , i . e ., a slit and a focussing lens , ( but no collecting lens ), is better than that of design d , i . e ., a slit , a focussing lens and a collecting lens without a mask . in design b , light coming from the column is highly divergent , and thus almost none of the scattered light at the periphery of the beam will land on the photodiode . by properly sizing and positioning the photodiode , it is believed to be possible to rely entirely on this self - masking effect , eliminating the need for a collecting lens with a spatial filter in front of it . the concentration detection limits of uracil obtained in accordance with the present invention correspond to a mass detection limit of 0 . 01 pg . this is a factor of five improvement over the detection limit reported for a commercially available uv absorbance detector . similar tests using anthracene as a sample , resulted in a concentration detection limit of 5 . 4 × 10 - 8 m , which translates to a mass detection limit of 38 fg . this is a factor of five improvement over the maskless two lens design ( i . e ., design e ), and is an order of magnitude better than a commercially available spherical ball detector . anthracene was used because of its large molar absorptivity and , as a result , has become a standard in the chromatography field for comparing uv detectors . the detection limit obtained for anthracene is close to the theoretically calculated value of the system detection limit based on the fact that such a system is photon shot noise limited . in another implementation of the present invention , a &# 34 ; monolens &# 34 ; was constructed in accordance with the design of fig4 . the monolens comprises a central quartz body portion 200 with four quartz hemispherical lobes 210 , 220 , 230 and 240 , respectively , which serve as lenses . hemispherical lobes 210 and 230 are coaxially aligned , as are hemispherical lobes 220 and 240 , with all four having their axes lying on the same plane . in one embodiment , the quartz hemispherical attachments are glued to body portion 200 using glue which is transparent to the light frequencies of interest . alternately , the body and hemispherical lobes can be machined out of a single piece of quartz so as to form an integral unit . although four hemispherical lobes are shown , in most applications it will only be necessary to provide two such lobes . the monolens of fig4 was designed in order to allow both absorbance detection and fluorescence detection . for fluorescence detection it is desirable to position the collecting lens at right angles to the focussing lens to further minimize the effects of stray light . at the center of body portion 200 and equidistant from the hemispherical lobes is a bore 250 barely wide enough to accommodate capillary column 80 . in one design , the central bore was specified to be 0 . 5 mm in diameter . this allows the monolens to be used for on - column detection . accordingly , the column is inserted into the bore where it is surrounded by the monolens . while the bore should be close in diameter to the outer diameter of the capillary column , it is inevitable that there will be gaps between the column and the monolens . to minimize refraction problems which could arise as the light travels through these gaps , the space between the monolens and the column may be filled with a fluid having an index of refraction nearly the same as quartz . the body portion and hemispherical lobes of the monolens are dimensioned such that light incident on one of the hemispherical lobes is focussed at a point at the center of column 80 , i . e ., the center of bore 250 . with this design the focal spot can be substantially smaller than the 1 mm focal spot described above in respect to a commercially available lens . if the focal spot is made small enough , for example , 75 - 100 μm , and if the design is accurately made , there is no longer a need for a slit to partially block light from striking the column walls . light will not strike the periphery of the column walls by virtue of being tightly focussed . in one embodiment , the focal spot was calculated to be 83 μm , or just slightly larger than the inner diameter of the capillary column . when using the monolens design it is not practical to place a slit in front of the column , nor is it practical to place a spatial filter in front of the collecting lens . rather , as shown in fig4 a spatial filter 260 is placed in front of focussing lens 210 and another spatial filter 270 is places behind collecting lens 230 . in the embodiment shown in fig4 spatial filters 260 and 270 also serve to keep the monolens properly positioned by holding it at shoulders 280 adjacent the hemispherical lobes . spatial filters 260 and 270 are , in turn , held in position by lens holders 290 and 295 respectively . although positioned differently than in the design of fig3 spatial filters 260 and 270 nonetheless serve to reduce the amount of light scatter in the optical detector . as noted before , light from exit slit 50 will be slightly divergent . the amount of divergence is 8 ° for the aforementioned varian 2550 detector . spatial filter 260 blocks some of the diverging light , and further blocks other stray light which may be present in the system . likewise , light transmitted by collecting lens 230 will be slightly divergent , with the scattered light being mostly at the periphery of the transmitted beam . spatial filter 270 helps block the diverging peripheral portion of the beam . static tests were performed using the monolens design , with uracil again being used as the absorbing compound . a detection limit of 9 . 3 × 10 - 7 m was obtained , which is virtually the same detection limit as was obtained using the embodiment of fig3 . again , it is believed that this is subject to improvement as the dimensions of the optical elements and filters are maximized . nonetheless , the detection limits reported show a substantial improvement over the prior art . although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings , it is not intended that the invention be restricted to such embodiments . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and departures from the foregoing description and drawings may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . therefore , it is intended that the invention be limited only by the following claims .	6
within the scope of the present invention it has been found that 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine may take on various polymorphous crystal modifications and that the compound prepared in wo 2004 / 018468 is present at ambient temperature as a mixture of two enantiotropic polymorphs . the temperature at which the two polymorphs transform into one another is 25 ± 15 ° c . ( see fig1 and 2 ). the pure high temperature form ( polymorph a ), which can be obtained by heating the mixture to temperatures & gt ; 40 ° c ., melts at 206 ± 3 ° c . in the x - ray powder diagram ( see fig3 ) this form shows characteristic reflections at the following d values : 11 . 49 å , 7 . 60 å , 7 . 15 å , 3 . 86 å , 3 . 54 å and 3 . 47 å ( cf . also table 1 and 2 ). ( a ) refluxing 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine in absolute ethanol and optionally filtering the mixture , ( b ) cooling the hot solution or the hot filtrate until crystallisation sets in , ( c ) diluting with a solvent such as tert .- butylmethylether , ( d ) suction filtering the solvent mixture and ( e ) drying the polymorph a at 45 ° c . in vacuo . the low temperature form ( polymorph b ) is obtained by cooling to temperatures & lt ; 10 ° c . in the x - ray powder diagram ( see fig4 ) this form shows characteristic reflections at the following d values : 11 . 25 å , 9 . 32 å , 7 . 46 å , 6 . 98 å and 3 . 77 å ( cf . also table 3 and 4 ). ( a ) dissolving 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine in absolute ethanol and refluxing and optionally filtering the mixture , ( b ) cooling the hot solution or the hot filtrate for crystallisation to a temperature below 10 ° c ., ( c ) diluting with a solvent such as tert .- butylmethylether , ( d ) suction filtering the solvent mixture and ( e ) drying the polymorph at a temperature below 10 ° c . in vacuo . another polymorph ( polymorph c ) shows characteristic reflections in the x - ray powder diagram ( see fig5 ) at the following d values : 12 . 90 å , 11 . 10 å , 6 . 44 å , 3 . 93 å and 3 . 74 å ( cf . also table 5 ). ( a ) 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine is dissolved in methanol and refluxed and optionally filtered in the presence of activated charcoal , ( b ) the methanolic solution is cooled to a temperature of 40 - 60 ° c ., ( c ) a solvent such as tert .- butylmethylether or diisopropylether is added , ( d ) the resulting suspension is first of all cooled slowly to 15 - 25 ° c . and then later to 0 - 5 ° c ., ( e ) the crystals formed are suction filtered and washed again with tert .- butylmethylether or diisopropylether and ( f ) the crystals thus obtained are dried at a temperature of 70 ° c . in the vacuum dryer . another polymorph ( polymorph d ) melts at 150 ± 3 ° c . this polymorph is obtained if polymorph c is heated to a temperature of 30 - 100 ° c . or dried at this temperature . finally , there is also polymorph e , which melts at a temperature of 175 ± 3 ° c . anhydrous polymorph e is formed if polymorph d is melted . on further heating , polymorph e crystallises out of the melt . the polymorphs thus obtained may be used in the same way as the mixture of the two polymorphs a and b described in wo 2004 / 018468 for preparing a pharmaceutical composition which is suitable for treating patients with type i and type ii diabetes mellitus , prediabetes or reduced glucose tolerance , with rheumatoid arthritis , obesity , or calcitonin - induced osteoporosis , as well as patients in whom an allograft transplant has been carried out . these medicaments contain in addition to one or more inert carriers at least 0 . 1 % to 0 . 5 %, preferably at least 0 . 5 % to 1 . 5 % and particularly preferably at least 1 % to 3 % of one of the polymorphs a , b , or c . the following examples are intended to illustrate the invention in more detail . crude 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine is refluxed with 5 times as much absolute ethanol and the hot solution is filtered clear through activated charcoal . after the filtrate has been cooled to 20 ° c . and crystallisation has set in , the solution is diluted to double the volume with tert .- butylmethylether . then the suspension is cooled to 2 ° c ., stirred for 2 hours , suction filtered and dried in the vacuum dryer at 45 ° c . polymorph a melts at 206 ± 3 ° c . in the dsc diagram another slightly endothermic signal can be seen at approx . 25 ° c . this is a fully reversible solid - solid phase transition between the two enantiotropic crystal modifications a and b . the form a is the thermodynamically stable modification above this transformation temperature , w \| form b is the thermodynamically stable modification below this transformation temperature . fig2 shows a cyclic dsc diagram , in which the phase transition from − 40 ° c . to 120 ° c . and vice versa has been run through a total of 3 times . during heating , the phase transition is observed as an endothermic signal and , correspondingly , during cooling it is observed as an exothermic signal . during the first heating cycle the phase transition may also be observed as an endothermic double signal or as a very broad signal while in all the other cycles the signal occurs as a very sharp endothermic or exothermic signal , depending on whether heating or cooling is taking place . fig3 shows an x - ray powder diagram of the anhydrous form a crude 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine ( 26 kg ) is refluxed with 157 l methanol , combined with 1 . 3 kg of activated charcoal and after 30 minutes &# 39 ; stirring the mixture is filtered and rinsed with 26 l methanol . 122 l of methanol are distilled off from the filtrate , then the residue is cooled to 45 - 55 ° c . 52 l of tert .- butylmethylether are added to the residue over 30 minutes . then the mixture is stirred for another 60 minutes at 45 - 55 ° c . crystallisation takes place within this time . a further 78 l tert . butylmethylether are added to the suspension over 30 minutes and then it is stirred again for a further 60 minutes at 45 - 55 ° c . it is diluted to four times the volume . the suspension is slowly cooled to 15 - 25 ° c . and stirred overnight at this temperature . after the suspension has been cooled to 0 - 5 ° c . the crystals are suction filtered , washed with 2 batches tert .- butylmethylether and dried at 70 ° c . in the vacuum dryer . fig5 shows an x - ray powder diagram of polymorph c in the dsc diagram of form c a whole range of signals can be observed . the strongest signal is the melting point of the anhydrous form a at approx . 206 ° c ., which is produced in the dsc experiment . before the melting point a number of other endothermic and exothermic signals can be observed . thus , for example , a very broad and weak endothermic signal can be seen between 30 and 100 ° c ., which correlates with the main loss of weight in thermogravimetry ( tr ). a tg / ir coupling experiment provides the information that only water escapes from the sample in this temperature range . an x - ray powder diagram taken of a sample maintained at a temperature of 100 ° c . shows different x - ray reflections from the starting material , suggesting that form c is a hydrate phase with stoichiometry somewhere in the region of a hemihydrate or monohydrate . the temperature - controlled sample is another anhydrous modification d , which only stable under anhydrous conditions . the d form melts at approx . 150 ° c . another anhydrous crystal modification e crystallises from the melt , and when heated further melts at approx . 175 ° c . finally , form a crystallises from the melt of form e . form e is also a metastable crystal modification which occurs only at high temperatures .	2
referring to the accompanying drawing , diagrammatically shown therein is a pneumatic tire uniformity testing apparatus including a rotational assembly 17 , comprising measuring rim members on which a pneumatic tire 1 to be tested for uniformity thereof is mounted during a measuring run . the rotational assembly 17 is arranged in an appropriate fashion in the remaining structure ( not illustrated ) of the tire uniformity testing apparatus , such structure being found for example , in the above - mentioned article in ` automobil - industrie `. the tire uniformity testing apparatus also includes a test surface formed in this embodiment by a rotatable testing drum as indicated at 2 . the tire 1 to be tested is pressed against the testing drum 2 , at a contact surface or patch , by means of a suitable loading device ( not nown ) which is capable or pressing the tire 1 against the surface of the testing drum 2 with a given loading . automatic tire uniformity measuring installations which may be used in this connection are also to be found for example in ` hofmann report 89 ` to which reference may be made . the apparatus further includes a measuring value pick - up means 8 which is disposed on the axis or shaft of the testing drum 2 , which is used to measure forces occuring in the contact surface or patch at which the tire 1 and the testing drum 2 are in contact with each other . the measurement value pick - up means 8 may be of any suitable configuration , like multi - component measuring hub assemblies as described in ` hofmann news 3 ` or ` hofmann news 4 `. connected to the measurement value pick - up means 8 is a force fluctuation measuring device 9 which , on the basis of the force signals supplied thereto by the output of the measuring value pick - up means 8 , evaluates the force fluctuations involved , for example by separating off the constant component contained in the measured signal . suitable evaluation circuits are to be found in the above - mentioned article from ` automobil - industrie ` and also in above - quoted ` holfmann news 3 and 4 `. the apparatus for inflating the tire includes a tire inflating device 14 , which is connected to the interior of the tire by way of a pressure line or conduit 15 , for producing the necessary pressure for inflating the tire to desired value . the inflation pressure of the tire 1 is measured and monitored by a tire inflation pressure measuring device 3 which is connected to the interior of the tire by way of a pressure line or conduit 16 . the tire inflation pressure measuring device 3 has its output connected to a pressure control device 13 which also receives a suitable reference pressure value from a reference pressure value storage device 4 . the pressure control device 13 then actuates the tire inflation device 14 according to the result of a comparison between the measured or actual tire inflation pressure and the reference pressure value . a suitable form of tire inflation pressure control device for a tire to be tested in this way is to be found in above - mentioned ep no . 0 264 037 al to which reference may be hereafter be directed . connected to the tire inflation pressure measuring device 3 is a pressure fluctuation measuring device 5 in which the constant component is separated from the measurement signal , so that all that remains is a component of the signal corresponding to the pressure fluctuations . for that purpose , the pressure fluctuation measuring device 5 may be connected to the reference pressure value storage means 4 which provides the constant component of the tire inflation pressure . the pressure fluctuation measuring device 5 is connected to a multiplier 6 . the value of a correlation factor ki is fed to another input of the multiplier 6 . the value ki may be stored in a storage device or memory as indicated at 11 , but , as indicated above , it may also be supplied to the multiplier 6 by way of a suitable keyboard . the multiplier 6 also has an input connected to a storage device or memory 12 storing the value of radial spring stiffness cri . that value can also be applied to the multiplier 6 by way of a suitable input unit . in which δp denotes the pressure fluctuations of the tire inflation pressure . the signal corresponding to δp is supplied by the pressure fluctuation measuring device 5 . the product resulting from the above - indicated multiplication is a compensation parameter . the multiplier 6 thus produces output signal proportional to value of the compensation parameter . the output signal is passed to a compensating means in which the illustrated embodiment is in the form of a subtracting means 7 . in the compensating means 7 , the force fluctuation measurement signal supplied by the force fluctuation measuring device 9 is combined with the output signal from the multiplier 6 in such a way that force fluctuation components , which are contained in the measured force fluctuation signal , attributed to fluctuations in the tire inflation pressure are eliminated . in the illustrated embodiment , that operation is effected in the subtracting means 7 by virtue of the output signal of the multiplier 6 being substracted from the output signal of the force fluctuation measuring device 9 . as its output signal , the subtracting means 7 supplies a force fluctuation measuring signal without the force fluctuation components attributed to fluctuations in the tire inflation pressure during the measuring run . as the force fluctuations are continuously measured during the measuring run , as the tire inflation pressure is constantly monitored by the tire inflation pressure measuring means 3 , and as the corresponding pressure fluctuation measurement signal is produced under those circumstances , the above configuration providesd an association in respect to time between the force fluctuation measurement signal supplied by the force fluctuation measureing device 9 and the compensation signal which is supplied as the output signal from the multiplier 6 . the output signal from the compensating circuit 7 , which in the illustrated embodiment is in the form of a subtracting means , is passed to an evaluation device 10 in which the degree of uniformity of the tire 1 being tested is assessed in conventional manner . the entire measuring and evaluation procedure described above may be carried out using analog equipment . however , using both analog and digital equipment is preferred , with analog - digital converters placed at appropriate locations between the measuring devices and the evaluation stages of the apparatus . for example , an analog - digital converter may be provided between the pressure fluctuation measuring device 5 and the multiplier 6 . likewise , an analog - digital converter may be disposed between the force fluctuation measuring device 9 and the compensating circuit or substracting means 7 . it will be appreciated that the fluctuations in pressure and the fluctuations in forced may also be ascertained in digital form , in which case analog - digital converters are to be suitably disposed upstream of the pressure fluctuation measuring device 5 and the force fluctuation measuring device 9 . because the compensation circuit 7 supplies an output signal for the evaluation device 10 , from which force fluctuation components resulting from fluctuations in tire inflation pressure have been removed , regulation of the tire inflation pressure only involves a low level or regulating expenditure and inexpensive equipment . there is , therefore , no need to use a high - grade system for regulating the tire inflation pressure . it may be noted at this point that , in the above - described and illustrated embodiment , force measurements are effected by means of a measurement value pick - up device 8 which is operatively disposed at the axis of the testing drum 2 . it is also possible , however , for the measurement value pick - up device to be placed in the region of the rotational assembly 17 and , in particular , at the axis of rotation of the tire 1 to be tested . it will be appreciated that the above - described apparatus and procedure have been set forth solely by way of example and illustration of the principles of the present invention and that various modifications and alternations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	6
[ 0051 ] fig1 a , 1b , and 1 c show respectively a side cross - sectional view , an axial view , and a perspective view of a gas discharge tube 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . tube 100 is toroidal in topology , with an inner tube 102 whose interior is optionally open to the outside , and an outer tube 104 . the space between the inner and outer tube is sealed , and filled with a gas with a composition and pressure suitable for a gas discharge lamp , for example argon at a pressure on the order of 1 torr , and optionally a minority species such as mercury vapor or sodium vapor . several electrodes 106 ( six are shown in fig1 b and 1c ) are spaced around the top 108 of tube 100 on the inside , and an equal number of electrodes 110 are spaced around the bottom 112 of tube 100 on the inside , with each bottom electrode directly under one of the top electrodes . ( the words “ top ”, “ bottom ” and “ under ” are used here to refer to the parts of the tube as it is shown in fig1 a and 1c . similar language is used in describing some of the other drawings . in actual use , the tube may of course be oriented in any direction .) when sufficient voltage is applied between any one of the top electrodes and the corresponding bottom electrode , a discharge 114 ( shown only in fig1 a ) is formed between those electrodes . if such a voltage is applied to all of the pairs of electrodes , or to any plurality of the pairs of electrodes , then ( if there is an appropriate impedance connecting each electrode to the power supply ) multiple discharges are formed . depending on the number and spacing of the electrodes , the inner and outer diameter and length of the tube , and other characteristics ( for example , the voltage , the impedance to the power supply , the relative polarity or phase of different electrode pairs , and the pressure and composition of the gas filling the tube ), the discharges may remain separate , or they may merge to form one continuous discharge all around the tube , or they may merge to form one discharge on only one side of the tube . the latter result may be undesirable since it may lead to uneven heating and light output , and discharge characteristics which vary along the length of the tube and around the tube , and are not optimal in some locations , resulting in lower efficiency and less pleasant light . some of the other embodiments of the invention described below include various means to prevent such merging of discharges . on the other hand , a merged discharge which is distributed uniformly around the tube may be desirable , since it may lead to more even heating and hence more efficient cooling , and more light output . for clarity , fig1 and the other drawings have not been drawn to scale . optionally , the tubes are considerably longer than shown in the drawings , relative to their diameter . ( however , if the tube is too long relative to its diameter , the multiple discharges may be more likely to merge on one side of the tube .) for example , in an embodiment of the invention , outer tube 104 is 6 cm in diameter , inner tube 102 is 4 cm in diameter , and the tubes are 60 cm long . in this exemplary embodiment of the invention , there are 15 pairs of electrodes , spaced approximately 1 cm apart , halfway between the inner and outer tubes , and each carrying a current of 0 . 2 amperes , for a total current of 3 amperes , and the voltage is 60 volts , so the electric power is 180 watts . the tube is filled with 10 millibars of argon , and a small amount of mercury to produce mercury vapor , and the inside of the outer tube is coated with a phosphor . it is expected that a fluorescent light of this design will have an output of 10 , 800 lumens , and a lifetime of 30 , 000 hours . other dimensions are also possible , and it may be advantageous to have the inner tube diameter closer to the outer tube diameter than this . optionally , the distance between the inner and outer tubes is made as small as practical , with distances of 0 . 4 , 0 . 3 or even 0 . 1 or a fraction of a millimeter being desirable . while it is believed that a smaller spacing will result in better operation , too low a spacing can result in an insufficient discharge volume to provide adequate light . larger spacing , especially with short tubes , is also possible . optionally , the electrodes , in tube 100 or in other embodiments of the invention , are heated , so that they emit electrons at lower electric field than if they were unheated . this heating reduces the sheath voltage adjacent to an electrode that is acting as a cathode , and reduces the total discharge voltage required for a given discharge current . optionally , each electrode , or one of the pair of electrodes for each discharge , has its own ballast , electrically connected to the power supply in series with the electrode . the ballast may comprise a resistor , capacitor , or inductor . relatively small capacitors and / or coils may be used when the voltage has high enough frequency . any suitable electrode shape as known in the art may be used , such as simple sharp or blunt electrodes , resistive coils or indirectly heated conducting sheaths , which are heated by an internal heater . [ 0056 ] fig2 a is a side cross - sectional view , analogous to fig1 a , of a gas discharge tube 200 according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention , and fig2 b is an axial view of tube 200 , analogous to fig1 b . tube 200 , like tube 100 , is toroidal in topology , with an inner tube 102 open to the outside , and a sealed outer tube 104 with a top 108 and a bottom 112 . in addition , tube 200 has an intermediate tube 202 , attached to the bottom of tube 200 , but not extending all the way to the top of tube 200 . six inner electrodes 206 ( optionally a greater or smaller number is used ) are distributed around the bottom inside tube 200 , between inner tube 102 and intermediate tube 202 . an equal number of outer electrodes 210 are distributed around the bottom inside tube 200 , between the intermediate tube and the outer tube , with each outer electrode located across from a corresponding inner electrode . when voltage is applied between each corresponding pair of electrodes , a discharge 214 forms ( shown only in fig2 a ), which goes from the inner electrode , up over the top of the intermediate tube , and down to the outer electrode . this configuration may produce more emitted light per area than tube 100 shown in fig1 since light comes from both the inner and outer part of the discharge . the discharge in fig1 may be limited to the same radial thickness as just the inner part or just the outer part of the discharge in fig2 because of the tendency of discharges to contract to a characteristic width . furthermore , the fact that the discharge in fig1 is less confined in the radial direction than the discharge in fig2 may mean that multiple discharges in fig1 are more likely to merge into a single discharge on one side of the tube . some of the prior art discharge tubes described above also have discharges which are “ folded over ” like that in fig2 . but in those prior art devices the inner part of the discharge is on the axis of the tube , leading to the disadvantages discussed above , including problems with heat transport , and very different characteristics for the inner and outer parts of the discharge . in fig2 the inner and outer parts of the discharge may have similar current density , especially if the intermediate tube is closer in diameter to the outer tube than to the inner tube , so that the cross - sectional area between the intermediate tube and outer tube is approximately equal to the cross - sectional area between the intermediate tube and the inner tube . also , in fig2 both the inner and outer parts of the discharge are adjacent to glass surfaces which are directly in contact with the outside air , so cooling should not be so much of a problem . convective cooling of the inside of the inner tube may be especially efficient if the tube is oriented vertically , and if an electrical fixture ( not shown in the drawings ) that one end of the tube is connected has a hole going through the center , so that air can flow freely through the center of the fixture and through the inner tube of the discharge tube . for some embodiments of the invention , it may be desirable to have a discharge tube comprising two tubes with very little clearance between them , for example the inner and outer tube in fig1 or the intermediate tube and one of the other tubes in fig2 . such a design might prevent adjacent multiple discharges from merging , for example , even if there are many narrow discharges with little distance between adjacent discharges . in these cases , due to imperfect manufacturing of parts , or slight wear or damage of parts during use , the two tubes may be misaligned , and touch each other over a significant area . [ 0059 ] fig3 a , a side cross - sectional view of a discharge tube 300 , which comprises two concentric tubes 302 and 304 , shows a way to prevent this . small bumps 306 on one of the tubes ( they are shown on the outer tube in fig3 a ) contact the other tube , but only over a small area , keeping the tubes at the proper separation distance over most of their surface area . the bumps in fig3 a do not represent belts going all the way around azimuthally , but are very limited in width azimuthally , as they are limited in vertical extent . this may be seen in fig3 b , which shows an axial cross - section of the same discharge tube . the small regions of contact at the bumps do not significantly affect the discharge , which can easily go around a bump which is positioned in the way of the discharge . if the discharge comprises multiple discharges which are not supposed to merge , then the bumps optionally are positioned so that they are between discharges , and do not interfere with the discharges at all . although the bumps can be located on both the inner surface of the outer tube and on the outer surface of the inner tube , putting the bumps on only one tube makes it possible to easily insert the inner tube into the outer tube . if there were bumps on both tubes , and they are not aligned properly during assembly , then the bumps might touch each other and make it difficult to insert the inner tube into the outer tube . optionally the bumps are only at the ends of the tubes . if one of the tubes has bumps only at one end , and the other tube has bumps only at the other end , then the tubes can be assembled without the bumps rubbing against either tube until the tubes are nearly in their final position . it may be desirable in some discharge tubes to use barriers of some kind to prevent adjacent multiple discharges from merging . fig4 shows a discharge tube 400 , with an open inner tube 102 and a sealed outer tube 104 , similar to fig1 . six electrodes 106 are placed around the top and six electrodes 110 are placed around the bottom , as described for fig1 . six vertical baffles 402 extend from the inner tube to the outer tube , separating the six discharges , and preventing them from merging . optionally , the baffles completely seal the discharges off from each other . alternatively , the baffles are not air tight , but impede the discharges sufficiently to prevent them from merging . such loosely fitting baffles may be less expensive to manufacture than baffles that would be air tight , and might work just as well . [ 0061 ] fig5 a and 5b show a potentially even less expensive way to keep multiple discharges separated . in fig5 a , there is discharge tube 500 comprising a smooth sealed outer tube 102 , as in fig1 and an inner tube 504 which is rippled vertically , i . e . fluted . the number of ripples in tube 504 is equal to the number of electrodes at each end of the discharge tube , six in the case of the discharge tube shown in fig5 a . the electrodes at both the top and the bottom , which are arranged as in fig1 are positioned so that the distance between the inner and outer tubes is greatest at the azimuthal position of the electrodes , and smallest at the azimuthal position half - way between two adjacent electrodes . the ripples optionally touch the inside of the outer tube , completely separating the multiple discharges which form between the top and bottom electrodes . alternatively , the multiple discharges are not completely separated from each other , but the minimum distance between the inner and outer tube is small enough to prevent the multiple discharges from merging . [ 0062 ] fig5 b shows a discharge tube 500 similar to that shown in fig5 a , but with a smooth inner tube 104 , and a rippled outer tube 502 . the ripples work in a similar way to the ripples in fig5 a . having the ripples on the outside of the discharge tube instead of on the inside may improve heat transport . customers may also have aesthetic preferences for having the ripples on the outside or the inside . manufacturing a rippled tube may be less expensive than manufacturing six ( or some other number ) of separate tubes to hold separate discharges , particularly if there is no need for the rippled tube to fit very precisely against the other tube . [ 0063 ] fig6 shows a discharge tube 600 with a smooth outer tube 102 , a smooth inner tube 104 , both arranged as in fig1 and a rippled intermediate tube 602 . there are 12 electrodes 606 at the top of the discharge tube , and 12 electrodes 610 at the bottom of the discharge tube , with discharges going between corresponding electrodes . the 12 discharges fit into the six regions between the intermediate and outer tube , and the six regions between the intermediate and inner tube , made by the ripples . as in fig5 the ripples may or may not seal off the regions completely . discharge tube 600 , with twice as many multiple discharges , makes more efficient use of the available space than discharge tube 500 in fig5 a or fig5 b , but may run at a hotter temperature if cooled only by free convection . [ 0064 ] fig7 shows a discharge tube 700 which is similar to discharge tube 600 , with a smooth outer tube 102 , a smooth inner tube 104 , and a rippled intermediate tube 702 . however , unlike in discharge tube 600 , discharge tube 700 has only six pairs of electrodes , and all six pairs are located on the bottom of tube 700 . six inner electrodes 706 of one polarity are located in the six spaces 707 between the rippled intermediate tube and the inner tube , and six outer electrodes 710 are located in the six spaces 711 between the rippled intermediate tube and the outer tube . the ripples in intermediate tube 702 do not extend all the way to the bottom . instead , there are openings 712 between each space 711 , and the space 707 immediately to the right of it . thus , preferably , each of the inner discharge paths is coupled to only one of the outer discharge paths . the openings between adjacent spaces may have any suitable shape . each discharge flows from an outer electrode 710 , up its corresponding space 711 , through the opening 712 connecting that space 711 to the adjacent space 707 , and down through space 707 to the corresponding inner electrode 706 . as in fig5 a , 5b , and 6 , the ripples in discharge tube 700 may completely seal off spaces 707 and 711 from each other , or may only separate them enough to prevent the adjacent discharges from merging . many variations on discharge tube 700 will be apparent to someone skilled in the art , in light of the description of the other figures . for example , optionally the discharge tube is similar to discharge tube 500 in fig5 a and 5b , without an intermediate tube , and the discharges go down the space created by one ripple , and up the space created by the adjacent ripple . if there are six ripples in the tube , then there would only be three pairs of electrodes . another option is to have a discharge go up and down the tube more than once , guided by alternate openings in the rippled tube at the top and bottom . then there would be fewer electrodes for the same number of ripples . optionally , there is only one pair of electrodes , and a single discharge which goes up one ripple and down the next ripple ( with a configuration like any of fig5 a , 5b , and 6 ), all around the discharge tube , ending close to where it started . the construction of fig4 can also be adapted for multiple serial longitudinal paths as described with respect to fig5 - 7 . the constructions of fig4 - 7 indicate that the barriers or ripples contact the adjacent tube . in an embodiment of the invention , the contacts form a seal . in an other embodiment of the invention , the barriers or ripples do not reach all the way to the adjacent tube . rather a space is left between the adjacent paths delineated by the barriers or ripples . in some modes of operation , the barriers may be sufficient to keep the discharges &# 39 ; completely separate . in other embodiments , the discharges may merge , however , the barriers reduce any tendency for the discharges to join together over one or more limited segments of the periphery of the cylinders . as indicated above , it is desirable that the discharges connected with the various pairs of electrodes do not coalesce at only a limited portion of the circumference of the cylinders . in an embodiment of the invention , metal or other conducting elements are situated either within or outside the envelope enclosing the discharges , along the path of the discharge . these elements can then assure that the discharge follows a desired path , be it a long path or around a bend as for example in the embodiment of fig2 a and 2b . when the conducting elements are situated within the envelope , the discharge will preferentially travel between the elements . when the elements are outside the envelope , capacitance introduced by the elements can also guide the discharge . at the “ turn - around ” of the beam , the elements can guide the beams around the edge of element 110 , so that the beams remain distinct . in some embodiments , the inner tube can be removed and only the elements used to guide the discharge . [ 0070 ] fig8 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the invention that may work best at high electrical frequencies . a discharge tube 1000 has six electrodes 1006 at the bottom and six electrodes 1010 at the top . each electrode is connected to the power supply 1005 through a capacitor which limits its current , as is conventional with gas discharge tubes . in fig1 , the six capacitors are comprised by a single lower plate 1007 , and an upper plate 1020 which is divided into six segments , each segment connected to one electrode . if the capacitive impedance is to be several thousand ohms , a typical value for the ballast in a fluorescent light fixture , then a single plate capacitor like that shown in fig8 may only work at frequencies at least several kilohertz or tens of kilohertz . a capacitor system such as that shown is also generally connected to the electrodes on each side of the tube . the tubes are , for example , produced of suitable transparent material for a desired light output . optionally , the inner surface of the outermost tube is coated with a phosphor the tubes are , for example , produced of suitable transparent material for a desired light output . optionally , the inner surface of the outermost tube is coated with a phosphor material that converts light produced in the discharge to a desired wavelength or wavelengths of light . optionally , the inner tube and / or any intermediate tube is also coated with a suitable phosphor . in an embodiment of the invention , electronics , ballast and the like , for operating the discharge tube can be placed inside the inner tube . this allows for a compact system , in which a screw base , as in an ordinary incandescent lamp is mounted on one end of the device . electricity is fed into the electronics from the screw base and distributed from the electronics to the various electrodes . the electrodes can be on one end of the device or on both ends , as shown in the various embodiments . in some embodiments of the invention a reflecting member is placed inside the inner tube . this is especially useful when the electronics is placed in the center of the device , since otherwise , light output would be lost . optionally , the electronics can be packaged in a reflecting tube or the like . optionally , the reflecting material can be coated onto the axial facing surface of the inner tube . while under certain circumstances , the coating can be metallic ( as for example , when the discharge is guided ), in general , it is preferably to use a non - conducting coating such as a dielectric coating or a paint or a coating of a white material such as titanium dioxide . while the invention is disclosed , for simplicity , with discharge paths that are generally in the direction of the axis of the device , it is possible , for example using variations of the embodiments of fig4 - 7 to provide guided paths that are at an angle to the length of the tube . such paths will form a helix path or multiple helix paths about the central axis . the present invention has been described with respect to a number of non - limiting embodiments thereof . it will be clear to a person of skill in the art that not all of the elements shown in a particular embodiment are absolutely necessary to the operation of that embodiment and that elements taken from different embodiments can be combined . as used herein the terms “ include ,” comprises ,” and “ have ” and their conjugates mean “ including but not limited to .”	7
the present invention provides cost effective solution for preventing such fraud or misuse scenarios when using a specific service of a public land mobile network by a user equipment . the invention provides a method for preventing fraud or misuse when using a specific service of a public land mobile network by a user equipment , wherein the user equipment comprises a subscriber identity module , wherein the subscriber identity module comprises an address information used for the specific service of the public land mobile network , wherein the subscriber identity module comprises an application program , wherein the application program comprises a reference address information , wherein the application program is provided such that the following steps are executed : in a first step , it is verified whether the address information corresponds to the reference address information , in a second step , and in case that the verification of the first step holds a negative result , either the specific service is blocked , at least temporarily , for the user equipment , or the specific service is invoked using the reference address information . according to the present invention , it is thereby advantageously possible that fraud or misuse can be effectively reduced by enforcing the use of the correct address information , especially for specifying a network node using the address information . according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention , in case that , during the second step , the specific service is blocked for the user equipment , an error message is sent to the public land mobile network . according to the present invention , it is thereby advantageously that the public land mobile network , especially the home public land mobile network is informed about the incorrect setting of the address information such that a self - healing process can be triggered , e . g . by providing a configuration message to the corresponding user equipment in order to change the incorrect address information . according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the address information is provided at a specific memory location within the subscriber identity module , wherein the application program is configured such that , during the first step , the specific memory location within the subscriber identity module is verified repeatedly , at least once in a predetermined time interval . thereby , it is advantageously possible according to the present invention that a wrong setting of the address information can be detected easily and quickly . especially , it is advantageously possible to transmit the application program to the user equipment and , without an interruption of the functionality of the user equipment / subscriber identity module ( especially without rebooting the user equipment ), verification of the address information is performed . according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention , a request of the user equipment to use the specific service comprises the address information , wherein the user equipment is configured such that each request of the user equipment to use the specific service is directed to the subscriber identity module , wherein the application program is configured such that , during the first step , the address information of the redirected request of the user equipment to use the specific service is verified . thereby , it is advantageously possible according to the present invention that no request of the specific service can be transmitted to the public land mobile network without the verification by the subscriber identity module ( during the first step of the inventive method ). it is also possible that both a repeated verification of the correct address information and a forced redirection of any requests of the user equipment to the specific service towards the subscriber identity module are performed . according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention , the specific service is the short message service . thereby , it is advantageously possible to avoid fraud and misuse damages for an operator of a public land mobile network in an efficient manner . it is furthermore preferred that the address information and the reference address information relates to the address of a short message service center used by the user equipment . thereby , it is efficiently possible according to the present invention that no short message service functionality can be used by the user equipment without using the correct short message service center . according to the present invention , it is furthermore preferred that the reference address information relates to the address of a short message service center used by the user equipment but that the reference address information is not a complete address information ( being able to specify a network entity in the telecommunications network ) such as , e . g ., a global title , but that the reference address information corresponds to the country code of the correct address information 22 to be used or that the reference address information corresponds to the country code and additionally a certain number ( such as one or two or three or four ) of digits , specifying , e . g ., the public land mobile network of the operator or the like . if in this case a comparison ( during the first step of the method according to the present invention ) of the reference address information with the address information ( or with the corresponding part or with the corresponding part of the address information ) holds that the address information is not correct , the appropriate actions are taken as specified in the second step of the present invention . furthermore , the present invention relates to a subscriber identity module for preventing fraud or misuse when a user equipment equipped with the subscriber identity module uses a specific service of a public land mobile network , wherein the subscriber identity module comprises an address information used for the specific service of the public land mobile network , wherein the subscriber identity module comprises an application program , wherein the application program comprises a reference address information , wherein the application program is provided such that : a verification is executed whether the address information corresponds to the reference address information , and in case that the verification holds a negative result , either the specific service is blocked , at least temporarily , for the user equipment , or the specific service is invoked using the reference address information . additionally , the present invention relates to a program comprising a computer readable program code which , when executed on a computer or on a subscriber identity module , causes the computer or the subscriber identity module to perform an inventive method . still additionally , the present invention relates to computer program product for preventing fraud or misuse when using a specific service of a public land mobile network by a user equipment , the computer program product comprising a computer program stored on a storage medium , the computer program comprising program code which , when executed on a computer or on a subscriber identity module , causes the computer or the subscriber identity module to perform an inventive method . these and other characteristics , features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description , taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings , which illustrate , by way of example , the principles of the invention . the description is given for the sake of example only , without limiting the scope of the invention . the reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings . the present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims . the drawings described are only schematic and are non - limiting . in the drawings , the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes . where an indefinite or definite article is used when referring to a singular noun , e . g . “ a ”, “ an ”, “ the ”, this includes a plural of that noun unless something else is specifically stated . furthermore , the terms first , second , third and the like in the description and in the claims are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order . it is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein . in fig1 , the handling of a mobile originating short message ( sms ) in a telecommunications network is schematically shown . the short message ( sms ) is sent from a user equipment 20 roaming in a visited public land mobile network b which is different from a home public land mobile network a of that user equipment 20 . the user equipment 20 sends a request for using the short message service of the visited public land mobile network b to a specific network node 30 ( typically a mobile switching center 30 ) of the visited public land mobile network b . the request of the user equipment 20 specifies , using address information , the short message service center 240 of the home public land mobile network a and the short message ( sms ) is sent triggering an iot ( inter operator tariff ) charging event 41 from the visited public land mobile network b to the home public land mobile network a and a client charging event 42 from the home public land mobile network a to the user equipment / the subscriber . in fig2 , a fraud or misuse scenario of a mobile originating short message ( sms ) in a telecommunications network is schematically shown . the short message ( sms ) is sent from a user equipment 20 roaming in a visited public land mobile network b which is different from a home public land mobile network a of that user equipment 20 . the user equipment 20 sends a request for using the short message service of the visited public land mobile network b to a specific network node 30 ( typically a mobile switching center 30 ) of the visited public land mobile network b . the request of the user equipment 20 specifies , by using address information , ( and instead of the short message service center 240 of the home public land mobile network a ) the short message service center 220 of a further public land mobile network c . this results in the short message ( sms ) being sent via the further public land mobile network c and bypassing the home public land mobile network a . involving the visited public land mobile network nevertheless triggers an iot ( inter operator tariff ) charging event 41 from the visited public land mobile network b to the home public land mobile network a . however , due to the fact that the home public land mobile network a is bypassed regarding the handling of the short message , a corresponding client charging event 42 ′ from the home public land mobile network a to the user equipment / the subscriber is not possible . that is why huge amounts of short messages can be sent using this fraud or misuse scenario causing at the home public land mobile network massive losses . currently , it is not mandatorily required that the visited public land mobile network b informs the home public land mobile network a about such irregularities . therefore , such frauds or misuses cannot be quickly detected by the home public land mobile network a . according to the present invention , a method is provided that is able to avoid the situation where a user equipment uses wrong address information 22 and hence a wrong network node ( such as a short message service center 220 ). the user equipment 20 is schematically illustrated in fig5 . according to the present invention , this is achieved by providing the subscriber identity module 21 , which is used with the user equipment 20 , such that the subscriber identity module 21 comprises an address information 22 used for the specific service of the public land mobile network , wherein the subscriber identity module 21 comprises an application program 23 , wherein the application program 23 comprises a reference address information 24 , wherein the application program 23 is provided such that the following steps are executed : in a first step , it is verified whether the address information 22 corresponds to the reference address information 24 , in a second step , and in case that the verification of the first step holds a negative result , either the specific service is blocked , at least temporarily , for the user equipment 20 , or the specific service is invoked using the reference address information 24 . thereby , it is possible to provide a detection and / or correction mechanism of wrong address information 22 on the subscriber identity modules 21 of users or subscribers of the home public land mobile network a . thereby , it is advantageously possible to detect wrong settings in the address information 22 . in case that a wrong setting of the address information 22 is detected , different options exist : in one alternative embodiment of the present invention , the specific service — e . g . the short message service — is blocked , i . e . no further service request of this kind ( i . e . a user initiated short message ) can be sent . in another alternative embodiment of the present invention , a correction is applied to the false address information 22 and a this wring address information 22 is replaced by a reference address information 24 which part of the application program 23 , i . e . the specific service is invoked using the reference address information 24 . in fig3 , a method for providing a subscriber identity module 21 with an application program 23 for performing the inventive method is schematically shown : a server ( e . g ., an ota server ( ota meaning “ over the air ”)) 55 checks with a database 51 whether a subscriber identity module 21 of a specific user equipment 20 is enabled to receive and store the program information of the application program 23 . the information of the application program 23 is then transmitted to the user equipment 20 , especially using an short message service transmission method , involving an short message service center 52 . the short message service center 52 sends binary short messages 53 comprising the application program 23 to the user equipment 20 . the application program 23 is then saved ( and installed ) to a memory of the subscriber identity module 21 . according to the present invention , it is possible and preferred that once the application program 23 is saved and installed to the subscriber identity module 21 , certain parameters of the application program 23 such as values of the reference address information 24 or parameters defining the appropriate action to be taken in the second step of the inventive method ( in case that it is verified in the first step that the verification of the first step holds a negative result ) are modified . this is preferably be realized by an ota mechanism comparable to the transmission of the application program itself to the subscriber identity module 21 . the application program 23 according to the present invention is preferably a so - called “ sim application toolkit application ” or sat application . the application program 23 or sat application 23 can be provided to any new subscriber identity modules to be distributed to new customers but also to all ( or at least the vast majority ) of subscriber identity modules 21 already circulating . this is because the vast majority of circulating subscriber identity modules 21 are ota enabled such that the application program 23 can be simply stored on such subscriber identity modules 21 . this means that the method according to the present invention can be implemented in a very quick manner . during roll - out of the application program 23 , it is possible to transfer ( or not to transfer ) the application program 23 to different subscriber identity modules depending on an information in a database about the subscriber identity modules . furthermore , especially for the case that some models of user equipments are not compatible with running the application program 23 , it is possible to control the use of the application program 23 via the following steps : in a first step , the application program 23 is stored in the subscriber identity module 21 of a user equipment 20 , in a second step , the application program 23 sends an information to the public land mobile network about the value of the imei ( international mobile equipment identity ), based on this imei information , it is possible to look up in a database whether the subscriber identity module ( and the corresponding user equipment 20 ) are compatible with running the application program 23 . if this is the case the application program 23 is ( remotely ) switched on or off , dependant on the result of the database lookup . fig4 schematically illustrates an implementation of the inventive method , where in a first step , a detection of the address information 22 is provided and compared with a reference address information 24 . the reference address information 24 is either a complete address information ( e . g . in the form of a global title ) being able to specify a network entity in the telecommunications network / public land mobile network . in this case , it is possible according to the present invention to simply replace the use of the address information 22 by the use of the reference address information 24 . however , according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention , it is also possible that the reference address information 24 is not a complete address information ( being able to specify a network entity in the telecommunications network ). for example , the reference address information could simply comprise the country code of the correct address information 22 to use . if in this case a comparison of the reference address information 24 with the address information 22 ( or with the corresponding part of the address information 22 ) holds that the address information 22 is not correct , it is not possible to simply replace the use of the address information 22 by the use of the reference address information 24 . in this case , it will be preferred to block the specific service for the user equipment at least temporarily . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive . it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims . in particular , the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below . additionally , statements made herein characterizing the invention refer to an embodiment of the invention and not necessarily all embodiments . the terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description . for example , the use of the article “ a ” or “ the ” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements . likewise , the recitation of “ or ” should be interpreted as being inclusive , such that the recitation of “ a or b ” is not exclusive of “ a and b ,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of a and b is intended . further , the recitation of “ at least one of a , b and c ” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of a , b and c , and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements a , b and c , regardless of whether a , b and c are related as categories or otherwise . moreover , the recitation of “ a , b and / or c ” or “ at least one of a , b or c ” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements , e . g ., a , any subset from the listed elements , e . g ., a and b , or the entire list of elements a , b and c .	7
the embodiments of portable wireless communication terminals shown in the drawings by way of example include a base band wireless cellular telephony module 1 that processes signals at base band frequencies , adapted for operation on the 2 nd generation gsm standard and on the 3 rd generation wcdma standard . the terminals also include modules 5 and 6 for wireless communication over a personal area network (‘ lan ’) with other equipment and accessories in the vicinity , such as a head - set comprising ear - phones and a microphone , and a printer , for example . the application processor 6 may also provide other functions , such as games , with the possibility of communicating with other terminals . the terminals also include a gps module 8 for wireless communication with satellites of the global positioning system to provide positional information . it will be appreciated that the present invention is also applicable to other wireless communication standards . the embodiments of portable wireless communication terminals shown in the drawings by way of example also include other modules in wired connection , including a video camera 7 and audio coder / decoders (‘ codecs ’) 38 and 39 . the power consumptions of the individual modules are substantial and it is important to be able to activate and de - activate , at least partially , the different modules as and when they are needed . the activation and de - activation can be performed manually but , especially in order to be able to provide standby modes in which the modules monitor the arrival of incoming signals or other events that require full activation of the modules and to shut the modules down at least partially during periods of inactivity , standby managers 30 and 52 are provided to activate and de - activate the modules automatically . referring first to fig1 of the accompanying drawings , the terminal shown , which is not in accordance with the present invention , includes a base band module 1 that processes signals at base band frequencies and co - operates with a receiver and transmitter section ( not shown ). frequency synthesisers 2 and 3 generate frequency reference signals respectively at 13 . 0 mhz for gsm communications and at 15 . 36 mhz for wcdma communications . a power and audio management module 4 receives reference frequency signals at the 13 . 0 mhz or 15 . 36 mhz frequencies , according to whether communications are occurring in gsm or wcdma standard . the terminal also includes a blue tooth module 5 for communication within a personal area network (‘ pan ’) with other devices and accessories , such as a head - set , a printer , a personal computer , for example . the terminal also includes an application processor module that includes control units ( not shown ) for controlling the operations of the other modules and that generates a reference frequency signal at 12 . 0 mhz , which it supplies to the blue tooth module 5 . a video camera 7 also receives the frequency reference signal at 12 . 0 mhz from the application processor 6 . the terminal also includes a gps module 8 for receiving signals from the global positioning system satellites and calculating positional information by triangulation . in order to generate different reference frequencies , the terminal includes a crystal 9 tuned to 26 . 0 mhz for the gsm module 2 , a crystal tuned to 15 . 36 mhz for the wcdma module 3 , a crystal 11 tuned to 12 . 0 mhz for the application processor 6 , the blue tooth module 5 , and the camera 7 , and a crystal 12 tuned to 24 . 5534 mhz for the gps module 8 . in addition to these four radio frequency tuned crystals , the terminal also includes a crystal 13 tuned to a substantially lower frequency of 32 . 768 khz for the power and audio management module 4 , the corresponding reference frequency also being supplied to the 3gbb module 1 and the application processor 6 for the audio channels . the use of four radio frequency crystals in the terminal is expensive . in addition , the resulting reference frequencies are not synchronised relative to each other and this causes problems when two or more modules with different reference frequencies are co - operating together . fig2 shows a terminal in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention , which includes modules whose functions are basically similar to those of the terminal shown in fig1 and that have similar references . thus , the terminal includes a 3g base band processor 1 , a power and audio management module 4 , a blue tooth transmitter / receiver module 5 , an application processor module 6 , and a video camera 7 . the terminal also includes a 32 . 768 khz crystal 13 . on the other hand , all the radio frequency reference frequencies and other clock signals are derived from a single , common free running crystal controlled oscillator (‘ vco ’) 14 tuned to 26 . 0 mhz . the common crystal 14 is coupled to a multiple frequency synthesiser and divider module 15 that produces several reference frequency outputs with medium frequency precision ( in this example +/− 2 ppm ). in order to obtain a higher degree of frequency precision tolerance , a cellular interface module 16 produces reference frequency signals that are corrected using automatic frequency control (“ afc ”) derived from the received cellular telephone signals ( gsm or wcdma ) once communication has been established . in more detail , the frequency synthesiser 15 includes frequency synthesiser elements 17 , 18 and 19 that receive the frequency reference signal from the common crystal and associated oscillator 14 and produce the appropriate frequencies for reception and transmission in the cellular telephone systems as a function of the actual rf channel number (“ arfcn ”) and the afc signals when available . in particular , the synthesiser element 17 generates signals for the gsm receiver and transmitter sections , the synthesiser element 18 generates clock signals for the umts receiver section and the synthesiser element 19 generates clock signals for the umts and gprs transmitter sections . in addition , the frequency synthesiser section 15 includes divider and low path filter elements 20 to 24 that generate sine wave signals directly from the frequency reference signal from the common crystal and associated oscillator 14 . the divider element 20 generates a sinusoidal signal at 26 mhz or 13 mhz that is supplied to the cellular interface 16 , the divider element 21 generates a 26 mhz sinusoidal signal that is supplied to the gps module 8 , the divider element 23 generates a 13 mhz sinusoidal signal that is supplied to the blue tooth module 5 and the divider element 24 generates a 13 mhz sinusoidal signal that is supplied to the power and audio management module 4 . separate divider and low path filter elements are used even where identical frequencies are generated , to avoid disturbance to the clock signal supplied to one module when a second module using the same frequency is activated or de - activated . the cellular interface module 16 includes fractional - n pll frequency synthesiser elements 25 and 26 . the element 25 provides a 13 mhz signal for the gsm application of the 3g base band processor module 1 , corrected by the afc signal to achieve a more accurate frequency precision (± 0 . 1 ppm in this example ). the pll synthesiser 26 converts the 13 . 0 mhz signal from the divider element 20 to 15 . 36 mhz and corrects by the afc signal from wcdma communication when available . the square wave signals from the cellular interface module 16 are supplied to the cellular modem processor module 1 , where they are used to time the protocol for frame reception and transmission of the cellular telephone communications . the clock signals from the synthesiser elements 25 and 26 are also supplied to a multiplexer 27 in the 3g base band processor 1 that selects the signal corresponding to the mode of operation ( gsm or wcdma ) of the processor 1 and supplies the corresponding signal to multiplexers 28 and 29 in the power and audio management module 4 . the multiplexers 28 and 29 also receive the clock signal from the divider element 24 of the synthesiser section 15 and the multiplexer 29 also receives the 32 khz signal from the crystal and oscillator 13 . the 3g base band processor 1 and the frequency synthesiser elements 17 , 18 and 19 of the synthesiser section 15 and 25 , 26 of the cellular interface 16 have relatively high power consumption . accordingly , in addition to the full operational mode , in which all these elements are normally supplied with power , and an “ off ” mode in which all these elements are de - activated , so that they are switched off and their power consumption is substantially zero , a stand - by or “ monitoring ” mode is provided in which the relevant element or elements are activated only intermittently to check for the reception of wireless signals , this mode being controlled automatically or possibly manually by deep sleep manager elements 30 in the 3g base band processor 1 and 52 in the application processor module 6 ( to manage the standby modes of the other modules even when the other deep sleep manager is off . in cellular telephone operation , when the 3gbb applications are on , the deep sleep manager 30 or 52 activates the cellular interface 16 and the synthesiser elements 17 to 19 . when the 3g applications are off , in the absence of an activation signal from the processor 1 or 6 , the cellular interface 16 and the synthesiser elements 17 to 19 are put in battery save mode . in stand - by mode , the deep sleep manager 52 is energised and intermittently activates the cellular interface 16 in response to received wireless signals , the synthesiser elements 17 to 19 being continuously activated . in order to enable the blue tooth clock signal to be generated for the blue tooth module when the 3g applications are not activated , a further stand - by control signal is generated by a blue tooth application module 31 in the application processor 6 and applied to the synthesiser section 15 to enable the crystal and oscillator 14 and divider 23 to produce the clock signal for the blue tooth module 5 . the processor 1 also generates higher frequency clock signals for a digital signal processor 32 at 170 mhz , a micro controller unit 33 at more than 95 mhz and a universal serial bus (“ usb ”) 34 at 48 mhz . the processor 1 , synthesiser section 15 and cellular interface 16 also generate clock signals for internal functions . all these clock signals are derived ultimately from the common crystal oscillator 14 . in order to supply the usb when the processor 1 is de - activated , a pll oscillator 35 is provided in the power and audio management module 4 and a pll oscillator 36 is provided in the application processor 6 . a pll oscillator 37 in the application processor 6 also generates a clock signal at 200 mhz from the low frequency 32 . 768 khz clock signal . in partial operation , stand - by or enable control signals from the application processor can activate and de - activate further elements within the synthesiser section 15 , and even the reference frequency generator 14 including the common rf crystal , to minimise power consumption and additionally , the stand - by control signal from the deep sleep manager 30 or 52 may be arranged to activate one only of the synthesiser elements 25 and 26 and the cellular interface 16 to avoid the power consumption of both elements when the portable terminal is operating in a single mode . the power and audio management module 4 controls the multiplexers 28 and 29 to select the source for the clock signal that is applied to a coder / decoder element (“ codec ”) element 37 for voice communication and another clock signal that is applied to a stereo codec ( for high fidelity sound ) 38 . the multiplexer 29 selects the clock signal from multiplexer 27 to generate an afc corrected clock signal when operating in voice mode communication either in gsm or wcdma or the clock signal from divider 24 in the synthesiser 15 which is not afc when operating in play back mode from wire connected or internal memory sources or when no cellular telephony application is running . the clock signal from divider 24 typically has less than 100 ps of jitter in this example which enables the plo 35 to generate a low jitter signal for the stereo codec at higher frequencies . the multiplexer 28 supplies a cbck signal from the multiplexer 27 or the divider 24 to the pll synthesiser 36 of the application processor 6 and the camera 7 . also , for the universal serial bus ( usb ), there is a need to generate a clock at 48 mhz with a low clock jitter less than 100 ps . this clock is derived also from the clock source 14 and 24 . this clock has low jitter since it is directly from the crystal clock 14 . the blue tooth module 5 includes a fractional - n pll frequency synthesiser that receives a clock signal from divider 23 in the synthesiser module 15 and to which an afc correction is applied derived from the signal received from the master terminal in the local area network of the blue tooth system , this clock signal being used for the transmitter and receiver sections . the local area network may include a headset with earphones used for sound output and a microphone for sound input and coupled to the power and audio management section . the blue tooth module may also provide communications with a printer in the local area network , for example , communicating with a personal digital assistant ( pda ) in the application processor . the blue tooth module 5 also includes a fractional - n pll synthesiser 40 that produces a 24 mhz clock signal from the clock signal of divider 23 with afc to the blue tooth master station signal , and a divider 41 that derives an 8 mhz clock signal from the output of the synthesiser element 40 , the 8 mhz clock signal being supplied to the blue tooth application element 31 in the application processor module 6 . the gps module 8 includes a fractional - n pll synthesiser 42 that produces a clock signal from the clock signal of divider 21 with afc to the received signal from the gps satellites . it will be appreciated that all the modules 1 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 15 and 16 include fractional - n pll synthesiser elements , the primary reference signal for which is the common crystal oscillator 14 . each of these modules is selectively activated or de - activated , so that the power consumption of the frequency synthesiser element associated is only incurred when the corresponding application is operational . different modes of partial operation are possible as summarised in the following table . each synthesizer ( 17 , 18 , 19 , 25 , 26 , 41 , 42 ) has the capability to perform digital automatic frequency correction ( afc ) independently to provide frequency values , the afc for gsm being different from the afc for bluetooth or for gps , for example . the use of fractional - n pll synthesizers allows high resolution of frequency adjustment for the digital afc capabilities . fig3 to 10 show examples of clock generation in partial operation of the terminal . in fig3 , the gsm application in the cellular telephony module is active for voice communication and the wbcdma application is on standby . the reference frequency signal at 26 mhz from the divider 20 is supplied to the fractional - n pll synthesizers 25 and 26 in the cellular interface module 16 , which supply square wave clock signals at 13 mhz and 15 . 36 mhz respectively to a precision of ± 0 . 1 ppm . the multiplexers 27 and 28 select the 13 mhz clock signal for the voice codec 38 . the 32 khz clock signal is supplied to the deep sleep manager 52 and the pll frequency synthesizer 37 for the micro - controller unit of the application processor 6 . in fig4 , the gsm telephony application is monitoring and the wbcdma telephony application is active for voice communication . the reference frequency signal at 26 mhz from the divider 20 is supplied to the fractional - n pll synthesizers 25 and 26 in the cellular interface module 16 , which supply square wave clock signals at 13 mhz and 15 . 36 mhz respectively to a precision of ± 0 . 1 pm . the multiplexers 27 and 28 select the 15 . 36 mhz clock signal for the voice codec 38 . the 32 khz clock signal is supplied to the deep sleep manager 52 and the pll frequency synthesizer 37 for the micro - controller unit of the application processor 6 . in both the cases of fig3 and 4 , the frequency synthesizers for the standby telephone application may be energised only intermittently . in fig5 , the wbcdma application is active for voice and video communication , the video camera 7 and the usb 34 are active , and the bluetooth module 5 is active to couple a headset for the voice communication . the reference frequency signal at 26 mhz from the divider 20 is supplied to the fractional - n pll synthesizers 25 and 26 in the cellular interface module 16 , which supply square wave clock signals at 13 mhz and 15 . 36 mhz respectively to a precision of ± 0 . 1 ppm . the multiplexers 27 and 28 select the 15 . 36 mhz clock signal for the voice codec 38 . the multiplexers 29 selects the 15 . 36 mhz clock signal for the camera 7 , and the divider 36 for the usb 34 . the blue tooth module 5 receives the reference frequency sine signal from the divider 23 and the divider 41 supplies the 8 mhz clock signal to the blue tooth application 31 . the 32 khz clock signal is supplied to the deep sleep manager 52 and the pll frequency synthesizer 37 for the micro - controller unit of the application processor 6 . in fig6 , the gsm and wbcdma telephony module is on standby ( monitoring ), with the organiser (‘ pda ’) module active using a usb connection . a standby signal from the deep sleep manager 30 controls the intermittent operation of the cellular interface 16 and the cellular modem processor 1 . the reference frequency signal at 26 mhz from the divider 20 is supplied to the fractional - n pll synthesizers 25 and 26 in the cellular interface module 16 , which are intermittently awoken to supply square wave clock signals at 13 mhz and 15 . 36 mhz respectively to a precision of ± 0 . 1 ppm . the multiplexer 28 and 29 select the non - afc 13 mhz frequency reference sine signal from the divider 24 for the voice codec 38 and for the divider 36 for the usb 34 , respectively . in fig7 , the gsm and wbcdma telephony module is on standby , the bluetooth module is active to couple an mp3 player and the stereo ( high fidelity ) audio coder / decoder 39 is active . the cellular interface 16 and cellular modem processor 1 are awoken intermittently , as in fig6 and the blue tooth module 5 receives the reference frequency sine signal from the divider 23 and the divider 41 supplies the 8 mhz clock signal to the blue tooth application 31 . the 32 khz clock signal is supplied to the deep sleep manager 52 and the pll frequency synthesizer 37 for the micro - controller unit of the application processor 6 . in fig8 , the gsm and wbcdma telephony module 1 is switched off and the pda module is on standby . the cellular interface 16 is switched off . the deep sleep manager 52 applies a standby signal to awaken the crystal controlled oscillator 14 and the divider 24 intermittently . the frequency synthesizers 17 , 18 and 19 are switched off . the 32 khz clock signal is supplied to the deep sleep manager 52 and the pll frequency synthesizer 37 for the micro - controller unit of the application processor 6 . in fig9 , the gsm and wbcdma telephony module , the bluetooth module and the pda module are on standby . the deep sleep manager 52 applies a standby signal to awaken intermittently the crystal controlled oscillator , the cellular interface 16 , the frequency synthesizers 17 , 18 and 19 and the dividers 20 , 23 and 24 . the 32 khz clock signal is supplied to the deep sleep manager 52 and the pll frequency synthesizer 37 for the micro - controller unit of the application processor 6 . in fig1 , only the pda module is active and the gsm and wbcdma telephony module and the bluetooth module are on standby . the deep sleep manager 52 applies a standby signal to awaken intermittently the crystal controlled oscillator , the cellular interface 16 , the frequency synthesizers 17 , 18 and 19 and the dividers 20 , 23 and 24 . the 32 khz clock signal is supplied continuously to the deep sleep manager 52 and the pll frequency synthesizer 37 for the micro - controller unit of the application processor 6 but only intermittently to the pll synthesizer 32 . the frequency synthesiser elements 17 , 18 and 19 may be of the kind including multi - accumulator elements as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 493 , 700 . however , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , each of the reference pll frequency synthesizers 25 and 26 is of the kind shown in fig1 , which comprises a voltage - controlled oscillator (‘ vco ’) 43 , whose output signal is supplied to a frequency divider 44 that divides the frequency of the vco by an integer factor m to obtain the pll frequency synthesizer output signal . the output signal of the vco 43 is also supplied to a frequency divider 45 that divides the frequency of the vco by an integer factor n , the frequency divider 45 being connected in a feedback loop . the frequency divider 45 includes a multi - accumulator section 46 that enables the factor n to be selected and to which the digital afc may be applied . the phase of the output signal from the frequency divider 45 is compared with the phase of the frequency reference from the crystal controlled oscillator 14 in a phase comparator charge pump device 47 . the phase comparator charge pump device 47 supplies resistor - capacitor circuits 48 and 49 that supply a correction signal to the vco 43 that is a function of the difference in phase between the signals from the divider 45 and the crystal - controlled oscillator 14 .	7
hereinafter , example implementations of the disclosed teachings are described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings . [ 0034 ] fig2 is a block diagram that shows a non - limiting example of a configuration of a uwb transceiver apparatus . it includes a filter unit having a plurality of filters , each of which is capable of filtering a specific frequency band according to the disclosed teachings . referring to fig2 the uwb transceiver has a wideband lna 220 covering all frequency bands of a uwb system , a wideband power amplifier 270 , a filter unit 230 including a plurality of filters , a demodulator 240 , a modulator 280 , a baseband controller 250 , and a medium access control ( mac ) 260 . each of the components of the apparatus will now be described in detail . the lna is a typical small signal amplifier . an example of a small signal amplifier is an rf device that is needed for converting a signal . such a signal , while interpretable , has increased noise and weakened intensity as the signal passes through a number of paths in the air . the small signal amplifier is an amplifier that receives not only gain but also the noise component . in this example , a wideband lna covering all the frequency bands of the uwb system is used . each of the filters constituting the filter unit is a band stop filter for selectively filtering out only a specific frequency band used in existing rf systems . each of the band stop filters is required to filter out a specific frequency spectrum when a signal is input to the uwb receiver . because specific frequency bands are filtered out , the uwb system does not interfere with existing wireless communication systems . further , it is likely that new frequency bands that may overlap with the existing frequencies may appear due to the advent of new communication devices . the band stop filter is required to dynamically cope with interference due to such newly overlapped band . for example , the filters may be arranged according to ranges of the frequency band used in the existing wireless communication systems in such a manner that a first band stop filter is used in the global positioning system ( gps ) band and a second band stop filter is used in the 5 ghz wireless lan band , etc . a switch that can be turned on or off is attached in a parallel connection format to each filter . in this configuration , if the switch is in an on state , the signal input is transmitted only along the shorted switch without passing through the filter with predetermined impedance . thus , the band stop filter is in an off state . on the other hand , if the switch is in an off state , the input signal is transmitted through the filter with predetermined impedance . thus , the band stop filter is in an on state . the baseband controller 250 serves to control the overall operation of processing transmission and reception of uwb pulse signals through the transceiver . as shown in fig3 the baseband controller 250 comprises a power measurement unit 251 , an on - off control unit 252 and a power control unit 253 . the functions of the components will be later described in detail with reference to fig3 . the mac 260 is present in the upper layer of the physical layer and serves to manage data communication according to the uwb communication . the mac 260 receives binary signals through the baseband controller or transfers the binary signals to be transmitted to the baseband controller . further , the demodulator 240 serves to demodulate a data sequence of uwb pulse signals received through the antenna into original signals . the modulator 280 modulates binary data of the original signals into uwb pulse signals . the power amplifier 270 amplifies the intensity of the uwb pulse signals input from the modulator 280 via the filter so that they are suitable for uwb channel transmission . in the receiving side of the apparatus , the order between the filter and lna may be changed and all the filters may be located in front or to the rear of the lna . in case of a heterodyne system or direct conversion system where the carrier is used , the signals may be moved to the baseband of the original signals . these signals are then demodulated if the signals pass through the down converter . on the other hand , in case of a baseband system or uwb system where the carrier is not used , the signals may be directly demodulated without passing through the down converter . in the transmitting side of the apparatus , the order between the filter and power amplifier may be changed , and all the filters may be located in front of or to the rear of the power amplifier . in case of a heterodyne system or direct conversion system where a carrier is used , the modulated baseband signals are up - converted into the band around the carrier frequency . here , the up - converted rf signals have a band that is to be sent to a specific band space . in a system where a carrier is not used , the modulated signals are directly sent to the filter without performing the up - conversion process . [ 0043 ] fig3 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary structure of the baseband controller 250 embodying some aspects of the disclosed teachings . the power measurement unit 251 of the baseband controller 250 measures the power intensity of the rf signal entering the band space as each of the filters is turned on or off , thereby turning on or off each of the corresponding lnas . as a result of the measurement , if there is power variation greater than a predetermined value , the power measurement unit 251 determines that another wireless communication system is using the band . the on - off control unit 252 serves to filter out signals in the band that are not to be used . this is done by controlling the turning on or off each of the filters . more specifically , the on - off control unit 252 can dynamically turn on or off the switch by turning on the band stop filter corresponding to a band , which is determined to be used by the other wireless communication system in the power measurement unit 251 , and turning off other band stop filters . further , the on - off control unit 252 serves to filter out signals in the band that are not to be used , by controlling the operation of turning on or off each of the lnas . more specifically , the on - off control unit 252 can dynamically turn on or off the switch by turning off the lna corresponding to a band that has been determined to be used by the other wireless communication systems in the power measurement unit 251 , and turning on the other lnas . further , the power control unit 253 controls the intensity of the transmission power of the uwb pulse signals according to the signal to noise ratio ( snr ) of the received signals . since the respective components of the baseband controller 250 so constructed operate independently from one another , additional components may be added thereto depending on the data transmission method or only some of the components shown in fig3 may be included therein . for example , the baseband controller 250 may be comprised of only the power measurement unit 251 and the on - off control unit 252 . if there is an additional need to control the intensity of the transmission power , the power control unit 253 may be further added to the baseband controller 250 . [ 0046 ] fig4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of the uwb transceiver apparatus including the lna unit with a plurality of lnas and the power amplifier unit with a plurality of power amplifiers arranged according to the frequency bands . only the parts different from the uwb transceiver apparatus shown in fig2 are explained in detail herein . referring to fig4 the exemplary uwb transceiver apparatus comprises the lna unit 420 with a plurality of lnas , the power amplifier unit 470 with a plurality of power amplifiers , the wideband filter 430 covering all the bands of the uwb system , the demodulator 240 , the modulator 280 , the baseband controller 250 , and the mac 260 . the lna unit 420 includes a plurality of lnas and a lna combiner 421 for collecting the outputs from the plurality of lnas and then sending the outputs to a single port . the power amplifier unit 470 includes a plurality of power amplifiers and a power amplifier combiner 471 for collecting the outputs from the plurality of power amplifiers and then sending the outputs to a single port . further , the wideband filter 430 covers all the bands used in the uwb system . when the uwb receiver receives signals , it is designed such that the lna and power amplifier are not used for a specific frequency band spectrum . thus , since a band that will not be used upon transmission and reception due to its overlapping with other communication systems is not subjected to an amplification process through the relevant lna and power amplifier , the uwb system cannot interfere with the existing wireless communication systems and can dynamically cope with interference due to the existing overlapped bands as well as overlapped bands that are likely to appear due to the advent of new communication devices in the future . for example , the filters may be arranged according to the ranges of frequency bands used in the existing wireless communication systems in such a manner that a first lna and power amplifier are used in the global positioning system ( gps ) band and a second lna and power amplifier are used in the 5 ghz wireless lan band , for example . an exemplary implementation that combines the structures of fig2 and 4 are combined with each other can also be created . in such a combined structure , the transceiver system comprising the filter unit with a plurality of filters , the lna unit with a plurality of lnas , and the power amplifier unit with a plurality of power amplifiers are combined . here , if only interference occurring due to a band overlapping with existing wireless communication systems becomes a problem , the problem can be solved only through the embodiment shown in fig2 or fig4 respectively . the lna , the power amplifier , the filter and the like used in the uwb system is required to cover the wideband . therefore , good performance cannot be uniformly obtained throughout the entire frequency band even though a wideband lna , filter and power amplifier are used . further , another problem such as the distortion of signals may be produced in a certain frequency band . on the other hand , if the lna , filter and power amplifier are provided in each of the frequency bands as described in the exemplary implementations embodying the disclosed teachings , problems such as the distortion of signals will not occur . [ 0051 ] fig5 is a flowchart illustrating a technique for dynamically determining a frequency band that is not to be used in the uwb transceiver apparatus using a plurality of filters . the steps in the flowchart of fig5 are performed at a regular interval of time or when the uwb transceiver apparatus is turned on . first , all the filters shown in fig2 are turned off ( s 510 ). then , one of the filters is turned on and the remaining filters remain turned off . next , the next filter is turned on and the other filters remain turned off . this process is performed for all the filters ( s 520 ). through the above processes , it is possible to determine as to which bands the interferences occur . for example , where the second filter can cover the 5 ghz wireless lan band that is currently used by another apparatus , the first to n - th filters are sequentially turned on one by one at a regular interval of time or when the uwb transceiver apparatus is turned on . then , the total intensity of the rf signals coming into the band space will be significantly lowered when the second filter is turned on . therefore , the uwb system can perceive the presence of the 5 ghz wireless lan band through the above process . generally speaking , if the power of the rf signals entering the band space is significantly reduced when a specific band stop filter is turned on ( s 530 ), it is determined that the filter for use in the band is turned on ( s 540 ). otherwise , it is determined that the relevant filter is turned off ( s 550 ). subsequently , it is checked whether the relevant filter is the last n - th filter ( s 560 ). if so , the process goes to next step s 570 . otherwise , the process returns to step s 520 . according to the determined result , the uwb transceiver apparatus turns on only the relevant filters for use in a band from which interference is expected and turns off the other filters ( s 570 ). thus , the uwb board will not be damaged even though higher power is input through the interference band . further , information on the relevant band so determined is transmitted to a communicating uwb transceiver apparatus ( s 580 ). the two uwb transceiver apparatuses make a mutual agreement that they will not use the relevant band ( s 590 ). a method of making an agreement between the two uwb transceiver apparatuses that they will not use a specific band for mutual communication may include a method of producing a management frame in the mac and transceiving the frame between the apparatuses . alternately , this information can be included in a physical layer header and communicated to each other during the wireless data transmission / reception . in such a case , a new frame may be produced , or “ reserved bits ” of the existing frame may be used . [ 0055 ] fig6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary technique for dynamically determining a frequency band that is not to be used in the uwb transceiver apparatus including a plurality of lnas and a plurality of power amplifiers . the steps in the flowchart of fig6 are performed at a regular interval of time or when the uwb transceiver apparatus is turned on . first , all the filters shown in fig4 are turned on ( s 610 ). then , one of the filters is turned off and the remaining filters remain turned on . next , the next filter is turned off and the other filters are turned on . this process is performed for all the filters ( s 620 ). through the above processes , it is possible to determine as to which bands the interferences occur . as such , if the power of the rf signals entering the band space is significantly reduced when a specific lna is turned off ( s 630 ), it is determined that the lna for use in the band is turned off ( s 640 ). otherwise , it is determined that the relevant filter and power amplifier are turned on ( s 650 ). subsequently , it is checked whether the relevant lna is the last n - th lna ( s 660 ). if so , the process goes to step s 670 . otherwise , the process returns to step s 620 . according to the determined result , the uwb transceiver apparatus turns off only the relevant lna for use in the interference band and turns on the other lnas ( s 670 ). further , information on the relevant band so determined is transmitted to a communicating uwb transceiver apparatus ( s 680 ), and then , the two uwb transceiver apparatuses make a mutual agreement that they will not use the relevant band ( s 690 ). [ 0057 ] fig7 is a flowchart illustrating a process of determining a frequency band not to be used and transceiving signals between the uwb systems where a plurality of filters , lnas and power amplifiers are all used . first , the filter unit , the lna unit and the power amplifier unit are set on the basis of the agreement process as described in the embodiment shown in fig5 or fig6 ( s 710 ). then , the modulator of the first uwb transceiver apparatus receives binary signals to be transmitted from the baseband controller ( s 720 ). next , the received binary signals are modulated into uwb pulse signals through the modulator ( s 730 ). where a carrier is used , the signals should first pass through a down converter and be then subject to the modulation process . otherwise , the signals are directly transmitted to the modulator . the modulated signals pass through the filter unit on the transmitting side of the uwb system , in which the signals in the band to be unused are filtered out or stopped ( s 740 ). thereafter , only the signals in the band to be used are amplified through the power amplifier unit ( s 750 ), and the uwb pulse signals are then transmitted through the antenna ( s 760 ). the transmitted signals are propagated through the uwb channel in the air and are received through the antenna of the second uwb transceiver apparatus ( s 770 ). then , the received signals are amplified by passing through the lna unit ( s 780 ), and the signals in the band not to be used are filtered out or stopped through the filter unit on the receiving side of the uwb system ( s 790 ). only the filtered pulse signals are demodulated into binary signals ( s 795 ). where a carrier is used , the pulse signals should pass through the filter unit and then be transmitted to the down converter . where a carrier is not used , the pulse signals are directly sent to the demodulator . the binary signals having passed through the demodulator are transmitted to the baseband controller ( s 799 ). although the disclosed teachings have been described in connection with the disclosed embodiments thereof , it is not limited to these embodiments thereof . therefore , it is apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention defined by the appended claims .	8
referring now to fig1 , an example digital audio workstation will now be described . this digital audio workstation 100 includes a host computer 102 and one or more control surfaces 104 . the host computer 102 has an interface 106 that connects the host computer to a network 108 , such as an ethernet network . the control surface 104 also includes a network interface 110 that connects the control surface to the network 108 . other devices ( not shown ) also may connect to the network 108 through similar interfaces . the host computer 102 is typically a general purpose computer running a commercially available operating system such as a windows , mac or linux operating system . the host computer may include peripherals for audio processing , such as peripherals that include multiple digital signal processing ( dsp ) chips that can perform a variety of audio processing operations under software control . software on the host computer keeps track of both data files that store multiple channels of audio data and various parameters used to combine them into a composition . the software also may direct a processor in the host computer to perform audio processing functions . the software also provides a graphical user interface to assist the musician or sound engineer to manipulate the composition . an example of such software includes the pro tools software from digidesign , a division of avid technology , inc . the control surface 104 provides a mechanical user interface through which a musician or sound engineer manipulates the composition . such control surfaces often include numerous mechanical control devices including , but not limited to , rotary encoders , potentiometers , faders , loop controllers , joysticks , touchpads , etc . such control surfaces often include numerous display devices including , but not limited to , led displays , alphanumeric displays and graphical displays . as an example , as shown in fig2 , a control surface 200 may include one or more rotary encoders 202 . a rotary encoder may be surrounded by a ring 204 of leds that are used to display the setting defined by the position of the rotary encoder . a control surface also may include , as an example , one or more faders 206 . a variety of other control and display devices may exist on a control surface , and thus the control surface described in fig2 is intended to be merely illustrative . most control surfaces include a large number of such control and display devices . information from the control devices is periodically sent to the host computer for use in editing or playback of the composition . information from the host computer is periodically sent to the control devices to update the displays . to provide more efficient communication between a host computer and a control surface over a network , a protocol uses packets that encapsulate messages in a binary format . such packets include messages having a message identifier and a message length followed by a message body . for high bandwidth status information , such as sets of led meters , the message body includes bytes of data indicating a region of the control surface , identifiers of display devices and state information for those display devices . packets of this type are not acknowledged , whereas packets for other types of information are acknowledged , which permits the host computer and the control surface to still detect whether the connection has been broken . because the high bandwidth status information includes an absolute state of each display device , rather than an update from a previous state , the correct state of the display device can be recovered from subsequent messages even if packets are lost . an ethernet data frame format will now be described in more detail in connection with fig3 a - 3c . in fig3 a , the ethernet data frame includes a preamble field 300 of 62 bits , followed by 2 bits of synchronization information 302 , thus providing 8 bytes . a destination address 304 and source address 306 , of 6 bytes each , follow . an ethernet type field 308 of 2 bytes is then provided . a wrap field 310 ( 16 bytes ) and a body field 312 ( 30 - 1484 bytes ), described in more detail below , contain one or more messages . the last field , an fcs field 314 , is 4 bytes . this field contains the frame check sequence ( fcs ) which is calculated using a cyclic redundancy check ( crc ). the fcs allows the ethernet to detect errors in the ethernet frame and reject the frame if it appears damaged . the combination of the destination address 304 , source address 306 , type 308 , wrap 310 and body fields 312 is considered a packet . a packet may include one or more messages , as defined by the wrap field 310 . the wrap field , as shown in fig3 b , includes a length field 320 of 2 bytes indicating the combined length of the wrap and body fields . a checksum field 322 of 2 bytes stores a checksum of the body . to permit acknowledgements , 4 bytes is used for each of a sequence number 324 ( uniquely generated by the sender for a message ) and an acknowledge sequence number 326 ( which is set by the destination in an acknowledgement to a message from the sender ). the retries field 328 of 2 bytes indicates how many times the packet has been sent because an acknowledgement was not received . the packet type field 330 of 1 byte distinguishes among control packets ( such as for establishing a connection ), normal packets containing messages that require acknowledgement , and normal packets that do not require acknowledgement . the number of messages field 332 is 1 byte and indicates the number of messages in the body . the body , as shown in fig3 c , includes one or more messages . each message includes a message identifier field 340 , a message length field 342 and the body 344 of the message . the message body 344 is in a binary format instead of a midi format . for high bandwidth status information , such as sets of led meters , the message body includes bytes of data indicating a region of the control surface , identifiers of display devices and state information for those display devices . packets of this type are not acknowledged , whereas packets for other types of information are acknowledged , which permits the host computer and the control surface to still detect whether the connection has been broken . because the high bandwidth status information includes an absolute state of each display device , rather than an update from a previous state , even if packets are lost , the correct state of the display device can be recovered from subsequent messages . all messages in a packet are of the same type . messages of different types ( broadcast , non - acknowledged and acknowledged ) are not mixed in a packet . messages for different control surfaces are not mixed in a packet . to achieve this , the host can create different transport objects . in particular , a transport object for non - acknowledged packets and a transport object for acknowledged packets is created by the host for each control surface with which it communicates . the host also creates a transport object for broadcast packets . messages sent by the host are routed to the appropriate transport object . if no acknowledgement is required for a message , the message is sent as soon as possible in a packet . if an acknowledgement is required for a message , then the host waits for any outstanding acknowledgement for another message to be received before the message is sent , possibly with other messages that may have been queued while the host is waiting . the body of the message for such high bandwidth status information , for example , for track meter messages and master meter messages may include the following . the track meter and master meter messages are combined for efficiency and include 32 segments per meter . notably , these meters are tri - color with two independent leds ( green / red ), and each individual led can have its own color . thus , a significant amount of data is used to define the state of each meter . thus , a track meter message is 260 bytes and a master meter message is 68 bytes long . the formats for these messages is as follows : having now described the message format , a flowchart ( fig4 ) describing the processing of messages by a controller of the control surface will now be described . the control surface starts in a state in which it is ready to receive 400 the next packet received by its network interface . when the next packet is received , if the message is a broadcast message , as determined at 402 , the packet is processed 410 , and the control surface returns to its ready state in 400 . if a received message is not a broadcast message , the packet checksum is verified at 404 . if the checksum is not valid , then the message is dropped and the control surface returns to its ready state 400 . if the non - broadcast message has a valid checksum , and if the packet does not require an acknowledgement ( as determined at 406 by examination of the packet type field ), the packet is processed 410 , and the control surface returns to its ready state 400 . if the received message requires an acknowledgement , then an acknowledgement is sent ( 408 ). then the packet is processed 410 and the control surface returns to its ready state 400 . with the foregoing process , for high bandwidth status information , such as sets of led meters , the message body includes bytes of data indicating a region of the control surface , identifiers of display devices and state information for those display devices . packets of this type are not acknowledged , permitting more efficient communication . packets for other types of information are acknowledged , which permits the host computer and the control surface to still detect whether the connection has been broken . having now described an example embodiment , it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing is merely illustrative and not limiting , having been presented by way of example only . numerous modifications and other embodiments are within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated as falling within the scope of the invention .	7
where n = 0 , . . . , n − 1 , f ( n ) is a sampled version of a noiseless continuous signal , and ε ( n ) is the additive white gaussian noise drawn from n ( 0 , σ ε 2 ) basis functions , b k ( n ), on the observation space , b n : f ( n )= σ k = 1 n c k b k ( n ) ( 2 ) c k = b k ( n ), f ( n ) ( 3 ) and ( p , q ) denotes the inner product of vectors p and q . however , given the noisy observations , the coefficients , c k , can only be approximated as follows : ĉ k = b k ( n ), x ( n ) = c k + b k ( n ), ε ( n ) ( 4 ) if f ( n ) can be described with m nonzero coefficients , where m & lt ;& lt ; n , then many estimated coefficients , ĉ k , represent samples of a zero mean gaussian random variable with variance σ ε 2 . a classical approach known as wavelet denoising diminishes the effects of noise by first expanding the noisy signal in terms of orthonormal bases of compactly supported wavelets . the estimated coefficients below some threshold , τ , are disregarded either by hard or soft thresholding . the value of τ is always chosen based on an attempt to minimize the so - called reconstruction error , r e = 1 n ⁢  f ⁡ ( n ) - f ^ ⁡ ( n )  2 ( 5 ) where ∥·∥ denotes the euclidean norm and { circumflex over ( f )}( ii ) represents the estimated noiseless signal . r e is a sample of random variable r e that has the following expected value : e ⁢ { r e } = m n ⁢ σ 2 + 1 n ⁢  δ ⁢ ⁢ m  2 ( 6 ) where m represents the number of coefficients describing f ( n ) in some subspace of b n and δm is a vector of length n - m , representing the coefficients of bases that are not selected to describe the unknown signal . in reality , r e is not available and only the number of coefficients not disregarded by the thresholding operation , { circumflex over ( m )}, is known . in a recent contribution , probabilistic upper and lower bounds for r e were derived based on the available data error : therefore , it , has been shown that the upper bound for r e is equal to r eub ⁡ ( m ^ ⁡ ( τ ) , σ 2 , α , β ) = σ ɛ 2 ⁢ 2 ⁢ m ^ ⁡ ( τ ) n ⁢ ( 2 ⁢ m ^ ⁡ ( τ ) + β ) + d e - σ ɛ 2 + 2 ⁢ ασ ɛ n ⁢ ( ασ ɛ n + α 2 ⁢ σ ɛ 2 n + d e - ( 1 - m ^ ⁡ ( τ ) n ) ⁢ σ ɛ 2 2 ) , ( 8 ) where α and β represent the parameters for validation probability ( p v = q ( α )) and confidence probability ( p c = q ( β )), with q (·) for an argument λ being , defined as in addition , { circumflex over ( m )}( r ) denotes the number of bases whose expansion coefficients are greater than τ in some subspace of b n . it should be note that for some values of { circumflex over ( m )} the reconstruction error given by eqn . ( 5 ) and its upper bound given by eqn . ( 8 ) achieve a minimum due to the bias - to - variance trade - off . the principle of mdl has been borrowed from coding theory to find such a minimum value . also , it has been demonstrated that , smaller reconstruction errors can be achieved with mdl - derived thresholds . the mndl - based approach can be computationally expensive for very long data sets since the bases are incrementally added to the subspace describing the unknown signal . considering the length of acquired dual - axis accelerometry signals (& gt ;& gt ; 10 5 points }, an attempt should be made to minimize the search space , while choosing a threshold that minimizes the reconstruction error . in some cases the mndl - based approach can yield higher reconstruction errors than donoho &# 39 ; s approach . in light of the computational and reconstruction limitations or the mndl - based approach , a new denoising strategy is proposed here . the goal of this new approach is twofold . first , it should be computationally efficient . second , it should attain a minimum reconstruction error . minimization of the search space can be achieved by exploiting the fact that the optimal threshold is usually larger than the actual threshold which minimizes the reconstruction error . the algorithm for determining the optimal threshold is defined through the following steps : 1 . estimate the variance of the noise ε from the median , med x , of n / 2 wavelet coefficients at the finest scale : 2 . based on the estimated noise variance , and for each τ selected from a set 0 & lt ; τ ≦{ circumflex over ( σ )} ε √{ square root over ( 2 log ( n ))}, evaluate the upper bound given by equation ( 8 ). use the soft thresholding procedure to compute the data error required for the evaluation of the upper bound . 4 . denoise a recording using the optimal value of threshold , τ opt , and the soft thresholding procedure . the above procedure is repeated independently for signals acquired from each axis of a dual - axis accelerometer . unlike the mndl - based approach , soft thresholding is applied in the above steps , since it yields an estimated signal as smooth as the original signal with high probability . hard thresholding can produce abrupt artifacts in the recovering signal leading to a higher reconstruction signal . the results of a two - step numerical analysis are presented in this section . first , the performance of the proposed algorithm is examined using two test signals . the goal of this analysis is to compare the performance of the proposed scheme against that of other well - established techniques under well - controlled conditions . in the second step , the proposed denoising algorithm is applied to the acquired dual - axis swallowing accelerometry signals . the goal is to understand the benefits of the proposed approach in the context of a real biomedical application . referring to fig1 , the first test signal is the so - called blocks signal , which is a standard signal used in the analysis of various denoising schemes . assuming that the length of the signal is n = 1024 points , the reconstruction error is evaluated for four methods : the proposed method , and the mndl - based method and a new sure - based approach . the first test is to numerically examine which of the four schemes provides the lowest reconstruction error for 18 mother wavelets ( haar wavelet , daubechies wavelets with the number of vanishing moments varying between two and six , meyer wavelet , coiflet wavelets with the order varying , between one and five , and symlet wavelets with the order varying between two and seven ). the signal is contaminated with zero - mean additive white gaussian noise , and snr = 10 db . for each mother wavelet , 1000 realizations are used . α = 10 and β = 40 are used for both the mndl - based approach and the proposed method . the reconstruction errors for the proposed method ( circles ), the mndl - based denoising ( x &# 39 ; s ), the sure - based approach ( diamonds ) and donoho &# 39 ; s approach ( squares ) are shown in fig1 ( a ). amongst the 18 wavelet functions , considered , the haar wavelet ( the wavelet indexed as 1 on the x - axis of fig1 ( a )) provides the smallest reconstruction error , since , the structure of the wavelet closely resembles the structure of the signal . the next task is to examine the reconstruction error under various snr values with the haar wavelet . one thousand realizations are used for each snr value yielding the results depicted in fig1 ( b ). from the graph , it is clear that the proposed method ( solid line ) provides the smallest error for various snr levels with the mndl - based ( dotted line ) and sure - based ( dashdotted line ) methods also providing a small error . donoho &# 39 ; s approach ( dashed line ) consistently yields the highest reconstruction error . despite the small reconstruction error over different snl levels , the mndl - based method suffers from high computational complexity . to further understand the computational bottlenecks , the snr value is kept constant at 10 db , but the length of the blocks signal is varied between n = 2 10 and n = 2 15 points . the durations required to execute the specific algorithms are tracked using built - in matlab functions . the time to complete the denoising task , averaged over ten realizations of the block signal at each signal length is reported in fig1 ( c ). as expected , as n increases , there is an obvious upward trend for all for algorithms . donoho &# 39 ; s approach ( dashed line ) is the least computationally expensive . however , for the mndl - based approach ( dotted line ) the time required to complete the task increases significantly with signal length . for example , the average duration required for the mndl - based approach to denoise a signal with length of n = 2 15 points is 157 seconds . on the other hand , the time required by the proposed algorithm ( solid line ) to denoise the same signal is 0 . 74 seconds . in fact , computation time of the proposed method increases logarithmically with signal length ( the duration is approximately equal to log 10 ( n 0 . 35 )). to more closely mimic a real swallowing scenario , the test signal shown in fig1 ( d ), is used in the analysis . the signal is defined as : f ⁡ ( n ) = { f o ⁡ ( n ) + 0 . 6 ⁢ ⁢ cos ⁡ ( 210 ⁢ ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ nt ) 8100 ≤ n ≤ 16430 f o ⁡ ( n ) + 0 . 5 ⁢ ⁢ cos ⁡ ( 140 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ nt ) 11400 ≤ n ≤ 18330 f o ⁡ ( n ) + 0 . 2 ⁢ ⁢ cos ⁡ ( 120 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ nt ) 13200 ≤ n ≤ 25230 f o ⁡ ( n ) + 0 . 4 ⁢ ⁢ cos ⁡ ( 160 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ nt ) 12250 ≤ n ≤ 23400 f ⁡ ( n ) ⁢ w ⁡ ( n ) 8100 ≤ n ≤ 25230 ( 11 ) where w ( n ) is gaussian window with standard deviation σ g = 1 . 9 and f 0 ( n )= 0 . 1 sin ( 8π nt )+ 0 . 2 sin ( 2π nt )+ 0 . 15 sin ( 20π nt )+ 0 . 15 sin ( 6π nt )+ 0 . 12 sin ( 14π nt )+ 0 . 1 sin ( 4π nt ) ( 12 ) with 0 ≦ n ≦ n − 1 , n = 35000 and t = 10 − 4 seconds . the duration of the signal is based on previously reported swallow durations . it should be mentioned that this signal only mimics a realistic signal , and does not represent a model of a swallow . the same group of wavelets as in the blocks signal analysis are used to examine the reconstruction error . it is assumed again that the signal is contaminated with additive zero - mean gaussian noise and snr = 0 . 10 db . for this particular signal , the meyer wavelet ( indexed by number 7 in fig1 ( e )) achieved the smallest reconstruction error since the structure of the wavelet resembles the structure of the signal . it should be pointed out that the mndl - based method consistently provides the highest error for all considered wavelets . given that the method is sensitive to the choice of α and β we varied the two parameters to further examine the obtained error . the mndl method still maintained the highest reconstruction error for this particular signal . the main reason for these results is the hard - thresholding procedure used in this method . consequently , the better results are indeed expected with an approach implementing a soft - thresholding procedure . as the next step , the reconstruction error is evaluated using the meyer wavelet for various snr values for all four approaches . from the results shown in fig1 ( f ), it is obvious that the proposed method ( solid line ) achieves a significantly smaller reconstruction error than the other three methods . during a three month period , four hundred and eight participants ( aged 18 - 65 ) were recruited at a public science centre . all participants provided written consent . the study protocol was approved by the research ethics boards of the toronto rehabilitation institute and bloorview kids rehab , both located in toronto , ontario , canada . as seen in fig3 , a dual - axis accelerometer 102 ( adxl322 , analog devices ) was attached to the participant &# 39 ; s neck ( anterior to the cricoid cartilage ) using double - sided tape , and an output signal of the accelerometer 102 was communicated to a signal processor 104 of a computer 106 . the axes of acceleration were aligned to the anterior - posterior ( a - p ) and superior - inferior ( s - i ) directions . data were band - pass filtered in hardware with a pass band of 0 . 1 - 3000 hz and sampled at 10 khz using a custom labview program running on a laptop computer . with the accelerometer attached , each participant was cued to perform 5 saliva swallows ( denoted as dry in table 1 ). after each swallow , there was a brief rest to allow for saliva production . subsequently , the participant completed 5 water swallows ( denoted as wet in table 1 ) by cup with their chin in the natural position ( i . e ., perpendicular to the floor ) and water swallows in the chin - tucked position ( denoted as wtc in table 1 ). the entire data collection session lasted 15 minutes per participant . the acquired dual - axis swallowing accelerometry signals were denoised using donoho &# 39 ; s approach , the mndl - based approach , the sure - based approach and the proposed approach . in particular , a 10 - level discrete wavelet transform using the meyer wavelet with soft thresholding was implemented . before denoising , the signals were pre - processed using inverse filters to annul effects of the data collection system on the acquired data . in order to compare the performance of the aforementioned denoising schemes , snr values were evaluated before and after denoising using the following formula : snr = 10 ⁢ log 10 ⁡ ( e f e ɛ ^ ) ( 13 ) where e f represents the approximate energy of the noise - free signal , and e { circumflex over ( ε )} represents an approximate variance of the white gaussian noise . the approximate energy is calculated as e f ={ circumflex over ( σ )} x 2 ={ circumflex over ( σ )} { circumflex over ( ε )} 2 , where { circumflex over ( σ )} x 2 is the variance of the observed signal , and { circumflex over ( σ )} { circumflex over ( ε )} 2 represents the variance of the noise calculated by ( 9 ). similarly , e { circumflex over ( ε )} ={ circumflex over ( σ )} x 2 for the noisy signals , and for the denoised signals e { circumflex over ( ε )} = r eub ({ circumflex over ( m )}( τ ),{ circumflex over ( σ )} { circumflex over ( ε )} 2 , α , β ) for the threshold estimated by ( 10 ). using the snr metric given by ( 13 ), the results of the analysis are summarized in table 1 . donoho &# 39 ; s approach provides the least amount of improvement in snr as expected , followed by the mndl - based approach . the sure - based approach achieves greater improvement in the snr values in comparison to the other two aforementioned approaches . nevertheless , as demonstrated by the results in table 1 , the sure approach exhibits strong variations in performance . the proposed approach provides the greatest improvement in snr values . on average , the greatest gain in snr is over donoho &# 39 ; s approach ( 3 . 8 db and 4 . 0 db in the a - p and s - i directions , respectively ), while smaller improvements were obtained over the sure - based approach ( 2 . 0 db and 1 . 3 db in the a - p and s - i directions , respectively ). nevertheless , the proposed approach still provides a statistically significant improvement over sure - based approach in denoising the dual - axis swallowing accelerometry signals ( wilcoxon rank - sum test , p & lt ;& lt ; 10 − 10 for both directions ). this improvement was achieved regardless of whether or not the different swallowing types were considered individually or as a group . as a last remark , it should be noted that these snr values were estimated using eqn . ( 13 ), which from our experience with swallowing signals , provides a conservative approximation . in reality , we expect the gains in snr to be even greater . a denoising algorithm is proposed for dual - axis swallowing accelerometry signals , which have potential utility in the non - invasive diagnosis of swallowing difficulties . this algorithm searches for the optimal threshold value in order to achieve the minimum reconstruction error for a signal . to avoid the high computational complexity associated with competing algorithms , the proposed scheme conducts the threshold search in a reduced wavelet subspace . numerical analysis showed that the algorithm achieves a smaller reconstruction error than donoho , mndl - and sure - based approaches . furthermore , the computational complexity of the proposed algorithm increases logarithmically with signal length . the application of the proposed algorithm to dual - axis swallowing accelerometry signals demonstrated statistically significant improvements in snr over the other three considered methods .	6
the following description represents the inventors &# 39 ; current preferred embodiment . the description is not meant to limit the invention , but rather to illustrate its general principles of operation . examples are illustrated with the accompanying drawings . fig7 shows a high level flow chart for the software method associated with the system . some operations are only performed on set - up of operation : 99 initial start , 26 loading map database ; 62 create bgrs through sub - routine , and 56 system initialization . the map database 26 can be purchased from any map database vendor , or a crowd - sourced map database can be used . the system initialization includes such administrative routines as forming the nplut , populating the nplut with any available data , creating a user database , populating the user database with any available data , and similar tasks . once the system has been initialized 56 and the bgrs have been created with the bgr sub 62 , the system is capable of taking navigation input 55 . fig1 shows the earth 301 inscribed in a tessellated cube 302 . on a computer , the virtual earth 301 can be rotated or tilted until a geographic land mass of interest is centered . under almost all circumstances , even though the earth 301 is an oblate spheroid , the geographic region of interest can be made to be almost parallel with a face of the inscribing cube 302 . by properly selecting the size of the tessellation on the cube 302 , one can influence the size of the bgr projected onto the earth 301 . this method is called virtual tessellation , because the pattern on the earth 301 is not technically a tessellation , because all of the bgrs will not be the same shape and size . fig8 shows a method of generating bgrs using virtual tessellation . first , the system inscribes the earth in a cube 44 . the center of the cube face 45 is centered over the geographic region of interest . a starting tessellation size 46 for the face of the cube is selected . the standard surface area (“ ssa ”) is the target surface area for the bgrs . a bgr ssa of approximately 1 sq . km seems ideal . next , the variation limit for the ssa 64 is set . this number should be small ( less than 10 %). all bgrs should have a surface area very close to the ssa in order to minimize the potential for confounded data ( non - orthogonal independent variables during an analysis of variance ). if desired , the size of the tessellation squares 47 on the inscribing cube can be varied . although this is computationally more difficult , it will minimize ssa variation ( only the inner most piece is a square , with each proceeding layer being rectangles with higher and higher aspect ratios . the cube tessellation is projected onto the earth 48 to create initial bgrs . the ssa of all bgrs is assessed 49 . if the ssa analysis is okay 50 , the bgrs are stored 53 , and the bgr generation process ends 59 . if the ssa analysis is not okay 50 , all the bgrs are erased 51 . next , the system adjusts the starting tessellation size 52 , the outer layer tessellation ratio ( how quickly the outer layers of the tessellated cube face become rectangles of higher and higher aspect ratio ) is adjusted 63 , and adjust the ssa variation limit 64 . the whole process is then started again 47 . fig9 shows the flow chart for an alternative embodiment for generating bgrs . the process is started 58 by finding the centroid of the geographic region of interest 65 . a single bgr is created 66 with a surface area equal to the ssa and at least four sides . the ssa variation limit is set 64 . a layer of bgrs is created around the existing bgr ( s ), in which the new layer of bgrs has its perimeter minimized 67 . the ssa for the layer is analyzed 49 . as long as the ssa analysis is okay , additional layers of bgrs are added . if the ssa is not okay 50 , the ssa for just the last layer is analyzed 69 . if the last layer includes bgrs which overlap the border of the geographic region of interest 70 , and that is the sole cause of the unacceptable ssa , the bgrs are stored 71 . if it is not edge geography 70 , the last layer of bgrs is erased 51 . the allowable maximum perimeter will be increased by 10 % from the previous iteration 68 , and a new layer of bgrs will be created 67 . the process continues until the entire geographic region of interest is covered with bgrs 72 . in fig7 , once the bgr routine 62 has occurred , fleet set - up 61 ( fig1 ) can occur . in fig1 , each customer or fleet is enrolled with a fleet set up 80 . this includes populating a database with information about the vehicles 81 , drivers 86 , and services offered 91 . data collected about fleet vehicles 81 includes number of vehicles 82 , types of vehicles ( including fuel type ) 83 , mileage of vehicles 84 , and other user defined vehicle data ( independent variable or attribute data ) 85 . data collected about drivers includes name 87 , driver number or identifier 88 , employment type ( employee , independent contractor , owner / operator , etc .) 89 , and other user defined driver data ( independent variable or attribute data ) 90 . data collected about fleet services includes customer type 92 , service standards 93 , service area 94 , and other user defined service data ( independent variable and attribute data ) 95 . the database also allows user defined fueling stations 96 . once all of the data has been defined , it is loaded into a database 97 , and the routine ends 98 . from fig7 , end user nav input request 32 is received via a wireless means . fig1 shows an embodiment of wireless communication and geo - location , which is necessary for navigation . the end user is in a vehicle 201 , which has a remote electronic device (“ red ”), either built - in or mounted . the vehicle 201 geo - locates via a gps chip - set , a gyro , and / or a satellite transceiver . a plurality of satellites 200 provides gps signals to the vehicle &# 39 ; s 201 gps transceiver . the vehicle 201 is then able to communicate its location to a central server 203 , using a wireless network 202 . the wireless network 202 can be a cellular or mobile phone network , a radio - frequency network , or other wireless means . the transmission could also be made over a mixed means network , such as a wi - fi network that downloads and uploads requests to the server via a wired internet connection ( not shown ). fig2 shows an alternative embodiment for the communication and geo - location system . in fig2 , the vehicle 201 has been replaced with a cellphone , mdt , or red 204 . the cellphone , mdt , or red 204 , geo - locates via the satellite network 200 . the cellphone , mdt , or red 204 , communicates with the server 203 , via a wireless network 202 . fig3 shows an alternative embodiment for the communication and geo - location system in fig2 . in this system , the wireless network 202 is used for both geo - location and communication with the server . the cellphone , mdt or red 204 can use multiple cellphone towers or antennae to identify its current location . this data can be transmitted , along with a navigation request , to the remote server 203 . fig4 shows an alternative embodiment for the communication and geo - location system in fig2 . in this system , satellites 200 are used for both geo - location and communication . although gps satellites are not currently multi - tasked for communication , it is conceivable , in the future , that both geo - location information and communication would happen with the same satellite 200 . however , this system is architected according to current satellite trends : one set of satellites 200 provides geo - location information , and another satellite 200 is used for communication to the remote server 203 . fig5 shows an alternative embodiment for the communication and geo - location system in fig1 . in this system , the wireless network 202 is used for both geo - location and communication with the server . the vehicle 201 can use multiple cellphone towers or antennae to identify its current location . this data can be transmitted , along with a navigation request , to the remote server 203 . fig6 shows an alternative embodiment for the communication and geo - location system in fig1 . in this system , satellites 200 are used for both geo - location and communication . one set of satellites 200 provides geo - location information , and another satellite 200 is used for communication to the remote server 203 . in fig7 , an end - user nav request 32 is communicated through one of the communication and geo - location systems in fig1 through fig6 . whether a vehicle 201 or a cellphone , mdt , or red 204 , the user interacts with the system through a user software method , generally referred to as a user application . in fig1 , the user application starts 101 by insuring that the user is registered 102 . if the user is registered 102 , destination input 128 occurs . the user can add multiple destinations 127 , 128 , either specifying the order or allowing the system to order the trip . once input is complete 127 , the data is transmitted 129 to the remote server via the means shown in fig1 - 6 . at this point we will handle the remote server 203 as a black - box that produces a navigation route , given the destination input 128 . the remote server 203 transmits the route , where it is received 129 by the end user . at pre - determined intervals , the end user &# 39 ; s application 101 will ping 130 the remote server 203 , by transmitting 126 its location . the remote server 203 will compare the user &# 39 ; s progress versus what the remote server predicts the user &# 39 ; s progress ought to be — if the progress towards the destination lies outside the acceptance criteria , the remote server 203 will transmit a re - route signal 125 to the user &# 39 ; s application 101 . the end user &# 39 ; s unit will notify the end user of the re - route , while the remote server 203 provides an alternative route . the new route will be received 126 by the end user &# 39 ; s application 101 . eventually , re - route or not , the end user will arrive at the destination 124 . after arriving at the destination , the end user &# 39 ; s application 101 will transmit a final ping 123 to the remote server 203 , so that the remote server has a complete history of the trip . when starting the end user application 101 , if the user is not registered , the unit can allow registration by opening an account 103 . after opening the account 103 , the user selects ping frequency 104 , navigation preferences 106 , and navigation exclusions 105 . the user then has to complete independent variables concerning him - or herself , and his or her vehicle . driver information 107 includes years driving 108 , driving record 109 , miles driven per year 110 , age 111 , marital status 112 , home address 113 , where the user learned to drive 114 , the user &# 39 ; s profession 115 , the user &# 39 ; s gender 116 , and other company - or group - defined data 117 . the vehicle information 118 includes vehicle owner 119 , make and model 120 , model year 121 and miles on the vehicle 122 . the independent variable data should be of very high quality , because the user will be aware that their accuracy in answering the questions may directly relate to how well the system can navigate for them . fig7 shows that guidance 60 occurs after end user input 32 . in fig1 , guidance 60 begins by selecting nav optimizing factors 1 . once the bgrs have been created , it is possible for the invention to create navigation solutions . fig1 shows a single vehicle navigation solution . the user starts by selecting an optimizing factor 1 , or dependent variable : time , distance , fuel , cost , or an user defined dependent variable . next , the user , if desired , excludes certain solutions from consideration 2 , such as interstates , tollways , bridges , or other potential routes . the user enters one or more destinations 3 using the input device . if inputting more than one destination , the user can select 6 an automatic 10 or manual 5 ordering of the destinations . when selecting a manual 5 ordering , the automatic destination ordering module 10 will defer to the manual entry . once ordered , the origin and the next or only destination is identified 9 . if there is only a single destination input at the beginning 7 , the navigation core moves directly to identifying origin and destination 9 . to calculate between an origin and destination , the invention will identify the bgrs that lie , linearly , between the origin and destination 8 , and designates them as active . these bgrs are termed gen 1 . in the bgr containing the origin , the origin is designated the sole entry node 12 . in the bgr containing the current destination 9 , the current destination is designated as the sole exit node 13 . in all other bgrs , node pairs are created by selecting only those nodes which have a bgr on both sides 11 . the navigation core than creates a node pairs list for all active bgrs 16 . in multi - processor systems , the navigation core will simultaneously create a temporary bgr array for all node pairs under consideration 20 , and survey the nplut 14 to see if solutions exist for any node pairs under consideration 17 . if the node pairs solution exists in the nplut , it is placed in the temporary bgr array 20 . if not , using weighting functions for each street classification , the invention makes dependent variable calculations for each node pair of each bgr 19 , capturing route information for each potential solution . the invention will delete any exclusions from the potential solution set 21 . since only a limited set of bgrs are used for the initial calculation , not all nodes of each bgr is a potential entry and / or exit . the data generated from the nodes of interest can be stored in an array , in a temporary database format , or in any other data - handling format that allows quick access 20 . this temporary data can be stored in cache storage , on the hard - drive , or in any other type of suitable memory element . in a multi - core processor environment , such calculations are speedy , because each bgrs can be independently calculated . the invention then creates an initial trial route by finding the initial minimum solution from the origin to the destination , travelling only through bgrs that lie , linearly , between the origin and destination 22 . as a boundary condition for the initial route calculation , the exit node of one bgr is the entry node of the adjoining bgr . by creating a matrix of possible solutions , the invention yields an explicit solution . once the initial trial route is identified , the solution engine adds all bgrs that were adjacent to gen 1 bgrs 23 , 18 , and largely repeats the above process . the new bgrs are termed gen 2 . gen 1 bgrs now use all nodes in the calculation . gen 2 bgrs use a reduced set of nodes , because not all nodes have an adjoining bgr associated with them . to calculate the gen 2 trial route , the potential solutions calculated in the gen 1 calculation are excluded , because they are found in the temporary array 20 . the invention , again , applies the boundary condition that the exit node of one bgr is the entry node of the adjoining bgr . by creating a matrix of possible unique solutions ( excluding gen 1 solutions ), the invention yields an explicit solution , the gen 2 trial route 22 . the process is repeated for gen 3 , in much the same way as for gen 2 23 , 18 . all bgrs adjoining gen 2 bgrs are added to the calculation . all previously considered trial solutions are excluded from the potential solution set . an explicit solution for the gen 3 trial route is calculated . call gen a the optimum solution . the exit criteria is selected so that c generations are completed , where c = a + b , where c is the total number of generations , a is the optimum generation , and b is the number of desired divergent solutions calculated after the optimum solution . for example , if the gen 1 trial route is preferable to the gen 2 or gen 3 trial route , and the calculations stop , presenting the gen 1 trial route to the user as the preferred route , c = 3 , a = 1 , and b = 2 . in practice , b is related to the distance between the origin and destination 23 . additionally , selection of b can be optimized through a simple error feedback function , where the error is related to the distance . the upper limit of b is set by the maximum speed limit . in other words , the process ends when the vehicle would have to exceed the maximum allowable speed limit around the periphery in order to offer a more preferable solution to the dependent variable than the currently available solution . for mvmd navigation , the above process is repeated for all vehicles . initial destinations are determined by minimizing the number of bgrs traversed in order for all vehicles to get to a preliminary destination . for each vehicle and destination pair , the above algorithm creates a route . at the first destination each vehicle is again assigned a destination , with the system attempting to minimize the number of bgrs traversed in order to get all vehicles to their next destination . in this way , it is possible to handle multiple vehicle multiple destination problems , with or without constraints .	6
in one embodiment of this invention , the catalyst precursor can be represented by the following formula : where m , n , p , r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 and x are defined above , and r 5 , r 6 , r 7 , r 8 , r 9 , r 10 , r 11 , and r 12 are independently hydrogen , fluorine , or c 1 - c 20 hydrocarbyl radicals . the organic group connecting between n and p takes the place of y , the hydrocarbyl bridge . in other invention embodiments , r 1 and r 2 are independently c 1 - c 12 hydrocarbyl radicals , c 1 - c 6 hydrocarbyl radicals , or methyl radicals . in these or other embodiments , r 3 and r 4 are independently c 6 - c 20 hydrocarbyl radicals , c 6 - c 12 hydrocarbyl radicals , aromatic radicals , cyclohexyl radicals , or phenyl radicals . specific , invention catalyst precursor examples are illustrated by the following formula where some components are listed in table 1 . for y , alkylenes are diradicals and include all isomers of bridge length 4 or greater , for example , hexylene includes 1 , 6 - hexylene , 2 , 5 - hexylene , 2 - methyl - 1 , 5 - pentylene , 3 - methyl - 1 , 5 - pentylene , 4 - methyl - 1 , 5 - pentylene , 1 , 5 - hexylene , 3 , 6 - hexylene , 2 - ethyl - 1 , 4 - butylene , 3 - ethyl - 1 , 4 - butylene , 4 - ethyl - 1 , 4 - butylene , and 1 , 4 - hexylene . to illustrate members of the transition metal component , select any combination listed in table 1 . for example , by choosing the first row components , the transition metal compound would be 1 -( n , n - dimethylamino )- 4 -( p , p - dimethylphosphino ) butylene nickel dichloride . by selecting a combination of components from table 1 , an example would be 2 -( n , n - dimethlamino )- 2 ′-( p , p - dicyclohexylphosphino ) biphenyl nickel dibromide . any combination of components may be selected . r 3 and r 4 can further independently be defined as one of the following substituents : where r ′ are independently , hydrogen or c 1 - c 50 hydrocarbyl radicals . additionally , any two adjacent r ′ may independently be joined to form a saturated or unsaturated cyclic structure . y can further be defined as one of the following bridging groups : where r ′ is as defined above , a is a non - hydrocarbon atom or group ( i . e . c ═ o , c ═ s , o , s , so 2 , nr , pr , br , sir 2 , ger * 2 and the like where r * is independently a hydrocarbyl or halocarbyl radical ), e is a group - 14 element including carbon , silicon and germanium , x is an integer from 1 to 4 , and y is an integer from 0 to 4 . common activators are useful with this invention : alumoxanes , such as methylalumoxane , modified methylalumoxane , ethylalumoxane and the like ; aluminum alkyls such as trimethyl aluminum , triethyl aluminum , triisopropyl aluminum and the like ; alkyl aluminum halides such as diethyl aluminum chloride and the like ; and alkylaluminum alkoxides . the alumoxane component useful as an activator typically is an oligomeric aluminum compound represented by the general formula ( r ″— al — o ) n , which is a cyclic compound , or r ″( r ″— al — o ) n alr ″ 2 , which is a linear compound . in the general alumoxane formula , r ″ is independently a c 1 - c 20 alkyl radical , for example , methyl , ethyl , propyl , butyl , pentyl , isomers thereof , and the like , and “ n ” is an integer from 1 - 50 . most preferably , r ″ is methyl and “ n ” is at least 4 . methylalumoxane and modified methylalumoxanes are most preferred . for further descriptions see , ep 279586 , ep 561476 , wo94 / 10180 and u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 665 , 208 , 4 , 908 , 463 , 4 , 924 , 018 , 4 , 952 , 540 , 4 , 968 , 827 , 5 , 041 , 584 , 5 , 103 , 031 , 5 , 157 , 137 , 5 , 235 , 081 , 5 , 248 , 801 , 5 , 329 , 032 , 5 , 391 , 793 , and 5 , 416 , 229 . the aluminum alkyl component useful as an activator is represented by the general formula r ″ alz 2 where r ″ is defined above , and each z is independently r ″ or a different univalent anionic ligand such as halogen ( cl , br , i ), alkoxide ( or ″) and the like . most preferred aluminum alkyls include triethylaluminum , diethylaluminum chloride , triisobutylaluminum , tri - n - octylaluminum and the like . when alumoxane or aluminum alkyl activators are used , the catalyst - precursor - to - activator molar ratio is from about 1 : 1000 to 10 : 1 ; alternatively , 1 : 500 to 1 : 1 ; or 1 : 300 to 1 : 10 . additionally , discrete ionic activators such as [ me 2 phnh ][ b ( c 6 f 5 ) 4 ], [ bu 3 nh ][ bf 4 ], [ nh 4 ][ pf 6 ], [ nh 4 ][ sbf 6 ], [ nh 4 ][ asf 6 ], [ nh 4 ][ b ( c 6 h 5 ) 4 ] or lewis acidic activators such as b ( c 6 f 5 ) 3 or b ( c 6 h 5 ) 3 can be used , if they are used in conjunction with a compound capable of alkylating the metal such as an alumoxane or aluminum alkyl . discrete ionic activators provide for an activated catalyst site and a relatively non - coordinating ( or weakly coordinating ) anion . activators of this type are well known in the literature , see for instance w . beck ., et al ., chem . rev ., vol . 88 , p . 1405 - 1421 ( 1988 ); s . h . strauss , chem . rev ., vol . 93 , p . 927 - 942 ( 1993 ); u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 198 , 401 , 5 , 278 , 119 , 5 , 387 , 568 , 5 , 763 , 549 , 5 , 807 , 939 , 6 , 262 , 202 , and wo93 / 14132 , wo99 / 45042 wo01 / 30785 and wo01 / 42249 . invention catalyst precursors can also be activated with cocatalysts or activators that comprise non - coordinating anions containing metalloid - free cyclopentadienide ions . these are described in u . s . patent publication 2002 - 0058765 a1 , published on 16 may 2002 . when a discrete ionic activator is used , the catalyst - precursor - to - activator molar ratio is from 1 : 10 to 1 . 2 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 5 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 1 . 2 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 5 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 1 . 2 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 5 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 1 . 2 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 5 : 1 . the catalyst - precursor - to - alkylating - agent molar ratio is from 1 : 10 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 25 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 10 to 5 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 25 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 2 to 5 : 1 ; 1 : 25 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 25 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 25 to 25 : 1 ; 1 : 25 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 25 to 5 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 25 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 3 to 5 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 10 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 2 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 25 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 3 : 1 ; 1 : 5 to 5 : 1 . the catalyst systems of this invention can additionally be prepared by combining in any order , the bidentate ligand : where n , p , y , r 1 , r 2 , r 3 and r 4 are as previously defined and a group - 8 , - 9 , or - 10 halide salt which may optionally be coordinated by solvent ( for example nix 2 or nix 2 . meoch 2 ch 2 ome where x ═ cl , br or i ) in an activator - compound solution ( for example methylalumoxane dissolved in toluene ). the reactants may be added in any order , or even essentially simultaneously . invention catalyst precursor solubility allows for the ready preparation of supported catalysts . to prepare uniform supported catalysts , the catalyst precursor should significantly dissolve in the chosen solvent . the term “ uniform supported catalyst ” means that the catalyst precursor or the activated catalyst approach uniform distribution upon the support &# 39 ; s accessible surface area , including the interior pore surfaces of porous supports . invention supported catalyst systems may be prepared by any method effective to support other coordination catalyst systems , effective meaning that the catalyst so prepared can be used for oligomerizing olefin in a heterogeneous process . the catalyst precursor , activator , suitable solvent , and support may be added in any order or simultaneously . in one invention embodiment , the activator , dissolved in an appropriate solvent such as toluene is stirred with the support material for 1 minute to 10 hours . the total volume of the activation solution may be greater than the pore volume of the support , but some embodiments limit the total solution volume below that needed to form a gel or slurry ( about 100 - 200 % of the pore volume ). the mixture is optionally heated to 30 - 200 ° c . during this time . the catalyst can be added to this mixture as a solid , if a suitable solvent is employed in the previous step , or as a solution . or alternatively , this mixture can be filtered , and the resulting solid mixed with a catalyst precursor solution . similarly , the mixture may be vacuum dried and mixed with a catalyst precursor solution . the resulting catalyst mixture is then stirred for 1 minute to 10 hours , and the catalyst is either filtered from the solution and vacuum dried , or vacuum or evaporation alone removes the solvent . in another invention embodiment , the catalyst precursor and activator are combined in solvent to form a solution . the support is then added to this solution and the mixture is stirred for 1 minute to 10 hours . the total volume of this solution may be greater than the pore volume of the support , but some embodiments limit the total solution volume below that needed to form a gel or slurry ( about 100 - 200 % pore volume ). the residual solvent is then removed under vacuum , typically at ambient temperature and over 10 - 16 hours . but greater or lesser times are possible . the catalyst precursor may also be supported in the absence of the activator , in which case the activator is added to the liquid phase of a slurry process . for example , a solution of catalyst precursor is mixed with a support material for a period of about 1 minute to 10 hours . the resulting catalyst precursor mixture is then filtered from the solution and dried under vacuum , or vacuum or evaporation alone removes the solvent . the total volume of the catalyst precursor solution may be greater than the pore volume of the support , but some embodiments limit the total solution volume below that needed to form a gel or slurry ( about 100 - 200 % of the pore volume ). additionally , two or more different catalyst precursors may be placed on the same support using any of the support methods disclosed above . likewise , two or more activators may be placed on the same support . suitable solid particle supports typically comprise polymeric or refractory oxide materials . some embodiments select porous supports ( such as for example , talc , inorganic oxides , inorganic chlorides ( magnesium chloride )) that have an average particle size greater than 10 μm . some embodiments select inorganic oxide materials as the support material including group - 2 , - 3 , - 4 , - 5 , - 13 , or - 14 metal or metalloid oxides . some embodiments select the catalyst support materials to include silica , alumina , silica - alumina , and their mixtures . other inorganic oxides may serve either alone or in combination with the silica , alumina , or silica - alumina . these are magnesia , titania , zirconia , and the like . lewis acidic materials such as montmorillonite and similar clays may also serve as a support . in this case , the support can optionally double as the activator component . but additional activator may also be used . as well know in the art , the support material may be pretreated by any number of methods . for example , inorganic oxides may be calcined , and / or chemically treated with dehydroxylating agents such as aluminum alkyls and the like . some embodiments select the carrier of invention catalysts to have a surface area of 10 - 700 m 2 / g , or pore volume of 0 . 1 - 4 . 0 cc / g , and average particle size from 10 - 500 μm . but greater or lesser values may also be used . invention catalysts may generally be deposited on the support at a loading level of 10 - 100 micromoles of catalyst precursor per gram of solid support ; alternately from 20 - 80 micromoles of catalyst precursor per gram of solid support ; or from 40 - 60 micromoles of catalyst precursor per gram of support . but greater or lesser values may be used . some embodiments select greater or lesser values , but require that the total amount of solid catalyst precursor does not exceed the support &# 39 ; s pore volume . additionally , oxidizing agents may be added to the supported or unsupported catalyst as described in wo 01 / 68725 . invention polymerization catalyst systems can comprise additional olefin polymerization catalysts . these additional olefin polymerization catalysts are any of those well known in the art to catalyze the olefin to polyolefin reaction . some invention catalysts systems include group - 4 - 6 metallocenes as additional olefin polymerization catalysts . metallocenes include ( un ) bridged compounds containing one ( mono ( cyclopentadienyl ) metallocenes ) or two ( bis ( cyclopentadienyl ) metallocenes ) ( un ) substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand ( s ). in bridged metallocenes , a single , cyclopentadienyl ligand connects to a heteroatom ligand with both coordinating to the metal center , or two cyclopentadienyl ligands connect together with both cyclopentadienyl ligands coordinating to the metal center . typical catalysts and their precursors are well known in the art . suitable description appears in the patent literature , for example u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 871 , 705 , 4 , 937 , 299 , 5 , 324 , 800 , ep - a - 0418044 , ep - a - 0591756 , wo - a - 92 / 00333 and wo - a - 94 / 01471 . some embodiments select the metallocene compounds from mono - or bis - cyclopentadienyl - substituted , group - 4 , - 5 , and - 6 metals in which cyclopentadienyls are ( un ) substituted with one or more groups or are bridged to each other or to a metal - coordinated heteroatom . some embodiments select similar metallocene compounds except they are not necessarily bridged to each other or to a metal - coordinated heteroatom . see u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 278 , 264 and 5 , 304 , 614 . some invention catalysts systems include the following additional olefin polymerization catalysts . metallocene compounds suitable for linear polyethylene or ethylene - containing copolymer production ( where copolymer means comprising at least two different monomers ) are essentially those disclosed in wo - a - 92 / 00333 , wo 97 / 44370 and u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 001 , 205 , 5 , 057 , 475 , 5 , 198 , 401 , 5 , 304 , 614 , 5 , 308 , 816 and 5 , 324 , 800 . selection of metallocene compounds for isotactic or syndiotactic polypropylene blend production , and their syntheses , are well - known in the patent and academic literature , e . g . journal of organometallic chemistry 369 , 359 - 370 ( 1989 ). typically , those catalysts are stereorigid , asymmetric , chiral , or bridged - chiral metallocenes . invention activators are suited for activating these types of catalyst precursors . likewise , some invention catalysts systems include the following additional olefin polymerization catalysts : monocyclopentadienyl metallocenes with group - 15 or - 16 heteroatoms connected , through a bridging group , to a cyclopentadienyl - ligand ring carbon . both the cyclopentadienyl cp - ligand and the heteroatom connect to a transition metal . some embodiments select a group - 4 transition metal . additionally , unbridged monocyclopentadienyl , heteroatom - containing group - 4 components of wo 97 / 22639 will function with this invention . moreover , transition metal systems with high - oxidation - state , group - 5 - 10 transition - metal centers are known and can serve as the additional olefin polymerization catalysts with invention catalyst systems . invention catalyst systems can use non - cyclopentadienyl , group - 4 - 5 precursor compounds as the additional olefin polymerization catalysts . non - cyclopentadienyl , group - 4 - 5 precursor compounds are activable to stable , discrete cationic complexes include those containing bulky , chelating , diamide ligands , such as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 318 , 935 and “ conformationally rigid diamide complexes : synthesis and structure of tantalum ( iii ) alkyne derivatives ”, d . h . mcconville , et al , organometallics 1995 , 14 , 3154 - 3156 . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 318 , 935 describes bridged and unbridged , bis - amido catalyst compounds of group - 4 metals capable of α - olefins polymerization . bridged bis ( arylamido ) group - 4 compounds for olefin polymerization are described by d . h . mcconville , et al ., in organometallics 1995 , 14 , 5478 - 5480 . synthetic methods and compound characterization are presented . further work appearing in d . h . mcconville , et al , macromolecules 1996 , 29 , 5241 - 5243 , describes bridged bis ( arylamido ) group - 4 compounds that are polymerization catalysts for 1 - hexene . additional invention - suitable transition - metal compounds include those described in wo 96 / 40805 . cationic group - 3 - or lanthanide olefin polymerization complexes are disclosed in copending u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 408 , 050 , filed 29 sep . 1999 , and its equivalent pct / us99 / 22690 . a monoanionic bidentate ligand and two monoanionic ligands stabilize those catalyst precursors ; they are activable with this invention &# 39 ; s ionic cocatalysts . other suitable group - 4 - 5 non - metallocene catalysts are bimetallocyclic catalyst compounds comprising two independently selected group - 4 - 5 metal atoms directly linked through two bridging groups to form cyclic compounds . invention catalyst systems can use other transition metal catalyst precursors that have a 2 + oxidation state as the additional olefin polymerization catalyst . typical ni 2 + and pd 2 + complexes are diimines , see “ new pd ( ii )- and ni ( ii )- based catalysts for polymerization of ethylene and α - olefins ”, m . brookhart , et al , j . am . chem . soc ., 1995 , 117 , 6414 - 6415 , wo 96 / 23010 and wo 97 / 02298 . see additionally the related bis ( imino ) group - 8 and - 9 organometallic compounds described by v . c . gibson and others in “ novel olefin polymerization catalysts based on iron and cobalt ”, chem . commun ., 849 - 850 , 1998 . in the invention oligomerization processes , the process temperature may be − 100 ° c . to 300 ° c ., − 20 ° c . to 200 ° c ., or 0 ° c . to 150 ° c . some embodiments select ethylene oligomerization pressures ( gauge ) from 0 kpa - 35 mpa or 500 kpa - 15 mpa . the preferred and primary feedstock for the oligomerization process is the α - olefin , ethylene . but other α - olefins , including but not limited to propylene and 1 - butene , may also be used alone or combined with ethylene . in an embodiment , the catalyst system is reacted with ethylene , propylene , 1 - butene , or a mixture of any two or all three of ethylene , propylene , and 1 - butene . invention oligomerization processes may be run in the presence of various liquids , particularly aprotic organic liquids . the homogeneous catalyst system , ethylene , α - olefins , and product are soluble in these liquids . a supported ( heterogeneous ) catalyst system may also be used , but will form a slurry rather than a solution . suitable liquids for both homo - and heterogeneous catalyst systems , include alkanes , alkenes , cycloalkanes , selected halogenated hydrocarbons , aromatic hydrocarbons , and in some cases , hydrofluorocarbons . useful solvents specifically include hexane , toluene , cyclohexane , and benzene . in an embodiment , the catalyst &# 39 ; s activity exceeds 8000 moles of ethylene per mole transition metal per hour . also , mixtures of α - olefins containing desirable numbers of carbon atoms may be obtained . factor k from the schulz - flory theory ( see for instance b . elvers , et al ., ed . ullmann &# 39 ; s encyclopedia of industrial chemistry , vol . a13 , vch verlagsgesellschaft mbh , weinheim , 1989 , p . 243 - 247 and 275 - 276 ) serves as a measure of these α - olefins &# 39 ; molecular weights . from this theory , where n ( c n olefin ) is the number of moles of olefin containing n carbon atoms , and n ( c n + 2 olefin ) is the number of moles of olefin containing n + 2 carbon atoms , or in other words the next higher oligomer of c n olefin . from this can be determined the weight ( mass ) fractions of the various olefins in the resulting product . the ability to vary this factor provides the ability to choose the then - desired olefins . in an embodiment , the polymerization methods further comprising recovering a product comprising greater than 50 mol % of linear c 4 - c 14 alpha - olefins based on the total weight of polymerized product . alternately the product comprises greater than 80 mol % of linear c 4 - c 14 alpha - olefins . in another embodiment , the polymerization product comprises greater than 50 mol % of linear c 4 and c 6 alpha - olefins , alternately greater than 80 mol % of linear c 4 and c 6 alpha - olefins . invention - made α - olefins may be further polymerized with other olefins to form polyolefins , especially linear low - density polyethylenes , which are copolymers containing ethylene . they may also be homopolymerized . these polymers may be made by a number of known methods , such as ziegler - natta - type polymerization , metallocene catalyzed polymerization , and other methods , see for instance wo 96 / 23010 , see for instance angew . chem ., int . ed . engl ., vol . 34 , p . 1143 - 1170 ( 1995 ); european patent application , 416 , 815 ; and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 198 , 401 for information about metallocene - type catalysts , and j . boor jr ., ziegler - natta catalysts and polymerizations , academic press , new york , 1979 and g . allen , et al ., ed ., comprehensive polymer science , vol . 4 , pergamon press , oxford , 1989 , pp . 1 - 108 , 409 - 412 and 533 - 584 , for information about ziegler - natta - type catalysts , and h . mark , et al ., ed ., encyclopedia of polymer science and engineering , vol . 6 , john wiley & amp ; sons , new york , 1992 , p . 383 - 522 , for information about polyethylene . invention - made α - olefins may be converted to alcohols by known processes , these alcohols being useful for a variety of applications such as intermediates for detergents or plasticizers . the α - olefins may be converted to alcohols by a variety of processes , such as the oxo process followed by hydrogenation , or by a modified , single - step oxo process ( the modified shell process ), see for instance b . elvers , et al ., ed ., ullmann &# 39 ; s encyclopedia of chemical technology , 5th ed ., vol . a18 , vch verlagsgesellschaft mbh , weinheim , 1991 , p . 321 - 327 . a set of exemplary catalyst precursors is set out below . these are by way of example only and are not intended to list every catalyst precursor that is within the scope of the invention . the following examples are presented to illustrate the discussion above . although the examples may be directed toward certain embodiments of the present invention , they do not limit the invention in any specific way . in these examples , certain abbreviations are used to facilitate the description . these include standard chemical abbreviations for the elements and certain , commonly accepted abbreviations , such as : me = methyl , ph = phenyl , cy = cyclohexyl , mao = methylalumoxane , cod = cyclooctadiene and dme = ethylene glycol dimethyl ether . all preparations were performed under an inert nitrogen atmosphere using standard schlenk or glovebox techniques , unless mentioned otherwise . dry solvents ( toluene , diethyl ether , pentane , methylene chloride ) were purchased as anhydrous solvents and further purified by passing them down an alumina ( fluka ) column . ethylene ( 99 . 9 % ) was purchased from boc ( surrey , united kingdom ). 2 -( n , n - dimethlamino )- 2 ′-( dicyclohexylphosphino ) biphenyl and 2 -( n , n - dimethlamino )- 2 ′-( diphenylphosphino ) biphenyl were purchased from strem chemicals , inc . tetramethyltin , nickel ( ii ) bromide ethylene glycol dimethylether complex , and dichloro ( 1 , 5 - cyclooctadiene ) palladium ( ii ) were purchased from aldrich chemical company . deuterated solvents were dried with cah and vacuum distilled prior to use . ch 2 cl 2 ( 25 ml ) was added to a schlenk flask containing 2 -( n , n - dimethlamino )- 2 ′-( dicyclohexylphosphino ) biphenyl ( 2 . 00 g , 5 . 10 mmol ) and ( dme ) nibr 2 ( 1 . 23 g , 4 . 0 mmol ) in a dry box . a dark blue solution formed immediately upon mixing . this solution was stirred for 20 hours . then , it was filtered and recrystallized from ch 2 cl 2 / pentane . the product was washed three times with an additional 15 ml of pentane and dried for 1 hour under vacuum . a blue powder was isolated in 49 . 0 % yield . the product was soluble in ch 2 cl 2 . 1 h nmr indicates that it is paramagnetic . anal . calcd for ( c 26 h 36 npbr 2 ni ): c , 51 . 02 %; h , 5 . 94 %; n , 2 . 29 %; p , 5 . 06 %. found : c , 50 . 72 %; h , 6 . 10 %; n , 2 . 12 %; p , 5 . 02 %. the ir ( cm − 1 , kbr ): 272 , v ( ni — br ). this compound has also been characterized by x - ray crystallography . ch 2 cl 2 ( 25 ml ) was added to a schlenk flask containing the 2 -( n , n - dimethlamino )- 2 ′-( diphenylphosphino ) biphenyl ( 2 . 00 g , 5 . 2 mmol ) and ( dme ) nibr 2 ( 1 . 30 g , 4 . 2 mmol ) in a dry box . a green solution formed immediately upon mixing . this solution was stirred for 20 hours . then , it was filtered and recrystallized from ch 2 cl 2 / pentane . the product was washed three times with an additional 15 ml of pentane and dried for 1 hour under vacuum . a green powder was isolated in 69 . 3 % yield . the product was soluble in ch 2 cl 2 . 1 h nmr indicates that it is paramagnetic . anal . calcd for ( c 26 h 24 npbr 2 ni ): c , 52 . 03 %; h , 4 . 08 %; n , 2 . 33 %; p , 5 . 16 %. found : c , 1 . 20 %; h , 4 . 24 %; n , 2 . 14 %; p , 5 . 29 %. ( cod ) pdcl 2 ( 2 . 0 g , 7 . 0 mmol ) was mixed with tetramethyltin ( 1 . 16 ml , 8 . 4 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 50 ml ) at room temperature . the mixture was stirred overnight until the bright yellow color of the precursor had vanished . the resulting mixture was filtered through celite yielding a pale yellow solution . the solvent was removed from that solution , leaving behind an off - white solid , ( cod ) pdclme , which was washed twice with diethyl ether and dried under vacuum . a solution of the white ( cod ) pdclme complex ( 0 . 775 g , 0 . 0029 mol dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 ) was reacted with 2 -( n , n - dimethlamino )- 2 ′-( dicyclohexylphosphino ) biphenyl ( 1 . 78 g , 0 . 0045 mol ). as a result , a light yellow palladium complex formed . 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cd 2 cl 2 , δ , ppm ): 0 . 88 - 2 . 94 m ( 22h , 2 × c 6 h 11 ); 1 . 06 d ( 3h , pdch 3 , j ph = 2 . 5 hz ); 2 . 87 s ( 6h , 2 × ch 3 ); 6 . 75 - 7 . 68 m ( 8h , 2 × c 6 h 4 ). anal . calcd for ( c 27 h 39 npclpd ): c , 58 . 91 %; h , 7 . 16 %; n , 2 . 55 %; p , 5 . 63 %. found : c , 59 . 21 %; h , 7 . 31 %; n , 2 . 38 %; p , 5 . 41 %. oligomerization reactions were run in 300 ml hastelloyc parr reactor equipped with a mechanical stirrer . catalyst ( dissolved in 75 ml toluene ) was added to the reactor under argon . ethylene was added to the reactor at 100 psig , and then , the reactor was vented to maintain an atmosphere of ethylene . methylalumoxane solution ( albemarle , 30 wt % in toluene ) was then cannulated in to the reactor . this process caused catalyst activation to be completed in the presence of the monomer . after activation , the ethylene pressure was adjusted to the desired value . it was attempted to maintain the reactor temperature at room temperature ; but in cases where the exotherm was very large , higher reaction temperatures were reached . after the reaction had run for an hour , the reactor was cooled in an acetone / dry ice bath and vented . the reaction was quenched with methanol . a sample of the product solution was analyzed by gc / ms after adding nonane as an internal standard . in the case of supported transition metal compounds , silica - loaded samples were prepared by adding a solution of the transition metal complex in methylene chloride to silica followed by overnight drying of the silica under vacuum . mao was added to the reactor solution prior to adding the supported transition metal compound . the results of the oligomerization reactions are tabulated below in table 2 . c after removing all volatiles at room temperature under vacuum , traces of higher oligomers were observed by nmr in the residue with 84 mol % of terminal olefins ; gc / ms of the same residue showed c 16 to c 24 oligomers . while certain representative embodiments and details have been shown to illustrate the invention , it will be apparent to skilled artisans that various process and product changes from those currently disclosed may be made without departing from this invention &# 39 ; s scope . the appended claims define the invention &# 39 ; s scope . all cited patents , test procedures , priority documents , and other cited documents are fully incorporated by reference to the extent that this material is consistent with this specification and for all jurisdictions in which such incorporation is permitted . certain features of the present invention are described in terms of a set of numerical upper limits and a set of numerical lower limits . this specification discloses all ranges formed by any combination of these limits . all combinations of these limits are within the scope of the invention unless otherwise indicated .	2
the description that follows relates to a spinal cord stimulation ( scs ) system . however , it is to be understood that the while the invention lends itself well to applications in scs , the invention , in its broadest aspects , may not be so limited . rather , the invention may be used with any type of implantable electrical circuitry used to stimulate tissue . for example , the present invention may be used as part of a pacemaker , a defibrillator , a cochlear stimulator , a retinal stimulator , a stimulator configured to produce coordinated limb movement , a cortical stimulator , a deep brain stimulator , peripheral nerve stimulator , microstimulator , or in any other neural stimulator configured to treat urinary incontinence , sleep apnea , shoulder sublaxation , headache , etc . turning first to fig3 , an exemplary spinal cord stimulation ( scs ) system 10 generally includes one or more ( in this case , two ) implantable stimulation leads 12 , a pulse generating device in the form of an implantable pulse generator ( ipg ) 14 , an external control device in the form of a remote controller rc 16 , a clinician &# 39 ; s programmer ( cp ) 18 , an external trial stimulator ( ets ) 20 , and an external charger 22 . the ipg 14 is physically connected via one or more percutaneous lead extensions 24 to the stimulation leads 12 , which carry a plurality of electrodes 26 arranged in an array . in the illustrated embodiment , the stimulation leads 12 are percutaneous leads , and to this end , the electrodes 26 are arranged in - line along the stimulation leads 12 . in alternative embodiments , the electrodes 26 may be arranged in a two - dimensional pattern on a single paddle lead . as will be described in further detail below , the ipg 14 includes pulse generation circuitry that delivers electrical stimulation energy in the form of a pulsed electrical waveform ( i . e ., a temporal series of electrical pulses ) to the electrode array 26 in accordance with a set of stimulation parameters . the ets 20 may also be physically connected via the percutaneous lead extensions 28 and external cable 30 to the stimulation leads 12 . the ets 20 , which has similar pulse generation circuitry as that of the ipg 14 , also delivers electrical stimulation energy to the electrode array 26 in accordance with a set of stimulation parameters . the major difference between the ets 20 and the ipg 14 is that the ets 20 is a non - implantable device that is used on a trial basis after the stimulation leads 12 have been implanted and prior to implantation of the ipg 14 , to test the responsiveness of the stimulation that is to be provided . further details of an exemplary ets are described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 895 , 280 , which is expressly incorporated herein by reference . the rc 16 may be used to telemetrically control the ets 20 via a bi - directional rf communications link 32 . once the ipg 14 and stimulation leads 12 are implanted , the rc 16 may be used to telemetrically control the ipg 14 via a bi - directional rf communications link 34 . such control allows the ipg 14 to be turned on or off and to be programmed with different stimulation parameter sets . the ipg 14 may also be operated to modify the programmed stimulation parameters to actively control the characteristics of the electrical stimulation energy output by the ipg 14 . the cp 18 provides clinician detailed stimulation parameters for programming the ipg 14 and ets 20 in the operating room and in follow - up sessions . the cp 18 may perform this function by indirectly communicating with the ipg 14 or ets 20 , through the rc 16 , via an ir communications link 36 . alternatively , the cp 18 may directly communicate with the ipg 14 or ets 20 via an rf communications link ( not shown ). the clinician detailed stimulation parameters provided by the cp 18 are also used to program the rc 16 , so that the stimulation parameters can be subsequently modified by operation of the rc 16 in a stand - alone mode ( i . e ., without the assistance of the cp 18 ). the external charger 22 is a portable device used to transcutaneously charge the ipg 14 via an inductive link 38 . once the ipg 14 has been programmed , and its power source has been charged by the external charger 22 or otherwise replenished , the ipg 14 may function as programmed without the rc 16 or cp 18 being present . for purposes of brevity , the details of the rc 16 , cp 18 , ets 20 , and external charger 22 will not be described herein . details of exemplary embodiments of these devices are disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 895 , 280 , which is expressly incorporated herein by reference . as shown in fig4 , the electrode leads 12 are implanted within the spinal column 42 of a patient 40 . the preferred placement of the electrode leads 12 is adjacent , i . e ., resting upon near , or upon the dura , adjacent to the spinal cord area to be stimulated . due to the lack of space near the location where the electrode leads 12 exit the spinal column 42 , the ipg 14 is generally implanted in a surgically - made pocket either in the abdomen or above the buttocks . the ipg 14 may , of course , also be implanted in other locations of the patient &# 39 ; s body . the lead extension 24 facilitates locating the ipg 14 away from the exit point of the electrode leads 12 . as there shown , the cp 18 communicates with the ipg 14 via the rc 16 . referring now to fig5 , the external features of the stimulation leads 12 and the ipg 14 will be briefly described . one of the stimulation leads 12 has eight electrodes 26 ( labeled e 1 - e 8 ), and the other stimulation lead 12 has eight electrodes 26 ( labeled e 9 - e 16 ). the actual number and shape of leads and electrodes will , of course , vary according to the intended application . the ipg 14 comprises an outer case 50 for housing the electronic and other components ( described in further detail below ), and a connector 52 to which the proximal ends of the stimulation leads 12 mate in a manner that electrically couples the electrodes 26 to the internal electronics ( described in further detail below ) within the outer case 50 . the outer case 50 is composed of an electrically conductive , biocompatible material , such as titanium , and forms a hermetically sealed compartment wherein the internal electronics are protected from the body tissue and fluids . in some cases , the outer case 50 may serve as an electrode . as briefly discussed above , the ipg 14 includes battery and pulse generation circuitry that delivers the electrical stimulation energy in the form of a pulsed electrical waveform to the electrode array 26 in accordance with a set of stimulation parameters programmed into the ipg 14 . such stimulation parameters may comprise electrode combinations , which define the electrodes that are activated as anodes ( positive ), cathodes ( negative ), and turned off ( zero ), percentage of stimulation energy assigned to each electrode ( fractionalized electrode configurations ), and electrical pulse parameters , which define the pulse amplitude ( measured in milliamps or volts depending on whether the ipg 14 supplies constant current or constant voltage to the electrode array 26 ), pulse width ( measured in microseconds ), and pulse rate ( measured in pulses per second ), pulse shape , and burst rate ( measured as the stimulation on duration per unit time ). electrical stimulation will occur between two ( or more ) activated electrodes , one of which may be the ipg case 50 . simulation energy may be transmitted to the tissue in a monopolar or multipolar ( e . g ., bipolar , tripolar , etc .) fashion . monopolar stimulation occurs when a selected one of the lead electrodes 26 is activated along with the case 50 of the ipg 14 , so that stimulation energy is transmitted between the selected electrode 26 and case 50 . bipolar stimulation occurs when two of the lead electrodes 26 are activated as anode and cathode , so that stimulation energy is transmitted between the selected electrodes 26 . for example , electrode e 3 on the first lead 12 may be activated as an anode at the same time that electrode e 11 on the second lead 12 is activated as a cathode . tripolar stimulation occurs when three of the lead electrodes 26 are activated , two as anodes and the remaining one as a cathode , or two as cathodes and the remaining one as an anode . for example , electrodes e 4 and e 5 on the first lead 12 may be activated as anodes at the same time that electrode e 12 on the second lead 12 is activated as a cathode . the stimulation energy may be delivered between electrodes as monophasic electrical energy or multiphasic electrical energy . monophasic electrical energy includes a series of pulses that are either all positive ( anodic ) or all negative ( cathodic ). multiphasic electrical energy includes a series of pulses that alternate between positive and negative . for example , multiphasic electrical energy may include a series of biphasic pulses , with each biphasic pulse including a cathodic ( negative ) stimulation pulse and an anodic ( positive ) recharge pulse that is generated after the stimulation pulse to prevent direct current charge transfer through the tissue , thereby avoiding electrode degradation and cell trauma . that is , charge is conveyed through the electrode - tissue interface via current at an electrode during a stimulation period ( the length of the stimulation pulse ), and then pulled back off the electrode - tissue interface via an oppositely polarized current at the same electrode during a recharge period ( the length of the recharge pulse ). turning next to fig6 , the main internal components of the ipg 14 will now be described . the ipg 14 includes analog output circuitry 60 configured for generating electrical stimulation energy in accordance with a defined pulsed waveform having a specified pulse amplitude , pulse rate , pulse width , pulse shape , and burst rate under control of control logic 62 over data bus 64 . control of the pulse rate and pulse width of the electrical waveform is facilitated by timer logic circuitry 66 , which may have a suitable resolution , e . g ., 10 μs . the electrical stimulation energy generated by the output analog circuitry 60 is output via capacitors c 1 - c 16 to electrical terminals 68 corresponding to the electrodes 26 . the analog output circuitry 60 may either comprise independently controlled current sources for providing electrical stimulation energy of a specified and known amperage to or from the electrical terminals 68 , or independently controlled voltage sources for providing electrical stimulation energy of a specified and known voltage at the electrical terminals 68 or to multiplexed current or voltage sources that are then connected to the electrical terminals 68 . the operation of the analog output circuitry 60 , including alternative embodiments of suitable output circuitry for performing the same function of generating stimulation pulses of a prescribed amplitude and width , is described more fully in u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 516 , 227 and 6 , 993 , 384 , which are expressly incorporated herein by reference . significantly , as will be described in further detail below , the analog output circuitry 60 presents symmetrical outputs to both the anodes and cathodes that will not be subject to the differential voltage shifts in the circuitry discussed in the background . furthermore , the analog output circuitry 60 references the voltages at the anodes and cathodes to the tissue rather than a voltage internal to the ipg 14 . the ipg 14 further comprises monitoring circuitry 70 for monitoring the status of various nodes or other points 72 throughout the ipg 14 , e . g ., power supply voltages , temperature , battery voltage , and the like . the monitoring circuitry 70 is also configured for measuring electrical parameter data ( e . g ., electrode impedance and / or electrode field potential ). the ipg 14 further comprises processing circuitry in the form of a microcontroller ( μc ) 74 that controls the control logic 62 over data bus 76 , and obtains status data from the monitoring circuitry 70 via data bus 78 . the ipg 14 further comprises memory 80 and oscillator and clock circuit 82 coupled to the microcontroller 74 . the microcontroller 74 , in combination with the memory 80 and oscillator and clock circuit 82 , thus comprise a microprocessor system that carries out a program function in accordance with a suitable program stored in the memory 80 . alternatively , for some applications , the function provided by the microprocessor system may be carried out by a suitable state machine . thus , the microcontroller 74 generates the necessary control and status signals , which allow the microcontroller 74 to control the operation of the ipg 14 in accordance with a selected operating program and stimulation parameters . in controlling the operation of the ipg 14 , the microcontroller 74 is able to individually generate stimulus pulses and electrical background energy at the electrical terminals 68 using the analog output circuitry 60 , in combination with the control logic 62 and timer logic circuitry 66 , thereby allowing each electrical terminal 68 ( and thus , each electrode 26 ) to be paired or grouped with other electrical terminals 68 ( and thus , other electrodes 26 ), including the monopolar case electrode , to control the polarity , amplitude , rate , pulse width , pulse shape , burst rate , and channel through which the current stimulus pulses and associated electrical background energy are provided . the microcontroller 74 facilitates the storage of electrical parameter data measured by the monitoring circuitry 70 within memory 80 . the ipg 14 further comprises a receiving coil 84 for receiving programming data ( e . g ., the operating program and / or stimulation parameters ) from the external programmer ( i . e ., the rc 16 or cp 18 ) in an appropriate modulated carrier signal , and charging , and circuitry 86 for demodulating the carrier signal it receives through the receiving coil 84 to recover the programming data , which programming data is then stored within the memory 80 , or within other memory elements ( not shown ) distributed throughout the ipg 14 . the ipg 14 further comprises back telemetry circuitry 88 and a transmission coil 90 for sending informational data to the external programmer . the back telemetry features of the ipg 14 also allow its status to be checked . for example , when the cp 18 initiates a programming session with the ipg 14 , the capacity of the battery is telemetered , so that the cp 18 can calculate the estimated time to recharge . any changes made to the current stimulus parameters are confirmed through back telemetry , thereby assuring that such changes have been correctly received and implemented within the implant system . moreover , upon interrogation by the cp 18 , all programmable settings stored within the ipg 14 may be uploaded to the cp 18 . the ipg 14 further comprises a rechargeable power source 92 and power circuits 94 for providing the operating power to the ipg 14 . the rechargeable power source 92 may , e . g ., comprise a lithium - ion or lithium - ion polymer battery or other form of rechargeable power . the rechargeable source 92 provides an unregulated voltage to the power circuits 94 . the power circuits 94 , in turn , generate the various voltages 96 , some of which are regulated and some of which are not , as needed by the various circuits located within the ipg 14 . the rechargeable power source 92 is recharged using rectified ac power ( or dc power converted from ac power through other means , e . g ., efficient ac - to - dc converter circuits , also known as “ inverter circuits ”) received by the receiving coil 84 . to recharge the power source 92 , the external charger 22 ( shown in fig3 ), which generates the ac magnetic field , is placed against , or otherwise adjacent , to the patient &# 39 ; s skin over the implanted ipg 14 . the ac magnetic field emitted by the external charger induces ac currents in the receiving coil 84 . the charging and forward telemetry circuitry 86 rectifies the ac current to produce dc current , which is used to charge the power source 92 . while the receiving coil 84 is described as being used for both wirelessly receiving communications ( e . g ., programming and control data ) and charging energy from the external device , it should be appreciated that the receiving coil 84 can be arranged as a dedicated charging coil , while another coil , such as the coil 90 , can be used for bi - directional telemetry . additional details concerning the above - described and other ipgs may be found in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 516 , 227 , u . s . patent publication no . 2003 / 0139781 , and u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 138 , 632 , entitled “ low power loss current digital - to - analog converter used in an implantable pulse generator ,” which are expressly incorporated herein by reference . it should be noted that rather than an ipg , the scs system 10 may alternatively utilize an implantable receiver - stimulator ( not shown ) connected to the stimulation leads 12 . in this case , the power source , e . g ., a battery , for powering the implanted receiver , as well as control circuitry to command the receiver - stimulator , will be contained in an external controller inductively coupled to the receiver - stimulator via an electromagnetic link . data / power signals are transcutaneously coupled from a cable - connected transmission coil placed over the implanted receiver - stimulator . the implanted receiver - stimulator receives the signal and generates the stimulation energy and background energy in accordance with the control signals . as briefly discussed above , the analog output circuitry 60 presents symmetrical outputs to both the anodes and cathodes . for example , with reference to fig7 a , a first voltage source 102 a is coupled to an anode 100 a , and a second voltage source 102 b is coupled to a cathode 100 b . this is in contrast to the single - ended voltage regulated circuit illustrated in fig1 a . thus , because there is a voltage source at both the anode 100 a and the cathode 100 b , voltage shifts within the analog output circuitry 60 will not be conducted to the anode 100 a and cathode 100 b differentially . alternatively , with reference to fig7 b , a first current source 104 a is coupled to the anode 100 a , and a second current source 104 b is coupled to the cathode 100 b . this is in contrast to the single - ended current regulated circuit illustrated in fig1 b . in this case , the current sources present a high impedance to the respective anode 100 a and cathode 100 b , thereby isolating the anode 100 a and cathode 100 b from voltage shifts within the analog output circuitry 60 . as also briefly discussed above , the analog output circuitry 60 references the voltages at the anodes and cathodes to the tissue rather than a voltage internal to the ipg 14 . to this end , the ipg 14 is provided with a grounding electrode 106 configured for being placed in contract with tissue . for example , the grounding electrode 106 may be located on the case 50 or may be the case 50 itself . in the illustrated embodiment , the analog output circuitry 60 regulates the voltages at the anodes and cathodes , such that the common mode signal ( i . e ., the average of the anode voltage shift and cathode voltage shift relative to the reference voltage ( in this case , the grounding electrode 106 )) will be equal to or less than the differential voltage between the cathodes and anodes , as illustrated in fig1 . with reference back to fig7 a , the first voltage source 102 a is electrically coupled between the anode 100 a and the grounding electrode 106 , and the second voltage source 102 b is electrically coupled between the cathode 100 b and the grounding electrode 106 . as a result , the voltages at the respective anode 100 a and cathode 100 b relative to the tissue may be controlled , so that large voltages are not applied to the tissue . the voltage values respectively output by the first and second voltage sources 102 a , 102 b can be set to be equal in order to minimize the maximum voltage seen by the tissue . for example , if the desired voltage potential between the anode 100 a and the cathode 100 b is 5v , the first voltage source 102 a can be set to output a voltage of 2 . 5v relative to the grounding electrode 106 ( and thus , the tissue ), and the second voltage source 102 b can be set to output a voltage of − 2 . 5v relative to the grounding electrode 106 ( and thus , the tissue ). essentially , in this case , the voltage of the common mode signal would be zero . notably , the internal reference voltage of the analog output circuitry 60 is irrelevant , since the voltage sources 102 a , 102 b are not referenced to this internal voltage . with reference to fig7 b , the first current source 104 a is electrically coupled between the anode 100 a and the grounding electrode 106 , and the second voltage source 102 b is electrically coupled between the cathode 100 b and the grounding electrode 106 . thus , the electrical current flowing through each of the anode 100 a and the cathode 100 b can be controlled . in this case , where there the anode 100 a and cathode 100 b are the only active electrodes , the absolute value of the electrical current magnitude flowing through the anode 100 a will be essentially equal to the electrical current magnitude flowing through the cathode 100 b ; however , the electrical currents flowing through the anode 100 a and cathode 100 b will be oppositely polarized . for example , the current output by the first current source 104 a may be set at 2 . 5 ma , while the current output by the second current source 104 b may be set at − 2 . 5 ma . essentially , in this case , the voltage of the common mode signal would be zero assuming that the tissue impedances on the cathodes and anodes are equal . although the current sources 104 a , 104 b regulate the current flowing through the anode 100 a and cathode 100 b , the voltages at the respective anode 100 a and cathode 100 b relative to the tissue may still be controlled , so that large voltages are not applied to the tissue . in particular , the currents required to be output by the respective current sources 100 a , 100 b to achieve the voltage distribution desired at the respective anode 100 a and cathode 100 b relative to the tissue can be computed in a conventional manner . although each of the voltage sources 102 a , 102 b and current sources 104 a , 104 b in the topologies illustrated in fig7 a and 7 b are coupled to only a single electrode , it should be appreciated that each of these sources can be coupled to multiple electrodes ( either a group of anodes 100 a or a group of cathodes 100 b ), as illustrated in fig8 a and 8 b . furthermore , multiple sources of the same type can be respectively connected to multiple electrodes at the same time . for example , two voltage sources 102 a or two current sources 104 a can be respectively connected to two anodes 100 a at the same time , or two voltage sources 102 b or two current sources 104 b can be respectively connected to two cathodes 100 at the same time , as illustrated in fig9 a and 9 b . thus , this concept can be applied to a multiplicity of anodes and a multiplicity of cathodes where the positive shifts in voltage on the anode and negative shifts in voltage on the cathodes are such that the average shift is zero or at least less than one half of the maximum differential voltage between any anode and cathode pair during the stimulation pulse . it can be appreciated from the foregoing that the voltage or voltages at the anode or anodes 100 a relative to the tissue can be regulated , and the voltage or voltages at the cathode or cathodes 100 b can be regulated , while the electrical stimulation energy is conveyed between the anode or anodes 100 a and the cathode or cathodes 100 b . if any of the topologies illustrated in fig7 b , 8 b , or 9 b or used , the currents flowing through the anode or anodes 100 a and the cathode or cathodes 100 b can be regulated although particular embodiments of the present inventions have been shown and described , it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the present inventions to the preferred embodiments , and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present inventions . thus , the present inventions are intended to cover alternatives , modifications , and equivalents , which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present inventions as defined by the claims .	0
a psk demodulator is connected to the input side of the viterbi decoder of fig1 and in the case of a qpsk modulation emits two data streams q1 and q2 for each one bit . these data streams inherently have interference such as noise , amplitude errors , and so forth . however , there are still other possible kinds of interference , which do not have to do with the quality of reception at the time but instead are intrinsic in the system : that is , phase ambiguity , which is associated with the carrier recovery in the demodulator , caused by the fact that the process of demodulation ( eliminating the carrier ) is not definite ( is ambiguous ). it is expressed in the data stream in such a way that ( a ) with 180 ° errors , both bits appear in inverted form ( q1 appears - q1 , q2 appears as - q2 ), ( b ) with + 90 ° errors , one bit appears in inverted form and both appear transposed with one another ( e . g . q1 appears as - q2 and q2 appears as - q1 ). such errors will remain until corrected . ( c ) with - 90 ° errors the other bit appears in inverted form and both appear transposed with one another ( e . g . q1 appears as - q2 and q2 appears as - q1 ). such errors will remain until corrected . in order to reverse this transposition and inversion , there is a transformation network at the digital input of the viterbi decoder -- that is , immediately following the a / d converters -- which being in the form of a final control element is capable of cancelling or reversing the transposition and inversion . for triggering this final control element , control signals are required . in the example of a qpsk modulation shown here , two control bits c1 and c2 are required as control signals which have values according to the phase angle as below . fig2 shows an example for such a transformation network , which is described at length in applicant &# 39 ; s u . s . pat . no . 4 , 757 , 506 and german patent no . 36 00 905 . 9 ( but with the distinction that the control signals c1 and c2 were different and required to undergo a code conversion ). ______________________________________phase angle c1 and c2______________________________________ 0 ° 0 0 90 ° 0 1180 ° 1 0270 ° 1 1______________________________________ the transformation network includes multiplexers mx1 and mx2 for crosswise channel transposition , which are each controlled via a respective exclusive or element e01 or e02 by the control bits c1 and c2 . the output signals of the two multiplexers are carried in accordance with the number n = 8 of quantizing ( soft decision ) stages in the a / d conversion , first to the exclusive or gates ( g1 , g2 , g3 , g7 , g8 , g9 ) and second to exclusive nor gates ( g4 , g5 , g6 , g10 , g11 , g12 ). input signals q1 and q2 are always split between multiplexers mx1 and mx2 . thus , if multiplexer mx1 has selected q1 , then multiplexer mx2 selects q2 and vice versa . the quantized variables q1 and q2 are thus available , each in both inverted and noninverted form . by means of adders add1 - add4 connected to the output side , the four branch metrics r00 , r10 , r01 and r11 are available at the output of the transformation network for further processing in the acs ( add - compare - select ) networks of the viterbi decoder . with each new input q1 and q2 , the respective branch metrics at the adder outputs shift according to the values of c1 and c2 . suitable acs networks are known to those in the profession ; for example , see the proceedings of the ieee , vol . 61 , no . 3 , march 1973 , pages 268 - 277 , in particular fig1 , page 273 along with the description . a particularly suitable acs network is disclosed in the above u . s . pat . no . 4 , 757 , 506 . a particularly advantageous arrangement of acs networks is illustrated in fig5 - 9 and described in detail below . this acs network furnishes among others the maximum and minimum path metrics , the difference between which is obtained by mean of the delta - m stage ( also described in the above u . s . pat . no . 4 , 757 , 506 ). from this path metric difference , the phase error signal fail is now obtained , as will be described in further detail in connection with fig4 a and 4b . it serves as the control signal for the phase ambiguity resolution stage , which generates the control bits c1 and c2 for the transformation network , or for furnishing a synchronizing signal sync , for instance if a punctured code is used . the triggering of the transformation network can in principle be done in a plurality of ways . as an exemplary embodiment , qpsk modulation will be discussed . in that case there are four different possibilities of correct phase location , coded with the states 00 , 11 , 01 , 10 . to encompass them , two control bits c1 and c2 are required , c1 being the first digit , c2 being the second digit . in n - psk signals , correspondingly more control bits are necessary . if the carrier phase of the demodulator now jumps from one state to another , then an examination must be made as to whether the reaction of the decoder must take place in a pseudo - random manner , or in a manner determined in some way . in the method according to the prior art , this reaction was performed in a pseudo - random manner . in the invention , contrarily , the point of departure is the recognition that any demodulator system will inherently exhibit a preferential direction in phase jumps . as a consequence , the decoder is furnished thereby with an additional datum ( the preferential direction ), which it can use with appropriate processing to reduce the correction time . the triggering of the transformation network as a final control element is accordingly to take place by learning -- what the preferential direction of phase jumps is -- that is , adaptively . as will also be explained in connection with fig4 a and 4b , the difference between the maximum and minimum path metric is evaluated , because it is a unique criterion for the current or prior - to - current quality of reception . first , however , the phase ambiguity resolution stage will be discussed , which serves directly to trigger the final control element -- i . e ., the transformation network -- and takes note of the preferential direction . its circuit is shown in fig3 . the basic principle of adaptive triggering is to compare the new triggering state ( the presence or absence of a fail signal ) with the most recent , that is , the preceding triggering state and thereupon to effect a corresponding reaction . first , the counter cnt will be considered . via its enable input , it is made to count by a phase error signal fail , the generation of which will be explained in connection with fig4 a and 4b ; this counting is done at a speed that must be adapted to the recognition speed of the viterbi decoder . between the finding of the current phase state and the completion of calculation of the differential metric , a certain period of time elapses ( the metric calculation time ), and this must be waited out . for this reason , the counter cnt does not receive its counting pulses directly from the system clock signal cl of the viterbi decoder , but rather via a system clock divider stt , which subdivides the system clock signal cl . this system clock divider stt takes into account the metric calculation time constant . the frequency divider stt may be a commonly used frequency divider of cascaded flip - flops providing a clock signal cl &# 39 ;, with a lower frequency than cl . the reason for this lower clock signal cl &# 39 ; being provided to counter cnt : if counter cnt does a counting step , the reaction time of the viterbi decoder has to be waited for until the next counting step is admitted to appear . the clock signal cl on the other hand should be as high as possible , depending on digital circuitry available , to perform real - time processing . frequency divider stt is reset in the case of a fail to avoid wasting time until the first step of the counter cnt . therefore , frequency divider stt is reset via its reset input . the counter cnt now counts several clock signal pulses cl &# 39 ; ( in binary ) in accordance with the binary value , that are furnished to it by the output of the system clock signal - divider stt and passes its counter state on to a subtractor sub . the counter state of counter cnt is also stored in the register regi as a two - bit datum , that is , as one of four states . the previous counter state stored in the register regi is compared with the current counter state by means of the subtractor sub . this subtractor sub determines the direction of a phase jump in the following manner : the result of comparison controls a command logic circuit bg via an address control input . at its four data inputs 0 , 1 , 2 and 3 , in response to the binary inputs 0 , 1 , 2 , and 3 from subtractor sub , the command circuit bg receives a signal representing an &# 34 ; up &# 34 ; instruction for counter cnt , e . g ., a logic high value , or a &# 34 ; down &# 34 ; instruction , e . g ., a logic low value -- input 1 or 3 , respectively -- or for maintaining the previous state -- inputs 0 and 2 -- in the event of a phase jump difference of 180 °. these possible designations are stored in command logic circuit bg , are output in response to the input from the subtractor sub and may be overridden by the output of the register regii . if circuit bg is a multiplexer , address controlled by its input signals ( output signals of subtractor sub ), up and down states are stored in a rom having two storage cells for logic high , e . g ., up state , and logic low , e . g ., down state . in terms of circuitry , the command logic circuit bg can be realized by means of a multiplexer , as a function generator , or by means of a read - only memory or eprom . the output datum of the command logic circuit bg reaches a register regii , which cannot change its state if a fail signal is fed via its disable input . for this period of time ( when there is a fail signal ), the output datum of the register regii furnishes the counter cnt , via its counting direction control input , with the information for counting upward or downward , up / down . the up or down state depends on whether the up / down input of counter cnt is high or low active , e . g ., if counter cnt is driven into the down counting mode , the down input of command logic circuit bg ( multiplexer input 3 ) has to be set to logic low voltage and the up input has to be set to logic high voltage . both logic values are stored in circuit bg . the counter cnt only counts up or down if it is enabled by the fail signal . if the fail signal disappears , then the register regii is re - updated with the next system clock signal pulse cl . on the other hand , a reupdate also occurs in the register regi , to which the fail signal is supplied via its disable input , so that at the output of the subtractor sub a 0 appears when the fail signal disappears . in the contents of the register regii , however , this does not cause any error because the content of the register regii is fed back to command logic circuit bg via its zero input . the function of the circuitry of fig3 is shown in greater detail in fig3 a to be described below . the other states at the data inputs of the command circuit bg are as follows : &# 34 ; up &# 34 ; state for input 1 , because then the counter state of the counter cnt has become greater than that of the register reg1 , or in other words a future counting must be effected upward . when there is a fail signal , the register regii is disabled to change its contents so that the old state is supplied to the input 2 , because if , a 180 ° jump is involved , which can have arisen ambiguously , involving two values -- that is , forwards or backwards , it is to be assumed that the error has occurred in the same direction as before ( the old preferential direction is assumed ). thus , the output of register regii overrides the 0 and 2 values of circuit bg which is an erasable memory . on the other hand , in the absense of a fail signal , register regii is enabled so that the resultant zero input to command logic circuit bg is stored in register regii so tha output of the latter will not override the zero value of circuit bg . finally , the &# 34 ; down &# 34 ; state corresponds to input 3 , since in this case the counter state must be decreased by one as compared with the prior state . then subtraction -- or decrementing -- should also take place in the future . fig3 a shows the reaction of register regi , counter cnt , subtractor sub , command logic circuit bg and register regii to the occurrence of a fail signal . the output of counter cnt represents the control bits c1 , c2 for the transformation network illustrated in fig2 . the control bits c1 , c2 drive the inputs of this transformation network so the error in the demodulator bits q1 , q2 is reversed by the correction represented by control bits c1 , c2 and represent the reverse demodulation error . in order that the circuit will exhibit the behavior described , the n - psk signal is encoded in accordance with the invention in such a way that the binary value is in proportion to the phase angle . the association of the phase states for a q - psk modulation is as in the following table i : table i______________________________________phase angles binary states______________________________________ 0 ° 0 0 90 ° 0 1180 ° 1 0270 °( equals - 90 °) 1 1______________________________________ the difference between two steps thus always equals 90 °. because the encoding of the individual phase states increases in binary fashion , the direction of the jump can be obtained by forming the difference between the old and new values . in the case of an 8 - psk modulation , the encoding should be performed a in the following table ii : table ii______________________________________phase angles binary states______________________________________ 0 ° 0 0 0 45 ° 0 0 1 90 ° 0 1 0135 ° 0 1 1180 ° 1 0 0225 ° 1 0 1270 ° 1 1 0315 ° 1 1 1______________________________________ the addresses of the command logic circuit bg are associated with these binary states . the command circuit bg then functions , for instance , as follows : in a phase jump of 180 ° for 8 - psk , a well known ambiguity exists . in order to resolve it , the command circuit is equipped with a further address input , so that two different values are obtainable for 180 °, for instance : this would require additional imput addresses for circuit bg . the control signals c1 and c2 are available at the control signal output sta and represent the counter state of the counter cnt . the registers regi and regii are controlled by the system clock signal cl . fig4 a and 4b illustrate alternate circuits for the generation of the phase error signal fail , that the phase ambiguity resolution stage of fig3 is supplied with for phase ambiguity resolution . however , before the generation of the phase error signal fail according to fig4 a and 4b is explained , it should be explained why it is precisely the difference between the maximum and minimum path metric that is used for deriving the error signal . on the precondition that the minimum path metric can be extracted sufficiently quickly by means of the acs network , an important criterion for evaluating the reception quality is available . small path metrics characterize &# 34 ; good paths &# 34 ; in the viterbi decoder used as a example . conversely , large metrics characterize very improbable paths , and the maximum metric in particular is associated with the path that can be precluded under all circumstances . this latter statement , however , precisely like that pertaining to the minimum metric , is an unequivocal evaluation of the reception quality , although indirectly indicated . this will readily be appreciated if it is considered that for the case of an absent reception signal ( noise only ), a total levelling of all the path metrics occurs ; that is , the decoder no longer finds any relevant code at all and thus can no longer classify any states as to quality . expressed numerically , all the metrics meet at a mean value ; that is , in the case of the qpsk signals , where the metric is between 0 and 15 , then they meet at approximately 7 or 8 . thus , the differential metric -- which henceforth will also be called the delta metric and is calculated by a delta metric calculating circuit delta - m -- becomes zero . in the best reception case , contrarily , it is 15 . accordingly , the delta metric encompasses the entire range of values defined for metrics , rather than only half of it , which would be the case if only the minimum or the maximum were utilized . path metrics are composed of a memory content and the branch metrics . noise is expressed in the branch metrics as a deviation from the ideal value ( from the metric without noise ), which can be in the range from 0 to 14 . more precisely , there are exactly three ideal values ( assuming interference - free reception ). these are , namely , 0 for the matching pattern , 14 for the opposite pattern , and 7 for the mixed pattern common to both . once again , it is important to note that good reception quality is associated only with high unequivocality of the values , not merely with a minimizing of all the values . this subject matter is decisive for recognizing phase error states . such phase error states in fact cause the calculation of entirely invalid extreme - value branch metrics , which naturally are the more extreme the less noise is involved . reference is made here to the following equations for calculating the branch metrics : q1 and q2 here are the known soft decision values and range from 0 to 7 . let it be assumed that the correct reception pattern is &# 34 ; 01 &# 34 ;; then q1 must assume the value of 0 , and q2 the value of 7 , while r01 becomes zero from the above equation . thus , and with a minimum value , the metric of the optimal path is formed , which consequently assumes a minimum value . now let it be assumed that noise is fed to the channel . in that case , the statistical mean values continuously move over a plurality of bits , averaged for q1 , between 0 and 3 . 5 and for q2 between 7 and 3 . 5 . if this is entered with the extreme value ( most noise ) into the above equation , then for the maximum value that appears the following is obtained : and for the minimum value ( least noise ) that occurs , the following is obtained : this is the &# 34 ; deviation range &# 34 ; that occurs here , depending upon noise . in the above discussion , the doubtlessly allowable assumption has been made that the values q1 and q2 converge with increasing noise toward a mean value of 3 . 5 , one converging toward the value from below and the other from above . now let it be assumed that a phase jump of + 90 ° occurs . in that case , for the transposition and inversion already described , the following process occurs : these phase jumps are in accordance with and inherent in qpsk and 8psk modulation deriving from the fact that q1 and q2 are different expressions of the same data , which is related in this manner . the &# 34 ; new &# 34 ; q1 now moves between 7 and 3 . 5 and the &# 34 ; new &# 34 ; q2 moves between 7 and 3 . 5 because of the inversion . then , with such a phase jump the metric r01 with and without noise is calculated as follows : the result is interesting from the standpoint that r01 no longer comes under the &# 34 ; 7 &# 34 ; and thus indicates a &# 34 ; poor &# 34 ; situation . it should be noted here that the values move between 7 and 14 in the case of a 180 ° jump ; that is , the situation becomes still more unequivocal . the situation is similar with the other phase states and branch metrics , as can easily be confirmed . now that it is clear that the entire metric movement reacts extremely sensitively to phase jumps , an evaluation of these events can be derived from this . ( 1 ) the temporal differential quotient , or only its algebraic sign (+ or -), that is the amount and / or direction of a change with time of the maximum metric minus the minimum metric ( the differential metric ), ( 3 ) a time - related sum of numbers corresponding to a time integral of the differential metric , which represents a time constant until the attainment of a threshold , which then sets off the fail signal . one point should be added about the last - mentioned variable above : it is intended to aid in preventing so called false alarms in the case of brief interference , the amplitude of which can still be high , however . in a first realization of circuitry for obtaining the fail signal , ( error signal calculating circuit ) shown in fig4 a , the invention goes one step further : the increment and decrement of the time - related sum of numbers are intended not to be constant , but rather dependent on the current reception quality . thus , depending on the interference situation , various contributions are obtained . algorithmically , the definition should be such that in case of interference , incrementing is done with the complement of the delta metric ( 15 - delta metric ), but decrementing should be done with the delta metric itself . the reason for this is as follows : with initially good reception , the delta metric is high ; that is , its complement is low . if the channel is very disturbed , all metrics have the same value . if a brief interference occurs , for instance the intrusion of noise , then incrementing is performed by calculating 15 - delta metric , which has increased only a little ; with a threshold set at a low level , a false alarm is not issued . contrarily , if a phase jump occurs , then as explained the complement increases sharply , because the delta metric itself becomes very small . thus , the threshold is attained very quickly , which causes setting of the fail signal . the resynchronization time ( the time to obtain a reliable metric decision ), however , should be shortened to correct phase errors quickly . therefore to achieve this , the decrement in the time related sum is effected with a delta - m stage which is greater when a phase error or jump occurs , and not earlier , such as if an apparently correct code is mistakenly produced because of an interference burst . upon actual resynchronization , the decrement takes place quickly , contrarily , because the delta metric builds up anew . according to fig4 a , the difference between the minimum and maximum path metric -- that is , the delta metric is formed by subtraction in the stage delta - m . the output of the stage delta - m is connected via a switchable inverter inv , for instance an exclusive or gate , with the first data input of a switchable adder / subtractor add / sub . the inverter inv , when enabled functions with stage delta - m to effectively calculate 15 - delta metric . optionally , a divider tl is also disposed before the inverter inv , for example comprising a multiplier with a switchable dividing ratio . a second data input of the switchable adder / subtractor is connected to the output of a first register reg a . the output value of the adder / subtractor add / sub is applied to the data input of this register reg a . the adder / subtractor add / sub has a control input by way of which a signal can be supplied that determines whether addition or subtraction is to be performed . the adder / subtractor add / sub , together with the register reg a , functions as a so - called random walk counter with an arbitrary increment / decrement it is supplied with this increment in the decrement form of a delta metric via the switchable inverter inv . the overflow or &# 34 ; carry &# 34 ; of the adder / subtractor add / sub is supplied to the register reg a via its disable input . the output of the first register reg a is input to a subtractor subi , which compares it with a threshold value thri . the process takes place over a width of eight bits , for example , in order to attain a wide range for the threshold value setting . the sum formation can also make this range necessary . the command to add / subtract is rigidly coupled to the invert / non - invert command for the inverter inv ; that is , it is incremented with the complement of the delta metric 15 - delta metric and decremented with the delta metric itself ; the delta metric can be valuated with variable factors by divider tl . this command is derived in turn from the aforementioned conditions ( 1 ) and ( 2 ); that is , the delta metric itself is first compared with a threshold thrii , with the aid of a subtractor subii . furthermore , a formation of the algebraic sign (+ or -) of the temporal differential quotient is effected with the aid of a second register reg b and a further subtractor subiii , in such a manner that the old delta metric value is subtracted from the new one , and the result leaves the subtractor subiii via the carry . both results reach a command logic circuit bgv . this logic device , from among the four possible combinations for the algebraic signs of the differential quotient and the carry signal , furnishes at its output a command , as to whether adding or subtracting in the add / sub circuit , and inversion or non - inversion in the inv circuit , are to be performed . an inversion here corresponds to an addition by adder / subtractor add / sub and a non - inversion corresponds to a subtraction by adder / substractor add / sub . one possible set of commands of circuit bgv is shown in the following truth table , table iii : table iii______________________________________output outputof subiii of subii output of bgv______________________________________0 0 low ( substract )& lt ; 0 0 high ( add ) 0 & lt ; 0 high ( add )& lt ; 0 & lt ; 0 high ( add ) ______________________________________ in this example , adding is performed if one of these conditions will lead to a false signal ; otherwise , subtraction is performed . the command circuit logic bgv may be implemented in the form of an eprom or of a multiplexer as a function generator , depending upon the speed required . the command signal output by the command circuit logic bgv is delivered to the control input of the switchable adder / subtractor add / sub , the control input of the switchable inverter inv , and optionally to a control input of the divider tl . the registers reg a and reg b are controlled by a common system clock signal cl to repectively input the data from adder / subtractor add / sub and the delta - m stage . in fig4 b there is shown a second realization of an error signal calculating circuit . in this circuit , as in the circuit of fig4 a , the delta metric mmax - mmin calculated by a delta - m stage , is fed to two subtractor stages subii and subiii . subtractor stage subii compares the delta metric with a threshold thrii . in addition , like the error signal calculating circuit of fig4 a , a temporary differential quotient signal is formed with the help of a register reg b and a further subtractor subiii in such a way that the old metric value is subtracted from the new one and the result leaves the subtractor subii over the carry . fig4 c shows a numerical example of the formation of the temporary differential quotient and the evaluation of its sign ( output of subtractor subiii ). the actual metric values are shown in the first line of fig4 c , and the previous ones in the second line . both results reach logic command circuit bgv . as in the circuitry shown in fig4 a , the command logic circuit bgv can be realized by a known state of the art eprom with the truth table shown in table iv below . table iv______________________________________output output outputof subiii of subii of bgv______________________________________0 ≧ 0 low & lt ; 0 0 high0 & lt ; 0 high & lt ; 0 & lt ; 0 high______________________________________ the output signal of circuit bgv is fed to the enable input of an up counter up - cnt . short time pulses delivered by circuit bgv represent an error signal for those cases where the threshold conditions fixed by the truth table of circuit bgv are violated ( high levels ). these short time pulses have to be counted for a reasonable time ( considering the fact that changes due to noise and lasting only a short time are to be suppressed ) and compared with a threshold thri with the aid of subtractor stage subi . this &# 34 ; integrate and dump &# 34 ; processing is done by an up counter up - cnt , a down counter down - cnt and an or stage . a minimum time of counting by counter up - cnt is established by the threshold thri . a maximum time period on time for counting tc is established whereby a fail signal will be output only if the count of the counter up - cnt reaches threshold thri within the time period tc . the maximum time for counting is set by down counter down - cnt , which is fed with the counting time constant tc via its load inputs . a load command lc to perform the parallel load of the time constant tc is represented by the output of an or gate whose inputs are a zero input from the carry output of counter down - cnt and the output of subtractor stage subi . both counters and register reg b are clocked by clock signal cl . down counter down - cnt begins to count down until 0 . if down counter down - cnt has reached 0 before up counter up - cnt reaches the threshold thri , subtractor stage subi will not output a fail signal . up counter up - cnt is reset and down counter down - cnt is loaded again with the counting time constant tc in response to the load command lc . if up counter up - cnt has reached threshold thri before down counter down - cnt reaches 0 a fail signal at the output of subtractor stage subi will appear , which is fed to the phase ambiguity resolution stage ( see fig3 ) via a flip flop ff , which is clocked by clock signal cl &# 34 ;, being slower than either clock signal cl or clock signal cl &# 39 ;. the reason that clock signal cl &# 34 ; is made slower is that the fail signal has to be held for the time of further processing performed by the phase ambiguity stage . the fail signal must be stable and must not pulse during an incorrect counterstate . therefore , the relationship between the time constant tc and the threshold thri is chosen as described above . a fail signal may not correct a false demodulator phase ambiguity state . time constant tc is an integration time constant to distinguish properly between metric errors due to channel noise and synchronization errors . in the case of expected phase jumps in accordance with qpsk or n - psk signal modulation , the threshold thri is reached very fast , consequently producing a fail signal . error bursts , which simulate apparently correct codes are neglected . an improved acs circuit which calculates the maximum and minimum metrics mmax and mmin input to the differential metric stage delta - m shown in fig1 a and 4b , is shown in detail fig5 - 9 . in the fundamental circuit diagram of fig6 two of a total of 16 acs networks are shown , each of which compares the effect of one of 16 possible transitions between 4 - bit numbers in a shift register when a most significant bit is released and a least significant bit is added . in each of these acs networks , this is accomplished by adding respective opposed branch metrics to one of two previously ascertained metric data . the respective two results of addition are compared with one another . the results of comparison from all of the acs networks are then collected and evaluated in terms of extreme - value metrics . from the metric datum msel ( msel1 , msel2 , . . . ) obtained by means of each of the acs stages acs0 , acs1 , . . . , the extreme - value metric obtained from the collected results of comparison -- in this case the minimum metric mmin -- is subtracted in a subtraction stage sub0 , sub1 , . . . . a respective memory st0 , st1 , . . . associated with each acs network is updated with the result of the subtraction , its memory contents being available as the &# 34 ; previously ascertained metric data &# 34 ; for the next addition . as fig6 shows , in the first acs network acs0 , the particular current branch metric r00 is added by means of a first adder add1 , to the contents of the memory st0 . by means of a second adder add2 , the particular current branch metric opposed to r00 , that is , r11 , is added to the contents of the memory st1 associated with the next acs network acs1 . the additions are performed in the arithmetic domain , that is , with conventional 4 - bit binary adders . by means of transformation stages , the two 4 - bit - wide arithmetic output data of the adders add1 and add2 are transformed into the logical domain . this transformation can for example be attained by means of multiplexers dmx1 , dmx2 , . . . , which convert the 4 - bit - wide binary number into a 2 4 - wide binary stream , in which the binary number is identified as a bit position , for example as a logical zero state among solely logical one states , or as a logical one state among solely logical zero states . fig7 schematically illustrates such a transformation . in each respective logical comparison stage , and1 , and2 , . . . , the two logically transformed addition results of each acs network are compared with one another . this comparison is effected in the logical domain , bit by bit , by means of an and linkage . at the output of each comparison stage and1 , and2 , . . . , a 16 - bit - wide binary stream then reappears , characterized by the bit position . the results of all of the comparison stages and1 , and2 , . . . are collected in the logical domain by means of a multi - and linking stage m - and . the structure of this linking stage m - and is shown schematically in fig8 and can be realized by a wired and structure using diodes and resistors in a conventional manner or by cascading usual and arrays . at the output of the multi - and linking stage , two priority encoders pre - ma and pre - mi are provided . the priority encoder pre - mi localizes the least significant bit position , and emits it in the form of a binary number , that is , arithmetically , in the form of a minimum metric - path metric - mmin . the priority encoder pre - ma localizes the most significant bit position and makes the maximum metric mmax available . from the minimum and maximum metric , the differential metric is formed by subtraction in the stage delta - m . the differential metric ascertained is required for instance for synchronization or for phase ambiguity resolution in viterbi decoding as will be described below . the output of each logical comparison stage and1 , and2 , . . . of one acs network is connected to a priority encoder pre1 , pre2 , . . . , which selects the extreme value bit position - in the exemplary embodiment the least significant bit position - from each comparison result and emits it in the form of a binary number in the arithmetical operation domain . this binary number is emitted in the form of the metric datum msel to one of the subtractors sub0 , sub1 , . . . associated with the acs stages , with 4 - bit - wide processing , for subtraction of the minimum metric mmin and updating of the respective memory st0 , st1 , . . . . the memories st0 , st1 , . . . must receive only 4 - bit - wide words , because the subtractors connected to their input side and the adders connected to their output side operate in the arithmetical operation domain . which metric datum of an acs network is carried to which one of the subtractors depends upon the trellis diagram for the acs networks which shows all of the possible transitions ; this is sufficiently familiar from the literature . the trellis diagram is shown in fig9 for a possible viterbi decoding . see also fig1 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 757 , 506 showing the same trellis diagram and the accompanying description . it shows on the basis of which transitions new source bits q1 and q2 can be produced and the postscripts of the branch metrics r00 , r01 , r10 , r11 associated with each transition . thus , the output of the priority encoder pre of the ith acs network acsi ( i = 0 , . . . , 15 ) as identified in the left had column in fig9 is input to the subtractor subj associated with the jth acs network acsj ( j = 0 , . . . , 15 ) as identified in the right hand column in fig9 connected therewith by a solid line for the outputs of encoders pre of the 0th through 7th acs networks and by a dashed line for the outputs of encoders pre of the 8th through 15th acs networks . for example , the metric datum msel0 obtained by means of the network acs0 is carried to the subtractor sub0 , but the metric datum msel1 obtained by means of the network acs1 is carried to the subtractor sub2 , which is associated with the network acs2 ; and the subtractor sub1 associated with the network acs1 receives the metric datum msel8 of the network acs8 . furthermore , the output of each memory stj associated with the acs network acsj is input to one of the adders of the assocated acs network acsj and to the other adder of a acs network with which it is paired , the pairings being indicated in fig8 by those acs networks listed in the right hand column which are coupled by dashed and solid line to the same acs networks listed in the left hand column . thus , acs0 and acs1 , acs2 and acs3 , acs4 and acs5 , acs6 and acs7 , acs8 and acs9 , acs10 and acs11 , acs12 and acs13 , acs14 and acs15 are respectively paired in accordance with this trellis diagram . fig5 shows the connecting routes between most of the 16 acs networks . each acs network includes still another stage , which has not yet been discussed . this involves comparators dt1 , dt2 , . . . , each for obtaining one path decision datum dec0 , dec1 , . . . , which may be required for some types of further viterbi decoding . the comparators dt1 , dt2 , . . . each compare the respective addition results of the two adders add1 , add2 , . . . prior to the transformation into the logical domain in each acs network in the arithmetical operation domain , that is , with respect to 4 - bit - wide words . whether the difference between the two addition results is equal to 8 or less than 8 is in each case emitted as path decision data . the present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in federal republic of germany patent applications no . p 37 25 655 . 6 filed aug . 3rd , 1987 , no . 37 24 536 . 8 filed july 24th , 1987 , p 37 24 537 . 6 filed july 24 , 1987 , the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference . it will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications , changes and adaptations , and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims .	7
now referring to the drawings , the improved booth seating system bs will be described in detail . the booth seating system bs comprises three basic elements ; namely , a universal a - frame a , a table top t , and a seating unit su , which may be either a single seating unit ssu or a double seting unit dsu . the seating units su are constructed and defined on the basis of a single frame unit sfu having a removable leg sul . the seating units su are also universal ; no lefts or rights . the single frame seating unit sfu is utilized at the ends of the booth system bs wit the double seating units dsu used for successively adjacent units between the ends as illustrated in fig1 . the frame units sfu and dfu are the basic frames for receiving the upholstered seating units usu and the upholstered back rest ubr and which are secured thereto . the seating units may be provided with ornamental trim elements tr as illustrated in fig1 and 4 , for example : the details of the universal a - frame a will now be examined in detail . the a - frame a is the basic module of the booth seating system bs and is defined as a universal element , that is , no right hand units or left hand units need be considered . the a - frame a includes a pair of spaced apart frame rails 10 and 11 arranged in a longitudinal parallel relationship and in the same horizontal plane . the rails 10 and 11 can be constructed of hollow , square structural elements such as 2 inch × 2 inch elements . each rail 10 and 11 has a leg secured adjacent the ends thereof . the rear leg for the rail 10 is identified as the rail 10r while the front leg is identified as 10f . similarly , the legs for the rail 11 are identified as rear leg 11r and 11f for the front leg . the rear legs 10r and 11r are mounted in a flush relationship or in the same vertical plane as the rails , as illustrated in fig4 . the front legs 10f and llf are offset from the rails 10 and 11 respectively , and from the rear legs 10r and 11r , by being secured to the outside surfaces of the rails 10 and 11 respectively . each of the legs 10r , 10f , 11r and 11f are provided with mounting feet for supporting the a - frame on a mounting surface . the mounting feet for the rail are identified as the feet 10m , while the mounting feet for the rail 11 are identified as the feet llm . the feet 10m and 11m are secured to the four legs of the a - frame as illustrated in fig5 and will be discussed in more detail hereinafter . the a - frame a also includes a hollow structural element of the type of the rails 10 and 11 welded to the rear ends of each rail 10 and 11 and to angularly extend outwardly therefrom in a cantilevered relationship at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the rails 10 and 11 . the structural elements 12 and 13 are secured to the inner edges of the rails 10 and 11 respectively to extend angularly upwardly therefrom and towards the opposite rail . a similarly defined structural element 14 is secured in a cantilevered relationship between the free ends of the elements 12 and 13 by welding and arranged in a horizontal plane to complete the a - frame . the top surface of the element 14 is arranged to be parallel to the top surface of the rails 10 and 11 for providing a mounting surface for the table top t . the table mounting element 14 has a pair of cross members 15 and 16 secured thereto for securing the table top t thereto . the cross member 16 is secured to the element 14 adjacent the free end thereof while the cross member 15 is secured intermediate the ends of the element 14 . each of the cross members 15 and 16 are provided with apertures for securing the table top t thereto by means of fasteners , as is evident from examining the drawings . it should be noted that an important feature of the a - frame is the arrangement of the offset legs 10f and llf . the provision of the legs 10f and 11f in an offset relationship or spaced outwardly from the vertical plane of the outside faces of the rails 10 and 11 permits the plurality of the a - frames a to be stacked in a nesting relationship , as can be appreciated from examining fig6 and 7 . the a - frames can then be stacked by placing one a - frame a on top of an a - frame a resting on the ground by approaching the frames a from the rear thereof to stack them up in any desired number at the factory for ease of handling and shipment . in the shipping of the stacked frames a , the table tops t can be stacked in the space on the inside of the a - frames a , as illustrated in dotted outline in fig6 for shipping purposes resulting in economies in space for shipping . another important feature of the a - frame a is the provision of the pair of mounting plates secured to each of the rails 10 and 11 . the front mounting plate 10fp for the rail 10 is secured to the front leg 10f and is provided with a plurality of longitudinally aligned , spaced mounting apertures 10fpa . similarly , a rear mounting plate 10rp having a single slot is secured , by welding , to the outside face of the rail 10 intermediate the ends thereof , as is evident from fig4 . the rail 11 is provided with a front mounting plate llfp secured to the leg 11f and provided with mounting apertures llfpa along with the rear mounting plate llrp . the front mounting plates 10fp and llfp are longitudinally aligned to secure a seating unit and the rear plates 10rp and llrp are similarly longitudinally aligned and defined . the mounting plates 10fp , 10rp , llfp , and llrp are illustrated as spaced slotted apertures for providing infinite adjustment but also could be spaced round apertures to provide incremental adjustment or pierced apertures . referring now to fig4 in particular , the modular assembly of the seating units su will be described for both the single seating units ssu and the double seating units dsu . the single seating unit ssu will first be described . the single seating unit ssu is constructed on the basis of the single frame unit sfu which consists of an angle structural element 20 and an angle element 21 , both elements being the same length and arranged in a parallel spaced apart relationship . these elements 20 and 21 are secured together by a pair of angle elements 22 and 23 to form a rectangle . the angle elements 22 can be considered the rear element and the element 23 can be considered the front element . the elements 20 , 21 , 22 and 23 are all welded together to define the rigid single frame unit sfu . the angle elements 22 and 23 are arranged with an arm extending in the same horizontal plane and outwardly from the frame unit sfu proper and each having one arm dependent therefrom as can best be seen in fig4 . the dependent arms of the elements 22 and 23 are provided with a plurality of aligned , spaced apart mounting slots 22s and 23s corresponding to the mounting slots for the mounting plates 10rp , 11rp , 10fp and 11fp respectively on the a - frames a . the mounting brackets for the a - frame a are provided for adjustably securing the frame sfu to the brackets 11fp and 11rp in accordance with the desired spacing available by means of fasteners . the single frame unit sfu is secured to the brackets 11fp by means of the pair of front fasteners ff to be mounted in the openings 11fpa ( illustrated in exploded relationship therewith ) and into the desired mounting slots 23s on the frame unit sfu . similarly , the rear fastener rf is secured to the slots 22s for the element 22 by means of the aperture for the rear mounting plate 11rp . the sfu frame is utilized for the end seating units of the booth system bs and therefore is provided with an upstanding leg or legs sul that is secured to the plate 21 by means of a fastener 25 intermediate the ends thereof , as shown in exploded relationship in fig4 and in a secured relationship in fig1 . the frame unit sfu is completed by means of a u - shaped seat back frame identified by the reference numeral 26 . the u - shaped frame 26 is secured to the frame unit sfu at the right hand end or the outer end thereof as illustrated in fig4 by means of the fasterners 27 and 28 . the frame unit sfu can be upholstered or covered with a molded plastic seat base and molded backrest . in the drawings the frame unit sfu is illustrated as being upholstered by means of a seating unit usu secured to the top side of the elements 22 and 23 and with an upholstered backrest ubr secured to the back frame element 26 . suitable trim elements tr may be provided along the outside edges for the seating units as well as decorative u - shaped elements surrounding the frame 26 for the upholstered backrest ubr . the double seating unit is constructed by means of a double frame unit dfu ( see fig4 ) which is generally of the same configuration as the single frame unit sfu but has a seating frame on opposite sides of the backrest frame 26 . to this end for the purposes of the double frame unit dfu , the angular elements 22 &# 39 ; and 23 &# 39 ; are approximately doubled in length with respect to the elements 22 and 23 so that the backrest frame unit 26 is secured intermediate their ends , as is evident from examining the exploded relationship in fig4 . the cross members 20 &# 39 ; and 21 &# 39 ; for the double frame unit dfu are both illustrated as structural angle elements and are oriented in the same fashion as the angular elements 22 and 23 to form a rectangular frame . in this instance , the side faces adjacent each end of the elements 22 &# 39 ; and 23 &# 39 ; are provided with a plurality of adjusting apertures 22 &# 39 ; s and 23 &# 39 ; s arranged in a spaced , aligned relationship to correspond to the slots on the adjusting plates 10fp , 10rp , etc . for the a - frames a . each side of the backrest frame element 26 when secured to the frame dfu then secures an upholstered or molded seat of conventional construction and identified as the element usu . each upholstered seat usu is secured to the frame element dfu by means of suitable apertures provided in the element 22 &# 39 ; and 23 &# 39 ; and fasteners along with an upholstered backrest ubr secured to the backrest frame element 26 . suitable trim elements tr may be secured to the outside faces of the upholstered seating elements usu as indicated in fig4 along with the decorative u - shaped element tr secured between the upholstered backrest elements ubr . it should be recognized that the seating units ssu and dsu are assembled at the factory and shipped in assembled fashion to the point of use as a seating module . this then only requires that the modules be assembled to the a - frames a at the installation site as indicated in fig1 . now referring to fig5 the typical section through a hollow structural element will be examined to show the manner of securing the elements together as well as the mounting feet 10m for the booth seating system bs . the hollow , square elements each include a plate 30 welded to the inside of the hollow structural element 26 which is shaped and threaded to receive a fastener 31 . the shaped element 30 is defined with sufficient depth to securely hold the fastener 31 and the elements 23 &# 39 ; and 26 together . the shaped plate 30 is secured a preselected distance d from the free end of the element 26 to allow the elements to be readily secured in the correct relationship . the manner of assembling the modular units at the point of use should now be appreciated . the stacked a - frame elements a and the table tops t along with the required number of upholstered seating units can be readily uncrated and assembled at the point of use with a minimum of effort and inexpensive labor . for this purpose , the longitudinal dimension l which runs from center line to center line of the tables t is originally defined for the area in which the booth system bs is to be installed . the a - frame elements a are first spaced on the supporting surface with the center line of the a - frame elements a spaced in coincidence with the ends of the dimension l that has been preselected . this is to allow the booth system to be customized for the particular area available for such a booth seating system . the double seating units dsu then may be mounted on the a - frame rails 10 and 11 for the successive adjacent booths by resting them on the rails 10 and 11 and then securing them to the plates 11fp and 11rp , etc . into the particular adjusting apertures ; see the right hand end of fig1 . it should be noted that the seating units dsu will be supported on the frames a without being secured thereto . this is done for each of the adjacent booth systems and then a single seating unit ssu is secured in the same fashion to the outside rail element 10 and 11 , the left and right ends of the booth system bs as viewed in fig1 . the tables t may then be secured to the cantilevered arms 14 for the a - frame a at the cross members 15 and 16 by means of the fasteners provided therefor . it should also be noted that for the single seating units ssu the leg sul must be secured on site to the frame element 21 to support the ends of the single seating units ssu .	0
the following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention . this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense , but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention . the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims . the light source control module 30 of the present invention can be used for various types of light sources . a laser main body 10 is described as a light source . the light control module 30 of the present invention can be used with the laser main body 10 as a power switch . a laser generator 101 and a battery 102 ( providing power for the laser generator 101 ) are disposed in the laser main body 10 . the laser generator 101 can be a conventional laser generator . referring to fig2 and 3 , the light source control module 30 has a housing that includes a cover 31 and a connection sleeve 39 . receiving spaces 312 and 392 are defined inside the cover 31 and the connection sleeve 39 , respectively . a power cable 341 is connected to the cover 31 and a power switch 34 . screw threads 311 and 391 are defined on the inner wall of the cover 31 and the outer wall of the connection sleeve 39 , respectively . a plurality of grooves 393 are defined on the outer wall of the connection sleeve 39 for receiving one or more rings 394 . external screw threads 397 are defined on the other end of the connection sleeve 39 for engaging corresponding internal screw threads 11 in the laser main body 10 . a modulation circuit board 36 is disposed in the cover 31 . the power switch 34 is electrically connected to the modulation circuit board 36 for turning the laser main body 10 on and off to - emit modulated laser beam . the modulation circuit board 36 contains a modulation circuit ( which can be conventional circuitry ) that is designed to control the laser generator 101 to emit different modulated beams . the modulation circuit can also be provided on the circuit board 33 described below . the modulation circuit has multi - frequency adjusting function for modulating the laser beam to have various flashing frequencies . the modulation circuit board 36 is driven by the battery 102 disposed in the laser main body 10 . in addition , an independent power supply device may be used to provide power for the modulation circuit board 36 . the modulation method of the modulation circuit 36 can either be analog modulation or digital modulation , which are well known in the art . the connection sleeve 39 , a conducting spring 35 , the modulation circuit board 36 , and a pressing ring 37 are disposed inside the receiving space 312 . a contact 361 , a plurality of batteries 32 , a battery tube 38 , a conducting spring 331 , a circuit board 33 and a contact 332 are disposed inside the receiving space 392 of the connection sleeve 39 . the conducting spring 35 is disposed at the proximal - most end of the receiving space 312 , with the modulation circuit board 36 pressed against the conducting spring 35 , and the pressing ring 37 pressed against the modulation circuit board 36 . the power cable 341 passes through the cover 31 and is electrically connected to the contact 361 on the modulation circuit board 36 . the circuit board 33 is positioned at the distal - most end of the receiving space 392 , with the conducting spring 331 disposed on one side of the circuit board 33 facing the cover 31 , and the contact 332 disposed on the other side of the circuit board 33 . an opening 396 is defined on the distal end of the connection sleeve 39 . the contact 332 may extend through the opening 396 by a predetermined distance h measured from the distal end of the connection sleeve 39 . one or more batteries 32 are placed in the receiving space 392 . the positive end 321 of the distal - most battery 32 contacts the conducting spring 331 and the negative end 322 of the proximal - most battery 32 contacts the contact 361 disposed on the modulation circuit board 36 . the connection sleeve 39 is received from the distal end of the cover 31 into the receiving space 312 . the ring ( s ) 394 can be used to seal the screwed cover 31 and connection sleeve 39 . the pressing ring 37 is pressed by the edge 395 of the connection sleeve 39 to ensure that the modulation circuit board 36 contacts the conducting spring 35 for electrical conduction therebetween . the batteries 32 are pressed by the conducting spring 331 to ensure that the batteries 32 constantly engage the contact 361 . as best shown in fig3 and 4 , the light source control module 30 can be engaged with the tail of the laser main body 10 via the screw thread 397 . the exposed contact 332 can contact the corresponding contact disposed on the tail of the laser main body 10 for electrical conduction between the light source control module 30 and the laser main body 10 . the laser main body 10 is then turned on and off by the power switch 34 . when the power switch 34 is turned on , the laser generator 101 emits a flashing laser beam . the power switch 34 can be either externally disposed and connected to the cover 31 via the power cable 341 , or can be directly disposed on the cover 31 . although the present invention is applicable to a laser main body as described herein , the principles of the present invention can also be applicable to other light sources such as a flashlight . the modulation circuit of the present invention can control the flashlight to emit various flashes . in addition , various modulation modes such as morse codes may be stored into the modulation circuit in advance so that the flashlight can be used as a communication instrument . as described above , the modulation switch of the present invention replaces the conventional on / off switch so that the light source can be used not only for lighting purposes , but also for communication , warning and signal transmission purposes . the modulation circuit is removably secured in a housing to simplify the structure , and allow it to be compatible with conventional light sources . while the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention , it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof . the accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention .	5
for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention , reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended , such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices , and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates . fig1 a shows a flexible recloseable container 20 for containing a product , container 20 being useful for being formed , filled , and sealed with goods , and also being useful when sold as an empty container . container 20 comprises first and second sidewalls 22 and 24 , respectively , which may be made from any suitable thermoplastic film such as , for example , low density polyethylene , linear low density polyethylene , or similar materials . sidewalls 22 and 24 include first left transverse side seal 28 and second right transverse side seal 30 . container 20 also includes a bottom edge 26 generally opposite a pair of interlocking fastener strips 32 and 34 . bottom edge 26 may include a fold between sidewalls 22 and 24 , such as for a container formed using vertical form , fill and seal apparatus , or alternatively edge 26 may include a seal between sidewalls 22 and 24 , such as for a container 20 formed using a horizontal form , fill , and seal apparatus . interlocking strips 32 and 34 of fastener profiles run along the top edge of container 20 . strips 32 and 34 are sealed together at endstops 36 and 38 . a formed docking station 39 is located near endstop 36 . as an alternative to a formed docking station , strips 32 and 34 can also incorporate one or more vertical slits 37 a and / or 37 b , as will be described later . strips 32 and 34 are sealed to each other and also to sidewalls 22 and 24 at corner seals 40 and 42 . comer seals 40 and 42 are located along their respective edges of container 20 . seals 40 and 42 are generally located below shoulders 45 and 47 of fastener strips 32 and 34 , respectively . in one embodiment of the present invention , container 20 includes a tamper - evident seal 43 between sidewalls 22 and 24 . seal 43 may be an extension of the interlocking strips that extend internally across the opening of container 20 . seal 43 may be integrally molded with the strips , or may be attached separately . the broken or unbroken state of seal 43 provides evidence to the user of whether or not container 20 has been previously opened . a tamper evident seal is especially useful with a form , fill , and seal machine that inserts an edible product into container 20 . referring to fig1 a and 1b , slider 148 is slidable upon fastener strips 32 and 34 . fastener strips 32 and 34 include a pair of vertical walls 80 b and 80 a , respectively . a male profile element 82 b projects outwardly from wall 80 b . a female profile element 82 a projects outwardly from wall 80 a . slider 148 is shown enclosing non - interlocked portions of fastener strips 34 and 32 . movement of slider 148 along the fastener strips results in either an interlocking of profiles 82 a and 82 b , or an unlocking of profiles 82 a and 82 b . female profile 82 a includes an upper member 81 a which projects outwardly from strip wall 82 a to a greater extent than lower member 81 b . because of the greater length of upper member 81 a over 81 b , during interlocking of strips 32 and 34 male profile element 82 b comes into contact first with upper member 81 a , and second with lower member 81 b . in one embodiment of the present invention slider 148 includes a separator 162 having a vertical depth from central portion 151 b sufficient to separate elements 82 a and 82 b as slider 148 is moved along the fastener strips in an opening direction . feet 160 b and 160 a of slider 148 retain the slider on the interlocking strips by shoulders 45 and 47 , respectively . in another embodiment of the present invention , container 20 contains one or more vertical slits 37 a and 37 b that extend downward through fastener strips 32 and 34 through the top portion of the fastener strips , but preferably not through the interlocking profile elements of the fastener strips . these slits 37 a and 37 b reduce the stresses imposed upon the fastener strips due to the presence of the slider separator when the slider is proximate to one of the endstops . for example , slit 37 b of bag 20 increases the flexibility of the top portion of the fastener strips such that there is reduced separation force on the interlocked profile elements near endstop 38 when the slider and separator are docked adjacent to endstop 38 . it should be understood ; however , that not all embodiments of the invention include vertical slits 37 a and 37 b . for example , in one embodiment of the invention , a docking station 39 is formed by pressing the slider against a heated still - formable endstop 36 . in such an embodiment the slits 37 a and 37 b are not necessary and not present . fig2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 present top , end , bottom , and side elevational views of a slider 48 according to one embodiment of the present invention . slider 48 includes a body 49 which is preferably injection molded from a plastic material . in one embodiment , slider 48 slidingly engages a pair of interlockable fastener strips of a flexible , reclosable container , similar to that shown in fig1 a and 1b . as best seen in fig2 , body 49 includes a closing end 49 a , through which passes a pair of interlocked fastener strips as slider 48 is moved in a closing direction along the fastener strips . body 49 further includes an opening end 49 b , through which passes the unlocked pair of fastener profile strips as slider 48 is moved in a closing direction along the strips . referring again to fig2 - 5 , body 49 also includes a top 50 having a pair of central portions 51 a and 51 b which transversely span from one top edge 51 c to an opposing top edge 51 d . a pair of opposing sidewalls 52 a and 52 b depend downward from edges 51 c and 51 d , respectively , of top 50 . sidewalls 52 a and 52 b each include a bottom edge 54 a and 54 b , respectively , which are generally vertically opposite of top edges 51 c and 51 d , respectively . top 50 and sidewalls 52 a and 52 b bound an interior 55 of slider 48 . projecting from each sidewall toward interior 55 are one or more feet . as best seen in fig4 , projecting inwardly from sidewall 52 a are feet 56 a , 58 a , and 60 a . projecting inwardly from sidewall 52 b are feet 56 b , 58 b , and 60 b . preferably , feet 56 a and 56 b are aligned facing each other along the length of slider 48 . further , feet 58 a and 58 b are aligned facing each other , and feet 60 a and 60 b are aligned facing each other . preferably , slider 48 includes three pair of feet , with adjacent pairs of feet being spaced apart by a gap . referring to fig4 and 5 , feet 56 a and 58 a are spaced apart by a gap 57 a , and feet 58 a and 60 a are spaced apart by a gap 59 a . further , feet 56 b and 58 b are spaced apart by gap 57 b , and feet 58 b and 60 b are spaced apart by gap 59 b . feet 56 a and 56 b are located proximate opening end 49 b ; feet 60 a and 60 b are located proximate closing end 49 a . the pairs of feet of the slider co - act with shoulders of the fastener strips to maintain the slider engaged with the fastener strips , and further to assist in guiding the sliding motion of the slider along fastener strips . as best seen in fig1 b , shoulders 45 and 47 are located within the corners formed by the union of foot 160 b and sidewall 152 b and foot 160 a and sidewall 152 a , respectively . any attempt to vertically lift slider 148 from strips 32 and 34 is resisted by interference of shoulders 45 and 47 with feet 160 b and 160 a , respectively . however , the integrity of shoulders 45 and 47 is sometimes compromised by other features of container 20 . referring to fig1 a , the placement of fused endstops 36 and 38 at opposite ends of fastener strips 32 and 34 can distort or eliminate the edgemost portions of shoulders 45 and 47 . this distortion can reduce the co - action of the shoulders and feet that keeps the slider engaged to the bag . for example , moving the slider as far as possible toward endstop 38 can result in disengagement of the endmost feet from the shoulders . on a slider having only two pairs of opposing feet , the disengagement of one pair of feet from the shoulder permits the user to inadvertently rotate the slider about the remaining pair of engaged feet , and subsequently lift the slider from the fastener strips . however , a slider according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a central pair of feet such as feet 58 a and 58 b . even if feet 60 a and 60 b become disengaged from shoulders of the fastener strips , the central feet 58 a and 58 b and opening end feet 56 a and 56 b remain engaged with the shoulders , discouraging or preventing rotation of the slider and its subsequent pull - off from the fastener strips . the placement of gaps between adjacent pairs of feet permits some embodiments of the present invention to reduce the material cost and weight of the slider , in comparison to those sliders which include a continuous foot along the length of the sidewalls from the opening end to the closing end . in addition , as best seen in fig2 and 5 , the placement of the gaps can also facilitate design and fabrication of the injection molding dies and also facilitate the injection molding process . for example , gap 59 b is located below central portion 51 a and closing bars 64 a and 64 b . gap 57 b is located below central portion 51 b and separator 62 . in some embodiments , slider 48 is injection molded in a two - part die , with the two die parts coming together in the vertical direction ( vertical with reference to fig5 ). in addition , central portions 51 a and 51 b of top 50 are spaced apart by a gap 61 b . central portion 51 a is spaced apart from edge 49 a of body 49 by a gap 61 a . central portion 51 b is spaced apart from edge 49 b of body 49 by gap 61 c . as best seen in fig5 , gaps 61 a , 61 b , and 61 c are arranged in alternating sequence with gaps 59 b and 57 b . thus , a die half for injection molding of slider 48 extending downward ( as viewed on fig5 ) includes solid portions which correspond to gaps 61 a , 61 b , and 61 c . the die half for injection molding of slider 48 which extends vertically upward ( to join with the top die half ) includes solid portions generally within gaps 57 b and 59 b . referring again to fig2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 , slider 48 includes a triangular - or wedge - shaped separator 62 which extends from central portion 51 b downward into interior 55 . separator 62 includes a narrow portion 62 b which begins spreading apart interlocked profiles when the slider is moved along the fastener strips toward the separator . a pair of closing bars 64 a and 64 b project downward from central portion 51 a . closing bars 64 a and 64 b are adapted and configured to interlock fastener strips sliding between the closing bars . fig6 , 7 , 8 , and 9 depict top , end , bottom , and side elevational views of a slider according to another embodiment of the present invention . the use of an “ n ” 100 series prefix ( nxx ) with an element number ( xx ) refers to an element that is the same as the non - prefixed element ( xx ) previously described or depicted , except for the differences which are described or depicted hereafter . slider 148 is substantially the same as slider 48 , with one difference being the manner of coupling the separator to a central portion of the top . referring to fig9 , a triangular - or wedge - shaped separator 162 is attached to central portion 151 b of top 150 by an intermediate attachment portion 163 . this attachment portion has a width 163 a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of slider 148 that is less than a separating width 162 a of separator 162 . attachment portion 163 is depicted with a square cross section , but can have a cross section of any shape . preferably , attachment portion 163 is integrally molded with separator 162 and central portion 151 b . this incorporation of a reduced width attachment portion above the separator assists in maintaining slider 148 in engagement with a pair of fastener strips . referring to fig1 b , slider 148 is shown engaged with a pair of fastener strips 32 and 34 . each fastener strip includes a top flange 84 a and 84 b which projects inwardly from sidewalls 80 a and 80 b , respectively , of fastener strips 34 and 32 , respectively . flanges 84 a and 84 b provide a top closure of the fastener strips when the fastener strips are interlocked . further , top flanges 84 a and 84 b are captured within interior 155 between the top surface of separator 162 and the bottom surface of central portion 151 b . flanges 84 a and 84 b extend inwardly from their respective sidewalls toward the interior such that a flange and sidewall wrap around separator 162 . the use of a reduced width section 163 accommodates the flanges by providing sufficient lateral space for their sliding movement through the slider . further , any attempt to pull slider 148 off of bag 120 results in interference between the top corners of separator 163 and the inside surfaces of the flanges , thus increasing the strength of the attachment of the slider 148 to strips 32 and 34 . fig1 , 11 , 12 , and 13 present top , end , bottom , and side elevational views of a slider 248 according to one embodiment of the present invention . slider 248 includes a body 249 which is preferably injection molded from a plastic material . in one embodiment , slider 248 slidingly engages a pair of interlockable fastener strips of a flexible , reclosable container , similar to that shown in fig1 a and 1b . body 249 includes a closing end 249 a , through which passes a pair of interlocked fastener strips as slider 248 is moved in a closing direction along the fastener strips . body 249 further includes an opening end 249 b , through which passes the unlocked pair of fastener profile strips as slider 248 is moved in a opening direction along the strips . referring again to fig1 - 13 , body 249 also includes a top 250 having a central portion which transversely spans from one top edge 251 c to an opposing top edge 251 d . a pair of opposing sidewalls 252 a and 252 b depend downward from edges 251 c and 251 d , respectively , of top 250 . sidewalls 252 a and 252 b each include a bottom edge 254 a and 254 b , respectively , which are generally vertically opposite of top edges 251 c and 251 d , respectively . top 250 and sidewalls 252 a and 252 b bound an interior 255 of slider 248 . projecting from each sidewall toward interior 255 are a pair of opposing feet . as best seen in fig1 and 12 , projecting inwardly from sidewall 252 a is foot 256 a , and projecting inwardly from sidewall 252 b is foot 256 b . preferably , feet 256 a and 256 b are aligned facing each other along the length of slider 248 . the pair of feet of the slider co - act with shoulders of the fastener strips to maintain the slider engaged with the fastener strips , and further to assist in guiding the sliding motion of the slider along fastener strips . referring to fig1 b , shoulders 45 and 47 are located within the corners formed by the union of foot 256 b and sidewall 252 b and foot 256 a and sidewall 252 a , respectively . any attempt to vertically lift slider 248 from strips 232 and 234 is resisted by interference of shoulders 45 and 47 with feet 256 b and 256 a , respectively . slider 248 incorporates various improvements which reduce the possibility a user will inadvertently pull slider 248 off of a pair of fastener strips . as best seen in fig1 , each foot 256 a and 256 b is inclined upward toward top 250 , forming an angle 256 c between the upper surface of the foot and the inner surface of the corresponding sidewall that is less than 90 degrees . in a more preferred embodiment , angle 256 c is less than about 75 degrees and more than about 20 degrees . further , although fig1 depicts an angled foot with substantially linear surfaces , the present invention also contemplates the use of a hook - shaped cross section , including radiused or rounded portions . separator 262 of slider 248 includes a nose section 262 b which extends from the triangular - or wedge - shaped portion of separator 262 having a width 262 a to the face of the closing end 249 a . a nose 262 b that extends flush to the face of closing end 249 a limits the maximum travel of slider 248 . for example , as best considered in reference to fig1 a , movement of a slider 248 toward endstop 36 results in contact of nose 262 b with the innermost fused area of endstop 36 . this contact limits the sliding travel of slider 248 , making it more difficult for a user to slide slider 248 such that a portion of the feet are no longer in contact with the fastener strip shoulder , and thus more difficult to pull slider 248 out of engagement with fastener strips 32 and 34 . as best seen in fig1 and 13 , closing bars 264 a and 264 b project inwardly from sidewalls 252 a and 252 b toward interior 255 . preferably , closing bars 264 a and 264 b are located vertically between the bottom surface of separator 262 and the top surface of feet 256 a and 256 b . this manner of vertical location facilitates the use of a dieset for injection molding that couples together along the longitudinal axis of the slider , with reference to fig1 ( i . e ., a dieset that couples together in a direction parallel to the length of the fastener strips ). as can be best seen in fig1 and 13 , slider 248 includes features with different vertical orientations to facilitate injection molding by a pair of dies that couple together in a longitudinal direction ( i . e . the dies come together such that one die approaches from opening side 249 b toward another die that approaches from closing side 249 a ). in this manner , it is possible to mold certain features , such as the angled interior corner represented by angle 256 c , that are difficult to fabricate with dies that approach each other vertically . this difficulty arises because of the vertical alignment of closing bars 264 a and 264 b directly above the angled interior surfaces of feet 256 a and 256 b , respectively . in contrast , in one embodiment of the present invention the dies approach each other longitudinally , and the open , interior volume beneath the bottom of the closing bars and the top of the angled feet is easily reproduced by a complementary - shaped solid portion of a longitudinally - approaching die member . fig1 - 21 , 22 a , and 22 b depict a slider according to another embodiment of the present invention . these figures depict the two pieces of a two - part slider 348 for a reclosable container . fig1 - 17 show a body 349 with a pair of sidewalls 352 a and 352 b . fig1 - 21 show a separately molded top 350 which is slidingly received within a track 366 of body 349 . fig2 a and 22b show top and end views , respectively , of the assembled slider 348 . fig1 - 17 depict a body 349 which is similar to body 249 previously discussed . however , body 349 includes a top transverse section 368 which connects sidewalls 352 a and 352 b . sidewalls 352 a and 352 b each include a channel section 366 a and 366 b , respectively , which extend from the face from opening end 349 b toward an inner vertical wall of top transverse section 368 . extending inwardly from sidewalls 352 a and 352 b are closing bars 364 a and 364 b which function to interlock fastener strips sliding between the closing bars . sidewalls 352 a and 352 b bound an interior 355 of slider 348 . projecting inwardly from sidewall 352 a are feet 356 a , and projecting inwardly from sidewall 352 b are feet 356 b . fig1 - 21 depict a top portion 350 , which includes a separator 362 having a nose portion 362 b similar to nose portion 262 b previously described . however , top portion 350 is adapted and configured to be slidingly received within channels 366 a and 366 b , resulting in a slider 348 which is substantially similar to one piece slider 248 . preferably , separable top portion 350 is received within channels 366 a and 366 b in light interference fit , such that friction maintains top 350 coupled to body 349 . body 349 also includes a top 350 having a central portion 351 a which transversely extends from one top edge 351 c to an opposing top edge 351 d . separator 362 has a width 362 a . fig2 a and 22b show top and end views , respectively , of an assembled two piece slider 348 . top 350 is shown inserted in channels 366 a and 366 b . fig2 , 24 , and 25 a depict top , end , and side elevational views , respectively , of a separable top 350 ′ for a slider 348 ′. fig2 b is an end view of an assembled slider 348 ′. slider 348 ′ includes top 350 ′, slidingly received within channels 366 a and 366 b of body 349 . top 350 ′ is the same as top 350 , except that separator 362 ′ is spaced apart from and underneath the bottom surface of slider 348 ′ or top 350 ′ by an attachment portion 362 a ′ of wedge - shaped separator 362 ′. fig2 and 27 depict a body 349 ″ and separable top 350 : which can be assembled to form a slider . body 349 ″ includes a top transverse section 368 ″ which connects sidewalls 352 a ″ and 352 b ″. body 349 ″ is the same as body 349 , except that channels 366 a ″ and 366 b ″ include angled interior surfaces , as best seen in fig2 . channels 366 a ″ and 366 b ″ are closest together at a location near 349 b ″, with the distance between opposing walls of the channels increasing as the channels extend toward closing and 349 a ″. fig2 depicts a top 350 ″ which is the same as top 350 , except that top 350 ″ includes angled side surfaces 351 c ″ and 351 d ″ that are complementary in shape to the inner walls of channels 366 a ″ and 366 b ″, respectively . as best seen in fig2 , the width of top 350 ″ is narrowest toward the opening end ( i . e ., proximate the widest portion of separator 362 ″), and widest near the closing end ( i . e ., near the distal end of separator nose 362 b ″). top 350 ″ is slidingly received within the channels of body 349 ″. as the widest ( or closing ) end of top 350 ″ is pressed into the narrowest ( or opening ) end of body 349 ″, sidewalls 352 a ″ and 352 b ″ are spread apart . lead - in chambers or tapers may be provided on both of the channel inlets of body 349 ″. alternatively the insertion edge of top 350 ″ may have tapered corners , as shown , to assist in the insertion and spreading apart of the sidewalls . after insertion , the sidewalls 352 a ″ and 352 b ″ resiliently spring back to their original position , thus locking top 350 ″ in place . although fig1 - 27 depict a separable top which is inserted into a body proximate the opening end 349 b , the present invention further includes separable tops and receiving channels adapted and configured for insertion from opening end 349 a . further , although what has been shown and described is a separable top that is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis , the present invention also contemplates those separable tops in which only one side includes an angled surface or some other feature which co - acts with the respective channel to lock the positioned top in place in the body . fig2 shows an end elevational view of a slider 248 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention . slider 248 ′ is the same as slider 248 , except that the sidewalls 252 a ′ and 252 b ′ are angled inward toward interior 255 ′, such that the bottom end of the sidewalls near feet 256 a ′ and 256 b ′ is narrower than the distance between the sidewalls toward top 250 ′. slider 248 ′ includes a separator 262 ′. top 250 ′ and sidewalls 252 a ′ and 252 b ′ bound an interior 255 ′ of slider 248 ′. the included angle 252 c ′ between top surface 250 ′ and the exterior surface of sidewall 252 a ′ is less than 90 degrees , and in a preferred embodiment is less than about 85 degrees and more than about 60 degrees . the included angle 252 d ′ between top surface 250 ′ and the exterior surface of sidewall 252 b ′ is less than 90 degrees , and in a preferred embodiment is less than about 85 degrees and more than about 60 degrees . although what has been shown and described are inwardly angled walls with substantially flat surface , the present invention also contemplates those embodiments in which the walls include rounded , non - planar surfaces . fig2 - 34 present various views of a slider 448 according to one embodiment of the present invention . slider 448 includes a body 449 which is preferably injection molded from a plastic material . in one embodiment , slider 448 slidingly engages a pair of interlockable fastener strips of a flexible , reclosable container , similar to that shown in fig1 a and 1b . body 449 includes a closing end 449 a , through which passes a pair of interlocked fastener strips as slider 448 is moved in a closing direction along the fastener strips . body 449 further includes an opening end 449 b , through which passes the unlocked pair of fastener profile strips as slider 448 is moved in a opening direction along the strips . referring again to fig2 - 34 , body 449 also includes a top 450 having a central portion which transversely spans from one top edge 451 c to an opposing top edge 451 d . a pair of opposing sidewalls 452 a and 452 b depend downwardly from edges 451 c and 451 d , respectively , of top 450 . sidewalls 452 a and 452 b each include a bottom edge 454 a and 454 b , respectively , which are generally vertically opposite top edges 451 c and 451 d , respectively . top 450 and sidewalls 452 a and 452 b bound an interior 455 of slider 448 . projecting from each sidewall toward interior 455 are a pair of opposing feet . projecting inwardly from sidewall 452 a is foot 456 a , and projecting inwardly from sidewall 452 b is foot 456 b . preferably , feet 456 a and 456 b are aligned facing each other along the length of slider 448 . the pair of feet of the slider co - act with shoulders of the fastener strips to maintain the slider engaged with the fastener strips , and further to assist in guiding the sliding motion of the slider along fastener strips . referring to fig1 b , shoulders 45 and 47 are located within the corners formed by the union of foot 456 b and sidewall 452 b and foot 456 a and sidewall 452 a , respectively . any attempt to vertically lift slider 448 from strips 32 and 34 is resisted by interference of shoulders 45 and 47 with feet 456 b and 456 a , respectively . slider 448 incorporates various improvements which reduce the possibility a user will inadvertently pull slider 448 off of a pair of fastener strips . as best seen in fig3 , each foot 456 a and 456 b includes an upstanding projection or lip 457 a and 457 b , respectively . these projections 457 a and 457 b extend generally toward interior 455 of slider 448 from a generally horizontal central portion of feet 456 a and 456 b , respectively . further , although fig3 depicts an upwardly angled projection with substantially linear surfaces , the present invention also contemplates the use of a hook - shaped cross section , including radiused or rounded portions . separator 462 of slider 448 includes a nose section 462 b which extends from the triangular - or wedge - shaped portion of separator 462 to the face of the closing end 449 a . a nose 462 b that extends flush to the face of closing end 449 a limits the maximum travel of slider 448 . for example , as best considered in reference to fig1 a , movement of a slider 448 toward endstop 36 results in contact of nose 462 b with the innermost fused area of endstop 36 . this contact limits the sliding travel of slider 448 , making it more difficult for a user to slide slider 448 such that a portion of the feet are no longer in contact with the fastener strip shoulder , and thus more difficult to pull slider 448 out of engagement with fastener strips 32 and 34 . as best seen in fig3 , closing bars 464 a and 464 b project inwardly from longitudinal midpoints of sidewalls 452 a and 452 b toward interior 455 . preferably , closing bars 464 a and 464 b are located vertically between the bottom surface of separator 462 and the top surface of feet 456 a and 456 b , as best seen in fig3 . this manner of vertical location facilitates the use of a dieset for injection molding that couples together along the longitudinal axis of the slider ( i . e ., a dieset that couples together in a direction parallel to the length of the fastener strips ). slider 448 includes features with different vertical orientations to facilitate injection molding by a pair of dies that couple together in a longitudinal direction ( i . e . the dies come together such that one die approaches from opening side 449 b toward another die that approaches from closing side 449 a ). in this manner , it is possible to mold certain features , such as the lowered elevational portion of the feet between the innermost projections ( 457 a and 457 b ) and the inner surface of the walls of the slider body ( 452 a and 452 b , respectively ), that are difficult to fabricate with dies that approach each other vertically . this difficulty arises because of the vertical alignment of closing bars 464 a and 464 b directly above the interior surfaces of feet 456 a and 456 b , respectively . in contrast , in one embodiment of the present invention the dies approach each other longitudinally , and the open , interior volume beneath the bottom of the closing bars and the top of the angled feet is easily reproduced by a complementary - shaped solid portion of a longitudinally - approaching die member . slider 448 also includes exterior features which provide a more positive feel and improved gripping surface for the user , regardless of whether the slider is moved in the opening or closing direction . slider 448 includes angled or contoured exterior surfaces 472 a and 472 b which extend outwardly away from interior 455 as the exterior surfaces traverse longitudinally from closing end 449 a toward the middle of slider body 449 . likewise , the other half of the slider body includes walls 452 a and 452 b which include exterior surfaces 470 a and 470 b that extend away from interior 455 in a direction from opening end 449 b toward a midpoint of the slider body . the juncture of outer surfaces 470 a and 472 a meet along a generally vertical ridge 474 a which is preferably near a midpoint along the length of body 449 . the juncture of outer surfaces 470 b and 472 b meet along a generally vertical ridge 474 b which is preferably near a midpoint along the length of body 449 . as best seen in fig3 , ridges 474 a and 474 b are located a greater distance from the centerline of body 449 b than other points along vertical walls 452 a and 452 b , respectively . these central ridges and angled or curving exterior walls provide for easier gripping and control of slider 448 by the user . for example , when moving the slider in a direction to interlock the profiles , the user places his fingers on the outwardly flaring wall surfaces 472 a and 472 b and pushes gently against ridges 474 a and 474 b , which is gripped more easily and with less need for surface friction than otherwise flat , planar exterior wall surfaces . as another example , when moving the slider in a direction to unlock the profiles , the user places his fingers on the outwardly flaring wall surfaces 470 a and 470 b and pushes gently against ridges 474 a and 474 b , which is gripped more easily and with less need for surface friction than otherwise flat , planar exterior wall surfaces . in one embodiment , the present invention includes an apparatus for a reclosable container , comprising a pair of fastener strips each having a sidewall with a top , the fastener strips including a pair of opposing interlockable profile elements projecting from the sidewalls of the fastener strips and adapted and configured for repeated locking and unlocking of the fastener strips . each fastener strip has a flange extending from a location proximate the top of the respective fastener strip . the apparatus further includes a slider comprising a body including a top with a pair of opposing sides and a central portion therebetween , a pair of opposing sidewalls , and a separator for unlocking the profile elements . each sidewall depends downward from opposing edges of the top . the separator depends downward from the central portion of the top , and has a first portion with a first width adapted and configured for unlocking the profile elements . the separator is attached to the top by an attachment portion having a second width that is less than the first width . when the slider is coupled to the fastener strips , at least one of the flanges is able to slide between the top of the body and the first portion , and also past the attachment portion . preferably , the flanges overlap one another when the profile strips are interlocked . in another embodiment , the present invention includes a slider for locking and unlocking the fastener profiles of a flexible , reclosable container , comprising a body including a top and a pair of opposing sidewalls . each of the sidewalls depend downward from the top and have a bottom edge spaced away from the top . the body has an interior bounded by the top and the sidewalls . the apparatus includes a first pair of feet for retaining the slider on the fastener profiles and guiding the slider along the fastener profiles , each of the first pair of feet projecting from a different one of the sidewalls toward the interior along the bottom edge . the apparatus includes a second pair of feet for retaining the slider on the fastener profiles and guiding the slider along the fastener profiles , each of the second pair of feet projecting from a different one of the sidewalls toward the interior along the bottom edge . the apparatus includes a third pair of feet for retaining the slider on the fastener profiles and guiding the slider along the fastener profiles , each of the third pair of feet projecting from a different one of the sidewalls toward the interior along the bottom edge . the second pair of feet are placed between and spaced apart from the first pair of feet and the third pair of feet along the bottom edge . the apparatus preferably includes a pair of closing bars , each of the bars projecting from a different one of the sidewalls toward the interior and located intermediate of the top and the respective bottom edge . the closing bars are located along the respective sidewall in between the first pair of feet and the second pair of feet . preferably , each of the first pair of feet opposes each other , each of the second pair of feet opposes each other , and each of the third pair of feet opposes each other . referring now to fig3 - 42 , there is illustrated a further embodiment of the present invention . referring particularly to fig3 there is shown a cross sectional view similar to fig1 b of a slider 548 which is slidable upon fastener strips 532 and 534 . the description and showing above with reference to fig1 a is also pertinent as regards the construction application and operation of the embodiment of fig3 - 42 . referring to fig3 , slider 548 is slidable upon fastener strips 532 and 534 . fastener strips 532 and 534 include a pair of vertical walls 580 a and 580 b , respectively . a male profile 582 b projects outwardly from wall 580 a . a female profile element 582 a projects outwardly from wall 580 b . slider 548 is shown enclosing non - interlocked portions of fastener strips 534 and 532 . movement of slider 548 along the fastener strips results in either an interlocking of profiles 582 a and 582 b , or an unlocking of profiles 582 a and 582 b . female profile 582 a includes an upper member 581 a and also a lower member 581 b . slider 548 includes a separator 562 having a vertical depth from central portion 551 b sufficient to separate elements 582 a and 582 b as slider 548 is moved along the fastener strips in an opening direction . feet 560 b and 560 a of slider 548 retain slider 548 on the interlocking strips by shoulders 545 and 547 , respectively . referring to fig3 - 42 , slider 548 includes a body 549 which is preferably injection molded from a plastic material . body 549 includes a closing end 549 a through which passes interlocked fastener strips of a flexible , reclosable container such as that shown in fig1 a . when the slider 548 is moved in a closing direction along the fastener strips , the interlocked profiles pass out of the closing end 549 a . body 549 further includes an opening end 549 b through which passes the unlocked pair of fastener profile strips as slider 548 is moved in a opening direction along the strips . body 549 also includes a top 550 and a pair of opposing side walls 552 a and 552 b which depend from the top 550 . projecting inwardly from sidewall 552 a is foot 556 a . projecting inwardly from sidewall 552 b is foot 556 b . the feet 556 a and 556 b are relatively stout or thick and also extend the entire length of the slider from the closing end 549 a to the opening end 549 b . the single pair of feet of the slider coact with the shoulders 545 and 457 to firmly retain the slider on the fastener strips . because the feet and 556 a and 556 b extend the entire length of the slider there is little tendency for the feet to become disengaged with the shoulders thus preventing or reducing pull off of the slider from the fastener strips . the slider 548 further includes the separator 562 which as shown in fig3 , 39 , 40 and 41 has , at least in part , a wedge - shaped or diamond - shaped portion 562 a and straight or elongated portion 562 b . the separator 562 is adapted and configured to unlock and separate the profiles as shown in fig3 when the slider is moved in the opening direction on the fastener strips . mounted on the sidewalls 552 a and 552 b are closing bars 564 a and 564 b which are adapted and configured to interlock fastener strips sliding between the closing bars . the slider 548 includes features with different vertical orientations to facilitate injection molding by a pair of dies that couple together in a longitudinal direction ( i . e . the dies come together such that one die approaches from closing end 549 a toward another die that approaches from opening end 549 b ). a pair of slots 570 are provided to facilitate orienting the sliders when it is fed in a parts feeder for assembly on the fastener strips . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character , it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected . in the following claims the terms vertical , horizontal , above and the like are used not in an absolute sense but instead in a relative sense so as to orient the various elements of the claim relative to one another .	1
as seen in fig1 and 2 , tidal waterway 4 may have , in places , an original bottom 41 as illustrated by the dotted - dashed line in fig1 . the original river bottom 41 shown generally runs at an angle up to a shore or bank 42 of the waterway and is generally flattened in the middle . at the barrier , a bottom 21 of the waterway 4 , which waterway is illustrated in fig2 and which bottom substantially replaces the original river bottom 41 at the barrier location , comprises a foundation 2 . the foundation 2 may form an inclined plane 22 , which plane preferably begins from points above the river bank to the deepest point of the waterway , which point may be approximately in the middle of the river . in the vicinity of the bank 42 , the bottom 21 is may be generally flatter and / or smoother , and , in the middle of the waterway 4 , may be deeper than the original bottom 41 . the latter characteristic is generally to the advantage of a ship channel 43 in the middle of the river . fig2 shows tracks 23 of dam walls 11 and bracing walls 12 on the foundation 2 . together , a dam wall 11 and a bracing wall 12 together preferably form one gate element 1a to 1d . the bracing walls 12 generally have no covers and preferably have openings between their beams . fig1 is the ocean - side view of one - half of the barrier in a closed position , or a position in which the barrier is extended and thus prepared to counter a storm tide or flood . as shown , reference number 44 indicates what may be an average high water level , and reference number 45 indicates what may be a maximum high water level . the illustrations of fig1 and 2 , showing the closed position , show how the gate elements 1a to 1d may overlap under one another on their vertical end edges 14 . elements 1a - 1d also preferably have seals 15 on the overlapping points of the dam walls , which seals preferably come into contact with bead - shaped contact surfaces ( not shown ) on the next - higher element . the seals 15 are preferably elastic in nature . the gate elements 1a to 1d all preferably have an identical shape , but may be of different sizes . the upper edges 13 of the elements 1a - 1d are preferably inclined in relation to the inclined plane 22 , but may also be configured differently from those illustrated ; for example , they may be flatter . the elements 1a to 1d preferably become smaller going from the middle of the river to the shore , and are designated by the letters a to d . in fig1 for example , elements 1a - 1d are illustrated in a substantially exaggerated manner . in practical terms , as an example , one side of the barrier may be formed by about 3 to 5 elements , whereby the height of the largest element may be between about 25 and about 30 m and the lengths of the elements may be between about 100 and about 200 m . the overlaps for the intermediate seals 15 may be between about one and generally several meters long , for example . for the seals of the uppermost movable gate element 1d , a wall 5 with a corresponding contact surface 51 may be constructed on the upper portion of the inclined plane 22 . above this wall 5 , the gate elements 1a to 1d are preferably inserted in one another telescopically , above the average high water level 44 , as shown by the dashed lines in fig1 . to move the gate elements 1a to 1d , lantern gears or toothed racks may be used , among other things , and the opening movement may also be assisted by traction means driven by winches . the required drive machines are preferably installed in a machine house 6 . preferably , each of the gate elements 1a - 1d , as well as the drive machinery in machine house 6 , is also connected to a control apparatus 16 , which may be located in the machine house 6 or in a separate location . control apparatus 16 may include an electrical arrangement with simple switches . preferably , control apparatus 16 is provided to allow for each of the gate elements 1a - 1d to be seperately driven . in this way , the gate elements 1a - 1d may be driven separately , in pairs , or in any combination or configuration desired by an operator . examples of such combinations and configurations are discussed further below in relation to fig5 . fig3 shows a cross - sectional view of the foundation 2 , preferably made of concrete . the foundation 2 preferably includes , among other things , cable ducts ( not shown ) and galleries 28 . one such gallery which is shown here by way of example , located in the center of the foundation 2 . below the dam wall side of the gate elements 1a to 1d , the foundation 2 is preferably anchored in either the ground or the bottom of the waterway 21 and is preferably protected against scouring and erosion . the tracks 23 for the bracing walls 12 and the dam walls 11 may be located on the foundation 2 . these tracks 23 preferably have the same configuration for both dam walls 11 and bracing walls 12 , and preferably have a substantially trough - shaped cross section with diagonal flanks 26 . the generally identical lower edges 3 of all the gate elements 1a to 1d are preferably in contact with the flanks of the trough - shaped track 23 by means of rollers 31 . the flanks 26 are preferably at an angle of 45 degrees and the rollers 31 of the gate elements 1a to 1d may , accordingly , be oriented at a right angle to one another . the arrangement of the rollers 31 or the slope of the flanks 26 thus may allow for a favorable support of the dam and bracing walls 11 , 12 . additional configurations with flanks inclined at different angles are conceivable , to which the rollers 31 may be adapted . a combination of flanks at different inclinations in one track or group of tracks 23 may also be possible , as a function of the dam wall 11 or bracing wall 12 . the gate elements 1a to 1d are shown in a rest position , pushed together above the wall 5 . the seal 15 ( see fig1 and 2 ) on the inside 16 on the end edges 14 of the gate elements 1a - 1d is not shown . on the dam walls 11 , skinplates 18 of the gate elements are indicated by hatch - marks . fig4 shows an enlarged detail of a bottom edge 3 of a gate element in a track 23 . the track flanks 26 preferably contain embedded reinforcements 24 , such as h - beams , on which the rollers 31 may travel . the flanks 26 and reinforcements 24 may also be in the shape of a rail , as shown . preferably , on both sides of a bottom edge 3 of the gate element , very near the rollers 31 , there are preferably included skids 32 , on which a gate element 1 may slide if rollers are not present . in front of the dam wall 11 , shown in partial cross section , of a gate element 1 , a plate 33 preferably projects from a lower edge 3 . a rubber profile 35 is preferably fastened to the underside 34 of the plate 33 . the profile 35 , which generally runs along the lower edge 3 , is preferably laid into a contact surface 27 , which preferably runs in a trough - like manner near track 23 , on the ocean side of track 23 . preferably , profile 35 is pressed against the contact surface 27 by water pressure , thereby substantially preventing the seepage of sea water below the dam walls 11 . fig5 shows various possible operating positions a to e of one - half of the barrier . in position a , all the gate elements 1a to 1d are in the rest position above the wall 5 . in position b , one element , namely element 1b , has been extended ahead of the others , for example , for maintenance activities . at an average low water level 46 , the element may be completely out of the water ; at the average high water level 44 , it may be partly in the water . position c is a position of readiness , and position d is a position of increased readiness , when a storm tide is expected . but as the cross section of the waterway becomes narrower , the speed of the current may be extraordinarily accelerated , and an increasing gradient may also be formed . that , in turn , tends to cause an increasing load on the gate elements 1a to 1d , and it may be problematic to quickly move the gate elements into the closed position one after the other . on account of the individual drive mechanisms and the mobility of the elements 1a to 1d , which may move independently of one another , it is possible to partly reduce the cross section of the waterway and to achieve a shorter closing time in emergencies , whereby , simultaneously , the main ship channel 43 may be kept open for a very long time , as shown in position d . the barrier may also be opened therefrom correspondingly quickly , thereby generally reducing the time ship traffic is blocked . position e shows the barrier in the closed position , with the indicated maximum high water level 45 . since the current pressure of the rising water exerts significant additional forces on the moving gate elements 1a to 1d , it is generally advantageous to provide flow openings for relief in the dam walls 11 of the individual elements 1a to 1d . preferably , these relief openings are configured to be closed only after the gate element has reached the final closed position , e . g . by rollers on suitable rails or louvered gates . as a function of the overall height of the elements 1a - 1d , various devices may be considered which can also make the height of the upper edge of the gate element changeable , such as a structure with hanging flaps in a frame structure . the diagonal upper edge corresponding to the slope of the track must be replaced by a horizontal support structure for the mounting of the wickets of the weir . the wickets , which are held approximately horizontal during the movement of the elements , are lowered into the diagonal position only for the final closing , which corresponds to the slope of the dam walls of the other gate elements . to recapitulate , the storm tide flood barriers of the prior art for damming tidal surges have the particular disadvantages of expensive construction , a modification of the river cross section , complex and expensive methods to keep them clear of sand and silt deposits , and difficult service and maintenance . it must also be possible to maintain a continuous ship channel at least 200 to 400 m wide with sufficient depth at average low water . one feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier , in particular for the damming of a tidal waterway in the event of a storm tide , with a barrier having an approximately triangular cross section shape , whose one inclined wall forms a dam wall 11 and whose other wall forms a bracing wall 12 , which walls are connected to one another via a common upper edge 13 , and which can be moved on a foundation 2 between a rest position on the edge of the waterway and a closed position in the waterway , characterized by the fact that : the barrier comprises several movable gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d ; that the foundation 2 forms inclined planes 22 adapted to the bottom of the waterway 21 , on which the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d can be moved ; that all the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d have a geometrically similar triangular cross - section shape , but are of different sizes as a function of their position in the closed position , and are configured and arranged so that in the rest position they are telescoped into one another on the edge , preferably on the shore of the waterway , and in the closed position they are extended as a function of their size to the deepest point of the waterway , and ; that on the end edges 14 of the skinplates 11 , there are elastic seals 15 , which in the closed position always close the gap between two overlapping gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d . another feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that the end edges 14 of the dam wall and the bracing wall 11 , 12 of the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d are designed at least in part so that they define vertical planes . yet another feature resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that the dam wall 11 is curved or arched and that the bracing wall 12 is configured in the manner of a frame . a further feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that the foundation 2 contains 2 parallel tracks 23 , the tracks 23 run along the inclined plane 22 , and have a trough - shaped cross section 25 , whereby the cross section 25 has diagonal flanks 26 . a yet further feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d are guided with elastically mounted roller and / or skid devices , which are located on the bottom edges 3 of the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d , each in a track 23 under the dam wall 11 and a track 23 under the bracing wall 12 , and are braced at least on the flanks 26 of the trough - shaped cross section 25 , whereby they are self - centering . a still further feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that on the bottom edges 3 of the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d there are sweeper elements , which consist at least partly of plates in front of and behind each roller and / or skid apparatus 31 , 32 . a still yet further feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that there are water pipes on the foundation 2 which are located at least partly in the tracks 23 , 24 , whereby the water pipes have nozzles from which pressurized water is discharged , and the tracks 23 are flushed clean or cleared by the pressurized water . a still yet another feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that the seals 15 on the end edges 14 of the dam walls 11 are installed on the inside shore - side 16 of the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d , that on the river - side end edge 14 , there are contact surfaces with a bead - like shape on the dam wall 11 , and that the seals 15 can be pressed by water pressure against the bead - shaped contact surfaces 17 of the next - higher gate element 1b , 1c , 1d . a still yet further feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that on the bottom edges 3 of the dam wall 11 , solid plates 33 are installed which project ahead of the dam wall 11 and have on their underside 34 a rubber profile 35 , which runs along the bottom edges 3 of the dam wall 11 and that there are contact surfaces 27 on the foundation 2 in front of the dam wall 11 , whereby the plates 33 can be pressed by the water pressure against the contact surfaces 27 . a yet further feature of the invention resides broadly in a barrier characterized by the fact that the gate elements 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d have closable openings in their dam walls 11 , by means of which a pressure equalization becomes possible during extension into the closed position . all , or substantially all , of the components and methods of the various embodiments may be used with at least one embodiment or all of the embodiments , if any , described herein . all of the patents , patent applications and publications recited herein , if any , are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein . the details in the patents , patent applications and publications may be considered to be incorporable , at applicant &# 39 ; s option , into the claims during prosecution as further limitations in the claims to patentably distinguish any amended claims from any applied prior art . the invention as described hereinabove in the context of the preferred embodiments is not to be taken as limited to all of the provided details thereof , since modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	4
ester ( 4 ) can be synthesized by reacting a phenol of formula ( 2 ): wherein r is an acid protecting group , such as methyl or ethyl , with the bromo compound of formula ( 3 ): in an organic solvent , for example acetone , methylethylketone , diethylketone or dimethylformamide . the reaction may be conducted from below room temperature up to the reflux temperature of the solvent , in the presence of an inorganic base , e . g ., potassium carbonate or sodium carbonate . the addition of potassium iodide is also recommended . analogues of compound ( 3 ) having alternative leaving groups , such as chloro and tosylate , may be used to effect the coupling reaction . removal of the acid protecting group by alkaline ester hydrolysis and extractive work - up gives compound ( 1 ) as a white solid . recrystallization of the white solid to give essentially pure form a crystals ( fig6 ), ( e . g ., 90 % or more , preferably at least 95 %) can be accomplished by dissolving compound ( 1 ) in 5 to 10 parts by weight of ethanol at 25 - 40 ° c . to give a yellow to orange solution . the ethanol solution is charged with 1 - 10 parts of water and agitated at 20 - 25 ° c . for about 15 - 60 minutes and then at 5 - 10 ° c . for an additional period of 1 - 4 hours , preferably 2 . 0 - 3 . 0 hours , resulting in an off - white suspension . to this suspension is added 5 - 15 parts of water and the mixture is agitated at 5 - 10 ° c . for an additional 1 - 4 hours , preferably 1 . 5 - 2 . 0 hours . a solid , white to off - white product is isolated by vacuum filtration and the filter cake is washed with water and dried in a vacuum at 25 - 40 ° c . for 12 - 24 hours . other recrystallization conditions are also able to produce form a , such as dissolving compound ( 1 ) in a lower alcohol ( isopropanol ), and cooling the solution form crystals . pharmaceutical compositions containing the orthorhombic form of compound ( 1 ) may be formulated for oral administration with inert excipients , such as a starch binder excipient , alone or in combination with microcrystalline cellulose and a suitable lubricant . other suitable excipients include polyvinylpyrrolidinone , gelatin , hydroxy cellulose , acacia , polyethylene glycol , mannitol , sodium chloride , sodium citrate or any other excipient known to those of skill in the art of pharmaceutical compositions . excipients in tablets are generally classified according to their function , such as diluents ( also called bulking agents and fillers ), binders which hold the ingredients together in the compressed tablet , disintegrants which help facilitate the break - up of the tablet when placed in a fluid environment to release the active ingredient , and lubricants to improve the release of the compressed tablet from the die and punches . in addition , tablets may contain other substances intended to improve the tabletting process , such as flow additives , flavors , sweeteners and anti - oxidants . tabletting and some capsule filling operations are based on the ability of certain powders to bind under compression . compressed tablets may be prepared by wet granulation , dry granulation , or direct compression . the wet granulation process includes mixing the components in powder form , preparing the granulating binder solution , thoroughly mixing the components with the granulating binder solution to form a dough , coarse screening the mass through a sieve , drying , grinding , adding the lubricant and compressing the tablets from the resulting mixture . a preferred tablet formulation is a wet granulation containing polymorphic form a of compound ( 1 ) lactose regular , microcrystalline cellulose 101 , crosscarmellose , magnesium stearate and purified water , coated with opadry ii white . the tablets should weigh from 100 mg to 1000 mg , preferably 250 mg to 500 mg . dry granulation involves the steps of mixing the powder components , compressing the mixture into hard slugs , grinding the slugs into desired particle size , screening , adding other excipients if necessary , and compressing the mixture into tablets . the most economical tabletting method , direct compression , requires only two steps , mixing the dry components and compressing the mixture into tablets . suitable direct compression binders include microcrystalline cellulose , compressible sugars , certain calcium salts , lactose and dextrose . of these , microcrystalline cellulose is preferred . that excipient also displays good disintegration properties . other good binders include calcium phosphates and compressible sugars . calcium salt binders generally require the use of disintegrants . mannitol and sorbitol have certain taste advantages , but they lack binding properties and require a disintegrant . the tablets typically exhibit a tablet hardness of greater than 2 kilopond ( kp )/ cm . sup . 2 , more preferably a tablet hardness of greater than 5 , most preferably about 10 to about 20 kp / cm . sup . 2 and a disintegration time of less than 30 minutes , more preferably less than 15 minutes as measured utilizing the standard usp disintegration test in water . the polymorphic form a of compound ( 1 ) may also be formulated in capsules . solid carriers include starch , lactose , calcium sulfate , di - hydrate , teffa alba , magnesium stearate or stearic acid , talc , pectin , acacia , agar or gelatin . the carrier may also include a sustained release material such as glycerol monostearate or glycerol di - stearate , alone or with a wax . the amount of solid carrier varies but , preferably , will be between about 20 mg to about 1 gram per dosage unit . encapsulation can be done in any suitable manner , typically by use of a polymer coating used for microencapsulation , enteric coatings , multiple coatings , and the like . the polymer coating may resist disintegration upon contact with the saliva but instantly release the compound upon contact with gastric juice in the stomach , in order to control the taste of the composition . alternatively , the polymer coating may be one that resists rapid disintegration in the presence of gastric juice . suitable coating polymers include biodegradable polymers such as polylactic acid , polygycolic acid , copolymers of lactic and glycolic acid , polyorthoesters , and polyanhydrides thereof . the compound also can be encapsulated by a polymer coating such as a polysaccharide ( e . g ., methyl or ethyl cellulose ) or within a liposomal delivery system . suitable methods of preparing compositions containing microencapsulated active ingredients are described , for example , in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 462 , 982 , 4 , 710 , 384 , 5 , 178 , 878 , and 5 , 709 , 886 . preferably , the microencapsulated compounds have a mean particle size of about 50 microns to about 120 microns ( e . g ., about 70 microns to about 100 microns ). typical doses of compound ( 1 ) in tablets and capsules are from about 1 . 0 mg / kg to about 100 mg / kg . administration intervals vary with the patient &# 39 ; s age , weight and general condition . in general , the drug is administer from one to four times daily . in general , tablets are formed utilizing a carrier such as modified starch , alone or in combination with 10 % by weight of carboxymethyl cellulose ( avicel ). the formulations are compressed at from 1 , 000 to 3 , 000 pounds pressure in the tablet - forming process . the tablets preferably exhibit an average hardness of about 1 . 5 to 8 . 0 kp / cm . sup . 2 , preferably 5 . 0 to 7 . 5 kp / cm2 . disintegration time varies from about 30 seconds to about 15 or 20 minutes . the following examples give specific embodiments of the invention but should not be construed as limiting its scope . to a stirred mixture of ethyl 4 -( 6 - acetyl - 3 - hydroxy - 2 - propylphenoxy ) butyrate ( 1 . 6 g ), potassium iodide ( 0 . 5 g ) and potassium carbonate ( 1 . 45 g ) in acetone ( 30 ml ) was added drop wise a solution of 4 -( 3 - bromopropylthio )- 2 - hydroxy - 3 - propylphenyl - ethanone ( 1 . 9 g ) in acetone ( 10 ml ) with heating to reflux . after refluxing six hours the mixture was cooled to room temperature and inorganic materials were separated by filtration . the filtrate was concentrated and the residue was separated and purified by silica - gel column chromatography ( eluting with benzene : ethyl acetate = 9 : 1 ) to give the title compound as crude crystals ( 2 . 1 g , 72 . 4 %) which were recrystallized from ethanol to give colorless crystals , mp 65 - 66 ° c . to a mixture of ethyl 4 -[ 6 - acetyl - 3 -[ 3 -( 4 - acetyl - 3 - hydroxy - 2 - propylphenylthio ) propoxy ]- 2 - propylphenoxy ] butyrate ( 2 . 1 g ) in ethanol ( 10 ml ) was added a solution of sodium hydroxide ( 0 . 26 g ) dissolved into water ( 10 ml ). after heating on a hot water bath for 5 minutes , the mixture was cooled by adding ice - water and was made acidic by addition of hydrochloric acid , followed by extraction with ethyl acetate . the organic layer was washed with water , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated . the resultant residue was separated and purified by silica - gel column chromatography ( eluting with ethanol : methylene chloride = 3 : 100 ) to give the title compound ( 1 . 3 g , 65 . 2 %) as colorless crystals , mp 79 - 81 ° c . after re - crystallization with individual solvents , compound ( 1 ) was subjected to powder x - ray diffractometry , thermal analysis and determination of solubility in ether ; thus an exploratory evaluation of the crystalline polymorphism was made . the results demonstrate that compound ( 1 ) is present in 5 different crystalline polymorphs . fig1 - 5 show the powder x - ray diffraction patterns and dsc for metastable crystal types i through v . table 1 shows the preparatory procedures for types i through v and their solubility in ether . table 1 shows that the crystallization temperature was critically important in preparing the various crystalline polymorphs . when the bulk ingredient is prepared , crystallization takes place on a large scale and failure in controlling the exact temperature can result in a mixture of stable and metastable crystals , giving a larger variance in the physicochemical properties and bioavailability among production lots , against which precautions should be taken . bulk crystallization procedure for obtaining orthorhombic polymorph , crystal type v ( form a ). off - white solid compound ( 1 ) 34 g was dissolved in 204 ml ( 6 parts wrt mass of dry filter cake ) of ethanol ( 40 ° c .) giving a yellow to orange solution . with moderate agitation , the ethanol solution was charged with 43 ml ( 1 . 3 parts ) of water . the reaction mixture was cooled to 20 - 25 ° c . and agitated at 20 - 25 ° c . for about 15 minutes and then at 10 - 15 ° c . for an additional period of 1 - 2 hours , appearing as an off - white suspension . to the resulting suspension was then charged 364 ml ( 10 . 7 parts ) of water and the mixture was agitated at 5 - 10 ° c . for an additional 1 - 2 hours . a solid , white to off - white product was isolated by vacuum filtration . the filter cake was washed with 2 × 30 ml of water . the off white solid was dried in a vacuum at 35 - 40 ° c . for 24 hours . samples of compound ( 1 ) ( 5 g ) were suspended in ethanol / water ( 2 : 1 , 100 ml ) and stirred for one hour at temperatures of 22 ° c ., 30 ° c ., and 40 ° c ., respectively . the suspensions were filtered and the solids dried in a vacuum oven at room temperature overnight to give the insoluble material . the solubilities were calculated by subtractive means based on recovered material . in general wet granulation tablets were prepared with a binding solution comprised of an aqueous solution of hydroxypropylcellulose . granulation was performed with a high shear granulator , the resultant wet mass was fluid bed dried , milled , blended with extragranular excipients to aid disintegration , flow and compressibility , and subsequently tabletted on a tablet press . these core tablets were film coated to standardize appearance and to improve compliance ( i . e . ease of swallowing ). excipients included , but were not limited to croscarmellose sodium , magnesium stearate , hydroxypropylcelluse , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , lactose , glyceryl behenate , polyvinylpyrrolidine , mannitol , titanium dioxide and microcrystalline cellulose . in general , the dry granulation formulation was formed by dry blending ( in a tumble blender or high shear mixer ) a portion of the binding , disintegration and lubrication powders . this dry powder blend was formed into granules through the use of a roller compactor equipped with an oscillating ( shear ) granulator . the ss mesh screen , gap width , gap force , roller speed and granulator speeds were defined to optimize the formulation physical parameters as apparent to those skilled in the art of pharmaceutical processing . excipients included , but were not limited to croscarmellose sodium , magnesium stearate , hydroxypropylcelluse , hydroxypropyl methylcellulose , lactose , glyceryl behenate , polyvinylpyrrolidine , mannitol , titanium dioxide and microcrystalline cellulose . table 3 . 4 . 1 proposed initial formulation compositions for dry granulation prototyping prototype 1 prototype 2 no . ingredient ( mg / tablet ) ( mg / tablet ) 1 compound ( 1 ), type v ( form a ) 250 250 2 lactose regular / fast flow 7 . 5 — 3 microcrystalline cellulose ph101 31 31 4 croscarmellose sodium 20 20 5 hydroxypropylcellulose 80 — 6 magnesium stearate 2 . 0 — 7 hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 2910 8 . 0 — 8 titanium dioxide 1 . 0 — 9 carnauba wax 0 . 5 0 . 5 10 polyvinylpyrrolidone — 85 11 mannitol — 3 . 5 12 glyceryl behenate — 2 . 0 13 opadry ii ( white ) — 8 . 0 total 400 mg 400 mg the dry granulation process is given in the chart in fig7 . table 3 . 4 . 2 proposed initial formulation compositions for wet granulation prototyping prototype 3 prototype 4 no . ingredient ( mg / tablet ) ( mg / tablet ) 1 compound ( 1 ), type v ( form a ) 250 250 2 lactose regular / fast flow 7 . 5 — 3 microcrystalline cellulose ph101 32 32 4 croscarmellose sodium 25 25 5 hydroxypropylcellulose 25 — 6 magnesium stearate 2 . 0 — 7 hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 2910 7 . 0 — 8 titanium dioxide 1 . 0 — 9 carnauba wax 0 . 5 0 . 5 10 polyvinylpyrrolidone — 30 11 mannitol — 3 . 5 12 glyceryl behenate — 2 . 0 13 opadry ii ( white ) — 7 . 0 total 350 mg 350 mg the wet granulation process is given in the chart in fig8 . the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above in detail . various modifications and improvements thereto will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art . the foregoing examples are intended to be non - limiting and exemplary of the invention described in the foregoing specification and claimed below . the samples were prepared by a normal front packing technique and run on a siemens d5000 diffractometer system . a high - resolution cu - kα - source was used , operating at 50 kv / 35 ma . the secondary beam was monochromatized by a kevex solid state detector . the step scan mode was used for data collection within the range of 2 . 5 °- 35 ° ( 2 - theta ). the obtained data were processed by diffrac plus ™ software . the parts of the diffraction patterns of three different polymorphs are shown in fig6 , determined as form a ( likely an orthorhombic structure , specified type v ), form b ( i ) and form c ( ii ) ( both monoclinic lattices ) are also shown . as on can see the top pattern is quite different from the other two . the differences are clearly marked with arrows above the top trace . most of the single peaks on the upper pattern became doublets on the other two . this strongly suggests a structural transition with lowering of the overall symmetry . in order to find out some criteria for better distinguishing of these polymorphous , an attempt for indexing the unknown lattices was performed . the results reveal an orthorhombic lattice ( top trace , form a ) and a monoclinic one ( middle trace , form b ). the bottom trace ( form c ) has also a monoclinic lattice very similar to that one of form b , but with some missing reflections ( marked with arrows ) that could result from some structural differences . the structure of our form a is very close to form v in table 1 and fig5 , although there are some differences at the range 19 - 25 ° 2 - theta . on the other hand , the diffraction patterns for polymorphous form i and form ii match well with forms b and c , as they all apparently show the splitting of the main reflections due to reducing the overall symmetry from orthorhombic to monoclinic . because crystallographic characterizations of all five polymorphous described in table 1 are difficult to reproduce , we will characterize the structural state of compound ( 1 ) in pharmaceutical samples only by means of its appearance as form a , as defined by pxrd .	0
fig1 shows a light shelf assembly 10 mounted to structural members 12 a , 12 b , e . g ., metal studs of a wall of a building or a mounting framework for a plurality or array of light shelves , e . g ., stacked one above another with a spacing there between . the assembly 10 may include a shelf 14 with a panel 16 formed from sheet metal , such as aluminum or an aluminized plastic to confer reflectivity to the surface ( s ) of the panel 16 . the panel 16 may be painted with reflective paint , such as aluminum or white paint . in addition , the panel 16 could be made from a polymeric material , which could be translucent or opaque . alternatively , the panel 16 may be composed of a variety of rigid or flexible materials with a variety of visual characteristics . in the embodiment shown , the panel 16 is supported in a frame 18 , e . g ., made from extruded aluminum alloy , like that used to make aluminum windows and doors . alternatively , the frame may be made from other materials , such as plastic , wood , stainless steel or other types of metals . the frame 18 and / or panel 16 is attached to a base member 20 that spans the width of the panel 16 and frame 18 . as shall be described further below , the base member 20 is connectable to a structure via mounting assemblies 22 , 24 . fig2 and 3 show that the mounting assemblies , 22 , 24 feature a receiver portion 26 ( receiver ) and an inserter portion 28 ( inserter ). the receiver 26 may be fastened to a support member , such as structural member 12 a or 12 b , via fasteners 30 , such as bolts , screws , rivets , nails , etc . alternatively , the receiver 26 may have other coupling features , such as integral hooks that insert into apertures in a structural member 12 a or 12 b , similar to peg board hooks or other conventional removable shelf hooks . in the embodiment shown , the receiver 26 may be used in both mounting assemblies 22 and 24 to support both sides of the shelf 14 , such that specialized right and left receivers are not required . the receiver 26 has a lower bracket 32 and an upper bracket 34 which extend laterally from an upright portion 36 , which extends longitudinally and which receives the fasteners 30 to hold the receiver 26 to a structural member 12 a or 12 b . as described below in reference to fig1 , in another embodiment , the lower bracket 32 and the upper bracket 34 may extend at different angles relative to the upright portion 36 to accommodate different installation requirements . the lower bracket 32 and the upper bracket 34 are separated by a slot 38 . the inserter 28 has an insertion leg 40 , a pair of base attachment legs 42 , 44 , and an abutment leg 46 with an extension 48 to which the frame 18 may be attached . as described below in reference to fig8 a - 10 c , the inserter 26 may utilize features that promote bending of an overloaded mounting assembly too avoid disengagement from a structural member 12 a , 12 b . the inserter 28 may be fastened to a base member 20 by sliding the base attachments legs 42 , 44 into a hollow 50 of the base member 20 , and retained therein by fasteners 52 that are received in apertures 54 . similarly , the frame 18 is held to the extension 48 by fasteners 56 and apertures 58 . a groove 60 may be provided in the base member 20 to receive a panel 16 , which is not shown in fig2 and 3 . the depth and width of the groove 60 may be varied to accommodate panels 16 having different sizes and thicknesses . a set screw 61 is received in threaded aperture 61 a in abutment leg 46 and may be used to adjust the position of the shelf 14 , i . e ., by encountering abutment support surface 70 and pushing the abutment leg 46 away from the abutment surface 70 to a selected degree . fig4 a shows a receiver 26 fastened to a structural member 12 b juxtaposed next to an inserter 28 . the inserter 28 has an insertion leg 40 and an abutment leg 46 . a frame 18 is attached to the inserter 28 and depends downwardly therefrom for supporting a panel 16 ( not depicted ) of a shelf 14 . the shelf 14 would typically be held by a person ( installer ) in their hands and lifted and moved through the sequence of movements shown in fig4 a - 4 f in order to assemble and position the inserter 28 into the receiver 26 to hold the shelf 14 at a desired position . the lower bracket 32 of the receiver 26 has a floor 62 extending between a back wall 64 and a front wall 66 , which extends upwardly to form a lip 68 . the lip 68 is adjacent an abutment support surface 70 . the upper bracket 34 has a downwardly depending block 72 which defines a recess 74 proximate back wall 64 and a relief 76 opposite to the lip 68 of the lower bracket 32 , which defining a threshold gap 78 through which the insertion leg 40 may be passed into the slot 38 . fig4 b shows the insertion leg 40 as it is inserted into the threshold gap 78 . in the embodiment shown , the insertion leg 40 has a rectangular cross - section , such that the insertion leg will only clear the threshold gap 78 if held in the orientation depicted , i . e ., with the smaller dimension of the rectangular cross - section of the insertion leg 40 parallel to the threshold gap 78 , i . e . extending across the gap 78 . this dimensional relationship may be used to control the angle at which the insertion leg 40 may be passed into and out of the slot 38 , e . g ., to prevent inadvertent removal during assembly , adjustment and disassembly of the light shelf assembly 10 ( and consequently the orientations of the shelf 14 that enable / disable these functions ). in the embodiment shown in fig4 b , the shelf 14 is perpendicular to the horizon / ground for insertion . the threshold gap 78 may be modified to permit / require different angles of insertion of the insertion leg 40 and may be enlarged so as to allow insertion at any angle . as shown in fig4 c , once past the threshold gap 78 , the insertion leg 40 may drop down and rest on the floor 62 proximate the lip 68 . since a pair of mounting assemblies 22 , 24 may be used to support a shelf 14 , the engagement between the inserter portion 28 and the receiver portion 26 may take place on the mounting assemblies 22 , 24 on opposite sides of the base member 20 , such that the shelf 14 may be hung in the position shown in fig4 c without the support of a person . the installer can therefore release the light shelf 10 and it will hang from the assemblies 22 , 24 . fig4 d and 4 e show that the shelf 14 can be pivoted up on the insertion leg 40 within the slot 38 and slid back until the insertion leg 40 encounters back wall 64 . as shown in fig4 d , the pivoting of the insertion leg 40 is conducted while the insertion leg 40 is positioned proximate the lip 68 , allowing the abutment leg 46 to clear the lower bracket 32 as it swings upward . fig4 e shows that once the abutment leg 46 is clear of the lower bracket 32 and held at an angle b relative to the horizontal h , the insertion leg 40 can be slid back to the rear wall 64 , bringing the abutment block 46 over the abutment support surface 70 . fig4 f shows that when the shelf 14 is then swung down to the horizontal position , the abutment leg 46 or the adjustment set screw 61 ( see fig3 ) comes to rest upon the abutment support surface 70 and the insertion leg 40 pivots up into engagement with the recess 74 and is held in that position by the force of gravity g . the insertion leg 40 engaging the recess 74 resists forces directed perpendicular to the support member 12 b , and in cooperation with the abutment leg 46 and abutment support surface 70 , provides a cantilevered mounting for the shelf 14 , which is held in a horizontal orientation . if removal of the shelf 14 is desired , it can readily be accomplished by reversing the foregoing procedure . as can be appreciated , the shelf 14 can be adjusted between a depending orientation to a horizontal orientation and installed and removed from a mounted receiver 26 without tools . referring to fig2 and 3 , one or more set screws 79 may be used to adjust the angle of the shelf 14 . more particularly , the degree to which the set screw 79 protrudes through the abutment leg 46 and pushes the abutment leg away from the abutment surface 70 can be adjusted by turning the screw 79 in or out , varying the angle of the shelf 14 relative to the horizontal orientation . fig5 shows a corner 80 , e . g ., of a room in which a pair of light shelf assemblies 82 a , 82 b have been installed . the light shelf assemblies 82 a , 82 b have similar features as the light shelf assembly 10 described above in reference to fig1 - 4 , except for mitered edges 84 a , 84 b , which allow close relative juxtaposition in corner 80 . as before , the light shelf assemblies 82 a , 82 b are mounted to structural members 86 , e . g ., studs of a wall of a building or a mounting framework for a plurality or array of light shelves . the light shelf assemblies 82 a , 82 b may include a shelf 88 a , 88 b , with a panel 90 a , 90 b , respectively , formed from the same type of materials described above in reference to the embodiment shown in fig1 . the panels 90 a , 90 b may be supported in a corresponding frame 92 a , 92 b , respectively , e . g ., made from extruded aluminum alloy , like that used to make aluminum windows and doors . alternatively , the frame 92 a , 92 b may be made from other materials , such as plastic , wood , stainless steel or other types of metals . the frames 92 a , 92 b and / or panels 90 a , 90 b are attached to base members 94 a , 94 b . as before , the base members 94 and 94 b are connectable to a structure via mounting assemblies 96 a , 96 b that are like the mounting assemblies 22 , 24 described above , but also by mitered corner mounting assemblies 98 a , 98 b that have features providing a relative mitered fit one to another . fig6 and 7 show that the mitered mounting assemblies , 98 a , 98 b feature a receiver portion 100 having a mitered face 102 which is disposed at angle c , e . g ., 45 degrees relative to opposing face 104 . the inserter portion 106 features an extension 108 with a distal portion 110 that extends from a root portion 112 at an angle d , e . g ., 135 degrees . the angled extension 108 holds frame 92 a at acute angle e , e . g ., 45 degrees , relative to base member 94 a when coupled to the inserter portion 106 . end 114 of frame 92 a is cut at an angle f , e . g ., 45 degrees , to cover distal portion 110 up to the root portion 112 . as shown in fig5 , the mitered mounting assemblies 98 a , 98 b are mirror images of one another , such that they conjoin in a complementary , mitered relationship to fit in corner 80 . beyond the foregoing differences , the mitered mounting assemblies 98 a , 98 b are constructed and function in a similar manner to the mounting assemblies 22 , 24 described above in relation to fig1 - 4 . each of fig8 a - 10 c show inserters 120 . 130 . 140 , respectively , which have the same basic form and function as the inserters 28 and 106 described above with respect to fig1 - 7 , but illustrating different approaches to limiting the bending strength thereof . more particularly , fig8 a and 8 b show an inserter 120 having an aperture 122 extending through the inserter 120 proximate the junction of the extension 126 and the abutment leg 128 and having an orientation approximately perpendicular to the threaded aperture 124 ( which would receive an adjustment set screw ( not shown ) like screw 61 of fig3 ). the aperture 122 is dimensioned to reduce the bending strength of the inserter 120 , such that the extension 126 is likely to bend relative to the abutment leg 128 prior to the failure of mounting screws 30 ( see fig3 ) holding a cooperating receiver 26 , e . g ., as shown in fig3 . in the instance of an unexpected loading of a light shelf , e . g ., 14 or 88 a , e . g ., due to an installer pulling on the shelf 14 or 88 a , bending is preferred in that it occurs more gradually , allowing perception of the bending movement and corrective action to be taken ( encouraging the installer to stop pulling on the shelf . in addition , early bending limits the amount of force that can build up in the system . fig1 shows a receiver 150 affixed to a structural member 152 that is disposed at an angle k relative to plumb p . the receiver 150 has a lower bracket 154 and an upper bracket 156 that extend from the base attachment leg 158 at an angle that , in cooperation with an inserter 160 supports the light shelf 162 in a horizontal orientation . a receiver 26 like that shown in fig2 and 3 would have an orientation like that illustrated by the lower bracket 164 shown in dotted lines , if installed on an angled structural member 152 and would require a re - orientation through angle q , in order to hold the shelf horizontal . a receiver 26 , 152 may be selected with a lower bracket 32 , 154 and upper bracket 34 , 156 orientation that provides a desired incidence angle i and reflection angle r for light l , such that the reflected light rl is directed to a desired location within a given building for any given structural member 12 a , 152 orientation . it will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter . for example , while the disclosure has been expressed in terms of apparatus for supporting light shelves , the apparatus disclosed herein could be utilized to support other types of horizontal members , shelves and support surfaces , e . g ., storage shelves . all such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims .	0
fig1 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for supporting injection mixing work according to the present invention . the apparatus for supporting injection mixing work comprises a memory device 1 , an input / output device 2 and a central processing unit 3 . the memory device 1 includes an injection prescription data file , a mixing work supporting data file , an incompatibility data file , an attention information data file , a composition alteration record file , and several kinds of master files . the injection prescription data file stores , as shown in fig2 , only the code data of the injection prescription data ( fig3 ) for the one day on which an injection is conducted . concretely , the code data includes an input date , a patient number , the date of practice , a mixing result flag and a prescription number . the input date and the date of practice are represented by numbers showing the year , month and day . the patient number , which is unique for each patient , comprises a patient code represented by eight figures and code numbers corresponding to the ward , sickroom , clinic and doctor . the mixing result flag comprises code numbers 0 , 1 and 2 allocated for “ not mixing ”, “ mixing ok ” and “ generation of composition alteration ”, respectively . the mixing result flag is used as a discriminant or criterion when reading the injection prescription data as described hereinafter . the prescription number comprises code numbers allocated for each injection prescription data . thus , data is read from the several kinds of master files in accordance with these code data . generally , the doctor conducts the direction of injection prescriptions for several days together . in conformity with this practice , therefore , the injection prescriptions for several days are also stored together in the injection prescription data file . in the case where the doctor conducts the direction of an injection prescription one after another due to a change in the condition of the patient , a plurality of different injection prescription data would be present for the same patient and for the same injection day . the injection prescription data can be inputted by a keyboard 8 or a mouse 9 , or otherwise can be automatically read from the host computer 12 . the mixing work supporting data file stores all kinds of necessary data to operate the apparatus for supporting injection mixing work . such data is set for each medicament code as shown in table 1 . in table 1 , the medicament code is expressed by abbreviation so that the pharmacist can easily input it and the quantity of data can be reduced . for example , the medicament code of injection e is expressed by inje . the medicament code is the same as one stored in a medicament master file which will be described hereinafter . the ph - value is an index number of a hydrogen ion within the medicament . the injection is apt to cause composition alteration based on the ph - value . the transfusion flag serves to show whether the medicament is transfusion or not . if the medicament is transfusion , then the transfusion flag is “ 0 ”; and if the medicament is not transfusion , then the transfusion flag is “ 1 ”. in general , the injection of more than 100 ml is defined as transfusion . the transfusion is administrated after mixing with another small quantity of injection . the mixing attention flag serves to show whether any attention ( by the user ) is necessary or not when mixing injections . if no attention is necessary , then the mixing attention flag is “ 0 ”; if any attention is necessary because of a possible composition alteration resulting from mixing injections , then the mixing attention flag is “ 1 ”; and if there is need to solely administrate the medicament without mixing , then the mixing attention flag is “ 2 ”. the stability time after dissolution means a time for which , after dissolving the powder injection , the dissolved injection holds its stability . the reason why the injection has a state of powder is that if the medicament has a state of liquid , it has poor stability . in table 1 therefore , the column of stability time after dissolution for the liquid medicament is blank . the incompatibility data file stores information about an incompatibility between two kinds of injections as shown in table 2 . in table 2 , the incompatible flag is used to show the content of such an incompatibility . if the content is a conditional incompatibility ( shown by symbol of “ δ ”), then the incompatible flag is “ 0 ”; and if the content is a full incompatibility ( shown by symbol of “ x ”), then the incompatible flag is “ 1 ”. the phrase conditional incompatibility means a mixed injection that can be used within 6 hours after mixing but cannot be used after over 6 hours , which is measured from the time of mixing , has elapsed . the attention information data file stores attention matters when using an injection as shown in table 3 . the master files include a medicament master file , a patient master file , a manipulation master file , a usage master file , a ward master file , a clinic master file , a doctor master file , a nurse master file and so on . each file stores code numbers corresponding to item names . the input / output device 2 includes a liquid crystal display 4 , a touch panel 5 , a printer 6 , an identification code reader ( barcode reader ) 7 , a keyboard 8 , a mouse 9 and so on . the liquid crystal display 4 is used to display all kinds of data and so on . the liquid crystal display 4 may be replaced by a crt display . the touch panel 5 is provided in order to enhance the operation of inputting data . the touch panel 5 can be substituted by the liquid crystal display 4 , the keyboard 8 , the mouse 9 and so on . the identification code reader 7 is used to read the identification code ( barcode ) of the injection prescription and the injection . the identification code is not limited to a barcode and may be a two - dimensional code of a small surface area . the cpu 3 has an internal random - access memory ( ram ) 10 to store all kinds of data and an internal read - only memory ( rom ) 11 to store a control program . the cpu 3 executes a support process for injection mixing work in response to an input signal from the input / output device 2 , which will be described hereinafter . the numeral 12 designates a host computer which transmits injection prescription data to the aforementioned apparatus for supporting injection mixing work external to the apparatus . hereinafter , an operation of the apparatus for supporting injection mixing work will be explained in accordance with the flowchart as shown in fig4 . when an operator pushes a button of “ injection prescription data input ” on a menu screen ( not shown ) displayed on the liquid crystal display 4 , an injection prescription data input screen is displayed ( step s 1 ). the injection prescription data input screen comprises , as shown in fig3 , columns of “ patient attribute information ”, “ date of practice ”, “ mixing results ” and “ prescription ”, the current date , and operating buttons of “ new input ”, “ input ok ”, “ cancel ” and “ end of mixing work ”. the column of “ patient attribute information ” includes a patient number , patient name and so on . in the column of “ date of practice ”, the current date is indicated . if the desired date is inputted , the injection prescription data corresponding to the desired date is read in and displayed on the column of “ prescription ”. in the column of “ mixing results ”, the content of the mixing result flag for each injection prescription data is indicated . generally , the content of the mixing result flag is “ 0 ; not mixing ”. if desired , “ 1 ; mixing ok ” or “ 2 ; generation of composition alteration ” can be inputted to be read in the specified kind of injection prescription data . in the column of “ prescription ”, displayed is a prescription number , medicament code , medicament name , manipulation ( injection manipulation : intravenous injection , intravenous drip injection , hypodermic injection , intramuscular injection ), usage , and one dose rate . all columns of the injection prescription data input screen are blank in the initial state . thus , an input process of injection prescription data from the injection prescription file is executed ( step s 2 ). in the process of inputting injection prescription data , as shown in fig5 the operator conducts an input operation by using the identification code reader 7 , the key board 8 , the mouse 9 and so on ( step s 21 ). for example , identification codes of injection prescription sheets are read by using the identification code reader 7 , and operation buttons ( mouse button , touch panel , etc ) are operated . then , it is judged whether or not the identification code is inputted ( step s 22 ). if the identification code is inputted , the injection prescription data corresponding to the identification code is read from the injection prescription file , whereby data corresponding to patient attribute information , as well as the injection prescription data , is indicated on the screen ( step s 23 ). since the injection prescription data has already been automatically read in from the host computer 12 and stored in the injection prescription data file , the injection prescription data is read from the injection prescription data file . in the injection prescription data file , as described before , only medicament codes are stored . therefore , the formal medicament name corresponding to the medicament code is read in from the medicament master file . for example , in the case of the medicament code “ inja ”, the formal medicament name “ injection a ; 10 ml ” is read in from the medicament master file . the injection prescription sheet may be a list such as an injection work sheet . the identification code may be printed directly on the injection prescription sheet . alternatively , a sheet on which the identification code is printed may be stuck on the injection prescription sheet . the contents of the identification code can be a patient number , an injection prescription number , an id number of injection prescription data or so on . on the contrary , if the identification code is not inputted , it is judged whether or not the button of “ new input ” is operated ( step s 24 ). if the button of “ new input ” is operated , the injection prescription data input screen is made blank . thus , the operator can input the injection prescription data ( step s 25 ). when the patient number is inputted in the column of “ patient attribute information ”, patient name sexuality and birth are read in from the patient master file in order to display them on the column “ patient attribute information ”. the age of a patient is calculated based on birth and the current date and is then displayed . as to the ward , sickroom , clinic and doctor , when the operator inputs the code numbers for such information , the corresponding data is read in from the respective master file in order to display these data items . for example , when the operator inputs code “ 60 ” for the ward , data of “ 6 floors ward ” is read in and displayed . in the same manner , when code numbers for each column are inputted , the corresponding data are read in from the respective master file so as to be displayed . subsequently , when the button of “ cancel ” is operated ( step s 26 ), each data displayed on the injection prescription data input screen is erased ( step s 27 ). when the button of “ input ok ” is operated instead of the button “ cancel ” ( step s 28 ), the process of inputting injection prescription data is terminated in order to return to the main process . when the button of “ end of mixing work ” is operated because of no injection prescription data ( step s 29 ), the input process of inputting injection prescription data is terminated in order to return to the main process . thus , the injection prescription data input screen is changed to the menu screen . when the button of “ input ok ” on the screen of “ injection prescription data input ”, as shown in fig3 , is operated to terminate the input process of prescription data as shown in fig5 , a screen of “ injection mixing support ”, as shown in fig1 , is displayed ( step s 3 ). in this screen , the column of “ patient attribute information ” ( patient number to doctor ) is first displayed . the injection prescription data which has the mixing result flag of “ not mixing ” is read in from the injection prescription file ( step s 4 ). thus , in accordance with the injection prescription data read in at the step s 4 , decision process of injection mixing order is executed ( step s 5 ). in the decision process of the injection mixing order , as shown in fig6 , after acquiring ph values of medicaments from the mixing work supporting data file by using the medicament codes as a search key , the medicaments are rowed in order in accordance with the ph values thereof ( step s 31 ). the medicament of transfusion is moved to the forefront ( step s 32 ). if there are a plurality of medicaments of transfusion , the medicaments are moved to the forefront keeping the order of ph values as it is . then , the medicament corresponding to a sole administration is moved to the rear ( step s 33 ). in this embodiment , the medicament with the mixing attention flag of “ sole administration ” is moved to the rear . if there are a plurality of medicaments of sole administration , in the same manner as in the case of a plurality of medicaments of transfusion , the medicaments are moved to the rear keeping the order of ph values as it is . thus , the mixing order of the remaining medicaments which are not moved is decided ( step s 34 ). after the mixing order of the medicaments within the injection prescription data is decided in the decision process of injection mixing order as described above , the mixing order is indicated on the screen of “ injection mixing support ” as shown in fig1 and printed by the printer 6 ( step s 6 ). in this stage , the columns of “ incompatibility ” and “ number ” are blank . subsequently , a decision process of the incompatibility of injections is executed ( step s 7 ). in the decision process of the incompatibility of injections , as shown in fig7 , it is judged whether or not the medicaments with the mixing order decided as described above are incompatible in accordance with the incompatible combination stored in the incompatibility data file ( step s 41 ). if there is an incompatible combination ( step s 42 ), data corresponding to the incompatible combination is read in from the incompatibility data file ( step s 43 ). the contents of the data corresponding to the incompatible combination are indicated on a screen showing a content of a composition alteration , which is a different window from the screen of “ injection mixing support ” as shown in fig1 ( step s 8 ). the content of composition alteration can be printed by pressing the button of “ print ”. the content of incompatibility is indicated by the symbols “ δ ” or “ x ” in the column of “ incompatibility ” on the screen of “ injection mixing support ”. after the decision process of incompatibility of injections is terminated , the attention information is obtained from the attention information data file ( step s 9 ). then , the attention information is indicated on a attention information screen as shown in fig1 ( step s 10 ). the order of the indication is the same as in the decision process of the mixing order ( step s 5 ). the indicated attention information can be printed by pressing the button of “ print ”. after completion of preparation for mixing the injections , a management process of a mixing - work progress situation is executed ( step s 11 ). in the management process of the mixing - work progress situation , as shown in fig8 and 9 , the medicament to be mixed is indicated by marking “★” on the beginning of the line ( step s 51 ) and reversing the representation of the line . thus , the operator can recognize the medicament to be mixed at a glance . then , the operator conducts an input operation of injections which are used in the mixing work ( step s 52 ). in this input operation , the operator can read the identification code of the medicaments ( injections ) to be mixed by using the identification code reader 7 and operating the operation buttons ( mouse button , touch panel , etc ). then , it is judged whether or not the identification code is inputted ( step s 53 ). if the identification code is inputted , then it is judged whether or not the medicament with the identification code inputted is in conformity with the medicament indicated at step s 51 ( step s 54 ). if no , a nonconformity error is indicated ( step s 55 ). if yes , the number indicated on the column of “ number ” is incremental and it is judged whether or not the number reaches the specified mixing number ( step s 56 ). if no , the flow is returned to step s 52 to repeat the same process until the number reaches the specified mixing number . for example , as the mixing number of the injection a as shown in fig1 is two , the process is repeated twice . the operator ( nurse ) proceeds the mixing work of the medicaments for each time when he / she confirms the conformity . if the number reaches the specified mixing number , it is judged whether or not the input process of the medicaments to be mixed is finished ( step s 57 ). if no , the next medicament to be mixed is indicated ( step s 58 ). the sequential process is executed until the input and mixing process of all medicaments to be mixed is finished . if the input and mixing process of all medicaments to be mixed is finished , it is confirmed that a button of “ record of composition alteration ” is not operated , and then the mixing result flag of the injection prescription data in the injection prescription file is set to “ mixing ok ” ( step s 59 ). on the other hand , if the identification code of the medicament to be mixed is not inputted at step s 53 , the operation buttons on the injection mixing support screen of fig1 are operated due to the operator &# 39 ; s own discrimination . thus , it is judged whether or not the button of “ go to next medicament ” is operated ( step s 60 ). for example , in the case where the reading is out because the identification code reveals an undesirable medicament , the operator can operate the button of “ go to next medicament ” to proceed to the next medicament . if it is judged that the button is operated , then the flow is returned to step s 57 and the same process is repeated . in the case where it has been already confirmed that the mixing is proper ( ok ) because of the same combination of injections , the operator can operate the button of “ mixing ok ”. if it is judged that the button is operated ( step s 61 ), then the flow is returned to step s 59 and the same process is repeated . in the case where the mixing is not proper because the composition alteration is caused during mixing of the medicaments , the operator can operate the button of “ record of composition alteration ”. if it is judged that the button is operated ( step s 62 ), a screen of a record of the composition alteration , as shown in fig1 , is displayed . then , the operator inputs the content ( comment ) of the composition alteration ( step s 64 ) and operates the button of “ record ok ”. thus , the content of the composition alteration inputted by the operator is written in the composition alteration record file ( step s 65 ). subsequently , the mixing result flag of the injection prescription data in the injection prescription file is set to “ generation of composition alteration ” ( step s 66 ). at this stage , only the fact that the composition alteration is caused due to the combination of plural injections contained in the injection prescription data is recorded . afterward , an experiment is conducted on the basis of the record . as a result , if a combination of two kind of injections causes the composition alteration , such a combination can be specified , and the combination is recorded in the incompatibility data file . in the case where the record of composition alteration is not desired , the operator can operate the buttons of “ cancel ” or “ end of mixing work ”. if it is judged that the button is operated ( step s 63 ), the management process of a mixing - work progress situation is compulsorily terminated . when the button of “ end of mixing work ” is operated , the injection mixing support screen is changed to the menu screen . by operating the button of “ print ”, the content of the injection mixing support screen can be printed . according to the management process of the mixing - work progress situation it is possible to surely confirm whether or not the selected injection is in conformity with the indicated injection . finally , it is judged whether or not all of the injection prescription data for the present patient are treated ( step s 112 ). if no , the flow is returned to step s 4 and the same process is repeated with respect to the next injection prescription data . if yes , the flow is returned to step s 1 and the same process is repeated with respect to the next patient . in the case where a plurality of prescriptions is issued for one patient , the column of “ prescription ” of the injection prescription data input screen is shown in fig1 . the cpu 3 , the liquid crystal display 4 , the keyboard 8 , the mouse 9 and memory device 1 in the above described embodiment can be substituted by a personal computer . the memory device 1 may be an independent file server ( with a cpu built - in ). the system may be a client / server architecture in which the cpu 3 , as a client terminal , is connected to the server via the network ( lan ). for example , the server is disposed in a medicine information office of a medicament division of hospital , and a plurality of client terminals are disposed in each nurse station of the ward . according to this arrangement , all data which the apparatus needs for supporting injection mixing work can be controlled by the nurse through the server . although the present invention has been fully described by way of the examples with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be noted here that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . therefore , unless such changes and modifications otherwise depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention , they should be construed as being included therein .	0
identical or similar components in different figures have the same reference characters . the illustrations in the figures are diagrammatic and not to scale . fig1 shows an arrangement of a vacuum system for aircraft with a pressurised cabin . in each case first containers 3 to accommodate a material 2 to be conveyed are connected by means of an actuating valve 4 to a connecting line 5 leading to a central second container 7 . at the inlet to the second container 7 there is a special tank inlet protection device 6 , which among other things is designed to reduce the kinetic energy of the material 2 to be conveyed , so as to protect the second container 7 . by means of a further connecting line 11 the collecting tank 7 is connected , by way of a separator 10 which includes a tank return and by way of a compressor element 12 , to the second pressure level 14 , here the environment outside the aircraft . parallel to the compressor element 12 a return valve 13 is arranged . if the pressure difference between the first pressure level 1 ( ambient pressure at the feed - in location 3 , for example cabin pressure ) and the second pressure level , i . e . between the cabin 1 and the environment 14 , is inadequate , the system is operated with the compressor element 12 ( operating mode i ). in this way the compressor 12 starts at the latest when a flushing procedure is requested . during the time interval of a few seconds until the opening of the actuating valve 4 , negative pressure is already generated in the second container 7 . thus , as soon as the flush valve 4 is opened , conveyance to the tank , of the material 2 to be conveyed , commences . the compressor element 12 continues to run at least until the actuating valve 4 is closed again , thus maintaining negative pressure in the tank 7 for continuous conveyance . the separator 10 prevents any material 2 to be conveyed from escaping from the collecting container 7 , and protects the compressor 12 and the environment 14 from contamination . the nonreturn valve 13 remains closed in this operating mode . in an alternative operating mode ii with sufficient pressure difference between the cabin 1 and the environment 14 the compressor element 12 remains switched off . when the actuating valves 4 are closed , the tank 7 is subjected to the same low pressure as in the environment 14 outside the aircraft , if the flush valve 4 is open , negative pressure in the tank 7 is maintained in that the air flows out by way of the nonreturn valve 13 . up to now the compressor elements 12 have mostly been designed so as to provide just adequate conveyance behaviour when the aircraft is on the ground . the nonreturn valve can already fully open at a small pressure difference , and the airflow through it can take place with minimum loss of pressure . downstream of the separator 10 a non - regulated throttle device 15 a is provided for easy adaptation of the conveyance behaviour . however , generally speaking , this throttling position cannot be considered optimal for all forms of application because part of the expensively generated pressure difference is degraded during compressor operation 12 . in fig2 a further arrangement for reducing noise at the feed - in locations of the material 2 to be conveyed has been provided by limiting the driving pressure difference to an extent necessary for the flushing procedure , preferably in operating mode ii . for reliable operation , this design point should be above the behaviour with compressor operation . this still leaves sufficient potential to reduce noise at cruising altitude , at which normally the maximum pressure difference occurs . this applies in particular since in most cases this state represents the main share of the time vacuum systems in aircraft are used . essentially the air volume 9 in the collecting tank 7 causes a non - stationary pressure gradient in the second container 7 during the flushing procedure . thus , most of the time , the pressure in the collecting tank 7 increases until the stationary state has been reached . this increase in pressure is determined by the flow losses from 9 to 14 in the stationary case . the pressure difference between the cabin 1 and the collecting tank 7 induces a corresponding time gradient of the air entry speed , and thus of the generated noise level at the first container 3 . in order to limit noise emission , an essentially constant pressure difference from 1 to 7 has to be ensured , generally speaking an additional ventilation valve 16 a - 16 d according to fig2 can handle this task before , during and after the flushing procedure . however , this can be associated with high speeds or high volume flows between the connecting lines 5 or 11 or the tank 7 and the ventilation valve 16 a - 16 d . this can be compensated for by using a further regulable throttle valve 17 a or 17 b downstream of the ventilation valve 16 a - 16 d . if a throttle valve 15 , 17 is used on its own , its influence is however limited to the duration of the flushing process . the greater the air volume 9 in the tank , the stronger the effect the initial tank pressure has on the flushing process . in this case a stationary state only occurs after a relatively long opening time of the flush valve 4 ( compare fig3 ). thus in this case ventilation assumes decisive importance . in such a cases where a small second container 7 is used , the air volume 9 is small . it may thus be possible to abandon a ventilation valve 16 a - 16 d , in the case of a small number of connected receiving containers 3 , which are installed at similar distances from the tank 7 , it is also possible to provide a non - regulated throttling element , for example at position 15 b . at this position , compressor operation 12 is not affected by the reduction . reduced conveyance performance at low flight altitudes , i . e . at small pressure differences , without compressor operation 12 can also be compensated for by extending compressor operation if need be . moreover , the use of the system in this boundary region does not represent a typical application case . in principle the actuating valve 16 can be installed at positions 16 a - 16 d , immediately after a request of a flushing procedure said actuating valve 16 sets the required tank pressure until the flush valve 4 is opened , this procedure can be interpreted as a counterpart to the evacuation phase during compressor operation 12 . subsequently , for example , the throttle valve keeps the tank pressure constant at position 17 a or 17 b during the flushing procedure . since the loss of pressure 1 - 9 depends on the length and the gradient of the connecting line 5 , the pressure difference to be set should be implemented depending on the position of the first container 3 . in this way the often very different transportation behaviour of receiving containers 3 with different distances from the collecting tank 7 can be made to be uniform , in the case of malfunction a ventilation valve 16 should assume a fully closed state , while a regulable throttle valve 17 should assume a fully open state , both without any auxiliary energy . in this way the system remains functional , also of interest is the combination of ventilation function and throttle function at positions 16 d and 17 a to a component . as far as regulation is concerned , access to data that is already available in the aircraft system presents itself ; such data being for example cabin pressure , ambient pressure and tank fill level ( to determine the air volume in the tank ). furthermore , fill level determination based on two absolute pressure sensors directly provides information on the pressure in the tank 7 . the use of additional sensors can thus be minimised by suitable system linkages . from the regulating deviations for a flushing procedure that only involves air , it is furthermore possible to obtain information concerning possible blockages in the regions 1 - 9 and 9 - 14 . this diagnostic function can also be transferred to conventional vacuum systems . in addition it should be pointed out that “ comprising ” does not exclude other elements or steps , and “ a ” or “ one ” does not exclude a plural number . furthermore , it should be pointed out that characteristics or steps , which have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments can also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps of other embodiments described above . it should also be noted that reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims .	1
referring to fig1 - 4 , safety catheter assembly 10 consists of an elongated housing 12 made up of two parts 12a and 12b parted along line 14 ( as seen in fig4 ), and having a slot 16 along the face of part 12a . if desired , housing 12 may be constructed as a single member . visible in fig1 - 4 are pushers 18 and 22 , and needle catch 24 to be further described . in fig2 needle 26 sheathed in and having its tip extending out of catheter 28 , extends out of housing 12 and is ready to be inserted into the arm 32 of the patient . in fig3 and 4 needle 26 has been retracted into housing 12 leaving catheter 28 in place with its tip in the arm 32 of the patient . housing 12 is moved transversely as shown by the arrows in fig3 permitting catheter 28 to pass out of slotted opening 34 in housing 12 . for the details of construction of assembly 10 , reference is made to fig5 a , 6 , and 7 . it will be seen that housing part 12b is provided with one half of a main central passageway 36 of semi circular cross section and a one half of secondary passageway 38 also of semi circular cross section parallel to and adjacent passageway 36 . the two passageways are joined by a slot 42 for a purpose to be later described . housing part 12b is provided with matching passageways and slot so that when the two parts 12a and 12b are assembled as in fig1 - 4 , there are two passageways circular in cross section with a slot joining them . within main passageway 36 for slideable movement is a plunger 44 . the latter consists of a cylindrical barrel 46 with a pair of circular grooves 47 and 48 , a passageway 49 connecting needle 26 to a port 26a , and end portions 52 and 54 of reduced diameters the latter of which is to accomodate catheter 28 shown in fig6 . extending from end portion 54 of plunger 44 is hollow needle 26 . as seen in fig5 catheter 28 ( shown in phantom for illustrative purposes ) encloses needle 26 with the adaptor 56 portion of catheter 28 fitting over end portion 54 of plunger 44 , and the tip of needle 26 exposed from the end of the body 58 of catheter 28 . a floating cylindrical ring 62 rides over end portion 52 of plunger 44 thus filling the space between the right end of catheter 28 and the left end of cylindrical barrel 46 when the catheter and the plunger are assembled within housing 12 as illustrated in fig5 and 6 . ring 62 and barrel 46 are provided with push rods 22 and 18 , respectively , previously identified , extending out of slot 16 in housing part 12a as shown in fig1 , and 3 . the left end of housing 12 is provided with a slotted opening 64 which communicates with slotted side opening 34 previously identified . this communication of the two slotted openings 34 and 64 renders corner 66 of housing 12 open to permit catheter 28 to slide out of housing 12 as illustrated in fig3 and 4 . mounted within secondary passageway 38 is a spring 68 attached to the left end of passageway 38 . extending into passageway 38 through the slotted opening 42 between the two passageways 36 and 38 is a compression pin 72 . when plunger 44 is pushed to the left using push rod 18 as will be explained later , pin 72 will compress spring 68 thereby resulting in plunger 44 being biased to the right . housing 12 is also provided with the needle catch 24 which consists of a member 73 pivoted at a pin 74 in a slot 76 also seen in fig4 large enough to accomodate member 73 as is illustrated . at one end , member 73 is provided with a claw 77 extending into passageway 36 through slot 76 while at the other end a spring 78 is provided to bias claw 77 into passageway 36 . claw 77 has a sloped side 82 on the right side and a surface 84 on the left side which is substantially vertical to the axis of plunger 44 . also provided in housing 12 is a safety catch pin 86 ( see fig3 and 4 ) located in housing portion 12a aligned with groove 48 with plunger 44 in its position shown in fig5 and normally in the retracted position shown . catch pin 86 consists of a barrel 88 and a mushroom shaped cap 92 . as will be seen below , after assembly 10 has been used and catheter 28 has been removed , and needle 26 retracted into housing 12 , catch 86 would be depressed so that the bottom tip of barrel 88 would enter groove 48 and prevent needle 26 from accidentally being extended out of housing 12 . catch pin 86 is designed so that once it is depressed it can no longer be accidentally retracted . this is accomplished by the use of the mushroom shaped cap which does not provide an edge along the surface of housing 12 which can be caught , or it can be slightly countersunk to prevent accidental retraction of the catch . any other suitable design may be employed if it is desired to make the device tamper proof . in the operation of the apparatus just described , the combined catheter and needle assembly 10 is delivered ready for use as shown in fig1 and 5 , with needle 26 retracted and catheter 28 covering needle 26 with the tip exposed . the medical professional holds assembly 10 in one hand , and with the other hand slides pusher 18 to the left , moving needle 26 and catheter 28 to become exposed as shown in fig2 compression pin 72 compressing spring 68 . the left end of plunger 44 contacting the sloped side 82 of claw 77 raises the latter which drops into groove 47 thereby locking plunger 44 along with needle 26 and catheter 28 in the extended position shown in fig2 . it will be noted that floating ring 62 with its pusher 22 extending out of slot 16 will be moved along with plunger 44 and will end up in the position shown also in fig2 . the worker then gently inserts needle 26 into the patient , in this case , for illustrative purposes , arm 32 . the presence of a drop of blood coming out of the distal end of needle 26 through port 26a confirms that the needle had entered a blood vessel . the professional then slides the tip of the catheter 28 into the opening of the blood vessel by moving pusher 22 to the left , so that floating ring 62 moves catheter 28 . the professional will then hold catheter 28 in place using a thumb or other finger to press catheter 28 against the skin of the patient , and depress member 73 against spring 76 , raising claw 77 out of groove 47 thereby releasing plunger 44 which will be pushed back into housing 12 by spring 68 , leaving catheter 28 in the position shown in fig4 . then , unit 10 is gently moved transversely as shown in fig3 letting catheter 28 pass through opening 34 and remaining on the arm of the patient . the professional will then adjust catheter into the position desired and tape it down against the arm of the patient . catheter 28 may then be capped for later use , or the iv can be attached in conventional fashion to adaptor 56 on catheter 28 . safety pin 88 would then be depressed to enter groove 48 thereby insuring that needle 26 will not be accidentally exposed , and the whole remaining assembly , minus catheter 28 , will be deposited in a repository for such used medical equipment for proper disposal . instead of employing pusher 18 extending out of slot 16 , the arrangement shown in fig8 may be employed to move plunger 44 to the left . as seen in fig8 assembly 10 &# 39 ; otherwise identical to assembly 10 previously described , is provided with a plunger 44 &# 39 ; identical to plunger 44 except that pusher 18 is removed and the distal end of plunger 44 &# 39 ; is extended to pass out of housing 12 &# 39 ; so that the rear end 44a &# 39 ; can be pushed by a finger , for example , to move plunger 44 &# 39 ; toward the proximate end of housing 12 &# 39 ;. it is thus seen that there has been provided a unique combination of a needle and catheter in a compact assembly which is convenient to use , is disposable , and at the same time sheaths the needle after use so that there is no risk of accidental puncture afterwards . while only certain preferred embodiments of the invention has been described it is understood that many variations are possible without departing from the principles of this invention as defined in the claims which follow .	0
inks typically used in ink jet recording devices are primarily water based and comprise water , a solvent , colorants , and additives . in fact , generally speaking an ink jet ink is required to possess the following characteristics : ( 1 ) inks should produce a uniform image having high resolution and high density , and also images free from any blur or fog once on paper . ( 2 ) inks should bring about no clogging at the tip of an ink jet nozzle caused by dried ink , and also always have a high level of jetting responsibility and stability . any one or more of the above desired characteristics for ink jet inks can be interfered with by a naturally occurring event such as the evaporation of water from the ink . in fact , the concept that water evaporation can be a significant issue with regard to ink jet inks can be easily understood once one realized the large amount of water that is generally present in these inks . the water used in a water based ink for ink jet recording is preferably ion exchanged water , ultrapure water , distilled water or ultrafiltered water , so that mixing of impurities can be prevented . the water is preferably contained in an amount of from 25 to 95 wt % based on the entire weight of the ink for ink jet recording . if the water content is less than 25 wt %, the ejection related properties are generally deteriorated , whereas if the water content exceeds 95 wt %, disadvantages such as clogging of the nozzle tend to occur . inks exhibit various sensitivities with regard to water loss . this effects an ink &# 39 ; s functional window as far as the shelf and operational life of an ink jet cartridge containing the ink , is concerned . if enough water evaporates from the ink solution , the ink will generally no longer perform efficiently and will not meet print process requirements thereby resulting in a complete malfunction of the ink jet system . features of the present invention as illustrated in fig1 to control water evaporation from ink jet inks propose adding a moisture barrier 11 between the ink reservoir 10 and ambient air 12 to prevent or slow down water evaporation through the ink tank vent hole 14 . the moisture barrier would be made up of micro encapsulated water beads 15 , i . e . water in a capsule that would evaporate over time thus humidifying the air inside the tank . the resulting highly humid air would release water molecules to the ambient air through the ventilation path if the ambient environment is less humid then the air in reservoir 10 . the evaporation of water from the ink is therefore decreased due to the pressure of highly saturated adjacent air . the sustained release of water from the water beads can be in a timed relation to the evaporation of water from the ink so that there is an equilibrium established as far as the water content of the ink is concerned . this would guarantee that there was always a water content in the ink present for the life of the ink cartridge . an example of the kind of microencapsulated water beads that can be used with the present invention are water microspheres manufactured by the brace co . ink reservoirs 10 that can be used with the present invention can just about be any ink reservoir , ( i . e . a tank ) such as an individually replaceable ink tank or a larger reservoir such as a fwa or bulk storage tank . the microspheres can be designed to time release water in a timed relation to the normal evaporation rate from an ink supply vent . one embodiment of the present invention would have the microspheres in communication with the ink so that the water microspheres would humidify the vent path . while this invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof , it is evident that many alternatives , modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , it is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims .	1
reference is made to fig1 - 5 for illustrating one preferred embodiment of a computer - implemented network system 10 for implementing an automatic auction process in accordance with the principles of the present invention . the networked computer system 10 is operable for providing interactive auctioning of goods and / or services between multiple buyers or bidders and sellers and an intermediary internet service provider ( isp ). included in the system 10 is a multiplicity of clients 20 for use by auction bidders and / or sellers . the clients 20 are linked by appropriate bi - directional communications lines through a computer network 30 to an application server 40 , of for instance an isp , that includes a server computer system 42 . preferably , the computer network 30 is the internet ( world wide web ) and the website . the clients and servers are typically in communication with a plurality of computers , servers , networks and / or related computer / databases that form the internet . other networks such as local - area networks / wide - area networks lan / wan are contemplated as well as wireless networks . communications using the networked computer system 10 are accomplished by known client / server communication protocols , for instance , http . many different network protocols are known in the art and are clearly envisioned . networking software typically defines a protocol for exchanging information between computers on a network . although a client / server architecture is herein described , peer - to - peer architecture , thin - client / server architecture , and other computational networking architectures may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . appropriate networking interfaces of course provide communication of a computer system to the network . as noted , the application server 40 includes a computer system 42 that is particularly adapted to host and monitor online auctions at a website on the internet . in this embodiment , as will be described , the computer system 42 includes auction applications that fulfill a client &# 39 ; s request by performing the tasks requested for operating online auctions . for instance , the server &# 39 ; s programs generally receive requests from client programs , execute database retrieval and updates , and manage data integrity and dispatch responses to requests from individual bidders . referring to fig2 a server computer system 42 can be a generic type and in this embodiment is an enhanced ibm as / 400 computer system . it represents one suitable type of computer system that can be networked together in accordance with the preferred embodiment . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms and apparatus of the present invention apply equally to any computer system that can be networked together with other computer systems . the server computer system 42 includes a processor 50 configured to support the operations of the invention , a main storage memory device 52 , such as a random access memory ( ram ) 54 , read only memory ( rom ) 56 , input / output ( i / o ) ports 58 connected to an input device 59 , such as a mouse , and an output device 60 , such as a display or printer ; and , a database 62 . also , provided is at least one system bus 64 that performs system operations and to which the above components are connected for communication with each other . the contents of the ram may be retrieved from the storage memory device . the processor 50 sends and receives information to and from each of the computer &# 39 ; s components and performs system operations based upon the requirements of the computer &# 39 ; s operating system ( os ) 70 and application programs 75 that are installed . it will be recognized that such applications need not be stored in a single computer , but can be distributed among the network . the operating system 70 is an os / 400 type ; however , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the spirit and scope of the present invention is not limited to any one operating system . the operating system ( os ) 70 provides a mechanism as a graphical user interface ( gui ), such as the screen 100 ( fig3 ) in response to a client request . the gui screen 100 can have a header as well as a series of fields 102 - 112 for allowing the seller to supply appropriate information concerning the goods / services to be auctioned and for establishing acceptance parameters to be used to configure settings of the bid - monitoring program to be described . such information will be used to configure the settings of the bid - monitoring program to be described . in this particular embodiment , the seller inputs a description of the goods / services to be auctioned , the auction id is , however , already provided , the seller id , as well as exclusionary information concerning registration date and bid amount . when the seller completes registration , then the ordering button 114 is activated and a bidding signal indicative of the bidding information is transmitted by the browser to the server whereby participation in the auction is registered . if the seller decides against continuing the auction , the cancel button 116 is activated . although a graphical user interface is discussed hereinafter , it will be appreciated that other user interfaces can also be used , such as a command prompt interface . the database 62 is stored locally but may also be accessed from remote locations in known manners . the database 62 will generally be substantial in size and contains the categorized lists generated by the application server 40 . the categorized lists include bidder &# 39 ; s membership history as well as bidder &# 39 ; s bidding history or other features that the present invention envisions as being useful in terms of allowing the seller to preclude bids . since these files are readily available by an isp , the processor can efficiently search the information . once the application server acquires the necessary seller information , than it is ready to begin monitoring the bidding . in this process the application server may utilize various known auction - monitoring processes . for example , the application server may use known search techniques to search the database . in order to make this determination , the application server cross references the categorized sales and user files . the application programs 75 are specialized applications and include a suitable conventional auction programs including an auction monitoring application 87 , as well as the item registration and bid monitoring programs 90 and 95 ; respectively , of this invention which may be plug - ins . the auction programs allow for dynamic real time exchange of information between the bidders and the application server . each of the clients includes a computer system that has client applications that are stored in a suitable memory . the application server includes a server computer system 42 having the server applications stored therein . it can be appreciated that any computer can be turned into a client or server by installing appropriate client or server software and connecting the machine to the internet . there are many web server software applications that can be used . the client computers can be a variety of computer systems , however , personal computers ( pc ), a workstation or the like would be typical . a person skilled in the art will recognize that a laptop computer , a hand - held device or the like can also be used . the client computer system includes in essence the same basic hardware as the application server and thus details thereof need not be described and only those used in a description of this invention will be described . it will be appreciated that any computer can be converted into a client or server depending on the kind of software that is installed . the client application process also manages the local resources that the user interacts with such as the monitor , keyboard , processor , and peripherals . the client program also controls operation of the graphical user interface ( gui ). a browser program is associated with each client terminal and supports graphical and textual information . the web browser program is a client program that is operable for requesting services ( the sending of web pages or files ) from the server 40 and sends a message to a server process program requesting that the server perform a service . several other suitable internet browsers are contemplated for supporting protocols and file formats found on the world - wide web , such as ftp . at the client terminals , information regarding an auction from the auctioneer server 40 can be displayed . the application server 40 requests originating from the client terminals send this information . the information communicated can relate to the selected auction subject , a desired price , and the highest possible price in competition for the desired good or service . in this embodiment , the bidding plug - in is activated by a potential bidder within a browser window . reference is made to the flowchart of fig4 for depicting the steps of a preferred item registration method 300 of this invention . the item registration method 300 , when implemented , is used by the seller for identifying and controlling conditions for an auction . the controlling conditions include setting or establishing of parameter values to be used for automatically precluding submitted bids from active consideration during an auction . at step 302 of the method , the seller starts an auction from his client computer system by activating its web browser for requesting information regarding the auction . in response , the application server 40 activates its auction applications as well as the noted item registration application and serves the latter to the seller &# 39 ; s web browser . at step 304 , the method 300 presents the seller with the gui screen 100 ( fig3 ). the seller interacts with the screen 100 for inputting information to the fields 104 - 108 . in the case of field 102 , the auction id information is pre - registered , a description of the goods to be auctioned , the starting bid price , and ; the seller &# 39 ; s id respectively . the seller further inputs information to the fields 110 , 112 for establishing the exclusionary or blocking parameters for use during the bid monitoring method to be described . at the field 110 , the seller may input information identifying a date to be used for precluding submitted bids . in particular , this date can be a cut - off date indicative of the amount of time a bidder has been bidding with the particular website . if a registered bidder has been bidding with the particular isp since before the cut - off date , such a bidder would be allowed to continue in the bidding of the instant auction . if not , the bidder would be blocked from participation . advantageously as a result of this feature , only potential bidders having a bidding history of a seller defined sufficient duration would be allowed to continue in the seller &# 39 ; s auction . at field 112 , the seller may input information identifying an exclusionary parameter value for the bid . as will be described hereafter , if a bid should fall below the exclusionary value such bid would not be considered during an auction as will be described . advantageously as a result of this feature , only potential bidders having a bidding history of a seller defined sufficient bid amount would be allowed to continue in the seller &# 39 ; s auction . the method then proceeds to step 306 whereupon the seller determines whether to register the item with the application server . if the seller does not proceed to register , the “ cancel ” button 116 is activated and the item registration method terminates . if the seller activates the “ ok ” button 116 and the seller &# 39 ; s client browser will cause the item registration information to be stored locally and as well as stored in appropriate database files at the application server . at step 308 it is determined by the isp processor whether or not there is an exclusion date . if it is determined that there is no exclusion date then the method 300 proceeds to step 312 . if it is determined that there is a date , then such date will be set a parameter value to update the registration date exclusion column / file of the database at step 310 for subsequent use by the isp processor in configuring the bid monitoring method to be described . once this column / file is updated the method proceeds to step 312 . as a result , a parameter value is set or established for use in the bid monitoring method to be described which parameter value has the attribute of precluding submitted bids from being considered during the auction should the submitted bid fall after the entered date . at step 312 , a determination is made whether an exclude by bid amount has been entered for purposes of configuring the bid monitoring method to be described . if the seller has entered no amount during registration then the method proceeds to exit at step 316 . if the seller entered an exclusionary amount , then such amount is updated in the update column / file at step 314 . as a result , a parameter value is set or established for use in the bid monitoring method to be described which parameter value has the attribute of precluding submitted bids from being considered during the auction should submitted bids fall below the preselected amount . once this column / file is updated at step 314 then the method proceeds to exit at step 316 . after the item is registered and the item registration parameter values are appropriately saved in database files the item is ready for auctioning . advantages of the foregoing approaches are that the seller can independently set several parameter values independently to satisfy the seller &# 39 ; s concerns over potentially disrupting bidders . once the application server has acquired the necessary information then the application server is ready to begin monitoring the information submitted by potential bidders . reference is now made to fig5 for illustrating the steps of a preferred bid monitoring method 500 conducted by the application processor . at step 502 , the bid - monitoring program is running under the control of an auction monitor . at step 504 the bid monitoring application 95 of the application processor awaits for input to the auction from the bidders . the bidders through their web browser &# 39 ; s request information pertaining to an auction from the application server . the application server in response serves the requested auction information from its updated database and , in particular , provides a graphical user interface screen ( not shown ) to the requesting bidders thru the latter &# 39 ; s web browsers . each of the bidders supplies the requested information , such as bidder id , information regarding the bidder , the date the bidder has been registered as well as initial bid thereby forming a bid file . the method then proceeds from step 504 to step 506 . at step 506 the auction application of the isp processor accepts the bidder &# 39 ; s information and determines if the bid is for the particular auction . if the auction manager makes no match , the bid monitoring application terminates at step 516 . if , however , at step 506 the bid is determined to be for the particular auction then step 508 . at step 508 the auction application retrieves the seller &# 39 ; s sale file from the database . following the gaining of access , step 510 follows . at step 510 , the bid - monitoring program determines if the seller placed a bid entry . if no bid entry has been made then step 518 follows . if a registration date has been entered , the method proceeds to step 512 whereby the entered date is compared to the set parameter of the date exclusion file stored in the database as a result of the item registration method . if the bid date is not accepted , then step 514 follows , whereby at step 514 a message is served by the isp processor under control of the auction manager to the respective web browser of the affected bidder advising that such bid is not accepted and the reason for it . the method then terminates at step 516 . if the bid date is accepted , the method proceeds to step 518 . at step 518 the auction manager application retrieves the seller &# 39 ; s sale file from the database . at step 518 the bid monitoring application determines if the bidder entered a bid amount . if no bid amount entry has been made , then step 522 follows , whereby the bid is allowed to be placed in the auction by the auction manager of the application server . if a bid amount has been entered the method proceeds to step 520 , whereby the entered date is compared to the set parameter value of the bid amount exclusion file that has been entered by the item registration method above . if the bid date is not accepted then step 514 follows , whereby a message is served by the application server to the bidder that the bid is not accepted and the reason for it . the bid - monitoring program terminates at step 516 . at step 520 , if the bid satisfies the parameter value , then step 522 of the bid monitoring program accepts the bid for consideration by the auction manager of the auction program and the bid monitoring process terminates for that particular bid . at this point , it is important to note that while the present invention has been and will continue to be described in the context of a fully functional computer system , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms , and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media used to actually carry out the distribution . examples of suitable signal bearing media include : recordable type media such as floppy disks and cd rom , and transmission type media such as digital and analog communications links . one skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations are possible within the scope of the present invention . thus , while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	6
the subject invention will be described within the context of a signal acquisition device such as a digital signal oscilloscope ( dso ). however , it will be appreciated that the subject invention has applicability to other signal acquisition devices and , more particularly , those signal acquisition devices or display devices providing time - based display of acquired data or other information . the invention facilitates the analysis of long data records by identifying anomalies or other areas of interest ( a of i ) in a given portion of the data record and processing the a of i in such a manner as to find a correlation between the a of i and the rest of the data record without having to visually inspect or otherwise perform time consuming calculations to determine where and when such anomalies occur again in the data record . fig1 depicts a high level block diagram of a signal acquisition system 100 according to one embodiment of the invention . specifically , the system ( signal acquisition system 100 ) of fig1 comprises an analog to digital ( a / d ) converter 110 , a clock source 130 , an acquisition memory 140 , a controller 150 , an input device 160 , a display device 170 and an interface device 180 . the a / d converter 110 receives and digitizes a signal under test ( sut ) in response to a clock signal clk produced by the clock source 130 . the clock signal clk is preferably a clock signal adapted to cause the a / d converter 110 to operate at a maximum sampling rate , though other sampling rates may be selected . the clock source 130 is optionally responsive to a clock control signal cc produced by the controller 150 to change frequency and / or pulse width parameters associated with the clock signal clk . a digitized output signal sut ′ produced by the a / d converter 110 is stored in the acquisition memory 140 . the acquisition memory 140 cooperates with the controller 150 to store the data samples provided by the a / d converter 110 in a controlled manner such that the samples from the a / d converter 110 may be provided to the controller 150 for further processing and / or analysis . the controller 150 is used to manage the various operations of the system 100 . the controller 150 performs various processing and analysis operations on the data samples stored within the acquisition memory 140 . the controller 150 receives user commands via an input device 160 , illustratively a keypad , pointing device , one or more knobs or selection buttons , and the like . the controller 150 provides image - related data to a display device 170 , illustratively a cathode ray tube ( crt ), liquid crystal display ( lcd ) or other display device . the controller 150 optionally communicates with a communications link comm , such as a general purpose interface bus ( gpib ), internet protocol ( ip ), ethernet or other communications link via the interface device 180 . it is noted that the interface device 180 is selected according to the particular communications network used . an embodiment of the controller 150 will be described in more detail below . the system 100 of fig1 is depicted as receiving only one sut . however , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many suts may be received and processed by the system 100 . each sut is preferably processed using a respective a / d converter 110 , which respective a / d converter may be clocked using the clock signal clk provided by a common or respective clock source 130 or some other clock source . each of the additional digitized suts is coupled to the acquisition memory 140 or additional acquisition memory ( not shown ). any additional acquisition memory communicates with the controller 150 , either directly or indirectly through an additional processing element . the details of an embodiment of controller 150 are depicted in fig2 . the controller 150 comprises a processor 230 as well as memory 240 for respectively executing and storing various control programs 244 and files including but not limited to the correlation method of the subject invention . the processor 230 cooperates with conventional support circuitry 220 such as power supplies , clock circuits , cache memory and the like , as well as circuits that assist in executing the software routines stored in the memory 240 . as such , it is contemplated that some of the process steps discussed herein as software processes may be implemented within hardware , for example as circuitry that cooperates with the processor 230 to perform various steps . the controller 150 also contains input / output ( i / o ) circuitry 210 that forms an interface between the various functional elements communicating with the controller 150 . for example , in the embodiment of fig1 , the controller 150 optionally communicates with the clock source 130 ( via clock control signal cc ). the controller 150 also communicates with the input device 160 via a signal path in , a display device 170 via a signal path out and the interface device 180 via a signal path int and the acquisition memory 140 via signal path mb . the controller 150 may also communicate with additional functional elements ( not shown ), such as those described herein as relating to additional channels , sut processing circuitry , switches , decimators and the like . it is noted that the memory 240 of the controller 150 may be included within the acquisition memory 140 , that the acquisition memory 140 may be included within the memory 240 of the controller 150 , or that a shared memory arrangement may be provided . although the controller 150 is depicted as a general purpose computer that is programmed to perform various control functions in accordance with the present invention , the invention can be implemented in hardware as , for example , an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ). as such , the process steps described herein are intended to be broadly interpreted as being equivalently performed by software , hardware or a combination thereof . the signal acquisition system 100 of fig1 generally receives signals under test ( sut ) which are digitized , decimated and subsequently processed to create a data record from which respective waveforms for display are derived . the displayed waveforms have associated with them a horizontal parameter and vertical parameter . the horizontal parameter comprises a time parameter while the vertical parameter comprises an amplitude parameter . control circuitry is responsive to user inputs to adjust the timebase ( i . e ., time per horizontal division ) and amplitude ( i . e ., volts per vertical division ) of displayed waveform ( s ). that is , in an oscilloscope having a display device including a grid pattern , a user may select the number of volts represented by each vertical segment and the amount of time represented by each horizontal segment . fig3 depicts a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention . specifically , fig3 shows a series of method steps 300 for carrying out the method of identifying similar events in long data records captured by the signal acquisition system 100 . the method starts at step 302 and proceeds to step 304 where an a of i of a displayed waveform is identified from the long data record and extracted . identification can be made by known means familiar to those skilled in the art and , in one embodiment of the invention , includes marking the start and end of the a of i with a pair of vertical cursors controlled by a general purpose knob and a selection button that is part of the input device 160 . once identification of the a of i is made , the a of i can be saved as a file to memory ( e . g ., memory 240 or other suitable device or locations ) for future recall and use . at step 306 , the a of i is normalized . specifically , and in one embodiment of the invention , the normalization includes performing a calculation of a mean value of all the sample values in the a of i and subsequently subtracting that mean value from each sample value in the a of i . at step 308 , each of the normalized values are then organized and inserted as coefficients of a finite impulse response ( fir ) response filter . that is , from the mathematical point of view , the fir filter is in the form of a matrix wherein the coefficients of said matrix define the characteristics of the filter . in one embodiment , the filter matrix is a one dimensional matrix of 2n + 1 coefficients . for each point on the acquired waveform ( defined as a center point for each normalization step ), there are n coefficients on either side of the center point where 2n + 1 is the number of samples in the a of i . all coefficients are multiplied by their corresponding sample values on the waveform which are then summed up to arrive at the correlation output value . in one example , up to 480 coefficients are stored and processed . in this particular case , the characteristics are derived by the normalized values of the sample values of the a of i . after the filter coefficients are derived and the filter is created , the data record is filtered by the fir filter at step 310 . the filter output generates a correlation curve . the values of the correlation curve are compared with one or more user defined thresholds , and positions where the value exceeds a threshold are marked on a display of the original waveform at step 312 . methods of marking are selected from the group consisting of highlighting the a of i matching portion of the original waveform and applying tick marks to correlating points . in one embodiment of the invention , highlighting is performed by displaying points of interest in a first color and displaying the original waveform in a second color . for example , amber is used to identify points of interest , although any other colors within the specifications of a display device are possible . in an alternate embodiment , the highlighting is performed by displaying the points of interest at a relatively different display intensity . in one embodiment , the highlighting is performed by reducing the relative displayed intensity of the original waveform and displaying points of interest at a higher relative intensity . the method ends at step 314 . the correlation curve is a visual representation of a comparison of the a of i to the rest of the original waveform . specifically , positive peaks are produced that correspond to areas with the same subsets of positive and negative values ( as compared to the original waveform ). the filter also outputs negative peaks corresponding to areas with inverted subsets of positive and negative values ( in compared to the acquired waveform ). note that normalization removes the dc component from the filter output . in one embodiment of the invention , specially designed hardware is included in the system 100 to perform fir filtering and to apply the threshold to the correlation curve output . in an alternate embodiment , general purpose central processing units ( cpus ) or digital signal processors ( dsps ) are used to perform the same function . the merits of the subject invention can be more greatly appreciated and understood by inspection of fig4 . specifically , fig4 depicts a display screen 400 depicting four reference waveforms ( labeled on the screen as r1 , r2 , r3 and r4 . specifically , first reference waveform r1 shown as a second waveform 404 on screen 400 is the particular waveform that is being acquired and subsequently analyzed . reference waveform r4 depicted as first curve 402 on screen 400 is an identified a of i of reference waveform r1 . reference waveform r2 is shown as a fourth curve 408 at the bottom of screen 400 which depicts the correlation output of waveform r1 with the identified a of i waveform r4 . specifically , waveform r2 shows major positive peaks at positions 30 and 130 where there is a high degree of correlation in the subsets of positive and negative values between the a of i waveform r4 and the acquired reference waveform r1 . oppositely , major negative peaks are shown at positions 24 , 300 and 492 where there is an extremely low degree of correlation ( inversion of subsets of positive and negative values between a of i waveform r4 and acquired reference waveform r2 ). for sake of completion , reference waveform r3 , depicted as third curve 406 on screen 400 , is a decimated version of reference waveform r2 . specifically , only every second sample point from the a of i and the reference waveform are used to compute and subsequently display a correlation output . as such , the same relative peaks and valleys still exist as those shown in reference waveform r2 ; however , the relative accuracy of waveform r3 is slightly less than that of reference waveform r2 . the degree of correlation ( and the resultant relative increase or decrease in the peaks of the correlation curves 406 or 408 ) is fine tuned by a threshold level being established during processing . the threshold can be for example a user defined variable that is inserted into one of the programs 244 , calculated during the extraction of the a of i or dynamically controlled via feedback about the number and location of events whose correlation value exceeds the threshold . one skilled in the art understands that a higher relative threshold reduces the number of correlation events . additionally , one of the programs ( or the method in general ) incorporates the concept of holdoff to improve data acquisition and correlation . holdoff prevents the capturing of new data for a given time x after a trigger event because there is a reasonable and statistical assurance that another trigger event will not occur during the x - defined interval . specifically and in one embodiment , if a high degree of correlation is found between the a of i and the acquired waveform , correlation processing of subsequent portion of the waveform immediately following the high correlation event ( the trigger event ) is not performed for x amount of time and then restarted . non - processing is based on the statistical assumption that another high degree of correlation will not occur during the interval x . as such , the total processing time for correlation is reduced . one skilled in the art will also appreciate that by processing less data ( especially during a statistically low correlation interval ), there is also a reduced likelihood of false alarms . the above - described invention advantageously provides an apparatus and means to extract an arbitrary section of an acquired waveform and use such arbitrary section ( a of i ) as a baseline to review the remaining portion of the waveform . the method does not rely on fixed , known shapes ( which may or may not be present in the acquired waveform ) which may result in a poor correlation curve characteristic . instead , the method takes advantage of operator - defined points of interest in the acquired waveform and uses such points of interest to create a more highly accurate depiction of the correlation between the a of i and the acquired waveform . the subject invention also takes advantage of the fact that the complexity of the waveform ( and the a of i ) does not complicate the analysis of the acquired waveform . that is , since the complexity of the waveform is reduced to a series of mathematical calculations rather than a visual inspection of the curve , it is possible to have a higher accuracy in the correlation than previously possible . while the foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof , and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow .	6
reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . wherever possible , the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . fig2 and 3 show an icemaker according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig2 and 3 , an icemaker 10 comprises a cup 11 for storing water fed from a water supply hose ( not shown ), an ice mold 12 for receiving the water from the cup 11 and freezing the water using cool air in a freezing compartment , a heater 130 for heating the ice mold 12 to separate pieces of the ice , the heater 130 being mounted on the ice mold 12 , an ejector 14 for ejecting the pieces of the ice out of the ice mold 12 , the ejector 14 being pivotally mounted on the ice mold 14 , a motor ( not shown ) for generating torque for driving the ejector 14 , a slider 16 for directing the pieces of the ice ejected by the ejector 14 to the ice bank 20 , a detecting lever 17 for detecting the ice bank 20 fully filled with the pieces of the ice , a controller 18 for , in accordance with whether the ice bank 20 is fully filled with the pieces of the ice , controlling a temperature of the ice mold 12 , the operations of the heater 130 , the motor , and a water supply valve controlling the water supply to the cup 11 . the ice mold 12 is provided with a space in which the water is frozen and a plurality of partition 121 for dividing the space into a plurality of freezing sections to make the pieces of the ice . the ice mold 12 is further provided at a rear end with connection parts 122 for fixing the icemaker 10 on a rear wall of the freezing compartment . the ejector 14 comprises a pivoting shaft 141 installed on the ice mold 12 and pivoted by the torque of the motor and a plurality of scoops 142 extending from the pivoting shaft 141 . the number of the scoops 142 is identical to that of the freezing sections divided by the partitions 121 . the scoops 142 are located in the respective freezing sections to scoop the corresponding pieces of the ice out of the freezing sections . the motor is installed in the controller 18 disposed on a side of the ice mold 12 and is connected to the pivoting shaft 141 . the controller 18 may be provided with a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the ice mold 12 and an ice detecting sensor for detecting a rotating position of the detecting lever 17 to determine if the ice bank is fully filled with the pieces of the ice . the heater 130 may be formed of an induction heater that can uniformly heat the ice mold 12 . the water is first fed to the ice mold 12 via the cup 11 and is then frozen , after which a surface of the frozen water is uniformly heated by the heater 130 such that the pieces of the ice can be separated at a surface where they contact the ice mold 12 . then , the pieces of the ice are ejected out of the ice mold . that is , as the pivoting shaft 141 pivots , the pieces of the ice are scooped by the scoops 142 . the scooped pieces of the ice are stacked in the ice bank 20 along the slider 16 . fig4 is a sectional view taken along line a - a ′ of fig2 . as shown in the drawing , there are shown the ice mold 12 , the ejector 14 and the slider 16 . the heater 130 is disposed on a circumferential outer bottom of the ice mold 12 . the heater 130 is designed to be heated by an induction heating manner . that is , the heater 130 comprises a heating coil generating eddy current by high frequency current applied from an external side to convert the electric energy into the thermal and a heater body 134 in which the heating coil is buried , the heater body 134 being formed in a circular arc shape to enclose the circumferential outer bottom of the ice mold 12 . the heater body 134 separates the pieces of the ice 21 from the inner surface of the ice mold 12 using induction energy inducted from the heating coil 132 . an induction heating principle will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig5 is a view illustrating an induction heating principle , and fig6 is a hysteresis loop according to an induction heating . referring first to fig5 , an electric conductor in a coil along which alternating current ( high frequency current ) flows generates heat by an eddy current loss and a hysteresis loss ( in case of a magnetic body ). that is , the induction heating is realized by such heat generated by the eddy current loss and the hysteresis loss . particularly , a high frequency induction heating uses high frequency current . at this point , as shown in fig5 , alternating magnetic flux ( high frequency magnetic flux ) is generated in a coil along which alternating current ( high frequency current ) i 1 and induced current ( induced electromotive force ) is generated in the electric conductor in a magnetic field . particularly , the current generated by the electromotive force is called eddy current . when the eddy current flows along the electric conductor ( to - be - heated - object ) having a predetermined amount of resistance , the electric conductor generates the joule heat . this is called the eddy current loss that will be a primary heat source in the induction heating . the eddy current loss can be illustrated as the following formula according to joule &# 39 ; s law . as illustrated by the formula , the eddy current loss is proportional to the square of the frequency . therefore , when the frequency is higher than 100 khz , the heating is realized by the eddy current loss . when the frequency is less than 100 khz , the heating is realized by the hysteresis loss . when the to - be - heated - object is formed of magnetic material and alternating current is applied to a heating coil wound around the to - be - heated object , the to - be - heated - object is magnetized . at this point , when intensity of the magnetic field is gradually increased , a curve representing the variation of the magnetic flux density b is not identical to that representing the magnetic field intensity h . that is , as shown in fig6 , a loop shape is defined by the curves , providing a hysteresis phenomenon . this loop shape is called a hysteresis loop . particularly , the larger the area defined by the hysteresis loop , the higher the hysteresis loss . that is , as the area defined by the hysteresis loop is increased , the high frequency induction heating efficiency is increased in the induction heating . this can be illustrated as the following formula . ( nh : a constant of applied metal core , f : frequency , and bm : magnetic flux density ) when the frequency is increased above 50 khz , since the eddy current loss proportional to the square of the frequency becomes greater than the hysteresis loss . in addition , when the frequency is further increased , the hysteresis loss may be almost ignored . when magnetic or nonmagnetic material such as cu or al is heated above a transformation point , the hysteresis loss does occur . that is , the heating is realized only by the eddy current loss . in the present invention , the heating body 134 functions as the electric conductor along which induced current flows when alternating current is applied to the heating coil 132 . the separation process of the ice from the ice mold 12 will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig7 shows a heating process by the heater 130 before the ejector 14 is operated , and fig8 shows an ejecting process by the ejector 14 after the ice is separated from the inner surface of the ice mold 12 . referring first to fig7 , when the water is completely frozen in the ice mold 12 to form the ice 21 , the ice 21 is closely adhered to the inner surface of the ice mold 12 . in order to separate the ice 21 from the inner surface of the ice mold 12 , electric power is applied to the heater 130 disposed on the circumferential outer bottom of the ice mold 12 . that is , when the electric power is applied to the heater 130 , eddy current is generated by the heating coil of the heater 130 . the eddy current flows along the heater body 134 to covert the electric energy into the thermal energy , thereby generating the joule heat in the heater body 134 . at this point , since the eddy current flows through the entire area of the heater body 134 , the heater body 134 uniformly generates the heat through its entire area . when the ice mold 12 is uniformly heated by the heat uniformly generated through the entire area of the heater body 134 , as shown in fig7 , the adhering portion of the ice to the inner surface of the ice mold 12 uniformly melts , making it easy to quickly separate the ice from the ice mold 12 . as described above , since the ice mold 12 is uniformly heated by the induction heating manner , the ice 21 can be more quickly separated from the ice mold 12 . when the adhering portion of the ice to the inner surface of the ice mold 12 melts , as shown in fig8 , the shaft 141 of the ejector 14 is rotated by the motor such that the scoop 142 can scoop the ice 21 out of the ice mold 12 , thereby directing the ice 21 to the ice bank 20 . meanwhile , the heating coil 132 is buried in the heater body 134 . however , the present invention is not limited to this case . that is , the heating coil 132 may be formed on a surface of the heater body 134 in a predetermined pattern . preferably , the heater body 134 is formed of metal having a predetermined amount of resistance , and the heating coil 132 is formed in a predetermined pattern having a uniformly spaced line through the entire area of the heater body 134 . in addition , the heater body 134 is designed corresponding to the circumferential outer bottom of the ice mold 12 so that the heat conduction can be quickly realized . when the ice mold 12 is formed of conductive material such as metal , the heat generated by induction heating can be directly transmitted to the ice , making it possible to more quickly make the ice . in this case , the induced heating coil may be directly formed on an outer surface of the ice mold 12 . the above - described icemaker can be applied to a side - by - side type refrigerator as well as freeze - top - type refrigerator . in the icemaker of the present invention , since the ice mold 12 is uniformly heated by the induction heating manner , the pieces of the ice 21 can be more quickly separated from the ice mold 12 , being formed in an identical shape . furthermore , the electric power used for the ice separation as well as the ice making time can be saved . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents .	5
a description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be presented with reference to fig1 - 8l . as used herein , the words “ tubes ” or “ tubing ” refer to supply lines for providing water and / or nutrients . as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art , such “ tubes ” or “ tubing ” do not necessarily need to be cylindrical , but may be of any suitable shape , and no limitation is intended by the use of these words . described herein are a system and method of supplying water and / or nutrients to the roots of growing plants wherein the water and / or nutrients are released to the plants as needed by the individual plants . herein the term “ plants ” should be construed broadly , and can include , for example , grasses . although not intended as a limitation on the invention , it is believed that when under water stress , plant roots can emit exudates or surfactants that promote the release of water and / or nutrients stored under the conditions described below . specifically , the plants are supplied water and / or nutrients from supply lines or feeder tubes , at least portions of which are hydrophilic . in some embodiments , the tubing may include a plurality of holes that are covered by hydrophilic membranes ; in other embodiments , the entire tubing , the below - surface portion thereof , or a significant portion thereof is hydrophilic . in yet other embodiments , the system may include a surface tube that is water - impermeable or hydrophobic , the tube being connected to a plurality of hydrophilic tubes that can be inserted into a support medium for supplying the roots . one or more hydrophilic tubes may be inserted into a quantity of support medium such that the tubes are at least partially below the surface of the support media . the support media may be selected from any suitable medium or mixture of media suitable for supporting growing plants and roots . examples , which are not intended as limitations , of such support media can include sand , soil , rockwool , polyurethane foam , fleximat ™, sri cellulose - based growth media , and the like . other suitable media known in the art , such as continuous - fiber growth media , may also be used . in particular embodiments , plants are planted in the support medium and the respective tubes are connected to reservoirs containing water , nutrients , or a mixture thereof . in some embodiments , two tubes may feed a row of plants : a water tube and a nutrient tube . as discussed above , it has previously been shown that the plants are capable of distinguishing between these tubes . alternatively , nutrient ( s ) can be added to a water reservoir for distribution through a unitary tube . thin - walled microporous hydrophilic tubes are not known at present to be commercially available for use as irrigation tubing . in a particular embodiment , hydrophilic materials , including cell - force ™ and flexi - sil ™, may be made into hydrophilic tubes . alternatively , some existing hydrophobic thin - walled tubes can be made hydrophilic by a process that uses a water - insoluble hydrophilic polymer ( e . g ., polyhydroxystyrene , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 045 , 869 , incorporated herein by reference ; structure illustrated in fig6 ) as a surface coating . such solutions applied as a coating to and impregnated with microporous hydrophobic plastic tubing have been shown not to clog the pores and to remain hydrophilic for many years . thus continuous tubes of tyvek ® ( a microporous polyethylene material made from very fine , high - density polyethylene fibers , dupont , richmond , va .) in a radius of 5 - 10 mm ( irrigro - international irrigation systems ) have been used after being made hydrophilic and have been shown to act as a membrane that is responsive to the roots of plants in a subsurface irrigation system . tyvek ® is available in a plurality of styles , each having different properties . although not intended to be limiting , two particular types have been found to be most beneficial for use in the present invention : 1059b and 1073b . as discussed above , it has been shown that hydrophilic membranes can become hydrophobic over time owing to organic impurities in the water adsorbed onto the membrane . because of the variability of the impurities in water , we have added organic substances to the water which can be adsorbed onto the exit pore walls , making the membrane hydrophobic , and thereby reducing the flow of water or nutrient solution through the membrane . examples of suitable organic substances include , but are by no means limited to , humic acid , kerosene , turpentine , pinene , paraffin , and hexadecane . in other embodiments , other suitable c8 - c16 saturated hydrocarbons may be used . the amounts added ranged from 10 ppb to 10 ppm to the irrigating medium . as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art , in some embodiments , the addition of the organic substance may not be essential , depending on the quality of the water . when growing crops in soil , the addition of nutrient on a continuous basis is not essential ; however , when growing crops in sand , fleximat , or rockwool , a nutrient solution , for example , any suitable nutrient solution known in the art such as those commonly used in hydroponic systems , e . g ., hoegland solution , peter &# 39 ; s solution , miracle - gro , or other less dyed fertilizer such as schultz export may be added to the water supply or may be fed directly to the plants in a separate tube , as described above , and thus the roots of the plant can be allowed to take as much water and nutrient as required . however , for growth in artificial media the inclusion of nutrients and micronutrients is important . fig1 a and 1b illustrate a system 10 that uses twin irrigation tubes 11 , 12 for delivering water and nutrient solution to plants 13 growing in a growing medium 14 . in this embodiment 10 , the tubes 11 , 12 are running through the root systems 15 of the plants 13 . it has been found in experiments in both sand and potting soil that the higher the concentration of nutrients used , the smaller the volume of the nutrient solution that is released to the roots 15 , which is illustrative of the water conservation achieved by the current invention . it will be understood by one of skill in the art that the tubes 11 , 12 could be provided as a single composite double - lumen tube without departing from the spirit of the invention . the diameters of the two portions could be in a proportion commensurate with a plant &# 39 ; s requirements for water versus nutrient , for example , double the size for the water tube , although this is not intended as a limitation . in some embodiments , since subsurface thin - walled microporous tubing can be collapsed if sufficient pressure is applied , a spiral 60 comprising , for example , plastic , can be incorporated into a tubing such as tubing 11 or 12 to form a tube 61 that is more resistant to collapsing ( fig1 c ). fig2 illustrates a system 20 for the irrigation of grass 21 where the subsurface tubes 22 are spaced 1 - 2 feet apart and are substantially continuously fed with water under low constant pressure , with nutrients added to the aqueous solution as desired . the irrigation systems and methods described herein are believed superior to any other watering system currently in use , and further are independent of atmospheric pressure , making them usable for astroculture or micro - gravity conditions , as well as others . in one embodiment of the invention 30 ( fig3 ), for example , a continuous fiber growth medium 31 such as rockwool or the spongy fleximat ( from grow - tech ) can be used to support the plants 32 and their roots 33 . in this embodiment 30 , both of the reservoirs 34 comprise a container 35 that has an interior space 36 for holding the water and nutrient solution therein . the containers 35 are formed similar to a bellows , and are movable between an expanded state when containing solution and a retracted state when solution has been removed . the containers 35 also comprise a filling inlet 37 that is in fluid communication with the containers &# 39 ; interior space 36 for adding solution thereto . distribution tubes 38 are also in fluid communication with the containers &# 39 ; interior spaces 36 and with inlets 39 of the hydrophilic tubes 40 . this arrangement provides solution to the tubings &# 39 ; lumina 40 . the distribution tubes 38 also have check valves 41 therein for preventing backflow of solution from the tubes 40 toward the containers &# 39 ; interior spaces 36 . support for plants and their roots can be provided for in the present system under zero gravity , for example , with the use of a monolithic contiguous material such as rockwool or fleximat , a spongy hydrophilic porous material made by grow - tech or the newly developed artificial sponge such as , for example , agri - lite ( sri enviro - grow ). by using these materials to surround twin microporous hydrophilic irrigating tubes , one supplying water while the other supplying a nutrient solution , it is possible to achieve complete conservation of water and nutrients supplied to growing plants . such a system can also be applied to arid or desert environments where water conservation is desirable . early laboratory tests showed that using nutrients in water , it was possible to grow tomatoes in sand with amerace a10 membranes 42 ( 50 % silica gel in polyethylene ) glued over holes 43 in a subsurface pvc tube 44 ( fig4 ). the holes 43 in the pvc tube 44 were 12 mm in diameter , spaced 10 cm apart , drilled in 17 - mm - id rigid pvc tubing . the holes 43 are believed to have limited the amount of water and nutrient available to the growing plant , and the system proved to be inadequate when the plants began to bear fruit and needed more membrane area to supply the plants &# 39 ; requirements . increasing the total surface area of the membrane by drilling and covering more holes improved the system . however , a best mode of practicing the invention at the present time favors the use of a continuous tube . because of the brittle nature of amerace , membrane tubes made of this material tended to crack and leak . tyvek ® ( dupont ) in tube form has been used for irrigation purposes under elevated water pressure for gardens and row crops . however , the hydrophobic nature of the polyethylene material permits it to act as a drip source of water for plants without any control by the exudates of the plant roots . the conversion of a hydrophobic surface to hydrophilic has been described ( u . s . pat . no . 6 , 045 , 869 ) and can be used to make tyvek ® tubing hydrophilic and responsive to the water and / or nutrient needs of the plant . when the tubing has been made hydrophilic by coating and impregnating it with an alcohol solution of polyhydroxystyrene , the tubing was found to be permeable to water at much lower pressures , and showed a decrease in water permeability as the organic compounds in water are adsorbed onto the exit pore walls . this can be considered a “ conditioning phase ,” during which permeability can be decreased by as much as 80 % by the addition of hydrocarbons to the tap water . the present invention is believed to be the first to provide a plurality of feeding tubes arranged to extend beneath the surface of a support medium to feed a plurality of plants or a row of plants . furthermore , a clear advantage of tubes comprising a hydrophilic material is that a greater area of the support medium is fed water and nutrients compared to a single horizontal membrane . the invention will now be described by way of examples ; however , the invention is not intended to be limited by these examples . a 4 ft . length of tyvek ® tubing (# 1053d ) was made hydrophilic with an alcoholic solution of polyhydroxystyrene and submerged in a 4 . 5 ft by 13 cm wide by 10 cm deep planter , covered with soil and connected to a constant supply of nutrient solution at a constant head of 35 cm of water . ten cherry tomato ( lycopersicon sp .) seedlings were planted at even distances next to the tube where water and nutrients were supplied . fluorescent lighting was supplied to the plants for 18 hours per day . the average consumption of water was 75 ± 10 ml / hr when the plants were 15 cm high and 125 ± 20 ml / hr when the plants were 25 cm high . when rainfall was simulated by spraying the bed with 100 ml of water , the consumption of water dropped to zero for 2 hours and slowly over the next 3 hours returned to the normal rate . the plants grew to two feet in height , and numerous tomatoes were harvested . at the end of the experiment , the system was examined to determine if there was any competition between the plants for space on the membrane . an examination of the root system indicated that the roots encircled the membrane only within about 1 - 2 inches from the plant stem . this indicates that it should be possible to increase the density of plant growth to an extent that would only be limited by the photochemical flux available and mutual interference . when a dual - tube system was used to supply both water and nutrient separately , the ratio of water consumed to nutrient solution consumed was approximately 2 . 5 to 1 for 8 cherry tomato plants in sand . again , little or no fluctuations were observed when the size of the plants reached a height of 35 cm . a continuous irrigation tube can be unnecessary for plants such as grape vines or kiwi vines that are spread apart from each other by distances as much as 20 to 40 cm . in these situations 50 , it is more practical to use a main flexible surface distributing tube 51 of from 20 - 30 mm id , out of which are drawn satellite tubes 52 that feed a short length of from 10 to 30 cm , depending of the size of the vine , of thin - walled microporous hydrophilic irrigating tube 53 , closed at its end 54 , surrounding the roots 55 of the vine or bush 56 , as illustrated in fig5 a and 5b . a tomato plant was planted in potting soil , into which was also placed two 20 - cm - long microporous hydrophilic tubes of 1 cm radius . the tubes were connected to reservoirs of water and nutrient which were kept full . the soil remained dry while the plant grew to produce numerous tomatoes . another experiment was conducted with tyvex ® tubing (# 1053b ), 1 . 25 m long and 1 cm radius . the tubing was sealed at one end that was made hydrophilic with a 3 % solution of polyhydroxystyrene ( novolac grade from triquest ) in ethanol . the tubing was submerged in a 1 . 4 - m planter , covered with soil , and connected to a supply of nutrient solution at a constant head of 35 cm of water . ten cherry tomato ( lycopersicon sp ) seedlings were planted at even distanced next to the tube , by which water and nutrients were supplied . the plants grew during the conditioning phase while exposed to fluorescence lighting for 16 hr / day . the average consumption of water was 75 ± 10 ml / hr when the plants were 15 cm in height and 125 ± 20 ml / hr when the plants were 25 cm in height . rainfall was simulated by spraying the bed with 100 ml water , following which the consumption of water dropped to zero for 2 hours and then slowly , over the next 3 hours , returned to the normal rate . the plants grew to 60 cm in height , and an abundance of tomatoes was harvested . at the completion of the experiment , the system was examined to determine if there had been any competition between the plants for space on the membrane . an examination of the root system indicated that the roots encircled the membrane only within about 2 . 5 - 5 cm from the plant stem . this finding would seem to indicate that it should be possible to increase the density of plant growth to a level only limited by the light flux available and mutual interference . it has also been shown that different plants requiring different rates of water and nutrient can grow together with each being satisfied individually without monitoring . when a dual membrane system was used to supply both water and nutrient separately , the ratio of water consumed to nutrient solution consumed was approximately 2 . 5 to 1 for 8 cherry tomato plants in sand . once again , there was little or no fluctuation observed when the size of the tomato plants reached a height of 35 cm . a planter 115 cm long , 13 cm wide , and 10 cm deep , was set up in a greenhouse with dual - feed membrane tubes for water and nutrient through the center of a bed comprising 50 cm of flexmat and 50 cm of rockwool separated by 15 cm of polyurethane foam . the seeds or seedlings of canola ( brassica sp ), beans ( phaseolus sp ), corn ( zea mays sp ), and tomatoes ( lycopersicon sp ) were planted in each of their respective media and their growth patterns observed . growth , which was favored in the fleximat , proceeded normally , except for the polyurethane foam , with each crop growing at its own rate under a light flux of 50 - 60 mw / cm 2 . root crops such as carrots ( daucus carota var sativa sp ), radishes ( raphanus sativus sp ), beets ( beta vulgaris sp ), and onions ( allium sp ) were grown in soil and peat , while potatoes ( solanum tuberosum sp ), parsnips ( pastinaca sativa sp ), and parsley ( petroselinum sativum var tuberosum sp ) were grown successfully in vermiculite . a cellulose material ( sri petrochemical co .) can also be used as an artificial growth medium . it was determined that grass ( gramineae sp ) can be successfully irrigated for 3 successive years with submerged tubular membranes spaced 40 - 50 cm apart . in another case , two hydroponic planters ( 30 × 30 × 30 cm ) were fitted with a membrane tube for a water / nutrient solution approximately 7 cm from the bottom . the media comprised a soil - less mixture approximately 25 - 26 cm deep in the planters . this depth allowed the root crops to produce straight tap roots , which is of concern to consumers when purchasing vegetables . one planter was seeded with parsnips ( daucus carota var . sativa sp ). the other planter was seeded with parsley ( petroselinum sativum var . tuberosum var . tuberosum sp ), a dual - purpose crop of foliage and root stocks . plant competition controlled the over - seeding issue with each planter . the plants received only natural sunlight , reducing the risk of “ bolting .” extreme warm temperatures were a concern for the health of the plants . the parsnip roots were straight in growth , and produced a total weight of 38 . 9 g . the texture and flavor were excellent . the parsley produced straight tap roots , giving a total weight of 38 . 3 g . the foliage produced had longer petioles than usually purchased , yet the total weight was 58 . 9 g . it will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that plants with varying water requirements can be satisfied by the embodiments of the present invention , wherein one continuous porous hydrophilic irrigating tube is used to allow each plant to take its water requirements independently of the other plants . such requirements are often needed in greenhouses , where many different plants are cultivated under one roof . it has also been shown that a hydrophilic irrigation tube with two channels , one for water and the other for nutrients , can fully satisfy the plants &# 39 ; requirements and also increase the density of the plants , limited only by the sunlight available . it has also been shown that commercially available thin - walled microporous hydrophobic tubes can be converted to hydrophilic tubes and thereby become responsive to plants and their roots . such tubes may include , but are not intended to be limited to , high - pressure irrigation hoses , although their use in the present invention does not require the use of high pressure . it has also been shown how a dual - membrane tube can be incorporated into a container for one or more plants so that the plants can be fed on demand both water and nutrients from separate reservoirs and thereby require no attention or supervision as long as there is water available in the tube reservoirs . in a particular embodiment , a diametric ratio of 3 : 1 for the water tube over the nutrient tube is optimal , although this is not intended as a limitation , and obviously is dependent upon nutrient concentration and plant type . it has additionally been shown that water systems that are free of contaminated organic substances and unresponsive in the irrigation system can , by the addition of trace amounts of one or more hydrocarbons to the water supply , become responsive to the irrigation system . it has also been shown that the irrigation system of the present invention can be used to replace the emitter in a drip irrigation system , thereby making the release of water and / or nutrient responsive to the roots . in a particular embodiment , a factor of from 100 to 500 has been found for the difference in water volume used between the known drip irrigation systems and that of the present invention . sectors of grass are known to be grown substantially in isolation , for example , on golf courses wherein the greens are formed within soil - filled depressions in the ground and continuously or at predetermined intervals fed with water and nutrients . in such an arrangement , the system of the present invention can ideally provide water and nutrients to the grass roots on an on - demand basis , thereby saving both water and nutrients , and also ensuring optimal sustenance of the greens . the following tables 1 - 4 include data on experiments conducted indoors ( table 1 ) and outdoors ( table 2 ), and the flow rates for water and nutrient ( table 3 ) and for watering results in series and for single plants ( table 4 ). a planter with two tubes , one for water ( w ), the other for nutrient solution ( n ). the reservoirs were interchanged periodically to cancel any membrane effects . flow rates in ml / hr ; experiment time march 18 to july 16 . another aspect of the invention is directed to the making of tubing for use with a “ water - on - demand ” system . in one method , sheets of a low - porosity substance are coated with the aforementioned polyhydroxystyrene , and formed into cylinders by , for example , thermal , ultrasonic , or impulse means . although not intended as a limitation , a possible explanation of the operation of the polyhydroxystyrene polymer ( fig6 ) will now be presented . first , how the polyhdroxystyrene attaches to the membrane : polyhydroxystyrene has two groups , an hydroxyl ( oh ), which is hydrophilic and can hydrogen bond with water , and the styrene groups , which include a benzene ring (— c 6 h 4 —) attached to an ethylene group (═ ch — ch 2 —), both of which are hydrophobic and can stick to the hydrophobic polyethylene membrane , leaving the hydrophilic ( oh ) group , which forms a weak hydrogen bond with water . as discussed above , the polymer can act as a capillary through the membrane . it has been shown that organic impurities in water are 10 5 - 10 6 times more likely to stick at the exit end wall of the capillaries , where there is a gas - liquid - solid equilibrium ( i . e ., air - water - membrane ). the organic impurities are in equilibrium along the walls of the capillary , where the equilibrium is only between liquid and solid . thus the surface of the exit pores become hydrophobic due to the adsorption of the trace organic impurities in water and / or nutrient solution . when a plant is in need of water , it emits chemicals called exudates that can include a surfactant that removes the adhering organic compounds at the exit wall and liquid from the irrigation tube now is allowed to flow . this has been shown for two different membranes in the prior art , as discussed above with reference to fig7 - 8l . high - purity water is free of organic impurities . some domestic water supplies are often purified to such an extent that very little organic impurities remain . this would result in pore closure only after a large , and usually unnecessary , volume of water had passed through the membrane . the result would not be suitable because of the time delay between the removal of the organics and their deposition onto the membrane and the closure of the pores . on the other hand , too much organic content in the water could result in a delay in opening the closed pores because of the limited amount of surfactant that is released by the roots . it has been found that in general the membrane area needed for a plant is best supplied by a tube of diameter equal to about a 1 - cm radius , with a thickness of 0 . 5 mm maximum and pore sizes of from 0 . 1 to 5 μm , with a preferred average of 0 . 4 μm , although this is not intended as a limitation , and other porosity values can be used . this segment of the membrane is to be in contact with the roots of the plant . short segments of membrane tubing can be supplied with water and / or nutrient solution by smaller diameter tubing , but care must be taken to prevent air locks in the line . tubing of 1 - cm id would not be considered too large . since the feed lines are exposed to light ( sunlight or artificial lighting ), it is necessary to use opaque tubing , or the solar active light will result in algae formation that can eventually block the pores . it is believed that the coating of the hydrophobic membrane is primarily to allow the resulting hydrophilic surface to become hydrophobic and to close the pores . leaving the inner pore uncoated would restrict the flow of water through the membrane . in the foregoing description , certain terms have been used for brevity , clarity , and understanding , but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art , because such words are used for description purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed . moreover , the embodiments of the apparatus illustrated and described herein are by way of example , and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction . having now described the invention , the construction , the operation and use of preferred embodiments thereof , and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby , the new and useful constructions , and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art , are set forth in the appended claims .	0
the various embodiments of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to fig1 through 7 of the drawings . the elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale , emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention . throughout the drawings , like numerals are used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings . this invention may be provided in other specific forms and embodiments without departing from the essential characteristics as described herein . the embodiments described above are to be considered in all aspects as illustrative only and not restrictive in any manner . the following claims rather than the foregoing description indicate the scope of the invention . furthermore , reference in the specification to “ an embodiment ,” “ one embodiment ,” “ various embodiments ,” or any variant thereof means that a particular feature or aspect of the invention described in conjunction with the particular embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention . thus , the appearance of the phrases “ in one embodiment ,” “ in another embodiment ,” or variations thereof in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to its respective embodiment . terms such as “ aft ,” “ rear ,” “ forward ,” “ front ,” “ lateral ,” or “ outward ,” or the like , and derivatives thereof are to be understand in relation to the truck or vehicle on which the fifth wheel is mounted . on the other hand , rotational terms such as “ clockwise ” and “ counter - clockwise ” are to be understood as viewed in the figure ( s ) referenced in the detailed description . however , it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations , 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 exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims . hence , specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting , unless the claims expressly state otherwise . fifth wheel hitches are well known in the field of towing trailers using a truck or tractor . fig1 depicts an exemplary tractor and trailer hitch arrangement employing a fifth wheel hitch 103 . tractor 100 is affixed with a fifth wheel hitch 103 to rear of parallel tractor frame members 105 . fig1 a through 1c depict another view of an exemplary tractor and trailer hitch arrangement employing a fifth wheel hitch . tractor 100 is affixed with a fifth wheel hitch 103 positioned rearward on the tractor frame 105 . fifth wheel hitch 103 includes a fifth wheel hitch assembly 110 pivotally mounted on slide assembly 155 . fifth wheel hitch assembly 110 comprises hitch plate 130 which houses a locking mechanism underneath with slot 135 opening toward the aft end of fifth wheel assembly 110 for receiving a kingpin 111 from trailer 119 . kingpin 111 typically extends downward from a trailer bearing plate 107 , which rests upon fifth wheel assembly , specifically , upon load area 145 of fifth wheel hitch plate 130 . kingpin is , typically , a unitarily constructed article comprised of a lower flange 115 capping a shank 113 which extends from collar 117 . fig1 d depicts an example of a conventional slide rail where slide rail assembly 120 a is comprised of left and right slide rail plates 102 a , b tied in parallel by two or more tie bars 104 a , b which form slide frame 121 . left slide rail 151 b is attached to the upper surface of left slide rail plate 102 a and right slide rail 151 a is attached to upper surface of right slide rail plate 102 b such that fifth wheel hitch assembly 110 and slide assembly 155 are located therebetween , inboard of the left and right slide rails 102 a , b . slide rail plates 102 a , b and slide rails 151 a , b each have longitudinal axes which parallel the longitudinal axis of tractor 109 and are typically mounted , either with welding or fastening , to parallel longitudinal truck frame members ( not shown ), usually with using interposing angle iron members . slide stop blocks 105 a - d are located at each end of each slide rail plate 102 a , b . slide stop blocks 105 a - d prevent over travel of slide assembly 155 . as is shown in the illustration , slide rails 151 a , b of the prior art are typically a flange extending inboard of the assembly , slidably receiving laterally extending flanges 111 , 114 of slide assembly 155 . slide rails 151 a , b typically include gaps , or detents , 176 spaced along the length of the slide rail . the slide assembly 155 may include a means for selectively locking the bracket in position longitudinally with respect to the slide rail assembly . one example , shown in fig1 d , is a pneumatic cylinder 177 mounted in the assembly from which laterally extend plunger arms 173 a , b . a fork member 179 may be mounted to the respective lateral ends of plunger arms 173 , where the fork member includes projections , or prongs , 181 that insert into the slide rail gaps 176 when the plungers arms are extended . the engagement of the projections 181 into the gaps 176 , thus , prevents longitudinal movement of the slide assembly 155 , and , therefore , the fifth wheel assembly . slide assembly 155 also comprises brackets 165 which provide attachment support for the hitch assembly 110 , configured to allow the hitch assembly to pivot in the longitudinal plane . referring to fig2 , another prior art slide assembly is shown with wedges that engage the slide rail and are held in place in the slide rail by spring force . in fig3 , a new slide assembly arrangement includes a toggle lock . the wedges in this arrangement are also held in place in the slide rail by spring force , but the added toggle lock acts as a back - up . in the event that the wedges begin to disengage from the slide rail , spring force resists this disengagement . if the retraction force on the wedges exceeds the spring force , the toggle lock prevents the wedges from retracting fully from the rail . one end of the wedge linkage bar attaches to the wedge through a bolted joint that rotates freely . the other end of the wedge linkage bar attaches to the toggle cam through a slotted joint that allows for both rotation and linear motion . this liner motion is necessary to allow the wedge to seat fully in the slide rail . in the closed position , the toggle cam rotates over center and rests against the toggle cam stops . as described above and shown in the associated drawings , the present disclosure is drawn to a fifth wheel slide assembly secondary lock . while particular embodiments of the invention have been described , it will be understood , however , that the invention is not limited thereto , since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art , particularly in light of the foregoing teachings . it is , therefore , contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications that incorporate those features or those improvements that embody the spirit and scope of the present invention .	1
fig1 illustrates , in a partially sectioned , exploded perspective view , a tape reel contemplated for use in a video cassette tape and fig2 represents a perspective bottom view of the integral combination of the hub and the flange to illustrate the characteristics of this invention to advantage . the half portions omitted from the drawing of fig1 and the half portions illustrated therein are symmetrical relative to the plane intersecting the respective whole portions , with the exception of the tape retaining part to be fully described afterward . in this tape reel like the conventional countertype , a hub 1 and a flange 2a at one axial end thereof are integrally molded of a plastic material to form a part 3 , and a flange 2b at the other ( free ) end of the hub 1 is separately molded of a plastic material . various methods are available for the purpose of fastening the separate flange 2b to the free end 4 of the hub . the manner in which this fastening is accomplished is outside the technical scope of this invention . it may be effected by adopting any freely chosen known means such as , for example , ultrasonic welding or snapping engagement . in the case of the illustrated embodiment , this fastening is designed to be obtained by means of a resilient retainer piece formed on the cassette housing side and a fastener 5 possessed of a small protuberance 15 adapted for engagement with a resilient retainer piece in the recording and playback machine . to be specific , the fastening is effected by admitting into the recess 7 in the free end 4 of the hub 1 the portion 6 &# 39 ; of the central depression 6 protruding from the rear side of the separate flange 2b , optionally positioning the protruding portion 6 &# 39 ; relative to the recess 7 so that the bosses 8 formed on the recess fit into the holes 9 formed in the depression 6 of the flange , then poising the fastener 5 from above and inserting the engaging legs 12 of the fastener through corresponding openings 10 of the flange 2b into circumferential grooves 11 in the free end 4 of the hub and allowing the claws 14 at the leading ends of the engaging legs to be caught on the lower surfaces of crosspieces 13 formed across the grooves . consequently , the flange 2b is squeezed between the free end 4 of the hub and the fastener 5 and held fast in position . in the case of the illustrated embodiment , two pairs of engaging legs 12 are diametrically ( 180 °) opposed to each other and the claws formed at the leading ends of the engaging claws of each pair are directed away from each other in the circumferential direction . correspondingly , two pairs of crosspieces are formed in all , including the half portion omitted from the illustration . the number of these corresponding pairs may be greater , or the direction in which the claws are directed and the direction in which the crosspieces ( stepped faces ) are directed may be different from those illustrated . optionally , the fastener 5 may be dispensed with by directly providing the engaging legs 12 on the flange 2b . the mere push - in engaging construction may be replaced by a construction such that the fastening of the flange to the hub is effected by applying the flange 2b to the hub and rotating them relative to each other thereby causing hooks to be brought into engagement with the corresponding crosspieces . in a construction designed for ultrasonic welding , the bosses such as are shown in the drawing may be elongated enough to pierce through and protrude from the corresponding holes 9 in the flange 2b and the protruding portions of the bosses can be crushed and welded onto the flange 2b with sufficient fastness to retain the flange 2b fast in position . in this invention , the fastening may be accomplished by any of the methods described above . besides the means required for the purpose of the fastening , the components of the tape reel of the present invention which are known to the art are as follows . on one end of the hub , there is provided a small protuberance which is adapted to be held in position by a resilient piece ( not shown ) provided within the cassette . on the other end , there is provided an empty space 16 which opens at the aforementioned other end and extends in the axial direction . on the wall surface of this opening , a plurality of ribs 17 extending in the axial direction and projecting inwardly in the radial directions are spaced in the circumferential direction . the opening with these ribs is adapted to come into engagement with the reel engaging shaft ( not shown ) of the tape transport system . at one position in the external wall of the hub , there is provided a retainer 18 which is a radial depression for retaining in position the tape end . a stopper member ( not illustrated ) is used together with this retainer to pinch the tape end and keep it fast in position . to permit removal of the tape end which has been fastened as described above , the flange 2a in the integral combination is provided with a pinhole 19 ( fig2 ) through which a pin may be pierced upwardly to push up the stopper . optionally , the separate flange may be provided with an opening 20 through which the stopper will be drawn out . for the hub 1 to be made suitable for use with a tape designed exclusively for a relatively short period of video recording and playback , the outer cylindrical part 1b is given a diameter large enough to be amply separated from the inner cylindrical part 1 in the radial direction . in the tape reel incorporating all these known components , the first point of improvement in accordance with this invention manifests itself in the construction of the annular portion 21 connecting the outer cylindrical part 1b and the inner cylindrical part 1a of the hub . in most conventional tape reels , the annular portion has assumed the shape of a simple ring serving to connect the axial edges 22 , 23 of the inner and outer cylindrical parts 1a , 1b in the horizontal direction as indicated by an imaginary line 21 &# 39 ; in fig1 . in the ordinary molding method wherein the molten resin is cast through the other end of the inner cylindrical part 1a , sink marks are caused along the joined portion ( axial edge of the outer cylindrical part ) between the annular connection portion 21 &# 39 ;, outer cylindrical part 1b and flange 2a to impair the dimensional accuracy of the flange 2a and that of the outer cylindrical part 1b . moreover , the other end 24 of the outer cylindrical part is at times deformed by sustaining an inward twist as indicated by the arrow p , possibly degrading the strength of the produced tape reel . in the present invention , the annular connection portion which spans in the radial direction is bent up toward the axial direction halfway along the radial width thereof so that while the inner boundary joins the axial edge 22 of the inner cylindrical part 1a , the outer boundary joins the outer cylindrical part 1b at a point 25 halfway along the axial length thereof . owing to this construction of the annular connection portion , the flow of the molten resin is extended in the direction of the outer cylindrical part from the connection point 25 as the branching point and , therefore , the distance over which the molten resin is contracted at the time of curing is uniformized and the inclination of the resin to be warped toward the interiors of the opposite edges 23 , 24 of the outer cylindrical part is intercepted by the annular connection portion 21 . further , since the edge 23 of the outer cylindrical part forms part of the path to the flange 2a and constitutes a part of the path for the molten resin , no sink occurs on the surface of the flange . thus , the produced tape reel is not impaired in dimensional accuracy or in commercial value . in the case of the illustrated embodiment , the outer boundary in the radial direction of the annular connection portion 21 joins the outer cylindrical part at a point nearly halfway along the axial length . from the design point of view , this point may be varied in the vertical direction . it is not desirable for this point to be moved so much as to reach the other edge 24 of the outer cylindrical part 1b . this is because when the point reaches the other edge 24 , the edge 23 to which the flange 2a is connected becomes liable to bend inwardly . in addition to the construction described above , the rising of the annular connection portion 21 in the axial direction gives rise to an inwardly facing wall surface 26 . optionally , a plurality of reinforcing crosspieces ( not shown ) may be provided as suitably spaced in the circumferential direction between this wall 26 and the outer surface of the inner cylindrical part 1a . with a view to uniformizing the wall thicknesses of various parts as much as possible and ensuring the uniformity of the flow of molten resin and the speed of curing , the rear portions of the shaft engaging ribs 17 which would acquire a large wall thickness may be notched with slits 27 . the second characteristic of the present invention resides in the fact that since the annular connection portion 21 is bent up in the axial direction halfway along the distance from the inner cylindrical part 1a to the outer cylindrical part 1b as illustrated in fig2 the portion which turns off in the horizontal direction from the upper end of the raised portion and reaches the outer cylindrical part 1b forms beneath its bottom a depression 29 as seen from the reverse side . within this annular depression 29 , a plurality of ribs are disposed in the radial directions and spaced at suitable circumferential intervals . these ribs 30 ( six ribs spaced at angular intervals of 60 ° in the illustrated embodiment ) are vestiges of the auxiliary flow paths which have served to distribute the molten resin outwardly in the radial direction during the injection molding of the integral combination within a molding die . now , the effect of these ribs 30 will be described . generally , when the injection gate in the molding die is positioned at a point corresponding to the center of the free end 4 of the hub 1 , for example , the paths for the molten resin from that gate to the various points on the outer wall of the hub and the outermost boundary of the integrated flange 2a vary considerably in length and the flow speed and flow volume of the molten resin also vary . for example , the portion of the molten resin which flows through the molding chamber for the tape retainer 18 to the outermost boundary of the flange as illustrated has to follow a detour . when the tape reel is composed of the three component parts as illustrated and these parts are designed to be assembled by means of the part 5 , separation of the parts after their assemblage may be accomplished by forming through openings 31 in the portions falling beneath the points of engagement between the engaging legs 12 and the crosspieces 13 thereby enabling a tool to be inserted through any of these openings 31 . in this case , the paths for molten resin to the hub surface or the flange portions falling on the radial extensions of the openings 31 are also destined to follow detours . when the integral combination is molded by regarding the paths for molten resin from the injection gate to the various points on the hub surface and on the outermost boundary of the flange without paying due attention to the different lengths of the paths as in the conventional method , it is difficult to impart true circularity to the hub and the flange . in an extreme case , the produced tape reel may sustain clearly visible lines or stripes of surface disturbance in the zones where the front lines of the molten resin have merged into one another during the molding . the present invention , therefore , provides the ribs 30 serving concurrently as auxiliary paths for molten resin in the annular depression formed on the rear side of the annular connection portion to make it possible to design the lengths of the paths for the molten resin and the equivalent flow rates thereof at will . for example , where the distribution of molten resin is retarded , the speed of its flow may be increased by increasing the thickness t of the ribs falling near the zone in question ( that is by enlaring the widths of the paths of molten resin ). where the distribution occurs too fast , the speed of the flow may be lowered by decreasing the thickness t . naturally from the standpoint of this concept , the number of these auxiliary paths for molten resin and the circumferential intervals separating these paths will be understood to be matters of design . by this invention , the dimensional accuracy , the commercial value , and the like of the tape reel can be readily improved . besides , the ribs concurrently serving as auxiliary paths for molten resin further function as reinforcements and , therefore , have an effect of imparting increased strength to the tape reel . obviously , many 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 present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein .	6
the copolymers used herein are generally recognized and commercially available block copolymers , catagorized as a - b - a block polymers , where the a block comprises styrene or homologues thereof , e . g ., alkpha - methyl styrene , and the b block is isoprene . they are most commonly linear in nature although some radial block copolymers are available . the copolymers generally have a styrene or styrene homologue content within the range of about 10 to 35 % by weight with the remainder of the copolymer comprising the isoprene component . these copolymers may be prepared using methods taught , for example , in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 239 , 478 ; 3 , 427 , 269 ; 3 , 700 , 633 ; 3 , 753 , 936 ; and 3 , 932 , 327 . alternatively , they may be obtained from shell chemical co . under the trademarks kraton d1107 , d1117 , d1112 , d1111 ; from eni chem elastomeri ( italy ), as europrene sol t190 and europrene sol t - 192 ; from fina ltd . ( netherlands ), as finaprene 414 ; and from dow as xu 16500 ( an alpha methyl styrene - isoprene - alpha methyl styrene block ). commercially available copolymers in this class have styrene content of approximately 14 to 25 % by weight . for use herein , these copolymers are generally present in the hot melt adhesive in an amount of 25 to 50 % by weight , preferably 30 to 40 %. the low softening point essentially aliphatic resin which is in the adhesive of the present invention are those essentially aliphatic resins which have a softening point less then about 30 ° c . as determined by astm e - 28 ring and ball method . since most hydrocarbon resins of this category contain a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic groups , we have found as a useful guideline in determining whether a resin is sufficiently aliphatic to be used herein to employ a modified version of the astm aniline point test d611 - 82 , the mixed methylcyclohexane aniline point test ( mmap ). this test measures the compatibility of a resin with methylcyclohexane and aniline and a value is reported as the temperature at which a specified mixture will give a cloudy appearance , having been cooled from a temperature at which the liquid mixture was clear . for use herein , we have found that the resins should have a mmap value higher than about 40 ° c ., preferably higher than 50 ° c . suitable commercially available low softening point aliphatic resins for use herein include regalrez 1018 ( mmap = 63 ° c .) available from hercules ; exxon ecr140a ( mmap = 42 ° c .) and exxon ecr 327 ( mmap = 77 ° c .) from exxon ; wingtack 10 ( mmap = 78 ° c .) from goodyear ; and zonarez alpha - 25 ( mmap = 61 ° c .) from arizona chemical . these resins are used in the removable hot melt adhesive compositions in amounts of 20 to 50 % by weight , preferably 20 to 30 % by weight . the metallic salts of fatty acids utilized herein are the metallic salts of fatty acids with c 14 to c 19 chains such as the metallic stearates and oleates with zinc or calcium stearates being preferred due to their commercial availability . these salts are used in amounts of 0 . 25 to 3 % by weight , preferably 0 . 5 to 1 . 5 % by weight . the hot melt adhesive compositions also generally contain 0 . 2 to 2 % by weight , preferably about 1 . 5 %, of an antioxidant . among the applicable stabilizers or antioxidants utilized herein are included high molecular weight hindered phenols and multifunctional phenols uch as sulfur and phosphorous - containing phenols . hindered phenols are well known to those skilled in the art and may be characterized as phenolic compounds which also contain sterically bulky radicals in close proximity to the phenolic hydroxyl group hereof . in particular , tertiary butyl groups generally are substituted onto the benzene ring in at least one of the ortho positions relative to the phenolic hydroxy group . the presence of these sterically bulky substituted radicals in the vicinity of the hydroxyl group serves to retard its stretching frequency and , correspondingly , its reactivity ; this steric hindrance thus providing the phenolic compound with its stabilizing properties . representative hindered phenols include : 1 , 3 , 5 - trimethyl 2 , 4 , 6 - tris ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxybenzyl ) benzene ; pentaerythrityl tetrakis - 3 ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl ) propionate ; n - octadecyl - 3 -( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl ) propionate ; n - octadecyl - 3 ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl )- propionate ; 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- methylenebis ( 2 , 6 - tertbutylphenol ); 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- thiobis ( 6 - tert - butyl - o - cresol ); 2 , 6 - di - tertbutylphenol ; 6 -( 4 - hydroxyphenoxy ) 2 , 4 - bis ( n - octyl - thiol )- 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine ; di - n - octadecyl 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - benzylphosphonate ; 2 -( n - octylthio ) ethyl 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - benzoate ; sorbitol hexa [ 3 -( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl )- propionate ]; zinc diethyl dithiocarbamate and zinc dibutyl dithiocarbamate . the performance of these antioxidants may be further enhanced by utilizing , in conjunction therewith known synergists such , for example , as thiodipropionate esters and phosphites , particularly useful is distearylthiodipropionate . in addition to the required components as recited above , the removeable hot melt adhesives of the invention may also contain up to about 30 % by weight , preferably 20 - 25 % by weight , of an essentially aliphatic resin having a softening point within the range of about 80 ° to 150 ° c . as discussed previously , the mixed methylcyclohexane aniline point test is used to categorize the aliphatic nature of the hydrocarbon resin . suitable resins include c 5 synthetic terpene resins such as wingtack 95 from goodyear ( mmap is approximately 93 ° c . ); terpene resins derived from alpha or beta - pinene or dipentene resins such as nirez 1100 or 1115 from reichhold ; resins derived from dipentene or d - limonene such as zonarez 7100 from arizona chemical and resins derived from isoprene such as escorez 1310 ( mmap = 93 ° c .) from exxon . the adhesives may further contain up to about 25 % by weight , preferably 10 - 20 % by weight , of a plasticizing or extending oil in order to provide wetting action and / or viscosity control . the above broadly includes the usual plasticizing oils such as paraffinic and naphthenic oils . the petroleum derived oils which may be employed are relatively high boiling materials containing only a minor proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons ( preferably less than 30 % and , more particularly , less than 15 % by weight of the oil .) alternatively , the oil may be totally non - aromatic . other additives such as plasticizers , pigments , dyestuffs conventionally added to hot melt adhesives for various end used contemplated may also be incompated in minor amounts into the formulations of the present invention . the adhesive compositions are prepared by blending the components in the melt at a temperature of about 130 °- 200 ° c . until a homogeneous blend is obtained , approximately 2 hours . various methods of blending are known to the art and any method that produces a homogeneous blend is satisfactory . an exemplary procedure involves placing the block copolymer , antioxidants and a portion of the oil preferably under an inert gas environment in a jacketed mixing kettle , preferably in a jacketed heavy duty mixer of the baker - perkins or day type , which is equipped with rotors and thereupon raising the temperature to a range of from about 120 ° to 180 ° c . when the mixture has been masticated to a uniform consistency , the tackifying resin and the remainder of the oil are slowly added over a period in order to avoid the formation of lumps . mixing and heating are continued until a smooth , homogeneous mass is obtained whereupon the remainder of the tackifying resin and the oil are thoroughly and uniformly admixed therewith . the resultant hot melt adhesives are generally produced in bulk form and packaged in release coated containers or they may be coated directly onto the tape or label stock . the adhesive is useful on any conventional label or other face stock including not only paper , but also including those substrates made from printed plastic foils or films or metal or metallized foils . the paper face stock is generally a lithographic or chrome coated paper which may or may not be preprinted on one or both sides . the release liner is generally bleached kraft stock which has been coated with silicone release agent although other release liners known in the art may also be employed . the composite lamination is typically manufactured by coating the hot melt in a molten state at a temperature greater than about 130 ° c . from a slot or roll coated onto the release liner at approximately 10 . 0 - 14 . 0 lbs / ream ( 3000 sq . ft .). the coated release liner is then laminated to the face stock by a nip roll using pressure between a rubber roll and a steel roll . this technique effects a transfer of the adhesive mass to the face stock with a minimum of penetration . the adhesives of this invention , while disclosed with regard to their use on labels , may also be used in other hot melt applications to join two or more substrates together if separation thereof is later desired . this invention can be further illustrated by the following examples of preferred embodiments thereof , although it will be understood that these examples are included merely for purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless otherwise specifically indicated . in the following examples , all adhesive formulations were prepared in a sigma mixer heated to 170 ° c . by blending the components until homogeneous . the adhesives were then transfer coated , applied to a 40 lb . kraft siliconized release liner , then nipped to the backside of a 60 lb . kromekote paper label stock at approximately 11 . 0 / lbs / ream . all samples were not tested immediately but aged for at least 24 hrs . to permit the adhesive mass to key into the untreated side of the 60 lb . kromokote . the adhesives were tested using pstc # 1 to standard pstc stainless steel panels . residence time on the panels were recorded as indicated , then allowed 1 hr . at room temperature ( 22 ° c .) prior to a peel test on an instron run at 12 inches / minute . the initial peel from the stainless steel panel is generally below 1 . 0 lb . or 16 oz . per linear inch . the criteria for removability is aging the panels with 1 &# 34 ;× 6 &# 34 ; strips of label stock on the panel at room temperature and elevated temperature ( 48 ° c . ), cooling 1 hour at room temperature , then again running a peel adhesion of the label stock off the panel it has been aged on . the resultant peel should be below 2 . 5 lbs . or 40 oz . values above this can result in paper tear which would indicate the product is not removable . it is desired that the adhesive value after aging on the panel be no different from the initial value or show only a very small increase ( value below 2 . 0 lbs . 32 oz .). the following formulations were made to demonstrate effect of the low softening resin on removability . in these formulations , the sample designated a has all low softening resin with subsequent increases in higher melting resin until it is totally replaced with high softening resin in sample e . ______________________________________ a b c d e______________________________________kraton d1112 35 35 35 35 35regalrez 1018 50 . 0 37 . 5 25 . 0 12 . 5 --( mmap = 63 ° c .) wingtack 95 -- 12 . 5 25 . 0 37 . 5 50 . 0 ( mmap approx . 93 °) white mineral oil 15 15 15 15 15coad 50 * 1 1 1 1 1irganox 1010 0 . 5 0 . 5 0 . 5 0 . 5 0 . 5datainitial peel 0 . 6 lbs 0 . 7 lbs 0 . 6 lbs 7 . 0 lbs tear24 hrs peel @ rt 1 . 0 lbs 1 . 1 lbs 0 . 8 lbs tear tear24 hrs peel @ 48 ° c . 1 . 1 lbs 1 . 2 lbs 0 . 8 lbs tear tear1 week peel rt 1 . 0 lbs 1 . 4 lbs 1 . 1 lbs tear tear1 week peel @ 48 ° c . 1 . 2 lbs 1 . 4 lbs 1 . 7 lbs tear tear______________________________________ * a mixture of zinc and calcium stearate from mathe company , lodi , nj the results show that adhesive formulations d and e which do not contain adequate levels of the low softening point aliphatic resin exhibit an unacceptably high initial peel and , after aging , are no longer removeable . the following example demonstrates the need for the metallic salts in the formulations of the invention . ______________________________________ f g h______________________________________kraton d1112 35 . 0 35 . 0 35 . 0regalrez 1018 22 . 5 22 . 5 22 . 5wingtack 95 22 . 5 22 . 5 22 . 5petrolatum 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5coad 50 -- 0 . 5 1 . 5mineral oil 12 . 0 12 . 0 12 . 0ethox 330 ( antioxidant ) . 25 . 25 . 25santavar a ( antioxidant ) . 25 . 25 . 25datainitial peel s / s 1 . 3 lbs 1 . 2 lbs 0 . 6 lbs24 hours @ rt s / s 1 . 5 1 . 3 0 . 824 hrs @ 48 ° c . s / s 2 . 4 2 . 1 1 . 21 week @ rt 1 . 8 1 . 3 0 . 71 week @ 48 ° c . tear 2 . 6 1 . 4______________________________________ the results show that , on aging , sample f prepared without the metallic salt builds up adhesion and is no longer removeable . the following example illustrates the use of different types of rubbery block copolymers in the formulations . ______________________________________ j k l m n______________________________________kraton d1112 35 -- -- -- --( sis ) kraton d1117 -- 35 -- -- --( sis ) kraton d1107 -- -- 35 -- --( sis ) kraton g1657 -- -- -- 35 --( sebs ) kraton 1102 -- -- -- -- 35wingtack 95 22 . 5 22 . 5 22 . 5 22 . 5 -- wingtak 86 -- -- -- -- 25regalrez 1018 22 . 5 22 . 5 22 . 5 22 . 5 25white mineral 12 . 0 12 . 0 12 . 0 12 . 0 15 . 0oilpetrolatum 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5 7 . 5 -- coad 50 1 . 0 1 . 0 1 . 0 1 . 0 1 . 5ethox 330 . 25 . 25 . 25 . 25 . 50santavar a . 25 . 25 . 25 . 25 . 50______________________________________kraton d1112 14 % styrene / 86 % isoprene low molecular weightkraton d1117 17 % styrene / 83 % isoprene low molecular weightkraton d1107 14 % styrene / 86 % isoprene medium molecular weightkraton g1657 14 % styrene / 86 % ethylene butylenekraton 1102 30 % styrene / 70 % butadieneinitial peel 0 . 8 lbs 1 . 2 lbs 1 . 2 lbs 1 . 2 0 . 6 ghost24 hrs @ rt 1 . 1 1 . 7 1 . 9 1 . 3 0 . 6 ghost24 hrs @ 48 ° c . 1 . 3 2 . 0 2 . 2 tear 1 . 1 ghost72 hrs @ rt n / t n / t n / t n / t . 75 ghost72 hrs @ 48 ° c . n / t n / t n / t n / t 1 . 2 ghost / tear1 week @ rt 1 . 4 2 . 1 2 . 1 tear n / t1 week @ 48 ° c . 1 . 8 1 . 4 2 . 6 tear n / t______________________________________ n / t = not tested the above results demonstrate the specific utility of sis type rubber . the kraton g1657 showed excessive build up resulting in tear on aging . in addition to exhibiting some build up on aging , the kraton 1102 left a substantial amount of residue which could mar or stain the surface when the labels were removed . this experiment demonstrates the necessity for a substantially aliphatic hydrocarbon resin . the preferred resins tested were : ______________________________________resin soft point______________________________________regalrez 1018 17 ° c . exxon ecr 140a & lt ; 30 ° c . wingtack 10 10 ° c . ______________________________________ the above can all be described as aliphatic resins with softening points less than 30 ° c . for comparative purposes , piccovar l30 , an aromatic resin having a softening point less than 35 ° c . but an mmap of 8 ° c . and stabelite ester # 3 , a rosin ester of ethylene glycol were also tested . ______________________________________ o p q r______________________________________formulationskraton d1112 35 . 0 35 . 0 35 . 0 35 . 0wingtack 10 25 . 0 -- -- -- exxon ec 140a -- 25 . 0 -- -- stabelite ester # 3 -- -- 25 . 0 -- piccovar l30 -- -- -- 25 . 0wingtack 95 25 . 0 25 . 0 25 . 0 25 . 0mineral oil 15 . 0 15 . 0 15 . 0 15 . 0coad 50 1 . 0 1 . 0 1 . 0 1 . 0antioxidant 1 . 5 1 . 5 1 . 5 1 . 5datainitial peel 0 . 8 lbs 0 . 5 lbs 3 . 6 lbs 2 . 1 lbs24 hrs @ rt 1 . 2 0 . 7 tear 2 . 624 hrs @ 48 ° c . 1 . 5 0 . 8 tear 4 . 01 week @ rt 1 . 5 0 . 8 tear tear1 week @ 48 ° c . 1 . 7 1 . 7 tear tear______________________________________ the results demonstrate the necessity for the use of soft essentially aliphatic resins since the more aromatic resins exhibited a high degree of initial tack which increased on aging so they were no longer removeable . this example demonstrates the necessity for utilizing the fatty acid in the form of its metallic salt . ______________________________________ s t u v______________________________________kraton d1112 35 . 0 35 . 0 35 . 0 35 . 0regalrez 1018 25 . 0 25 . 0 25 . 0 25 . 0wingtack 95 25 . 0 25 . 0 25 . 0 25 . 0white mineral oil 15 . 0 15 . 0 15 . 0 15 . 0coad 20 ( zn . sup .++ stearate ) 1 . 5coad 10 ( ca . sup .++ stearate ) 1 . 5 -- -- -- aluminum stearate -- -- 1 . 5 -- stearic acid -- -- -- 1 . 5antioxidants 1 . 5 1 . 5 1 . 5 1 . 5datainitial peel 1 . 0 1 . 3 1 . 0 1 . 1 ghost24 hrs @ rt 1 . 2 1 . 7 1 . 3 1 . 1 ghost24 hrs @ 48 ° c . 1 . 0 2 . 0 1 . 9 1 . 2 ghost1 week @ rt 0 . 8 1 . 0 1 . 0 0 . 6 ghost1 week @ 48 ° c . 1 . 1 1 . 4 1 . 1 0 . 7 ghost______________________________________ the results show that while the stearic acid is effective in preventing adhesive build up , it leaves a greasy deposit referred to as a &# 34 ; ghost &# 34 ; which could stain and mar a surface . the metallic stearates do not do this . we have also noted in some cases after long aging , there is an actual drop in adhesion with the metallic stearates , indicating a surface phenomenon or orientation of the metallic stearate at the adhesive / surface interface that prevents tack build up and does not exude to mar the surface , an important feature herein . now that the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail , various modifications of improvements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the spirit and scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims , and not by the foregoing disclosure .	2
referring firstly to fig1 reference numeral 20 denotes a paint spray chamber in which different objects such as parts of car bodies for example are sprayed with paint . after the spraying operation the coated objects are transferred to an evaporation zone 21 communicating with the spray chamber . both the spray chamber 20 and the evaporation zone 21 are divided into an upper space where the actual spraying operation takes place and into a lower space serving for inspecting the chamber and the evaporation zone . the upper space is separated from the lower space by a grate 18 . the paint drops or paint particles dripping from the paint mist resulting in the spray chamber 20 are taken along by a stream of supply air 22 driven into the chambers 20 and 21 through inlet openings provided in the ceiling of the chambers and the mixture is discharged as exhaust air through the grate 18 against a circulating endless filtering band 1 . if needed , electric potential can be applied via conductor 1c shown in fig1 a at least to the lower run of the filter band 11 to assist in the precipitation of the residual paint droplets . if the exhaust air stream passing the filtering conveyor band 1 has not been completely freed from the paint mist , the remainder of the paint particles are intercepted by a pressure distributing device 17 in the form of a bed or layer of granular particles . the device 17 , however , serves primarily for equalizing the pressure of the exhaust air stream so that the underlying circulating second endless filter band in the form of a conveyor band 30a carrying adsorption material 30 preferably in the form of a continuously deposited layer of activated carbon , is slowly and uniformly penetrated by the stream of pressure equalized exhaust air . in passing through the conveyor band 30a the exhaust air transfers particles of solvent contained therein into the adsorbing material that is continuously discharged fo further processing as it will be explained below . after passing this stage , the exhaust air has been completely purified and is subsequently sucked by ( schematically illustrated ) outlet air system 19 and discharged into the outer atmosphere or is reintroduced through return conduits 23 as supply air into the chamber 20 or evaporation zone 21 . paint remainders or residual paint particles deposited on the filtering band 1 are transferred by the filtering band 1 into a washing chamber 8a in which it is soaked in the same solvent as used in spraying . in the shown embodiment , the cleaning process of the conveyor 1 is initiated by rinsing the latter by means of solvent jetted through nozzles 4 in a first treatment zone of the washing chamber . the used paint solvent is collected in a flooding container 5 located under the nozzles 4 . the filtering conveyor 1 is then advanced through the flooding container 5 and during this movement the still adherent paint is once more intensively soaked and softened . in a subsequent treatment zone , the conveyor band 1 is rinsed again by solvent jetted through intermediate nozzle 6 so that by the action of the dynamic pressure of the washing liquid the soaked paint deposits are further released from the filtering band . before the treated part of the conveyor belt 1 emerges from the washing chamber in the direction to the spray chamber , a final rinsing is made by solvent jetted through nozzles 7 . the total amount of the washing liquid admitted into the cleaning process and including the dissolved residual paint and solvents , is collected in a collecting container 8 . a circulation pump 9 sucks the washing liquid mixture and delivers it to a filtering device 10 that partially separates the solvent and the paint . the purified solvent after its separation from the paint is delivered through conduit 11 back to the nozzle system in the washing station 8a whereas paint separated in the filter is fed through conduit 12 to an additional filtering station 13 that serves for separating the last remainders of solvents contained in the paint and for concentrating the solvent . the resulting filtrate is returned through conduit 14 into the collecting container 8 so that no solvent is wasted . in order that the acquired paint might be concentrated according to a program determined by particular operational conditions , a storing container 15 is provided from which the paint is supplied for additional filtration in the filtering station 13 and this filtering process can be repeated until the desired thickness or concentration of the paint is achieved . the concentrated paint is delivered to container 16 and therefrom discharged from the system . another possibility of paint recovery is shown in fig1 a where the filter band 1 and the grate 18 are constructed as a single unit &# 39 ; where the aforedescribed cleaning process is carried out . solvent vapors created in the washing chamber 8a are cooled in a cooling device 3 and condensed . in addition , to relieve pressure in the washing chamber 8a , the solvent vapor can be discharged through the chamber 8a via pressure relieving conduit 2 into the spray chamber 20 or into the evaporation zone 21 where it is sucked off by the stream of supply air 22 passing through the spray chamber . solvent contained in the stream of exhaust air is adsorbed by the activated carbon when the exhaust air loaded with the solvent particles is passing through the activated carbon layer 30 . the layer 30 is continuously discharged into a dosing container or tub 31 that is preferably equipped with a vibrator and a dosing device and therefrom it is fed into a desorption container 32 in which it is by a continuous or intermittent operation desorbed so as to be recycled for another exposure to the exhaust air stream . in the embodiment shown in fig1 the desorption of the activated carbon is effected by means of steam . steam is introduced into the desorption container 32 via a conduit 33 . the desorbate ( solvent mixed with steam ) is fed from the desorption container 32 via a conduit 34 into a condenser 35 that also admits exhaust air from the evaporation zone 21 . the condensate formed in the condenser 35 is fed to a rectification device or column 36 , where the solvent and water are separated . for example , upon fractionization in the column 36 , the solvent is accumulated in container 37 and made ready for recycling whereas the condensed water is discharged in a water reservoir 38 . from this reservoir water is pumped to a steam generator or boiler 39 in which it is heated and delivered as hot steam via conduit 33 into desorption container 32 for desorbing activated carbon container therein . carbon dust remaining after the desorption of the activated carbon in the desorption container 32 is discharged into a carbon dust trap at the top of separator 4 and therefrom it is delivered via conduit 43 to boiler 39 where it serves as a supplemental fuel for the primary heating fuel supplied via conduit 47 . hot water from boiler 39 is supplied to a heat exchanger 44 which draws in fresh air that , via conduit 45 , is fed into the desorption container 32 for drying the activated carbon . activated carbon after being freed from carbon dust is discharged on the bottom of the separator 41 and delivered pneumatically by means of fans 40 to a loading station 42 that cooperates with the conveyor 30a to deposit thereon a continuous layer of reactivated carbon 30 . the station 42 acts at the same time as a dosing device to dischrge the activated carbon in a predetermined quantity . the device as illustrated schematically in fig1 makes it possible to remove practically all paint residuals and solvents contained in the exhaust air stream coming from the spray chamber and thus producing practically pure outlet air that through the outlet system 19 or 46 can be dischrged into the outer atmosphere without causing pollution . at the same time , due to the recycling of auxiliary materials such as additional solvents or activated carbon , the consumption of such auxiliary materials is reduced to minimum or almost to zero . also by reusing waste materials considerable amount of energy is saved . by utilizing heat generated for desorption and additional drying processes and also by recycling purified water it is possible to further increase the effectiveness of the device . in the embodiment according to fig2 the last two digits in reference numerals correspond to the like reference numerals in fig1 . filtering conveyor 101 in the form of a continuously circulating conveyor serving for intercepting paint remnants dripping from the spray chamber 120 , is advanced through the inner container 151 of a doubled walled cleaning container 150 . in the container 151 jets of sand heated to about 350 ° to 700 ° c . remove the paint from the conveyor band surface and the clean conveyor part is advanced through a cooling device 152 to the lower part of the spray chamber 120 . the mixture of sand and paint remnants removed from the conveyor 101 is transported , via a vibrator if needed , to a combusiton chamber 153 into which contaminating substances escaping from the container 151 of the cleaning container are also supplied via conduits 154 and 155 . the mixture of paint remnants , sand and contaminating substances is burned in chamber 153 by means of supplied fuel and air , and the resulting fumes as well as the sand are sucked up through a conduit 156 into a separator 157 having the form of a cyclone and thereafter are sucked into a second cyclone - like separator 158 . the cyclone - like separators separate sand from fumes whereby sand is moved by pressure resulting in cyclones 157 and 158 and fed via conduit 159 into nozzles 160 acting as a sand jet blower ; the funes are fed via conduit 161 into the interspace 162 of the cleaning container 150 and are employed for heating the inner container 151 of the cleaning container . fumes purified from paint particles and other contaminants , are discharged from the interspace 162 through conduit 163 into the outer atmosphere or are fed via a spray tower 164 acting as a cooler and mixer with water spray , and therefrom are supplied via conduit 165 into the desorption container 132 to act as a desorption agent for regenerating used adsorption material 130 ( such as activated carbon saturated with solvent ). the used adsorption material is discharged from the circulating conveyor band 130a into a storing tube 131 and after desorption in container 132 is fed through a separator 141 again to loading point 142 for being redeposited on the conveyor 130a . a pressure equalizing device for example in the form of a gravel layer can be again arranged if desired , between the two conveyors 101 and 130a . fumes employed as desorption agent in the regenerator or desorption container 132 in the form of a whirling shaft reactor , are supplied via conduit 155 into the combustion chamber 153 for burning contaminating substances contained therein as it has been described before . the adsorption material ( activated carbon ) can also be regenerated by sand instead of fumes . in the embodiment shown in fig3 in instances where similar apparatus is used , the last two digits of reference numerals correspond to reference numerals of like parts in fig1 . in this device the residual paint from the spray station 220 is deposited on a fill or layer 266 of alumina al 2 o 3 . this alumina layer is discharged on the circulating conveyor band 201 at the loading station 267 and at the opposite end of the conveyor the alumina with the intercepted paint is discharged into a collecting container 268 from which it is supplied to a furnace 269 such as a whirl shaft furnace for example . in the furnace the paint particles are expelled from the alumina and , in a partially combusted condition , are supplied via conduit 270 into a combustion chamber 253 ; the separated alumina is fed into a desorption container in the form of an oven 232 such as a shaft furnace , for example , where it is mixed with adsorption material 230 such as activated carbon delivered from the conveyor band 230a and collecting container 231 and in the oven 232 the mixture is heated by fumes delivered via conduit 271 from combustion chamber 253 . at the same time , conduit 272 supplies the fumes into heating furnace 269 for heating the same . in the heating oven 232 the adsorption material is freed from solvent particles that via conduit 273 are supplied to combustion chamber 253 for being burned . alumina and adsorption material are separated from one another in a separator such as for example a vibrating sieve 276 whereupon alumina is supplied via a cooler 274 and a conduit 274a to the loading station 267 ; the adsorption material is supplied via cooler 275 and a conduit 275a to the loading station 242 . exhaust air purified from paint mist and solvent particles is fed through return conduit 219 to air supply 223 and therefrom it is forced through the spray chamber 220 or through chamber 220a ( used for preliminary cleaning ) and / or through the evaporation zone 221 . in the modification illustrated in fig4 component parts corresponding to those in the preceding embodiments are designated by identical last two digits in corresponding reference numerals . similarly as in the preceding examples , the treatment chamber 320 has an evaporation zone 321 and also a stream of supply air ( not shown ) is blown from inlet openings at the ceiling of the chamber past conveyors 301 and 330a . this air stream takes along paint particles as well as solvent particles and the paint particles are intercepted by a steel wool layer provided on conveyor 301 . paint particles attached to the steel wool are delivered by the conveyor 301 through a pyrolyzing device 376 where it is subject to heat treatment and to the influence of acids . a layer of adsorption material 330 that is continuously laid on the conveyor 330a is continuously discharged into a tub 331 and therefrom fed through conduit 380 into desorption container 332 where it is also exposed to heat treatment . the desorption container 332 is preferably constructed as a whirl shaft furnace having radiation traps for transferring heat by radiation . combustion products generated within burner 353 are fed through conduits 377 and 378 both into the pyrolyzer 376 and into desorption container 332 and through conduit 379 are returned to the burner 353 . the lower conveyor 330a conveying the continuously deposited adsorption material or if needed also aluminum oxide and the like , extends below the evaporation zone and discharges the adsorption layer 330 ( activated carbon ) after its saturation with solvent particles contained in the exhaust air stream from chamber 320 and zone 321 , into the collecting tub ( carbon collecting tub ) 331 from which the adsorption material is fed via a chute 380 on an additional conveyor band 381 circulating in the desorption container 332 . the adsorption material on conveyor 381 is relieved from adsorbed solvent particles and the latter are fed together with fumes through conduit 379 into burner 353 where they are burned . adsorption material regenerated by the desorption process is cooled in cooler 375 and is returned on conveyor band 330a . it will be understood that each of the elements described above , or two or more together , will also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above . while the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in specific embodiments of the device for separating paint residuals and solvents from exhaust air of a spray chamber , it is not intended to be limited to the details shown , since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention . for instance , the device of this invention is applicable in existing devices of this kind that can be converted into a device according to this invention by a relatively simple reconstruction .	1
in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , systems and methods are provided for dynamically managing deception policies for an enterprise network , which adapt to changes that occur in the network environment . reference is made to fig2 , which is a simplified diagram of an enterprise network 200 with network surveillance , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . network 200 includes a deception management server 300 , a database 220 of decoy attack vectors , a policy database 230 and decoy servers 240 . in addition , network computers 110 and servers 120 are grouped into groups g 1 , g 2 , g 3 and g 4 . database 220 stores attack vectors that fake movement and access to computers 110 , servers 120 and other resources in network 200 . attack vectors include inter alia : each decoy attack vector in database 220 may point to ( i ) a real resource that exists within network 200 , e . g ., an ftp server , ( ii ) a decoy resource that exists within network 200 , e . g ., a decoy server 240 , or ( iii ) a resource that does not exist . in the latter case , when an attacker attempts to access a resource that does not exist , access governor 150 recognizes a pointer to a resource that is non - existent . access governor 150 responds by notifying deception management server 300 , or by re - directing the pointer to a resource that does exist in order to track the attacker &# 39 ; s moves , or both . the attack vectors stored in database 220 are categorized by families , such as inter alia credentials for a computer b that reside on a computer a provide an attack vector for an attacker from computer a to computer b . reference is made to fig3 , which is a screenshot of a user interface for configuring files deceptions , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig3 , decoy attack vectors for files comprise deceptive information relating to saved credentials in local files . the decoy attack vectors tempt an attacker to access a file of decoy usernames and passwords , and to use those credentials to access network resources . the access attempt triggers an alert that exposes the attacker &# 39 ; s activity . database 220 communicates with an update server 260 , which updates database 220 as new types of attack vectors for accessing , manipulating and hopping to computers evolve over time . update server 260 may be a separate server , or a part of deception management server 300 . policy database 230 stores , for each group of computers , g 1 , g 2 , . . . , policies for generating decoy attack vectors on computers in that group . each policy specifies decoy attack vectors that are generated in each group , in accordance with attack vectors stored in database 220 . for user credentials , the decoy attack vectors planted on a computer lead to another resource in the network . for attack vectors to access an ftp or other server , the decoy attack vectors planted on a computer lead to a decoy server 240 . deception management server 300 includes six primary components ; namely , a deployment governor 310 , a deception deployer 320 , a deception adaptor 330 , a deception diversifier 340 , a deployment monitor 350 and an attack risk inspector 360 . deployment governor 310 defines a deception policy . the deception policy defines different deception types , different deception combinations , response procedures , notification services , and assignments of policies to specific network nodes , network users , groups of nodes or users or both . the deception policy specifies one or more decoy attack vectors ; one or more resources in network 200 in which the one or more decoy attack vectors are “ planted ”, i . e ., generated ; and a schedule for generating the one or more decoy attack vectors in the one or more resources . once policies are defined , they are stored in policy database 230 with the defined assignments . deception deployer 320 plants one or more decoy attack vectors on one or more resources in network 200 , in accordance with the deception policy specified by deployment governor 310 . deception deployer 320 plants each decoy , based on its type , on network resources , as appropriate . deception deployer 320 plants the decoy attack vectors in such a way that the chances of a valid user accessing the decoy attack vectors are low . deception deployer 320 may or may not stay resident on resources . deception adaptor 330 is an environment discovery tool that auto - learns the enterprise environment , including inter alia conventions for usernames , workstation names , server names and shared folder names . deception adaptor 330 analyzes the organization of network 200 and dynamically triggers changes in the deception policy based on changes in network 200 . deception adaptor 330 extracts characteristics of network 200 from multiple sources , including inter alia : management tools , e . g ., directories such as ad and ldap ; asset management , e . g ., tivoli and hpov ; configuration management , e . g ., cmdb ; network management , e . g ., cisco works and sdn ; user management ; tools — general and third party tools ; device management , e . g ., endpoints , mobile devices , and windows / linux / mac / ios / android servers ; applications , e . g ., portal , ftp client , and database ; data , e . g ., files and sharepoint . reference is made to fig4 , which is a simplified diagram of deception diversifier 340 , which specifies levels of deception diversity to be applied across resources in the network , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . deception diversifier 340 generates a current view of the network from the characteristics extracted by deception adaptor 330 and , based on changes identified in the view , generates deception policy changes , including inter alia a specification of levels of deception diversity to be applied across resources in network 200 , as shown in fig4 . the deception policy changes are provided to deception governor 310 , and then deployed by deception deployer 320 . fig4 shows respective options 344 and 346 for automatic and custom diversification . for the custom diversification option , the levels of diversification are set manually by an administrator of network 200 . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , the levels of diversification are randomly set . reference is made to fig5 , which is a screenshot of a user interface for configuring deceptions for browser history , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig5 , decoy attack vectors relate to web hosts in a domain . the decoy attack vectors lure an attacker to attempt to access decoy web servers . the access attempt triggers an alert that exposes the attacker &# 39 ; s activity . sliders 370 are used to set levels of deception diversity for the decoy web servers . deception diversifier 340 responds to various change triggers extracted from the above sources . changes in deception policy may be performed manually by an administrator , scheduled via policy governor 310 , or performed autonomously . the need for change can be triggered by the environment , or can be self - triggered . reference is made to fig6 , which is a simplified diagram of self - triggered deception changes , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . fig6 shows an activity log of login access and data editing at a decoy resource , at a first point in time t ( n ). deception adaptor 330 analyzes the activity logs and dynamically changes them as appropriate so that the decoy resource appears to an attacker as being active in enterprise network 200 . e . g ., fig6 shows that the last modified time has been changed to 2 / 14 / 15 , and the last accessed time has been changed to 2 / 13 / 15 . the activity log at time t ( n + 1 ) appears as shown in fig6 and , as such , the decoy resource appears to an attacker as being active . deception diversifier 340 includes five primary modules . a change profiler 341 analyzes changes in network 200 including inter alia changes in nature , entities , scope , form and naming convention . a change policy manager 343 defines deception deployment logic changes . a change policy assigner 345 defines deception deployment scope changes , such as on which network entities changes should be deployed . a change policy scheduler 347 defines deployment schedule changes . a change policy deployer 349 transmits changes to deception governor 310 . deployment monitor 350 collects information about the current deployment of decoys across the network , and presents this information to an administrator of network 200 in an interactive way whereby the administrator is able to interactively change the deployment policy via deployment governor 310 . in an embodiment of the present invention , deployment governor 310 uses deployment monitor 350 to automatically recommend changes to the administrator , so as to ensure that the enterprise always uses optimal fitted deceptions . attack risk inspector 360 inspects network 200 to search for real attack vectors that exist in network 200 , and to find elements and artifacts in network 200 that can be used by an attacker as attack vectors , including inter alia credentials and connections to ftp , ssh and rdp servers . based on the elements and artifacts found by attack risk inspector 360 , deception governor 310 and deception diversifier 340 generate policies that resemble real attack vectors present in network 200 , thereby ensuring that the deceptions deployed by deception deployer 340 are custom - fit in type , profile and ratio , to create an optimal deceptive environment . once an attacker is detected , a “ response procedure ” is launched . the response procedure includes inter alia various notifications to various tools , and actions on the source node where detection of use of a decoy has occurred , such as launching a forensics collection and investigation process , and isolating , shutting down and re - imaging one or more network nodes . the response procedure collects information available on one or more nodes that may help in identifying the attacker &# 39 ; s attack acts , intention and progress . each decoy server 240 activates a forensic alert module 242 , which alerts deception management server 300 that an attacker is accessing the decoy server via a computer 110 on the network . access governor 150 also activates a forensic alert module 252 , which alerts deception management server 300 that an attacker is attempting to use a decoy credential . notification servers ( not shown ) are notified when an attacker uses a decoy . the notification servers may discover this by themselves , or by using information stored on access governor 150 and siem 160 . the notification servers forward notifications , or results of processing multiple notifications , to create notification time lines or other such analytics . reference is made to fig7 , which is a simplified flowchart of a method for deception management in network 200 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . operations 1010 - 1040 shown in fig7 are performed repeatedly over time . at operation 1010 a deception management server , such as deception management server 300 , specifies a current deception policy that includes ( i ) one or more decoy attack vectors , ( ii ) one or more resources from network 200 , and a deployment schedule . at operation 1020 the deception management server generates the one or more decoy attack vectors in the one or more resources in network 200 in accordance with the deployment schedule . at operation 1030 the deception management server analyzes network 200 for changes in the network , and extracts current characteristics of the network . at operation 1040 the deception management server triggers changes in the deception policy based on the changes in the network characteristics identified at operation 1030 . deception management server 300 also monitors network 200 for decoy attack vectors that were improperly deployed or that were removed from one or more resources , e . g ., when a machine is re - booted , and regenerates those decoy attack vectors on those resources . in the foregoing specification , the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof . it will , however , be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific exemplary embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense .	7
the preferred embodiments of the present invention stem from the realization that interconnect mechanical stability can be increased — and , therefore , interconnect susceptibility to electromigration and stress migration decreased — without compromising interconnect electrical conductivity by selectively modifying the periphery of the individual metal lead . the modified periphery limits void and hillock formation while the inner core of the interconnect serves as a high conductance pathway for current flow . as would be evident to a person of ordinary skill , numerous methods exist for the selective modification of interconnects . therefore , without limiting the scope of the present invention , some preferred embodiments involve modification of the interconnect periphery selectively implanting or diffusing one or more desired chemical species into the exterior surface of an interconnect . according to some other preferred embodiments of the present invention , the modified periphery is generated by depositing one or more chemical species onto the exterior surface of an interconnect . the preferred embodiments of the present invention are generally applicable to interconnects in any type of integrated circuit processing and construction . therefore , without limiting the scope of the invention , the preferred embodiments involve modifications to a cmp process for damascene construction . damascene interconnect construction derives its name from the ancient artisans of damascus , who created intricate patterns using metal inlays . akin to its ancient origins , damascene construction in semiconductor processing creates interconnect lines by etching a recess or trench in a planarized insulator layer , filling the trench with a encapsulating / containment barrier metal and the lead metal ( e . g ., aluminum or copper ), and then removing excess metal material by planarization to yield a damascene structure . fig3 a and 3b show cross sections of an ic employing damascene construction . fig3 a shows “ single damascene ” construction whereas fig3 b shows “ dual damascene ” construction . [ 0039 ] fig3 a depicts a semiconductor substrate 25 having disposed thereon patterned insulator and interconnect layers . inter - layer dielectric (“ ild ”) 26 contacts semiconductor substrate 25 and provides electrical insulation between semiconductor substrate 25 and first interconnect 30 . barrier layer 28 limits diffusion of chemical species between ild 26 and first interconnect 30 . capping layer 32 , typically an insulator , covers ild 26 and first interconnect 30 except where via 34 and barrier layer 36 connect first interconnect 30 to second interconnect 38 . ild 35 provides additional electrical isolation between first interconnect 30 and second interconnect 38 . capping layer 40 provides both electrical isolation and surface protection to the completed integrated circuit . damascene construction typically begins with semiconductor substrate 25 . ild 26 is deposited on semiconductor substrate 25 and planarized using cmp . numerous materials can be employed effectively as ilds in semiconductor processing . therefore , without limiting the scope of the present invention , the preferred embodiments of the present invention employ silica - containing materials such as organosilica glasses or doped silica such as fluorine - doped silica glasses . after planarization of the ild 26 , a trench is etched in ild 26 and a barrier layer 28 is deposited in the trench followed by first interconnect 30 . in general , barrier layers serve to hinder the metal ( e . g ., copper ) from diffusing into adjacent ilds . the material deposited to form barrier layer 28 generally depends on the chemical composition of the interconnect . for example , when first interconnect 30 comprises tungsten ( w ), barrier layer 28 typically comprises titanium ( ti )— e . g ., ti , titanium nitride ( tin ), or a ti / tin stack . however , when first interconnect 30 comprises copper ( cu ), barrier layer 28 typically comprises tantalum ( ta )— e . g ., ta , tantalum nitride ( tan ) or a ta / tan stack . according to one preferred embodiment , first interconnect 30 comprises copper and barrier layer 28 comprises ta or tan or ta / tan bilayer , and possibly another layer to increase adhesion between the tan and the dielectric . following the application of the barrier layer 28 , first interconnect 30 is deposited and then planarized using cmp . as mentioned above , metal interconnects typically comprise aluminum or copper but may be any material , including metal alloys , that exhibit satisfactory electrical and mechanical properties . capping layer 32 preferably is deposited on first interconnect 30 and ild 26 following planarization . capping layer 32 typically comprises an insulating capping film , silicon nitride or silicon carbide , and may be patterned using photolithography techniques so as to leave an opening for via 34 . as shown in fig3 a , via 34 may be surrounded by barrier layers . via 34 may comprise the same type of metal used in first interconnect 30 or may be a different material altogether . ild layer 35 ( which may or may not be of the same composition as ild 26 ) is then deposited on top of capping layer 32 , and preferably is further patterned ( or etched ) to allow for via 34 , barrier layer 36 , and second interconnect 38 . the patterning step for ild 35 and the patterning step for capping layer 32 may be combined in order to speed up fabrication time . the composition of barrier layer 36 , like barrier 28 , is typically selected based upon the materials surrounding it ( i . e ., via 34 ), and may therefore comprise the same material as barrier 28 described above . second interconnect 38 fills the remaining trench created in ild 35 . second interconnect 38 may be of the same material as first interconnect 30 and / or via 34 , or may be a completely different material altogether . for example , first interconnect 30 and second interconnect 38 may be comprised of copper while via 34 may be comprised of tungsten . capping layer 40 is applied above second interconnect 38 following planarization . although not specifically shown in fig3 a , capping layer 40 may be patterned , like capping layer 32 , in anticipation of subsequent interconnect layers . the semiconductor structure shown in fig3 a is referred to as a “ single damascene ” or damascene structure because via 34 and second interconnect 38 are formed in separate steps . [ 0046 ] fig3 b , in contrast to fig3 a , depicts a “ dual damascene ” structure in which via 34 and second interconnect 38 are formed in a single step and there is no barrier separating them . in this case , via 34 and second interconnect 38 typically comprise the same material ( e . g ., copper ). note that the term “ trench ” and “ recess ” are used synonymously herein to indicate a void that may be created in any layer . furthermore , a recess may include additional trenches , for example , in fig3 a the electrically - insulating layer 35 may have a recess that comprises a secondary trench created for via 34 and a primary trench created for interconnect 38 . when current flows in the interconnect , the momentum due to electron flow cause the atoms of the interconnect to migrate in the direction of electron flow along grain boundaries . this migration pattern sometimes results in voids ( depletions in the conductor at grain boundary intersection point ) and hillocks ( accumulation of atoms in the conductor at grain boundary intersection points ). the voids and hillocks produced by electromigration may lead to the failure of an ic by causing open circuits and short circuits of interconnects , respectively . interconnect migration failure may also be the result of stress induced voiding as observed in “ stress induced voiding under vias connected to wide cu metal leads ” by e . t . ogawa et al ., which is hereby incorporated by reference . in general , interfacial surface stress , or the stress that exists at the seam of two adjacent layers , is thermally induced and is further exacerbated by electrical stresses . as temperatures and electric stresses fluctuate , the inherent interfacial stress can cause voids at the seam of adjacent layers . voiding resulting from both stress migration and electromigration is especially problematic where the via surface meets the interconnect surface in damascene construction . it is believed that many migration failures occur in the vicinity of the via / interconnect interface . from an electromigration standpoint , as electrons flow from the via to the interconnect or vice versa , the electrons are required to “ turn the corner ”— i . e ., to abruptly change their direction of flow to a narrower path . the reduction of electron path width increases electrical resistance and current crowding , resulting in the heating of the via / interconnect interface and increasing the susceptibility of the interface to migration problems . from a stress - induced migration standpoint , because the barrier , via , and interconnects are typically deposited under different pressures and temperatures , an inherent stress mismatch exists between these adjacent layers that is agitated by increases in temperature . thus , electromigration and stress - induced migration combine synergistically to accelerate failure conditions at via / interconnect interface . to combat the susceptibility of interconnects to stress - induced migration and electromigration , the preferred embodiments of the present invention involve modifications to the interconnects that enhance their mechanical stability . the surface of the interconnect is modified rather than the bulk interconnect . consequently , the interconnect benefits from mechanical stability while retaining the electrical properties of the unmodified interconnect material . a number of preferred embodiments are disclosed herein that relate in general to damascene construction and more particularly to specific surfaces on interconnects . additionally , as will be understood by a person of skill , the techniques and modifications described herein are applicable to any interconnect in an integrated circuit . according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention , an interconnect layer is implanted with ions in the vicinity of the via / interconnect interface . referring to fig4 the dual damascene structure of fig3 b is shown prior to application of the capping layer 40 . after the second interconnect 38 is deposited and planarized by cmp , an ion implantation step is performed in the area patterned by mask 42 . preferably , mask 42 restricts ion implantation to the vicinity of the interconnect / via interface . alternatively , a chemical species may be introduced into second interconnect 38 by diffusion or by sputtering . in one embodiment , second interconnect 38 is copper and the implanted material is selected from the group consisting of arsenic , antimony , chromium , palladium , tin , magnesium , aluminum , cobalt , and zirconium , and combinations thereof . preferably , implantation depth varies between about 50 and 500 angstroms and the composition of implanted material in this depth range varies between about 0 . 1 and about 10 percent by weight . according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention , an alloy layer is deposited on top of second interconnect 38 as shown in fig5 . referring now to fig5 the dual damascene structure of fig3 b is shown in which second interconnect 38 has been etched to create a trench and alloy layer 44 has been applied to the trench . the etch step may be selective — i . e ., confined to a specific area in the vicinity of the interconnect / via interface — or may apply generally to the entire second interconnect 38 . in one embodiment , second interconnect 38 is copper , alloy layer 44 is a copper alloy comprising copper and a material selected from the group consisting of arsenic , antimony , chromium , palladium , tin , magnesium , aluminum , cobalt , and zirconium , or combinations thereof . preferably , the thickness of alloy layer 44 , or the depth of the trench in second interconnect 38 , varies between 50 and 500 angstroms , and the percent composition of the material added to the copper varies between varies between about 0 . 1 and about 10 percent by weight . preferably , after alloy layer 44 is applied , a cmp step is performed prior to applying capping layer 40 . as will be evident to a person of ordinary skill , numerous techniques exist for depositing alloy layer 44 . one embodiment includes electroless plating . electroless plating involves metal deposition through a chemical reduction reaction from an aqueous metal salt solution containing also a reducing agent . deposition temperature is typically between 30 to 80 ° c . no external power supply is necessary for the metal reduction reaction . the semiconductor wafer is immersed in a plating bath , wherein metal ions react with reducing agents on a catalytic surface , thereby enabling plating on interconnects that are electrically isolated . depositing alloy layer 44 in this manner is advantageous because alloy layer 44 is selectively applied to the desired interconnect . other preferred embodiments for depositing alloy layer 44 include vapor deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (“ cvd ”) and physical vapor deposition (“ pvd ”). in general , these techniques involve using a volatile chemical species to create a film at the surface of the semiconductor substrate . these techniques are referred to as gross deposition techniques because there is no selectivity of deposition and a film of the material to be deposited forms over the whole surface of the wafer . accordingly , one embodiment that uses vapor deposition techniques to form alloy layer 44 may involve a cmp step after depositing the alloy layer 44 in order to maintain electrical isolation between metal interconnects . another method of maintaining electrical isolation between metal interconnects while using vapor deposition techniques includes employing a mask to limit the deposition of the desired material to only the exposed metal layers . more particularly , the mask may limit the deposition of the desired material to the vicinity of the interconnect / via interface . in yet another embodiment , the trench formed prior to the application of alloy layer 44 may be formed by over - polishing during a cmp step , with a desired trench depth of 50 to 500 angstroms . traditionally , after second interconnect 38 is deposited , a cmp step may be performed to polish the final surface , and over - polishing used to create the trench in the second interconnect 38 for the alloy layer 44 may be accomplished during this traditional cmp step . another embodiment of the present invention involves selective application of a thin seed layer , on the order of about 10 to 50 angstroms thick , in the trench so as to coat the walls of the trench with the thin seed layer 46 as shown in fig6 . in one embodiment , second interconnect 38 is copper and thin seed layer 46 is a copper alloy comprising copper and a material selected from the group consisting of arsenic , antimony , chromium , palladium , tin , magnesium , aluminum , cobalt , and zirconium and combinations thereof . preferably , the deposition of alloy layer 46 is accomplished using the selective electroless plating techniques described above . also , alloy layer 46 , as shown in fig6 or layer 44 in fig5 may be deposited using atomic layer growth methods . as described above , interfacial stresses at the boundaries between adjacent materials that cause metal migration are more easily activated than other migration inducing phenomena , or have the lower “ activation energy .” typically , metal layers are about 3000 angstroms thick , and modifying them to a depth of 500 angstroms maximum still leaves at least 80 % of the metal layer unmodified . thus , implantation and deposition methods of the preferred embodiments advantageously modify the interconnect where the interconnect is most susceptible to migration , at the interface between adjacent layers . also , because the modified interconnect of the preferred embodiments is not comprised entirely of the alloy material , as was the case in wang , the overall sheet resistance is decreased . this resistance savings benefit has a more pronounced affect on longer interconnects , and is especially beneficial when the modification is limited to the via / interconnect interface because the span in between vias remains unmodified . as a result of selective modification ( through electroless deposition and masking ), the concerns of selecting materials with minimal resistance contribution are lessened and therefore more materials such as arsenic and antimony are available for selective implantation , or deposition . also , the use of arsenic and antimony is beneficial because they are more common in semiconductor ic fabrication and would therefore be easier to implement as disclosed . an additional benefit of some of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is galvanic corrosion protection . during the course of integrated circuit processing — e . g ., during cmp processing — both copper surfaces and barrier metal surfaces may be exposed . differences in the galvanic potentials of the exposed metals can give rise to a type of corrosion in which the more easily oxidized metal is etched from the wafer surface . this phenomenon is frequently referred to as galvanic corrosion . because of its galvanic potential , copper is particularly susceptible to galvanic corrosion . generally speaking , the modification of the top of the interconnect layer according to some of the preferred embodiments , results in copper interconnects with reduced susceptibility to corrosion . also , providing a metal migration inhibiting exterior surface for the interconnect according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention impedes metal movement , thereby eliminating the need for a separate barrier . this could be especially beneficial in next generation ics , which will likely employ narrower vias so that removing the barrier layer at the bottom and or top surfaces of the via will be particularly desirable . note that there are often many interconnect layers processed in manufacturing an ic , and the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any or all of those interconnect layers as deemed necessary . for example , the ic designers may note a metal migration problem at the first interconnect layer , while the other metal layers do not exhibit such behavior . in this case , an alloy layer may be employed at the first interconnect according to the embodiments disclosed herein , thereby reducing the potential for excessive limitations of the maximum allowed current density design guidelines for metal interconnect . while the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described , modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teachings of the invention . the embodiments described herein are exemplary only , and are not intended to be limiting . many variations and modifications of the invention disclosed herein are possible and are within the scope of the invention . accordingly , the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above , but is only limited by the claims which follow , that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims . each and every claim is incorporated into the specification as an embodiment of the present invention . thus the claims are a further description and are an addition to the preferred embodiments of the present invention . use of the term “ optionally ” with respect to any element of a claim is intended to mean that the subject element is required , or alternatively , is not required . both alternatives are intended to be within the scope of the claim . the discussion of a reference in the description of related art is not an admission that it is prior art to the present invention , especially any reference that may have a publication date after the priority date of this application . the disclosures of all patents , patent applications and publications cited herein are hereby incorporated herein by reference , to the extent that they provide exemplary , procedural or other details supplementary to those set forth herein .	7
with reference to fig1 a strip of elastomeric material is illustrated in oblique view . the strip ( 1 ) has a transverse width w and an indefinite length designated by the l direction . the strip ( 1 ) is transported upon a conveyor means ( not shown ) in the direction d . the strip ( 1 ) comprises one or more elastomeric components . the dotted line ( 3 ) shows the location or path of a lateral cut that is to be made across the width of the strip ( 1 ) of elastomeric material . the path ( 3 ) which extends across the width w of the strip ( 1 ) can be perpendicular to the length l of the strip or obliquely traversing across the width w t . if the strip ( 1 ) has one or more layers of parallel cords ( 22 ) that are similarly oriented , then it is preferred that the path ( 3 ) is similarly oriented relative to the cord ( 22 ) path . if the strip ( 1 ) is not reinforced by cords ( 22 ), then the location or path ( 3 ) can be in whatever path direction provides a sufficient amount of splice surface area . in some cases , the oblique path ( 3 ) may be preferred to satisfy the need for increased splice adhesion surface area . in the various figures shown , the elastomeric strips ( 1 ) are various components used in the manufacture of tires . fig2 a and 2b , for example , is a detailed view of a multi - component strip ( 1 ) of elastomeric material , the strip ( 1 ) as shown has ply ( 20 ) inserts ( 30 ), shoulder gum strips ( 40 ), a liner ( 50 ), a pair of chaffer strips ( 60 ), and a pair of sidewall components ( 70 ). in fig3 the strip is a strip of non - cord reinforced material for a tread or a sidewall component for a tire . in fig4 a and 4b , multi - component strips are shown . in fig4 a , the combination of tire components of fig2 are combined with a bias ply ( 20 ) reinforced by cords ( 22 ) that are parallel and similarly oriented at an oblique angle relative to the length of the ply ( 20 ), generally in an angular orientation of 30 ° to 65 °. in fig4 b , the combination tire components of fig2 a and 2b is combined with a ply ( 20 ) having parallel and similarly oriented cords ( 22 ) that are inclined at an angle in the range of 65 ° to 90 ° relative to the length of the strip ( 1 ). in fig4 a and 4b , the cords of the multi - component strip ( 1 ) are substantially shorter in length than the path ( 3 ) across the strip . in such a case , the ends of the cords ( 22 ) are not exposed making it very difficult to form a splice end without cutting or damaging a cord ( 22 ). while the inventive method of the present invention is not limited to the creation of splice surfaces for tire components and is readily applicable to any elastomeric strip having tacky surface adhesion properties , for the purpose of discussing the inventive method and apparatus , tire components as described above will be used to exemplify the inventive principles of the claimed method and apparatus . in practicing the invention , it is understood that the forming of the ends ( 12 , 14 ) of a segment ( 10 ) taken from a strip ( 1 ) of elastomeric material is accomplished in a similar way regardless of the component types . this is true if the strip ( 1 ) is reinforced with parallel cords ( 22 ) or not reinforced with cords . the only additional consideration when cords ( 22 ) are in the strip ( 1 ) is that the depth of the first cutting and the second cutting must take into consideration the location and orientation of the cords ( 22 ). in practicing the invention , as shown in fig5 a through 5d , a strip ( 1 ) of elastomeric material is shown on an edge view . as shown in fig5 a , the preferred method has the strip ( 1 ) supported on a second side ( 4 ) and a first cutting element ( 120 ) passes through the strip ( 1 ) along a path that transverses across the entire width of the strip ( 1 ). the first cutting element ( 120 ) is positioned to cut at a very low skive angle θ of less than 30 ° relative to the first side ( 2 ) of the strip ( 1 ) to a depth ( d ) the depth ( d ) being less than the total depth or thickness t of the strip ( 1 ). in other words the first cut does not cut through into the second side ( 4 ). as shown in fig5 b after the first cut is initiated , a second cut is made from the second side ( 4 ) to a depth intersecting the cutting path or plane ( p ) of the first cut , preferably intersecting the low angle skive surface ( 6 ) formed by the first cutting element ( 120 ) at a depth preferably sufficient to meet the location of the first cut depth ( d ). this second cut is preferably made by a second cutting element ( 122 ) set at an angle β , β being at a high skive angle most preferably about normal to the second side ( 4 ). this resultant cutting forms a low skive angle surface ( 6 ) for splicing which extends across the width of the strip ( 1 ) and an abutment surface ( 8 ) which also extends across the width of the strip ( 1 ). the combination of the low skive angle surface ( 6 ) and the abutment surface ( 8 ) create unique ends ( 12 , 14 ) for a splicing joint . the abutment surface ( 8 ) forms a distinct and abrupt surface which creates an indicator as to where the first and second ends ( 12 , 14 ) should be joined when making a splice . the first end ( 12 ) as shown in fig8 a has the low angle skive surface ( 6 ) extending inward along the length of the segment from the abutment surface at location s 1 . in fig8 b , the second end ( 14 ) has the abutment surface ( 8 ) at location s 2 and the low skive angle surface ( 6 ) extends outwardly from the location s 2 forming an elastomeric flap ( 7 ) ideally suited for forming the splice joint when the first end ( 12 ) is spliced to the second end ( 14 ). in tire building this joining of the splice ends occurs when the cut to length segment is cylindrically formed around a tire building drum as shown in fig6 a and 6b . as shown the tire builder ideally brings the abutment surfaces ( 8 ) together in a butting relationship . this precisely sets the circumferential length of the segment ( 10 ). the low angle skive surfaces ( 6 ) are then pressed together in a technique commonly referred to as stitching . as can be readily seen in fig5 a - 5d , the method of forming the first end ( 12 ) of a segment ( 10 ) simultaneously forms the second end ( 14 ) of an adjacent segment ( 10 ). by fixing the apparatus ( 100 ) cutting elements ( 120 , 122 ) for forming these ends insures that the cut or formed surfaces when joined have precisely the correct amount of elastomer . since the abutment surfaces ( 8 ) when aligned and abuttingly joined fixes the location the low skive angle surfaces ( 8 ) when mated together the amount of elastomer is for all practical purposes precisely the same as the remainder of the segment ( 10 ). this feature insure no mass imbalances can occur at the splice . this feature is capable of being fully used in automated or manual tire building . the resultant effect is that the splice joint has the precision of butt splicing on strips ( 1 ) having irregular thickness or are very thin while also having the superior surface adhesion area found in lap type splices . as shown in fig8 c the total length l t of the segment ( 10 ) can be substantially greater than the predetermined length l 1 , l 1 being the length of the segment between location s 1 and s 2 as measured in any plane parallel to the segments edges ( 18 , 19 ). the tip - to - tip , or total length l t , of a segment whose ends are formed diagonally across the width of the segment ( 10 ) is naturally longer . the use of the abutment surface ( 8 ) to define the predetermined length l 1 , even in the case where the low skive angle surfaces ( 6 ) are normal or perpendicular to the width of the strip ( 1 ) or segment ( 10 ) formed from the strip ( 1 ), it is believed most beneficial to use the abutment surfaces ( 8 ) and the respective distance l 1 there between to define the segment length l 1 . the reason is that the overhanging low skive angle surface ( 6 ) can be cut so thin that the ends ( 14 ) can be distorted whereas the abutment surface ( 8 ) are not prone to folding or bending . in one category of segment forming the elastomeric strip ( 1 ) has at least one cord reinforced layer ( 20 ), preferably for this invention , the cords ( 22 ) are laid on a diagonal ( bias ) or normal to the length of the strip ( 1 ). the cords ( 22 ), when laid in about the same direction as the length , creates a cut path that is generally too long for practical purposes . this is so because for the invention to achieve its desired benefits the low skive angle surface ( 6 ) and the abutment surface ( 8 ) must be in a path parallel to the reinforcing cord ( 22 ) orientation . therefore , in tire building , the invention is most suited for use in bias or radial carcass plies ( 20 ) but not as well suited in overlays or belts having angles less than 17 ° relative to the length of the strip ( 1 ). in the preferred method of practicing the invention it is most desirable to support the strip ( 1 ) on the second side ( 4 ). the second side ( 4 ) of the strip ( 1 ) is manufactured preferably substantially flat whereas the first side ( 2 ) can be flat or irregular in contour . as shown in fig5 a and 5b , it is most preferred that the second side ( 4 ) is supported by a support that has a bend or contour support ( 108 ) in an area occupying a path ( 3 ) upon which the low angle skive surfaces ( 6 ) and the abutment surfaces ( 8 ) are to be formed . by contouring or bending the strip ( 1 ) across its width w the low angle skive surfaces ( 6 ) of the adjacent segments ( 10 ) as they are being formed naturally separate . as the overhanging skive surface ( 6 ) is cut , it is free to extend or open from the bent portion of the strip ( 1 ). the freshly cut elastomer is so tacky that unless the surfaces ( 6 ) are spaced from re - contacting they will rejoin automatically as though no cutting had occurred . the use of a contoured or bent surface achieves a simple yet reliable way to avoid this problem . in the preferred method the first cut is achieved by employing a first cutting element ( 120 ), preferably an ultrasonic cutting element ( 120 ). the first cutting element ( 120 ) is oriented at an angle θ relative to the general horizontal surface or plane of the first side of the strip ( 1 ), it being understood that the first side ( 2 ) can be irregular or contoured . preferably the angle θ is less than 30 ° as measured at or near the abutment surface . the inclined or contoured surface ( 108 ) supporting the cutting path ( 3 ) means that the skive angle θ may not be a constant , particularly when the bending of the strip ( 1 ) creates a slight radius of curvature . nevertheless it is believed desirable that the skive surface ( 6 ) be inclined generally less than 30 ° and preferably about 10 ° or less as measured on the skive surface ( 6 ) near the abutment surface ( 8 ). in one method employed to accomplish this low skive angle surface ( 6 ) the first cutting element ( 120 ) is oriented across a cutting path at an angle θ of about 0 ° to about 10 ° and is positioned to cut into the elastomeric strip ( 1 ) to a depth ( d ) wherein ( d ) is less than the total or maximum thickness t of the strip ( 1 ) and about aligned with the upper surface of the parallel cords ( 22 ). in other words , the first cut penetrates from the first side ( 2 ) to adjacent the one or more cords ( 22 ) regardless of the inclination θ of the first cutting element ( 12 ). the second abutment forming cut passes through two parallel adjacent cords ( 22 ) along the cut path ( 3 ) of the first cutting element ( 120 ). the second cutting element ( 122 ) is oriented at a high angle β , β preferably being normal or perpendicular to the length of the strip ( 1 ). by moving or advancing the strip ( 1 ) a predetermined distance relative to the means ( 120 ) for forming the low angle skive surface ( 6 ) and the abutment surface ( 8 ) and repeating the method for forming these surfaces the second end ( 14 ) can be formed thereby completing the steps needed to make the segment ( 10 ). the steps are best accomplished by an apparatus ( 100 ) for forming segments ( 10 ) from a long strip ( 1 ) of elastomeric material . the apparatus ( 100 ) has a means ( 120 ) forming a low angle skive surface across the width of the strip . the means preferably is a first cutting element ( 120 ). in the most preferred apparatus , the first cutting element ( 120 ) is an ultrasonic knife . as shown in fig7 a , the knife ( 120 ) preferably has a somewhat wedge - like shape with a cutting edge ( 124 ) that is oriented at a fixed angle θ relative to the strip ( 1 ) and also is canted at a slight angle ψ such that the cutting edge ( 124 ) is inclined slightly . the dual angle setting of the first cutting element ( 120 ) achieves a superior and more uniform cut because the knife &# 39 ; s cutting edge ( 124 ) is really the tip of a chisel type - cutting tool . unlike a conventional ultrasonic low amplitude high frequency knife that cuts along a side of the blade , the chisel type blade has no node along the cutting edge ( 124 ) because the cutting edge is really the tip of the blade tilted slightly . this means that the excitation frequency is traveling the same distance all along the cutting edge ( 124 ). this fact enables the rubber to be cut more uniformly than conventionally by standard ultrasonic blade type cutters . a second feature of the preferred apparatus ( 100 ) is a means ( 130 ) for moving the means for forming ( 120 ). the means ( 130 ) for moving preferably has a motor driven mechanism that slidably traverses the means for forming ( 120 ) across the width of the strip . the means for forming ( 120 ) ideally can be moved angularly relative to the strip length l to accommodate cutting along any bias angle . the means for moving ( 130 ) also may include a means ( 140 ) for orienting the means ( 120 ) for forming at range of angles θ and ψ to achieve optimal skive surface area ( 6 ). the means for forming also includes a second cutting element ( 122 ) for forming the abutment surfaces ( 8 ). the second cutting element ( 122 ) may be a hot knife or blade which preferably is oriented at an angle β . optimally the same means for moving the first cutting element ( 120 ) can be used to move the second cutting element ( 122 ) along the cutting path ( 3 ). the step of cutting with the second cutting element ( 122 ) sequentially preferably should follow the cutting of the low skive angle surfaces ( 6 ) and , thus , completes the formation of the ends ( 12 , 14 ) of a segment ( 10 ). as shown the preferred apparatus may include a conveyor means ( 150 ) to advance the strip along the direction of the strip length l . preferably the conveyor means ( 150 ) would be capable of advancing the strip ( 1 ) to a predetermined distance to enable the strip ( 1 ) to be cut to form a segment ( 10 ) having a fixed length l 1 between the abutment surfaces ( 8 ) at location s 1 and s 2 as discussed . the conveyor ( 150 ) can be part of the means for supporting ( 140 ), preferably a first substantially flat portion ( 110 ). adjacent this first substantially flat portion ( 110 ) is shown a second inclined or contoured portion ( 108 ) wherein the strip can be supported on one side and bent along this second inclined or contoured portion to form a cutting path ( 3 ) parallel to the direction of the bend in the strip ( 1 ). in the case where the strip has parallel cords ( 22 ), this bend path is also parallel to the orientation of the cords ( 22 ). as previously noted by bending the strip ( 1 ) as shown the cutting of the low angle skive is facilitated because the cut surfaces remain spaced but equally importantly the strip itself is moved partially out of the way of the first cutting element ( 120 ) enabling the angle of cutting to be substantially lower than was heretofore achievable . as can be seen the angle θ can be as low as 0 ° relative to the horizontal plane of the strip , even lower if so desired . this feature enables the first cutting element ( 120 ) to be able to cut a very large low angle skive surface area ( 6 ) for improved splice joints . in the case of cord reinforced strips ( 1 ), the first cutting element ( 120 ) can cut to a depth ( d ) tangent to one or more cords ( 22 ). this cutting is similar to filleting the fleshy part of a fish adjacent but slightly above the rib bones of the fish . the resultant cut can be so close the cords ( 22 ) are similarly exposed along the cutting path ( 3 ). this means that the forming of the abutment surfaces ( 8 ) can be simplified because the cut depth can be very thin particularly when the cord reinforced layer is the second side ( 4 ) or a part thereof . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the means for supporting could alternatively be of a cylindrical shape enabling the bend to be anywhere along the circumference of the cylinder . the result being that a portion of the strip is bent out of the way of the cutting path . it is believed important that the strip should be sufficiently bent to insure the low angle skive surfaces do not reattach after cutting . once cut the segment ( 10 ), when used as a tire component , is cylindrically formed by splicing the cut ends ( 12 , 14 ) as previously discussed . the segment can be thin , thick , flat or irregularly contoured , a single component , a multi - component , multi - material elastomer reinforced with cord or unreinforced as discussed . the angular orientation of the surfaces can be selected for the optimal splicing joint for the particular strip . while the strip may include some cured or partially cured components it is preferred that portions of the strip ( 1 ) be uncured or at least partially uncured . this permits the splice surfaces to exhibit the tacky self - sticking properties to facilitate joint adhesion . while certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention , it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention .	1
fig1 is a functional block diagram showing a connection system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention . as shown in fig1 , a connection system 100 provided by the embodiment of the invention and a computer ( not shown ) are located at the same side , and the connection system 100 allows the computer device to be connected to the internet 144 via a communication device 140 and a connection service 142 such as a third generation communication network . in the embodiment , the computer device may be a desktop personal computer or a portable computer . the communication device 140 may be , for example , a mobile phone with a mobile internet access function or a modem or a network card having a related function . a connection interface of the communication device 140 may be a wireless ( such as bluetooth transmission ) or wired ( such as a universal serial bus ) interface . the connection system 100 of the embodiment is connected to the communication device 140 via a connection interface 120 on the computer device . generally speaking , the connection interface 120 may be a wireless connection interface or a wired connection interface . the wireless connection interface includes a bluetooth transmission interface , a wireless network interface and so on , and the wired connection interface may be a universal serial bus ( usb ) interface or a memory card interface . as shown in fig1 , the connection system 100 at least includes a search unit 102 , a connection unit 104 , a setting unit 106 and a dial - up unit 108 . in the embodiment , the search unit 102 is coupled to a user interface 110 , the connection unit 104 , the setting unit 106 , the dial - up unit 108 , a database 112 and the communication device 140 , respectively . the connection unit 104 is coupled to the setting unit 106 , and the setting unit 106 is coupled to the dial - up unit 108 . in some embodiments , the connection system 100 may include the user interface 110 , and the user interface 110 may be coupled to the search unit 102 , the connection unit 104 and the setting unit 106 , respectively . in other embodiments , the setting unit 106 may be coupled to the database 112 . fig2 is a flow chart showing a connection method for internet access by a communication device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention . as shown in fig1 and fig2 , when a user starts a function of accessing the internet by a communication device via the user interface 110 , the user interface 110 can generate a network connection request , and the network connection request is transmitted to the search unit 102 to allow the search unit 102 to search for a communication device with a mobile internet access function as shown in the step s 202 . fig3 is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the step s 202 in fig2 . as shown in fig1 and fig3 , when the user interface 110 sends out a network connection request , the search unit 102 receives the network connection request as shown in the step s 302 . afterwards , the search unit 102 performs the step s 304 . that is , the search unit 102 detects whether a communication device having priority is connected to the computer device . when the search unit 102 finds that the communication device having priority is connected to the computer device (“ yes ” in the step s 304 ), the communication device having priority is directly connected as shown in the step s 306 . if the search unit 102 finds that no communication device having priority is connected to the computer device (“ no ” in the step s 304 ), the step s 308 is performed . that is , a communication device for network connection is searched for . for example , the search unit 102 can check whether a dial - up networking ( dun ) profile of a device exists or perform an at command to check whether a communication device is connected to the computer device in a bluetooth transmission mode or a wired transmission mode . if the search unit 102 finds that no communication device with a mobile internet access function is connected to the computer device via the connection interface 120 (“ no ” in the step s 308 ), a message showing that no communication device for network connection exists is sent out via the user interface 110 to notify the user in the step s 310 . if the search unit 102 searches out at least a communication device connected to the computer device via the connection interface 120 (“ yes ” in the step s 308 ), the search unit 102 detects whether a plurality of communication devices for network connection exist in the step s 312 . if one communication device is connected to the computer device via the connection interface 120 (“ no ” in the step s 312 ) only , a device connection request is generated and sent to the connection unit 104 to automatically connect the only communication device in the step s 314 . if the search unit 102 searches out more than one communication device connected to the computer device (“ yes ” in the step s 312 ), the step s 316 is performed . that is , the communication devices for network connection are listed and displayed via the user interface 110 for a user to select . in the embodiment , the communication device can be listed in sequence according to , but not limited to , priority , the number of times of successful connection and so on . when the user selects one of the communication devices ( such as 140 ) via the user interface 110 for network connection , the search unit 102 detects the input of the user via the user interface 110 to send out a device connection request to the connection unit 104 in the step s 318 . as shown in fig2 and fig4 , after the step s 202 is performed , the connection unit 104 allows the communication device 140 which is searched out to be connected in the step s 204 . fig4 is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the step s 204 in fig2 . as shown in fig4 , when the search unit 102 sends out a device connection request as shown in fig3 , the connection unit 104 can receive the device connection request as shown in the step s 402 and check whether the communication device 140 which needs to be connected is connected to the computer device in a wireless or wired mode as shown in the step s 404 . when the connection interface 120 utilizes the wireless mode (“ wireless ” in the step s 404 ), the step s 406 is performed . that is , whether the communication device 140 can wirelessly communicate is tested . if the wireless connection is a bluetooth transmission connection , the connection unit 104 confirms whether the communication device 140 can perform a bluetooth pairing . if the connection unit 104 confirms that the communication device 140 can be wirelessly connected ( for example , the communication device 140 is successfully paired by bluetooth ), the step s 408 is performed . that is , a connection success message is sent out via the user interface 110 . on the contrary , if the connection unit 104 finds that the communication device 140 cannot be wirelessly connected ( for example , the communication device 140 refuses to pair or closes its bluetooth function ), the step s 410 is performed . that is , a connection failure message is sent out to notify the user via the user interface 110 . if the connection interface 120 utilizes a wired mode , the connection unit 104 tests whether a connection port of the communication device 140 can normally operate as shown in the step s 412 . if the connection unit 104 confirms that the connection port of the communication device 140 can normally operate (“ yes ” in the step s 412 ), the step s 408 is performed . on the contrary , if the connection unit 104 finds that the connection port of the communication device 140 cannot normally operate (“ no ” in the step s 412 ), the step s 410 is performed . as shown in fig1 and fig2 , when the communication device 140 is connected , the step s 206 is performed . that is , the setting unit 106 performs the setting steps . fig5 is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the step s 206 in fig2 . as shown in fig5 , after the connection unit 104 allows the communication device 140 to be connected , the setting unit 106 can obtain corresponding parameter values from the database according to the type of the communication device 140 to set dial - up network of the communication device as shown in the step s 502 , and the setting unit 106 checks whether the database has the setting of an internet service provider ( isp ) having priority as shown in the step s 504 . if the setting unit 106 finds the setting of the internet service provider ( isp ) having priority in the database (“ yes ” in the step s 504 ), the step s 506 is performed . that is , additional initialization instruction is set according to the isp having priority , and the step s 510 is performed , that is , the dial - up network connection is set . when the setting unit 106 does not find the setting of any isp having priority (“ no ” in the step s 504 ), corresponding additional initialization instruction is set according to the isp that the communication device is connected to as shown in the step s 508 . for example , if the service interface 142 is a third generation communication network , the setting unit 106 can select a corresponding initialization string to set according to a look - up table stored in the database 112 . the initialization string may be as follows : in some embodiments , if the setting unit 106 does not find corresponding initialization instruction in the database 112 , it can require the user to input via the user interface 110 and store data input by the user into the database 112 to facilitate the next connection of the computer device . after the step s 508 is performed , the setting unit 106 can set a dial - up network connection via the communication device 140 and generate corresponding setting values as shown in the step s 510 . in some embodiments , the setting unit 106 can store the setting values into the database 112 as priority setting to increase the connection speed of the computer device via the communication device 140 next time , as shown in the step s 512 . assuming that the connection interface 120 is a bluetooth transmission interface , after the setting unit 106 sets the dial - up network , the communication device 140 has corresponding address information at the bluetooth interface . the setting unit 106 can store the address information into the database 112 at that moment . when the computer device needs to access the internet via the communication device 140 next time , the search unit 102 can directly obtain the address information having high priority from the database 112 , and then whether the communication device 140 exists is checked via the address information before a complete search . the setting unit 106 can directly obtain corresponding setting values from the database 112 to set the communication device 140 . as shown in fig2 , after the setting unit 106 performs the step s 206 , the dial - up unit 108 is notified . in this way , the dial - up unit 108 performs the dial - up internet access via the communication device 140 and the service interface 142 according to the dial - up network set by the setting unit 106 , and then a data package transmission path is built between the computer device and the internet 144 . to sum up , since the invention utilizes a communication device to perform common dial - up internet access , additional software does not need to be installed . in the invention , different setting may be done according to the type of communication devices and isps , and therefore , the connection efficiency increases . the invention allows the user to set parameters himself , and data set by the user can be stored . thus , the invention is further flexible in use . although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof , the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention . persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . therefore , the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above .	7
referring to fig1 , there is illustrated a prior art chair 1 of a preferred type having a swinging seat that is useful in combination with the chair backrest of the present invention . chair 1 includes a seat assembly 2 including a seat 3 , a backrest 4 and a mounting assembly 5 mounting the seat 3 in a near horizontal orientation for movement along an upwardly concaved arcuate seat path having a center of curvature proximate the center of mass of a person seated on the seat , and mounting the backrest 4 in a near vertical orientation for movement independently of the seat along a forwardly concaved arcuate path having a center curvature proximate the center of mass of the person . other aspects of the prior art chair of fig1 are shown and described in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 234 , 775 to serber , which is hereby incorporated by reference . referring to fig2 - 5 , there is illustrated an example of a preferred chair of the type as illustrated in fig1 except that the backrest 4 has been replaced with a backrest 16 configured in accordance with the present invention to stimulate mechanoreceptors in the spine and its structures , including the intervertebral disc , facet joints , synovial lining of the facet joints , ligaments , tendons , golgi apparatus , muscles and cutaneous skin . mechanoreceptors are sensory receptors of nerves that are sensitive to mechanical changes involving movement , tension , pressure , vibration , or another mechanical stimulus , and provide the person with information about such mechanical changes . some aspects of a chair backrest according to the present invention are intended to : 1 . create afferentation of the mechanoreceptors to establish normoexcitatory reflexes to the spinal dorsal root ganglion and brain ; 2 . produce healthy endorphine production to relieve pain and create a sense of well - being in a patient ; 3 . regain afferentation in chronic pain patients who have lost their receptors to the process of deafferentation ; 4 . block pain by stimulation of the internuncial neuron in the dorsal root ganglion . this is accomplished by stimulating the large a fibers for touch , temperature , and pressure . no stimulation of nociceptors ( pain producers ) is done ; and , 5 . reduce chemical inflammation of the disc and facet joints via stimulation of joint blood circulation . principles of pain control : the balance of activity in the large a fibers for touch , temperature and pressure with the small nociceptive pain fibers is important for pain control and proprioception balance of the nervous system . stimulation of large myelinated mechanoreceptors restores normal activity and balance between small nociceptive pain fibers and the large myelinated fibers and pain is relieved . the concept of pain relief being the balance of activity in nociceptive pain afferents and non nociceptive large nerve fibers is called the gate control theory and simply says that non - nociceptive afferents close and nociceptive afferents open a gate to the central transmission of noxious input . ( eric kandel , james schwartz , thomas jessell . principles of neural science , third edition , 1991 , appleton & amp ; lange 392 ) the validity of the gate control theory is supported by dickenson et al . ( dickenson a h : gate control theory of pain stands the test of time : british j of anaesthesia . june 2002 ; vol 88 ; no 6 : p 755 - 57 ) kirkaldy - willis discussed how the key to successfully managing chronic low back pain is through the utilization of applied motion . the motion ranges from active range of motion , passive range of motion , and motion beyond normal or physiological range of motion which is a spring like end feel . ( kirkaldy - willis w h , cassidy j d : spinal manipulation in the treatment of low back pain ; canadian family physician ; march 1985 , vol 31 . pp . 535 - 40 ) ( kirkaldy - willis : the perception of pain . managing low back pain . 1983 : 45 - 49 , churchill - livingstone ). it is this concept that this patented back rest is developed . proprioception is the awareness of position and / or movement and is derived from mechanoreceptive nerve endings in the muscles , tendons , and articular joints . information from these mechanoreceptors is transmitted to the sensory neurons to the spinal cord and brain via the dorsal horn . adverse or inappropriate mechanical events can create a mismatch of communication within the feedback loop , which is deleterious and opens pain channels , ( kandel e r , schwartz j h , jessell t m ; principles of neural science , appleton & amp ; lange : 359 - 362 ). afferentation : afferentation is the sum total of sensory input from a body part or region . deafferentation is the loss of afferentation from the peripheral body to the brain due to such conditions as degenerative disease ( disc , meniscus , and muscle ), arthritis , bursitis , sedentary life , depression , nutritional disease , etc . afferentation results from the stimulation of mechanoreceptors in the human skin , joints of the spine including the intervertebral disc , facet joints , ligaments , tendons and muscles , and linings of the spinal joints and appendicular joints . stimulation of mechanoreceptors results in afferentation that can also block pain reflexes to the brain or spinal cord . physiologists have recognized for decades that alterations in muscle activity have the potential to alter cerebral function . this relationship is perhaps best defined by the afferentation theory of cerebral arousal . in its simplest form , afferentation theory predicts that agents or maneuvers that produce muscle stretch or contraction , or directly stimulate muscle stretch receptors ( i . e ., muscle afferents ), will produce cerebral stimulation . ( lanier w l , the affeventation theory of cerebral arousal . developments in critical care medicine and anesthesiology . neuroanesthesia , vol . 32 , 1997 : 27 - 38 . neck , costovertebral , and upper back pain , depending upon the degree of pain , show decreased cerebral perfusion in the frontal and parietal areas of the brain as measured with spect ct scanning . spinal joint dysfunction may be involved via hyperactivity in the regional sympathetic nervous system . the anatomy of the somatosensory system allows both serial and parallel information flow but the conditions involving each mode of processing is a matter of debate . in a functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fmri ) study , cutaneous electrical stimulation was applied to human volunteers at three intensities ( low - innocuous , moderate - noxious and high - noxious ) to investigate interactions between contralateral primary and secondary somatosensory cortices of the brain . the more intense stimulus also induced significantly more interactions between the brain cortices , ( knoshnejad m , piche m , saleh s , duncan g , rainville p . sensory processing in primary and secondary somatosensory cortex : a dcm analysis of human fmri data in response to innocuous and noxious electrical stimulus . neurosci lett . 2014 jun . 13 . pii : s0304 - 3940 ( 14 ) 00485 - 6 . doi : 10 . 1016 / j . neulet . 2014 . 06 . 013 .). intervertebral disc nerve innervation : the presence of nerve elements within the intervertebral disc indicates that the mechanical status of the disc is monitored by the central nervous system . these mechanoreceptors provide basic proprioception function , specifically the sense of compression , deformation , and alignment . the intervertebral disc is innervated with mechanoreceptors which may go as deep as the nucleus pulposus of the disc . these mechanoreceptors provide basic proprioceptive function , specifically the sense of compression , deformation , and alignment . ( mendel t , wink c s , zimny m l : neural elements in human cervical intervertebral discs . spine 1992 : 17 ( 2 ); 132 - 5 ) ( roberts s , eisenstein s m , menage j , evans e h , ashton i k : mechanoreptors in intervertebral discs : morphology , distribution , and neuropeptides . spine 1995 ; 20 ( 24 ); 2645 - 51 ) an abundant network of encapsulated and non - encapsulated receptors in the intervertebral discs of the lower lumbar spine n normal human subjects is found which monitor position , velocity and acceleration ( kinesthesia ). they maintain normal muscle tone and when dysfunctional can create intense muscle spasms . these mechanoreceptors in the lumbar discs provide basic proprioceptive function , specifically for the sense of compression , deformation , kinesthesia , and alignment . ( dimitroulias a , tsnidis c , natsis k , veniaelos i , djau sn , tsitsopoulow p : an immunohistochemical study of mechanoreceptors in lumbar spine intervertebral discs . journal of clinical neuroscience ; 2010 ; 17 ( 6 ); 742 - 45 ) ( yamashita , minaki y , oota i , yokogushi k , ishii s , mechanosensitive affevent units in the lumbar intervertebral disc and adjacent muscle , spine 1993 , 18 ( 15 ): 2252 - 56 . muscle pain involvement : one muscle of importance to activate is the multifidus muscle which is found deep in the back muscles . it is reported to reflexly recruit deep core muscles of the torso to provide a sensitive and reactive protective contractile response . the multifidus muscle is a key component in the deep stabilization of the spine and is particularly susceptible to inhibition and atrophy following back injury . it does not naturally recover from post injury inhibition and atrophy . research is ongoing to find a reversal of this malady . spinal manipulation has been found to enhance and protect core muscles and the multifidus muscle . exercise is also found to enhance the stabilization of these muscles . passive , active and reactive treatment of spinal and core torso muscles is needed to attain maximum patient outcomes . ( morgan w . manipulation activates muscles of the core . aca news november 2014 . jaca online ) hip extension in the prone posture may be effective for selective activation of the lumbar multifidus muscles . ( kim j s , kang m h , kim j w , lee d k , yoon t h , oh j s : hip extension in a prone position may be effective for selective activation of the lumbar multifidus muscles in healthy males . j phys ther sci . 2014 ; 26 ( 8 ): 1223 - 4 ) incorporation of the concepts of this patent application have potential to rehabilitate the multifidus muscle . facet joint pain origin : the facet capsules are densely populated with mechanoreceptors . encapsulated mechanoreceptors are found in the cervical human facet joints . their presence indicates that the mechanical state of the joint capsule is under constant surveillance of the central nervous system for position , tension , pressure , etc . ( mclain r f ; mechanorecptor endings in human cervical facet joints . spine 1994 ; 19 ( 5 ): 495 - 501 ) these mechanoreceptors for detecting motion and tissue distortion are also found in the thoracic and lumbar facet joints and again they communicate with the central nervous system to provide basic proprioceptive function for motion , tissue distortion , and position . ( mclain r f ; mechanorecptor endings in human cervical facet joints . spine 1998 ; 23 ( 2 ): 168 - 73 ). increased proprioceptive input in the form of spinal mobility tends to decrease the central transmission of pain from adjacent spinal structures by inhibiting pain reflexes . any therapy which induces motion into articular structures will help inhibit pain transmission by this means . ( kirkaldy - willis w h , cassidy j d : spinal manipulation in the treatment of low back pain ; canadian family physician ; march 1985 , vol 31 . pp . 535 - 40 ) mechanoreceptor stimulation aid in the perception of joint position and adjustment of muscle tone of the vertebral column . mechanoreceptors have three primary functions : 1 . enhance spinal function and protect spinal joints against additional injury and future degenerative processes . 2 . provide proprioceptive senses to the central nervous system . 3 . reduce pain . stretching of facet joint capsules will fire mechanoreceptors which will reflexly inhibit facilitated motoneuron pools which are responsible for muscle spasm that commonly accompany low back pain . ( kirkaldy - willis w h , cassidy j d : spinal manipulation in the treatment of low back pain ; canadian family physician ; march 1985 , vol 31 . pp . 535 - 40 ). 1 . stretching of the facet joint capsules to fire capsular mechanoreceptors which will reflexly inhibit facilitated motorneuron pools which are responsible for the muscle spasms that commonly accompany low back pain . this relieves pain and improves spinal motion , improves mechanoreception , improves proprioception ( balance ), and inhibits pain . 2 . in chronic cases , there is a shortening of the periarticular connective tissues and intra articular adhesion may form . spinal manipulation will stretch or break these adhesions and enhance remodeling of other fibrotic tissue changes . this improves patient long term improvement in joint function , mechanoreception , proprioception , neuromuscular controls and pain inhibition . it is this mechanoreceptor stimulation and afferentation that is proposed in this patent for seated benefit for those suffering from or wishing to prevent back pain and its accompanying conditions such as headache , arm and leg pain , loss of balance and equilibrium , and general loss of good health . muscle , fascia , tendon , ligament mechanoreception and afferentation . the following prominent muscles , tendons , fascia and ligaments known to cause back pain are believed to be affected by the chair back of the present invention that applies pressure point therapy to mechanoreceptors for afferentation : 1 . longissimus dorsi : attached to lumbar vertebrae transverse processes and lumbosacral fascia and attaches to the thoracic spine transverse processes and ribs ; 2 . longissimus cervicis : arises from transverse processes of upper thoracic vertebrae to insert into the transverse processes at the second to sixth cervical vertebrae ; 3 . longissimus capitis : arises at tendons of transverse process at the upper 4 th and 5th thoracic vertebrae to insert at the mastoid processes ; 4 . spinalis dorsi : from tendons at the first two lumbar and last two thoracic vertebral spinous processes to insert into the spinous processes of the upper thoracic vertebrae ; 5 . spinalis cervicis : from ligamentum nuchae in cervical spine to spinous process of axis ; 6 . semispinalis dorsi , cervicis , capitis : these muscles run from transverse processes to spinous processes in the neck , thoracic and occiput ; 7 . multifidees : these muscles fill the groove alongside the spinous processes from sacrum to axis . they originate at the sacrum , sacroiliac ligaments , transverse processes and articular processes and cross over from two to four vertebrae toward the mid line to insert into the spinous process from the last lumbar to the axis . this is a very important muscle and some feel it is the most pain producing muscle in the lumbar spine ; 8 . interspinalis : between spinous processes ; 9 . intertransversarii : between transverse processes of vertebrae ; 10 . lumbodorsal fascia : it is the sheath of the sacrospinalis muscle . it is formed from fascia of deep muscles and attaches to the spines of the vertebrae , supraspinal ligaments , and the medial sacrum , iliac crests and sacrum lateral crests . its deep layers extend over the sacrospinalis and attach to the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae . it forms a strong sheet reaching from the twelfth rib to the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae . it overlies the quadratus lumborum muscle and psoas muscle ( it is noted that at study of the mechanoreceptors in fascia includes include the golgi reflex arc , ruffini and pacini corpuscles for pressure found in ligaments , tendons , aponeuroses , joint capsules , and muscle fascia . they are active in stretch and pressure application . ruffini corpuscles are also found in the dura mater . stimulation of ruffini corpuscles lowers sympathetic nervous system activity and relaxes local tissues . our largest and richest sensory organ is not the eyes , ears , skin , or vestibular system but is in fact our muscles type iii and iv receptors have autonomic connections and function and stimulation of them leads to a change in heart rate , blood pressure , respiration , etc . type iv stimulation tends to raise blood pressure type ii can raise or lower blood pressure . interstitial tissue receptors can find tune the nervous system &# 39 ; s regulation of blood flow according to local demands . see fascial mechanoreceptors and their potential role in deep tissue manipulation , excerpt from : schleip r 2003 ; fascial plasticity — a new neurobiological explanation . journal of bodywork and movement therapies 7 ( 1 ): 11 - 19 and 7 ( 2 ): 104 - 116 . ); 11 . quadratus lumborum : arises from the iliolumbar ligament and iliac rest and inserts into the lower last rib border . also may originate from the transverse processes of the lower three or four lumbar vertebrae and insert into the last rib ; and , 12 . ligament mechanoreceptors have mechanoreptors embedded within them of 4 types : 1 . type i : small low threshold , slow adapting in both static and dynamic settings . 2 . type ii : medium low threshold , rapidly adapting in dynamic settings . 3 . large high threshold , slowly adapting in dynamic settings . 4 . very small high threshold pain receptors that communicate injury . ( mechanoreceptor — wikipedia ) referring again to fig2 - 5 , chair 10 has a seat assembly 12 including a seat 14 , a backrest 16 and a mounting assembly 18 mounting the seat 14 in a near horizontal orientation for movement along an upwardly concaved arcuate seat path 15 having a center of curvature 17 proximate the center of mass of a person seated on the seat . the mounting assembly 18 further mounts the backrest 16 in a near vertical orientation for movement with or independently of the seat 14 along a forwardly concaved arcuate path 19 having a center curvature 17 proximate the center of mass of the person . with particular reference to fig3 , backrest 16 is shown sectioned bilaterally by a sagittal plane aligned with the center line of the spine 20 of a person as it would be oriented relative to backrest 16 while the person is sitting in chair 10 . backrest 16 includes a back plate 22 concavely curved toward the spine 20 in the sagittal plane , or otherwise shaped as desired for aesthetic and structural reasons . back plate 22 is relatively rigid to resist flexing and can be made of metal , plastic , composite , or other suitable material . back plate 22 is secured to mounting assembly 18 for movement as controlled and permitted by mounting assembly 18 preferably in the manner disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 234 , 775 to serber . a curved sheet 24 that is sufficiently stiff to resist buckling or sharp bending , but flexible enough to permit its curved shape to be changed or adjusted , is secured to and supported by back plate 22 via adjustable supports 26 . sheet 24 is anatomically curved to correspond generally in shape to the curvature of the human spine 20 , i . e ., having a curvature that is lordotic in the cervical and lumbar regions , and that is kyphotic in the thoracic and sacral regions . as preferred , the shape of the curve of sheet 24 can be adjusted to fit a particular person by varying the length of a plurality of adjustable supports 26 to alter the local spacing between sheet 24 and back plate 22 at a number of locations in backrest 16 . adjustable supports are preferably in the nature of screw assemblies that can be adjusted with a suitable tool , such as a hex head wrench , inserted from the rear of back plate 22 to engage a hex recess in the head of the screw , or otherwise configured for external adjustment by tool or by hand . sheet 24 can be made of sheet metal , plastic or composite material , or other material having the desired mechanical qualities discussed above . affixed to the forward face 28 of sheet 24 is a plurality of pegs , protrusions , protuberances or pressure points 30 each preferably configured as a solid cylinder with a rounded pressure point or tip 31 at the forward facing end thereof . there are a total of 24 horizontal rows of pegs 30 and pressure points 31 extending symmetrically to either side of the vertical centerline of backrest 16 . each horizontal row of pressure points 31 corresponds to one of the vertebrae of the cervical , thoracic , lumbar and sacral sections of the spine 20 . more particularly , the first six rows of pressure points 31 , from the top downward , correspond to the 2 nd through 7 th cervical vertebrae , respectively . the next following twelve rows of pressure points correspond to the 1 st through 12 th thoracic vertebrae , respectively . the next following six rows of pressure points correspond to the 1 st through 5 th lumbar vertebrae and the 1 st sacral vertebrae , respectively . each of the pegs 30 extends generally normally from the curved front face 28 of sheet 24 and the spacing between rows is selected such that the pressure points 31 of each row align with and point generally toward a transverse imaginary line intersecting the facet joints of the corresponding vertebrae . consequently , the vertical spacing between horizontal rows of pressure points varies according to the anatomical variation in the height of the vertebrae along the spine . the rows of pressure points in the vicinity of the cervical section of the spine 20 are more closely spaced than those in the vicinity of the thoracic and lumbar sections , for example . to accommodate the close spacing , the cervical pegs 30 are preferably about 0 . 25 to about 0 . 375 inches in diameter , whereas the thoracic , lumbar and sacral pegs 30 are preferably about 0 . 5 inches in diameter . interspersed between pegs 30 and forward of sheet 24 is a layer of elastomeric foam 32 to support the back of the person sitting in the chair and generally maintain the spacing between adjacent pegs 30 while allowing for some relative movement between pegs 30 and hence between pressure points 31 . covering foam layer 32 and the rounded tips or pressure points of pegs 30 is a flexible backrest cover 34 that can be made of leather , synthetic plastic material such as upholstery vinyl , natural or synthetic fiber cloth , or other suitable material that is flexible and comfortable . the layer of foam 32 includes a back supporting surface 33 and a recessed surface 35 that preferably is recessed about 0 . 5 inches back from supporting surface 33 , leaving a void space 36 defined between recessed surface 35 of foam 32 and cover 34 ( between the tip regions 31 only of adjacent pegs 30 ) and between recess side walls 37 . the rounded tips 31 of pegs 30 project proudly from recess surface 35 and are disposed free of foam 32 within void 36 . with particular reference to fig5 , void space 36 is revealed by cover 34 being shown partially cut away . void space 36 permits cover 34 to contact pressure points 31 of pegs 30 directly and conform thereto as the person leans back against backrest 16 , thereby allowing pressure points 31 to generate sufficient pressure against the person &# 39 ; s back to effect afferentation of the mechanoreceptors to alleviate pain . referring especially to fig4 , the location of the rows of pressure points 31 relative to each of the spinal vertebrae and the centerline cl of the spine 20 is illustrated . the first row a of pressure points 31 corresponding to the 2 nd cervical vertebrae includes four horizontally spaced pressure points . two medial pressure points are spaced on centers located approximately 0 . 5 inches either side of the center line cl . an additional lateral pressure point is spaced approximately 0 . 5 inches center to center laterally of each medial pressure point . the 16 th row p of pressure points 31 corresponding to the 10 th thoracic vertebrae includes four horizontally spaced pressure points . two medial pressure points are spaced on centers located approximately 0 . 75 inches either side of the center line cl . an additional lateral pressure point is spaced approximately 0 . 75 inches center to center laterally of each medial pressure point . each of the rows b through o between rows a and p similarly include four horizontally spaced pressure points 31 , however , between rows a and p , the horizontal spacing of the medial pressure points 31 of each row b through o from center line cl vary linearly from 0 . 5 to 0 . 75 inches according to the distance of the row from row a . the spacing between the medial and lateral pressure points likewise varies according to the same taper , from 0 . 5 inches to 0 . 75 inches . each of rows a through p ) includes four horizontally spaced pressure points 31 . rows q and r , corresponding to the 11 th and 12 thoracic vertebrae , each include four pressure points 31 located and spaced horizontally the same as the pressure points of row p . likewise , rows s through x , corresponding to the 1 st lumber vertebrae through the 1 st sacral vertebrae , also each include four pressure points 31 located and spaced horizontally the same as the pressure points of row p . however , in row s , an additional lateral pressure point is spaced approximately 1 . 0 inch center to center laterally of the second pressure point on either side of the cl of spine 20 , thereby providing a total of six pressure points in row s . in each of rows t , u and v , corresponding to the 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th lumbar vertebrae , an additional lateral pressure point is spaced approximately 1 . 0 inch center to center laterally of the previously outermost pressure point , such that row t has a total of eight pressure points , row u has a total of 10 pressure points , and row v has a total of twelve pressure points . rows w and x , corresponding to the 5 th lumbar vertebrae and the 1 st sacral vertebrae , are configured the same as row v with a total of twelve pressure points in each row . the number and horizontal spacing of pressure points 31 in each of rows a through x , relative to the centerline cl of spine 20 , are selected to correspond approximately to the locations of the bladder meridians of a person seated in chair 10 whereby mechanoreceptors thereat are engaged and stimulated by pressure points 31 to cause afferentation for the relief of pain . in a static chair , the mechanoreceptors are stimulated by minor movement of the person sitting back against the pressure points . in a dynamic chair such as a swing chair of the type illustrated herein , the mechanoreceptors are further stimulated as a result of the movement of the person &# 39 ; s back while the person rocks thereon . alternatively , the backrest of the present invention can be utilized with a typical rocking chair and other chairs with backrests which are dynamic / moveable . preferably , the chair backrest is custom formed to a person &# 39 ; s back thereby fitting the surface of the back of the chair against the person &# 39 ; s back and accurately locating the projections at the person &# 39 ; s bladder meridians and in corresponding alignment with the vertebrae . the following measured parameters of the spine are useful for constructing an ergonomic seat back : ( 1 ) from the sagittal weight bearing line to the maximum lordotic level of the sagittal cervical spine curve ; ( 2 ) from the sagittal weight bearing line to the maximum kyphotic thoracic spine level ; ( 3 ) from the sagittal weight bearing line to the maximum lumbar lordotic curve ; and , ( 4 ) from the sagittal weight bearing line to the posterior sacrum at maximum kyphosis . other useful measured parameters include the vertical distances between the maximum lordotic level of the sagittal spine and the maximum kyphotic level of the thoracic spine , and from the latter to the maximum lordotic level of the lumber spine , and thence from the latter to the maximum kyphosis level of the posterior sacrum . using the above measurements , a backrest is constructed wherein the vertical location of each row of pressure points 30 and their angular orientations in the sagittal plane are custom selected so that each row is placed and oriented as first described above with respect to fig3 and 4 . while this invention has been described as having an exemplary design , the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure . this application is therefore intended to cover any variations , uses , or adaptations of the invention using its general principles .	0
in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the communications electronic warfare trainer comprises two major components : the master control unit and the receiver unit . the master control unit is used by the training umpire to control which victim communications systems in the communications network are to be jammed and the jamming duration . the master control unit comprises a transmit key , a hex keypad , a dual tone modulated frequency ( dtmf ) encoder , and internal power source . the transmit key serves two purposes . first , when the transmit key is pressed , a ground is connected to the umpire &# 39 ; s communications system key control line causing the umpire &# 39 ; s communications system to transmit the baseband signal present on the umpire &# 39 ; s communications system &# 39 ; s audio line . second , pressing the transmit key supplies power to the dtmf encoder chip , whose output is connected to the audio input line of the umpire &# 39 ; s communications system causing transmission of the code representative of each keypad digit pressed by the umpire on the keypad connected to the input of the dtmf encoder . the master control unit is readily understood and easily constructed by a person with ordinary skill in the art . to initiate jamming of a victim communications system or a group of systems in a communications network operating on a common frequency , the training umpire presses the transmit key on the master control unit followed by the two digit address of the victim communications system ( s ) to be jammed , then presses the one digit jamming duration followed by the enter key . the control signal containing this information is fed into the umpire &# 39 ; s communications system and transmitted by that system using the same frequency as the receiver of the victim communications system . referring to fig1 ( a ), ( b ), ( c ), ( d ), & amp ; ( e ), the control signal is received and demodulated by the victim communications system ( not shown ) generating an audio output signal . the audio output signal is carried by a feedline ( not shown ) connected to a normal audio output jack on the victim communications system to the receiver unit input . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the receiver unit is external to the victim communications system , although it could also be an integral component of the victim communications system . also , in the preferred embodiment , the receiver unit is powered by a 12 volt direct current power supply depicted in block 11 comprising 8 commercially available aa cell batteries , although other power means could also be employed . the audio signal passes through the feedline and into block 1 which is a bandpass filter comprising capacitor c1 and inductors l1 and l2 . the filter minimizes the amount of out - of - band noise of the audio signal inputted into dual tone modulated frequency ( dtmf ) decoder u1 . from block 1 the signal passes into block 2 comprising capacitors c2 and c3 , which are direct current ( dc ) blocks . the signal next passes into block 3 , comprised of resistors r1 , r2 , r3 , and r4 , which also set the differential input to the dtmf decoder u1 of block 4 to mid rail , which allows for maximum swing at this point . resister r5 of block 4 sets the gain of an operational amplifier internal to dtmf decoder u1 to unity . crystal y1 of block 4 sets the internal clock rate of the dtmf decoder u1 to 3 . 58 mhz . the output audio signal from block 3 is inputted into block 4 that includes the dtmf decoder u1 . the dtmf decoder u1 decodes the input signal by splitting and filtering the input signal into two frequency ranges , the low band and the high band . the two signals are then limited and fed into zero crossing detectors . the two outputs from the detectors are fed into frequency counters and digital detection circuitry which determines whether two valid frequencies exist simultaneously . if two valid frequencies are detected , the code of the detected pair is set on outputs q1 through q4 of dtmf decoder u1 and the est output of dtmf decoder u1 is asserted . after a delay that is determined by capacitor c4 and resistor r6 of block 4 , the delayed output , std of dtmf u1 , is asserted . at this point , a valid input digit has been detected and either an enter or shift operation will occur depending on the value of the code ( q1 through q4 of dtmf decoder u1 ) detected . a code of zero indicates an enter operation and a nonzero code indicates a shift operation . to jam a victim communications system , the training umpire normally enters three digits followed by an enter command on the master control unit . these digits appearing on outputs q1 through q4 of dtmf decoder u1 are shifted through an array of shift registers in block 5 . when the training umpire presses a first digit , the first digit is shifted into j / k flip - flop u2 . when the first digit is pressed and the std line of dtmf decoder u1 is asserted , the output of and gate u9b is asserted because the output of the nor gate u5a is low due to the nonzero code . the output of and gate u9b is connected to the clock inputs of j / k flip - flops u2 , u3 , and u4 . the output of dtmf decoder u1 ( q1 through q4 ) is thus shifted to j / k flip - flop u2 ; the output of j / k flip - flop u2 is shifted to j / k flip - flop u3 ; and the output of j / k flip - flop u3 is shifted to flip - flop u4 ; continuing until the first , second , and third digits are present on the outputs of j / k flip - flops u4 , u3 , and u2 , respectively . the outputs of j / k flip - flops u4 and u3 represent the most significant digit ( msd ) and the least significant digit ( lsd ) of the victim communications system address respectively . the value of the victim communications system address is determined by setting dual inline package ( dip ) switch u13 , which is connected to pull - up resistors u12 . block 6 comprises an arrangement of logic gates which determine if the address set on dip switch u13 matches the msd and lsd of the address of j / k flip - flops u4 and u3 of block 5 . the exclusive or gates u6a through u6d compare the address set on dip switch u13 to the lsd of the address that has been shifted into j / k flip - flop u3 . if an address match occurs , the output of nor gate u11a is asserted . likewise , the exclusive or gates u7a through u7d compare the address set on the dip switch u13 to the msd of the address shifted into j / k flip - flop u4 . if an address match occurs , the output of nor gate 11b is asserted and in turn the output of and gate u9d is asserted and the output of inverter u10b is deasserted . this state only occurs when an address match is found and one digit representing the jamming duration has been sensed . when an enter command is pressed by the training umpire on the master control unit , a jammer source ( block 10 ) is turned on because when enter is pressed , the detected zero code at dtmf u1 will assert the output of and gate u5a and the std line of dtmf u1 is asserted thus asserting the and gate u9a causing the deassertion of the output of inverter u10c . because as stated previously the output of and gate u10b is also deasserted , nor gate u5b is asserted . the output of nor gate u5b is connected to the program enable input of down counter u14 of block 7 . the time present at the input of down counter u14 is loaded into the down counter and the countdown commences . the clock input to d flip - flop usa is simultaneously asserted causing logic 1 to appear at output q of d flip - flop u8a . this turns on transistor q1 which is connected to the jammer source of block 10 and thus turns on the jammer source . the jammer source is turned on until down counter u14 reaches zero and resets d flip - flop u8a turning off the jammer source . the circuit of block 8 , comprising capacitor c8 , inverter u10d and resister r10 , prevents feedback when j / k flip - flops u2 , u3 , and u4 are reset when the jammer source is turned on . the circuit of block 9 , comprising a general purpose timer u15 , capacitors c5 and c6 , and resisters r7 and r8 make up a basic 1 pulse per minute ( ppm ) clock that is used by down counter u14 . the jammer source of block 10 is depicted in detail in fig2 . the jammer source generates a jamming signal by running a nand gate in feedback mode which generates a series of very closely spaced step functions . the resulting frequency components extend across the frequency range of interest . the inputs to all of the nand gates on chip u22 are tied together to effect inverters . the jamming signal begins at nand gate u22c . the inverted signal from nand gate u1c is fed through resister r13 to nand gate u22d where it is inverted again and finally to nand gate u22b where it is inverted again . when the signal at the input of nand gate u22c goes high , the signal at the output of nand gate u22a goes low . at this point in time , capacitor c10 connected to the inputs of nand gates u22c and u22d will start to discharge until nand gate u22c changes state and the output of nand gate u22a goes high . the nand gates will continue to oscillate in this manner at a very high rate as determined by resister r13 connected to the output of nand gate u22c and the input of u22d and by capacitor c10 connected to the input of nand gate u22c and the input of nand gate u22b . nand gate u22b , which is connected to the input of nand gate u22c and the output of nand gate u22a , the capacitors c11 and c12 and resister r15 , all of which are connected to the output of nand gate u22b , are used to buffer the jamming signal and isolate the circuit from effects of loading from the circuit to which the output is connected . the resulting jamming signal output is an effective broadband noise jammer in the 30 mhz to 88 mhz frequency range in the preferred embodiment . in the preferred embodiment , the output jamming signal is coupled into the victim communication system by means of a coaxial cable ( not shown ) connected at one end to the output of the jammer source and at the other end coupled to the antenna of the victim communications system &# 39 ; s receiver ( not shown ). the noise received by the victim antenna disrupts the normal operation of the communications system &# 39 ; s reception . although certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that variations and modifications of the described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , although in the preferred embodiment the present invention is employed in a radio communications network configuration , the present invention could also be employed in a wire communications network configuration . in that configuration , the encoded signal would be transmitted from the master control unit and received by the receiver unit by wire means , instead of by radio wave means . accordingly , the invention herein is not to be construed as being limited , except insofar as expressly provided for or as the claims may require .	7
first of all , the configuration of a mobile terminal used in a cdma mobile communication system according to the present invention will be described by referring to fig8 . a received signal of a carrier frequency received from an antenna is lowered in frequency by an rf unit 801 . the received signal of the baseband is inputted to a cell searcher 805 and a receiver 804 via an rf interface 802 . the cell searcher 805 conducts the above described cell search . the receiver 804 conducts despreading , error correction and the like of physical channels other than the perch channels . the decoded received signal is outputted via a user interface 807 , and subjected to subsequent processing . a transmission signal to be transmitted to the base station is inputted to a transmitter 803 via the user interface 807 . the transmitter 803 conducts coding and spreading of the transmission signal . a controller 806 conducts initial value setting in various units and timing management by using a dsp ( digital signal processor ). fig9 to 12 show configuration examples of blocks 810 - 812 of fig8 . fig9 shows the configuration of a timing synchronizer 810 . in the timing synchronizer 810 , it is necessary to derive correlation values of timing corresponding to one symbol . therefore , an mf 901 capable of providing correlation results at a plurality of timing instants at a time is used . as for coefficients of the mf 901 , csc generated from a csc encoder 902 is used . an accumulator 903 accumulates correlation values outputted from the mf for a plurality of slots . a peak detector 904 detects such a timing as to maximize the accumulated correlation values , as slot timing . fig1 shows a configuration example of a gisc detection unit 811 . fig1 shows a configuration example of a first long code detection unit . fig1 shows a configuration example of a second long code detection unit . a long code detection unit 812 includes a first long code detection unit and a second long code detection unit . in these circuits , frame / slot timing is already known by a timing detection unit . by arranging correlators 1001 in parallel for conducting despreading at one detected timing instant , high speed processing can be conducted efficiently . the gisc detection unit 811 ( fig1 ) stores a received signal of a long code masked symbol in a ram 1002 . giscs are specified in a gisc encoder 1003 one after another by the dsp . correlation for each chip is thus derived . a correlation value in one symbol is derived by an accumulator 1004 . such processing can be conducted at high speed by suitably conducting parallel processing . by selecting the highest one of the derived correlation values , the gisc is detected . the first long code detection unit ( fig1 ) calculates correlation values over approximately 10 symbols , and detects a long code used by the base station out of long codes belonging to a class corresponding to the detected gisc . long codes specified in a long code generator 1102 one after another by the dsp are multiplied by a short code of the perch channels generated by a short code generator 1103 . correlation of each timing is derived by a correlator 1001 . correlation values corresponding to 10 symbols are accumulated by an accumulator 1101 . this processing is conducted in parallel with different long codes . on the basis of a result of accumulation of correlation values over approximately 10 symbols , a probable long code is designated . for the long code designated by the first long code detection unit , the second long code detection unit ( fig1 ) conducts processing similar to that of the first long code detection unit over one frame section and outputs the result to delay locked loop 813 . in the case where a predetermined accumulation value has been obtained , the cell search is completed . a cdma communication system performing a cell search method using the long code mask symbol will now be described centering around an example in which only the long code masked symbol portion of the perch channels typically transmitted at 16 ksps ( spreading factor 256 ) is made to have a spreading factor of 64 . the spreading factor is not limited to 64 . similar effects can be obtained so long as the spreading factor is less than 256 . as a first embodiment , fig3 shows a channel format and transmission power in the case where spreading factors of the csc and gisc are made smaller ( 64 in the example ) than those of other symbols of the perch channels , and the csc and gisc are inserted at different timing instants . in order to prevent other ordinary symbol portions from being affected , a masked symbol section 131 is made to have 256 chips in the same way as the conventional system . the csc and gisc may be inserted in any section of four sections ( 133 , 134 , 135 and 136 ) obtained by dividing the mask symbol section at intervals of 64 chips . in the case where the symbol length of the gisc becomes short and consequently the number of giscs is not enough for the number of classes of the long code which giscs are assigned to , it is also possible to adopt such a method that long code identification groups are sorted out according to which of the tour insertion sections they are inserted . in the masked symbol section , sections other than those of csc and gisc are provided with no symbols . if the symbol length is shortened , the number of times of possible accumulation times decreases . for obtaining the same receiving sensitivity , therefore , the transmission power must be raised . however , the perch channels are always subjected to transmission with constant power . in addition , the long code masked symbol portion is poor in orthogonality , and therefore , tends to exert interference power to other channels . therefore , it is desirable to suppress the transmission power as low as possible . in the present embodiment , therefore , the csc and gisc are not multiplexed , but the csc and gisc are transmitted by time division in the long code masked symbol portion . even if the spreading factor is reduced to ¼ at this time , transmission power p 3 of the csc is twice the transmission power p 1 of the conventional technique and the same reception sensitivity is obtained . the same is true of the transmission power p 4 of the gisc . as a second embodiment , fig4 shows a channel format and transmission power in the case where the spreading factors of the csc and gisc are made sufficiently small ( 16 in the example ) as compared with other symbols of the perch channels , and the csc and gisc are multiplexed and transmitted . it is necessary to make transmission power p 5 of the csc and transmission power p 6 of the gisc large so as to correspond to the spreading factors . if the symbol rate of channels other than perch channels is fast , then the number of perch channels which are affected by the fact that the perch channel power is increased will become large . in such a case , by multiplexing the csc and gisc to shorten the section in which the transmission power becomes large as in the present embodiment , although the influence of the perch channels on other channels may be large , the shortening of the affecting symbol section surely causes influence as a whole to be lightened . as a third embodiment , fig5 shows a channel format and transmission power in the case where the spreading factors of the csc and gisc are made sufficiently small ( 64 in the example ) as compared with other symbols of the perch channels , and the gisc is repeated a plurality of times ( three time in the example ). by transmitting the gisc repetitively n times , the number of accumulation times is increased , and accordingly transmission power p 8 of the gisc of one time is equal to 1 / n of transmission power p 7 of the csc . as a result , influence on other channels is suppressed . as a fourth embodiment , fig6 shows a channel format and transmission power in the case where the spreading factor of the csc is made smaller than that of the gisc ( in the example , the spreading factor of the csc is 64 and the spreading factor of the gisc is 256 ). in the above described three stages of the cell search , the gisc detection can be conducted by despreading only at timing designated from the csc , and a correlator is used instead of the mf in many cases ( as shown in fig1 , for example ). as in the present embodiment , therefore , the speed of the search can be raised while suppressing the interference on other channels , by making the spreading factor of the csc affecting the number of taps of the mf small and making the spreading factor of the gisc larger than it in order to suppress the transmission power . in fig7 , there is shown a list of time required at each stage of the cell search obtained when the spreading factor of the long code masked symbol and the number of taps of the mf are changed . by thus making the spreading factor of the long code masked symbol small , the time required for timing synchronization can be made shorter than that of the conventional method , and the number of taps of the mf can be shortened , resulting in reduced gate size and power consumption . the present invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiments . those skilled in the art can apply various modifications to the embodiments on the basis of the disclosure . all modifications existing within the true spirit and scope of the present invention are incorporated in the claims .	7
the hypoxia installation shown in fig1 includes the following component parts : a recreation room — hereinafter referred to as the room 1 — for human beings and / or animals to stay and perform physical activities therein , a buffer container 2 , a mixing chamber 3 , an air moisture processing unit 32 , a temperature processing unit 33 , a regulated ioniser 4 , a particle filter 5 , a first pump 61 , a second pump 62 , electronically or otherwise regulatable through - flow valves ( mfc or others ) 71 to 79 , an inlet for spent room air 81 , an inlet 82 for nitrogen , a first inlet 83 for fresh air , a second inlet 84 for fresh air , an outlet 88 for spent room air , a mixing chamber outlet 89 , a communicating line 90 , a distributor 91 for freshly mixed room air , a receiver and delivery device 92 for spent room air , a second communicating line 93 , a scrubber 12 for chemical elimination of carbon dioxide , a central unit 100 for electronic control and regulation ( ddc or others ) and sensors 110 for oxygen , carbon dioxide , water vapor , temperature , air pressure , air quality and ozone . the terms room air and atmosphere are used hereinafter as synonyms and concern the air in the room 1 and the associated room air installation . a distinction is to be made in respect of the outside atmosphere which surrounds the room 1 and which is formed by fresh air . operation of the hypoxia installation shown in fig1 is as follows : the installation serves either for producing an oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; 0 . 04 % by volume ) in a closed or almost closed room 1 and / or regulation of an oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; established limit value ) in a closed or almost closed room when human beings and / or animals are in the room , with or without involving physical activity . the production , described hereinafter , of an oxygen - reduced atmosphere is referred to as a passive mode of operation . the production of an oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; 0 . 04 % by volume ) in the closed or almost closed room 1 is effected in a passive mode of operation as follows : by opening the valves 77 , 79 and 72 nitrogen (% by volume n 2 78 ; o 2 & lt ; 20 . 9 ; co 2 & lt ; 0 . 04 ; h 2 o towards 0 ) is passed into the closed or almost closed room 1 by way of the inlet 82 by means of the pump 61 or by the inherent pressure of the nitrogen if it is taken from a pressure vessel , by way of the communication 90 and special venting passages 91 which ensure uniform mixing of the nitrogen with the respective atmosphere in the room . by means of the pump 62 or by means of an increased pressure in the room 1 , by way of regulated opening of the valve 71 when the valve 75 is closed , by way of special venting passages 92 which ensure that the freshly mixed room atmosphere is uniformly sucked away , only so much room atmosphere is discharged into the ambient atmosphere by way of the outlet 88 that an overpressure is maintained in the room . that process is maintained until the desired oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; 0 . 65 % by volume ) prevails in the room 1 . regulation , supplemental to or alternatively to production , of an oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; established limit value , for example 1 % by volume or 0 . 65 % by volume ) in a closed or almost closed room 1 , when human beings or animals are in the room and / or with physical activity , is effected in an active mode of operation either in a partly closed circulatory air system or in a closed circulatory air system . the active mode of operation ( regulation of the atmosphere ) in a partly closed circulatory air system will first be described . regulation of an oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; established limit value , for example 1 % by volume or 0 . 65 % by volume ) in a closed or almost closed room 1 with the presence therein and / or with physical activity on the part of human beings or animals is effected in the active mode in a partly closed circulatory air system as follows : the circulatory air circuit arrangement is completely set in operation . the valve 75 is opened so that the atmosphere sucked out of the room 1 passes into the mixing chamber 3 by way of the inlet 81 , through a particle filter 5 and a regulated ioniser 4 which removes all hydrocarbon - based pollutants from the atmosphere . a scrubber 12 which eliminates carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by chemical binding procedures can be selectively interposed into the air flow . nitrogen , by way of the inlet 82 , and ambient air , hereinafter referred to as fresh air , which passes a particle filter 5 , by way of the inlet 83 , are passed into the mixing chamber in a ratio by volume relative to each other which corresponds to that of the desired reduced oxygen concentration in the room 1 . a further amount of fresh air is passed into the mixing chamber by way of the inlet 84 , by way of a particle filter 5 . that amount of fresh air is equal to the oxygen consumption of the human beings or animals in the room 1 . it is in a given relationship to the intensity of movement of the human beings or animals in the room 1 and is established by way of the dynamics of oxygen consumption in the room 1 and automatically regulated . in that case the amount of oxygen contained in the amount of fresh air must be greater than the consumed amount of oxygen . the volume of nitrogen ( inlet 82 ) and fresh air ( inlets 83 and 84 ) corresponds in that respect to the sum of the amount by volume of consumed atmosphere which was previously discharged into the ambient atmosphere by way of the outlet 85 and the volume of the amount of consumed atmosphere which escapes from the circuit arrangement into the ambient atmosphere due to existing leaks continuously or due to disturbances such as people or animals passing into and out of the room through an air lock arrangement . the amount by volume which is discharged to the ambient atmosphere or which is freshly produced by mixing nitrogen and fresh air is established by way of the dynamics of the carbon dioxide concentration and the established levels of limit concentration of carbon dioxide in the room 1 and automatically regulated in such a way that an equilibrium condition ( steady state ) occurs or established limit values are not exceeded . the oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; established limit value , for example 1 % by volume or 0 . 65 % by volume ) produced in the mixing chamber , comprising processed spent atmosphere and fresh proportions of nitrogen and fresh air , is processed by air conditioning procedures prior to leaving the mixing chamber 3 in such a way that the desired temperature and air humidity occur in stable manner in the room 1 . in addition further air conditioning of the atmosphere can take place in the room 1 . from the mixing chamber , the processed atmosphere is passed into the closed or almost closed room through the outlet 89 and the valve 72 by means of the pump 62 or due to the inherent pressure of the processed atmosphere either by way of a buffer vessel 2 which can store the processed atmosphere or directly by way of the communicating line 90 and special ventilation passages 91 which ensure uniform mixing of the nitrogen with the respective atmosphere in the room . regulated opening of the valves 74 and 75 provides that so much room atmosphere is discharged by way of the outlet 88 into the ambient atmosphere as is required to maintain the predetermined limit values in respect of the carbon dioxide concentration in the room 1 and maintaining an overpressure in the room , by means of the pump 62 or the present increased pressure in the room by way of special ventilation passages 92 which ensure uniform continuation of the spent room atmosphere . the spent room atmosphere which is reduced by the portion by volume which was discharged to the ambient atmosphere through the outlet 88 is passed into the mixing chamber by way of the particle filter 5 and the regulated ioniser 4 for renewed processing thereof . optionally the remaining spent room atmosphere can be passed by way of a scrubber 12 for additionally eliminating carbon dioxide . the mixing operation in the mixing chamber 3 can take place under a slight overpressure , a great overpressure , or a reduced pressure . when mixing oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere ( established limit value , for example 1 % by volume or 0 . 65 % by volume ) at a slight overpressure the components spent atmosphere , nitrogen and fresh air are passed into the mixing chamber at a pressure which is above the pressure of the atmosphere in the room 1 and the pressure of the freshly produced atmosphere is reduced by way of the valve 79 and the feed lines 90 and 91 so that the pressure prevailing in the room 1 remains constant . upon mixing at a reduced pressure oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; established limit value , for example 1 % by volume or 0 . 65 % by volume ) is discontinuously produced and continuously passed by way of the buffer into the room 1 . the pump 61 withdraws finished atmosphere from the mixing chamber by way of the valve 79 while the valves 75 , 76 , 77 and 78 are closed . by subsequent regulated opening of those valves , the components spent atmosphere , nitrogen and fresh air are passed into the mixing chamber in a regulated fashion , being differentiated in respect of time and quantity , and are processed to afford a new atmosphere . that procedure is repeated with closure of the valves 75 , 76 , 77 and 78 . the pump 61 conveys the finished atmosphere into the buffer container by way of which regulated continuous discharge of that finished atmosphere is effected by way of the special ventilation passages 91 . upon mixing at a high overpressure oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; established limit value , for example 1 % by volume or 0 . 65 % by volume ) is discontinuously produced and passed into the room 1 continuously by way of the buffer . the components spent atmosphere , nitrogen and fresh air are passed into the mixing chamber in a differentiated manner in respect of time and quantity , by way of the inlets 81 , 82 , 83 and 84 , at a high overpressure , while the valve 79 is closed . the valve 79 is opened after closure of the valves 75 , 76 , 77 and 78 . that procedure is repeated with the closure of the valve 79 . the pump 61 conveys the finished atmosphere into the buffer container , by way of which regulated continuous discharge of that atmosphere is effected by way of the special ventilation passages 91 . the nature of the mixing operation — at a low overpressure , a high overpressure or a reduced pressure — influences the quality of the atmosphere produced and is determined in dependence on the desired composition of the atmosphere in the room 1 , the required volume flow and the disturbing factors involved . the active mode of operation for a closed circulatory air system will now be described . regulation of an oxygen - reduced (& lt ; 20 . 9 % by volume ) and carbon dioxide - poor atmosphere (& lt ; established limit value , for example 1 % by volume or 0 . 65 % by volume ) in a closed or almost closed room 1 in the presence of and / or with physical activity on the part of human beings or animals is effected in the active mode in a closed circulatory air system as follows : the circulatory air circuit arrangement is completely set in operation by means of the pumps 61 and 62 . the valve 74 is closed and the valve 75 is opened so that the atmosphere which is sucked out of the room is passed out of the room 1 through a particle filter 5 and a regulated ioniser 4 which removes all hydrocarbon - based pollutants from the atmosphere , by way of the inlet 81 into the mixing chamber 3 , the communicating line 90 and the special ventilation passages 91 , back into the room 1 . optionally a scrubber 12 which eliminates carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by chemical binding effects can be interposed into the air flow . the closed system can be operated as long as limit values in respect of carbon dioxide concentration are not exceeded and the oxygen concentration does not go outside its normal ranges . those conditions are afforded in the case of very large room volumes . after the limit values are reached either the atmosphere can be completely exchanged or the method is switched over to operation of a partly closed circulatory air system . for all modes of operation , all hardware components are controlled by way of a central microelectronic control unit in the form of a ddc - installation and , by means of sensors for oxygen concentration , carbon dioxide concentration , water vapor concentration and pollutant concentration and for the volume flows spent atmosphere , nitrogen , fresh air and produced atmosphere as well as the temperature in the room 1 are regulated to the desired reference values . fig2 shows aeration and ventilation of the room 1 . the meanings of the reference numerals are as follows : 1 — a gas mixture feed line with a variable volume flow and inclinedly forwardly directed outlet flow openings 2 — suction removal near the floor of the circulatory air system 3 — a pollutant elimination installation in the circulatory air system 4 — discharge flow openings for the cleaned and carbon dioxide - enriched gas mixture 5 — a suction removal line of controllably variable cross - section 6 — the training or recreation room under hypoxia . positive control implementation is provided for the feed and discharge of the gas mixture . the amount of gas mixture which varies according to the requirements is blown under a slight increased pressure from the ceiling inclinedly downwardly ( fig2 ). after it has passed the persons who are training , it is sucked in by a circulatory air system which is near the floor and which cleanses the resulting mixed atmosphere of pollutants and is blown by the front and side walls for further use into the room in such a way that a rearwardly directed movement of air is produced . at the rear side of the room the same amount of air is actively sucked away at a slightly reduced pressure which corresponds to the overpressure when the air is blown in . the rolling movement of air through the room guarantees that the carbon dioxide - loaded gas mixture is transported away better than upon diffuse discharge through differently predetermined openings . suction removal openings which flexibly adapt to the inflowing amount of gas mixture ( cross - section ) for the spent gas mixture permit continuing operation with different and changing numbers of people . the fig3 arrangement of the recreation room 300 and the room air installation 310 differs in particular in respect of the room air installation 310 from the room air installation shown in fig1 . common component parts are an air feed 312 and an air suction removal 314 in the recreation room 300 . the room air which is discharged from the recreation room 300 is fed again by way of a pump 316 , an ioniser 318 and filter 320 , a scrubber 322 , a mixing chamber 330 and a second pump 332 in a circulatory mode of operation to the air feed 312 in the recreation room 300 . in that respect and also in respect of the valves and so forth which are not shown in greater detail here , the circulatory air installation shown in fig3 does not differ from that of fig1 . the installations are also the same in regard to the fact that fresh air and nitrogen - bearing gas mixture or nitrogen is fed to the mixing passage 330 . the same applies for a buffer container 334 for pressure equalisation which is possibly required . all valves are connected to a control and regulating system ddc which is shown in fig1 and which is also connected to sensors in the recreation room 300 . the arrangement shown in fig3 of the recreation room 300 and the circulatory air installation 310 differs from that shown in fig1 however essentially in that there is provided an air separation . unit 340 for producing the nitrogen or the nitrogen - bearing gas mixture which is fed to the mixing chamber 330 . that air separation unit 340 is connected on the input side to the recreation room 300 by way of a line 342 in such a way that the separation unit 340 receives room air from the recreation room 300 , separates that air into a nitrogen - enriched proportion and an oxygen and carbon dioxide - enriched proportion and feeds the nitrogen - enriched proportion of the gas to the mixing chamber 330 . the nitrogen - enriched component produced by the air separation unit 340 can in that case also be approximately pure nitrogen which was obtained by air separation of the room air from the recreation room 300 . the nitrogen - enriched gas component which is fed by the separation unit 340 to the mixing chamber 330 is mixed with fresh air in the mixing chamber 330 in the same manner as is the case in the room air installation shown in fig1 . the fact that the air fed to the air separation unit 340 is the room air from the recreation room 300 has the advantage that this room air already has an increased proportion of nitrogen and that in addition , upon air separation in the air separation unit 340 , at least a part of the carbon dioxide to be removed from the room air in the recreation room 300 , is separated off and passed outwardly . the arrangement shown in fig4 with two recreation rooms , namely a first recreation room 400 with oxygen - reduced room air and a second recreation room 410 with oxygen - enriched room air can correspond in respect of many details in relation to the circulatory air installation , associated with a respective recreation room 400 or 410 , of the assembly shown in fig3 . an essential component part of a circulatory air circuit arrangement 402 for the recreation room 400 and a second circulatory air circuit arrangement 412 for the recreation room 410 is a respective mixing chamber 404 and 414 respectively . both mixing chambers 404 and 414 are fed from an air separation unit 420 . that air separation unit 420 is not connected at the input side to one of the recreation rooms but is supplied with fresh air ( inlet 422 ). the nitrogen - enriched gas mixture which occurs in the air separation procedure is fed by way of a line 424 to the mixing chamber 404 for the first recreation room 400 with oxygen - reduced room air . the oxygen - enriched gas mixture which is also produced in the air separation procedure is fed by way of a line 426 to the second mixing chamber 414 for the circulatory air circuit arrangement 412 of the second recreation room 410 with oxygen - enriched room air . in this case , the configuration of the room air installation for the first recreation room 400 with oxygen - reduced room air can precisely correspond to the room air installation shown in fig1 and 3 . with regard to the room air installation for the second recreation room 410 with oxygen - enriched room air , there is a difference in relation to the mixing chamber 414 , namely that the mixing chamber , instead of a single inlet for oxygen - enriched gas mixture which would correspond to the inlet for oxygen - enriched gas mixture in fig1 and 3 , also has a further inlet 428 for oxygen or oxygen - enriched gas mixture . fig5 shows a particular variant of a recreation room 500 with oxygen - reduced or oxygen - enriched atmosphere . the particularity of the recreation room 500 is that it has a partition or separating wall 504 which extends into a water tank 502 and which ends below a water level 506 and which allows the water tank also to extend outside the recreation room 500 , for example in an adjoining room or also in the free air . satisfactory sealing of the recreation room 500 with respect to the ambient atmosphere is afforded by the water tank 502 and the partition 504 which projects thereinto . that allows swimmers to dive through the water tank into the recreation room and out of same . as already shown in relation to the recreation rooms in fig1 and 3 , in each case there are provided a feed line 508 and a discharge line 510 for the feed of oxygen - enriched or oxygen - reduced room air and for the discharge of the room air . an entry air lock arrangement 512 allows dry access to the recreation room 500 without major air exchange between the room air in the recreation room 500 and the ambient air . finally fig6 shows a recreation room 600 with an ice surface or a snow piste track 602 . just by way of example , the ice or snow piste track 602 is shown in the form of an elliptical track , over which the recreation room 600 with oxygen - reduced or oxygen - enriched room air is delimited by suitable room walls 604 and a ceiling 606 . a particular feature of the recreation room 600 is that the feed of oxygen - reduced or oxygen - enriched gas mixture occurs in the proximity of the floor near the ice or snow piste track 602 through feed lines 610 extending along the ice or snow piste track 602 . the gas mixture which is supplied through the feed lines 610 can be cooled in that case and can thus advantageously assist with maintaining the ice or snow piste track . the gas mixture is preferably carried away by way of a discharge line 610 which extends in the region of the ceiling 606 of the recreation room 600 along the ice or snow piste track 602 .	8
the present invention may be described herein in terms of functional block components , screen shots , optional selections and various processing steps . such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and / or software components configured to perform to specified functions . for example , the present invention may employ various integrated circuit components ( e . g ., memory elements , processing elements , logic elements , look - up tables , and the like ), which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices . similarly , the software elements of the present invention may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as c , c ++, java , cobol , assembler , perl , extensible markup language ( xml ), javacard and multos with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures , objects , processes , routines or other programming elements . further , it should be noted that the present invention may employ any number of conventional techniques for data transmission , signaling , data processing , network control , and the like . for a basic introduction on cryptography , review a text written by bruce schneier entitled “ applied cryptography : protocols , algorithms , and source code in c ,” published by john wiley & amp ; sons ( second edition , 1996 ), herein incorporated by reference . in addition , many applications of the present invention could be formulated . the exemplary network disclosed herein may include any system for exchanging data or transacting business , such as the internet , an intranet , an extranet , wan , lan , satellite communications , and / or the like . it is noted that the network may be implemented as other types of networks , such as an interactive television network ( itn ). further still , the terms “ internet ” or “ network ” may refer to the internet , any replacement , competitor or successor to the internet , or any public or private inter - network , intranet or extranet that is based upon open or proprietary protocols . specific information related to the protocols , standards , and application software utilized in connection with the internet may not be discussed herein . for further information regarding such details , see , for example , dilip naik , internet standards and protocols ( 1998 ); java 2 complete , various authors , ( sybex 1999 ); deborah ray and eric ray , mastering html 4 . 0 ( 1997 ); loshin , tcp / ip clearly explained ( 1997 ). all of these texts are hereby incorporated by reference . by communicating , a signal may travel to / from one component to another . the components may be directly connected to each other or may be connected through one or more other devices or components . the various coupling components for the devices can include but are not limited to the internet , a wireless network , a conventional wire cable , an optical cable or connection through air , water , or any other medium that conducts signals , and any other coupling device or medium . where required , the system user may interact with the system via any input device such as , a keypad , keyboard , mouse , kiosk , personal digital assistant , handheld computer ( e . g ., palm pilot ®, blueberry ®), cellular phone and / or the like ). similarly , the invention could be used in conjunction with any type of personal computer , network computer , work station , minicomputer , mainframe , or the like running any operating system such as any version of windows , windows nt , windows 2000 , windows 98 , windows 95 , macos , os / 2 , beos , linux , unix , solaris or the like . moreover , although the invention may frequently be described as being implemented with tcp / ip communications protocol , it should be understood that the invention could also be implemented using sna , ipx , appletalk , ipte , netbios , osi or any number of communications protocols . moreover , the system contemplates the use , sale , or distribution of any goods , services or information over any network having similar functionality described herein . a variety of conventional communications media and protocols may be used for data links providing physical connections between the various system components . for example , the data links may be an internet service provider ( isp ) configured to facilitate communications over a local loop as is typically used in connection with standard modem communication , cable modem , dish networks , isdn , digital subscriber lines ( dsl ), or any wireless communication media . in addition , the merchant system including the pos device 106 and host network 108 may reside on a local area network which interfaces to a remote network ( not shown ) for remote authorization of an intended transaction . pos 106 may communicate with the remote network via a leased line , such as a t1 , d3 line , or the like . such communications lines are described in a variety of texts , such as , “ understanding data communications ,” by gilbert held , which is incorporated herein by reference . a transaction device identifier , as used herein , may include any identifier for a transaction device which may be correlated to a user transaction account ( e . g ., credit , charge debit , checking , savings , reward , loyalty , or the like ) maintained by a transaction account provider ( e . g ., payment authorization center ). a typical transaction account identifier ( e . g ., account number ) may be correlated to a credit or debit account , loyalty account , or rewards account maintained and serviced by such entities as american express , visa and / or mastercard , or the like . to facilitate understanding , the present invention may be described with respect to a credit account . however , it should be noted that the invention is not so limited and other accounts permitting an exchange of goods and services for an account data value is contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention . a transaction device identifier may be , for example , a sixteen - digit credit card number , although each credit provider has its own numbering system , such as the fifteen - digit numbering system used by american express . each company &# 39 ; s credit card numbers comply with that company &# 39 ; s standardized format such that the company using a sixteen - digit format will generally use four spaced sets of numbers , as represented by the number “ 0000 0000 0000 0000 ”. in a typical example , the first five to seven digits are reserved for processing purposes and identify the issuing bank , card type and , etc . in this example , the last sixteenth digit is used as a sum check for the sixteen - digit number . the intermediary eight - to - ten digits are used to uniquely identify the customer . the account number stored as track 1 and track 2 data as defined in iso / iec 7813 , and further may be made unique to rfid transaction device . in one exemplary embodiment , transaction device identifier may include a unique rfid transaction device serial number and user identification number , as well as specific application applets . transaction device identifier may be stored on a transaction device database located on transaction device . transaction device database may be configured to store multiple account numbers issued to rfid transaction device user by the same or different account providing institutions . in addition , where the device identifier corresponds to a loyalty or rewards account , rfid transaction device database may be configured to store the attendant loyalty or rewards points data . the merchant database locations maintained on database 116 by server 110 are provided a distinct merchant identifier . database discussed herein may be a graphical , hierarchical , relational , object - oriented or other database , and may be maintained on a local drive of a server or on a separate computer coupled to the server via a local area or other network ( not shown ). in one embodiment , databases disclosed are a collection of ascii or other text files stored on a local drive of server . database information is suitably retrieved from the database and provided to transaction processing systems upon request via a server application , as described more fully below . in addition to the above , transaction device identifier may be associated with any secondary form of identification configured to allow the consumer to interact or communicate with a payment system . for example , transaction device identifier may be associated with , for example , an authorization / access code , personal identification number ( pin ), internet code , digital certificate , biometric data , and / or other secondary identification data used to verify a transaction device user identity . it should be further noted that conventional components of rfid transaction devices may not be discussed herein for brevity . for instance , one skilled in the art will appreciate that rfid transaction device and rfid reader disclosed herein include traditional transponders , antennas , protocol sequence controllers , modulators / demodulators and the like , necessary for proper rfid data transmission . as such , those components are contemplated to be included in the scope of the invention . it should be noted that the transfer of information in accordance with this invention , may be done in a format recognizable by a merchant system or account issuer . in that regard , by way of example , the information may be transmitted in magnetic stripe or multi - track magnetic stripe format . because of the proliferation of devices using magnetic stripe format , the standards for coding information in magnetic stripe format were standardized by the international standards organization ( iso ). typically , magnetic stripe information is formatted in three tracks . certain industry information must be maintained on certain portion of the tracks , while other portions of the tracks may have open data fields . the contents of each track and the formatting of the information provided to each track is controlled by iso standard iso / iec 7811 . for example , the information must typically be encoded in binary . track 1 is usually encoded with user information ( name ) in alphanumeric format . track 2 is typically comprised of discretionary and non - discretionary data fields . in one example , the non - discretionary field may comprise 19 characters and the discretionary field may comprise 13 characters . track 3 is typically reserved for financial transactions and includes enciphered versions of the user &# 39 ; s personal identification number , country code , currently units amount authorized per cycle , subsidiary accounts , and restrictions . as such , where information is provided in accordance with this invention , it may be provided in magnetic stripe format track . for example , counter values , authentication tags and encrypted identifiers , described herein , may be forwarded encoded in all or a portion of a data stream representing data encoded in , for example , track 2 or track 3 format . further still , various components may be described herein in terms of their “ validity .” in this context , a “ valid ” component is one which is authorized for use in completing a transaction request in accordance with the present invention . contrarily , an “ invalid ” component is one which is not authorized for transaction completion . in addition , an invalid component may be one which is not recognized as being permitted for use on the secure rf system described herein . fig1 illustrates an exemplary secure rfid transaction system 100 in accordance with the present invention , wherein exemplary components for use in completing a rf transaction are depicted . in general , system 100 may include a rfid transaction device 102 in rf communication with a rfid reader 104 for transmitting data there between . rfid reader 104 may be in further communication with a merchant point - of - sale ( pos ) device 106 for providing to pos 106 data received from rfid transaction device 102 . pos 106 may be in further communication with an acquirer 110 or an account issuer 112 via host network 108 for transmitting a transaction request , including information received from rfid reader 104 , and receiving authorization concerning transaction completion . although the point - of - interaction device ( pos ) is described herein with respect to a merchant point - of - sale ( pos ) device , the invention is not to be so limited . indeed , a merchant pos device is used herein by way of example , and the point - of - interaction device may be any device capable of receiving transaction device account data . in this regard , the pos may be any point - of - interaction device enabling the user to complete a transaction using a transaction device 102 . pos device 106 may receive rfid transaction device 102 information and provide the information to host network 108 for processing . as used herein , an “ acquirer ” may be a third - party entity including various databases and processors for facilitating the routing of the transaction request to an appropriate account issuer 112 . acquirer 110 may route the request to account issuer in accordance with a routing number provided by rfid transaction device 102 . the “ routing number ” in this context may be a unique network address or any similar device for locating an account issuer 112 on host network 108 . traditional means of routing the payment request in accordance with the routing number are well understood . as such , the process for using a routing number to provide the payment request will not be discussed herein for brevity . additionally , account issuer 112 (“ account provider ” or “ issuer system ”) may be any entity which provides a transaction account for facilitating completion of a transaction request . the transaction account may be any credit , debit , loyalty , direct debit , checking , or savings , or the like . the term “ issuer ” or “ account provider ” may refer to any entity facilitating payment of a transaction using a transaction device , and which includes systems permitting payment using at least one of a preloaded and non - preloaded transaction device . typical issuers may be american express , mastercard , visa , discover , and the like . in the preloaded value processing context , an exchange value ( e . g ., money , rewards points , barter points , etc .) may be stored in a preloaded value database ( not shown ) for use in completing a requested transaction . the preloaded value database and thus the exchange value may not be stored on transaction device itself , but may be stored remotely , such as , for example , at account issuer 112 location . further , the preloaded value database may be debited the amount of the transaction requiring the value to be replenished . the preloaded value may be any conventional value ( e . g ., monetary , rewards points , barter points , etc .) which may be exchanged for goods or services . in that regard , the preloaded value may have any configuration as determined by issuer system 112 . in general , during operation of secure system 100 , rfid reader 104 may provide an interrogation signal to transaction device 102 for powering device 102 and receiving transaction device related data . the interrogation signal may be received at a transaction device antenna 120 and may be further provided to a transponder ( not shown ). in response , a transaction device processor 114 may retrieve a transaction device identifier from a transaction device database 116 for providing to rfid reader 104 to complete a transaction request . typically , transaction device identifier may be encrypted prior to providing the device identifier to a modulator / demodulator ( not shown ) for providing the identifier to rfid reader 104 . it should be noted that rfid reader 104 and rfid transaction device 102 may engage in mutual authentication prior to transferring any transaction device 102 data to rfid reader 104 . for a detailed explanation of a suitable mutual authentication process for use with the invention , please refer to commonly owned u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 340 , 352 , entitled “ system and method for incenting payment using radio frequency identification in contact and contactless transactions ,” filed jan . 10 , 2003 , incorporated by reference in its entirety . in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , a rf transaction using a rfid transaction device is secured by limiting the number of transactions which may be performed with a particular transaction device . once the maximum transactions value is reached , transaction device may automatically disable itself against further usage . alternatively , account issuer 112 may flag the transaction account correlating to transaction device such that account issuer system automatically prevents completion of transactions using transaction device as such , rfid transaction device 102 in accordance with the present invention further includes a counter 118 for recording and reporting the number of transactions performed with a particular transaction device 102 . counter 118 may be any device capable of being initiated with a beginning value and incrementing that value by a predetermined amount when transaction device 102 is presented for completion of a transaction . counter 118 may be a discrete electronic device on the transponder , or may be software or code based counter as is found in the art . the initial counter value may be any value from which other similar values may be measured . the value may take any form , such as , alpha , numeric , a formation of symbols , or any combination thereof . to facilitate understanding , the following description discusses all values to be in numeric units ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 . . . n ). thus , counter values , the value amount to be incremented , the total transactions counted value , and the maximum transactions value , are all whole numbers . it should be noted that account issuer 112 may preset the initial counter value at any initial value as desired . account issuer 112 may also predetermine the value amount to be incremented by counter 118 when transaction device is used to complete a transaction . further , account issuer 112 may assign different values to be incremented for each distinct transaction device 102 . further still , account issuer 112 may determine the maximum transactions value , which may be particular to each individual transaction device 102 issued by account issuer 112 . where counter 118 value equals a maximum transactions value , the system 100 prevents the usage of transaction device 102 to complete additional transactions . account issuer 112 may prevent the usage of transaction device 102 where account issuer flags the transaction account corresponding to transaction device 102 , thereby preventing authorization for using the account to complete transactions . alternatively , transaction device 102 may self - disable . for example , counter 118 value may trigger transaction device processor 114 to provide a signal for preventing the transfer of transaction device 102 identifier . for example , account issuer 112 may preset the initial counter value at 5 units and counter value to be incremented at 10 units per transaction . account issuer 112 may determine that transaction device 102 may be used to complete a total transaction value of 20 transactions . since counter 118 increments counter value by the value to be incremented ( e . g ., 10 units ) for each transaction , then for a total of 20 transactions permitted , the maximum transactions value will be 205 units . once counter value equals 205 units , then the operation of transaction device 102 may be disabled . the operation of the exemplary embodiment described above , may be understood with reference to fig1 and to the method of securing a rfid transaction described in fig2 . the operation may begin when rfid transaction device 102 is presented for completion of a transaction . transaction device 102 may be placed in an interrogation field generated by rfid reader 104 ( step 202 ). rfid reader 104 may interrogate rfid transaction device 102 enabling transaction device 102 operation . in response , rfid transaction device 102 may retrieve transaction device 102 identifier , account issuer 112 routing number and encrypted transaction device identifier from database 116 for providing to rfid reader 104 ( step 204 ). once rfid transaction device 102 detects the interrogation signal provided by rfid reader 104 , counter 118 may increment its counter value ( step 206 ). counter 118 value may be incremented by an amount predetermined by account issuer 112 ( e . g ., value amount to be incremented ). the resulting counter 118 value after incrementing is the total transactions counted value . upon determining the total transactions counted value , rfid transaction device 102 may provide the total transactions counted value , the encrypted transaction device 102 identifier , and account issuer 112 routing number to rfid reader 104 via rf transmission ( step 208 ). rfid reader 104 may , in turn , convert transaction device 102 identifier , routing number , and total transactions counted value into merchant pos recognizable format and forward the converted information to merchant pos 106 ( step 210 ). a merchant system , including pos 106 , may then provide a transaction request to acquirer 110 via network 106 . the transaction request may include the information received from transaction device 102 along with information ( e . g ., amount , number of product , product / service identifier ) concerning the transaction requested to be completed ( step 216 ). the transaction request may include information relative to rfid reader 104 . acquirer 110 may receive the transaction request and forward the transaction request to the appropriate account issuer 112 in accordance with the routing number provided ( step 218 ). account issuer 112 may then identify that a transaction request is being provided that relates to a transaction device . for example , merchant pos 106 may provide a code appended to the transaction request specially configured for identifying a transaction device transaction which may be recognized by account issuer 112 . alternatively , transaction device identifier , or a portion thereof , may be identified by account issuer 112 as originating with a rfid transaction device 102 . in one exemplary embodiment , account issuer 112 receives the transaction device 102 identifier and checks to see if the transaction device identifier corresponds to a valid transaction account maintained on account issuer 112 system ( step 220 ). for example , account issuer 112 may receive the encrypted transaction device identifier and locate the corresponding decryption key relating to the transaction account . if the encrypted identifier is invalid , such as , for example , when account issuer 112 is unable to locate the corresponding decryption key , account issuer 112 may provide a “ transaction invalid ” message to pos 106 ( step 228 ). transaction device 102 user may then be permitted to provide an alternate means of satisfying the transaction , or the transaction is ended ( step 230 ). if the rfid transaction device 102 encrypted identifier corresponding decryption key is located , the encrypted identifier is considered “ valid ” and account issuer 112 may then use the corresponding decryption key to “ unlock ” or locate transaction device account correlative to transaction device 102 . account provider 112 may then retrieve all information relating to the usage limits which have been predetermined by account issuer 112 . account issuer 112 may be able to determine if a particular transaction device 102 has reached its limit of available transactions . for example , account issuer 112 may check to see if the total transactions counted value equals or exceeds the maximum transactions allowed ( step 224 ). if the maximum transactions allowed have been reached then counter value is met or exceeded , and the transaction is considered “ invalid .” as such , account issuer 112 may then provide a “ transaction invalid ” message to pos 106 ( step 228 ). in addition , account issuer 112 may determine whether the total transactions counted value is the next expected value . if not , then the transaction is considered “ invalid ” and account issuer 112 may also provide a “ transaction invalid ” message to pos 106 ( step 228 ). the transaction device 102 user may then be permitted to provide alternate means of completing the transaction ( step 226 ) or the transaction is ended . alternatively , where the total transactions counted value does not exceed or meet the maximum transactions allowed value , counter value is considered valid and a “ transaction valid ” message is sent to merchant pos 106 ( step 230 ). the merchant system may then complete the transaction under business as usual standards as are employed by the merchant . in accordance with the various embodiments described , the present invention addresses the problem of securing a rf transaction completed by a rfid transaction device . the invention provides a system and method for an account issuer to determine if rfid transaction device is a valid device for completing a transaction on a rf transaction system . account issuer can determine whether transaction device is valid by verifying transaction device counter , and encryption identifier . it should be noted , however , that the present invention contemplates various arrangements wherein rfid reader may also be validated . fig3 illustrates another method 300 for usage of rfid transaction device counter 118 value for securing a rf transaction . in accordance with the method depicted , rfid reader 104 includes a random number generator 120 , for producing a random number to be used in secure transactions . random number generator 120 may be any conventional random number generator as is found in the art . method 300 may begin when a user presents rfid transaction device 102 for transaction completion ( step 302 ). the user may , for example , place rfid transaction device 102 into the interrogation zone provided by rfid reader 104 . the interrogation zone may be the area or zone defined by the interrogation signal cast by rfid reader 104 . upon presentment of transaction device 102 , rfid reader 104 may provide the random number to rfid transaction device 102 ( step 304 ). rfid transaction device 102 may receive the random number and use it to create a rfid transaction device authentication tag ( step 306 ). rfid transaction device 102 may receive the random number and use the random number , counter value , transaction account number and rfid transaction device encryption key to create a rfid transaction device authentication tag . rfid transaction device 102 may provide rfid transaction device authentication tag to rfid reader 104 . rfid transaction device 102 may also provide in - the - clear data , counter value , random number to rfid reader 104 , along with rfid transaction device authentication tag ( step 308 ). rfid transaction device processor 114 may increment counter 118 using any of the incrementing methods discussed above ( step 310 ). rfid reader 104 may receive the data provided by rfid transponder 102 , and use the data to create a rfid reader authentication key using a rfid reader encryption key ( step 312 ). rfid reader 104 may use the transaction data and rfid reader 104 encryption key to encrypt the authentication tag created by the rf transaction device using common techniques such as des and triple des and pass the modified authentication tag together with the in - the - clear data , random number , counter value , modified rfid transaction device authentication tag , and rfid reader authentication tag into a format readable by pos 106 ( step 314 ) and provide the converted data to pos 106 ( step 316 ). in an alternate embodiment , rfid reader 104 may receive the data provided by rfid transaction device 102 , and use the data to create a rfid reader authentication key using a rfid reader encryption key ( step 312 ). the reader authentication key is a digital signature created using the reader encryption key , rfid transaction device transaction data , and reader random number . rfid reader 104 may then pass the transaction data provided by the rf transaction device plus the reader authentication tag to pos 106 . pos 106 may seek satisfaction of the transaction ( step 318 ). for example , pos 106 may form a transaction request using the data received from rfid transaction device 102 , and rfid reader 104 encryption key and forward the transaction request to acquirer 110 who may forward the transaction request to account issuer 112 using the routing number . account issuer 112 may receive the transaction request and verify that rfid reader 104 and rfid transmission device 102 are valid . account issuer 112 may validate rfid reader authentication tag by decrypting rfid reader authentication tag using a rfid reader encryption key stored on an account issuer database ( not shown ) ( step 320 ). if the decryption is unsuccessful , then issuer system 112 may provide a “ transaction invalid ” message to pos 106 ( step 322 ) and the transaction is terminated . alternatively , if decryption is successful , issuer system 112 may seek to validate rfid transaction device authentication tag ( step 332 ). for example , account issuer 112 may use the rf transaction device account number to locate a rfid transaction device encryption key stored on the issuer 112 ( step 324 ) database and use rfid transaction device encryption key to decrypt rfid transaction device authentication tag ( step 326 ). if decryption is unsuccessful then issuer system 112 provides a “ transaction invalid ” message to pos 106 ( step 322 ) and the transaction is terminated . alternatively , if the decryption is successful , then issuer system 112 may validate counter value ( step 328 ). issuer system 112 may compare counter value to an expected counter value . in another exemplary embodiment , issuer system 112 may subject counter value received from rfid transaction device 102 to an algorithm the results of which are validated against an expected counter value . issuer system 112 determines the expected value by referencing the algorithm used to increment counter value . for example , rfid transaction device 102 may have an algorithm ( e . g ., “ counter algorithm ”) stored on transaction device database which may be used to increment counter value . in an exemplary embodiment , issuer system 112 , stores a substantially similar copy of counter algorithm on issuer system 112 which is used to determine an expected counter value based on transactions known to issuer system 112 . in some instances , the expected counter value and counter value are not the same . that is , there may be differences due to , for example , transactions being processed off - line using rfid transaction device 102 . by “ off - line ” what may be meant is that the transaction is not immediately reported to issuer system 112 . instead , the transaction may be approved for processing without prior approval from issuer system 112 , and issuer system 112 is notified of the transaction at a later date ( e . g ., not in real - time ). in this case , counter algorithm may be such that a valid value is a value within an expected error range . if counter value is unsuccessfully validated , then issuer system 112 may provide a “ transaction invalid ” message to pos 106 . otherwise , issuer system 112 may process the rfid transaction account number under business as usual standards ( step 330 ). in this way , the transaction is secured using a counter , by using counter to validate a rfid transaction device authentication tag and a rfid reader authentication tag . fig4 illustrates another exemplary embodiment wherein rfid transaction device 102 is validated using counter value . in this exemplary embodiment , rfid transaction device 102 is presented ( step 302 ) and rfid reader 104 sends a random number to rfid transaction device 102 ( step 304 ). rfid transaction device 102 receives the random number and creates a rfid transaction device authentication tag using the random number , the in - the - clear data , and a counter value ( step 306 ). rfid transaction device 102 may then provide rfid transaction device authentication tag , random number , counter value , and in - the - clear data to rfid reader 104 ( step 308 ). rfid transaction device 102 may increment counter value by a predetermined value ( step 310 ). rfid reader 104 may receive rfid transaction device authentication tag , in - the - clear data and counter value and convert counter value , in - the - clear data and rfid transaction device authentication tag to a merchant pos 106 format ( step 414 ). rfid reader 104 may then provide the converted data to pos 106 ( step 316 ). merchant pos 106 may then provide the data received from rfid reader 104 to issuer system 112 for transaction satisfaction ( step 318 ). issuer system 112 may receive the data and verify rfid transaction device authentication tag ( step 332 ). for example , issuer system 112 may validate the rfid transaction authentication tag and counter value in accordance with steps 324 - 328 . under yet another embodiment , fig5 illustrates an aspect of the invention wherein rfid reader 104 is validated , when rfid transaction device 102 is not . according to the invention rfid transaction device 102 is validated using counter value . in this exemplary embodiment , rfid transaction device 102 is presented for transaction completion ( step 302 ). rfid transaction device 102 may then provide counter and the in - the - clear data to rfid reader 104 ( step 508 ). rfid transaction device 102 may increment counter value by a predetermined value ( step 310 ). alternatively , rfid reader 104 may provide a signal to transaction device 102 for use in incrementing the counter value . rfid reader 104 may receive the in - the - clear data and counter value and prepare rfid reader authentication tag using a rfid reader encryption key ( step 512 ). rfid reader may then convert the in - the - clear data and rfid reader authentication tag to a merchant pos 106 format ( step 514 ) and provide the converted data to pos 106 ( step 316 ). the merchant pos 106 may then provide the data received from rfid reader 104 to an issuer system 112 for transaction satisfaction ( step 318 ). in one exemplary embodiment , the merchant pos 106 provides issuer system 116 with a pos identifier associated with pos 106 ( step 519 ). issuer system 116 may then seek to verify rfid reader 104 ( step 532 ). for example , issuer system 112 may receive the pos identifier , and locate a related pos encryption key stored on an issuer system database ( step 524 ). issuer system 112 may receive the encryption key data and verify rfid reader authentication tag using the pos encryption key data ( step 526 ). for example , issuer system 112 may validate the rfid transaction authentication tag by attempting to decrypt rfid reader authentication tag using the pos encryption key ( i . e ., step 526 ). if rfid reader authentication tag is successfully decrypted , then the transaction may be processed under business as usual standards ( step 330 ). in another exemplary embodiment , prior to processing the transaction request ( step 330 ), issuer system 112 may further verify rfid reader 104 by verifying counter value used to create the rfid authentication tag ( step 528 ), in similar manner as was done with step 328 . the preceding detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention makes reference to the accompanying drawings , which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration . while these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , rfid reader may include an rfid reader encrypted identifier stored in the reader database , which may be validated by account issuer in similar manner as with transaction device encrypted identifier . moreover , counter may increment the total transactions counted value by the predetermined incremental value at the completion of a successful transaction . in addition , the steps recited in any of the method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented . further , the present invention may be practiced using one or more servers , as necessary . thus , the preceding detailed description is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation , and the scope of the invention is defined by the preceding description , and with respect to the attached claims .	6
the best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment , herein depicted within fig1 through 5 . however , the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention , and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention . it is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention , and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope . the terms “ a ” and “ an ” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity , but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items . in accordance with the invention , the present disclosure will be made to certain embodiments , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . referring now to fig1 through 5 , which depict a hunting blind ( herein described as a “ device ”) 10 , where like reference numerals represent similar or like parts . all terminology is used for the sake of clarity and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific terminology selected and it is to be understood that each described element or part includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish similar functions . as used herein , the term tree stand 12 refers to any type , design , or model of tree stand , including climbing stands , ladder stands , hanging stands , box stands , or any other similar open or enclosed platforms used by hunters 100 . these types of tree stands typically include a platform secured to a tree 11 in order to elevate the user / hunter 100 to provide a better vantage point . the device 10 provides concealed observation and a firing supported rifle rest 40 for use with the tree stand 12 at an elevated position or for use upon a ground surface . the device 10 is coupled to a tree 11 , either at an upper position above the tree stand 12 or at a lower position above the ground surface to surround and conceal the user 100 . as shown in fig1 , the device 10 comprises a back rest 20 , a securing mechanism 30 , and a firing support 40 . the device 10 includes a plurality of hooks 60 that are removably connected to the firing support 40 . the hooks 60 provide an adjustable support member for hanging various articles in order to keep them off of the floor of the tree stand 12 or the ground surface . the back rest 20 includes a cushion 21 affixed to a rigid back plate 22 using adhesives or equivalent means . the back plate 22 is a generally rectangular member and is fabricated of a strong , lightweight material , such as fiberglass , plastic , or lightweight metal . the lower end of the back plate 22 includes an integral tree support member 23 which provides a rearwardly protruding and curved form - fitting surface which contacts the tree 11 in a stabilizing manner ( see fig3 ). the securing mechanism 30 includes a pair of straps 31 and a ratchet mechanism 32 for securely attaching the back rest 20 to the tree 11 . the straps 31 are fabricated from a durable material , such as nylon or similar natural or synthetic materials . each strap 31 has a free end and a sewn looped end portion being insertingly attached to a tube attachment 24 . a pair of upright tube attachments 24 is rigidly affixed to opposing sides of the back plate 22 using fasteners 80 such as clips , screws , or the like . the ratcheting mechanism 32 is affixed to a free end of one ( 1 ) of the straps 31 and is adapted to receive the free end of the opposing strap 31 through a ratchet slot . actuation of a handle portion of the ratchet mechanism 32 draws the free end of the opposing strap 31 inwardly , thus shortening its length and reducing the diameter of the securing mechanism 30 tightly around the tree 11 . the firing support 40 comprises a tubular framework having a round or rectangular cross - sectional shape which surrounds the tree stand 12 and user / hunter 100 during use . the firing support 40 is rigidly attached to the back rest 20 and is oriented perpendicularly to the tree 11 when the device 10 is in use . the firing support 40 supports a firearm or bow during firing and provides a safety guardrail for the user / hunter 100 when at an elevated position . the firing support 40 is fabricated from a strong and lightweight material , such as plastic , polycarbonate , or aluminum . it can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that other lightweight materials can be utilized without departing from the present invention . in certain embodiments , the firing support 40 comprises a single circular section of frame tube 41 that attaches to the back plate 22 . the tube 41 end portions are to be insertingly attachable to the tube attachment 24 and selectively secured using spring pin 82 and aperture 84 portions to form the generally circular perimeter around the user / hunter 100 . in certain embodiments , the firing support 40 includes a padded covering 43 wrapped around the exterior of the tube 41 . the covering 43 is fabricated from a water resistant and durable padded material , such as foam . in the various embodiments of the device 10 , the firing support 40 and the tube attachments 24 have a circular or a square cross - section . referring now to fig2 , an environmental view of the device 10 , shown in use over an existing tree stand , in accordance with the present invention , is disclosed . the device 10 is illustrated in use upon a tree 11 and covering the tree stand 12 . the back rest 20 is removably secured around the tree 11 at the upper location via the securing mechanism 30 . the firing support 40 extends outwardly from the back rest 20 and defines a perimeter around the tree stand 12 and the user / hunter 100 . the blind panel 50 hangs downwardly from the firing support 40 to conceal the user / hunter 100 , whether in the tree stand 12 or upon the ground surface . the device 10 may be utilized with or without the blind panel 50 . in such cases , the device 10 provides the support and stability of the firing support 40 alone . the blind panel 50 is fabricated from a lightweight material being slidingly attached to the firing support 40 ( see fig5 ). referring now to fig3 and 4 , partially exploded and rear views of the firing support hunting blind 10 , in accordance with the present invention , are disclosed . the lower end of the back plate 22 includes a tree support member 23 which provides an arcuate exterior surface for making stable contact with a portion of the circumference of the tree 11 when the device 10 is secured . the tube attachments 24 provide removable attachment of respective tube portions 41 of the firing support 40 . each end portion of the tube 41 comprises an “ l ”- shape having an upwardly extending and perpendicularly bent end portion 42 . each end 42 removably attaches to a respective tube attachment 24 . the ends 42 have a diameter suitable sized and shaped to be inserted into an open lower end of the tube attachment 24 . each tube attachment 24 comprises a locking mechanism , preferably being a spring pin 82 or similar mechanism which provides selective and adjustable engagement into corresponding aperture portions 84 being arranged in a linear pattern and located along a bottom portion of the tube attachment 24 . in other embodiments , the firing support 40 comprises a pair of generally semi - circular frame tubes 41 , being attached via a diametrically enlarged end of one ( 1 ) tube 41 and a normal end portion of the other tube 41 . referring now to fig5 , a cross section view of a blind panel 50 portion of the device 10 , is disclosed . in another embodiment , the present invention 10 utilizes a removably attachable draped blind panel 50 further comprising a circularly - wrapped sleeve portion 52 disposed about the upper edge for receiving the firing support 40 . it is envisioned that an upper edge portion of the sleeve 52 is preferably wrapped around the firing support 40 and fastened back upon itself via a fastening mechanism 54 , preferably being a hook - and - loop - type fastener . the fastening mechanism 54 can comprise an equivalent means such as snap fasteners , or may be sewn together to form a tunnel feature . the position of the blind panel 50 is adjustable by sliding it along the firing support 40 . the blind panel 50 is to be fabricated from a lightweight material , such as nylon , polyester , or similar durable natural or synthetic fabric . in certain embodiments the blind panel 50 is imprinted with a camouflage pattern for blending into the surrounding environment . the firing support 40 is envisioned to comprise a padded covering 43 which surrounds an exterior surface of the tube 41 to provide protection and comfort to the user 100 . the covering 43 is preferably fabricated from a water resistant and durable padded material such as plastic - coated urethane foam or equivalent material . in other embodiments , the blind panel 50 is envisioned to comprise a plurality of apertures spaced apart along the upper edge for receiving the firing support 40 therethrough . the apertures can also include grommets for increased durability . in yet other embodiments the blind panel 50 may includes a plurality of individual sections . in certain other embodiments the blind panel 50 includes two ( 2 ) or more sections . it is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention , and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope . the preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training . after initial purchase or acquisition of the device 10 , it would be installed as indicated in fig1 and 2 . the method of utilizing the device 10 may be achieved by performing the following steps : procuring a model of the device 10 having a desired color and pattern ; mounting an existing tree stand 12 to the tree 11 at a desired height off the ground surface ; mounting the device 10 to the tree 11 at a desired distance above the tree stand 12 by positioning the back rest 20 at a corresponding location upon the tree 11 with the back plate 22 and tree support member 23 in contact with the surface of the tree 11 ; wrapping the strap portions 31 around the tree 11 ; securing the straps 31 using the ratcheting mechanism 32 ; attaching the firing support 40 to the back rest 20 by inserting the end portions 42 of the tubes 41 into the respective tube attachment portions 24 ; securing the tube 41 and tube attachment 24 portions together at a desired relative position using the spring pin 82 and aperture 84 portions ; wrapping an upper edge portion of the blind panel 50 around the firing support 40 ; attaching the blind panel 50 around said firing support 40 by pressing the portions of the fastening mechanism 54 together ; and , utilizing the device 10 to hunt game , observe wildlife , or similar activities . the device 10 may be positioned at a lower position upon the tree and above the ground surface , as desired . the straps 31 are wrapped around the tree 11 and the free end of one ( 1 ) strap 31 is inserted into the ratchet mechanism 32 . the ratchet mechanism 32 is actuated to draw in the inserted strap 31 to shorten its length and tighten the straps 31 around the tree 11 . it is understood that the firing support 40 can be attached to the back rest 20 before or after mounting the device 10 to the tree 11 . in certain embodiments , the firing support 40 comprises a single circular section of frame tube 41 , said tubes 41 are joined via insertion of diametrically enlarged and normal end portions . in like manner , the tube 41 end portions 42 are to be insertingly attachable to the tube attachments 24 and selectively secured thereto using spring pin 82 and aperture 84 portions to form the generally circular perimeter around the user / hunter 100 . the firing support 40 can be easily and quickly detached from the back rest 20 for transportation to and from a hunting site . the device 10 can be utilized with or without attachment of the blind panel 50 . with the blind panel 50 draped over the firing support 40 , the user / hunter 100 is concealed from the surrounding environment whether in the tree stand 12 or upon the ground surface . the user / hunter 100 can support and rest a rifle , bow , or other weapon upon the firing support 40 during firing for added stability . the firing support 40 also provides a safety guard to prevent the user / hunter 100 from falling from the tree stand 12 during firing . a desired number of hooks 60 may be affixed to the firing support 40 to provide a means to temporarily suspend various hunting related articles , thus keeping them out of the way and easily accessible . the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed . obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application , and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient , but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention .	0
fig1 of the drawings shows an apparatus 10 for dispensing fluent solid material 4 into receptacles such as bag 2 . of course , the type of receptacle is not important , and may include drums , boxes , open troughs , and others . apparatus 10 includes a storage hopper 12 having a plurality of chutes 14 disposed in communication with hopper 12 . the fluent material 4 is stored in hopper 12 and discharged through chutes 14 into the receptacle . storage hopper 12 includes an unbroken bottom wall 13 and the chutes 14 are all located on the rear wall 15 of storage hopper 12 . hopper 12 may have a roof 16 or other cover to protect contents . illustratively , salt , which is commonly employed to melt ice on roadways in cold climates , would fuse into a solid mass if subjected to rain . an openable closure such as doors 18 provided on a lateral side of hopper 12 are provided if roof 16 is not hinged or otherwise rendered openable . the closure enables loading hopper 12 from a conveyor ( not shown ), mobile earth moving equipment ( not shown ), or any other equipment suitable for discharging the fluent material 4 into hopper 12 . doors 18 are secured in place in any suitable way , such as by retaining device 19 . device 19 comprises a handle for grasping and maneuvering , and a finger which is rotated into a position obstructing downward swing of door 18 . device 10 is rotatably fastened to a wall of hopper 12 . fluent material 4 is transported to each chute 14 from the interior storage chamber of hopper 12 by a suitable conveyor . a preferred form of conveyor is screw auger 20 . augers 20 are rotated by a power plant , such as diesel engine 22 . although shown only diagrammatically , engine 22 will be understood to include all components conventionally furnished with engines for supporting all necessary functions enabling the engine to be self - contained and to operate independently of external connections and components . illustratively , such components include battery , ac or dc generator , fuel tank and conduits , exhaust system , radiator and associated conduits , starting motor , and the like . output of engine 22 is distributed by a suitable transmission 24 to each individual rotatable power shaft of each auger 20 . transmission 24 may comprise an arrangement of chains , belts , rods , gears , and shafts ( none shown ) necessary to accomplish distribution of rotary output of engine 22 . transmission 24 encompasses any suitable mechanical , hydraulic , pneumatic , or electrical device transmitting rotary motion from engine 22 to each chute 14 . although rotational speed may , if desired , be increased or decreased over that of the output of engine 22 , this characteristic is not necessarily accomplished in transmission 24 . each power shaft of each auger 20 is controlled by a suitable clutch 26 which selectively drives its associated shaft from transmission 24 and isolates the shaft from transmission 24 . each clutch 26 is of any suitable type , such as electrical or mechanically operated friction type . each clutch 26 is operated by a pedal 50 ( see fig3 ) accessible to an operator filling a bag 2 . each pedal 50 is associated with a controller 36 ( see fig2 ) for controlling each auger 20 independently of other augers 20 . because apparatus 10 is mobile , it includes wheels 28 suitably connected to apparatus 10 by a suitable suspension 30 . apparatus 10 will be understood to include a frame or chassis ( not separately shown ), if construction of hopper 12 is not sufficiently stout to provide an equivalent function . wheels 28 and suspension 30 may be provided with springs , pivotal components , and the like for supporting hopper 12 above the ground , providing steering and turning functions and to comply with irregular surfaces . apparatus 10 may be provided with brakes ( not shown ), if desired . apparatus 10 also has an arm 32 projecting horizontally and forwardly from apparatus 10 . arm 30 terminates in a trailer hitch 34 mounted thereon , so that apparatus 10 is readily towed by a tow vehicle ( not shown ). arm 32 may assume the configuration of a so - called gooseneck ( not shown ), being curved so as to approach the connection of the tow vehicle from above , rather than extending horizontally as depicted . also , it will be appreciated that trailer hitch 34 is shown only in a representative capacity , and may be replaced by other types of releasable connectors for connection to a tow vehicle . fig2 clearly reveals the arrangement of augers 20 , which are arranged abreast and disposed to discharge at the rear of apparatus 10 . each auger 20 has a foot pedal control mechanism 36 located proximate its respective chute 14 , which control mechanism 36 at a minimum operates its respective clutch 26 by a suitable control connection represented by electrical conductor 38 . however , control mechanism 36 preferably also controls a clamp indicated generally at 40 in fig2 . better shown in fig3 clamp 40 is arranged to support a bag 2 below associated chute 14 . clamp 40 comprises a contact block 42 which pins bag 2 against the rear wall of hopper 12 . contact block 42 is supported on an arm 44 pivotally supported on the rear wall of hopper 12 by a suitable journalling or trunnion fitting 46 . a hydraulic cylinder assembly 48 is arranged to pivot arm 44 and thus contact block 42 into and away from the clamping position illustrated in fig3 . cylinder assembly 48 may be controlled by pedal 50 of control mechanism 36 in any suitable way . in one example , control mechanism 36 includes a switch ( not separately shown ) which makes a circuit represented by conductor 52 supplying electrical power to a hydraulic pump 54 . hydraulic fluid is supplied under pressure to cylinder assembly 48 and returned to pump 54 by conduits 56 , 58 . of course , clamp 40 may be electrically , pneumatically , or manually operated , if desired . fig4 illustrates an optional feature of apparatus 10 . the storage chamber existing inside hopper 12 may be utilized as storage space when apparatus 10 is in transit . the storage chamber of hopper 12 is provided with a perforated metal grate 60 which serves as a floor enabling the storage chamber to contain cargo . grate 60 has openings enabling passage of fluent material 2 to augers 20 disposed below grate 60 . however , grate 60 will support large objects , such as small motorized earth moving equipment 6 , tools ( not shown ), and the like to be stored within hopper 12 when fluent material is not present . a full height door 62 , preferably located on an end wall 64 ( see fig2 ) of hopper 12 , swings down to reveal the storage chamber . end wall 64 is either the front or rear wall of hopper 12 , as contrasted with a lateral wall 66 ( see fig2 ). of course , doors 18 ( see fig1 ) could be full height to accomplish a similar purpose , if desired . however , it is contemplated that objects such as equipment 6 will be of such a length that it will prove more feasible to align the respective longitudinal dimensions of apparatus 10 and equipment 6 to be parallel . door 62 is supported on , or alternatively , replaced by , a ramp 68 . ramp 68 engages hopper 12 by a finger and socket arrangement shown in fig5 . the socket is formed by a member 70 which is solidly fixed to the rear wall of hopper 12 or to the frame ( not shown ) of apparatus 10 . member 70 receives a cooperating member 72 fixed to ramp 68 . regardless of their precise configurations and natures , members 70 and 72 interlock to enable ramp 68 to be secured to apparatus 10 . additional accommodation for cargo and human riders may be provided in the embodiment of fig4 . as shown in fig6 a shelf 74 may be attached to a wall of hopper 12 . shelf 74 is preferably of the fold up or fold down type , having a chain 76 supporting shelf 74 horizontally . shelf 74 may support personnel , if desired . the present invention is susceptible to variations and modifications which may be introduced without departing from the inventive concept . for example , the conveyor is preferably a screw auger , but may be a continuous or segmented endless belt , a fan or similar pneumatic driver , a movable magnet , or any other device suitable for transporting the fluent material to a chute from the storage chamber of hopper . the various doors may be arranged as desired , at any location and height with respect to the height of hopper 12 , and in any number . augers 20 may be arranged at any desired orientation within hopper 12 , such as extending from one lateral side to the other , instead of front to rear . they may also depart from their orientation in the horizontal plane , as illustrated . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims .	1
fig1 is a side elevational medial cross sectional view showing an interface of the prior art interposed between a hopper 12 and a feeder 14 . typically , the hopper 12 has the form of a hollow inverted 4 - sided pyramid truncated by a horizontal plane so that the outlet 16 of the hopper is a rectangular slot lying in the truncating plane . because it is rectangular , the outlet of the hopper 12 includes two spaced parallel longer edges and two spaced parallel shorter edges . typically , the feeder includes a belt 18 having a loading surface 20 on which the discharged material lies while it is transported by the belt in the direction indicated by the arrow in fig1 . ordinarily this direction is parallel to the longer edges of the outlet of the hopper . in the interest of clarity , the upper edge 22 of the interface is shown slightly separated from the lower edge 24 of the hopper in fig1 but in actual use , the upper edge 22 of the interface is attached to the lower edge 24 of the hopper . fig1 is a cross sectional view taken at a vertical plane that passes through the centerline of the belt 18 . the prior art interface of fig1 consists of four plates , which are : two converging side plates 26 ( visible in fig1 ) and 28 ( best seen in fig2 ), a laterally - extending vertical plate 30 , and a strike - off plate 32 . the converging side plates 26 and 28 slope downwardly and inwardly as if they were swung about the lower edge 24 of the hopper . the converging side plates are truncated by an imaginary plane 34 that is inclined in the direction of travel of the loading surface 20 , and that is seen edge - on in fig1 . the inclined imaginary plane 34 intersects the converging side plates 26 and 28 in two edges 36 and 38 that are the lower edges of the converging side plates . these edges 36 and 38 not only are inclined in the direction of travel of the loading surface 20 , but also diverge laterally in the direction of travel of the loading surface , as best seen in fig2 . the four plates that make up the prior art interface are also visible in fig2 and they are among the components of the present invention . the geometric relationship of these four plates must be clearly understood if one is to understand the present invention . in addition to showing the four plates of the prior art interface , fig2 shows the vertical side plates 40 and 42 that are not found in the prior art interfaces and that are unique to the present invention . the vertical side plates 40 and 42 lie in vertical planes that pass through the lower edges 36 and 38 of the converging side plates 26 and 28 respectively . accordingly , the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 is equal to the average lateral distance between the lower edges 36 and 38 of the converging side plates 26 and 28 , respectively . the vertical side plates 40 and 42 extend downwardly to horizontal lower edges 44 and 46 that are adjacent to but spaced from and parallel to the loading surface 20 of the feeder . the vertical side plates 40 and 42 are unique to the present invention , but the present invention also includes other structures , shown in fig3 and 5 . in particular , the present invention includes the vertical center plate 48 which is inclined upwardly in the direction of travel of the loading surface of the belt and which is located mid - way between the converging side plates 26 and 28 . the vertical center plate 48 has a lower edge 50 that lies in the imaginary plane 34 and has an upper edge 52 that is parallel to the lower edge . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the height of a vertical cross section through the vertical center plate 48 is approximately equal to w / 6 , where w is the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . it is generally known in the art that the downward pressure at the outlet of a converging hopper is proportional to the width of the outlet . the vertical center plate 48 divides the width of the outlet in half , and thereby also reduces the downward pressure to half of what it would be if the vertical center plate 48 were not present . it is a reasonable concern that the downward pressure might be reduced too much , in which case flow might not occur . fortunately , it can be shown mathematically that flow will always occur so long as the height of a vertical cross section through the vertical center plate 48 does not exceed w / 6 , as best seen in fig5 where w is the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . lowering the outlet pressure reduces the force required to shear the particulate material from the hopper , thereby reducing drag on the loading surface 20 , and also reduces the downward force on the loading surface 20 . both of these reductions act to reduce the power required to drive the feeder . the vertical side plates 40 and 42 serve to prevent the particulate material from spilling laterally over the side of the belt , thereby reducing the required belt width . this also reduces the power required to operate the feeder . as best seen in fig3 the strike - off plate 54 of the present invention is connected to the vertical center plate 48 . in the first preferred embodiment shown in fig3 and 5 , the strike - off plate 54 extends laterally on both sides from the vertical center plate to lateral edges that are attached to the converging side plates 26 and 28 . unlike the strike - off plate 32 of the prior art , shown in fig1 in accordance with the present invention , the lower edge 56 of the strike - off plate 54 is arched upwardly between each lateral edge and the vertical center plate 48 . the arched shape of the lower edge 56 more closely conforms to the preferred imaginary three - dimensional surface on which the shear force imparted by the belt is imposed on the flowing mass of a particulate material thereby facilitating the shearing action . also , the arched lower edge 56 of the strike - off plate 54 relieves the tendency of the material to build up in front of the strike - off plate , where the build - up would oppose the shearing action . thus , the upwardly arched lower edge 56 further reduces the power required to operate the feeder . in the first preferred embodiment shown in fig3 the lower edge of the strike - off plate is arched upwardly an amount approximately equal to w / 8 , where w is the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . in the first preferred embodiment of fig3 the vertical center plate 48 is connected to the converging side plates 26 and 28 by one or more lateral support plates , of which the lateral support plates 58 and 60 are typical . the lower edges 62 and 64 respectively of the lateral support plates 58 and 60 are arched upward an amount approximately equal to w / 8 , where w is the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . fig6 and 8 show a second preferred embodiment of the present invention . the second preferred embodiment differs from the first preferred embodiment of fig3 and 5 in that a center converging member 66 is used in place of the vertical center plate 48 ; the strike - off plate 68 and the lateral plates ( of which the lateral plate 70 is typical ) are attached to the center converging member 66 , but the strike - off plate 68 and the lateral plate 70 extend to lateral edges 76 and 78 respectively that are adjacent to , but spaced from the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . further , in the second preferred embodiment of fig6 and 8 , the center converging member 66 is pivotally connected by the pin 88 of fig7 to the laterally - extending vertical plate 30 to permit limited pivotal motion of the center converging member 66 in a vertical plane . a metal strap 90 is attached to and extends upward from the end of the center converging member 66 nearest the strike - off plate 68 . the strap 90 includes a number of vertically - spaced holes , of which the hole 92 is typical . the plate 80 includes a laterally - centered hole . a bolt 94 passed through the hole in the plate 80 and through one of the holes in the strap 90 secures the center converging member 66 at a selected inclination with respect to the belt loading surface 20 . the purpose of being able to pivot the center converging member 66 in a vertical plane is to permit alteration of the rate at which the particulate material is removed from the hopper . as in the first preferred embodiment , the lower edge 72 of the strike - off plate 68 is arched upwardly between the lateral edge 76 and the center converging member 66 . in the preferred embodiment , the amount of this arching is approximately equal to w / 8 , where w is the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . likewise , the lower edge 74 of the lateral plate 70 is arched upwardly between the lateral edge 78 and the center converging member 66 . in the preferred embodiment , the amount of arching is approximately equal to w / 8 where w is the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . as best seen in fig8 the height of a vertical cross section through the center converging member 66 is approximately equal to w / 6 , where w is the average lateral distance between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . when the angle of inclination of the center converging member 66 is adjusted to smaller angles , the center converging member 66 lies between the vertical side plates 40 and 42 . if the center converging member 66 were a simple vertical plate as in the first preferred embodiment , there would be no downward convergence between the center member and the vertical side members , and this would not reduce the pressure on the particulate material at the shear interface , since the material would be confined between non - converging surfaces . therefore , in order to provide a downwardly - converging - surface situation for the particulate material , in the second preferred embodiment , the sides 82 and 84 of the center converging member 66 must converge downwardly toward the vertical side plates 40 and 42 respectively . the adjustability of the second preferred embodiment allows a very large feed depth adjustment with only minor negative effects . this feed depth adjustment permits the feed rate to be varied without having to use a variable speed drive on the feeder . when the teachings of the present invention have been applied to practical situations , it has been found that feeders of smaller size can be used . generally , the feeder can be reduced 25 percent to 50 percent in width . also , it has been found that the teachings of the present invention permit the power required to operate the feeder to be in the range of 25 percent to 50 percent of the power required in prior art designs . in addition to this noteworthy reduction in the power requirement , the interface of the present invention results in less feeder pressure and consequently less wear , lower feeder loads , less support structure , lower starting torque , and longer feeder life . it has also been found in practice that the design of the present invention can be used , not only for belt - type feeders , but can also be used with apron feeders , screw feeders , and drag chain feeders . thus , there have been described two embodiments of an interface used in controlling the flow of particulate materials from a hopper to a feeder . both embodiments result in a significant reduction of the power required to drive the feeder , and permit the use of smaller sized feeders . the foregoing detailed description is illustrative of several embodiments of the invention , and it is to be understood that additional embodiments thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art . the embodiments described herein together with those additional embodiments are considered to be within the scope of the invention .	1
fig1 shows a schematic block diagram of the circuitry required to sense the carotid sinus nerve activity including means for amplifying 16 , means for converting frequency to voltage 20 , means for converting analog signals to digital signals 24 , telemetry means 32 , microprocessor means 28 , means for providing a pacing output 46 , means for providing a defibrillation output 48 and means for ventricular sensing 44 . the carotid sinus nerve 10 , for example , is wrapped by a sensor 12 . as discussed below , other nerve bundles may also be employed in accordance with the invention , these include the vagus nerve , sympathetic cardiac nerve and sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerves . however , the invention is described herein mainly in terms of its use with the carotid sinus nerve , although it will be understood that the use of the invention is not so limited . typically , the neurosensor may advantageously consist of two ring electrodes made of an inert metal . the rings may be advantageously spaced two to three millimeters apart . both rings are incorporated into a sleeve made of a biocompatible elastic material such as silicon rubber . one such sensing device is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 590 , 946 to gerald e . lobe of clarksburg , md . in lobe , a surgically implanted electrode which includes two elements imbedded in a helically long substrate made of an integral material is disclosed . the contact elements are made of electrical leading conductors which are encased in a substrate and extend from a common end of the substrate to a contact element . the substrate is then wound around the nerve bundle in a helical fashion to contact the elements against the nerve . a membrane is subsequently wrapped around the substrate to insulate the electrode system . the lead in conductors are anchored to relieve strain on the electrode system . u . s . pat . no . 4 , 590 , 946 is hereby incorporated by reference . the signals carried by the nerve fiber 10 and which are picked up by the neurosensor 12 consist of a train of action potentials of constant amplitude . the frequency of these action potentials varies as a function of arterial blood pressure . specifically , as arterial pressure increases , the frequency of action potentials increases . fig2 a is a schematic diagram of the carotid sinus region in the human body . this region includes a carotid body 100 , carotid sinus nerve 110 , and carotid sinus 120 . pressure , denoted by arrow p , is illustrative of blood pressure present in the carotid sinus . fig2 b shows a more detailed cross sectional view of the carotid artery 130 where the carotid sinus nerve 110 is stretched over the carotid artery 130 which includes a smooth muscle portion 140 . referring now to fig2 c a graph of action potential versus time for various blood pressures is shown . in this diagram , pressure is assumed to be steady . the signals carried by the nerve fiber 10 and which are picked up by neurosensor 12 consist of a train of action potentials 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 and 64 . the frequency of these action potentials varies as a function of arterial blood pressure . specifically , as arterial pressure increases , the frequency of action potentials increases . note that in graph 60 where the pressure in millimeters of mercury is 40 mm hg , the carotid sinus signal vanishes . under normal conditions of varying arterial pressures which occur during the cardiac cycle , the action potential will constantly vary in frequency with maximum frequency occurring at high pressures during systole ( contraction of the heart ) and minimum frequency occurring at low pressure during diastole ( relaxation of the heart ). turning now to fig3 a , the carotid sinus reflexes are graphed as a function of low pressure , normal pressure and elevated arterial pressure indicated by graph 70 . graph 72 in fig3 b illustrates the response of the carotid sinus nerve impulses . at low pressure the carotid sinus nerve impulses are infrequent . at normal arterial operating pressure the carotid sinus nerve impulses are more regular and at elevated pressures are more frequent . the carotid sinus nerve reflexes are at the highest frequency reaching a peak in the elevated pressure diagram 70 . other nerve responses such as the vagus nerve impulse , sympathetic cardiac nerve impulse and sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerve impulses are also shown in fig3 c , 3d and 3e in graphs 74 , 76 and 78 , respectively . the relationships shown in fig3 a - 3e are well understood by those skilled in the art . therapies , as discussed below , may be based upon these relationships and implemented in accordance with the present invention . referring again to fig1 the sense amplifier 16 , which advantageously includes an automatic gain control and band pass filter , receives information from the neurosensor 12 . even though the neurosignal from the carotid sinus nerve is constant , some long term drift in signal amplitude from the nerve will occur . this is due to changes in the nerve tissue and changes in the electrode and nerve fiber interface . the automatic gain control will maintain a constant output level of the amplifier in the presence of long term drift . amplifier 16 may also include a band pass filter to reject noise which may be present in the nerve signal . the noise may include biologic noise such as action potentials from other nerve fibers as well as electrical signals caused by contraction of muscles in the area of the nerve electrode . the noise may also include external signals such as power line noise or radio frequency coupled into the body . the band pass filter incorporated in amplifier 16 may typically have a low frequency cutoff of 300 hertz to eliminate biologically induced signals and line power noise signals , and a high frequency cutoff of 5000 hertz to eliminate radio frequency noise . amplifier 16 may be constructed according to well known techniques and electronic design rules . connected to the amplifier 16 by conductor 18 is the frequency - to - voltage converter means 20 . circuit 20 provides a voltage output which is proportional to the frequency of the signal applied to the input in accordance with well known principles . because the frequency of the input is a function of arterial pressure , the output of the frequency - to - voltage converter 20 is in one - to - one correspondence with arterial pressure . in effect , the frequency - to - voltage converter demodulates the frequency modulated pressure signal created by the baroreceptors located in the carotid sinus and transmitted along the carotid sinus nerve . connected to the frequency - to - voltage converter is the analog - to - digital converter means 24 . the analog - to - digital converter 24 converts the analog output signal on line 22 from the frequency - to - voltage converter means 20 , which represents arterial pressure , to a digital signal which is further processed by the microprocessor 28 . the analog - to - digital converter may be fabricated in accordance with designs well known to those skilled in the art . the microprocessor 28 reads additional signals on bus 26 from the analog - to - digital converter 24 and then processes these signals based on therapies loaded in its operating software . these therapies serve to regulate the stimulus rate of the cardiac pacemaker based on the arterial pressure signals detected from the carotid sinus nerve and processed by the electronics just described . the processor provides the stimulus to the heart by sending appropriate control signals to either the pacing output circuitry 46 or the defibrillation circuitry 48 . the telemetry circuits 32 are connected to the microprocessor 28 . the telemetry circuit 32 communicates program and diagnostic data between the implanted pacemaker and external programmer through line 30 . information that provides ventricular sense signals is sent through ventricular sensing device 44 to the processor through line 36 . in the presence of acceptable pacing signals from the ventricular sensor 44 which represent intrinsic cardiac activity , the processor will not provide stimuli to the heart . several alternative therapies may be applied to the pressure signals by the processor 28 . in one embodiment , the processor may include therapies for detecting signal minimum and signal maximum values which occur during each cardiac cycle . these values can then be used to determine relative diastolic pressures and systolic pressure . the difference can be calculated to obtain pulse pressure . an alternate therapy may also be included in which true systolic and diastolic pressures , taken with standard measurement methods , are entered into the pacemaker microprocessor by the physician via an external programmer . these values may then be used to convert the relative values described in the first therapy above into an absolute pressure value . an alternate therapy may be present in the processor which may allow for the transmission of the calibrated signals from the carotid sinus sensor to the external programmer . this may allow the programmer to display continuous arterial pressure waveforms obtained for the pacemaker for diagnostic use by the physician . an additional therapy for regulating the pacing rate based on the pressure signals found in the body may advantageously be included to follow the reaction of the body at the onset of exercise . during exercise , vascular resistance decreases due to dilation of blood vessels which occurs to allow greater blood flow to muscle tissue . in normal patients , an increase in heart rate also occurs with exercise , resulting in pressures that are above the pressure prior to exercise . in the absence of this increased heart rate due to the disease of the heart , the blood vessel dilation mentioned previously will tend to cause a decrease in blood pressure . therefore , one possible therapy for regulating heart rate in response to exercise , may advantageously consist of a method for detecting this blood pressure decrease . the processor may advantageously respond to such a decrease by causing an increase in stimulus rates until the blood pressure returned to a value at or slightly above the value which existed prior to the onset of exercise . recovery from exercise occurs in a similar manner . at the end of exercise , blood vessels constrict causing a transient increase in pressure . the processor detects this increase and reduces the heart rate until the pre - exercise pressure value is obtained . the microprocessor may advantageously include a baseline tracking algorithm to track long term changes in either the patient &# 39 ; s blood pressure or in the frequency - to - pressure characteristic of the carotid sinus signal caused by adaptation of the nerve fibers . in this way , the processor responds with a pacing stimulus change only to short term pressure changes caused by exercise onset and completion . additionally , other circuits may optionally be incorporated to provide more sophisticated rate control algorithms . these might include atrial sense and pacer apparatus for dual chamber pacing , for example . they may also include traditional neurosensors for detecting blood oxygen or carbon dioxide levels in conjunction with the blood pressure sensors for more precise control of pacing rates . an additional application for the cardio sinus nerve sensor is for the detection of tachycardia or fibrillation in an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator . referring again to fig1 note that the microprocessor may optionally produce a defibrillation output 48 instead of or in addition to a pacing output 38 . the therapy for tachycardia fibrillation detection will consist of the following addition to the therapy described previously . during fibrillation or pathologic heart tachycardia , blood pressure falls rapidly due to the loss of blood flow . this rapid drop in blood pressure is detected by the processor and causes it to send appropriate control signals to the defibrillation output circuit 48 . defibrillation output circuit 48 responds by delivering a fibrillation shock to the heart through the defibrillation lead 50 . as with the pacemaker application , the defibrillator may incorporate additional signals for more sophisticated detection algorithms . in this case , it might include atrial and ventricular signals for rates of detection . the pacing and defibrillation circuits may , of course , be combined into a single device capable of providing both functions as shown . this invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required . however , it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices , and that various modifications , both as to the equipment details and operating procedures , can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself .	0
embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention . fig1 shows an entire remote copy system ( data center system ) including plural storage systems . a storage system 10 is connected to a host computer 5 via a connection line 210 . ( according to circumstances , this storage system 10 will be hereinafter referred to as a first storage system , and a data processing system including this first storage system and the host computer 5 will be hereinafter referred to as a first site .) a storage system 15 is connected to the first storage system 10 via a connection line 220 . ( according to circumstances , this storage system 15 will be hereinafter referred to as a second storage system , and a data processing system including at least this second storage system will be hereinafter referred to as a second site or an intermediate site .) a storage system 20 is connected to the storage system 15 serving as the second storage system via a connection line 240 . ( according to circumstances , this storage system 20 will be hereinafter referred to as a third storage system , and a data processing system including at least this third storage system 20 will be hereinafter referred to as a third site .) the connection lines 210 , 220 , and 240 may be directly connected lines such as fiber cables or may be connection via a wide - area network such as the internet . the storage system 10 in the first site retains a logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and a logical volume 120 ( org 2 ). in this embodiment , it is assumed that an original data to be a copy object is stored in the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ). the storage system 15 in the second site retains a copy of the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) as a logical volume 150 ( data 1 ). the storage system 20 in the third site retains a logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) in which copied data is stored . here , a capacity and a physical storage position ( physical address ) of a logical volume , which are defined in the storage systems 10 , 15 , and 20 , can be designated using maintenance terminals ( not shown ) such as computers connected to the respective storage systems or host computers 5 , 6 , and 7 , respectively . in the following description , in order to facilitate distinction between copy object data and copied data , a logical volume , in which the copy object data is accumulated , will be referred to as a primary logical volume , and a logical volume , in which the copied data is accumulated , will be referred to as a secondary logical volume . the primary logical volume and the secondary logical volume forming a pair will be referred to as a pair . a relation between the primary logical volume and the secondary logical volume , states of the primary logical volume and the secondary logical volume , and the like are saved as a pair setting information table 500 in shared memories ( sms ) 70 in the respective storage systems to be described later . first , an example of a hardware configuration of the storage system 10 shown in fig1 will be described with reference to fig2 . the second storage system , which is shown as the storage system 15 in fig1 , is simply illustrated as the second storage system 15 in fig2 . the first storage system 10 has plural channel adapters for connecting the first storage system 10 to the host computer 5 . these channel adapters 50 are connected to the host computer 5 and the second storage system 15 via the connection line 210 . the channel adapters 50 are connected to caches 60 via a connection unit 55 , analyze a command received from a host apparatus , and control reading - out and writing of data , which is desired by the host computer 5 , in the caches 60 . the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 120 ( org 2 ) are arranged over plural hdds 100 . fig3 shows an example of a table in which logical volumes and physical addresses on the hdds 100 are defined , and capacities , attribute information such as formats , and pair information of the logical volumes are defined . here , for convenience of explanation , logical volume numbers are treated as unique to respective logical volumes in a data center . note that it is also possible to set the logical volume numbers so as to be uniquely defined by a unit of each storage system and specified in conjunction with identifiers of the storage systems . “ not used ” in a volume state indicates that a logical volume is set but is not used yet . “ primary ” indicates that a logical volume is in a state in which the logical volume can operate normally as the primary volume of the pair volume described above . “ normal ” indicates that a logical volume is not set as a pair with another logical volume but is in a normal state . “ secondary ” indicates that a logical volume is a secondary volume and can operate normally . volume state information indicating a state of a pair will be described later . this example shown in fig3 represents states of logical volumes in a data center system of this application . a logical volume number 1 indicates the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) of the first storage system 10 , and a logical volume number 2 indicates a state in which the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) of the second storage system 15 and the pair number 1 form a pair . similarly , a logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) of the second storage system 15 is represented as a logical volume number 3 . a logical volume 201 ( jnl 2 ) of the third storage system 20 is represented as a logical volume number 4 , and a logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) of the third storage system 20 is represented as a logical volume number 5 . note that , although not used , the logical volume 120 ( org 2 ) is defined as a logical volume number 6 . a column of a physical address in fig3 indicates addresses on the actual hdds 100 . on the basis of this information , microprocessors ( not shown ) on disk adapters 80 in fig2 control an operation for recording data on the actual hdds 100 from the caches 60 and an operation for reading out data from the hdds 100 to the caches 60 . the storage system 10 is described above as a representative storage system . however , the other storage systems 15 and 20 shown in fig1 also have substantially the same structure . the connection unit 55 may be constituted by a switch or the like for directly connecting channel adapters and caches or the like or may adopt a connection system using a bus . note that fig2 shows a state in which there are the shared memories 70 in the caches 60 . however , the shared memories 70 may be connected to the connection unit 55 separately from the caches 60 . next , an operation for reflecting data update , which is applied to the primary logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) in the storage system 10 in the first site , in the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) of the storage system 20 in the third site via the storage system 15 in the second site ( intermediate site ) will be explained with reference to fig1 . here , first , journal data will be explained . in order to facilitate explanation , a logical volume of an update source , in which data is updated , is distinguished from the other logical volumes to be referred to as a source logical volume , and a volume , which retains a copy of the update source logical volume , is referred to as a copy logical volume . the journal data consists of , when data update is applied to a certain source logical volume , at least updated data itself and update information indicating to which position of the source logical volume the update is applied ( e . g ., a logical address in the source logical volume ). in other words , as long as the journal data is retained when data in the source logical volume is updated , the source logical volume can be reproduced from the journal data . on the premise that there is a copy logical volume having the same data image as the source logical volume at a certain point in time , as long as the journal data is retained every time data in the source logical volume after that point is updated , it is possible to reproduce the data image of the source logical volume at or after the certain point in time in the copy logical volume . if the journal data is used , the data image of the source logical volume can be reproduced in the copy logical volume without requiring the same capacity as the source logical volume . a volume in which the journal data is retained will be hereinafter referred to as a journal logical volume . data update will be further explained with reference to fig4 . fig4 shows a state in which data from addresses 700 to 1000 of a certain source logical volume is updated ( update data 630 ). in this case , in a journal logical volume forming a pair with the source logical volume , data itself updated as the journal data 950 is recorded in a write data area 9100 as write data 610 , and information relating to update , for example , information indicating which position is updated is recorded as update information 620 in an update information area 9000 . the journal logical volume is used in a state in which it is divided into a storage area 9000 ( update information area ), in which the update information 620 is stored , and a storage area 9100 ( write data area ), in which write data is stored . update information is stored in the update information area 9000 in an order of update ( an order of an update number ) from the top of the update information area 9000 . when the update information reaches the end of the update information area 9000 , the update information is stored from the top of the update information area 9000 . write data is stored in the write data area 9100 from the top of the write data area 9100 . when the write data reaches the write data area 9100 , the write data is stored from the top of the write data area 9100 . it is needless to mention that it is necessary to apply update work to a logical volume of a copy destination on the basis of information in the journal logical volume before the data exceeds a capacity reserved for the journal logical volume . a ratio of the update information area 9000 and the write data area 9100 may be a fixed value or may be set by the maintenance terminal or the host computer 5 . in fig1 , when the storage system 10 receives a write instruction for the data in the primary logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) in the storage system 10 from the host computer 5 ( arrow 250 shown in fig1 ), the data in the primary logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) in the first storage system 10 is updated . then , the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the storage system 15 in the second site ( intermediate site ), which forms a pair with the updated primary logical volume 110 ( org 1 ), is updated in the same manner ( update of a synchronized pair ). consequently , the second storage system 15 can take over the job immediately even if a failure has occurred in the first storage system 10 . this is because the second storage system 15 retains the secondary logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) having the same data image as the primary logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) used by the host computer 5 . on the other hand , when data update is applied to the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ), the storage system 15 in the second site saves journal data in the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) ( hereinafter referred to as a journal volume according to circumstances ) ( arrow 260 shown in fig1 ). the journal data , which is accumulated in the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) for accumulation of journal data in the second storage system 15 , is asynchronously transferred to the logical volume 201 ( jnl 2 ) for journal accumulation in the third storage system 20 located a long distance apart from the second storage system 15 via the connection line 240 ( arrow 270 shown in fig1 ) ( hereinafter referred to as a push system ). the third storage system 20 reproduces the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) corresponding to the logical volume 150 in the second storage system 15 using the journal data in the journal volume 201 ( jnl 2 ) in the storage system 20 ( arrow 280 shown in fig1 , restore processing ). the data in the journal volume in the second storage system 15 may be read out from the third storage system 20 and accumulated in the logical volume 201 ( jnl 2 ) in the storage system 20 ( hereinafter referred to as a pull system ). this pull system will be explained specifically . upon receiving an instruction to read journal data ( hereinafter referred to as journal read instruction ) from the third storage system 20 , the second storage system 15 reads out journal data from the journal logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) and sends the journal data to the third storage system 20 . thereafter , the third storage system 20 reads out the journal data from the journal logical volume ( jnl 2 ) 201 according to restore processing 350 to be described later and updates the data in the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ). this completes the processing for reflecting the data update , which is carried out for the primary logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) in the storage system 10 in the first site , in the secondary logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) in the storage system 20 in the third site . by saving the journal data in the journal volume 201 , for example , it is also possible not to perform data update for the secondary logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) when the journal data is received , that is , not to create a copy of the primary logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) in the secondary logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) using the journal data ( restore processing 350 ) when a load of the storage system 20 is high , and update the data in the secondary logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) after a short time when a load of the storage system 20 is low . as described above , the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) in the second storage system 15 shown in fig1 is a storage area dedicated for journal data and can be made smaller than a storage area that is a data copy object . this makes it possible to copy data to the second and the third storage systems 15 and 20 from the first storage system 10 by controlling consumption of a storage area in the second storage system 15 . next , setting for an entire data center system will be explained specifically . this setting is adopted in performing an operation for reflecting the data update for the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) in the storage system 10 in the second storage system 15 in the intermediate site and the third storage system 20 in the third site . in order to establish a data center system consisting of plural sites as shown in fig1 , first , for example , setting for the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) and the journal volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) to form a journal group is required . the journal group means a pair of logical volumes . as explained above , the journal group consists of a logical volume and a journal volume in which , when an instruction to write data in the logical volume is received , the write instruction is sectioned into update information such as a write destination address and write data and accumulated . in the example of fig1 , the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) and the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) form a journal group in the storage system 15 , and the logical volume 201 ( jnl 2 ) and the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) form a journal group in the storage system 20 . a flowchart in fig5 shows an initial setting procedure of the data center system of the present invention . a user sets journal groups for the respective storage systems using guis ( graphical user interfaces ) included in the host computers 5 , 6 and 7 or the maintenance terminals not shown in fig1 ( steps 900 and 905 ). in fig1 , the journal groups in the storage system 15 and the storage system 20 in the second and the third sites , that is , the pair of data 1 and jnl 1 and the pair of data 2 and jnl 2 are referred to as a journal group 1 and a journal group 2 , respectively . the journal groups may be referred to as journal pairs . more specifically , the journal groups are retained in the shared memories 70 as a journal group setting information table 550 . moreover , the user designates information indicating a data copy object and information indicating a data copy destination and sends a pair registration instruction to the first and the second storage systems 10 and 15 using the maintenance terminals or the host computers 5 and 6 connected to the respective storage systems ( step 910 ). more specifically , the user sets a pair relation between the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in fig1 . when the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) are set as a pair , according to a status of the pair , write processing applied to a primary logical volume serves as an opportunity for performing various kinds of processing with respect to a secondary logical volume . for example , the status of the pair includes a suspend state , a pair state , an initial copy state , and the like . when the status of the pair is the pair state , processing for writing data , which is written in the primary logical volume , in the secondary logical volume as well is performed . when the status of the pair is the suspend state , data , which is written in the primary logical volume , is not reflected in the secondary logical volume , and a difference between the primary logical volume and the secondary logical volume is retained in the first storage system 10 using a bit map . as described above , setting information for the journal group and setting information for this pair are accumulated in the shared memories ( sms ) 70 shown in fig2 . the microprocessors in the channel adapters 50 execute processing on the basis of the information . it is needless to mention that , in this processing , the shared memories ( sms ) 70 do not necessarily have to be referred to every time the processing is performed , and information necessary for processing for a channel processor may be transferred onto a local memory of the channel processor in advance . fig6 shows an example of a pair setting information table 500 showing states of pairs . a first row of fig6 indicates that a pair of the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) ( logical volume number 1 ) in the first storage system 10 and the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) ( logical volume number 2 ) in the second storage system 15 is generated as a pair number 1 . in step 910 in fig5 , initial copy , which is initialization processing for making data images of the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) identical , is further performed . in the next step 915 , the user designates the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) and the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) to form a pair and performs initial copy . this is for giving the identical data image to the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) and the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) as in the processing in step 910 . a row of a pair number 2 in fig6 shows a state in which this pair is set . this pair is deleted after the initial copy processing ends ( step 920 ). when the data image of the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) in the first storage system is copied to the logical volumes 150 ( data 1 ) and 200 ( data 2 ) in the storage systems 15 and 20 , copy programs in the storage systems 15 and 20 inform the maintenance terminal or the host computer 5 of the end of the copy . after this initialization processing , accurate restore processing ( recovery ) for data in the storage system 20 becomes possible . next , an operation of the storage system in an embodiment of the storage system of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to fig8 and 9 . fig8 is a block diagram showing data write processing that is performed by the storage system 15 in the second site . the second storage system 15 is connected to the storage system 10 in the first site by the connection line 200 via the channel adapter 50 . the first storage system 10 is connected to the host computer 5 via the connection line 210 . first , the first storage system 10 receives a data write instruction from the host computer 5 via the connection line 210 ( arrow 250 in fig8 ). when the data is written in the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ), the second storage system 15 receives the data write instruction from the first storage system 10 via the connection line 220 . an arrow 1100 shown in fig8 indicates a flow of data in the case in which the data write instruction for writing data in the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) of a data copy destination in the storage system 15 in the second site is received . upon receiving the data write instruction for writing data in the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) from the first storage system , the channel adapter 50 retains the write data and update information in the cache memory 60 . the write data in the cache 60 is written in the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) by the disk adapter 80 at timing different from timing for writing data in the cache 60 ( arrow 1110 in fig8 ). similarly , the update information ( including at least an updated address ) recorded in the cache 60 is written in an update information area of the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ), and the write data is further accumulated in a write data area of the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) ( arrow 1120 in fig8 ). the disk adapter 80 writes the write data and the update information in the cache 60 in an address allocated to the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) on the hdd ( arrows 1130 and 1140 in fig8 ). on the other hand , a channel adapter 51 , which is connected to the third storage system 20 via the connection line 240 , receives a read instruction for the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) from the storage system 20 . this point will be described later with reference to fig1 . note that the channel adapters 50 and 51 are channel adapters of the same structure but are given different numbers according to circumstances for convenience of explanation . fig9 is a flowchart showing processing in the case in which the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the storage system 15 in the second site receives an instruction from the storage system 10 in the first site . upon receiving an access instruction from the first storage system 10 , the microprocessor mounted in the channel adapter 50 in fig8 ( hereinafter simply referred to as channel adapter 50 ) checks a type of the instruction ( step 1210 in fig9 ). this is because a channel adapter may receive a write instruction as in the channel adapter 50 in fig8 or may receive a read instruction from another storage as in the channel adapter 51 . if the received access instruction is not a write instruction but a journal read instruction from the third storage system 20 , the channel adapter 50 performs journal read reception processing to be described later ( steps 1215 and 1220 ). if the access instruction is a write instruction in step 1210 , the channel adapter 50 checks a volume state of the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) ( step 1240 ). as shown in fig3 , states of the respective logical volumes are accumulated in the shared memories ( sms ) 70 as volume information in a table format as described above . if the volume state of the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) is not normal in step 1240 , since access to the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) is impossible , the channel adapter 50 informs the host computer 5 of abnormality and ends the processing ( step 1230 ). if the volume state of the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) is normal in step 1240 , the channel adapter 50 reserves the cache memory 60 and receives data ( step 1250 ). more specifically , the channel adapter 50 informs the first storage system 10 that the channel adapter 50 is prepared for receiving data . thereafter , the first storage system 10 sends write data to the second storage system 15 . the channel adapter 50 in the second storage system 15 receives the write data and saves the write data in the prepared cache memory 60 ( step 1250 , arrow 1100 in fig8 ). thereafter , in step 1260 , the channel adapter 50 informs the first storage system 10 of the end of the processing . next , the channel adapter 50 checks whether the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) is a logical volume having a journal group with reference to the journal group setting information table 550 ( see fig7 ) recorded in the shared memories ( sms ) 70 ( step 1270 ). here , fig7 will be explained in detail . fig7 is a diagram showing how journal pairs are formed among logical volumes . a first row indicates that logical volumes with logical volume numbers 2 and 3 form a journal group . more specifically , the first row indicates that the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) and the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) in the storage system 15 form a journal pair . if the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) is a logical volume having a journal group , the channel adapter 50 applies journal creation processing to this volume and the journal logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) forming the journal group ( step 1265 ). thereafter , at arbitrary timing , the disk adapter 80 writes data in the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) and the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) that are defined on the hdd ( step 1280 , arrows 1130 and 1140 in fig8 ). as described above , the journal is created in the second storage system 15 , and the journal data is sequentially stored in the journal volume 151 ( jnl 1 ). the journal data is sent to the journal volume 201 ( jnl 2 ) in the third storage system 20 with a fixed factor as an opportunity . one method for sending the journal data is the push system described above , and there is the pull system as another method . the pull system will be explained with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a block diagram showing an operation ( journal read instruction reception processing ) of the channel adapter 51 in the second storage system 15 that has received a journal read instruction . fig1 is a flowchart of the operation . an operation in the case in which the second storage system 15 has received the journal read instruction from the third storage system 20 will be explained with reference to fig1 and 11 . the channel adapter 51 in the second storage system 15 receives an access instruction from the third storage system 20 ( arrow 1410 in fig1 ). when the access instruction is a journal read instruction , the channel adapter 51 checks whether a journal group state is “ normal ” with reference to fig7 ( step 1510 ). if the journal group state is a state other than “ normal ”, for example , “ failure ”, the channel adapter 51 informs the third storage system 20 of the journal group state and ends the processing . the third storage system 20 performs processing according to the informed journal group state . for example , if the journal group state is “ failure ”, the channel adapter 51 ends the journal read processing ( step 1515 ). if the journal group state is “ normal ” in step 1510 , the channel adapter 51 checks a state of a journal logical volume ( step 1520 ). if the volume state of the journal logical volume is not “ normal ”, for example , if the volume state of the journal logical volume is “ failure ” in step 1520 , the channel adapter 51 changes the journal group state shown in fig7 to “ failure ”, informs the storage system 20 of the journal group state , and ends the processing ( step 1525 ). in step 1530 , the channel adapter 51 checks whether journal data , which has not been sent , is present . if journal data , which has not been sent , is present , the channel adapter 51 sends the journal data to the third storage system 20 ( step 1550 ). if all journal data have been sent to the storage system 20 , the channel adapter 51 informs the third storage system 20 of “ absence of journal data ” ( step 1560 ). thereafter , the channel adapter 51 opens an area in which the journal data was present ( step 1570 ). processing in the case in which journal data , which has not been sent , is present will be explained more in detail with reference to fig1 . if journal data , which has not been sent , is present , the channel adapter 51 reserves the cache memory 60 and instructs a disk adapter 81 to read the update information and the write data into the cache memory 60 ( arrow 1440 in fig1 ). in read / write processing of the disk adapter 81 , the disk adapter 81 reads the update information and the write data from the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) that is a logical area formed in a distributed manner on the hdd 100 , saves the update information and the write data in the cache memory 60 , and informs the channel adapter 51 of the same ( arrows 1430 and 1450 in fig1 ). the channel adapter 51 is informed that the reading of the write data and the update information into the cache memory 60 has ended , sends the update information and the write data from the cache memory 60 to the third storage system 20 , and then opens the cache memory 60 that retains journal data ( arrow 1460 in fig1 ). the channel adapter 51 opens the storage area for the journal data that was sent to the third storage system 20 at the time of the processing of the last journal read instruction ( step 1570 ). note that , in the journal read reception processing described above , the second storage system 15 sends the journal data to the third storage system 20 one by one . however , the second storage system 15 may send plural journal data to the storage system 20 simultaneously . the number of journal data to be sent at one journal read instruction may be designated in a journal read instruction by the third storage system 20 or may be designated in the second storage system 15 or the third storage system 20 by a user , for example , when a journal group is registered . moreover , the number of journal data , which is sent at one journal read instruction , may be changed dynamically according to transfer ability , load , or the like of the connection line 240 for the second storage system 15 and the third storage system 20 . in addition , a transfer amount of journal data may be designated taking into account a size of write data of journal data rather than the number of journal data . in the journal read instruction reception processing described above , journal data is read into the cache memory 60 from the hdd 100 . however , when journal data is present in the cache memory 60 , the processing is unnecessary . the processing for opening a storage area for journal data in the journal read instruction reception processing is performed at the time of processing for the next journal read instruction . however , the storage area may be opened immediately after sending journal data to the third storage system 20 . in addition , it is also possible that the third storage system 20 sets an update number , which may be opened , in a journal read instruction , and the second storage system 15 opens a storage area for journal data in accordance with an instruction of the third storage system 20 . the third storage system 20 having received the journal data stores the received journal data in the journal volume 201 ( jnl 2 ). thereafter , the storage system 20 performs journal restore . the third storage system 20 executes a journal restore program to restore data in the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) from the journal volume 201 ( jnl 2 ). note that an area , in which the restored journal data was stored , is purged ( opened ) and used for storage of new journal data . next , this journal restore processing will be explained in detail . fig1 is a block diagram showing the restore processing , and fig1 is a flowchart of the restore processing . an operation in which a channel adapter 53 in the third storage system 20 updates data using journal data will be explained with reference to fig1 and 13 . a disk adapter 83 in the storage system 20 may perform the restore processing . in step 2010 in fig1 , the channel adapter 53 checks whether restore object journal data is present in the logical volume 201 ( jnl 2 ). if the journal data is not present in the logical volume 201 ( jnl 2 ), the channel adapter 53 ends the restore processing once , and after a fixed time , resumes the restore processing ( step 2010 ). if the restore object journal data is present in step 2010 , the channel adapter 53 applies the following processing to oldest ( smallest ) journal data . the channel adapter 53 only has to continuously give update numbers to the journal data and apply the restore processing to update information of journal data having an oldest ( smallest ) update number . the channel adapter 53 reserves the cache memory 60 ( arrow 1910 in fig1 ) and reads out update information and write data to the disk adapter 83 from the update information with the oldest number ( step 2020 , arrows 1920 and 1930 in fig1 ). more specifically , the disk adapter 83 in the third storage system 20 reads update information form the hdd 10 , in which the update information is stored , according to read / write processing 340 , saves the update information in the cache memory 60 , and informs the channel adapter 53 of the update information . similarly , the disk adapter 83 in the third storage system 20 acquires write data on the basis of the read update information ( step 1930 ) and issues an instruction to read the write data into an area of the cache memory 60 corresponding to a part of the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) that should be updated ( step 2020 , arrow 1940 in fig1 ). then , the disk adapter 83 writes the write data from the secondary logical volume cache area into the secondary logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) asynchronously to the restore processing ( arrow 1950 in fig1 , step 2030 ). thereafter , the disk adapter 83 opens ( purges ) an area where the update information and the write information of the secondary logical volume ( jnl 2 ) reflected in the secondary logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) were present ( step 2040 ). the disk adapter 83 judges whether to perform the restore processing continuously ( step 2050 ). if the restore processing is performed continuously , the disk adapter 83 returns to step 2010 , and if not , ends the restore processing . in the restore processing described above , journal data is read into the cache memory 60 from the hdd 100 . however , when the journal data is present in the cache memory 60 , the processing is unnecessary . next , a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained . fig1 is a block diagram for explaining a concept of the second embodiment . the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) of the second storage system is a volume , which is virtually set , and does not have a storage area for actually accumulating data . fig1 is a flowchart showing an initial setting procedure . fig1 is a diagram showing a pair setting information table for realizing the second embodiment . fig1 is a block diagram showing a flow of data in access instruction reception processing in this embodiment . fig1 is a flowchart showing processing of the second storage system 15 in the second embodiment . the second embodiment will be hereinafter explained with reference to fig1 , 16 , 17 , and 18 . first , the flowchart shown in fig1 shows the initial setting procedure in the second embodiment . a user sets a journal group for the third storage system 20 using guis ( graphical user interfaces ) included in the host computers 5 , 6 , and 7 or maintenance terminals not shown in fig1 ( step 3000 ). more specifically , the user writes the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) and the logical volume 201 ( jnl 2 ) in the journal group setting information table as shown in fig7 . next , the user designates information indicating a data copy object and information indicating a data copy destination and performs pair setting using the maintenance terminals or the host computers 5 , 6 , and 7 connected to the respective storage system ( step 3100 ). more specifically , the user sets a pair relation between the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) in fig1 . in this step 3100 , the user designates the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) to form a pair and performs initial copy . this is for giving an identical image data to the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ). then , the pair is deleted after the initial copy processing ends ( step 3200 ). next , the user sets a pair relation between the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) and the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the first storage system 10 and the second storage system 15 ( step 3300 ). fig1 shows a pair setting information table 510 in the second embodiment . a structure of the pair setting information table 510 is substantially the same as that shown in fig6 but is different in that data indicating whether a pair is virtualized is retained for each pair . in a pair indicated by a pair number 1 in fig1 , a column of virtualization is on . this indicates that a secondary logical volume of the pair is virtualized . the user registers the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) and the logical volume 151 ( jnl 1 ) as a journal group ( step 3400 ). the above is the procedure for the initial setting in the second embodiment . after this initialization processing , accurate restore processing ( recovery ) for data in the storage system 20 becomes possible . next , fig1 will be explained . upon receiving a write command for data from the host computer 5 , the first storage system 10 shown in fig1 writes the data in the designated logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) ( arrow 250 shown in fig1 ). when the data is written in the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ), if there is a logical volume of the other storage system ( in this embodiment , the logical volume ( data 1 ) of the second storage system 15 ) forming a pair with this logical volume 110 ( org 1 ), the first storage system 10 issues the write command for the data , which is the same as the write command received from the host computer 5 , to the second storage system . this write command is received by a channel adapter 54 in the second storage system , and instruction reception processing 310 is performed by a processor in the channel adapter 54 . in the first embodiment , that is , when the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the second storage system 15 has an entity , in this instruction reception processing 310 , the processor analyzes the write command , stores write data in an area in a cache memory corresponding to a write destination of a designated logical volume , and accumulates update information in a cache memory corresponding to an area where the journal volume 151 ( jnl 1 ), in which the update information is written , is written . the disk adapter 80 performs processing for writing data in the cache memory in a logical volume area corresponding thereto according to circumstances . on the other hand , in the second embodiment , first , the second storage system 15 judges whether the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the second storage system 15 designated as a write destination is a logical volume , which should be treated as one having an entity , with reference to the pair setting information table 510 shown in fig1 . the second storage system 15 recognizes that the logical volume ( data 1 ) 150 in the second storage system 15 ( itself ) is a virtualized logical volume . since the second storage system 15 treats this logical volume ( data 1 ) 150 as one not having an entity , the second storage system 15 accumulates write data in a cache area corresponding to the write data area of the logical volume ( jnl 1 ) 151 , and accumulates information concerning to which area of the logical volume ( data 1 ) 150 the write instruction is applied as update information in a cache area corresponding to the update information area of the logical volume ( jnl 1 ) 151 ( arrows 1111 and 1120 shown in fig1 ). the disk adapter 80 writes data on the hdd 100 in which a logical volume corresponding to the data in the cache memory is defined ( arrows 1130 and 1140 in fig1 ). the access instruction reception processing will be further explained with reference to fig1 . upon receiving an access instruction , first , the channel adapter 54 in the second storage system 15 confirms whether the instruction is a write instruction ( step 9210 ). if the instruction is not a write instruction , for example , if the instruction is an instruction such as a journal read instruction , the channel adapter 54 performs processing of the instruction ( steps 9215 and 9220 ). next , the channel adapter 54 judges whether a volume , for which the write instruction has been received , is a normal volume ( step 9240 ). if the volume state is not normal , the channel adapter 54 informs abnormality to a host apparatus , which has issued the instruction , via the maintenance terminal and ends the processing ( step 9230 ). next , the channel adapter 54 judges whether the logical volume , which is a write destination , is a virtual volume using the pair setting information table 510 in fig1 ( step 9250 ). if the logical volume is a virtual volume , the channel adapter 54 performs journal creation processing ( step 9265 ) and , after completing the processing , informs the host apparatus ( first storage system ) of the end of the processing ( step 9275 ). if the logical volume is not a virtual volume , the channel adapter 54 receives data in a cache area corresponding to the logical volume ( step 9260 ) and informs the host apparatus of the end of the data reception ( step 9270 ). next , the channel adapter 54 judges whether the logical volume is a logical volume having a journal group ( step 9280 ). if the logical volume is a logical volume having a journal group , the channel adapter 54 performs journal creation processing ( step 9265 ). in this way , since the pair setting information table 510 also includes virtualization information indicating whether a secondary logical volume is virtualized , actual writing of data in the secondary logical volume can be controlled . this makes it possible to define the secondary logical volume as a destination of remote copy without giving a substantial storage capacity to the secondary logical volume . next , a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained . in the third embodiment , a constitution for making this virtualized secondary logical volume available for other applications will be explained . fig1 is a diagram showing the third embodiment conceptually . differences from the second embodiment shown in fig1 will be explained in detail . in fig1 , for convenience of explanation , a channel adapter 56 for receiving a write instruction for data , a channel adapter 57 connected to the host computer 6 via a connection line 255 , and a channel adapter 58 connected to the third storage system 20 are clearly shown with the first storage system 10 as a host apparatus . it is needless to mention that channel adapters are also present in fig1 and 14 . the logical volume ( data 1 ) 110 in the first storage system forms a remote copy pair with the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the second storage system 15 , and as in the second embodiment , the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) is virtualized . copying of data from this logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) to the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) in the third storage system is as explained in the second embodiment . in the third embodiment , the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) is further connected to the host computer 6 via the channel adapter 57 . then , the third embodiment is particularly characterized by making it possible to write data from the host computer 6 to the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ). next , it will be explained how configuration information in the shared memory 70 for making it possible to use the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the host computer 6 is held . the configuration information includes , in addition to the above - mentioned tables ( fig3 , 7 , and 16 ), a channel adapter connection information table 5000 that indicates a connection relation among channel adapters and host apparatuses . upon receiving an access request ( read / write request for data ) from a host apparatus , a processor in each of the respective channel adapters in the second storage system 15 judges a host apparatus or another channel adapter , which is connected to the channel adapter , with reference to the connection information table 5000 in fig2 . when another storage system or a channel adapter of another storage system is set as the host apparatus , the channel adapter in the second storage system 15 judges that remote copy will be performed , and judges whether a logical volume set as a write destination of the remote copy is virtualized in accordance with the procedure explained in the second embodiment . if the logical volume set as a write object is not virtualized , the channel adapter performs write processing . on the other hand , if the logical volume is virtualized , the channel adapter performs only writing in a journal volume as explained in the second embodiment . if it is judged that the host apparatus connected to the channel adapter is not another storage system ( or a channel adapter in the storage system ), the channel adapter executes write processing for writing data in the logical volume set as a write object . the channel adapter performs this processing by writing data in a cache area corresponding to the logical volume set as the write object and writes the data in a logical volume , for which a disk adapter is defined on the hdd 100 , asynchronously to the writing in the cache area . in this way , the storage system judges whether data , for which i / o ( access request ) is received , may be written in a designated logical volume . since the storage system can only judge whether a logical volume is virtualized , the storage system cannot judge whether the data may be actually written in the volume . thus , the storage system identifies data from a host apparatus that may actually be written according to which adapter receives the data . consequently , the storage system can use a logical volume that is virtualized by another host apparatus . note that , as another method , when an identifier indicating remote copy data is present in a data set transferred in remote copy , writing of data in a virtualized volume may be restricted only in the case of remote copy using the identifier . in the present invention , a case in which it is effective to virtualize a volume is explained with remote copy as an example . however , it is also possible to virtualize a logical volume set as an object of a function other than the remote copy , for example , an e - copy command , which is a standard command of scsi . note that it is needless to mention that , in fig1 , the instruction reception processing 310 and the read / write processing 320 are performed in the channel adapters 56 , 57 , and 58 . in addition , it is also possible to allocate this processing to other processors . next , a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be explained . fig2 shows an example of a setting screen for remote copy pair generation that is displayed on the host computer 5 or the maintenance terminal . in the example of fig2 , a user has set vol # 1 and vol # 2 as a pair in a pair volume designation display ( pair forming ) section 4100 in an area 4600 , in which setting for pair generation is performed , on a screen 4000 . in performing the setting for pair generation , the user can choose whether to virtualize vol # 2 , which corresponds to a secondary logical volume , in a virtual vol designation display section 4300 in the area 4600 in which setting for pair generation is performed . in the example of fig2 , the user has chosen to virtualize the vol # 2 corresponding to a secondary logical volume . there is a connection information setting section 4400 in an area 4700 that indicates to which storage system or host apparatus each channel adapter in each storage system is connected . this connection information setting section 4400 makes it possible to set a connection relation between each channel adapter and storage system . note that a connection destination of the channel adapter may be a channel adapter of another storage system or host apparatus . an example of a screen of the connection setting section 4400 indicates that the channel adapters 56 , 57 , and 58 are connected to the first storage system 10 , the host computer 5 , and the third storage system 20 , respectively . moreover , as shown in fig2 , there is a logical volume usage setting section 4500 in an area 4800 showing volumes used by host apparatuses . this logical volume usage setting section 4500 makes it possible to set a logical volume that is used by each host computer . in an example of a screen of the logical volume usage setting section 4500 , the logical volume 150 is set as being used by the host computer 6 . it should be noted here that , since the logical volume 150 is already used by the host computer 6 , if the logical volume 150 is designated as the vol # 2 in the pair volume designation display section 4100 , a pair cannot be designated unless virtualization is set for the logical volume 150 . as described above , the user chooses not to virtualize the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the second storage system 15 when the user attaches importance to safety and failure resistance property , and chooses to virtualize the logical volume 15 ( data 1 ) when the user wishes to utilize a volume capacity in the second storage system 15 as much as possible . this makes it possible to establish a system according to a purpose and cost . note that a procedure for copying data from the first storage system 10 to the third storage system 20 after virtualizing the same is as explained in the second embodiment . next , as a fifth embodiment of the present invention , a case will be explained in which , when a failure has occurred in the first storage system 10 , a job is continued in the third storage system 20 located a long distance apart from the first storage system 10 ( failover ). as shown in fig2 , the first storage system 10 , the host computer 5 , the third storage system 20 located a long distance apart from the first storage system 10 , the second storage system 15 interposed between the first storage system 10 and the host computer 5 , the host computer 6 , and the host computer 7 connected to the third storage system 20 are connected by connection lines . in the event that some failure has occurred in the first storage system , in taking over a job of the first storage system 10 in the third storage system 20 located a long distance apart from the first storage system 10 , it is a problem in that the logical volume 110 ( org 1 ) retained by the first storage system 10 and the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) retained by the third storage system 20 are not the same data . since the first storage system 10 and the second storage system 15 are synchronous but the second storage system 15 and the third storage system 20 are asynchronous , a copy of copy object data in the first storage system 10 is not completely created in the third storage system 20 ( data , which has not reached it , is not reflected in the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ). thus , in order to resume the job in the third storage system 20 , first , the data , which has not reached it , is reflected in the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ). in the second and third embodiments and the fourth embodiment in which a user has chosen to virtualize a logical volume , the second storage system 15 does not include the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ), but journal data is present in the journal volume 151 ( jnl 1 ). thus , the journal data is sent to the third storage system 20 to reflect the data , which has not reached it , in the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) according to the restore processing 350 shown in fig2 . consequently , a complete copy of the copy object data can be created in the logical volume 200 ( data 2 ) in the third storage system 20 . thereafter , the third storage system 20 can receive an instruction from the host computer 7 . as a result , resistance against a failure can be kept while virtualizing the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the second storage system to reduce a volume capacity . in addition , as a sixth embodiment , as shown in fig2 , if it is desired to continue a job in the second storage system 15 , since the logical volume 150 ( data 1 ) in the second storage system 15 is virtualized , it is necessary to assign a logical volume to the second storage system 15 anew . after assigning the logical volume to the second storage system 15 , journal data is acquired from the third storage system 20 according to the journal read processing 330 to perform the restore processing 350 in the second storage system 15 . consequently , a copy of a copy source logical volume in the first storage system 10 can be created in the logical volume assigned to the second storage system 15 anew . thereafter , the second storage system 15 can receive an instruction from the host computer 6 . the present invention has been explained specifically on the basis of the embodiments . however , it is needless to mention that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments , and various modifications are possible within a range not departing from the scope of the present invention .	6
the invention can be implemented in numerous ways , including as a process , an apparatus , a system , a composition of matter , a computer readable medium such as a computer readable storage medium or a computer network wherein program instructions are sent over optical or electronic communication links . in this specification , these implementations , or any other form that the invention may take , may be referred to as techniques . in general , the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention . a detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate the principles of the invention . the invention is described in connection with such embodiments , but the invention is not limited to any embodiment . the scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives , modifications and equivalents . numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention . these details are provided for the purpose of example and the invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details . for the purpose of clarity , technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured . a clock oscillator circuit is disclosed . in some embodiments , flip - flops are used to generate the oscillating signal . in some embodiments , flip - flops are configured to toggle alternately to generate the oscillating signal . the flip - flops may be combined with a feedback configuration . in some embodiments , a startup signal is used to start the oscillation . in some embodiments , the output signal is monitored continuously , and the oscillation is restarted in the event that the output signal is detected to have stopped oscillating . fig2 is a block diagram illustrating a clock oscillator circuit used in some embodiments . in this example , flip - flops 200 and 202 are configured in a cross - coupled feedback arrangement to provide oscillation . the oscillation frequency of the circuit is near the maximum frequency at which the flip - flops can toggle ( also referred to as the maximum toggling frequency ). the capacitance of the circuit , such as the capacitance of optional clock buffer 208 , affects the oscillation frequency in some embodiments , making the oscillation frequency slower than the maximum toggling frequency . in some embodiments , the oscillator circuit employs substantially the same type of flip - flops as the circuit to which the oscillator output is applied . by using substantially the same type of flip - flops as the rest of the circuit , the oscillator can provide a clock signal that meets the specifications of the circuit , including the voltage levels , the pulse widths , etc . stated another way , the circuit of fig2 by inspection provides a clock signal sufficient to drive flip flops of the type used to generate the signal , because the generated clock signal is the clock signal used to toggle the clock circuit flip flops . the oscillator circuit preferably resides on the same die as the circuit to which the clock signal is applied , thus reducing the process variation between the oscillator circuit and the rest of the circuit . in the example shown , the data input terminal of flip - flop 200 , d , is connected to a negated output of the flip - flop &# 39 ; s output terminal q to form a toggle flip - flop . flip - flop 202 is similarly configured . both flip - flops used in this example are positive edge triggered flip - flops , although negative edge triggered flip - flops or a combination of negative and positive edge triggered flip - flops may be used in some embodiments . once the flip - flop receives a positive edge on its clock input , the flip - flop toggles , setting its data output to the inverse of the data input value immediately before the positive clock edge is received . as shown , the flip flop also sets the value of data input d to its inverse . the output of flip - flop 200 is sent to an xor gate 204 . also sent to xor gate 204 is a startup signal used to start the oscillation of the circuit . details of the startup signal are discussed below . in some alternative embodiments , the startup signal and xor gate 204 are omitted , and the clock circuit is started by another mechanism . the output of xor gate 204 is sent to another xor gate 206 . also sent to xor gate 206 is the output of flip - flop 202 . the output of xor gate 206 is optionally buffered by a clock buffer 208 . buffered signal 218 is the oscillating clock signal that is the oscillator &# 39 ; s output . clock signal 218 , also labeled “ clkout ” in the diagram , is fed back to the flip - flops . the clock signal is directly used as the clock input of flip - flop 202 . an inverter 220 inverts the clock signal and sends it to the clock input of flip - flop 200 . in some embodiments , instead of a separate inverter , the inversion function is incorporated into flip - flop 200 . as shown , the positive transition of the oscillating signal is followed by a negative transition , which is then followed by a positive transition . the flip - flops shown in this example are configured in a cross - coupled feedback arrangement such that one of the flip - flops is triggered on the positive transition of the signal and another of the flip - flops is triggered on the negative transition of the signal . oscillation is thus sustained . clock buffer 208 is used to reduce clock skew , thereby allowing all corresponding flip - flops to receive the clock signal at approximately the same time . more specifically , the clock buffer comprises a network of one or more buffers and routing designed to substantially equalize the delay to all endpoints of the buffer . such a buffer is sometimes referred to as a “ clock tree ” in semi - custom and full custom digital asic design and as a “ clock buffer ” in fpga design . as used herein , a clock buffer refers to a buffer or plurality of buffers used to couple a clock signal to one or more logic devices such as flip - flops . the clock buffer may be omitted in some embodiments , such as circuits with asynchronous design . in some embodiments , the clock signal generated by the circuit of fig2 is used to drive via a clock buffer one or more flip flops comprising a primary circuit , and in such embodiments including the clock buffer 208 in the circuit of fig2 guarantees that the clock signal provided as output by the circuit of fig2 is sufficient to drive the flip flops of the primary circuit via a clock buffer . fig3 is a table illustrating the operations of the oscillator circuit shown in fig2 . the logic values of different parts of the circuit in several states are shown . d 1 ( signal 210 of fig2 ) is the data input as well as the inverted data output of flip - flop 200 . startup ( signal 211 of fig2 ) is a startup signal used to initiate clock oscillation . x 1 is the result of an xor operation applied to startup and d 1 . d 2 ( signal 214 of fig2 ) is the data input as well as the inverted data output of flip - flop 202 . the clock signal generated by the oscillator circuit , clkout ( signal 218 of fig2 ), is the result of an xor operation applied to x 1 and d 2 . it is also the input clock used to toggle flip - flop 202 . c 1 ( signal 216 of fig2 ) is the inverse of clkout , used as the input clock for toggling flip - flop 200 . the oscillator circuit is stable at dc . state 0 shows the values of signals with clkout at 0 . assume initial conditions in which d 1 is high ( equal to 1 ) and d 2 is low ( equal to 0 ). assume further that startup is high initially . as a result , x 1 is equal to 0 and clkout remains stable at 0 , because the value of d 2 , the other input to xor 206 , is 0 . the circuit is in dc steady - state . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , startup toggles from 1 to 0 to start oscillation , as shown in state 1 of the table . since d 1 is still 1 , x 1 is now 1 . input values of x 1 of 1 and d 2 of 0 to xor 206 generates clkout of 1 , and c 1 of 0 . the oscillator begins to oscillate . in some embodiments , the startup signal is omitted and oscillation can be started by another mechanism , e . g ., as the result of differences in the response of the remaining components of the clock circuit when a circuit or component comprising the clock circuit is powered up . the change of clkout from 0 to 1 in the previous state provides a positive clock edge that causes flip - flop 202 to toggle . accordingly , in state 2 , d 2 changes from 0 to 1 . the change of c 1 from 1 to 0 in the previous state leads to a negative clock edge , thus flip - flop 200 does not toggle . as a result , d 1 remains at 1 . startup will remain at 0 now that the circuit has been started , which will in this example result in the output of xor 204 being the same as the value of d 1 . as a result , in state 1 x 1 remains at 1 . the result of an xor operation on x 1 and d 2 leads to clkout of 0 and c 1 of 1 . in the next state , state 3 , the change of c 1 from 0 to 1 provides a positive clock edge that causes flip - flop 200 to toggle . d 2 changes from 1 to 0 , and x 1 becomes 0 . d 2 is unchanged since the change of clkout from 1 to 0 in the previous state does not provide a positive edge . the resulting clkout is 1 and c 1 is 0 . in the next state , state 4 , flip - flop 202 toggles once again and d 2 changes from 1 to 0 . d 1 and x 1 are unchanged and equal to 0 . thus , the corresponding clkout is 0 and c 1 is 1 . in the next state , state 5 , flip - flop 200 toggles and d 1 changes from 0 to 1 . x 1 is now 1 . flip - flop 202 does not change and d 2 remains at 0 . clkout is now 1 and c 1 is 0 . the values in state 5 are the same as the values in state 2 and the process for updating the states is repeated . the flip - flops continue to toggle alternately , thereby changing in the clock output and sustaining the oscillation of the circuit . the output signal clkout may be sent to or implemented in an fpga , an asic , or other appropriate devices or components . in some embodiments , clkout is monitored to ensure that the oscillation continues . in the event the oscillation is detected to have stopped , the startup signal can be reset to restart the oscillation process . a technique for providing a clock signal has been disclosed . for the purposes of illustration , the above examples show circuits implemented using two flip - flops . other configurations may also be used . for example , a different number of flip - flops may be used in some embodiments . besides flip - flops , one or more elements that can sample their data inputs and change their outputs according to clock signals may also be used . such elements include logic gates , latches , or combinations thereof . although the foregoing embodiments have been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding , the invention is not limited to the details provided . there are many alternative ways of implementing the invention . the disclosed embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive .	7
fig1 illustrates a drilling operation 10 in which a borehole 36 is being drilled through subsurface formation beneath the surface 26 . the drilling operation includes a drilling rig 20 and a drill string 12 of coupled tubulars which extends from the rig 20 into the borehole 36 . a bottom hole assembly ( bha ) 15 is provided at the lower end of the drill string 12 . the bottom hole assembly ( bha ) 15 may include a drill bit or other cutting device 16 , a bit sensor package 38 , and a directional drilling motor or rotary steerable device 14 , as shown in fig1 . the drill string 12 preferably includes a plurality of network nodes 30 . the nodes 30 are provided at desired intervals along the drill string . network nodes essentially function as signal repeaters to regenerate data signals and mitigate signal attenuation as data is transmitted up and down the drill string . the nodes 30 may be integrated into an existing section of drill pipe or a downhole tool along the drill string . sensor package 38 in the bha 15 may also include a network node ( not shown separately ). for purposes of this disclosure , the term “ sensors ” is understood to comprise sources ( to emit / transmit energy / signals ), receivers ( to receive / detect energy / signals ), and transducers ( to operate as either source / receiver ). connectors 34 represent drill pipe joint connectors , while the connectors 32 connect a node 30 to an upper and lower drill pipe joint . the nodes 30 comprise a portion of a downhole electromagnetic network 46 that provides an electromagnetic signal path that is used to transmit information along the drill string 12 . the downhole network 46 may thus include multiple nodes 30 based along the drill string 12 . communication links 48 may be used to connect the nodes 30 to one another , and may comprise cables or other transmission media integrated directly into sections of the drill string 12 . the cable may be routed through the central borehole of the drill string 12 , or routed externally to the drill string 12 , or mounted within a groove , slot or passageway in the drill string 12 . preferably signals from the plurality of sensors in the sensor package 38 and elsewhere along the drill string 12 are transmitted to the surface 26 through a wire conductor 48 along the drill string 12 . communication links between the nodes 30 may also use wireless connections . a plurality of packets may be used to transmit information along the nodes 30 . packets may be used to carry data from tools or sensors located downhole to an uphole node 30 , or may carry information or data necessary to operate the network 46 . other packets may be used to send control signals from the top node 30 to tools or sensors located at various downhole positions . 96 further detail with respect to suitable nodes , a network , and data packets are disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 207 , 396 ( hall et al ., 2007 ), hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference . referring to fig2 , various types of sensors 40 may be employed along the drill string 12 in aspects of the present invention , including without limitation , axially spaced resistivity , caliper , acoustic , rock strength ( sonic ), pressure sensors , temperature sensors , seismic devices , strain gauges , inclinometers , magnetometers , accelerometers , bending , vibration , neutron , gamma , gravimeters , rotation sensors , flow rate sensors , etc . sensors which measure conditions which would logically experience significant change over time provide particularly valuable information to the drilling operator . for example , the caliper or cross - sectional configuration of a wellbore at a particular depth may change during the drilling operation due to formation stability and fluid washout conditions . the skin of a formation defining the borehole may tend to absorb fluids in the well and may thus also change over time , particularly if the well is overbalanced . by providing a system which allows a sensor to transmit to the surface at a known depth in substantially real time , a particular borehole or formation characteristic , such as the caliper of the well , and by providing another sensor which can provide the same type of information at substantially the same depth with a different sensor as the well is drilled deeper , the operator is able to compare a wellbore caliper profile at a selected depth at time one , and later measure the same caliper at substantially the same depth at time two . this allows the operator to better understand changes in the well that occur over time , and to take action which will mitigate undesirable changes . other sensors which monitor conditions which are likely to degrade or change over time include sensors that measure wellbore stability , resistivity sensors , equivalent circulating density ( ecd ) measurements sensors , primary and / or secondary porosity sensors , nuclear - type sensors , temperature sensors , etc . other sensors may monitor conditions which are unlikely to substantially change over time , such as borehole inclination , pore pressure sensors , and other sensors measuring petrophysical properties of the formation or of the fluid in the formation . in the latter case , an operator may use the signals from different sensors at different times to make a better determination of the actual condition sensed . for example , the inclination of a wellbore at a particular depth likely will not change . the inclination measurement at time one may thus be averaged with an inclination at the same depth at time two and another inclination measurement at the same depth at time three , so that the average of these three signals at the same depth taken at three times will likely provide a more accurate indication of the actual borehole inclination , or interpretation of an incremental change at a particular depth . according to an aspect of the invention , an operator at the surface may instruct a particular sensor to take a selected measurement . in most applications , however , a plurality of substantially identical sensors for sensing a particular drill string , wellbore , or formation characteristic will be provided along the drill string , and each of those sensors will output a signal at a selected time interval , e . g ., every tenth of a second or every second , such that signals at any depth may be correlated with signals from a similar sensor at another depth . thus an entire profile of the sensed condition based on a first sensor as a function of depth may be plotted by the computer , and a time lapse plot may be depicted for measurements from a second sensor while at the same depth at a later time . also , it should be understood that the system may utilize sensors which are able to take reliable readings while the drill string and thus the sensors are rotating in the well , but in another application the rotation of the drill string may be briefly interrupted so that sensed conditions can be obtained from stationary sensors , then drilling resumed . in still other aspects , the drill string may slide or rotate slowly in the well while the sensed conditions are monitored , with the majority of the power to the bit being provided by the downhole motor or rotary steerable device . a significant advantage of the present invention is the ability to analyze information from the sensors when there is time lapse effect between a particular sensed condition at a particular depth , and the subsequent same sensed condition at the same depth . as disclosed herein , the system provides sensors for sensing characteristics at a selected depth in a well , and a particular depth may be “ selected ” in that the operator is particularly concerned with signals at that depth , and particularly change and rate of change for certain characteristics . such change and rate of change ( time lapse in the transmitted signals ) may be displayed to the operator in real time . otherwise stated , however , information from a sensor at selected axial locations or after a selected time lapse may be important , and the term “ selected ” as used herein would include a signal at any known , presumed , or selected depth . fig2 illustrates conceptually a drill pipe 12 having a plurality of axially spaced sensors 40 spaced along the drill string , each for sensing the same borehole or formation characteristic . multiple and varied sensors 40 may be distributed along the drill pipe 12 to sense various different characteristics / parameters . the sensors 40 may be disposed on the nodes 30 positioned along the drill string , disposed on tools incorporated into the string of drill pipe , or a combination thereof . the sensors 40 may be disposed along the string using any desired combination of sensor types ( e . g ., acoustic , pressure , temperature , etc .) and at any desired spacing between the sensors or intervals along the string . the downhole network 46 transmits information from each of a plurality of sensors 40 to a surface computer 22 , which also receives information from a depth sensor 50 via line 51 . depth sensor 50 monitors the length of drill string inserted in the well , and thus the output from the sensors 40 may be correlated by the computer 22 as a function of their depth in the well . information from the well site computer 22 may be displayed for the drilling operator on a well site screen 24 . information may also be transmitted from computer 22 to another computer 23 , located at a site remote from the well , with this computer 23 allowing an individual in the office remote from the well to review the data output by the sensors 40 . although only a few sensors 40 are shown in the figures , those skilled in the art will understand that a larger number of sensors may be disposed along a drill string when drilling a fairly deep well , and that all sensors associated with any particular node may be housed within or annexed to the node 30 , so that a variety of sensors rather than a single sensor will be associated with that particular node . fig3 depicts a plot of sensed borehole information characteristics numbered 1 and 2 each plotted as a function of depth , and also plotted as a function of time when the measurements are taken . for characteristic # 1 , pass 1 occurs first , pass 2 occurs later , and pass 3 occurs after pass 2 . the area represented by 60 shows the difference in measurements between passes 1 and 2 , while the area represented by 62 represents a difference in measurements between passes 2 and 3 . the strong signal at depth d 1 for the first pass is thus new and is further reduced for pass 2 and pass 3 . for characteristic # 2 , the area 64 represents the difference between the pass 1 signal and the pass 2 signal , and the area 66 represents the difference between the pass 2 and pass 3 signals . for this borehole information characteristic , signal strength increases between pass 1 and 2 , and further increases between pass 2 and 3 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that various forms of markings may be employed to differentiate a first pass from a second pass , and a second pass from a subsequent pass , and that viewing the area difference under the curve of signals from different passes is only one way of determining the desired characteristic of the borehole or formation . assuming that characteristic # 2 is the borehole size , the operator may thus assume that , at a depth shortly above depth d 1 , the borehole has increased in size , and has again increased in size between the taking of the pass 2 measurements and the pass 3 measurements . for all of the displayed signals , signals may be displayed as a function of plurality of sensors at a single elected location in a borehole , so that a sent signal at a depth of , e . g ., 1550 feet , will be compared with a similar signal from a similar sensor subsequently at a depth of 1550 feet . aspects of the invention also include the identification of drill string 12 dynamics and stabilization of force distributions along the string during drilling operations . the sensors 40 along the string 12 and / or on the nodes 30 are used to acquire drilling information , to process the data , and instigate reactions by affecting the mechanical state of the drilling system , affecting fluid flow through the drill pipes , fluid flow along the annulus between the string and the borehole 36 , and / or commanding another device ( e . g ., a node ) to perform an operation . the telemetry network 46 ( as described in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 207 , 396 , assigned to the present assignee and entirely incorporated herein by reference ) provides the communication backbone for aspects of the invention . a number of drill string dynamic measurements can be made along the string 12 using the sensor 40 inputs as disclosed herein . in some aspects of the invention , for example , the measurements taken at the sensors 40 can be one or a group of tri - axial inclinometry ( magnetic and acceleration ), internal , external hydraulic pressure , torque and tension / compression . with such measurements , various analysis and adjustment techniques can be implemented independently or as part of a self - stabilizing string . aspects comprising acoustic sensors 40 may be used to perform real - time frequency , amplitude , and propagation speed analysis to determine subsurface properties of interest such as wellbore caliper , compressional wave speed , shear wave speed , borehole modes , and formation slowness . improved subsurface acoustic images may also be obtained to depict borehole wall conditions and other geological features away from the borehole . these acoustic measurements have applications in petrophysics , well to well correlation , porosity determination , determination of mechanical or elastic rock parameters to give an indication of lithology , detection of over - pressured formation zones , and the conversion of seismic time traces to depth traces based on the measured speed of sound in the formation . aspects of the invention may be implemented using conventional acoustic sources disposed on the nodes 30 and / or on tools along the string 12 , with appropriate circuitry and components as known in the art . real - time communication with the acoustic sensors 40 is implemented via the network 46 . one aspect of the invention provides for automated downhole control of pressure . fig4 a shows a drill string 12 implemented with three sensors 40 along the string to acquire internal and external pressure measurements . during drilling operations , drilling fluid (“ mud ”) is pumped through the string 12 as known in the art and a certain pressure distribution occurs along the borehole . fig4 b shows hydrostatic pressure curve while pumping drilling fluid through the drill string 12 . bhp d represents dynamic bottomhole pressure . p hs represents theoretical hydrostatic pressure . p i is the pressure inside the drill string 12 , and p o is the pressure outside of the drill string 12 . the difference between p i and p o is pressure loss or drawdown . when the drilling operations stop ( e . g ., to add / remove a tubular or any other reason including failures ), the hydraulic system internal and external to the string 12 will stabilize to the hydrostatic pressure curves as shown in fig4 c . at that point , the drill pipe &# 39 ; s internal pressure p i is equivalent to zero on surface since the pump connection is removed . the states described above occur at any time in the drilling process . the continuously changing bottom hole pressure exerts a force into the formation rock at bottom and along the borehole that is dependent on the mud weight , flow rate and total flow area at the drill bit 16 . this pressure interacts with the formation rocks which in certain instances can be either mechanically affected if the bottom hole pressure is beyond or below the limits of the rock &# 39 ; s characteristic strength . these boundaries are commonly known as break - out pressure ( the pressure at which a rock starts to fail and falls into the wellbore in small pieces due to the lack of support from the hydrostatic or dynamic pressure ) and fracture pressure ( the pressure at which a rock parts at the minimum stress direction due to over stress ). the first case , which is caused by a smaller bottom hole pressure than required to keep the formation rock stable , is addressed by an aspect of the invention entailing a variable annular flow area controller sub ( 70 in fig5 a - 5c ). the controller 70 may include fixed area restrictors and extendable area restrictors . in fig5 a , the controller 70 is in the retracted mode and the fixed area restrictors 72 a are visible . in fig5 b , the controller 70 is in the extended mode and the extendable area restrictors 72 b are visible along with the fixed area restrictors 72 a . in the extended mode , the flow area in the annulus 71 between the controller 70 and the borehole 36 is restricted by extension of the area restrictors 72 b into the annulus 71 . fig5 c shows a mechanism for actuating the area restrictors 72 b of the controller 70 . the area restrictors 72 b are actuated with mud flow that is diverted from the inner pipe bore 12 a via valves 69 a , 69 b to a piston actuator 73 that expands or extends the area restrictors 72 b causing a positive pressure differential across the device . the controller sub 70 comprises a pipe 12 section implemented with components known in the art ( e . g ., extendable blades similar to standoff ribs ). as shown in fig5 c , the controllers 70 can be configured with a counter - acting area 72 such that upward mud flow along the annulus aids in extending the stabilizers . the pipe 12 may also be implemented with appropriate valves to vent internal pressure to the pipe exterior . conventional electronics , components 96 , and hardware may be used to implement aspects of the invention . the controller sub 70 may be implemented with pressure accumulator 97 . fig5 a shows the controller 70 in a retracted mode , with a flow area a 0 comprising unrestricted areas a 1 - a 5 . fig5 b shows the controller 70 in an extended mode , with extended restrictors 72 b reducing combined flow area ( a 0 in fig5 a ). for example , area a 1p ( in fig5 b ) & lt ; a 1 ( in fig5 a ) and area a 3p ( in fig5 b ) & lt ; a 3 ( in fig5 a ) due to the extended restrictors 72 b . the pipe 12 may be configured with any number ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , etc .) of extendable restrictors 72 b and any number of combined fixed / extendable restrictors 72 a , 72 b as desired . controller 70 embodiments of the invention can also be configured using various materials ( e . g ., peek ™, rubber , composites , etc .) and in any suitable configurations ( e . g ., inflatable type , etc .). aspects can also be configured with area restrictors that can be individually graduated . fig6 depicts an aspect of the invention with the drill string 12 incorporating variable annular flow area controller subs 70 . with the distributed sensors 40 and controllers 70 linked into the network 46 , targeted downhole pressure conditions can be identified and the stabilizers can be selectively activated to extend their restrictor ( s ) along the string to reduce the mud flow along the annulus . activation of the controller subs 70 provides a way to effectively increase / decrease the pressure along the borehole to alter the apparent equivalent circulating density ( ecd ) as desired . ecd is drilling fluid density that would be required to produce the same effective borehole pressure as the combination of fluid density , circulating pressure , and cuttings loading of the drilling fluid in the wellbore . individual controller 70 actuation can be manually or automatically controlled via the communication network 46 . aspects with automatic controller 70 activation can be implemented by appropriate programming , such as by the algorithm i , which is outlined in fig7 . referring to fig7 , algorithm i includes creating a pressure gradient curve from data received from internal and external pressure sensors ( 100 ). if a pressure gradient curve already exists , the existing pressure gradient curve may be updated with the new information instead of generating a fresh one . algorithm i includes comparing the generated pressure gradient curve to a desired pressure gradient ( 102 ). algorithm i includes checking whether the difference between the generated pressure gradient and the desired pressure gradient exceeds a set tolerance ( 104 ). if the answer to step 104 is no , steps 100 and 102 are repeated until the answer to step 104 is yes . it should be noted that steps 100 and 102 may be repeated at set times rather than continuously since it may be quite a while before the answer to step 104 is positive . if the answer to step 104 is yes , algorithm i then checks whether the bottomhole pressure is smaller than the desired pressure ( 106 ). if the answer to step 106 is yes , algorithm i sends a command to increase the pressure at an area restrictor ( 108 ). algorithm i then checks whether the selected area restrictor has reached the maximum open position ( 110 ). if the answer to step 110 is no , algorithm i returns to step 106 . if the answer to step 106 is still yes , then steps 108 and 110 are repeated . for the sake of argument , if the answer to step 110 is yes , i . e ., that the area restrictor that has reached maximum open position , then algorithm i checks whether the area restrictor at the maximum open position is the topmost area restrictor ( 112 ). if the answer to step 112 is yes , algorithm i advises the system to adjust the flow rate or mud weight ( 118 ). however , if the answer to step 110 is no , i . e ., that the area restrictor that has reached maximum open position is not the topmost area restrictor , then algorithm i sends a command to focus on the next area restrictor ( 118 ) and to increase the pressure at the area restrictor ( 120 ). algorithm i returns to step 106 to determine whether the increase in pressure has solved the problem or if additional increase in pressure at the area restrictor is required . this process has been described above . if at step 106 the answer is no , i . e ., the bottommost pressure is not smaller than the desired pressure , algorithm i activates a pressure decrease routine ( 122 ), which is outlined in fig9 and will be described below . another case , when the bottom hole pressure is higher , is usually caused by a combination of the mud weight ( density ), mud flow speed and other factors . another aspect of the invention is shown in fig8 a - 8c . in this aspect , an internal flow area controller sub 70 is implemented with one or more internal variable restrictors 74 controlled by electronics 90 , pistons 91 , pressure accumulators 92 , valves 93 , 94 , counter - acting area for downward flow 95 , and additional components incorporated into the pipe similar to the aspect of fig5 c . fig8 a shows the controller sub 70 with the restrictors 74 in a retracted mode , providing an unrestricted inner pipe bore flow area a . fig8 ( b ) shows the restrictors 74 in an extended mode , reducing the inner bore flow area such that a 1p & lt ; a due to the extended restrictors 74 . the pipe 12 may be configured with any number ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , etc .) of extendable restrictors 74 and other aspects may include a combination of fixed / extendable internal restrictors ( not shown ) as desired . aspects can also be configured with restrictors 74 that can be individually graduated . activation of the restrictor ( s ) 74 may be controlled manually or automatically via the network 46 . aspects with automatic controller 70 activation can be implemented by appropriate programming , such as by the algorithm ii outlined in fig9 . activation of the restrictors 74 provides a way to increase / decrease the flow through the pipe 12 , thereby increasing / reducing the bottom hole pressure as desired . referring to fig9 , algorithm ii includes checking whether the bottomhole pressure is higher than the desired pressure gradient ( 124 ). if the answer to step 124 is no , algorithm ii terminates ( 125 ). if the answer to step 124 is yes , algorithm ii sends a command to actuate and increase flow restriction until desired pressure is achieved or the flow restriction has reached the maximum open position ( 126 ). algorithm ii checks whether the desired pressure gradient has been achieved with some tolerance ( 128 ). if the answer to step 128 is yes , algorithm ii advises that activator was needed ( 130 ) and terminates ( 132 ). if the answer to step 128 is no , restrictors along the drill string are used to further adjust the pressure ( 134 ). algorithm ii checks again whether the desired pressure gradient has been achieved with some tolerance ( 136 ). if the answer to step 136 is yes , algorithm ii repeats step 130 and terminates at 132 . if the answer to step 136 is no , algorithm ii raises an alert that gradient needs reduced mud flow or mud weight ( 138 ) and terminates ( 140 ). the downhole characteristics identification , analysis , and control techniques disclosed herein allow one to monitor and adjust downhole conditions while drilling , in real time and at desired points along the drill string . for example , a drill string equipped with variable annular flow area controller subs 70 ( see fig6 ) may be operated with one or more variable restrictors 72 extended at different points / depths along the string such that fluid pressure / flow along selected regions in the borehole can be set or maintained as desired . for example , pressure , flow , temperature , caliper , and other desired data is obtained by the distributed sensors 40 on the string and fed to surface or other points along the string via the network 46 . similarly , internal mud pressure / flow along the string 12 can be adjusted as desired with aspects including the internal variable restrictors 74 as disclosed herein . other aspects of the invention provide for drill string dynamics identification , analysis , and stabilization techniques . in one such aspect , the distributed sensors 40 along the drill string 12 allow one to perform a frequency analysis of differential measurements . fig1 a - 10c plot drill string dynamics distributions along a tubular drill string 12 . as known in the art , various sensors 40 ( e . g ., inclinometers , magnetometers , accelerometers , gravimeters , etc .) may be used downhole to determine the dynamic system properties of a drill string . aspects of the invention can be implemented to provide amplitude distribution measurements as inputs throughout the network 46 , the frequency separation of peaks , and sway of dominant frequency for noise can also be obtained . these measurements provide an advantage in the identification of downhole conditions like stick and slip , whirl and changing harmonics / resonant frequencies of a system with changing environment and drill string form , especially in relation to sensors 40 along the string which are adjacent to each other . an aspect of the invention provides analysis carried out in a process wherein the inputs are first recognized ( e . g ., rpm ( rotational speed ), flow rate , weight on bit ( wob )), as shown in fig1 a . a represents amplitude in fig1 a - 10c . the various components of drill string dynamics properties are then plotted and visualized in the frequency domain . fig1 b shows a moment in time ( snapshot ) of the inputs . analysis is performed to establish a relationship between the inputs and the frequency characteristics of the measurements . the change in surface inputs will affect the behavior of the different frequency ‘ peaks ’, as plotted in fig1 b . in fig1 b , δf represents separation of peaks . amplitude yields an indication of energy loss at a point in the string . sway indicates the change in speed downhole , when sway is different amongst peaks , this is cumulative torque stick and slip . the separation between the peaks denotes the difference in rotational speed at points of measurement . stabilization is achieved by fast feedback changes of surface parameters until the maximum possible energy is spent at the bit , rather than along the string ( peaks driven to their minimum size ), as illustrated in fig1 c . aspects of the invention may be configured with self - learning ( artificial intelligence ) software as known in the art . such implementations could entail a downhole learning process . these measurements provide a way to identify drill string harmonics , energy accumulation / release along the string , and allow one to apply stabilization / compensation techniques . another aspect of the invention entails frequency analysis on differential pressure measurements from inside and outside the pipe 12 , which can be obtained with the distributed sensors 40 . fig1 a - 11e shows an aspect of the invention that provides analysis in a process grouping events in frequencies and amplitudes to aid in identification and diagnostics . fig1 a shows a plot of internal pressure versus time for a plurality of sensor measurements , where node or link 4 is lower in the borehole relative to the position of link 1 . fig1 b shows a plot of external pressure versus time for a plurality of sensor measurements , where link 4 is lower in the borehole relative to the position of link 1 . the objective is to find behavioral events in the drill string that affect the ideal conditions of pressure distribution inside / outside the string . this is achieved by transforming the difference in measurements ( fig1 c ) from one sensor to its neighbor sensor onto the frequency domain , as shown in fig1 d . the frequency plots determine the nature of the dynamics effect by its amplitude , sway , and duration . a perfectly homogeneous system would not present any peaks . this objective is achieved by changing input parameters ( shown in fig1 e ) or via other along - string self stabilization methods . once a mode of destructive dynamics is identified , stabilization / compensation techniques can be applied . aspects of the invention may comprise drill string 12 stabilization / compensation systems to address undesired dynamic conditions . as known in the art , vibrations in a rotating mass can be counteracted upon by the application of weights . in a similar fashion , aspects of the invention can be implemented with a multipoint mass shift system . fig1 a shows a drill string 12 equipped with a plurality of sensors 40 , mounted on nodes 30 and / or on tools and pipes along the string . the aspect in fig1 a is also configured with subs entailing rotating weights 80 distributed along the string 12 . fig1 b is a blow up of a rotating weight 80 device . the rotating weight 80 device includes a shifting mass 82 , a driving mechanism 84 , and appropriate electronics 86 . input from the sensor ( s ) 40 is used to identify movement of the string ( 12 in fig1 a ), indicating where the string is moving to in average direction of impact against the borehole wall . the electronics 86 actuates the driving mechanism 84 to activate the eccentric mass 82 to counteract destructive harmonics . in one aspect , the mass 82 is configured to rotate ( synchronized with or with respect to string 12 rotation ) until activated . the driving mechanism 84 can be configured to stop or “ brake ” the rotating mass 82 for x milliseconds at timed intervals to counteract string movement leading to destructive impact . conventional components and electronics may be used to implement embodiments of the invention with rotating weight 80 devices . aspects may be configured with more than one driving mechanism 84 ( e . g ., above - below the mass 82 ). other aspects may be configured with turbine , electromagnetic , hydrodynamic or other types of counter - weight devices ( not shown ). the rotating weight device 80 is preferably disposed internal to the pipe sub . however , aspects may comprise devices mounted on the pipe exterior or embedded within the pipe walls ( not shown ). the string 12 in signal communication along the network 46 allows one to monitor string performance at surface in real - time and to take appropriate action as desired . automatic and autonomous stabilization may be implemented by appropriate programming of system processors in the string 12 , at surface , or in combination . advantages provided by the disclosed techniques include , without limitation , the acquisition of real - time distributed downhole measurements , drill string dynamics analysis , manual / automated adjustment of downhole pressure / flow conditions , manual / automated compensation / stabilization of destructive dynamics , implementation of automatic and autonomous drill string operations , real - time wellbore fluid density analysis / adjustment for improved dual - gradient drilling , etc . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the techniques disclosed herein can be fully automated / autonomous via software configured with algorithms as described herein . these aspects can be implemented by programming one or more suitable general - purpose computers having appropriate hardware . the programming may be accomplished through the use of one or more program storage devices readable by the processor ( s ) and encoding one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer for performing the operations described herein . the program storage device may take the form of , e . g ., one or more floppy disks ; a cd rom or other optical disk ; a magnetic tape ; a read - only memory chip ( rom ); and other forms of the kind well - known in the art or subsequently developed . the program of instructions may be “ object code ,” i . e ., in binary form that is executable more - or - less directly by the computer ; in “ source code ” that requires compilation or interpretation before execution ; or in some intermediate form such as partially compiled code . the precise forms of the program storage device and of the encoding of instructions are immaterial here . aspects of the invention may also be configured to perform the described computing / automation functions downhole ( via appropriate hardware / software implemented in the network / string ), at surface , in combination , and / or remotely via wireless links tied to the network 46 . while the present disclosure describes specific aspects of the invention , numerous modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art after studying the disclosure , including use of equivalent functional and / or structural substitutes for elements described herein . for example , aspects of the invention can also be implemented for operation in combination with other known telemetry systems ( e . g ., mud pulse , fiber - optics , wireline systems , etc .). the disclosed techniques are not limited to any particular type of conveyance means or subsurface operation . for example , aspects of the invention are highly suitable for operations such as lwd / mwd , logging while tripping , marine operations , etc . all such similar variations apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims .	4
the invention is based on the object of providing a light module with a backlit surface element which allows substantially uniform illumination of a surface element and has a low physical height . furthermore , it is the object of the invention to provide a light system for forming a backlit area . these objects are achieved by a light module having the features as claimed in patent claim 1 or by a light system having the features as claimed in patent claim 10 . particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent patent claims . the light module according to the invention has a surface element , which is backlit by means of a light source . according to the invention , the light source bears flat against the surface element or is connected to it . the flat arrangement of the light source on the surface element means that the latter is backlit over the whole area and in particular uniformly . as a result , a very good backlighting effect can be achieved since the surface element does not have only one led directed at it as in the above - described prior art . furthermore , an advantage of the solution according to the invention is the fact that the mount for holding the light source is no longer required , with the result that the light module has a very low physical height . the light system according to the invention has a large number of light modules according to the invention . in this case , the light system can be matched to any desired mosaic areas in particular as a result of the flexible relative arrangement of the light modules in relation to one another and as a result of the free shaping of the light modules . the light source is preferably an electroluminescence light foil or a corresponding organic led surface light . in order to avoid damage to the light source , it can be covered at the rear by a protective layer , for example a vapor barrier . in order to fix the light module on a fixing surface , it may be advantageous if the protective layer is covered at the rear by a backing layer , for example made from plastic . in order to be able to connect adjacent light modules electrically to one another , each light module can have at least one plug . this is preferably fixed in the backing layer and can protrude at the side or at the rear , i . e . in the direction of the fixing surface . if the plugs extend in the direction of the fixing surface it is advantageous if a connecting body can be inserted into a receptacle of the fixing surface , which connecting body can be used to produce the electrical contact between the plugs of the adjacent light modules . in order to enable individual driving of the light modules , they can have a switch , which is preferably arranged in the region of intersecting conductor tracks for looping through the current from one light module to the next light module and is protected against damage in the backing layer . the invention will be explained below with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments . in the drawings : fig1 shows a plan view of a light system according to the invention ; fig2 shows an enlarged side view of a light module from fig1 ; fig3 shows an enlarged cross section through two interconnected light modules in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment ; and fig4 shows an enlarged cross section through two interconnected light modules in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment . fig1 show a very simplified plan view of a light system 2 according to the invention with a large number of light modules 4 a , 4 b , 4 c , 4 d according to the invention , which in their entirety form a mosaic area 6 of surface elements 8 a , 8 b , 8 c , 8 d which can be backlit , gaps or joins shown between the individual light modules 4 a to 4 d being illustrated as being very enlarged . the light modules 4 a to 4 d , as explained in particular with reference to fig2 , can have any desired shapes and materials and can be combined with one another in a flexible manner , with the result that this light system 2 is suitable for forming any desired mosaic areas 6 . the light modules 4 a to 4 d are electrically connected to the directly adjacent light modules 4 a to 4 d via in each case one plug - type connection 10 a to 10 d . the light module 4 b is connected to a ballast 14 via a power supply line 12 , which ballast 14 is electrically connected to a current source ( not illustrated ). in order to loop through the current from one light module to an adjacent light module , for example from the light module 8 b to the light module 8 c , the light modules 4 a to 4 d preferably have conductor tracks 16 a , 16 b which are indicated by dashed - dotted lines and which run in the interior of said light modules . the conductor tracks 16 a , 16 b are electrically connected in each case at least with one end section to a plug - type connection 10 a to 10 d and are arranged approximately at a 90 ° angle with respect to one another , with the result that an area of intersection or overlap is created . in the area of intersection of the conductor tracks 16 a , 16 b , the light modules 4 a to 4 d each have a switch 18 which acts as a distribution cross and by means of which the supply of current to the respective light module 4 a to 4 d can be interrupted , with the result that the light modules 4 a to 4 d can be driven or addressed individually . the actuation of the respective switch 18 takes place via a signal , which is likewise transmitted via the conductor tracks 16 a , 16 b as well as the current . as is illustrated by way of example with reference to the light module 4 b in fig2 , the surface elements 8 a to 8 d are each an integral part of the light modules 4 a to 4 d . as shown by fig1 , they have a tile - like design and substantially consist of a transparent material such as glass or plastic , for example . however , they can also consist of a different material such as ceramic , marble or slate , the layer thickness or layer height being selected to be thin such that these materials also act in a light - transmissive manner . in principle , the configuration and the material are freely selectable and depend on the respective mosaic area 6 to be formed . likewise , the plug - type connections 10 a to 10 d can be formed at any desired sections of the light modules 4 a to 4 d and their number can be freely selected , with the result that the light modules 4 a to 4 d are combined with one another or can be arranged in relation to one another in any desired manner . in each case one light source 22 is arranged flat on an inner surface 20 of the surface elements 8 a to 8 d . the light source 22 is preferably an electroluminescence foil ( el foil ) or an organic led surface light ( oled surface light ) and is connected directly to the surface element 8 a to 8 d , with it extending ideally over the entire inner surface 20 . the direct connection can take place , for example , via a suitable adhesive or artificial resin . the light source 22 can also be arranged on an outer surface of the surface elements 8 a to 8 d which is remote from the inner surface 20 , however . it is , however , also conceivable for the light source 22 to be applied detachably to the inner surface 20 , so that it can be exchanged easily and quickly . the supply of electricity to the light source 22 takes place in the case of the light module 4 b via the power supply line 12 , which , as has already been described in fig1 , is connected to the ballast 14 . as a result of the direct arrangement of the light sources 22 on the respective surface elements 8 a to 8 d and their flat extent , very low physical heights can be realized . thus , for example , light modules 4 a to 4 d with a total physical height h of less than 5 mm are possible , with the result that , when the light modules 4 a to 4 d are positioned on a fixing surface 24 , they do not protrude very much . a protective layer 28 for avoiding damage to the light source 22 is applied to a large surface 26 , which is remote from the inner surface 20 , of the light source 22 , i . e . on the rear . as a result of the hygroscopic properties of the light source 22 , it is advantageous if the protective layer 28 is in the form of a vapor barrier , with the result that in particular the life of the light source 22 can be extended . in order to arrange the light modules 4 a to 4 d on the fixing surface 24 , for example a wall , a rear side 44 , which is remote from the light source 22 , of the protective layer 28 is covered by a preferably plastic - like backing layer 30 , onto which , for example , mortar can be applied in order to fix the respective light module 4 a to 4 d to the wall . the light modules 4 a to 4 d therefore each have a sandwich - like construction , with the light source 22 being arranged in a particularly protected manner by meant of the direct arrangement on the respective surface elements 8 a to 8 d and the covering at the rear by means of the protective layer 28 , which in turn is covered by the backing layer 30 . the risk of damage to the light source 22 can be further reduced if the backing layer 30 surrounds at least the protective layer 28 and the light source 22 in the form of a casing . as shown in fig3 and 4 , the plug - type connections 10 a to 10 d are each formed by at least two plugs 32 a , 32 b , which are electrically connected in each case to the light source 22 of their light module 4 a to 4 d . in order to protect the plugs 32 a , 32 b from damage , at least sections of them are embedded in the backing layer 30 and terminate flush with it at the rear ( fig2 ). likewise , the switches 18 are embedded in the backing layer 30 ( not illustrated ). the plugs 32 a , 32 b are arranged in the edge region of the light modules 4 a to 4 d and can be in the form of female or male plugs , in the embodiment in the form of male plugs 32 a electrical connections or data transmission connections 34 a , 34 b protruding at the side , i . e . in the direction of an adjacent light module 4 a to 4 d , or at the rear , i . e . in the direction of the fixing surface 24 ( fig3 and 4 ). the lateral extent of the connections 34 a , 34 b of the male plug 32 a have the advantage , as shown in fig3 , that on interaction with the female plug 32 b of an adjacent light module 4 c , the plugs 32 a , 32 b can be directly electrically and mechanically connected to one another by means of being pushed together laterally , with the result that the number of electrical interfaces for looping through the current is minimized . the use of two male plugs 32 a , 32 c with a rear - side extent of their connections 34 a , 34 b , 34 c , 34 d has the advantage , as shown in fig4 , that the light modules 4 a to 4 d can be fixed detachably to the fixing surface 24 by means of their connections 34 a , 34 b , 34 c , 34 d , with the result that additional auxiliary means for fixing them to the fixing surface 24 can be dispensed with . for this purpose , a plate - like connecting body 36 is arranged in a receptacle 42 of the fixing surface 24 , which connecting body 36 has corresponding holes 38 a , 38 b , 38 c , 38 d for the releasable engagement of the connections 34 a to 34 d . in order to produce an electrical connection between the light modules 4 a to 4 d and the respective plugs 32 a , 32 c , the connections 34 a to 34 d , in the inserted state , make contact , by means of their respective free end section , with a corresponding electrical contact element 40 , which is accommodated in the connecting body 36 and delimits the holes 38 a to 38 d at the bottom . the invention discloses a light module with a backlit surface element , against which a light source bears flat or is connected to it , and a light system with a large number of such light modules .	6
before reference will be made to the inventive treatment of the adder blocks below the blocks where the least significant bit of the operand is , with regard to fig2 and 3 a to 3 e , first , a calculating unit is described with regard to fig1 , wherein the inventive measures can be used advantageously . although a calculating unit with panic hierarchy is described in fig1 , the present invention can also be used in a calculating unit with a simple panic control , to enable such a calculating unit to use the total width of the calculating unit in every cycle . fig1 shows an inventive calculating unit with a first adder block 10 , a second adder block 12 and a third adder block 14 . the three adder blocks 10 , 12 , 14 are typically adder blocks of a calculating unit with a significantly higher number of adder blocks , such as 64 for a calculating unit with a total length of 1024 bits , wherein one block comprises 16 elementary cells , or 128 for a calculating unit with 2048 bits , when one adder block has a length of 16 bit . such calculating unit lengths are necessary in order to be able to carry out the rsa method with respective key lengths of 1024 or 2048 bits . in the elliptic curve cryptography , a respective security can be obtained with significantly lower key lengths , such as 160 bit , wherein here 10 adder blocks with 16 bit each are sufficient . each adder block 10 , 12 , 14 consists of a number of elementary cells 16 , which are typically made up identically . each elementary cell , as it is also the case in the prior art , comprise registers for storing 2 , 3 or more operands , a shifter and an adder , and comprises typically also an output register for storing a sum bit of the operation s i , as is shown in fig1 at 18 . the adder within an elementary cell can be an one - bit full adder , as needed , i . e . an adder which receives two bits as well as a carry of a low order elementary cell as input quantities , and which outputs a sum bit s i as well as a carry for the higher order adjacent elementary cell as output quantities . alternatively , the adder within an elementary cell can also be a combination of a half adder and a full adder , to carry out a three operand operation for summing three different operands . all used adders within an elementary cell have the propriety that they provide a carry bit to the next higher elementary cell , that they provide a sum bit si , and that they receive a carry of a next lower elementary cell . as it is shown in fig1 , the adder blocks 10 , 12 , 14 are interconnected such that always the most significant elementary cell , such as the elementary cell 20 of the second adder block 12 is connected to the least significant elementary cell 22 of the third adder block 14 . correspondingly , the least significant elementary cell 24 is connected to the most significant elementary cell 16 of the first adder block 10 . each adder block further comprises carry pass means 26 , 28 and 30 , respectively , which receives the operand bits of the one - bit full adder within an elementary cell as input signal , and which supplies a panic signal 260 , 280 , 300 on the output side . as will be explained below , each pass means further provides a control signal 32 to cause a respective carry control means 34 , 36 , 38 to put a carry on a carry bypass 40 , 42 or 44 and not to take a carry from a next lower block from the most significant elementary cell of this block , respectively , but from the carry bypass of this block when a carry has been put on the carry bypass . further , the inventive calculating unit comprises control means 50 as well as a clock generator 52 , which controls the clock and the clock period , respectively , by which new input operands are fed into the elementary cells of the adder blocks , via clock control lines 54 , 56 , 58 . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , the clock generator can run with three different velocities , once with a fast velocity in a normal state 60 , alternatively with a medium velocity 62 in the case of a panic and with a slow velocity 64 in the case of a double - panic . in the following , reference will be made to the operation of the calculating unit shown in fig1 . first , it is assumed that the normal case exists , i . e . that the calculating unit is clocked by the clock generator 52 with normal velocity 60 . the normal case is present when none of the carry pass means 26 , 28 , 30 determine that a carry passes through a whole adder block 10 , 12 , 14 . this means , in other words , that in every adder block an elementary cell is present , which absorbs a carry possibly impinging upon it . whether an elementary cell absorbs a carry , generates a carry or neither absorbs nor generates a carry but simply passes it on , can be calculated with the so - called carry - look - ahead - parameter kill , generate and propagate . this is known in the art and , for example , described in “ computer architecture a qualitative approach ”, hennessy & amp ; patterson , second edition , morgan kaufman publishers , inc ., 1996 , appendix a . for a two - operand addition , the carry - look - ahead parameters are calculated as follows : the kill parameter indicates that a carry , which possibly comes from a lower order elementary cell , is absorbed . the kill parameter is calculated from the and - operation of the two input operand bits and is active when the and - operation of the input operand bits results in a 0 . the generate parameter is calculated also from the and - operation of the input operands and indicates that this elementary cell will generate a carry . the generate parameter is active when the and - operation of the two input operand bits results in a 1 . the propagate parameter is calculated from the or - operation of the two input operands for an elementary cell and indicates that a carry would simply pass through an elementary cell . the propagate parameter is active when the or - operation of the two input bits for the elementary cell equals 1 . a preferred implementation of a pass means , such as pass means 28 of the second adder block 12 consists of the fact that all propagate parameters of the elementary cells in the pass means will be anded . a panic signal 280 will be output when the pass means determines that a carry passes through the second adder block , i . e . that in the second adder block no elementary cell generates an active kill parameter . in this case , the carry path is longer than an adder block and the calculating unit has to be clocked slower , as will be discussed below . in the case where no pass means generates a panic signal , it is , however , ensured that the carry path is shorter than at a block , so that the calculating unit can be operated with the fast normal velocity 60 . in a clock according to the normal velocity 60 , a block , such as the second adder block 12 , has to be able to output its sum bits s i . sum bits can only be output when the carries of the next lower elementary cells are present . when no pass means has generated an active panic signal , and after particularly the pass means 26 has generated no panic signal , it is ensured that in the worst case the input carry 120 is generated in the second lowest elementary cell 17 of the first adder block and then — in the worst case — passes through the whole first adder block . thus , the clock in the normal case must therefore only be so fast that the carry from the second lowest digit 17 of the first adder block can propagate through the whole first adder block , and that then , when the input carry 120 is present in the second block 12 , the sum bits for the second adder block 12 can be determined . thus , the processing in the second adder block takes place in two phases . first , the input carry 120 is determined . as soon as the input carry 120 is known , the sum bits of the second adder block 12 are output in a second phase . a similar procedure is carried out in parallel with all other blocks , so that in the normal case , i . e . when no panic signal 260 , 280 , 300 is active , it can be clocked with a clock whose clock period is so great that a carry can pass through at least part of the previous block , namely in the worst case , all elementary cells of the previous blocks minus one elementary cell , and can further pass through the whole current block . in a possible implementation , typically , the limit is not immediately achieved , but a security factor in the range of 1 to 10 % is preferred . in the following , reference will be made to the case where a pass means , such as pass means 28 , generates a panic signal 280 . this means that the input carry 140 in the third adder block 14 is not determined by the second adder block 12 but by the first adder block 10 . in this panic case , the normal velocity of the clock generator would lead to errors . thus , the clock generator 52 is controlled by the control means 50 to a panic velocity 62 , which is a bit slower than in the normal case . particularly , the clock velocity , with which the operands are fed in , is set such that a carry , which is generated in the second lowest elementary cell 17 of the first adder block in the worst case can propagate through the second adder block 12 , since the input carry 140 is present in the second adder block 14 only then . further , the panic clock has to be so slow that when the carry 140 is present , the sum bits can be output in the second adder block 14 . in the panic case , the clock will therefore be so slow that the carry can pass through all elementary cells minus one elementary cell of the first adder block , that the carry can pass through the second adder block and that the carry can further pass through the third adder block 14 . in several cases , this value is not used directly , but typically , a security factor in the range of 1 to 10 % is added to the theoretically maximum panic clock period as well . it is preferred to provide each adder block with a carry bypass . thereby , the clock period can be decelerated in the panic case . after the second pass means 28 has already determined that the carry propagates through the second adder block 12 , i . e . is not influenced by the second adder block 12 , the carry at the output of the first adder block is put on the carry bypass 42 of the second adder block by the carry control means 36 , and from there fed into the least significant digit by the carry control means 38 , as it is illustrated in blocks 36 and 38 with dotted lines . in this case , the panic clock period has to be longer in comparison to the normal case only about that time that the carry needs to propagate across the carry bypass 42 of the second adder block . this time is typically much shorter than when a full carry ripple has to be awaited by an adder block , so that the clock period in the panic case is not much longer than in the normal case . if , however , the control means 50 determines that two adjacent pass means , such as the pass means 28 and the pass means 30 have determined that a carry passes through both blocks , the case of a double - panic is given . in this case , the carry of the next higher adder block , which is not shown in fig1 , is determined by the elementary cells of the first adder block 10 in the worst case of the second lowest elementary cell 17 of the first adder block 10 . in this case , if the clock is not reduced , an error will occur , since the next operands would already be fed into the calculating unit before the higher adder block ( not shown in fig1 ) downstream of the second adder block 14 has finished outputting the sum bits . according to the invention the calculating unit will be decelerated in the illustrated embodiment , as if a carry propagates from the least significant digit of the whole calculating unit to the most significant digit of the whole calculating unit . to shorten that time , the carry bypass 42 and the carry bypass 44 are used . since the two blocks 12 and 14 do not influence the carry , the carry is put on the carry bypass 42 by block 36 , and not fed into the second adder block 14 by a block 38 , as in the previously described case , but directly directed to the carry bypass 44 of the second adder block . the total duration a carry needs from the least significant digit of the calculating unit to the most significant digit of the calculating unit is thus at least shortened by using the two carry bypasses 42 and 44 . it can be seen that a double - panic case leads to a very significant slowing down of the calculating unit . to keep this case even smaller , a third panic level could be introduced , which consists of three adjacent pass means , such as pass means 26 , 28 , 30 , which determine that a carry passes directly through their respective adder blocks . if a triple panic means is present , the calculating unit does not have to be slowed down to the overall worst case in the case of a double - panic , but has to , in analogy to the simple panic , be slowed down only so strongly that the carry can pass through at least part of the first adder block ( namely , in the worst case , all bits minus one bit ), the two carry bypasses 42 and 44 as well as the next higher block , which is not shown in fig1 . thus , if a triple panic means is present , the clock period in the case of double - panic differs merely from the clock period in the case of simple panic in that the time that a carry needs to pass through the carry bypass 44 is longer . an arbitrary number of panic stages can be used , wherein the benefit through another panic stage diminishes more and more compared to the additional circuit effort to determine the higher panic case . on the other hand , the number of elementary cells in an adder block can be reduced further with every higher panic stage , which immediately leads to the fact that the normal clock 60 can be increased further and further . it should be noted that the adder blocks can internally have an arbitrary combination of calculating units . the most simple case is that each adder block is arranged as simple ripple carry adder , which , additionally to a simple ripple carry adder should generate the propagate signal per elementary cell , so that the pass means can operate on the basis of the propagate signals . if all adder blocks are fully organized as ripple carry adder , the clock period in the normal case has to be at least so long that a carry can ripple through all elementary cells of an adder block minus one elementary cell and through all elementary cells of a downstream adder block . however , this time can be reduced by the fact that an adder block is fully organized as carry - look - ahead adder . in this case , the carry input bit is in the second adder block 12 , i . e . the carry bit 120 is present much faster . this carry bit will then be calculated to one , when at least one elementary cell in the first adder block 10 has an active generate parameter , which is followed exclusively by propagate parameters or generate parameters . the carry bit 120 will then be calculated to zero , when an elementary cell generates an active kill parameter , which is merely followed by further kill parameters or propagate parameters but no generate parameters . carry - look - ahead adder work very fast , but need significantly more chip area . for that reason , a tradeoff is possible in that smaller carry - look - ahead adder sub - blocks are formed , which are interconnected according to a ripple - carry adder , to generate an adder block 10 , 12 or 14 . the actual adder layout within the block will be dictated by practical conditions . as it has already been discussed , the inventive calculating unit is particularly useful for cryptographic processors , since they typically need long - number calculating units of a length in a range of 160 bit for elliptic curve cryptography applications or with a length in the order of 1024 or 2048 bit for rsa calculations . this is in significant contrast to typical 8 , 16 , 32 or 64 bit cpus , as can be found in general purpose processors . with regard to the number of elementary cells in an adder block , a number between 8 and 16 elementary cells and particularly a number of 16 elementary cells for the case of a two - stage panic hierarchy is preferred . if a third panic hierarchy is provided , it is preferred to reduce the number of elementary cells in a block to , for example , 8 , which corresponds immediately to a normal clock velocity double that amount . by providing carry bypasses , the panic velocity ( in the case of a two - stage panic hierarchy ) and / or the double - panic velocity ( in the case of a three - stage panic hierarchy ) be kept almost the amount as in the case of the normal velocity , since a carry typically passes through a carry bypass much faster than through the adder block itself . fig2 shows a block diagram of the inventive calculating unit with a number of adder blocks 200 , 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 , 210 , 212 which are designated by block i − 3 to block i + 3 . every adder block comprises a carry input 214 and a carry output 216 , wherein , for clarity reasons , they are designated in fig3 merely for block i − 3 ( 200 ). each adder block further comprises a carry pass output 218 , which corresponds to an output of pass means 26 , 28 or 30 of fig1 , wherein these outputs are designated with 260 , 280 , 300 in fig1 . further , means for deactivating the carry pass output is associated to each block , wherein means for deactivating is formed preferably as nor gate 220 in fig2 the nor gate ( i . e . 220 ) provides merely a high output signal with a logical level of “ 1 ”, when the input signal , i . e . the input signal 218 of the carry output has a logical “ 1 ” level . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , a “ low active ” logic is present for the panic signal , i . e . for the signal at the carry output 218 . thus , a panic signal is present , when a low voltage value is applied at the input of gate 220 . means 220 for deactivating further comprises a control input 222 , which obtains a high voltage level , when the panic signal of the respective adder block is to be turned off . if , however , the panic signal is not to be turned off , as it is the case in blocks i + 1 , i + 2 , i + 3 , a low voltage (“ 0 ”) is applied to the voltage input . the calculating unit shown in fig2 further comprises means 224 for determining , in which of the adder blocks a least significant bit of the operand to be subtracted is disposed . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , means 224 is formed as a register with a number of register cells , which corresponds the number of adder blocks , in which the panic signal can be turned off . from the utilization of the register 224 it can be seen , which block is the block where the least significant bit is disposed . in the example shown in fig2 , the least significant bit is disposed in block i . a “ 1 ” in the register 224 means that the panic signal of the respective adder block is to be turned off . a “ 0 ” in the register means , however , that the panic signal , i . e . the carry output of the respective adder block , is to be used . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , all blocks below the block i , i . e . the block wherein the lsb is disposed , will be deactivated with regard to their panic signal . additionally , in the preferred embodiment shown in fig2 , the panic signal of the adder block , in which the lsb is disposed , will also be deactivated , since the carry path is here also limited , since it is the least significant “ active ” block of the calculating unit . this measure is advantageous in the case of a simple panic control , but it is , however , not absolutely necessary , when the normal clock cycle is held such that a carry can propagate over two complete blocks . when the normal clock , however , is chosen so that the carry can propagate across one block and at least part of the previous block , which does not comprise the least significant bit of the previous block , the block 206 , in which the lsb is , also has to be deactivated . depending on the chosen measure , the block , in which the lsb is , can be read with regard to the register cell of the register 224 of fig2 , in which either the first “ 0 ” is , or in which the highest “ 1 ” is , as in the example shown in fig2 . in an exemplary implementation shown in fig2 , the register 224 as an 8 - bit - wide output , wherein the control line becomes less wide by one bit after very line , so that , as is shown in fig2 , the register can be directly matched to the adder blocks . it should be noted that even in long - number calculating units with many adder blocks , a panic signal turnoff means has not necessarily to be present in all adder blocks , since not the whole calculating unit width has to be provided as underflow buffer . thus , merely , for example , the lowest eight adder blocks will be provided with the inventive measures , since adder blocks above that will never , per definition , obtain the least significant bit of the second operand . further , fig2 shows a panic line 62 as well as a double - panic line 64 already realized on bit level , which is active when the panic signals of two adjacent adder blocks are active . for each adder block , which can be the lsb block , further , means 230 is provided to be able to feed a carry c in into the carry input of the adder block . further , as it becomes more obvious from fig3 a to 3 e , means , which is not shown in fig2 , is also present , to prevent the carry at the carry output of a adder block , such as the carry output 216 of the adder block 200 from entering the carry input of the overlying adder block . fig3 a to 3 e show a sequence of register contents , which occurs , when the individual inventive measures are taken , to obtain an adaptive treatment of the adder blocks , lying below the adder block comprising the least significant bit . before reference will be made to fig3 a to 3 e in more detail , it should be noted that in the preferred elementary cell of the adder , such as the elementary cells 16 , 17 , 22 , 24 of fig1 , the following organization is preferred . a preferred elementary cell comprises , apart from the actual adder for adding the operands a , b , the operand registers itself . if , for example , considering a two - operand adder , an elementary cell comprises a memory location for the respective bit of the first print , a memory location for the respective bit of the second operand as well as a memory location for the respective sum bit c , obtained by addition of the first and second operand . when considering a three - operand adder , each elementary cell comprises three register memory locations for the three input operands and a register cell for the respective output bit . in this case , the adder itself consists of a half adder and a downstream full adder . fig3 a shows the register utilization of a first operand in a stacked up manner . for the example shown in fig3 a , it is assumed that the calculating unit comprises five adder blocks all in all , wherein the least significant bit of the first operand a is in the third adder block of the calculating unit . in fig3 b , the second operand register of the calculating unit is shown . the least significant bit of the second operand b is also in a third adder block . it should be noted , that meaningful bits are designated with crosses in fig3 a and 3 b , while unused bits are set to a value of “ 0 ” in the respective registers in the shown embodiment . an inversion of the second operand register leads to a situation as it is shown in fig3 c , i . e ., that all bits below the least significant bit , which means all bits of the first and second adder blocks , become 1 . now , the inventive calculating unit would generate a panic signal both for the first adder block and for the second adder block , since the propagate parameters of the two operands a and { overscore ( b )} are equal to 1 for the first and second adder block . these panic signals would , in the case shown in fig3 c , initiate not only a panic but even a double - panic , which is generated “ artificially ”. to prevent this case , the panic signals of the first and second adder blocks are turned off , as is shown in fig3 d , i . e . the carry path outputs of the first and second adder blocks are deactivated . above that , in fig3 d the preferred case is shown , wherein the panic signal of the third adder block , the block where the lsb is , is also deactivated . to bring the bits in the adder blocks no . 1 and no . 2 back to their initial state , i . e . the value of “ 0 ”, further , a carry c in is fed into every carry input of the respective adder blocks no . 1 and no . 2 , as it is shown in fig3 e . further , as it is also shown in fig3 e , a carry is also fed into the third block , where the lsb is , to consider the addition of “ 1 ” in the discussed subtraction equation . finally , as is shown in fig3 e at 250 , a carry barrier is introduced for all adder blocks below the adder blocks containing the lsb , such that the carry output signal of a block can enter the carry input of the next higher block . 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 compositions of the present invention . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations , permutations , and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .	6
referring to the accompanying drawings , embodiments of the present invention will be explained . like parts are indicated by corresponding reference characters throughout all the figures , and repetitious explanation will be omitted . fig1 is a block diagram of a dram according to a first embodiment of the present invention . the dram , i . e ., the first embodiment , can operate in 2k - refresh cycle mode and 4k - refresh - cycle mode . as shown in fig1 a memory cell array ( hereinafter , referred to as the mca ) 1 is divided into eight sections mca 0 to mca 7 . an x - address buffer group 3 , which receives an address input signal a in , produces a plurality of x address signals . the x address signals are set to first x - addresses x 0 to x 8 and second x - addresses x 9 and x 10 for division operation of mca 0 to mca 7 , and to a third x address x 11 for changing the product specification . an x1 decoder 5 , which is supplied with the first x - addresses x 0 to x 8 , decodes the first addresses x 0 to x 8 to produce a signal for selecting a word - line ( a row ) of the mca . an x2 - decoder 7 is supplied with the second x addresses x 9 and x 10 and also with the third x - address x 11x via an address switching section 9 . when the 2 - kcycle dram is selected , the x2 decoder 7 decodes the second x - addresses x 9 and x 10 to produce a signal for simultaneously selecting one array from mca 0 to mca 3 and one array from mca 4 to mca 7 , a signal for selecting sense amplifiers 11 0 to 11 3 , and a signal for selecting i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 . when the 4 - kcycle dram is selected , the x2 - decoder 7 decodes the second x - addresses x 9 and x 10 and the third x - address x 11 to produce a signal for selecting one array from mca 0 to mca 7 , a signal for selecting sense amplifiers 11 0 to 11 3 , and a signal for selecting the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 . in fig1 blocks indicated by reference numerals 15 0 to 15 3 are word - line driving circuits , and blocks indicated by reference numerals 17 0 to 17 3 are sense amplifier driving circuits . a y - address buffer group 19 , which receives the address input signal a in , generates a plurality of y - address signals . the y - address signals are set to first y - addresses y 1 to y 11 and a second y - address y 0 . a y1 - decoder 21 , which is supplied with the first y - addresses y 1 to y 11 , decodes the first y - addresses y 1 to y 11 to produce a signal for selecting a bit line ( a column ) of the mca . a y2 - decoder 23 decodes the second y address y 0 to generate a signal for selecting , for example , one of the i / o sense amplifiers contained in the i / o sense amplifier group 13 . the dram of fig1 is provided with a product specification determining section 25 . the product specification determining section 25 is composed of a receiving section 27 that receives a product specification decision signal sds , a switching signal generator section 29 , connected to the receiving section 27 , for producing internal switching signals φ2 and φ4 to change a product specification according to the signal sds , and an address signal switching section 9 for selecting the destination of the address signal based on the signals φ2 and φ4 . the operation of the product specification determining section 25 will be explained . when the product specification decision signal sds specifies the 2 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ), the switching signal generator section 29 produces a 2 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ) switching signal φ2 , and supplies it to the address signal switching section 9 and i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . the address signal switching section 9 , based on the signal φ2 , changes the third address x 11 to address x 11y and supplies the resulting signal to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . when the signal sds specifies the 4 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ), the switching signal generator section 29 , based on the signal sds , produces a 4 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ) switching signal φ4 , and supplies it to the address signal switching section 9 and x2 - decoder 7 . the address signal switching section 9 changes the third address x 11 to address x 11x based on the signal φ4 and supplies the resulting signal to the x2 - decoder 7 . the signals φ2 and φ4 are , for example , complementary to each other . the switching signal generator section 29 supplies the inversion in level of signal φ2 to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . the data read operation of the 2 - kcycle refresh memory product and 4 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ) will be explained . in the case of the 2 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ), the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 is supplied with address x 11y , which activates the former . the control circuit 31 produces a signal for selecting either a pair of i / o sense amplifiers 13 0 and 13 1 or a pair of i / o sense amplifiers 13 2 and 13 3 . the x2 - decoder 7 produces a signal for simultaneously selecting one array from mca 0 to mca 3 and one array from mca 4 to mca 7 . the i / o sense amplifier group that finally supplies the data is one selected by the x2 - decoder 7 and control circuit 31 . the reading of data is done by causing the y1 - decoder 21 to decode the first y - address produced at the y - address buffer group 19 , amplifying the information from the memory cell at the i / o sense amplifier group that finally supplies the data , and supplying the output signal dout from the data output circuit 33 . in fig1 a block indicated by numeral 35 is a data input circuit to which the input signal din is supplied . in the case of the 4 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ), address x 11x is supplied to the x2 - decoder 7 instead of the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . the x2 - decoder 7 then produces a signal for activating only one array of mca 0 to mca 7 . the control signal 31 receives the inversion in level of signal φ2 , and based on the inverted signal , produces a signal for selecting either a pair of i / o sense amplifiers 13 0 and 13 1 or a pair of i / o sense amplifiers 13 2 and 13 3 . the i / o sense amplifier 13 finally activated is one selected by the x2 - decoder 7 and control circuit 31 . as described above , a semiconductor integrated circuit device thus constructed enables a single chip to deal with different refresh - cycles by switching the third x - address x 11 to either x 11x or x 11y at the switching section 9 . refresh operation is performed by selecting a word - line and at the same time , by operating the sense amplifiers 110 to 113 . the dram of fig1 is provided with a counter refresh circuit group 37 , which contains a counter circuit 39 . the counter circuit 39 is supplied with a signal ctrs for commanding the count start and switching signals φ2 and φ4 . the counter circuit 39 , based on the signal ctrs , supplies counter output signals c 0 to c 11 that count up x - addresses x 0 to x 11 in sequence , and based on the signals φ2 and φ4 , changes the number of output signals c 0 to c 11 . this is done to make the number of x - addresses equal to the number of counter output signals , because the 2 - kcycle product ( mode ) differs from the 4 - kcycle product ( mode ) in the number of x - addresses supplied to the row decoder ( x1 - decoder 5 and x2 - decoder 7 ). in this embodiment , when the switching signal φ2 is supplied , the counter circuit 39 will not supply signal c 11 . this is because the third x - address x 11 is ignored since in the case of the 2 - kcycle product ( mode ), the third x - address x 11 is not supplied to the row decoder ( x1 - decoder 5 and x2 - decoder 7 ). when the switching signal φ4 is supplied ( or when the level of switching signal φ2 is reversed and supplied ), the counter circuit 39 will supply signal c 11 . the dram of fig1 is provided with a word - line boosting section 41 , to which switching signals φ2 and φ4 and boosting signal φwl are supplied . the word - line boosting section 41 raises the word - line voltage based on the signal φwl . in fig1 numeral 43 indicates the boosting line to which a boosting voltage is supplied . in the present invention , the word - line boosting capacitance is also changed on the basis of signals φ2 and φ4 . this is done to optimize the level of the word - line boosting capacitance according to a change in the word - line load capacitance , since the number of word lines activated at a time in the 2 - kcycle product differs from that in the 4 - kcycle product . in the case of 2 - kcycle products , because two mcas are selected , this increases the number of word lines activated , making the load capacitance larger . to compensate for the increase in the load capacitance , the word - line boosting section 41 increases the word - line boosting capacitance based on signal φ2 in the case of the 2 - kcycle product . when signal φ4 is supplied ( or when the level of switching signal φ2 is inverted and supplied ; in the case of 4 - kcycle product ), the word - line boosting section 41 reduces the word - line boosting capacitance more than in the 2 - kcycle product . the peripheral circuitry of the fig1 dram contains a / ras ( hereinafter , / is used as a symbol indicating an inverted signal ) circuit group 45 , a / cas circuit group 47 , and a / we circuit group 49 . the details of these circuits will be omitted in this specification . fig2 is a circuit diagram showing a concrete construction of the product specification determining section 25 . as shown in fig2 the receiving section 27 is composed of a pad p connected to the output terminal 51 , and a resistance one end of which is connected to the junction point of the output terminal 51 and pad p and the other end of which is connected to the ground gnd . this section 27 allows the output terminal 51 to be set to either a h ( high ) level or a l ( low ) level depending on whether a wire applied with a high potential vcc is bonded to the pad p ( the decision signal sds is in the h - level ) or not ( the signal sds is in the l - level ). the output terminal 51 is connected to the input terminal 53 of the switching signal generator section 29 . the switching signal generator section 29 is made up of a first inverter 55 whose input is connected to the input terminal 53 , and a second inverter 57 whose input is connected to the output of the first inverter 55 . the output of the inverter 55 is extracted as a first refresh switching signal φ2 , and the output of the inverter 57 is extracted as a second refresh switching signal φ4 . the address switching section 9 is composed of switches ( transfer gates ) 59 1 to 59 4 consisting of n - channel mosfet ( hereinafter , referred to as nmos ) and p - channel mosfet ( hereinafter , referred to as pmos ) whose gates are supplied with switching signals φ2 or φ4 . the x - address buffer group 3 supplies an address signal a 11r ( x 11 ) and its inverted signal / a 11r (/ x 11 ). the address signal a 11r ( x 11 ) is supplied to one end of each of switches 59 1 and 59 2 . the other end of switch 59 1 is connected to the x2 - decoder 7 , and the other end of the switch 59 2 is connected to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . the inverted signal / a 11r (/ x 11 ) is supplied to one end of each of switches 59 3 and 59 4 . the other end of switch 59 3 is connected to x2 - decoder 7 , and the other end of switch 59 4 is connected to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . the gate of each of the pmos of switch 59 1 , nmos of switch 59 2 , pmos of switch 59 3 , and nmos of switch 59 4 is all connected to the output of the inverter 55 . the gate of each of the nmos of switch 59 1 , pmos of switch 59 2 , nmos of switch 59 3 , and pmos of switch 59 4 is all connected to the output of the inverter 57 . connecting this way allows either a pair of switches 59 1 and 59 3 or a pair of switches 59 2 and 59 4 to be selected and operated . for example , when the output of inverter 55 is in the h level and the output of inverter 57 is in the l - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle refresh product ), the switches 59 2 and 59 4 turn on , and address signal a 11r and its inverted signal / a 11r are supplied as addresses x 11y and / x 11y to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . contrarily , when the output of inverter 55 is in the l - level and the output of inverter 57 is in the h level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle refresh product ), the switches 59 1 and 59 3 turn on , and address signal a 11r and its inverted signal / a 11r are supplied as addresses x 11x and / x 11x to the x2 - decoder 7 . as noted above , the product specification determining section 25 , depending on whether to bond a wire applied with a high voltage vcc to the pad p or not , switches address signal a 11r and its inverted signal / a 11r either to the x2 - decoder 7 or to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . fig3 is a circuit diagram showing another construction of the receiving section 27 . the receiving section 27 of fig2 may be constructed as shown in fig3 . specifically , one end of the resistance r is connected to the high potential vcc , and the other end of the resistance r is connected to one end of the fuse f , the other end of which is connected to the ground gnd . the junction point of the resistance r and fuse f is connected to the output terminal 51 . in the receiving section 27 thus constructed , cutting the fuse f enables the output terminal 51 to be set to the h - level , and uncutting the fuse f allows the output terminal 51 to be set to the l - level . the receiving section 27 of fig3 operates in the same manner as that of fig2 . fig4 is a block diagram of the counter circuit 39 of fig1 . as shown in fig4 the counter circuit 39 is composed of counters 61 0 to 61 11 . the least - significant counter 61 0 is supplied with the signal ctrs commanding the count start and its inverted signal bctrs . the counter 61 0 , based on the signal ctrs and its inverted signal bctrs , supplies a counter output signal c 0 and its inverted signal bc 0 . the counter 61 1 in the next stage is supplied with the output ( signal c 0 and its inverted signal bc 0 ) of the counter 61 0 in the preceding stage . the counter 61 1 , based on the signal c 0 and its inverted signal bc 0 , supplies a counter output signal c 1 and its inverted signal bc 1 . in this way , counters 61 1 to 61 11 take in the outputs of the preceding stages , respectively , and based on the signals taken in , supply signals c 1 to c 11 and their inverted signals bc 1 to bc 11 in sequence . the most - significant counter 61 11 is supplied with the output ( signal c 10 and its inverted signal bc 10 ) of the counter 61 10 in the preceding stage ( not shown ) and switching signal φ4 . the counter 61 11 , only when , for example , supplied with the h - level switching signal φ4 ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle refresh product ), supplies counter output signal c 11 and its inverted signal bc 11 on the basis of signal c 10 and its inverted signal bc 10 . the counter 61 11 , when , for example , supplied with the l - level switching signal φ4 ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle refresh product ), supplies neither signal c 11 nor its inverted signal bc 11 . thus , for the 2 - kcycle refresh product , the output of the counter 61 11 is ignored . fig5 a to 5c are a circuit diagram showing a concrete construction of the counters of fig4 . the circuit configuration of each of counters 61 0 to 61 10 is the same , so that only counters 61 0 and 61 1 and the most - significant counter 61 11 will be described . fig5 a and 5b are circuit diagrams of counters 61 0 and 61 1 , respectively . as shown in fig5 a , the output of the clocked inverter 63 0 is connected to the input of the inverter 65 0 ( node a1 ). the output of inverter 65 0 is connected to the gate of each of pmos 67 0 and nmos 69 0 . the drain of pmos 67 0 is connected to that of nmos 69 0 ( node a2 ). the source of pmos 67 0 is connected to the drain of pmos 71 0 , and the source of pmos 71 0 is connected to a high potential power supply . the gate of pmos 71 0 is supplied with signal ctrs . the source of nmos 69 0 is connected to the drain of nmos 73 0 , and the source of nmos 73 0 is connected to a low potential power supply ( for example , the ground ). the gate of nmos 73 0 is supplied with the inverted signal bctrs . node a2 is connected to node a1 as well as to the input of the clocked inverter 75 0 , which is driven by the clock opposite in phase to that of the clocked inverter 63 0 . the output of the clocked inverter 75 0 is connected to the input of the inverter 77 0 ( node a3 ). the output of the inverter 77 0 is connected to the gate of each of pmos 79 0 and nmos 81 0 ( node a4 ). the drain of pmos 79 0 is connected to that of nmos 81 0 ( node a5 ). the source of pmos 79 0 is connected to the drain of pmos 83 0 , and the source of pmos 83 0 is connected to a high potential power supply . the gate of pmos 83 0 is supplied with the inverted signal bctrs . the source of nmos 81 0 is connected to the drain of nmos 85 0 , whose source is connected to a low potential power supply ( for example , the ground ). the gate of nmos 85 0 is supplied with the signal ctrs . node a5 is connected to node a3 . node a4 is connected to the counter output signal terminal cj ( c 0 ) ( node a6 ). node a6 is connected to the input of the inverter 87 0 ( node a7 ). the output of inverter 87 0 is connected to the inverted counter output signal terminal bcj ( bc 0 ). node a7 is connected to the input of inverter 63 0 . explanation of fig5 b will be omitted . the construction of fig5 b is almost the same as that of fig5 a except for input signals ( cj - 1 , bcj - 1 ) and output signals ( cj , bcj ). as shown in fig5 c , node a2 is connected to the gate of pmos 89 11 ( node a8 ) as well as to the gate of nmos 91 11 . node a8 is connected to node a1 . the drain of pmos 89 11 is connected to the source of pmos 93 11 . the source of pmos 89 11 is connected to a high potential power supply . the gate of pmos 93 11 is connected to signal cj - 1 ( c 10 ). the drain of nmos 91 11 is connected to the source of nmos 95 11 , which is also connected to the drain of nmos 97 11 . the gate of nmos 95 11 is supplied with the inverted signal bcj - 1 ( c 10 ). the drain of pmos 93 11 is connected to that of nmos 95 11 ( node a9 ). node a9 is connected to the drain of pmos 99 11 , whose source is connected to a high potential power supply . the gate of each of pmos 99 11 and nmos 97 11 is supplied with switching signal φ4 . node a9 is connected to node a3 . it is assumed that the first stage counter 61 0 is supplied with signal cj - 1 ( ctrs ) and inverted signal bcj - 1 ( bctrs ), and that the clocked inverter 63 0 and the clocked inverter 101 0 made up of pmos 79 0 and pmos 83 0 and nmos 81 0 and nmos 85 0 are turned on . in this state , the clocked inverter 75 0 and the clocked inverter 103 0 made up of pmos 67 0 and pmos 71 0 and nmos 69 0 and nmos 73 0 are in the off state because they are supplied with the clock opposite in phase to that of the clocked inverter 63 0 . as a result , a latch circuit composed of the inverter 77 0 and clocked inverter 101 0 latches a signal that brings node a4 to the h - level . this allows the counter output signal terminal cj to supply the h - level signal ( c 0 ), and the inverted counter output signal terminal bcj to supply the l - level signal ( bc 0 ). when the level of the clock signal is inverted , the clocked inverters 63 0 and 101 0 are turned off and the clocked inverters 75 0 and 103 0 are turned on . as a result , a latch circuit composed of the inverter 65 0 and clocked inverter 103 0 latches a signal that brings node a2 to the l - level . when node a2 is in the l - level , the clocked inverter 75 0 supplies the h - level signal , bringing node a4 to the l - level . therefore , the counter output signal terminal cj supplies the l - level signal ( c 0 ) opposite in level to that of the signal described above , and the inverted counter output signal terminal bcj supplies the h - level signal ( bc 0 ) whose signal level has been inverted . the next - stage counter 6 11 is supplied with the output signals c 0 and bc 0 and driven by them . the subsequent counters 61 2 to 61 10 operate the same way . the eleventh - stage counter 61 10 supplies signals c 10 and bc 10 , which are used to drive the final counter 61 11 . in the counter 61 11 , a low potential is supplied via nmos 97 11 to the clocked inverter 75 11 made up of pmos 89 11 , pmos 93 11 , nmos 91 11 , and nmos 95 11 . the gate of nmos 97 11 is supplied with the switching signal φ4 . because the l - level switching signal turns off nmos 97 11 , the clocked inverter 75 11 does not operate . thus , the counter 61 11 supplies effective counter output signal cj ( c 11 ) and inverted output signal bcj ( bc 11 ) only when the switching signal is in the h - level . fig6 a and 6b are circuit diagrams showing a concrete construction of the word - line boosting section 41 of fig1 . as shown in fig6 a , the word - line boosting section 41 contains a first boosting capacitor 105 1 and second boosting capacitor 105 2 . one electrode of each of the first and second boosting capacitors 105 1 and 105 2 is connected to the boosting line 43 . the line 43 is connected to the boosting driving circuit 15 0 to 15 7 shown in fig1 . the other electrode of capacitor 105 1 is connected to the output of the first word - line boosting circuit 107 1 , and the other electrode of capacitor 105 2 is connected to the output of the second word - line boosting circuit 107 2 . the input of the first word - line boosting circuit 107 1 is supplied with a boosting signal φwl . the input of the second word - line boosting circuit 107 2 is connected to the output of the and gate ( logical product gate ) 109 . the input of and gate 109 is supplied with the signal φwl and switching signal φ2 . each of the boosting circuits 107 1 and 107 2 is composed of two inverters connected in series between the input and output . the operation of the word - line boosting section 41 of fig6 will be explained . when both the boosting signal φwl and switching signal φ2 are in the h - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle product ), both boosting circuits 107 1 and 107 2 are activated . when the switching signal φ2 is in the l - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle product ), only the boosting circuit 107 1 is activated . thus , the boosting section 41 of the 2 - kcycle product supplies a higher boosting capacitance than that of the 4 - kcycle product . as shown in fig6 b , the boosting section 41 may be made up of the boosting circuit 107 2 connected between the input and output with the input being connected to a nand gate 111 . the boosting section 41 of fig6 b operates in the same manner as the boosting section 41 of fig6 a . fig7 is a block diagram showing another construction of the word - line boosting section 41 . as shown in fig7 the boosting line 43 connected to the second boosting capacitor 105 2 may be prepared as a mask option . specifically , in the manufacturing processes , the conducting layer patterning of the boosting line 43 may be designed to allow selection of a mask with the pattern of boosting line 43 connected only to the first boosting capacitor 105 1 or a mask with the pattern of boosting line 43 &# 39 ; connected to the second boosting capacitor 105 2 in addition to that of the first one . fig8 is a circuit diagram showing a concrete construction of the x2 - decoder 7 of fig1 . and gates 113 0 and 113 7 are provided as shown in fig8 . the inputs of and gates 113 0 to 113 7 are supplied with the second addresses x 9 (/ x 9 ) and x 10 (/ x 10 ) and the third address x 11x (/ x 11x ) in a different combination . the third address inputs of and gates 113 0 to 113 7 are connected to either the sources or drains of pmos 115 0 to pmos 115 7 . the gates of pmos 115 0 to pmos 115 7 are supplied with the switching signal φ4 . the outputs cbs0 to cbs7 of and gates 113 0 to 113 7 are extracted as cell array block select signals . the operation of x2 - decoder 7 will be explained . when the switching signal φ4 is in the l - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle product ), pmos 115 0 to pmos 115 7 are each turned on , causing the third address input to remain at the h - level . therefore , the third x - address input ( x 11x and / x 11x ) is ignored . when the switching signal φ4 is in the h - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle product ), pmos 115 0 to pmos 115 7 are each turned off , activating the third x - address input . as a result , and gates 113 0 to 113 7 take in addresses x 11x and / x 11x . fig9 is a circuit diagram showing a concrete construction of the i / o sense amplifier group 13 and i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 shown in fig1 . as shown in fig9 the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 contains and gates 117 0 and 117 1 . each of and gates 117 0 and 117 1 is supplied with the i / o sense timing signal φ ios and address x 11y and / x 22y . the third x - address input of each of and gates 117 0 and 117 1 is connected to the sources or drains of pmos 119 0 and pmos 119 1 . the gates of pmos 119 0 and pmos 119 1 are supplied with the switching signal φ2 . the outputs φ s01 and φ s23 of and gates 117 0 and 117 1 are extracted as the i / o sense amplifier group select signals to select the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 . the operation of the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 will be explained . when the switching signal φ2 is in the l level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle product ), pmos 119 0 to pmos 119 7 are each turned on , causing the third x - address input to remain at the l level . therefore , the third x - address input ( x 11y and / x 11x ) is ignored . when the switching signal φ2 is in the h - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle product ), pmos 119 0 and pmos 119 1 are each turned off , activating the third x - address input . as a result , and gates 119 0 to 119 2 take in addresses x 11y and / x 11x . fig9 shows a primary portion of the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 . as shown in fig9 the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 are each made up of or gates 121 0 to 121 3 and and gates 123 0 to 123 3 . the inputs of or gates 121 0 to 121 3 are supplied with block select signals cbs0 to cbs7 . the inputs of and gates 123 0 to 123 3 are supplied with the outputs of or gates 121 0 to 121 3 , and i / o sense amplifier select signals φ s01 and φ s23 . the outputs of and gates 123 0 to 123 3 are extracted as i / o sense timing signals φ ios0 and φ ios3 . fig1 is a block diagram of a dram according to the second embodiment of the present invention . this figure centers especially on the product specification determining section 25 . the dram shown in fig1 is a device where the x - address allocating method is the same as the y - address allocating method , such as a dram of a x1 bit construction . two types of products with different refresh - cycles can be obtained from a single dram of fig1 . in some devices , however , as the refresh cycle changes , the x address allocation and y address allocation change accordingly . they include x4 bit drams , x8 bit drams , and x16 bit drams , or multi - bit drams . in the multi - bit dram , as the refresh - cycle changes , the number of x - addresses and that of y - addresses change . therefore , to realize several types of products with different refresh - cycles , it is necessary to change the allocation of x - addresses and y - addresses according to the difference in refresh cycle . a dram according to the second embodiment is a device that allows the change of address allocation depending on the difference in refresh - cycle . fig1 is a block diagram of a x4 bit dram . in a dram of x4 bits with 2k - refresh cycles , the number of x - addresses is equal to that of y - addresses , or their addresses are symmetrical . for example , x - addresses range from x 0 to x 10 , and y - addresses range from y 0 to y 10 . in a dram of x4 bits with 4k - refresh - cycles , the number of x - addresses differ from that of y - addresses , or their addresses are asymmetrical . for example , x - addresses range from x 0 to x 11 , and y - addresses range from y 0 to y 9 . in the dram shown in fig1 , when the refresh - cycle is set to 4 - kcycles , x address x 11 is changed to address x 11x at the address switching section 9 , and then supplied to the x2 - decoder 7 . at this time , y - address y 10 is prevented from being supplied from the y - address buffer group 19 . a detailed description of this will be found in a later embodiment . when the refresh cycle is set to 2 - kcycles , y - address y 10 is changed to address y 11y at the address switching section 9 , and then supplied to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . at this time , x - address x 11 is prevented from being supplied from the x - address buffer group 3 . as with y - address y 10 , a detailed description of x - address x 11 will be found in a later embodiment . fig1 is a circuit diagram of the product specification determining section 25 of fig1 . as shown in fig1 , the address switching section 9 contains switches ( transfer gates ) 59 1 to 59 4 composed of nmos and pmos elements . x - addresses x 11 ( a 11r ) and x 11 (/ a 11r ) are supplied to switches 59 1 and 59 3 , respectively . y addresses y 10 ( a 10c ) and / y 10 (/ a 10c ) are supplied to switches 59 2 and 59 4 , respectively . thus , when the switching signal φ2 is in the h - level and the switching signal φ4 is in the l - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ), y - addresses y 10 and y 10 are supplied as addresses x 11y and / x 11y to the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 via switches 59 2 and 59 4 . when the switching signal φ2 is in the l - level and the switching signal φ4 is in the h - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle refresh product ), x - addresses x 11 and / x 11 are supplied as addresses x 11x and / x 11x to the x2 - decoder 7 via switches 59 1 and 59 3 . the same reasoning may be applied to x8 bit and x16 bit devices . fig1 is a block diagram of a dram according to the third embodiment . this figure centers primarily on the product specification determining section 25 . the dram of the third embodiment enables the change of refresh cycle as well as bit construction . for example , a single dram may be formed into four types of products : a x1 bit product at 2 - kcycles , a x1 bit product at 4 - kcycles , a x4 bit product at 2 - kcycles , and a x4 bit product at 4 - kcycles . as shown in fig1 , the address switching section 9 , based on the switching signals φ2 and φ4 , supplies address y 10y to the column decoder 127 . in the dram of fig1 , for a x1 bit construction at 2k - refresh cycles , the address switching section 9 , based on the switching signals φ2 and φ4 , changes x - address signal x 11 to address y 10y to supply the latter to the column decoder 127 . for a x1 bit construction at 4k - refresh cycles , the address switching section 9 , based on the switching signals φ2 and φ4 , changes y - address signal y 10 to address y 10y to supply address y 10y to the column decoder 127 . for a x4 bit construction at 2k - refresh cycle and a x4 bit construction at 4k - refresh cycles , the address switching section 9 is prevented from supplying address y 10y . an alternative to this is to connect between the address switching section 9 and the column decoder 127 a circuit that ignores address y 10y based on the signal specifying a x4 bit construction . in this way , by constructing the address switching section 9 so that for a x1 bit construction , address y 10y may be produced from x - address or y - address based on the switching signals φ2 and φ4 , while for a x4 bit construction , address y 10y may be ignored independently of the switching signals φ2 and φ4 , it is possible to realize a dram that enables not only the change of refresh cycle but also that of bit construction . fig1 is a circuit diagram of the product specification determining section 25 of fig1 . as shown in fig1 , the address switching section 9 contains switches ( transfer gates ) 59 1 to 59 4 and switches 129 1 to 129 4 composed of nmos and pmos elements . x - address x 11 ( a 11r ) is supplied to switches 59 1 to 129 1 . similarly , the inverted x address / x 11 (/ a 11r ) is supplied to switches 59 3 and 129 3 ; y address y 10 ( a 10c ) is supplied to switches 59 2 to 129 2 ; and the inverted / y 10 (/ a 10c ) is supplied to switches 59 4 and 129 4 . the switching signal φ4 is supplied to the gate of each of the nmos of switch 59 1 , the pmos of switch 59 2 , the nmos of switch 59 3 , the pmos of switch 59 4 , the pmos of switch 129 1 , the nmos of switch 129 2 , the pmos of switch 129 3 , and the nmos of switch 129 4 . the switching signal φ2 is supplied to the gate of each of the pmos of switch 59 1 , the nmos of switch 59 2 , the pmos of switch 59 3 , the nmos of switch 59 4 , the nmos of switch 129 1 , the pmos of switch 129 2 , the nmos of switch 129 3 , and the pmos of switch 129 4 . with the product specification determining section 25 of the above - described construction , when the switching signal φ2 is in the h - level and the switching signal φ4 is in the l - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle refresh product of x1 bits ), switches 59 2 and 59 4 turn on , so that y - addresses y 10 and / y 10 are supplied to the sense amplifier control circuit 31 via switches 59 2 and 59 4 . further , because switches 129 1 and 129 3 turn on , so that x - addresses x 11 and / x 11 are supplied to the column decoder 127 via switches 129 1 and 129 3 . when the switching signal φ2 is in the l - level and the switching signal φ4 is in the h - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle refresh product of x1 bits ), switches 59 1 and 59 3 turn on , so that x - addresses x 11 and / x 11 are supplied to the x2 decoder 7 via switches 59 1 and 59 3 . further , because switches 129 2 and 129 4 turn on , so that y - addresses y 10 and / y 10 are supplied to the column decoder 127 via switches 129 2 and 129 4 . between the address switching section 9 and column decoder is connected a circuit ( not shown ) that ignores addresses y 10y and / y 10y based on the signal specifying a x4 bit construction . to select a x4 bit construction , this circuit is used to prevent addresses y 10y and / y 10y from being supplied to the column decoder 127 . fig1 is a block diagram of a dram according to the fourth embodiment . this figure centers primarily on the product specification determining section 25 . the dram of this embodiment allows the change of refresh cycle to more than two different cycles , for example , any of 1 - kcycles , 2 - kcycles , and 4 - kcycles . fig1 is a circuit diagram of the receiving section 27 and switching signal generating section 29 of fig1 . as shown in fig1 , the receiving section 27 contains two bonding pads p1 and p2 . pad p1 is supplied with a first product specification decision signal vr2k , and pad p2 with a second product specification decision signal vr1k . a first output terminal 200 connected to pad p1 is connected to a first input of a nor gate 202 . a second output terminal 204 connected to pad p2 is connected to a first input of a nand gate 206 . a second input of the nand gate 206 is connected to bonding pad p3 supplied with the signal x16 determining the bit construction . to select a x16 bit construction , a h - level signal is supplied to pad p3 . supplying a l - level signal to pad p3 allows the formation of the product of a x8 bit construction . the output of a nand gate 206 is connected to the input of an inverter 208 . the output of the inverter 208 is extracted as a first switching signal r1k , and is connected to the second output of the nor gate 202 . the output of the nor gate 202 is extracted as a third switching signal r4k as well as a second switching signal r2k via an inverter 210 . as shown in fig1 , among these switching signals r1k , r2k , and r4k , the signals r1k and r4k are supplied to the address switching section 9 and counter circuit 37 , while the signals r1k and r2k are supplied to the x - address buffer group 3 , y - address buffer group 19 , and word - line boosting section 41 . fig2 shows the logic of vr1k , vr2k , r1k , r2k , and r4k for each refresh cycle in the case of the x16 bit product . in the figure , character h indicates a h - level signal , and l a l - level signal . fig1 is a circuit diagram of the address switching section 9 of fig1 . as shown in fig1 , the address switching section 9 contains switches ( transfer gates ) 212 1 to 212 4 composed of nmos and pmos elements . the switch 212 1 is supplied with y - address y8 ( a8c ). similarly , the switch 2122 is supplied with x address x 11 ( a 11r ); switch 212 3 with y - address y 9 ( a9c ); and switch 212 4 with x - address x 10 ( x 10r ). the third switching signal r4k is supplied to the gate of each of the pmos of switch 212 1 and the nmos of switch 2122 . the switching signal r4k is also supplied via the inverter 214 1 to the gate of each of the nmos of switch 212 1 and the pmos of switch 212 2 . the first switching signal r1k is supplied to the gate of each of the nmos of switch 212 3 and the pmos of switch 212 4 . the switching signal r1k is also supplied via the inverter 214 2 to the gate of each of the pmos of switch 210 3 and the nmos of switch 212 4 . fig1 shows only the portions to which addresses y 8 , y 9 , x 10 , and x 11 are supplied , while omitting the portions to which the inverted addresses / y 8 , / y 9 , / x 10 , and / x 11 are supplied . the circuit arrangement of the portions to which the inverted addresses are supplied is the same as that shown in fig1 . with the address switching section 9 of the above construction , when the switching signal r1k is in the h - level and the switching signal r4k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 1 - kcycle - refresh product ), switches 212 1 and 212 3 turn on , which allows y - addresses y 8 and y 9 to be supplied as output signals a and b by way of switches 212 1 and 212 3 . when the switching signal r1k is in the l - level and the switching signal r4k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ), switches 212 1 and 212 4 turn on , which allows y - address y 8 and x - address x 10 to be supplied as output signals a and b by way of switches 212 1 and 212 4 . when the switching signal r1k is in the l level and the switching signal r4k is in the h - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ), switches 212 2 and 212 4 turn on , which allows x - addresses x 10 and x 12 to be supplied as output signals a and b by way of switches 212 2 , and 212 4 . fig2 lists the destinations of outputs a and b for each refresh cycle in the case of the x16 bit product . characters y8y , y9y , x10x , and x11x in fig2 correspond to those in fig1 . fig1 is a circuit diagram of the x - address buffer group 3 of fig1 . fig1 a is a circuit diagram of the address generating section that produces addresses a0 to a11 ; fig1 b is a circuit diagram of the x - address generating section that produces x - addresses x0 ( a0r ) to x9 ( a9r ); and fig1 c is a circuit diagram of the x - address generating section that produces x - addresses x10 ( a10r ) to x11 ( a11r ). as shown in fig1 a , the address generating section 216 , which is supplied with an address input ain , produces an address aj and its inverted address baj from the address input ain on the basis of the row address accept signal racp . in this embodiment , 12 address generating sections 216 of fig1 a are used . these sections 21 60 to 216 11 generate addresses a0 ( ba0 ) to a11 ( ba11 ), respectively . in fig1 a , brhld indicates a row address hold signal ( b means the inversion of signal level ), brltc a row address latch signal ( b means the inversion of signal level ), and vrad a reference potential . the addresses a0 ( ba0 ) to a11 ( ba11 ) produced at the address generating sections 216 0 to 216 11 are supplied to the x - address generating sections 218 0 to 218 11 shown in fig1 b and 17c . based on the row address transfer signal brtrs ( b means the inversion of signal level ), the x - address generating sections 218 0 to 218 11 produce x - addresses x0 ( aor ) to x11 ( a11r ) from addresses a0 ( ba0 ) to a11 ( ba11 ). among the x - address generating sections 218 0 to 218 11 , 2181 0 and 218 11 have the circuit construction of fig1 c in order to cope with a change in the number of x - addresses due to the modification of refresh cycle . specifically , each of x - address generating sections 218 10 and 218 11 contains nor circuits 220 and 222 , and x - address is supplied after passing through these nor circuits 220 and 222 . the first inputs of the nor circuits 220 and 222 are supplied with signals c1 and c2 , respectively . the x - address generating sections 218 10 and 218 11 supply x - addresses or not , depending on the signals c1 and c2 . in this embodiment , the signals c1 and c2 are set as follows : in the generating section 218 10 that produces x - address x10 ( a10r ), the first switching signal r1k is used as signals c1 and c2 ; and in the switching section 218 11 that produces x - address x11 ( a11r ), the second switching signal r2k is used as signals c1 and c2 . in fig1 b and 17c , cj and bcj indicate the counter outputs , and ctrs a count transfer signal . with the x - address generating sections 218 10 and 218 11 of the aforesaid construction , when the switching signal r1k is in the h - level and the switching signal r2k is in the h - level ( in the case of the 1 - kcycle - refresh product ), the generating sections 218 10 and 218 11 will not produce x - addresses x10 and x11 . as explained in fig1 , the 1 - kcycle - refresh product does not use x - addresses x10 and x11 ( but uses y - addresses y8 and y9 ). as a result , unnecessary x - addresses are not produced at the x - address buffer group 3 , thereby reducing the power consumption , or preventing erroneous operations . when the switching signal r1k is in the l - level and the switching signal r2k is in the h - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ), the generating section 218 10 will produce x - address x10 , and the generating section 218 11 will not produce x - addresses x11 . thus , as with the 1 - kcycle - refresh product , unnecessary x - addresses are not produced at the x - address buffer group 3 . when the switching signal r1k is in the l - level and the switching signal r2k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ), the generating sections 218 10 and 218 11 will both produce x - addresses x10 and x11 . fig1 is a circuit diagram of the y - address buffer group 19 of fig1 . fig1 a is a circuit diagram of the y - address generating section that produces y - addresses y0 ( a0c ) to y7 ( a7c ) and fig1 b is a circuit diagram of the y - address generating section that produces y - addresses y8 ( a8c ) to y9 ( a9c ). as shown in fig1 a and 18b , the y - address generating sections 224 0 to 224 9 , which are supplied with address input ain , produce y - addresses y0 ( a0c ) to y9 ( a9c ) from address input ain on the basis of a first column address latch signal cltc and the second column address latch signal cltd with a little delay behind the signal cltc . among the y - address generating sections 224 0 to 224 9 , 224 8 and 224 9 have the circuit arrangement of fig1 b in order to cope with a change in the number of y - addresses due to the modification of refresh - cycle . specifically , each of y - address generating sections 224 8 and 224 9 contains nor circuits 226 and 228 , and y - address is supplied after passing through the nor circuits 226 and 228 . the first inputs of the nor circuits 226 and 228 are supplied with signals d1 and d2 , respectively . the y - address generating sections 224 8 and 224 9 supply y - addresses or not , depending on signals d1 and d2 . in this embodiment , signals d1 and d2 are set as follows : in the generating section 224 8 that produces y - address y8 ( a8c ), the switching signal br2k , the inversion in signal level of the second switching signal r2k , is used as signals d1 and d2 ; and in the generating section 224 9 that produces y - address y9 ( a9c ), the switching signal br1k , the inversion in signal level of the first switching signal r1k , is used as signals d1 and d2 . with the y - address generating sections 224 8 and 224 9 of the aforesaid construction , when the inverted switching signal br1k is in the l - level and the inverted switching signal br2k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 1 - kcycle - refresh product ), the generating sections 224 8 and 224 9 produce y - addresses y8 and y9 , respectively . when the inverted switching signal br1k is in the h - level and the inverted switching signal br2k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ), the generating section 224 8 will produce y - address y8 , and the generating section 224 9 will not produce y - address y9 . when the inverted switching signal br1k is in the h - level and the inverted switching signal br2k is in the h - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ), none of the generating sections 224 8 and 224 9 produce y address y8 and y9 . fig1 is a circuit diagram of the counter circuit group 37 of fig1 . fig1 a is a circuit diagram of a counter that produces counter outputs c 0 to c 9 ; fig1 b is a circuit diagram of a counter that produces counter output c 10 ; and fig1 c is a circuit diagram of a counter that produces counter output c 11 . as shown in fig1 a , the counter 230 0 , which is supplied with counter transfer signal ctrs ( bctrs ), supplies counter output c 0 ( bc 0 ) based on the signal ctrs ( bctrs ). the counter 230 1 , which is supplied with counter output c 0 ( bc 0 ), supplies counter output c 1 ( bc 1 ) based on counter output c 0 ( bc 0 ). subsequent counters are connected the same way , and the counter 230 1 is supplied with counter output c 9 ( bc 9 ) as shown in fig1 b and 19c . the counter 230 10 supplies counter output c 10 ( bc 10 ) based on counter output c 9 ( bc 9 ). the counter 230 11 , which is supplied with counter output c 10 ( bc 10 ), supplies counter output c 11 ( bc 11 ) based on counter output c 10 ( bc 10 ). among counters 230 0 to 230 11 , 231 10 and 230 11 have the circuit arrangement of fig1 b and 19c in order to cope with a change in the number of x - addresses due to the modification of refresh cycle . specifically , the counter 230 10 contains a clocked inverter 232 10 that is turned on or off based on the switching signal br1k , the inversion in signal level of the switching signal r1k . the counter 230 11 contains a clocked inverter 232 11 that is turned on or off based on the switching signal r4k . thus , depending on the switching signals r1k and r4k , the counters 232 10 and 232 11 supply the counter signal or not . with the counters 232 10 and 232 11 of the aforesaid construction , when the switching signal r1k is in the h - level and the switching signal r4k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 1 - kcycle - refresh product ), the counters 232 10 and 232 11 will not produce counter outputs c 10 and c 11 . when the switching signal r1k is in the l - level and the switching signal r4k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle refresh product ), the counter 232 10 will produce counter output c 10 , and the counter 232 11 will not produce counter output c 11 . when the switching signal r1k is in the l - level and the switching signal r4k is in the h - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle refresh product ), the counters 232 10 and 232 11 will produce counter outputs c 10 and c 11 . fig2 is a circuit diagram of the word - line boosting section 41 of fig1 . as shown in fig2 , the word - line boosting section 41 is supplied with the first and second switching signals r1k and r2k . the boosting section 41 supplies the boosting capacitance wkm based on the signal φwl commanding the boosting start . this section 41 contains a nor gate 234 and nand gates 236 and 238 . the nor gate 234 has a first input supplied with the switching signal r1k , and a second input with the switching signal r2k . the nand gate 236 has a first input supplied with the signal r1k , and a second input with the signal φwl . the nand gate 238 has a first input supplied with the inversion in signal level of the output of nor gate 234 , and a second input with the signal φwl . with the word - line boosting section 41 of the above - described construction , when the switching signal r1k is in the h - level and the switching signal r2k is in the h - level ( in the case of the 1 - kcycle - refresh product ), bringing signal φwl into the h - level allows one electrode of a first capacitor 240 1 to go to the h - level . similarly , one electrode of each of a second and third capacitors 240 2 and 240 3 also goes to the h - level . therefore , in the 1 - kcycle refresh product , the boosting capacitance potential wkm is produced by using capacitors 240 1 to 240 3 . when the switching signal r1k is in the l - level and the switching signal r2k is in the h - level ( in the case of the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ), bringing signal φwl into the h - level allows one electrode of the first capacitor 240 1 to go to the l - level , and one electrode of each of the second and third capacitors 240 2 and 240 3 to go to the h - level . therefore , in the 2 - kcycle - refresh product , the boosting capacitance wkm is produced by using capacitors 240 2 to 240 3 . when the switching signal r1k is in the l - level and the switching signal r2k is in the l - level ( in the case of the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ), bringing signal φ / wl into the h - level allows one electrode of each of the first and second capacitor 240 1 and 240 2 to go to the l - level , and one electrode of the third capacitor 240 3 alone to go to the h - level . therefore , in the 4 - kcycle - refresh product , the boosting capacitance wkm is produced by using capacitor 240 3 only . fig2 shows how addresses are allocated . fig2 a shows the address allocation for the 1 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ); fig2 b for the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ); and fig2 c for the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ). fig2 is a block diagram showing the construction of the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 of fig1 . as shown in fig2 , the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 contain sense circuits s and select circuits 300 00 to 300 31 for selecting sense circuits s . the sense circuits s are supplied with outputs i / o 00 to i / o 31 from the sense amplifiers 11 0 11 3 . the select circuits 300 00 to 300 31 , which are supplied with signals e and f , produce signals for selecting a desired sense circuit s based on signals e and f . signal e is the output from the y2 - decoder 23 , and signal f is the output of the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . the output of the sense circuit s selected by the select circuits 300 00 to 300 31 is , for example , output data d out . the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 of the above - described construction has the advantages of decreasing the number of data output lines 302 and simplifying the circuit arrangement of the data input / output system . fig2 is a block diagram showing another construction of the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 of fig1 . as shown in fig2 , the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 contain sense circuits s and select circuits 300 0 to 300 3 for selecting the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 . the sense circuits s are supplied with outputs i / o 00 to i / o 31 from the sense amplifiers 11 0 to 11 3 . the select circuits 300 0 to 300 3 , which are supplied with signal f , produce signals for selecting a desired sense amplifier group 13 0 to 13 3 based on signal f . signal f is the output of the i / o sense amplifier control circuit 31 . the output signal from the sense amplifier group s selected by the select circuits 300 0 to 300 3 is supplied to a multiplexer circuit 304 , which selects a desired sense circuit s based on signal e , for example . the signal e is the output of the y2 decoder 23 . the output of the sense circuit s selected by the multiplexer circuit 304 is , for example , output data d out . the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 of the above - described construction has the advantage of simplifying the circuit arrangement of the i / o sense amplifier groups 13 0 to 13 3 . fig2 is a flowchart of a chip selecting method according to the present invention . this flowchart is used with a device that determines the product specification according to the bonding option shown in fig2 . as shown in fig2 , at step 1 , a pre - treatment wafer process is performed to form dram chips ( integrated circuit chips ) in the wafer . after the dram chips have been formed , at step 2 , a chip screening test is made to see whether the formed dram chips are acceptable or not . after this , a pause test ( a data retention test ) is carried out to determine how long the memory cell in the dram chips can retain the data . at step 3 , redundancy fuse - cut is performed to save the chips judged to be unacceptable at the step 2 chip screening test , to some extent ( redundancy techniques ). at step 4 , the wafer undergoes dicing , which divides the wafer into a plurality of dram chips . at step 5 , the chips are assembled . in this process , each chip is mounted on a bed and the chip &# 39 ; s pad is bonded to a lead . at this time , based on the result of the step 2 pause test , bonding is done to select a refresh - cycle mode . this process is done depending on whether a wire is bonded to the bonding pad p of the receiving section 27 of fig2 . this bonding determines , for example , the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ) or the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ) semipermanently . then , the packaging process is carried out to form the final product . after this , at step 6 , a final test is performed , and the products that have passed this test are put on the market . fig2 is another flowchart of a chip screening select method according to the present invention . this flowchart is used with a device that determines the product specification according to the fuse option shown in fig3 . as shown in fig2 , at step 3 , redundancy fuse - cutting is done . in this step , refresh - cycle select fuse cutting is also done . in this process , the fuse f of the receiving section 27 of fig3 is blown or not . as with the method of fig2 , this fuse cutting determines , for example , the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ) or the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ) semipermanently . since the chip select method determines the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ) or the 4 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ) on the bases of the result of the pause test , even if , for example , chips with memory cells whose pause time is shorter than the design pause time due to variations in the processes , they may be saved as the 4 - kcycle refresh product ( mode ), thereby improving the product yield . even in the course of manufacturing , it is easy to change the product specification from the 2 - kcycle - refresh product ( mode ) to the 4 - kcycle one or vice versa , providing flexibility in manufacturing products . fig2 shows the contents of step 2 in fig2 and 27 in detail . as shown in fig2 , the tests at step 2 are broadly divided into two tests : a chip screening test and a pause test . of these tests , the chip screening test is further divided into subtests : for example , an operating current test , a typical voltage test , an cell to cell interference test , and others . each test has its own optimum refresh - cycle . therefore , setting the optimum refresh - cycle before each test makes it possible to shorten the test time and improve the select capability , thereby improving the chip select test efficiency . for example , the operating current test in test item test a is made with a 2 - kcycle - refresh . with the operating current test with a 2 - kcycle - refresh , the chip select conditions can be made more severe than those with a 4 - kcycle - refresh , making it possible to select only chips with very high reliability . the typical voltage test in test item test b is carried out with a 4 - kcycle - refresh . in the typical voltage test with a 4 - kcycle - refresh , the short - circuit of word lines ( for example , adjacent word lines ) that is unacceptable in the 2 - kcycle - refresh product is acceptable in the 4 - kcycle - refresh product , thereby increasing the number of acceptable products . when 2 - kcycle - refresh products are to be obtained from the lot subjected to this test , however , there is a possibility that unacceptable products may also be included in them . to avoid this problem , the typical voltage test with 2 - kcycle - refresh should be made . when only 4 - kcycle - refresh products are obtained , the typical voltage test with 2 - kcycle - refresh may not be performed . in this way , the test may be made with 2 - kcycle - refresh or 4 - kcycle - refresh as required . the intercell interference test in test item test c is made with the 2 - kcycle - refresh product . the intercell interference test with a 2 - kcycle - refresh allows current to flow all memory cells in a shorter time than that with 4 - kcycle - refresh , thereby shortening the test time . for the tests not shown in fig2 , the respective optimum refresh - cycles are set similarly . fig2 is a sectional view of the pad p of fig2 . setting the optimum refresh - cycle for each test can be achieved by simply bringing the probe 28 of the wafer prober into contact with the bonding pad p as shown in fig2 , and applying a voltage to the receiving section 27 or not . the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments , and may be practiced or embodied in still other ways without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof . for example , in the foregoing embodiments , the decision signal sds to determine the product specification is supplied to the receiving section 27 by means of wire bonding or the cutting of fuse f . instead of the fuse f , a nonvolatile memory cell may be used to supply the decision signal sds depending on whether the cell turns on or not . also , the package may have an additional pin , to which the signal sds is supplied , so that the user can select one of the two refresh - cycle modes by supplying the signal sds to the additional pin , and the other refresh - cycle mode by not supplying the signal sds signal to the additional pin . further , the package may have two or more additional pins , to which the signals vr1k , vr2k are supplied , so that the user can select any desired one of three or more refresh - cycle modes by supplying the signal sds to one or more of the additional pins . additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details , representative devices , and illustrated examples shown and described herein . accordingly , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents .	6
there are a great many different implementations of the invention possible , too many to possibly describe herein . some possible implementations that are presently preferred are described below . it cannot be emphasized too strongly , however , that these are descriptions of implementations of the invention , and not descriptions of the invention , which is not limited to the detailed implementations described in this section but is described in broader terms in the claims . referring to fig2 , a rescuer uses an aed 10 to automatically monitor a victim during cardiac resuscitation . the aed 10 includes a speaker 16 , a display screen 18 , an analog to digital converter 20 , a processor 22 , and a defibrillator pulse generator 24 . the analog - to - digital converter 20 is connected to a set of ecg leads attached to the victim . the ecg leads monitor the electrical rhythms of the victim &# 39 ; s heart . the converter 20 sends the signals from the ecg leads to the processor 22 . the processor 22 monitors the victim &# 39 ; s heart for dangerous rhythms using the ecg signals while the victim is resuscitated using chest compressions techniques . if the aed 10 detects a dangerous heart rhythm , the aed 10 generates an alarm signal . the alarm signal is noticeable to the rescuer . the aed 10 can generate a defibrillating shock to the victim when the rescuer issues a command to the aed 10 . the defibrillating shock is intended to remedy the dangerous rhythm of the victim &# 39 ; s heart . the aed 10 uses a rhythm advisory method for a ) quantifying the frequency - domain features of the ecg signals ; b ) differentiating normal and abnormal ecg rhythms , such as vf ; c ) detecting the onset of abnormal ecg rhythms ; and d ) making decisions about the physiological states of the heart . this frequency - domain measure is reliable with or without the presence of the chest compression artifact in the ecg signals . the aed 10 , after identifying the current physiological state of the heart , can make a decision about appropriate therapeutic action for the rescuer to make and communicates the action to the rescuer using the speaker 16 and the display screen 18 . this rhythm advisory method can also be incorporated in an ecg rhythm classifier or a ventricular arrhythmia detector . the aed 10 may incorporate functionality for performing additional therapeutic actions such as chest compressions , ventilations , or delivery of intravenous solution containing metabolic or constitutive nutrients . based on the results of the analysis of the rhythm advisory method , the aed 10 may automatically deliver the appropriate therapy to the patient . the aed 10 may also be configured in “ advisory ” mode wherein the aed 10 will prompt the caregiver after the aed 10 has made a determination of the best therapy , and acknowledgement by the caregiver / device operator , in the form of a button press or voice - detected acknowledgement , is required before therapy is delivered to the patient . the aed 10 then analyzes the ecg signals to predict defibrillation success as well as to decide whether it is appropriate to defibrillate or to deliver an alternative therapy such as chest compressions , drugs such as epinephrine , constitutive nutrients such as glucose , or other electrical therapy such as pacing . in some examples , one or more therapeutic delivery devices 30 automatically deliver the appropriate therapy to the patient . the therapeutic delivery devices 30 are physically separate from the defibrillator aed 10 and control of the therapeutic delivery devices 30 may be accomplished by a communications link 32 . the communications link 32 may take the form of a cable connecting the devices 10 , 30 , but preferably the link 32 is via a wireless protocol such as bluetooth or a wireless network protocol such as institute of electrical and electronics engineers ( ieee ) 802 . 11 . bluetooth is a telecommunications industry specification that describes how mobile computing devices can be interconnected using a short - range wireless connection . the therapeutic delivery device 30 can be a portable chest compression device that is commercially available as the autopulse ™, provided by revivant of sunnyvale , calif . in other examples , the therapeutic delivery device 30 is a drug infusion device that is commercially available as the power infuser ™, provided by infusion dynamics of plymouth meeting , pa ., or the colleague cxtm , provided by baxter healthcare corp ., of round lake , ill . the therapeutic delivery device 30 can be a ventilator that is commercially available as the ivent ™, provided by versamed of pearl river , n . y . the therapeutic delivery device 30 can also include multiple therapies such as defibrillation , chest compression , ventilation and drug infusion . in other examples , control and coordination for the overall resuscitation event and the delivery of the various therapies may be accomplished by a device 34 or processing element external to the aed 10 , for instance the device 34 may download and process the ecg data from the aed 10 ; analyze the ecg signals , perform the determinations based on the analysis , and control the other therapeutic devices 30 , including the aed 10 . in other examples , the aed 10 may perform all the processing of the ecg , including analyzing the ecg signals , and transmit to the control device 34 only the final determination of the appropriate therapy , whereupon the control device 34 would perform the control actions on the other linked devices 30 . the control device 34 is commercially available as the autopulse ™, provided by revivant of sunnyvale calif . the chest compression artifact can be separated from the ecg signal components in the frequency domain . this makes it possible for the aed 10 to process the ecg signal without halting the processing during cpr chest compressions . the compression rate during cpr chest compressions recommended by american heart association ( 2000 ) is 100 per minute or 1 . 7 hz and the frequency range used for quantifying the frequency - domain features of the ecg signals can be set to be higher than that ( preferably but not limited to be 3 hz and up ) using a high pass frequency filter . the rhythm advisory method quantifies the energy distribution of the ecg signal in the frequency domain with a quantification method . the quantification result can be used to differentiate normal and dangerous ecg rhythms with or without the presence of the chest compression artifact . in one method , the aed 10 breaks up the frequency domain of the ecg signal into analysis frequency bands . the aed 10 then analyzes the different frequency bands for energy or variation over time to determine an appropriate treatment for the victim . in the preferred embodiment , the bands are 0 . 5 hz in width , though they may also be divided into unequal widths such that additional resolution is provided for frequency bands that are of greater importance in the analysis . for instance , frequencies less than 3 hz may be subdivided into only three equally spaced bands while the range from 3 - 5 hz may have 0 . 5 hz bands , and the range of 6 - 12 hz may have 0 . 25 hz bands . each band may be composed of an aggregation of multiple spectral measurements . for each band , characteristics of the distribution of spectral measurements within the band mayinclude such descriptors , e . g ., as mean spectral energy , spectral energy variance , median spectral energy , maximum spectral energy , minimum spectral energy . in one example of the analysis frequency bands , the aed 10 generates the frequency bands based on peaks in the frequency spectrum . thus , one frequency band corresponds to the frequency spread of a given peak in the frequency spectrum . there are common algorithms for identifying peaks in the frequency spectrum that include calculating slopes and energy at different points of the frequency spectrum . for each of these peaks , the aed 10 uses a non - linear parameter estimation algorithm or curve fitting algorithm to estimate the shape of the peak . from this spectral shape , the aed 10 calculates parameters about the peak . the quantification method differentiates various spectral patterns and shapes . the aed 10 makes a decision about the physiological state of the heart and suitable therapy based on the quantification results . the quantification method of the rhythm advisory method is a combination of measures from sub - methods . some of these sub - methods differentiate various spectral shapes , including but not limited to : ( 1 ) the number of peaks in the target frequency range , ( 2 ) the relative strength / peak value of various spectral peaks , ( 3 ) the relative bandwidth of various spectral peaks and ( 4 ) the variance of the energy distributed in a selected frequency range . one or more sub - methods can also measure change in the spectral information over time . these measures can be combined in a multi - dimension space to enhance both the sensitivity and specificity of the decision . one or more information processing techniques can be used to quantify the combination following the computation of these measures in order to make a decision based on the combination . the information processing techniques can include but are not limited to simple combining rules or math , neural networks , expert systems incorporating fuzzy or standard logic , or other artificial intelligence techniques . the additional measures can also include measurement of velocity or acceleration of chest compression during chest compressions according to the techniques taught by u . s . application ser . no . 10 / 704 , 366 , method and apparatus for enhancement of chest compressions during chest compressions , filed on nov . 6 , 2003 . the information processing techniques include simple combining rules or math , neural networks , expert systems incorporating fuzzy or standard logic , or other artificial intelligence techniques . these techniques make a decision based on the combination of measures about the physiological state of the heart and suitable therapy . the different measures are individual indications that have varying degrees of uncertainty about the physiological state of the heart and suitable therapy . in some examples , the information processing technique is trained automatically using software techniques known to those skilled in this art and a database of ecg rhythms that include outcome data . these examples include neural networks . in other examples , the information processing technique is generated manually based on observations of ecg patterns and outcomes . these examples include simple combining rules or math , and expert systems utilizing fuzzy or standard logic . in the example of expert systems utilizing standard logic , a programmer manually generates logical rules without uncertainty , the rules specifying preconditions such as “ if measure a recommends defibrillation ” and “ if measure b recommends defibrillation ”, and if these preconditions are met , the aed 10 automatically defibrillates the patient . in the example of expert systems utilizing fuzzy logic , the rules are more “ fuzzy ” and the states to be combined incorporate some degree of uncertainty based on human language . for instance , the fuzzy logic rules can incorporate such input as “ measure a detects a strong need for defibrillation ” versus “ measure a detects a weak need for defibrillation ”. the fuzzy logic framework combines the different measures and outputs results such as “ strong need for defibrillation ” or “ weak need for defibrillation ”. the method of making the decision about the physiological state is to choose from a group of possible states , each of which corresponds to a predetermined value range of the proposed measure . the possible states can include but are not limited to normal sinus rhythm , vf , shockable ( unstable ) vt , stable vt , supraventricular rhythm , and pulseless electrical activity . one possible sub - method for the quantification method is the variance of the energy distributed in a selected frequency range , or variance sub - method . two examples of energy - distribution patterns are shown in fig3 a and 3b . the frequency spectrum plots of fig3 a and 3b are calculated using a fast fourier transform ( fft ) of a signal over time . referring to fig3 a , the energy y 1 ( f ) of a frequency spectrum 50 is concentrated within a narrow frequency band and represents a pattern found in an arrhythmic state such as vf . referring to fig3 b , the energy y 2 ( f ) of a frequency spectrum 52 is distributed over a wide frequency range and represents a pattern found in a non - dangerous heart rhythm or normal sinus rhythm . the variance sub - method quantifies the features of the two frequency spectra 50 , 52 and thus the variance sub - method can differentiate between an arrhythmic state and normal sinus rhythm . one example of the variance sub - method calculates the variance of the energy from a reference frequency ( f ref ) of the spectrum . possible candidates of the reference frequency include but are not limited to the mean frequency , the median frequency , the center frequency , or the peak frequency of the spectrum . in this example , the variance sub - method computes the weighted distance of each frequency component from the reference frequency of the spectrum and thus quantifies the energy - distribution pattern . an example of this measure , the energy - frequency variance ( efv ) can be calculated with the following mathematical equation : efv = ∫ ( f - f ref ) 2 × y ⁡ ( f ) ⁢ ⅆ f ∫ y ⁡ ( f ) ⁢ ⅆ f however , the variance sub - method is not limited to this mathematical equation . measures that quantify the weighted or un - weighted distance of the frequency components from a reference frequency of the frequency spectrum can be used for this measure . referring to fig3 a , energy of the spectrum 50 is concentrated within a narrow frequency range and thus the spectrum has a relatively small efv value . referring to fig3 b , energy of the spectrum 52 is distributed over a relatively wider frequency range and the spectrum has a relatively larger efv value . thus , the efv value can be used to distinguish between a normal sinus rhythm and an arrhythmic sinus rhythm ( e . g ., vf ). referring to fig4 , a spectrum 100 of a piece of an ecg signal is a function of time . part 102 of the signal shows a vf rhythm during chest compressions . part 104 of the signal shows a vf rhythm without chest compressions . the vf is terminated by an electrical shock 106 , which is followed by a period of normal sinus rhythm ( nsr ). during this nsr period , part 108 has no chest compressions while part 110 has chest compressions . chest compression artifacts that are characterized by strong low - frequency ( below 3 hz ) components can be observed in the first 15 seconds ( part 102 ) and the last 10 seconds ( part 110 ) of this time - frequency plot 100 . during the time periods 102 and 104 that are associated with vf ( i . e . before the electrical shock 106 ), the energy distribution y ( f ) above 4 hz is clearly concentrated in a small frequency range , with or without the presence of the chest compression artifact . during the time periods 108 and 110 of nsr ( i . e . after the electrical shock 106 ), the energy distribution y ( f ) above 4 hz has a pattern that the energy is distributed over a wide frequency range , with or without the presence of the chest compression artifact . referring to fig5 , an efv score 152 is calculated from the signal 100 ( shown in fig4 ). a threshold 154 can be used to distinguish an arrhythmic rhythm from a normal sinus rhythm . thus , during the first 50 seconds ( parts 102 and 104 having vf rhythm ) of the signal 100 , the efv score 152 is below the threshold 154 . referring to fig6 , a variance sub - method 200 is implemented in the software and / or hardware of the aed 10 . the ecg data acquired by the front - end analog to digital converter 10 of the aed 10 is processed in a segment - by - segment manner . the number of segments to be processed before a decision is made is predetermined ( e . g ., 9 segments ). the length of a segment is preferably 2 seconds and each segment preferably has a 1 - second overlap with both the segment before and after itself , for the desired frequency and time - domain resolution . the segment - counter is set ( 202 ) to be zero when the processing starts and the first segment of the signal is acquired ( 204 ). a high - pass filter with a desired cutoff frequency ( preferably but not limited to be 0 . 5 hz ) is then applied ( 206 ) to remove the baseline drift . the frequency - domain representation of the filtered signal is acquired via a fast fourier transform ( fft ) ( 208 ). the spectral shape is quantified ( 210 ) using a preferred method . in an example , the efv score is calculated based on this frequency - domain representation and the frequency range for the efv calculation is selected such that the low - frequency part where the chest compression artifact dominates is excluded . the segment counter is increased ( 212 ) by one after the quantification of the spectral shape . if ( 214 ) all of the predetermined number of segments have been processed , the quantification results are processed ( 216 ) to get a final score ( including but not limited to the mean value of the efv scores ), otherwise the next segment of ecg signal is processed . in some implementations , the final score is an average of the scores from the segments . an estimate of the physiological state of the heart can be made based on the final efv score . if ( 218 ) the final score is below a predetermined threshold , an arrhythmic rhythm is estimated ( 220 ). using the variance sub - method , the aed 10 compares a threshold to the final efv score to determine if the victim is in an arrhythmic state . otherwise the processed signal is estimated to be normal . in one example , a preset threshold of 6 is used . in other examples , other preset thresholds can be used . an arrhythmic sinus rhythm can be detected using the variance sub - method . these arrhythmic sinus rhythms can be different types of rhythms with different appropriate therapies . it may be difficult to distinguish between arrhythmic rhythms that are shockable rhythms and unshockable rhythms using only the variance sub - method . for example , vts that are shockable ( rates exceeding 120 - 150 beats per minute [ bpm ]) may not be distinguishable from non - shockable vts (& lt ; 120 bpm ) solely with the measure from the variance sub - method . thus , the quantification method preferably enhances the variance sub - method with at least one other spectral measurement in determining the appropriate therapy for detected sinus rhythms . the quantification method may also make decisions based on changes in the spectral parameters over time . multiple measures may be thought of as forming a matrix , but actual implementations need not employ matrices . in some implementations , the aed 10 may combine the frequency of the largest amplitude spectral peak ( lasp ) in the frequency spectrum with the measure from the variance sub - method to create a 1 × 2 matrix . in some implementations , aed 10 may additionally calculate the number of spectral peaks in the frequency representation of the ecg signal with amplitudes of at least 25 % of the lasp using conventional methods known to those skilled in the art of signal processing and spectral analysis and include this measurement in the vector . a frequency of the lasp ( flasp ) of less than 2 hz and the number of peaks ( nop ) less than 3 indicates that it is a shockable vt or vf , while a flasp of greater than 2 hz and an nop of less than 3 indicates a non - shockable vt . non - shockable supraventricular rhythms can have a nop greater than 3 . in other implementations , the aed 10 can combine information from the variance sub - method and the flasp and nop measure , using information processing techniques described previously , to estimate the physiological state of the heart and suitable therapy . a combination of the efv under a threshold and flasp & lt ; 2 hz and nop & lt ; 3 can indicate a shockable vt or vf for which appropriate therapy can be defibrillation . a combination of the efv under a threshold and flasp & gt ; 2 hz and nop & lt ; 3 can indicate a non - shockable vt for which appropriate therapy can be normal cpr . a combination of the efv under a threshold and nop & gt ; 3 can indicate a supraventricular rhythm for which appropriate therapy can be simply monitoring the patient or drug therapy . a descriptor matrix may take the form of a [ n × m ] dimensional matrix , where n = the number of peaks and m = the number of parameters used to describe the spectral shape . in one implementation with m = 6 , the six parameters are the following : 1 ) the frequency of the particular peak ( fp ); 2 ) the amplitude of that peak ( ap ); 3 ) the width of the peak ( pw ); 4 ) the depth of the peak ( dp ); 5 ) the variance of that peak ( vp ); and 6 ) the first moment of that peak ( fm ). peak number ( pn ) is a digit providing an identifier for each individual peak . for instance , initially the aed 10 detects 5 peaks , each pn numbered sequentially with frequencies at 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 hz . four seconds later in time , however , the aed 10 detects a peak at a new frequency of 4 . 5 hz and the peak is assigned a pn of 6 . the description matrix , which may be termed a spectral shape matrix ( ssm ), may include two header values , nop and a boolean value , gaussian peak ( gp ), which indicates that for spectral shapes that have a single peak ( nop = 1 ) and gp = true , that the spectral shape may be described by a parameter subset of only fp , ap , and vp . the ssm may preferably take the form : ⁢ fp 1 ap 1 pw 1 vp 1 fm 1 fp 2 ap 2 pw 2 vp 2 fm 2 fp 3 ap 3 pw 3 vp 3 fm 3 … … fp n ap n pw n vp n fm n ⁢ since fibrillation is a chaotic rhythm , the fp frequencies may vary at a rate faster than the time window of the short - time fourier transform . for instance , if the time window for computing the fourier transform to generate a frequency spectrum is set for 4 seconds , the fps for adjacent time windows ( and corresponding frequency spectrums ) will appear to jump from one frequency to the next . if , however , the aed 10 applies a standard short time fourier transform to the signal while at the same time increasing the rate at which a fourier transform is performed on the incoming data , the time window will be reduced and thus there will be a loss in the spectral resolution of the fourier transform . thus , in one example , the aed 10 simultaneously performs multiple fourier transforms on the ecg data with each subsequent transform initiated 400 milliseconds after initiation of the previous transform and a time window of 4 seconds , resulting in the aed performing 10 simultaneous transforms of data in a time window of 4 seconds . thus , the data for each transform has some overlap with data for adjacent transforms . in such a manner , the aed 10 maintains both spectral and time resolution . the aed 10 may calculate additional header values that describe generic aspects of the ecg spectrum . these additional header values may include , for instance , the amplitude spectrum area ( amsa ) as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 957 , 856 or the variance measure , as described previously . these values , along with nop and gp , can be thought of as forming a vector on which matrix operations and transformations may be performed independently of , or combined with , the matrix formed by the parameters for the individual peaks . the aed 10 can then perform matrix operations and transformations known to those skilled in the art on the ssm . the aed 10 can also calculate the ssm at regular intervals in time , to generate a [ n × m × p ] dimensional matrix , where p is the number of samples in the time interval of interest . each ssm may be thought of as a point in [ n , m ]- space that then forms a trajectory in the [ n , m , p ]- space . the aed 10 then analyzes this trajectory to predict defibrillation success as well as to decide whether it is appropriate to defibrillate or deliver an alternative therapy such as chest compressions , drugs such as epinephrine , constitutive nutrients such as glucose , or other electrical therapy such as pacing . the aed 10 may identify one or more peaks in the frequency spectrum . for each of these identified peaks , the aed 10 identifies a frequency band corresponding to the peak . the aed 10 may determine the peak model parameters , e . g . fp , ap , and pw , iteratively by a nonlinear parameter estimation or curve fitting routine for each peak &# 39 ; s frequency band . for example , the aed 10 may use the marquardt - levenberg algorithm to minimize the error in the nonlinear parameter estimation or chi - square , χ 2 , where χ 2 is expressed as follows . χ 2 ⁡ ( p ) = 1 n - p ⁢ ∑ i ⁢ [ m ⁡ ( i ) - s ⁡ ( i ; p ) m ⁡ ( i ) ] 2 . for this expression , there are n recorded energy values , m ( i ) are the recorded energy values , and s ( i ; p ) is the synthesized model curve energy values , sampled at points i in dependence on p varying parameter values . the term enclosed in brackets corresponds to the normalized residuals r ( i ), which provide a weighted measure of the difference between the fit curve and the data at each measured frequency value m ( i ). the aed 10 uses either the height - normalized lorentzian function , l ( e ), or the gaussian function , g ( e ) to model an energy function for each of the spectral peaks where e is a frequency . in the case of l ( e ): l ⁡ ( e ) = { 1 + [ e - e 0 β ] 2 } - 1 . g ⁡ ( e ) = exp ⁢ { - ln ⁢ ⁢ 2 · [ ( e - e 0 ) β ] 2 } . both functions l ( e ), g ( e ) are completely characterized by the peak parameters β , corresponding to ½ the peak width at half - maximum peak amplitude and e 0 , the peak position or fp . the aed 10 can model skew of the peak by combining the gaussian g ( e ) and lorentzian l ( e ), with β replaced by the term β + α ( e − e 0 ). the aed 10 can also add in a factor h to allow for varying peak heights . the result is function f ( e ). the aed 10 calculates f ( e ) as follows . f ⁡ ( e ) = h · { 1 + m · [ e - e 0 β + α ⁡ ( e - e 0 ) ] 2 } - 1 · exp ⁢ { ( - 1 - m ) · ln ⁢ ⁢ 2 · [ e - e 0 β + α ⁡ ( e - e 1 ) ] 2 } some of the advantages of this product - type peak shape model f ( e ) are the availability of analytical presentations of the partial derivatives of f ( e ) with respect to the parameters , which are needed in the marquardt - levenberg algorithm to establish the jacobi matrix , the analytical value of β , and a faster convergence of the iterative estimation process . the depth of each peak is estimated either by incorporating a baseline curve into the marquardt - levenberg algorithm , or by simply determining the two minimum points of the spectrum for a region around the estimated peak . thus , using techniques known to one skilled in this art , the aed 10 can compute the spectral shape parameters of the peak : fp , ap , pw , dp , vp , and fm from the function f ( e ). if the aed 10 finds a peak in the immediately subsequent time interval for which the ap and fp value does not vary by more than preferably 10 %, then that second peak is considered to have the same peak number , pn , indicating that it is the same peak with a shift in frequency and amplitude . in such a fashion , the aed 10 can develop trajectories for the parameters for each particular peak as well as for the overall descriptor matrix . the aed 10 can add a new peak at any time during the event , in which case the aed 10 gives the new peak a new pn value . if the aed 10 determines that a peak is extinguished , the pn number is maintained in memory of the aed 10 . in the processing of candidates for new peaks , the sub - method reviews all extinguished peaks to first determine if the new peak is actually an extinguished peak , in which case the candidate is not given a new pn , and instead is given the pn number of the extinguished peak . prior to a successful shock of a heart in a dangerous rhythm , one or more parameters ap , dp , vp , fp , pw of peaks in the 6 - 12 hz range of the frequency spectrum can oscillate with a cycle rate in the range of 0 . 1 - 1 hz . thus , detection of this oscillation through multiple time windows and frequency spectrums can be incorporated into the information processing technique as an additional sub - method that can recommend defibrillating the heart . furthermore , the sub - method can recommend timing the defibrillating shock when the peaks are at a maximum energy in the 0 . 1 - 1 hz cycle . for example , the sub - method can recommend timing the delivery of the defibrillation shock to occur during the 100 millisecond fourier transform cycle when the aps in the 6 - 12 hz region are at a maximum . when the particular ap - maximum cycle has be found , the aed 10 waits to deliver the defibrillation shock until the aed 10 detects the peak of the waveform after it has been band pass - filtered with a center frequency of 7 hz . this sub - method synchronizes the shock with the elements of the ecg waveform that are most related to the normal sinus qrs . the parameters fp , ap , and pw of peaks in the 6 - 12 hz region may also undergo oscillations indicating a change in the state of the heart as shown in fig7 a and 7b , which depict the spectrum as measured at two points in time , separated by an interval of 4 seconds . for a heart that has been in fibrillation for a period of time , the ecg undergoes a gradual degradation in the values of the parameters fp , ap , and pw of peaks in the 6 - 12 hz region of the frequency spectrum . as described previously , suitable therapy for a heart that has been in fibrillation for a period time is to do chest compressions and then defibrillate . this degradation is measured over at least a 8 - 10 second interval . this is an additional sub - method for the information processing technique . for example , if the aed 10 detects the aps of at least two peaks in the 6 - 12 hz region of the frequency spectrum decreasing by at least 15 % over a 10 second interval , the sub - method recommends chest compressions and then defibrillation . if the circulation and metabolic substrate of the heart improve to the point that the heart is more likely to be able to recover from a defibrillation shock , changes in the parameters fp , ap , and pw of peaks in the 6 - 12 hz region of the frequency spectrum will provide precursors to changes in the ecg that might be seen in the time domain of the ecg signal , such as an increase in the amplitude of the ventricular fibrillation ecg ( often termed “ coarsening ” by medical practitioners ). if the aed 10 detects an increase in the parameters fp , ap , dp , vp or pw of peaks in the 6 - 12 hz region of the frequency spectrum , for instance as shown in fig7 b , a sub - method will recommend ceasing chest compressions or other current therapy and then defibrillation . the peak frequencies , fp , for the peaks in the 6 - 12 hz region of the frequency spectrum can vary over time less when the condition of the heart is improving and thus the heart can handle the shock of defibrillation . this may be due to the presence in the myocardial activations of more normal activity at low levels manifesting in harmonics of the sinus rhythm fundamental frequency . this variation in the peak frequencies may be measured as the ratio of the average change in frequency in the region of 6 - 12 hz with that of the fps in the frequency range of 3 - 6 hz or measured as an absolute change for fps in the range of 6 - 12 hz . this sub - method , upon detecting the variation in the peak frequencies , recommends defibrillation to the information processing technique . it is also possible for a sub - method to project the [ n × m × p ] trajectory of the ssm matrix onto a plane within the [ n × m ]- space and then analyze the form taken by the projection of the trajectory in the plane to determine the appropriate time to shock or the optimal treatment . the projection may include up to ( n + m ) variables of different weightings , though it preferably is a projection that is primarily along the vp axis of the [ n × m ]- space . in the plane projection , image mensuration algorithms are employed to evaluate the features of the two dimensional projection of the trajectory . the following are some of the preferred mensuration classes for which measurements are made by means known to those skilled in the art : area , centroid , circularity , clustering , compactness , maximum axis , minimum axis , and perimeter . for instance , the minimum axis may be determined as follows . the minimum axis of an object is formally defined as the axis of maximum inertia ( dispersion ) passing through the centroid . one method to calculate the minimum axis is to compute the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the scatter matrix comprised of the coordinate points of the object . the eigenvector corresponding to the smallest eigenvalue is the minimum axis . another method is to fit an ellipse to the object perimeter . the projection may be calculated for a specific duration of time , for instance 10 seconds , resulting in a series of 2 - dimensional objects that are representations of the trajectory in time — so - called projection “ snap - shots ”. it then becomes possible to analyze trends in the time series of values in the mensuration classes for changes indicative of improving physiological conditions . for instance , an increased amplitude in vp oscillation during vf is indicative of an improving physiological state . in this case , the aed 10 would then provide feedback to the caregiver to continue performing the rescue operation as they have with an audible prompt such as , “ keep up the good work . the patient &# 39 ; s condition is improving .” other such mensuration classes that are of value to track over time are the maximum axis angle , the perimeter and compactness . methods such as the kalman filter may be used for the estimation and prediction of the trajectory . the kalman filter estimates a process by using a form of feedback control : the filter estimates the process state at some time and then obtains feedback in the form of ( noisy ) measurements . as such , the equations for the kalman filter fall into two groups : time update equations and measurement update equations . the time update equations are responsible for projecting forward ( in time ) the current state and error covariance estimates to obtain the a priori estimates for the next time step . the measurement update equations are responsible for the feedback — i . e . for incorporating a new measurement into the a priori estimate to obtain an improved a posteriori estimate . the time update equations can also be thought of as predictor equations , while the measurement update equations can be thought of as corrector equations . indeed the final estimation algorithm resembles that of a predictor - corrector algorithm for solving numerical problems . k k = p k − h t ( hp k − h t + r ) − 1 { circumflex over ( x )} k ={ circumflex over ( x )} k − + k k ( z k − h { circumflex over ( x )} k − ) the first task during the measurement update is to compute the kalman gain , k k , the next step is to actually measure the process to obtain , and then to generate an a posteriori state estimate by incorporating the measurement , z k . the final step is to obtain an a posteriori error covariance estimate , p k . after each time and measurement update pair , the process is repeated with the previous a posteriori estimates used to project or predict the new a priori estimates . this recursive nature is one of the very appealing features of the kalman filter — it makes practical implementations much more feasible than ( for example ) an implementation of a wiener filter which is designed to operate on all of the data directly for each estimate . the kalman filter instead recursively conditions the current estimate on all of the past measurements . the equation , { circumflex over ( x )} k ={ circumflex over ( x )} k − + k k ( z k − h { circumflex over ( x )} k − ) one of the primary limitations of the kalman filter is that it only models a linear system with gaussian distribution , not often encountered in the physiological setting . the best known algorithm to solve the problem of non - gaussian , nonlinear filtering is the extended kalman filter ( ekf ). this filter is based upon the principle of linearizing the measurements and evolution models using taylor series expansions . the series approximations in the ekf algorithm can , however , lead to poor representations of the nonlinear functions and probability distributions of interest . as a result , this filter can diverge . based on the hypothesis that it is easier to approximate a gaussian distribution than it is to approximate arbitrary nonlinear functions other researchers have developed a filter termed the unscented kalman filter ( ukf ). it has been shown that the ukf leads to more accurate results than the ekf and that in particular it generates much better estimates of the covariance of the states ( the ekf often seems to underestimate this quantity ). the ukf has , however , the limitation that it does not apply to general non - gaussian distributions as is often the case with the ecg spectral distributions . sequential monte carlo methods , also known as particle filters overcome this limitation and allow for a complete representation of the posterior distribution of the states , so that any statistical estimates , such as the mean , modes , kurtosis and variance , can be easily computed . particle filters can therefore , deal with any nonlinearities or distributions . particle filters rely on importance sampling and , as a result , require the design of proposal distributions that can approximate the posterior distribution reasonably well . in general , it is hard to design such proposals . the most common strategy is to sample from the probabilistic model of the states evolution ( transition prior ). this strategy can , however , fail if the new measurements appear in the tail of the prior or if the likelihood is too peaked in comparison to the prior . in the preferred implementation , a estimator / predictor trajectory tracking technique known as the unscented particle filter ( upf ) as developed by merwe , doucet , freitasz and wan . pseudocode for the upf is as follows : for i = 1 , . . . n , draw states ( particles ) x 0 ( i ) from the prior p ( x 0 ) and set , x ¨ 0 ( i ) = e ⁡ [ x o ( i ) ] p 0 ( i ) = e ⁡ [ ( x o ( i ) - x ¨ 0 ( i ) ) ⁢ ( x 0 ( i ) - x ¨ 0 ( i ) ) t ] x ¨ 0 ( i ) ⁢ a = e ⁡ [ x ( i ) ⁢ a ] = [ ( x ¨ 0 ( i ) ) t ⁢ 00 ] t p 0 ( i ) ⁢ a = e ⁡ [ ( x o ( i ) ⁢ a - x o ( i ) ⁢ a ) ⁢ ( x 0 ( i ) ⁢ a - x ¨ 0 ( i ) ⁢ a ) t ] = [ p o ( i ) 0 0 0 q 0 0 0 r ] χ i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ a = [ x ¨ i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ a ⁢ x ¨ i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ a ± ( n a + λ ) ⁢ p i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ a ] χ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ⁢ x = f ⁡ ( χ l - 1 ( i ) ⁢ c , χ i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ u ) x ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) = ∑ j = 0 3 ⁢ n a ⁢ w j ( m ) ⁢ χ j , i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ⁢ a p i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) = ∑ j = 0 2 ⁢ n a ⁢ w j ( a ) ⁡ [ χ j , l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ x - x ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ] ⁡ [ χ j , i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ⁢ a - x ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ] t y i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) = h ⁡ ( χ l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ z , χ i - 1 ( i ) ⁢ n ) y ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) = ∑ j = 0 2 ⁢ n a ⁢ w j ( m ) ⁢ y j , l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) p y ¨ i ⁢ y ¨ i = ∑ j = 0 2 ⁢ n a ⁢ w j ( a ) ⁡ [ y j , i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) - y ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ] ⁡ [ y j , l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) - y ¨ l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) ] t p x i ⁢ y i = ∑ j = 0 2 ⁢ n a ⁢ w j ( a ) ⁡ [ χ j , l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) - x ¨ l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) ] ⁡ [ y j , l ❘ i - 1 ( i ) - y ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ] t k i = p x i ⁢ y i ⁢ p y ¨ i ⁢ y ¨ i - 1 x ¨ l ( i ) ⁢ x ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) + k i ⁡ ( y i - y ¨ i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) ) p ^ l ( i ) = p i ❘ l - 1 ( i ) - k i ⁢ p y ¨ i ⁢ y ¨ i ⁢ k l t sample ⁢ ⁢ x ^ l ( i ) ~ q ⁡ ( x l ( i ) ❘ x 0 : l - 1 ( i ) , , y 1 : l ) = n ⁡ ( x ¨ l ( i ) , p ^ l ( i ) ) set ⁢ ⁢ x ^ 0 : l ( i ) ⁢ = δ ⁢ ( x 0 : i - 1 ( i ) , x ^ l ( i ) ) ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ p ^ 0 : i ( i ) ⁡ ( p 0 : i - 1 ( i ) , p ^ l ( i ) ) for i = 1 , . . . n , evaluate the importance weights up to a normalizing constant : ω i ( i ) ∝ p ⁡ ( y i \| x ^ i ( i ) ) ⁢ p ⁡ ( x ^ i ( i ) \| x i - 1 ( i ) ) q ⁡ ( x ^ i ( i ) \| x 0 : i - 1 ( i ) , y 1 : i ) c ) output : the output of the algorithm is a set of samples that can be used to approximate the posterior distribution as follows : p ⁡ ( x 0 : i \| y 1 : i ) ≈ p ^ ⁡ ( x 0 : i \| y 1 : i ) = 1 n ⁢ ∑ i = 1 n ⁢ δ ( x 0 : i ( i ) ) ⁡ ( dx 0 : i ) e ⁡ ( g i ⁡ ( x 0 : i ) ) = ∫ g i ⁡ ( x 0 : i ) ⁢ p ⁡ ( x 0 : i \| y i : i ) ⁢ ⅆ x 0 : i ≈ 1 n ⁢ ∑ i = 1 n ⁢ g i ⁡ ( x 0 : i ( i ) ) for some function of interest , g t , for instance the marginal conditional mean or the marginal conditional covariance or other moment . in one implementation the prediction matrix may be used to anticipate the optimal therapeutic intervention . rather than wait for the characteristics of the parameters or trajectory to achieve a certain condition , the algorithm will base its output on the predicted future state of the patient using the tracking and prediction algorithms mentioned above . transform methods other than the fourier method may be employed , for instance the laplace , hilbert , radon , and hankel transforms , as well as time frequency transforms such as the gabor short time fourier transform and the wavelet transform . other data besides ecg data may be included as part of the description matrix and incorporated into the analysis algorithm , for instance pulse oximetry , capnography , respiration , impedance cardiography and blood pressure measurements . at least some of the data may remain in the time domain without any fourier or other transform method being performed on it . pulse oximetry , impedance cardiography , and blood pressure measurements may be used to augment the ecg to determine if a pulse is present . capnography may be used to determine the overall effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation . large (˜ 5 ″ in diameter ), self - adhesive electrode pads are typically used to deliver defibrillation therapy to patients . the pads also provide ecg monitoring through the same conductive surfaces . in one implementation , additional small (˜ 0 . 5 ″ diameter ) ecg electrodes are integrated into the large pads that provide simultaneous monitoring of at least one additional electrical vector that is approximately orthogonal to the monitoring vector produced by the large defib / monitoring electrodes . a second matrix is then formed , identical in structure to the original ssm , but based on the orthogonal leads . the aed 10 can then perform techniques such as cross correlation on the two matrices to verify state changes . in one embodiment , the two small ecg electrodes and large pads are configured such that there at least two mutually orthogonal ecg leads are generated . the vector sum of these leads generates a trajectory over time . the same methods for trajectory analysis described above may be used to analyze this trajectory as well . as described previously , the aed 10 combines these sub - methods to determine appropriate therapy for the rescuer to perform on the victim . if uncertainty is included in the combination , the probability of defibrillation success is shown on the display of the device as a number between zero and one hundred , allowing the trained medical person such as a paramedic to make his own decision as to whether to shock the patient . in an implementation where the variance sub - method is used , the aed 10 may be configured such that the vf detection algorithm employing spectral variance may provide notification in the form of an audible or visual alarm indication that the paramedic should stop doing compressions for a more accurate analysis of the ecg waveform . in a more automated implementation , if the aed 10 determines that defibrillation has a low probability of success , the aed 10 may prompt the rescuer to perform cpr . during the course of cpr , the aed 10 may analyze the ecg continuously and prompt the rescuer to cease doing cpr when the aed 10 determines that the myocardium will be receptive to defibrillation . following the defibrillation , the aed 10 may prompt the rescuer to deliver uninterrupted chest compressions , and the aed 10 may again monitor the underlying ecg waveform during compressions for the appropriate time to deliver the defibrillation therapy . as a result of the spectral analysis , the aed 10 may also determine that neither defibrillation nor cpr is appropriate , but rather drug and metabolic therapy such as epinephrine and glucose is appropriate , in which case the aed 10 will prompt the rescuer to deliver the appropriate therapy . many other implementations of the invention other than those described above are within the invention , which is defined by the following claims .	0
referring to fig1 to 3 , there is shown a manifold converter 31 which is a first embodiment of the present invention . in the following description , parts and constructions which are substantially the same as those in the afore - mentioned conventional manifold converter 1 will be denoted by the same numerals and detailed explanation of them will be omitted for facilitation of description . in fig1 there is shown a partially sectioned side view of the manifold converter 31 . similar to the afore - mentioned manifold converter 1 , the converter 31 of the present invention is vertically held by an associated internal combustion engine ( not shown ). as is best seen from fig1 the manifold converter 31 of the first embodiment comprises a housing 33 which has an oval cross section . the housing 33 is constructed of two metal shells 33a and 33b which are assembled to constitute a vessel structure . more specifically , the two shells 33a and 33b are welded at their mating edges to constitute a robust housing . within an enlarged container part 35 of the housing 33 , there is tightly installed a catalyser carrier unit 7 which has an oval cross section . the housing 33 has respective diffusers 37 and 39 at upstream and downstream portions thereof with respect to the catalyser carrier unit 7 . as is seen from fig3 the upstream diffuser 37 has gas inlet ports 37a connected with outlet pipes 5a , 5b , 5c and 5d of an exhaust manifold 5 which is mounted to one side of the associated internal combustion engine ( not shown ). while , the downstream diffuser 39 has a gas outlet port 39a connected with an exhaust pipe ( not shown ). the gas outlet port 39a is formed with a flange 17 . as is shown in fig1 along upper and lower peripheral edges of the catalyser carrier unit 7 , there extend respective shock absorbing members 21 and 23 which are pressed against diametrically reduced upper and lower portions of the container part 35 . thus , the catalyser carrier unit 7 is held in the container part 35 through the shock absorbing members 21 and 23 . furthermore , between the catalyser carrier unit 7 and the container part 35 , there are installed corrugated support members 25a and 25b and a foamed sealing mat 27 . as shown , the foamed sealing mat 27 is positioned at a lower part of the catalyser carrier unit 7 . preferably , the foamed sealing mat 27 is constructed of &# 34 ; interlum mat &# 34 ; ( trade name ) supplied by sumitomo 3m co . ltd . due to provision of the sealing mat 27 , the clearance between the catalyser carrier unit 7 and the container part 35 is hermetically sealed , so that gas fed to the upstream diffuser 37 is forced to travel through only the catalyser carrier unit 7 . as is shown in fig2 and 3 , by means of an after - mentioned structure , a shroud 47 is mounted to an outer side of the housing 33 , which side is remote from the engine . in the first embodiment , the following measure is employed for eliminating the above - mentioned drawbacks of the conventional converter 1 . that is , two binding structures 41 are employed for binding the container part 35 of the housing 33 . with these binding structures 41 , the thermal expansion of the container part 35 is suppressed or at least minimized , and thus the undesired by - pass clearance is prevented from appearing between the catalyser carrier unit 7 and the housing 33 . as is seen from fig1 the two binding structures 41 are respectively put around axially spaced portions of the container part 35 , one being around an upper portion of the container part 35 and the other being around a lower portion of the same . as shown , the lower binding structure 41 is put around the container part 35 at the position where the foamed sealing mat 27 is located . as is seen from fig1 and 3 , each binding structure 41 comprises two longitudinally aligned arcuate metal bands 41a and 41b which are respectively put on the shells 33b and 33a of the housing 33 . if desired , the metal bands 41a and 41b may be welded to the shells 33b and 33a . as shown in the drawings , each metal band 41a or 41b has a generally u - shaped cross section . that is , the metal band 41a or 41b has side flanges 41c for increasing the mechanical strength thereof . for connecting the two metal bands 41a and 41b , two connector units are used , each including a bolt 43 and a nut 45 . that is , one ends of the two metal bands 41a and 41b are connected through one connector unit , and the other ends of the two metal bands 41a and 41b are connected through the other connector unit . more specifically , as is understood from fig1 mated end portions of the two metal bands 41a and 41b are raised to constitute respective flanges 41a &# 39 ; and 41b &# 39 ;. these flanges 41a &# 39 ; and 41b &# 39 ; are formed with aligned openings through which the bolt 43 passes to engage with the nut 45 . if desired , the nut 45 may be welded to the flange 41b &# 39 ;. as is understood from fig2 and 3 , by using the bolts 43 , the shroud 47 is mounted to the housing 33 . that is , as is best shown in fig3 the shroud 47 is formed at its four connecting flanges 49 with respective openings through which the four bolts 43 of the connector units pass . four additional nuts 51 are engaged with the bolts 43 to secure the shroud 47 to the binding structures 41 . under operation of the engine , exhaust gas from the engine is led into the exhaust manifold 5 and then led into the manifold converter 31 . the gas fed to the converter 31 is purified by the catalyser on the carrier unit 7 and then led to exhaust pipe . during operation of the engine , the housing 33 of the manifold converter 31 is subjected to heat expansion due to the marked heat generated in the converter 31 . however , in the present invention , due to provision of the two binding structures 41 having the above - mentioned construction , the thermal expansion of the container part 35 is suppressed or at least minimized , and thus , undesired permanent expansion of the container part 35 is prevented . thus , the foamed sealing mat 27 can exhibit its normal sealing function for a long time , and formation of the undesired bypass passage in the converter 31 is suppressed . referring to fig4 and 5 , there is shown a manifold converter 131 which is a second embodiment of the present invention . parts and constructions which are substantially the same as those in the aforementioned first embodiment are denoted by the same numerals , and detailed explanation of them will be omitted from the following for facilitation of description . as is seen from fig4 an exhaust manifold 105 with which the manifold converter 131 of the second embodiment is incorporated is of a split type . as is seen from the drawings , the manifold converter 131 of the second embodiment comprises a housing 33 which is constructed of two metal shells 33a and 33b . as shown in fig5 the two shells 33a and 33b are welded at their mating edges &# 34 ; w &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; w &# 39 ;&# 34 ; to constitute a robust housing . within a container part 35 of the housing 33 , there is installed a catalyser carrier unit 7 in the same manner as in the first embodiment . designated by numeral 27 is the foamed sealing mat which is interposed between the catalyser carrier unit 7 and the container part 35 of the housing 33 . in the second embodiment , the following measure is employed for suppressing or at least minimizing the thermal expansion of the container part 35 of the housing 33 . two binding structures 141 are employed for binding the container part 35 of the housing 33 . as shown in fig4 the two binding structures 141 are respectively put around axially spaced portions of the container part 35 , one being put around an upper portion of the container mart 35 , and the other being put around a lower portion of the same . preferably , the lower binding structure 141 is put on the container part 35 at the position where the foamed sealing mat 27 is located . as is understood from the drawings , each binding structure 141 comprises two longitudinally aligned arcuate metal bands 141a and 141b which are secured , through welding or the like , to the convex outer surface of the container part 35 . as is best shown in fig5 the paired arcuate metal bands 141a and 141b are spaced from each other . lit is to be noted that each arcuate metal band 141a or 141b has a longer portion which almost covers a major portion of one shell 33a or 33b and a shorter portion which covers one of the welded mating edges w and w &# 39 ; of the two shells 33a and 33b . under operation of the engine , the housing 33 of the manifold converter 131 is subjected to heat expansion . however , due to provision of the two binding structures 141 having the above - mentioned construction , the thermal expansion of the container part 35 is suppressed or at least minimized . because the gently curved wall of the container part 35 , which exhibits a larger thermal expansion , is provided with the longer portions of the metal bands 141a and 141b , the thermal expansion of the container part 35 is effectively suppressed . although , in the second embodiment of fig4 and 5 , the two arcuate metal bands 141a and 141b of each binding structure 141 are arranged offset with respect to the housing 33 as is described hereinabove , they may be arranged symmetric with respect to an imaginary plane which includes the welded mating edges w and w &# 39 ; of the two shells 33a and 33b . in this modification , easier assembly is expected .	5
referring in more detail to the drawings , fig1 - 4 illustrate an electric fuel pump assembly 20 embodying the present invention and having an electric motor 22 coupled to a fuel pump 24 secured by a spring clamp device 26 to the motor . the motor 22 is generally elongate axially and has a stator encircling an armature with a drive shaft 34 journaled for rotation by bearings carried by end caps 28 and 30 received in a housing shell 32 . the drive shaft 34 projects axially outward from the inboard end cap or surface 30 along an axis of rotation 36 for mechanical coupling to the fuel pump 24 . the motor 22 and the pump 24 are preferably pre - assembled , “ off - the - shelf ,” items which are releasably mounted together in coaxial alignment by the snap fitting spring clamp device 26 . referring to fig3 and 4 , the fuel pump 24 has an encasement or housing 38 with a base 48 and a cover or end cap 52 preferably made of non - corrosive and economical plastic which defines a cavity 40 receiving a gear - rotor assembly 42 of a positive displacement pump . the base 48 has an inboard face 44 which faces the inboard end cap or surface 30 of the motor 22 and a through bore 50 for receipt of the motor shaft 34 . the pump end cap or cover 52 is attached and sealed to the base 48 during assembly and after the gear - rotor assembly 42 is installed therein . the end cap 52 has an outboard end face 46 and an axially projecting fuel outlet 54 and a fuel inlet 56 . inlet 56 communicates with the fuel inlet of the gear - rotor assembly 42 and outlet 54 communicates with the cavity or outlet 40 of the gear - rotor assembly through which it discharges fuel at a high pressure when operating . if desired , a turbine pump assembly or other type of fuel pump assembly may be utilized in lieu of the gear - rotor pump assembly 42 . referring to fig5 - 7 , the spring clamp device 26 releasably mounts and attaches together the motor 22 and pump 24 of the fuel pump assembly 20 . the clamp device 26 preferably attaches to the inboard end cap or surface 30 of the motor 22 by two fasteners or screws 60 and extends radially outward and axially along the pump housing 38 to partially envelope or “ cage ,” and resiliently engage the pump 24 . an annular member or base plate 62 of the spring clamp device 26 has two diametrically opposed holes 64 to receive the screws 60 which thread into the end cap 30 of the motor 22 and hold the base plate 62 directly against the end cap 30 in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the axis of rotation 36 . four resilient flex arms 68 project substantially axially downward from a peripheral edge 66 of the base plate 62 and are preferably integral and unitary with the base plate . the arms 68 are preferably substantially equally spaced circumferentially from one another and are preferably slightly bowed outward when not flexed for engagement to the pump 24 . located at the distal end 70 of each arm 68 is a finger or clip 72 , which projects generally radially inward , and resiliently snaps over the outboard face 46 of the pump encasement 38 as the arms 68 resiliently flex from a radially outward unstressed state and in a generally radially inward direction toward a radial unstressed state and axial stressed state . each clip 72 has a contact portion 74 which projects radially inward from its associated flex arm 68 and preferably angles axially inward at an angle 78 preferably about five degrees when in a disengaged state ( as best shown in fig6 and 7 ) and with respect to an imaginary plane 76 disposed perpendicular to the axis of rotation 36 . from the contact portion 74 , the clip 72 has a rounded cam - like return bend 80 which extends to a generally axially outward projecting distal tab 82 of the clip 72 . the spring clamp device 26 is preferably made from a single stamping of sheet metal or spring steel . during assembly of the fuel pump assembly 20 , a downward projecting cylindrical shoulder 84 of the motor housing 32 , disposed concentrically about the shaft 34 , is received in the base plate 62 of the spring clamp device 26 through a central hole 86 ( as best shown in fig5 ). the screws 60 are then threaded into the motor end cap 30 which rigidly holds the base plate 62 to the motor 22 with the flex arms 68 projecting generally axially away from the motor 22 ( as best shown in fig3 and 4 ). the clips 72 of the flex arms 68 are then resiliently moved radially outward so that the clips 72 radially clear the pump housing 38 when the pump 24 is moved between them , and axially toward and coupled with the motor 22 . with the pump 24 coupled to the motor drive shaft 34 and the flex arms 68 released , the cam - like bends 80 of the clips 72 are preferably in biased contact with a slightly rounded peripheral edge 81 of the pump encasement 38 but not yet in direct contact with the outboard face 46 . an external force applied in a radially inward direction against the mid - section of each bowed flex arm 68 causes the flex arms to generally straighten and the contact portions 74 of the clips 72 to align parallel with the imaginary plane 76 ( as best shown in fig7 ). the cam - like bend 80 then assists each clip 72 to snap over the edge 81 and slide over the outboard face 46 in a radially inward direction . when the external force placed upon the flex arms is released , the resilience or spring force of the bowed flex arms 68 and clips 72 exert an evenly distributed and consistent force upon the plastic pump encasement 38 in an axially inward direction . if removing the pump 24 from the motor 22 is desired , a radially outward force is placed upon the clip tabs 82 which flexes the arms 68 radially outward to radially clear the clips 72 from the cylindrical pump housing 38 . once cleared , the pump 24 can then be moved axially away and de - coupled and removed from the motor 22 . fig8 and 9 illustrate a modified spring clamp device 26 ′ wherein the flex arms 68 ′ extend the entire axial length of the pump 24 ′ and motor 22 ′ and the base plate 62 ′ is in biased contact with the outboard end cap 28 ′ of the motor housing 32 ′. preferably the end cap 28 ′ has a cylindrical shoulder 88 over which the base plate 62 ′ is received . with this modification , separate fasteners or screws are not required . skilled persons will understand that the orientation of the spring clamp device 26 ″ relative to the motor 22 ″ and pump 24 ″ could be reversed so that the clips 72 ″ engage the motor end cap or surface 28 ″ and the base plate 62 ″ is attached to the pump base 48 ″ or overlies and engages to the pump end cap 52 ″ ( as best shown in fig1 ). while the forms of the invention herein disclosed constitute presently preferred embodiments , many others are possible . it is not intended herein to mention all the possibly equivalent forms or ramifications of the invention and it is understood that the terms used herein are merely descriptive rather than limiting and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention .	5
the beta - type titanium alloy of the invention may have an alloy composition containing any of the following elements as elements to be optionally added to the above essential alloy elements : the following will describe functions of individual components constituting the beta - type titanium alloy of the invention and reasons for limiting the composition ranges as mentioned above . nb is a β - phase stabilizing element of isomorphous - type which is considered to have no cytotoxicity and has a function of making a matrix a β - phase having a low young &# 39 ; s modulus and a high cold workability . in order to surely obtain the effect , it is necessary to add nb in an amount of 10 % or more . on the other hand , the presence of a large amount of nb deteriorates producibility , so that the addition thereof is limited to 25 % or less . according to an embodiment , the minimal amount present in the alloy is the smallest non - zero amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . according to a further embodiment , the maximum amount present in the alloy is the maximum amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . cr is also a β - phase stabilizing element and has a function of lowering young &# 39 ; s modulus . the effect is first observed when cr is added in an amount of 1 % and becomes more remarkable when it is added in an amount of 3 % or more . however , when the amount exceeds 8 %, the effect begins to be saturated . when it exceeds 10 %, the effect is clearly saturated , so that the upper limit is defined to be 10 %. according to an embodiment , the minimal amount present in the alloy is the smallest non - zero amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . according to a further embodiment , the maximum amount present in the alloy is the maximum amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . one or two elements of zr : 10 % or less and sn : 8 % or less both zr and sn are elements stabilizing both α - phase and β - phases and strengthen the α - phase which precipitates in aging treatment . the effect is observed when about 1 % of either element is added but is remarkable when 3 % or more thereof is added . however , when the amount thereof exceeds from 5 to 6 %, the effect of the addition begins to be saturated , so that the upper limit is defined to be 10 % for zr and 8 % for sn . according to an embodiment , the minimal amount present in the alloy is the smallest non - zero amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . according to a further embodiment , the maximum amount present in the alloy is the maximum amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . the changed embodiments on the alloy composition of the beta - type titanium alloy of the invention have the following meanings , respectively . al is an α - phase stabilizing element and strengthens the α - phase which precipitates in aging treatment . the effect has already been observed remarkably when about 1 % thereof is added . however , when the amount thereof exceeds 4 %, the effect begins to be saturated . when it exceeds 6 %, the effect is clearly saturated , so that the upper limit of the amount to be added is defined to be 6 %. in addition , there is an inconvenience that elastic modulus increases when the amount exceeds 4 %. according to an embodiment , the minimal amount present in the alloy is the smallest non - zero amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . according to a further embodiment , the maximum amount present in the alloy is the maximum amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . fe is a β - phase stabilizing element and has an effect similar to that of nb and cr . moreover , since it is an inexpensive material , costs can be lowered by the use thereof . however , the addition of a large amount of fe increases hardness and elastic modulus , so that the addition is limited to 5 % or less , desirably 2 % or less . according to an embodiment , the minimal amount present in the alloy is the smallest non - zero amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . according to a further embodiment , the maximum amount present in the alloy is the maximum amount used in the examples of the developed alloys as summarized in table 1 . nb — cr alloy , nb — fe alloy , and nb — al alloy to be used as materials to be melted in the process for producing the beta - type titanium alloy of the invention all have melting points lower than those of pure metals constituting these alloys ( approximate melting points of nb — cr alloy , nb — fe alloy , and nb — al alloy are 1700 to 1800 ° c ., 1500 to 1600 ° c ., and 1550 to 1650 ° c ., respectively ) and hence the titanium alloy can be easily produced by melting . the solution treatment , cold working , and aging treatment performed in the process for producing a product of the beta - type titanium alloy of the invention can be carried out according to known techniques . the present invention is now illustrated in greater detail with reference to examples and comparative examples , but it should be understood that the present invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto . button ingots of titanium alloys each having a weight of 150 g and a size of length 70 mm × width 25 mm × height 25 mm were prepared by arc - melting using sponge titanium and the other raw materials in a ratio shown in table 1 ( weight %, the balance being ti ). the each ingot was heated to 1050 ° c . and formed into a plate having a size of length 85 mm × width 60 mm × thickness 4 mm by hot forging . then , the each plate was subjected to solution treatment to form a material under test , wherein the each plate was maintained at 850 ° c . for 1 hour and then quenched in water . from the above material under test , each test piece for tensile test in accordance with jis z 2201 ( jis no . 14b ) was manufactured by machining . using an instron - type tensile testing machine , tensile strength was measured at a cross head speed of 5 × 10 − 5 m / s . separately , from the above material under test , each test piece for elastic modulus in accordance with jis z 2280 was manufactured and young &# 39 ; s modulus was measured by a free resonant vibration method . the results of the measurements are also shown in table 1 . the titanium alloys of examples 1 to 28 of the invention show elastic modulus of 100 gpa or less , and , in preferable examples , values of less than 70 gpa , while they have alloy compositions maintaining a high biocompatibility . therefore , they are suitable as biological replacement materials . a titanium alloy having a composition shown in table 3 was produced by melting using a pure ti ( titanium sponge ) and one to three of nb — cr alloy , nb — fe alloy , and nb — al alloy in a composition ( weight ratio ) shown in table 2 as material ( s ) to be melted . appropriate melting points of the raw alloys are shown in table 2 and approximate temperatures of the furnace ( button arc furnace ) in the alloy produced by melting are shown in table 3 . it is apparent from table 3 that heating should be conducted at a temperature reaching about 2500 ° c . until melting when only pure metals are combined as raw materials but the temperature can be lowered to 1800 ° c . by the use of the alloy ( s ) and hence the titanium alloys can be easily produced . while the present invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof . the present application is based on japanese patent application no . 2006 - 103412 filed on apr . 4 , 2006 , no . 2007 - 010796 filed on jan . 19 , 2007 and no . 2007 - 084778 filed on mar . 28 , 2007 , and the contents thereof are incorporated herein by reference .	2
a shoe incorporating the integrated construction of the present invention is shown in fig1 and generally designated 10 . for purposes of the disclosure , the present invention is described in connection with a ¾ height boot , however , the present invention is well suited for use with other types of soled footwear . in general , the shoe 10 includes an upper 20 secured to an outsole 40 . a membrane 60 is direct attached to the upper 20 . the direct attach membrane shown includes a bead 62 that terminates short of the heel region of the shoe . the heel region includes a heel cradle 50 positioned between the upper 20 and the outsole 40 . here , the upper and / or membrane may be secured to the heel cradle and / or outsole with an adhesive or cement . as used herein , the term “ arch region ” refers generally to the portion of the shoe corresponding to the arch of the wearer &# 39 ; s foot ; the term “ forefoot region ” refers generally to the portion of the shoe forward of the arch region corresponding to the forefoot ( e . g ., the ball and the toes ) of a wearer &# 39 ; s foot ; and the term “ heel region ” refers generally to that portion of the shoe rearward of the arch region corresponding to the heel of the wearer &# 39 ; s foot . the forefoot region 42 , arch region 43 and heel region 44 are generally identified in fig2 , however , it is to be understood that delineation of these regions may vary depending upon the configuration of the footwear . the upper 20 is generally conventional and will not be described in detail . suffice it to say that the upper 20 includes vamp 22 , quarters 24 and backstay 26 . with reference to fig3 , the upper 20 includes a lower portion that transitions to an allowance 23 , also referred to as a peripheral allowance , which is folded inward toward the center of the footwear . this peripheral allowance , and in some cases , the lower portion of the upper , is direct attached to the membrane 60 , as described in detail below . the peripheral allowance may be secured to the insole 70 , or optionally strobel stitched to an insole and / or fabric sock liner ( not shown ). the upper 20 may be manufactured from leather , canvas , nylon , or other suitable materials and may include a liner ( not shown ) or other conventional accessories . a water impermeable liner 72 is optionally secured to an interior of the upper 20 . this liner , as shown in fig2 and 4 – 5 , extends downward , toward the inwardly folded peripheral allowance 23 . in one embodiment , the liner terminates a pre - selected distance above the fold of the upper that forms the peripheral allowance . in another embodiment , the liner extends upwardly to the uppermost portion of the shoe 10 . the liner may be constructed of any material , but preferably is constructed from a water impermeable fabric or material . suitable materials include the material sold under the trademark gore - tex , which is commercially available from w . l . gore & amp ; associates , inc . of newark , del ., and the material sold under the trademark sympatex , which is commercially available from sympatex technologies gmbh , wuppertal , germany . the liner may additionally or alternatively be constructed from a continuous layer of waterproof thermoplastic or adhesive , which coats the interior of the upper . in the region defined between opposing edges of the peripheral allowance , a filler 74 may be disposed . this filler may be constructed from a conventional cushioning material , such as polyurethane . the outsole 40 is manufactured from a relatively hard rubber or other sufficiently durable and wear - resistant material . the bottom 46 includes an outer surface 48 that forms the wearing surface of the outsole 40 and is contoured to the desired heel and tread pattern . the outer surface 48 may be textured to improve the traction and aesthetic appeal of the shoe . optionally , the upper surface 47 of the outsole may be textured as desired . as shown in fig3 , the outsole 40 may include a wall 42 disposed in the arch region 43 . this wall may be substituted with a rounded barrier or eliminated altogether . it also may be disposed in the forefoot region 42 and / or the heel region 44 as desired . the wall may extend partially or completely across the outsole , and optionally terminate at the flange 49 , which extends upwardly in at least the arch region , and optionally in the heel region . the outsole 40 is secured to the membrane 60 and the heel cradle 50 with cement or adhesives , or as desired , direct attached to these components . as depicted in fig2 – 4 , the membrane 60 is direct attached to the peripheral allowance 23 , and where included , the filler 74 along a substantial portion of the length of the footwear . in such a direct attach construction , the material from which the membrane is constructed bonds directly to the peripheral allowance , the filler , and a lower portion of the upper . the membrane includes a plate 63 , which extends along the length of the footwear , and a bead 62 , which terminates forward of the heel region 44 without extending into the heel region . however , in some applications , the bead may extend into at least the arch region . the bead may be secured to the upper 20 substantially only in the forefoot region 42 , and may extend upwardly and around the lower periphery of the upper in the forefoot . for a clean appearance in the finished footwear , the ends of the bead 62 and for the bead flange 64 are disposed behind the flange 49 of the outsole 40 . in this configuration , the ends of these components are concealed from sight . as desired , the bead 62 and bead flange 64 may extend to the wall or barrier 42 of the outsole . the membrane and its components may be manufactured from polyvinyl chloride , hard durable rubber , or other materials as desired . with reference to fig6 – 9 , the membrane 60 will be described in more detail . the membrane includes a plate 63 , having first 65 and second 69 sides . as shown , the first side 65 is formed against and / or bonds to the upper 20 and filler 74 when the membrane is direct attached to these components . the plate 63 is relatively planar on its upper surface , i . e . the first side , and substantially covers the opening defined between opposing peripheral allowances 23 to effectively seal with a waterproof barrier the lower portion of the upper 20 . in the forefoot region 42 of the footwear , a first flange 66 extends upwardly adjacent the upper 20 , and is secured to the upper there by direct attachment . also in the forefoot region , the membrane includes a bead 62 . the bead extends downwardly from the insole plate a pre - selected distance . at the lowermost portion of the bead , a second flange 64 , also referred to as a bead flange , extends outwardly around a perimeter of the footwear in at least one of the forefoot region and the arch region . as desired , the bead and flanges may exist anywhere forward of the heel region . the plate 63 in the region of the footwear where the bead 62 exists may be of equal or greater thickness than the region of the footwear where there is no bead . for example , as shown in fig2 and 8 – 9 , the first thickness 68 of the membrane 60 in the forefoot region 42 is greater than the second thickness 67 of the membrane 60 in the arch 43 and heel region 44 . in an alternative embodiment , the plate 63 is of a substantially equal thickness throughout the length , and the bead is a downward extension of the first flange 66 to the bead flange 64 . as desired , the membrane and all of the flanges , the bead , and the plate may be a single , unitary , integral component . the membrane 60 and waterproof liner 72 , which is secured within or to the upper 20 , may cooperate to render the interior of the upper substantially waterproof . as shown in fig2 – 3 , the insole 70 extends along the entire length of the shoe , and may be constructed of any conventional cushioning material . in the heel region 44 and , optionally , the arch region 43 , the insole is secured via conventional means , for example , adhesives , cement , stitching or the like to the interior side of the peripheral allowance 23 of the upper . optionally , a shank 86 of steel , plastic or other material is secured to the bottom of the insole 70 in the arch region 43 of the shoe . the shank may be secured to other components of the shoe as desired , and may overlap with the other regions , for example , the forefoot region 42 and heel region 44 . with reference to fig2 , 3 and 5 , the shoe includes a heel cradle 50 that snugly fits in or adjacent the outsole 40 . the heel cradle 50 is preferably cup - shaped to cradle the heel of the wearer and extend upwardly around at least a portion of the wearer &# 39 ; s heel . as shown , the heel cradle 50 is positioned substantially only in the heel region 44 and terminates at or slightly within the arch region 43 . as desired , the cradle may terminate short of the arch region or may extend beyond the arch region into the forefoot region 42 . this heel cradle is secured with adhesives or cement directly to the upper 20 . in the embodiments shown , the cradle is adhered to the peripheral allowance 23 of the upper 20 and optionally , a portion in the undersurface of the insole 70 . the heel cradle is preferably made from a low density cushioning material . in one embodiment , the heel cradle 50 is constructed from an ethylvinyl acetate ( eva ) foam . the rigidity and the flexibility of the eva foam can be varied from application to application as desired . in the fully assembled footwear shown in fig2 , 4 and 5 , the outsole 40 is secured in the forefoot region to the membrane 60 , and to at least the heel cradle 50 in the heel region 44 . this securement may be provided by cement , adhesives or other conventional attachment means . when assembled , the rearmost portion of the bead 62 , including the bead flange 64 , is adjacent the wall 42 of the outsole , however these components may also abut against the wall as desired . in constructions where the outsole does not include a wall , the heel cradle 50 may extend forward to abut or join with the thicker portion of the membrane , or the membrane 60 may extend rearward to , abut against , or join with the heel cradle . the shank 86 and exposed portion of the underside of the insole 70 may or may not be secured to the outsole 40 as desired . manufacture of the shoe 10 will now be described with reference to fig3 – 6 and 100 . the upper 20 is manufactured using generally conventional techniques and apparatus . the desired upper material ( not shown ) is cut to form the upper . although not shown , the upper may include multiple elements , such as a vamp , quarters and a back stay . if included , these pieces of the upper are fitted and sewn together . the water impermeable liner 72 is secured within the upper via adhesives or stitching that does not deteriorate the water impermeability of the liner in the desired areas . this liner is fitted to the upper so that in the finished footwear , it extends downward a sufficient distance so that the later - added membrane terminates above the lowermost portion of the liner . the insole 70 is fitted on a last 100 , and the fitted upper 20 is stretched over the insole and the last . the peripheral allowance 23 is secured with a cement , adhesive or other attachment means to the underside of the insole 70 . the peripheral allowance 23 may be temporarily tacked or stapled to the last to hold the allowance in place . the filler 74 may further be cut and trimmed to fit within the void defined between opposing sides of the peripheral allowance 23 . this filler may be cemented or adhered within this void to the underside of the insole 70 and the edge of the peripheral allowance 23 as desired . with the upper 20 secured to the insole 70 as desired and stretched over a last 100 , these components are prepared for a direct attach molding operation , which is shown in fig1 . the last 100 is lowered against the membrane mold 120 , which includes side molds 112 and a bottom mold 114 . only one side mold 112 is shown in fig1 , however , it is noted that a corresponding side mold opposing the depicted side mold is included . each side mold 112 wraps around the sides of the lasted upper 20 , and mate with one another at the front and rear of the shoe . the side molds 112 and bottom mold 114 cooperate to define a membrane cavity 130 of varying thickness but running along the length of the footwear as shown . this cavity 130 is greater in depth in the forefoot region than in the heel region . moreover , the cavity in the forefoot portion further defines corresponding bead 162 and bead flange 164 voids that , when filled with material , form the bead and bead flange of the completed membrane . it is noted here that the varying depth and deletion of the bead features in the heel region and / or arch region may be accomplished using a mold insert 140 with the mold 120 . as shown , the insert 140 rests in the membrane cavity 130 , and thereby occupies the space that would otherwise be filled by material when that material is injected into the cavity . the insert 140 further extends upwardly to cover the bead 162 and bead flange 164 voids so that material cannot enter those voids and form corresponding features in the direct attach process . the insert is generally the same shape as the heel and / or arch region of the footwear , and of a depth that is a pre - selected amount less than the depth of the membrane cavity . the insert may also include bead and flange features ( not shown ) so that these features can more securely interfit with the corresponding features of the side molds . the side mold 112 includes a cavity side wall 115 which generally forms a side wall of the finished membrane . the bottom mold 120 may include a base wall 122 , which generally forms the bottom of the finished membrane . the base mold , or the insert 140 when included , may also include a membrane terminating wall 124 . the molds may be modified to form any portion or combination of side walls , bottom walls or other walls as desired . optionally , the thicker region of the membrane cavity 130 in some applications may extend rearward into the arch region of the footwear , short of the heel region . in which case , the terminating wall may be positioned further rearward . with the components of the mold 120 , i . e ., the side molds 112 and the bottom mold 114 , positioned to form the membrane cavity 130 , the appropriate volume of material to form the membrane 60 is injected or poured through port 150 into the cavity 130 . preferably , the mold 110 holds the upper 20 firmly enough to prevent material from exiting the mold 110 from the top of the cavity 130 . as the material 131 is introduced into the cavity 133 , it substantially fills the cavity 130 until the entire membrane 60 is formed . the midsole material 131 is allowed to sufficiently cure and direct attach the membrane 60 to the upper 20 , filler 74 , and / or insole 70 . the side molds 110 are moved away from the footwear in the direction of the arrows 111 . the last 100 is moved upward in the direction indicated with the vertical arrow 101 . any excess flashing resulting from the direct attach process may be trimmed from the membrane . with the flashing trimmed from the membrane 60 , the membrane is readied for securing the outsole 40 to it . optionally , a shank 86 may be secured to the undersurface of the filler 74 . the outsole 40 is injection molded or pour molded from a hard , durable rubber using conventional molding apparatus . its construction may be completed before any other components of the footwear are assembled as desired . the tread pattern 48 on the lower surface 46 , the upwardly extending flanges 48 , and the wall 42 of the outsole are formed during the molding operation as integral parts of the outsole 40 . with the outsole manufactured , the heel cradle 50 is secured to the outsole 40 in the heel region 44 . in those applications where a large heel cradle is used , the cradle may also be secured to the arch region and possibly extend into the forefoot region 42 as desired . these components may be secured together with cement , adhesive or other attachment means . in another step , the outsole 40 is secured with cement or adhesives to the membrane 60 along the entire length of the membrane . preferably , the terminating end of the beaded region of the membrane aligns with the wall 42 of the outsole 40 so that it is disposed adjacent and / or abuts the wall . in one embodiment , the outsole is secured to the remainder of the footwear so that the flange 48 conceals the terminating end of the bead 62 and bead flange 64 and provides a clean appearance . in the heel region 44 , the heel cradle is adhered or cemented to the peripheral allowance 23 of the upper , and where exposed , the undersurface of the insole 70 . in the arch region , the outsole is secured to the other components of the shoe as desired . with the outsole 40 secured to the membrane 60 and heel cradle 50 / upper 20 , the shoe 10 may be removed from the last . a number of conventional finishing operations may then be performed on the shoe 10 . for example , the edges of the membrane 60 , the membrane bead 62 , and bead flange 64 , and the outsole 40 are trimmed and shaped ; and the upper 20 is cleaned , polished and treated as appropriate and necessary . the above descriptions are those of the preferred embodiments of the invention . various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims , which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents . any references to claim elements in the singular , for example , using the articles “ a ,” “ an ,” “ the ,” or “ the ,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular .	0
fig4 is an explanatory diagram showing a basic configuration of a speech speed converting device according to the present invention . in fig4 , a voice waveform and a voice code are input to a speed converting unit 40 . the speed converting unit 40 adjusts a speech speed using either one of or both the voice waveform and the voice code according to the characteristic of the voice , and outputs speed - adjusted voice . fig5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a configuration of the speed converting unit 40 shown in fig4 . in fig5 , a voice classifying unit 41 classifies an input voice according to the characteristic of the voice . a speed adjusting unit 42 suitably selects between a speed adjusting method using both a voice waveform and a voice code and a speech adjusting method using one of a voice waveform and a voice code , according to a result of classifying the voice . the speed adjusting unit 42 adjusts the speed using the selected method , and outputs the speed - adjusted voice . the voice classifying unit 41 is mounted with a central processing unit ( cpu ) and a digital signal processor ( dsp ), and consists of a normal cpu circuit including a read - only memory ( rom ), a random access memory ( ram ), and an input / output ( i / o ) peripheral device . the speed adjusting unit 42 also has a similar configuration , as shown in the following block configuration diagram . fig6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a configuration of the speed adjusting unit 42 shown in fig5 . fig7 is a flowchart showing one example of a processing flow . in the present example , a speech speed is adjusted using one of voice waveform data and a voice code obtained by a linear prediction operation . an input selecting unit 43 selects one of the voice waveform and the voice code for input one frame , based on a voice classification from the voice classifying unit 41 ( at steps s 101 and s 102 ). similarly , latter - stage interlocked switches 44 and 47 are switched over to a voice waveform speed adjusting unit 45 or a voice code speed adjusting unit 46 based on a voice classification ( at step s 103 ). the speed adjusting unit 45 or the speed adjusting unit 46 to which the interlocked switches 44 and 47 are switched over by the input selecting unit 43 executes a speed adjustment processing using the corresponding voice waveform or the corresponding voice code ( at step s 104 or s 105 ), and outputs a speed - adjusted voice waveform to an output unit 48 . because a voice waveform or a voice code to be used for a speed adjustment is suitably selected based on the voice classification , degradation in the voice after the speed conversion is remarkably decreased as compared with when the speed is converted using only the voice waveform or the voice code . fig8 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a configuration of the speed adjusting unit 42 shown in fig5 . fig9 and fig1 are flowcharts of examples of the processing flow shown in fig8 . in the present example , a speech speed is adjusted by simultaneously using both voice waveform data and a voice code obtained by a linear prediction operation . therefore , the input selecting unit 43 shown in fig7 is not necessary . the voice waveform and the voice code that are input are directly applied to the speed adjusting unit 45 and the speed adjusting unit 46 respectively . a voice waveform obtained by speed - converting the voice waveform by the speed adjusting unit 45 and a voice waveform obtained by speed - converting the voice code by the speed adjusting unit 46 are input to the next - stage output generating unit 49 ( at steps s 201 to s 204 ). the output generating unit 49 calculates weights of the two input voice waveforms based on the voice classification from the voice classifying unit 41 ( at steps s 301 and s 302 ), adds the weighted two voice waveforms together , and outputs the added result ( at step s 303 ). as an example of the application of this method , a switching over from a speed adjusting section using a voice waveform to a speed adjusting section using a voice code is considered . in this case , first , a weight “ 1 ” is given to the voice waveform input from the speed adjusting unit 45 that uses the voice waveform , and a weight “ 0 ” is given to the waveform output from the speed adjusting unit 46 that uses the voice code . then , within a predetermined section switching time , the weight of the voice waveform from the speed converting unit 45 is gradually decreased from “ 1 ” to “ 0 ”. on the other hand , the weight of the voice waveform from the speed adjusting unit 46 is gradually increased from “ 0 ” to “ 1 ”. the weight can be changed linearly or exponentially . as a result , in the present example , noise attributable to the discontinuity of the waveform generated at the time of switching over between the voice waveform section and the voice code section can be substantially restricted . fig1 is an explanatory diagram of a processing flow according to one embodiment of the present invention . the operation is explained using a flow of the operation carried out by the voice classifying unit 41 and the speed adjusting unit 42 shown in fig5 . in the present example , the voice classifying unit 41 first classifies voice into voice and nonvoice based on whether a frame contains voice ( at steps s 401 to s 403 ). for example , when short - time power of an input signal continues for a predetermined time or more , the voice classifying unit 41 decides that the frame contains voice . next , a section decided as voice is classified in further detail . in the present example , voiced sound is classified as “ cyclical ”, and unvoiced sound such as surrounding noise is classified as “ noncyclical ” ( at step s 404 ). the voiced sound is further classified into “ cyclical and steady ” and “ cyclical and unsteady ” by taking into account a level variation ( at step s 405 ). the unvoiced sound is further classified into “ noncyclical , steady , and similar ” and “ noncyclical , steady , and dissimilar ” by taking into account a level variation and burst ( at steps s 409 and s 410 ). further , the unvoiced sound is classified into “ noncyclical and unsteady ” by taking into account a plosive and the like ( at step s 413 ). a classification similar to the above can be also applied to a section decided as nonvoice . the speed adjusting unit 42 selects a speed adjusting method suitable for each classification based on the above result of classification , and switches the method to the selected speed adjusting method . in the present example , the speed of the section classified as “ cyclical and steady ” out of the sections decided as voice is adjusted using a voice waveform . the speed is adjusted to an intermediate adjustment level ( at step s 406 ). on the other hand , the speed of the section classified as “ cyclical and unsteady ” out of the sections decided as voice is adjusted using a voice waveform . the speed is adjusted to a low adjustment level ( at step s 406 ). the speed of the section classified as “ noncyclical ” out of the sections decided as voice is adjusted using a voice code . however , the speed of the section classified as “ noncyclical , steady , and similar ” and “ noncyclical and unsteady ” is not adjusted . the speed of the section decided as nonvoice is adjusted using a waveform . the speed is adjusted to a high adjustment level . when the voice classifying unit 41 classifies voice in detail using “ cyclicity ”, “ steadiness ”, and “ similarity ”, the speed adjusting unit 42 in the present example converts the speed using a voice waveform in the “ cyclical ” section ( after “ yes ” at step s 404 ) according to the classification . the voice classifying unit 41 converts the speed using a voice code in the “ noncyclical ” section ( after “ no ” at step s 408 ) except when the speed conversion is not carried out ( at steps s 411 and s 413 ). in the cyclical section , the speed can be converted without substantially degrading the voice quality by repeating or deleting a voice waveform according to the cycle . however , when a voice code is used in the cyclical section , a repetition or a deletion of a residual signal of the input voice affects a state after the linear prediction filter , and a mismatch occurs between the predictive coefficient and the residual signal . therefore , the speed is converted using a voice waveform in the cyclical section . on the other hand , the speed is converted using a voice code in the noncyclical section for the following reason . in the “ noncyclical and steady ” section ( after “ yes ” at step s 409 ), when the speed is adjusted using a voice waveform , the waveform becomes discontinuous due to a repetition or a deletion of the waveform . further , cyclicity that is not originally present appears , and voice is degraded . when a voice code is used in this section , even when discontinuity occurs due to a repetition or a deletion of a residual , this discontinuity is alleviated by finally passing the voice through the linear prediction filter . the “ steady ” section has little change in the frequency characteristic excluding rising and declining sections of the filter . therefore , there is little influence to the state of the linear predicting filter due to a repetition or a deletion of the residual , and sound is not easily degraded . a level of speed adjustment carried out by the speed adjusting unit 42 is determined for the following reason . in the “ nonvoice ” section ( at step s 408 ), the speed adjusting unit 42 searches for a part of the voice waveform in which both ends of nonvoice sections are smoothly connected without discontinuity , both at the time of increasing the speed and at the time of decreasing the speed . the speed adjusting unit 42 deletes all the section sandwiched by these nonvoice sections . in this case , a speed adjustment level becomes “ high ”. in the “ cyclical and steady ” section ( at step s 406 ), the speed adjusting unit 42 adjusts the speed without degrading voice by repeating or thinning using a voice waveform in the cyclical and steady section of the voice signal . in this case , when the number of times of carrying out a repetitions or a thinning becomes extremely large , artificiality occurs . therefore , a speed adjustment level is set to “ intermediate ”. the “ cyclical and unsteady ” section ( at step s 407 ) has cyclicity like a level variation of a voice signal , but has a change in power . therefore , the speed adjusting unit 42 sets a speed adjustment level to “ low ” to decrease degradation in voice due to a power change , at the time of cyclically repeating or thinning using a voice waveform . the “ noncyclical , steady , and dissimilar ” section ( at step s 112 ) is a section where a signal having no correlation continues steadily . the speed adjusting unit 42 adjusts the speed using a voice code in this section . in this case , the speed can be adjusted ( i . e ., the speed can be decreased ) without generating new cyclicity , by generating a fixed codebook at random . further , discontinuity can be restricted by generating an output signal using a linear prediction filter after contracting ( deleting ) a residual signal . on the other hand , the “ noncyclical , steady , and similar ” section ( at step s 111 ) and the “ noncyclical and unsteady ” section ( at step s 113 ) are sections where a signal change is large , and voice is easily degraded due to a speed adjustment . therefore , the speed adjusting unit 42 does not adjust the speed of this section . according to the present invention , the voice classifying unit 41 classifies the input voice , and the speed converting unit 42 selectively uses a speed converting method . consequently , a proportion of the expansion and contraction section of the voice , without degrading the voice , can be increased . fig1 is a flowchart showing a basic flow of the processing shown in fig1 . in fig1 , the speed converting unit 40 shown in fig4 ( i . e ., the voice classifying unit 41 and the speed adjusting unit 42 shown in fig5 ) first inputs one frame of an input signal ( i . e ., a voice waveform and a voice code obtained by executing a linear predictive conversion of the voice waveform ) ( at step s 501 ). the voice classifying unit 41 classifies the input signal shown in fig1 ( at step s 502 ), and the speed adjusting unit 42 executes the speed conversion processing shown in fig1 based on this classification ( at step s 503 ). the speed converting unit 40 continues the above processing until when a series of input frame ends ( at step s 504 ). fig1 is a flowchart showing one example of a flow of the classification processing of the input signal carried out by the voice classifying unit 41 ( at step s 502 in fig1 ). in the present example , input signals are classified based on a decision about voice and nonvoice , and a decision about presence or absence of cyclicity , presence or absence of steadiness , and presence or absence of similarity . first , an input signal is broadly classified into a “ voice ” section and a “ nonvoice ” section . a section decided as “ voice ” is further classified into a “ cyclical ” section , a “ noncyclical and steady ” section , and a “ noncyclical and unsteady ” section ( see fig1 ). therefore , the voice classifying unit 41 inputs one frame of a voice waveform and a voice code ( at step s 601 ), and classifies the input signal into a voice section containing voice and a nonvoice section containing no voice ( at step s 602 ). next , the voice classifying unit 41 decides presence or absence of cyclicity , presence or absence of steadiness , and presence or absence of similarity , in the section decided as “ voice ” ( at steps s 603 to s 605 ). the voice classifying unit 41 classifies the input signal based on a result of the decision ( at step s 606 ). in the present invention , items of classification are not limited to cyclicity , steadiness , and similarity , and other classification items can be also used . unclassified items do not need to be decided . fig1 is a flowchart showing one example of a decision about cyclicity ( at step s 603 ) shown in fig1 . in the present example , a general method of calculating an auto correlation coefficient is applied to a voice waveform . input frames are sampled , and a frequency in which the auto correlation coefficient takes a maximum value is calculated ( at steps s 701 to s 703 ). cyclicity is decided based on a difference between this frequency and a frequency in which the auto correlation coefficient takes a maximum value in a frame immediately before ( at step s 704 ). for example , a predetermined threshold value is compared with the difference . when the difference is equal to or smaller than the threshold value , the section is decided as “ cyclical ” ( at step s 705 ). in other cases , the section is decided as “ noncyclical ”. fig1 is a flowchart showing one example of a decision about steadiness ( at step s 604 ) shown in fig1 . in the present example , a voice code is used to calculate power . first , one frame of a voice code is input , and a change ( a standard deviation ( sd )) of a linear predictive coefficient is calculated ( at steps s 801 and s 802 ). for this purpose , the sd of linear predicative coefficients is calculated from the following expression ( 1 ). sd = 1 n ⁢ ∑ i = 1 n ⁢ ( c ⁢ ⁢ i - p ⁢ ⁢ i ) 2 ( 1 ) where , n represents order of the analysis of a linear prediction , ci represents a linear predictive coefficient ( i - th order ) of the current frame , and pi represents a linear predictive coefficient ( i - th order ) of the preceding frame . next , power ( pow ) is calculated from the following expression ( 2 ) ( at step s 803 ). pow = 1 m ⁢ ∑ i = 1 m ⁢ a i 2 ( 2 ) where , m represents a number of samples of m frames , and ai represents amplitude of the current frame ( i - th sample ). next , a change in power ( dp ) is calculated from the following expression ( 3 ) ( at step s 804 ). where , pow t represents power of the current frame , and pow t - 1 , represents power of the preceding frame . last , steadiness is decided based on a result of the above calculation ( at step s 805 ). in the present example , when the sd is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold and also when the dp is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value , the section is decided as “ steady ”. in other cases , the section is decided as “ unsteady ”. for deciding the next frame , power and a linear predictive coefficient of the current frame are stored ( at step s 806 ). fig1 is a flowchart showing one example of a decision about similarity shown ( at step s 605 ) in fig1 . in the present example , the auto correlation coefficient same as that explained with reference to fig1 is used to decide similarity . first , one frame of a voice waveform of an input signal is input ( at step s 901 ). next , an auto correlation coefficient is calculated , and a maximum value of the auto correlation coefficient is calculated ( at steps s 902 and s 903 ). the maximum value of the auto correlation coefficient is compared with a predetermined threshold value . when the maximum value of the auto correlation coefficient is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value , the section is determined as “ similar ”. in other cases , the section is determined as “ dissimilar ”. a detailed processing of the speed conversion carried out by the speed adjusting unit 42 ( at step s 503 in fig1 ) is explained next . a processing carried out using a voice code is explained in the examples shown in fig1 and fig1 ( see fig3 ). before this processing , the speed adjusting unit 42 selects one of terminal processing in the flow ( at steps s 406 , s 407 , s 408 , s 411 , s 412 , and s 413 ) shown in fig1 based on a result of classification carried out by the voice classifying unit 41 . a processing using a voice waveform is carried out based on an existing method of a tdhs algorithm or the like ( see fig2 ). fig1 is a flowchart showing one example of a speed adjustment ( at the time of a contraction ) using a code . in the present example , the speed adjusting unit 42 first inputs one frame of a voice code ( at step s 1001 ). next , from the past one frame and the current frame , a residual signal of the past one frame is thinned . as a result , a residual signal of one frame is generated from the residual signals of the two frames ( at step s 1002 ). at the same time , from the past one frame and the current frame , a linear predictive coefficient of the frame immediately before is thinned . as a result , a linear predictive coefficient of one frame is generated from the linear predictive coefficients of the two frames ( at step s 1003 ). the generated residual signal of one frame and the generated linear predictive coefficient of one frame are input to the linear predicting filter . consequently , a voice waveform having an increased speed by contraction is generated by combining ( at step s 1004 ). fig1 is a flowchart showing one example of a speed adjustment ( at the time of an expansion ) using a code . in the present example , the speed adjusting unit 42 first inputs one frame of a voice code ( at step s 1101 ). in this case , a new residual signal of one frame is generated using the residual signal of the past one frame and the residual signal of the current frame . for this purpose , weight coefficients that add up to one are multiplied to the residual signal of the past one frame and the residual signal of the current frame . the weighted residual signals are added together to generate a new residual signal . the generated residual signal is inserted into between the residual signal of the past one frame and the residual signal of the current frame , thereby generating residuals of three frames ( at step s 1102 ). in the case of an encoding system having a codebook , an index of a codebook is generated at random , thereby generating a new residual signal of one frame . next , the linear predictive coefficient of the past one frame and the linear predictive coefficient of the current frame are interpolated to generate a new linear predictive coefficient . the generated linear predictive coefficient is inserted between the linear predictive coefficient of the past one frame and the linear predictive coefficient of the current frame , thereby generating linear predictive coefficients of three frames ( at step s 1103 ). in the case of an encoding system having a codebook , an index of a codebook is generated at random , thereby generating a new residual signal of one frame . last , the generated residual signals of the three frames and the generated linear predictive coefficients of the three frames are input to the linear predicting filter . consequently , a voice waveform having a decreased speed by expansion is generated by combining ( at step s 11004 ). as described above , according to the present invention , because both voice waveform data and a voice code are used , information can be selectively used based on the characteristic of the voice . quality of the speed - converted voice can be improved , as compared with the quality of voice obtained by speed conversion using only one of the voice waveform data and the voice code . further , the input signal is classified into several kinds of voice . based on the classification of voice , the speed of the input signal can be converted by a method using either one of or both the voice waveform data and the voice code , thereby decreasing the degradation in the voice . quality of the speed - converted a voice can be improved , as compared with the quality of a voice obtained by speed conversion using only one of the voice waveform data and the voice code .	6
in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various principles of the present invention . it will be apparent to one skilled in the art , however , that not all these details are necessarily needed for practicing the present invention . in this instance , well - known circuits , control logic , and the details of computer program instructions for conventional algorithms and processes have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the general concepts unnecessarily . turning now to the drawings , reference is initially made to fig1 , which is a pictorial illustration of a system 10 for evaluating electrical activity and performing ablative procedures on a heart 12 of a living subject , which is constructed and operative in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention . the system comprises a catheter 14 , which is percutaneously inserted by an operator 16 through the patient &# 39 ; s vascular system into a chamber or vascular structure of the heart 12 . the operator 16 , who is typically a physician , brings the catheter &# 39 ; s distal tip 18 into contact with the heart wall , for example , at an ablation target site . electrical activation maps may be prepared , according to the methods disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 226 , 542 , and 6 , 301 , 496 , and in commonly assigned u . s . pat . no . 6 , 892 , 091 , whose disclosures are herein incorporated by reference . one commercial product embodying elements of the system 10 is available as the carto ® 3 system , available from biosense webster , inc ., 3333 diamond canyon road , diamond bar , calif . 91765 . this system may be modified by those skilled in the art to embody the principles of the invention described herein . areas determined to be abnormal , for example by evaluation of the electrical activation maps , can be ablated by application of thermal energy , e . g ., by passage of radiofrequency electrical current through wires in the catheter to one or more electrodes at the distal tip 18 , which apply the radiofrequency energy to the myocardium . the energy is absorbed in the tissue , heating it to a point ( typically above 60 ° c .) at which it permanently loses its electrical excitability . when successful , this procedure creates non - conducting lesions in the cardiac tissue , which disrupt the abnormal electrical pathway causing the arrhythmia . the principles of the invention can be applied to different heart chambers to diagnose and treat many different cardiac arrhythmias . the catheter 14 typically comprises a handle 20 , having suitable controls on the handle to enable the operator 16 to steer , position and orient the distal end of the catheter as desired for the ablation . to aid the operator 16 , the distal portion of the catheter 14 contains position sensors ( not shown ) that provide signals to a processor 22 , located in a console 24 . the processor 22 may fulfill several processing functions as described below . wire connections 35 link the console 24 with body surface electrodes 30 and other components of a positioning sub - system for measuring location and orientation coordinates of the catheter 14 . the processor 22 or another processor ( not shown ) may be an element of the positioning subsystem . catheter electrodes ( not shown ) and the body surface electrodes 30 may be used to measure tissue impedance at the ablation site as taught in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 536 , 218 , issued to govari et al ., which is herein incorporated by reference . temperature sensors ( not shown ), typically a thermocouple or thermistor , may be mounted on ablation surfaces on the distal portion of the catheter 14 as described below . the console 24 typically contains one or more ablation power generators 25 . the catheter 14 may be adapted to conduct ablative energy to the heart using any known ablation technique , e . g ., radiofrequency energy , ultra - sound energy , and laser - produced light energy . such methods are disclosed in commonly assigned u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 814 , 733 , 6 , 997 , 924 , and 7 , 156 , 816 , which are herein incorporated by reference . in one embodiment , the positioning subsystem comprises a magnetic position tracking arrangement that determines the position and orientation of the catheter 14 by generating magnetic fields in a predefined working volume and sensing these fields at the catheter , using field generating coils 28 . the positioning subsystem is described in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 756 , 576 , which is hereby incorporated by reference , and in the above - noted u . s . pat . no . 7 , 536 , 218 . as noted above , the catheter 14 is coupled to the console 24 , which enables the operator 16 to observe and regulate the functions of the catheter 14 . console 24 includes a processor , preferably a computer with appropriate signal processing circuits . the processor is coupled to drive a monitor 29 . the signal processing circuits typically receive , amplify , filter and digitize signals from the catheter 14 , including signals generated by sensors such as electrical , temperature and contact force sensors , and a plurality of location sensing electrodes ( not shown ) located distally in the catheter 14 . the digitized signals are received and used by the console 24 and the positioning system to compute the position and orientation of the catheter 14 , and to analyze the electrical signals from the electrodes . in order to generate electroanatomic maps , the processor 22 typically comprises an electroanatomic map generator , an image registration program , an image or data analysis program and a graphical user interface configured to present graphical information on the monitor 29 . typically , the system 10 includes other elements , which are not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity . for example , the system 10 may include an electrocardiogram ( ecg ) monitor , coupled to receive signals from one or more body surface electrodes , in order to provide an ecg synchronization signal to the console 24 . as mentioned above , the system 10 typically also includes a reference position sensor , either on an externally - applied reference patch attached to the exterior of the subject &# 39 ; s body , or on an internally - placed catheter , which is inserted into the heart 12 maintained in a fixed position relative to the heart 12 . conventional pumps and lines for circulating liquids through the catheter 14 for cooling the ablation site are provided . the system 10 may receive image data from an external imaging modality , such as an mri unit or the like and includes image processors that can be incorporated in or invoked by the processor 22 for generating and displaying images . reference is now made to fig2 , which is a view of the distal portion of the catheter 14 ( fig1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the distal tip 18 of the catheter is within the left atrium of the heart 12 ( fig1 ). pulmonary vein ostia 37 , 39 are visible . a lasso guide 41 has been partially deployed beyond the distal tip 18 . the lasso guide 41 may have a shape memory , and when extended through the distal tip 18 of the catheter 14 , the distal portion of the lasso guide 41 configures itself into a ring or spiral . multiple ring electrodes 43 may be disposed on the lasso guide 41 . the electrodes 43 are useful for obtaining electrograms to confirm electrical isolation of the pulmonary vein following ablation while the lasso guide 41 is still engaged with the wall of the pulmonary vein . other types of electrodes and sensors may be mounted on the lasso guide 41 , for example contact force sensors and magnetic location sensors . reference is now made to fig3 , which is a view of the distal portion of the catheter 14 ( fig1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the lasso guide 41 has been deployed and is engaged with the wall of pulmonary vein 45 . a balloon 47 has been inflated , aided by the stability provided by the lasso guide 41 that is anchored against the vessel wall . correct placement of the balloon 47 can be verified by injecting a contrast agent through the catheter 14 . additionally or alternatively the contrast agent may be injected into the balloon 47 . reference is now made to fig4 , which is a pictorial side view of distal segment of the catheter 14 ( fig1 ) shown in an operating position at ostium 49 of pulmonary vein 45 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the lasso guide 41 has been fully extended through the distal tip 18 . once the guide is positioned in the vein , the balloon 47 , which is mounted on a shaft 51 , extends beyond the distal tip 18 of the catheter 14 . the balloon 47 is inflated by injection with saline solution , in order to close off the vein at the ostium 49 . the balloon 47 is fenestrated . apertures or pores ( best seen in fig6 ) allow the saline to irrigate the ostium 49 . the balloon 47 has an electrode assembly 53 disposed on its eternal surface . multiple ablation electrodes are disposed on the electrode assembly 53 , as best seen in fig5 . the components of the electrode assembly 53 are elongate , and directed longitudinally in respective planes that are normal to the shaft 51 in order to maximize galvanic contact between its electrodes 55 ( fig5 ) and the wall of the ostium 49 . pigtails 57 prevent the electrode assembly 53 from delaminating when the balloon 47 is retracted into the shaft of the catheter 14 and protect wires ( not shown ) leading to the electrodes of the electrode assembly 53 . other geometric configurations for the electrode assembly 53 are possible , for example a spiral arrangement , or concentric rings . passage of electrical energy through the electrodes 55 ( fig5 ) creates a circumferential lesion 59 at the ostium 49 that blocks electrical propagation and isolates the pulmonary vein from the heart . the ablation site is cooled by flow of a cooling fluid 61 through pores formed in the balloon 47 and the electrode assembly 53 . alternatively , a portion of the electrodes 55 may be configured for electrical mapping . reference is now made to fig5 , which is a bottom plan view of the electrode assembly 53 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the electrode assembly 53 is shown detached from the balloon 47 . the bottom surface of the electrode assembly 53 is adapted to be adhered to the external surface of the balloon 47 ( fig4 ) the electrode assembly 53 comprises a central aperture 63 through which the shaft 51 ( fig4 ) extends . this arrangement permits injection of contrast material or sampling through the shaft 51 as may be required by the medical procedure . the electrode assembly 53 comprises a substrate of radiating strips 65 that extend about the balloon 47 and are brought into contact with a pulmonary vein ostium when the balloon is inflated and navigated to the pulmonary vein . electrodes 55 are disposed on each of the strips 65 , and come into galvanic contact with the ostium during an ablation operation , during which electrical current flows through the electrodes 55 and the ostium . ten strips 65 are shown in the example of fig5 and are evenly distributed about of central axis the aperture 63 . other numbers of strips are possible . however , there should be a sufficiently small angle between adjacent strips 65 such that at least one continuous circumferential lesion is produced in the pulmonary vein when the electrodes 55 are activated for ablation . numerous pores 67 ( typically 25 - 100 microns in diameter ) are formed through each of the strips 65 and perforate the underlying balloon 47 as well . the pores 67 conduct a flow of cooling irrigation fluid from the interior of the balloon 47 onto and near the ablation site . the flow rate may be varied by a pump control ( not shown ) from an idle rate of about 4 ml / min to the ablation flow rate of 60 ml / min . reference is now made to fig6 , which is a top plan view of the electrode assembly 53 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . electrodes 55 are shown . in operation they come into contact with the wall of the pulmonary vein . reference is now made to fig7 , which is a side elevation of an embodiment of a balloon 69 having a proximal end 71 and a distal end 73 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . an electrode assembly 75 is adhered to the exterior of the outer wall 77 of the balloon 69 . at its proximal end 71 , the balloon 69 is narrowed and configured to adapt to a connecting tube , which provides mechanical support and a supply of fluid . the distal end 73 is narrowed to permit fluid continuity between the interior of the balloon 69 and the lumen of a vessel . reference is now made to fig8 , which is a cut - away sectional view through line 8 - 8 of the balloon 69 ( fig7 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . a rim 79 seals the balloon 69 to a support ( not shown ), and prevents escape of fluid used for inflation of the balloon and irrigation fluid . an inner passage 81 permits fluid communication between a vessel and a location outside the body . for example contrast material may be transmitted through the passage 81 . reference is now made to fig9 , which is a flow - chart of a method of pulmonary vein isolation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . at initial step 83 a cardiac catheter is conventionally introduced into the left atrium of a heart . next , at step 85 the lasso guide 41 is deployed and positioned to engage the interior wall of a pulmonary vein . pre - ablation electrograms may be acquired once the lasso guide 41 is in position . next , at step 87 the balloon 47 is extended over the lasso guide 41 and inflated . next , at step 89 the balloon 47 is navigated into circumferential contact with a pulmonary vein ostium in order to occlude the ostium . next , at step 91 a radio - opaque contrast agent is injected through the lumen of the catheter , the contrast agent passes through a gap between the lasso guide 41 and the wall of the lumen in order to confirm that the balloon 47 is in a correct position against the pulmonary vein ostium . the contrast agent does not enter the balloon . control now proceeds to decision step 93 , where it is determined if the balloon 47 is correctly positioned . if the determination at decision step 93 is negative , then control returns to step 89 and another attempt is made to position the balloon . if the determination at decision step 93 is affirmative , then control proceeds to step 95 where ablation is performed using the ablation electrodes of the electrode assembly 53 ( fig4 ). a circumferential lesion is created in a region of tissue that circumscribes the pulmonary vein . the lesion blocks electrical propagation and effectively electrically isolates the pulmonary vein from the heart . post - ablation electrograms may be obtained from the electrodes 43 of the lasso guide 41 ( fig2 ) in order to confirm functional isolation of the pulmonary vein . after completion of the ablation , the procedure may be iterated using another pulmonary vein ostium by withdrawal of the balloon 47 and the lasso guide 41 . control may then return to step 85 . alternatively , the procedure may end by removal of the catheter 14 at final step 97 . it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove . rather , the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and sub - combinations of the various features described hereinabove , as well as variations and modifications thereof that are not in the prior art , which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description .	0

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